How Not to Act Old: Do's and Don'ts

I was sitting in a movie theatre recently, the lights were down, the movie had begun and I was just getting ready to relax into a nice movie experience with my Starbucks latte I had smuggled in, when out of the darkness I, and the entire movie audience, heard "I CAN'T SEE!!  IT'S TOO DARK!" and two people entered the theatre, hanging onto each other, stumbling around in the dark with popcorn flying all over the place.  As they came up the stairs, the woman was groping all around for a seat - "I CAN'T SEE, I CAN'T SEE - and almost sat on my lap.   I didn't need to have laser vision to know that these were

OLD PEOPLE!

As we age, many of us certainly don't want to look old.  I tackled that issue a couple of years ago in my blog post, "How Not To Look Old."  However, I think it's even more important to not ACT old. 

Acting old is less about age and more about acting in a way that makes people shake their heads and think, "Shoot me if I ever act like that when I get old!"  For some reason when we get old, we sometimes fall victim to our aches and pains, our disappointments, our facing that final chapter and just give up. Some of us regress to a child-like, clueless stage where we think it's OK to do whatever we want and to hell with everyone else.  While that can be liberating to a certain extent, I disagree with that approach.  I think that when we get old, we need to be even more aware of our behavior in order to, not only be a good example to the younger generation, but to avoid being incredibly annoying to everyone else.

So since I myself am old, have some experience with some of these issues and don't want to repeat them and certainly do not want to turn into that stereotypical old person yelling at kids to get off my lawn, I have been thinking about this a lot (because I am retired and have lots of time to think about stuff like this). 

I thought I would share with my fellow seniors some things I have come up with, some do's and don'ts, if you will, on how to avoid making a spectacle of yourself as you fall into old age.

And for those of you who do not consider yourselves old, well, this is also for you because you will join us at some point.

So without further ado, for your enjoyment and possible enlightenment, some Do's and Don'ts about how NOT to act old.

DON'TS:

• Don't talk loudly in the movie theatre even if you can't see.

Getting back to that incident in the movie theatre, first of all, to avoid having to talk loudly about not being able to see in a darkened theatre, DON'T arrive late.  If you can't see in the dark, make sure you get to the movie theatre before the lights go down.  But should you not make it in time, DON'T announce to the entire theatre that you can't see.  Stumble around quietly...and DON'T sit on my lap!  And during the movie, DON'T make comments about how the lead character is treating her daughter or critique her clothes or exclaim out loud about how adorable that baby is.  Even if you whisper, WE CAN HEAR YOU! You are giving all of us old folks a bad name!

• Don't wait until you get up to the checker at the grocery story to fish around for your wallet or your check book. 

First of all, I want to ask.  What have you been doing this whole time you were waiting in line?  Reading "The National Enquirer?"  Your wallet should be out and if you are writing a check, which, I hate to tell you, pegs you as an old person right there because no one writes checks at the grocery story anymore, your checkbook should be in hand.  Better yet, use your debit card or pay cash.  And speaking of cash, DON'T count out exact change if you have to fumble around in a teeny-tiny change purse looking for it while I and my fellow grocery shoppers tap our feet behind you.  We are all thinking that we are glad we aren't THAT old!

• Don't embarrass your kids on Facebook. 

If you are lucky enough to be "Friends" with your kids on Facebook, DON'T make personal comments that are better made in private or get into arguments on Facebook with your kids or their friends. In fact, be careful about most things you say on Facebook because most things will embarrass your kids.  Remember your comments are not just seen by your friends but all of your kids' friends and you don't want your kids making excuses for you like, "Don't mind her, she's OLD and doesn't know what she's talking about."

• Don't show your ignorance about computers. 

It's one thing to choose not to use computers or the Internet, if you don't want to, but if you don't know anything about computers, don't flaunt it.  For example, throwing up your hands and saying to people "I don't know anything about those computers," as if your lack of knowledge is a badge of honor bestowed upon you for avoiding something dangerous, not only shows everyone you are old but kind of stupid.  Also DON'T repeat urban legends you have heard from other people who also don't know anything about computers.  Just being on a computer will not empty your bank account or take you unwillingly to porn sites (you have to want to go there). 

Not learning how to use a computer is your choice, but not learning means you are not taking advantage of all of the good things the Internet has to offer and refusing to be a part of the 21st century. You are never too old to learn something new so why not take some classes and learn how to use the computer?  I think a little birdie told me there are free classes available at the library. 

Likewise, speaking of Facebook, yes, Facebook is probably evil to a certain extent, but it also allows you to stay in touch with long-lost friends and your family members who might be flung all over the world. Joining Facebook is not going to instantly expose you to all kinds of bad people or steal your soul, as I have heard some old folks say. There are privacy settings you can put in place to protect you. If you don't feel you can figure that out, have your grandkids help you. 

• Don't fall victim to a scam. 

Scams are now rampant and many of them are aimed at old people.  It's one thing BEING old.  You don't have to add to that by ACTING old and being naïve  enough to fall for some of these scams that are out there.  That not only marks you as old, old, old, but kind of dumb. 

For example, if you are alone and looking for love online, do you really think that an attractive, model-handsome 40-year-old who contacts you out of the blue wants to date a 70-year-old?  He may have contacted you and told you how beautiful you are, but trust me, you aren't.  Not to a 40-year-old anyway. He wants your money.  I don't mean to be harsh but it's called "catfishing" and there are all kinds of people out there ready to prey upon lonely, old men and women. Be realistic about yourself.

Likewise, make sure you keep in touch with your grandchildren so you know what their voices sound like, especially whether they have an accent or not, so you don't fall for the "Grandparents Scam." (I only mention the accent because most of these scams are coming from call centers in other countries).  The "Grandparents Scam" is one where you get a phone call from someone claiming to be your grandson or granddaughter.  The scammers take the chance that you don't know what your adult grandchild sounds like. Your supposed grandchild tells you he or she is in a Mexican prison (or any foreign prison that sounds scary) and for you to please wire some money so he or she can get out...oh, and, by the way, PLEASE don't tell Mom and Dad.  Yes, people, this one works or the scammers wouldn't be doing it.  So if you get a phone call from a phone number you don't recognize and the person says..."Grandmaaaa" in a voice you don't recognize, hang up."  And by the way, why are you answering the phone when you don't recognize the phone number?  I am assuming you have caller ID?  If not, another sign you are OLD!

Likewise, if you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS or the U.S. Treasury Department telling you that you owe them money, hang up.  The IRS and the Treasury Department do not make these kinds of calls nor do they ask for your credit card or bank account information over the phone. 

Another popular scam is a phone call or email telling you that you have won the lottery in Ireland or some other country.  Great, but first you need to pay the taxes on the money so before you can collect the 100,000 euros, you need to wire them $10,000. You really aren't going to fall for that one, are you?

If you don't want to not only be branded as old, but also stupid, do not engage these people and do not fall for something that is too good to be true.  And just so you think this will never happen to you, I have had all of these phone calls myself.  I am on some old peoples' list.  We just had one this morning! 

The only thing I haven't experienced is looking for love online.  I don't need to because I have Hubby, but if he goes to that big rock concert in the sky before I do, I can certainly tell you I won't be looking for another man, not online or anywhere else.  I did my bit where that's concerned.

Anyway, to avoid these phone scams which are aimed at old people because we are the folks most likely to be home and most likely to answer the phone, don't answer the phone if you don't recognize the phone number and if you don't have caller ID, get it.

• Don't drive like an old person. 

That means driving in the left lane and staying there no matter what, leaving your blinker on, driving the speed limit to make sure everyone else does too (acting like a sort of hall monitor, but for cars) and being clueless about what is going on around you - DON'T, but if you do any of those things, you shouldn't be surprised when you get the finger from time to time.

• Don't use your medical issues as a topic of conversation. 

Yes, I know it's no fun to have to deal with some of the physical ailments that accompany getting older and a little sympathy is nice.  But unfortunately, no one really wants to hear about them. All I can say with that is, if that is all you can think of to talk about, maybe you need to start reading some books.

• Don't play the age card. 

"Well, I've been around the block a time or two and I think I know a bit more about that topic than you do."

You don't want to do this with your kids, your peers, not at work, not at all.  For one thing, no one cares what you think, no one likes a know-it-all, and they are going to do what they want anyway.  It's also a guaranteed conversation stopper, and why remind everyone that you are old?  They can see for themselves.  And acting like you know what is best for everyone just because you have been around the block a time or two or five, doesn't mean you know more than anyone else. 

Show the wisdom of being old by zipping your lips.

• Don't... go gentle into that good night. 

Poet Dylan Thomas had it right.  Never give up no matter how old you are or how bad things might get. DON'T give up.  No matter what life throws at you, keep going.  You did that when you were young, why not keep doing it now?

"Do not go gentle into that good night."



So those are some things all of us old folks should work on.

But it's not all bad news. 



There are actually some things you can do so you won't call attention to the fact that you are old.  These things might also help you enjoy the process a bit more.


DO's:

• Do enjoy every moment you have left. 

Doing what you love and being happy will keep you forever young. If you have dreams or that proverbial bucket list, it's now or never.  Get on with it.  I always dreamed of being a movie critic and now I can kind of say I am one with my blog and my Friday reviews (by the way, this Friday, I will be reviewing "Hell or High Water," an absolutely fabulous film)!

• Do kick up your heels and get down front!

If you like going to concerts to relive the rock & roll glory that was our growing up years (or any lively pursuit), do it!  And don't be afraid to get down front where the action is, literally and figuratively.  Who knows?
You might get a guitar pick or a drum stick or even a handshake from a rock & roll god - literally.  And if concerts aren't your thing, "getting down front" works the same for anything you enjoy. 

It's a state of mind. Don't be afraid. Go for it!  Get down front!

• Do hang out with young people. 

Don't just stick with people your own age, especially if you live in a 52+ housing situation.  Spending time with the younger generation will make you realize that you may be old physically but you are still relevant.  You have much to share, but you also still have much to learn.

• Do volunteer. 

I certainly don't want to get another job but volunteering has allowed me to live out an ambition I had when I was young.  One thing I wanted to do was be a counselor (that was along with being a writer, actress, and generally fabulous woman) and through a volunteer program that I am a part of, I support other seniors who are going through some life transitions.  I hope I am helping them, but I know I am also helping myself because it is a life affirming activity where I learn how to listen, how to have compassion for others and gratitude for what I have, and a feeling of connection to others.

Doing something for other people through volunteering reminds you that you are still a valuable part of the human race no matter how old you are.

• Do keep current. 

Know what is going on in the world, in your town, in politics, music, fashion, restaurants...you may be retired from your job but you haven't retired from life.  Nothing says "I am old" more than not knowing what is going on and who is doing what to whom.

• Do enjoy your retirement. 

If you are retired, enjoy the fact that you no longer have anyone bossing you around.  When I first retired, I felt guilty about walking away from a job I could have kept doing.  I also worried about my purpose in life now that I no longer had a job.  What I discovered was that my purpose was ME.  My existence was purpose enough so I stopped worrying and started to enjoy my freedom to be me.  If, like I was, you are struggling a bit with your retirement and feeling isolated and lost, you might be inspired by my blog post that I wrote last month, "The Key to a Happy Retirement."

Getting old is an inevitability, but it doesn't mean we need to give up on ourselves or complain or be annoying. Some of us go kicking and screaming into old age and some of us give up and fall into the old people stereotypes. Either way, we run the risk of becoming invisible and irrelevant. But if we stay away from the stereotypes and decide that we may be old physically, but we are still alive and relevant and happy, we can lessen that risk, avoid being annoying, and maybe no one will notice that we are old!

So here's the bottom line: If you don't want to be judged as old in a bad way, avoid becoming a curmudgeon, don't pontificate and act like a big know-it-all, learn to use a computer, don't get in people's way on the road, don't bore people with your medical history, don't fall in love with a Nigerian scammer, and heaven forbid, don't talk while I am trying to enjoy a movie. 

But DO enjoy yourself! You have earned it!

(I know I am sticking my neck out ranting about how not to act old when I myself am old.  So here's a deal.  If you see or hear me doing any of the things I am ranting about, I give you permission to give me as much crap as I am giving you now)!

What do you think? 

How have you avoided the pitfalls of acting

like an old, out-of-touch fuddy duddy?

Thanks for Reading!

 
See you Friday

for my review of

"Hell or High Water"

and 

  

The Week in Reviews

(What to See or Read and What to Avoid)

  

and the latest on

"My 1001 Movies I Must See Before  

 I Die Project."

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to click on the share buttons to share it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn, email it to your friends and LIKE me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer

  

Personal Style for Women of a Certain Age

I have always had an interest in fashion.

Through the years, I have devoured fashion magazines and books about fashion and tried to replicate the outfits.

I think I must have gotten that from my mother.  She was always well-dressed.

 

Contrary to popular belief about women of a certain age, even though I am in my 60's and retired, that doesn't mean I am dead. I still have an interest in fashion and I like to look good.  So I am likewise still drawn to books about fashion, make-up, health, etc. But these days, there are few books and magazines that cater to, should I say, the more mature woman.

I recently came across a book called "The Elements of Personal Style" by Joe Zee and the Editors of Elle Magazine (Joe Zee is a stylist and was the resident fashionista on the short-lived Tyra Banks daytime show "Fab Life."). I liked the outfit on the cover.  It's the sort of retro chic I always went for. The book features 25 "modern" fashion icons (from 2010) who strive to tell us women "how to dress, shop, and live."

For example, Lea Michele (remember her from "Glee?") says "I try to stay away from super tight dresses, but I love something low-cut, and, of course, it's always got to be short!"  Why, of course, Lea.  Thank you.  I don't know what I would do without my low-cut short dresses. NOT! We women of a certain age have already been through the low-cut, super short and even super tight phase, but now we are more likely in the cover me up, pull it down and let it out phase.

And that's what I am ranting about today.

We women of a certain age may be old, we may be retired, we may be, heaven forbid, a bit on the chubby side, but that doesn't mean we are no longer interested in fashion.  But we can't really relate to fashion advice from a much younger woman and most of the fashion books and magazines cater to that demographic.  Almost all of the women giving advice in this book are under 40, except for Diane Von Furstenberg, Anjelica Huston and Charlotte Rampling.  Yes, they are mature, but they are also skinny bitches (and I use the "B word" in the nicest possible way), which some of us more ample women can't relate to.  But I give the book props for including some older gals, even if they are not only skinny bitches but rich bitches, too (again, I say that in the nicest possible way). But I am more Dita Von Teese (she's in there, too) than Diane, Anjelica or Charlotte.  It's because of her love of retro and vintage clothes, not the stripper thing.  But who knows?  Could be a new retirement gig for me.  There is something for everyone out in that crazy world of ours!

Anyway, I digress. 

One of my most popular blog posts is "Parisian Chic," where I review several fashion books about looking like a French woman.  French women are always held up as the epitome of chic, and for some reason, everyone wanted to write about how to look French in 2013. 

Anyway, re-reading that post reminded me that we women of a certain age not only get left out of many of the books and magazines about fashion, but when we are included, they are not so much about how we can maximize what we have, they are more about what we are NOT supposed to do, as in how NOT to look old, how to NOT get fat and what NOT to wear, as in skinny jeans.

For example, referring back to my "Parisian Chic" post, one book made the point that if you are over 26 (and since when is 26 the cut-off between young and old and fashion forward and fashion left behind?), you should not be wearing Converse sneakers or quilted jackets.  Another book, "Forever Chic," actually did address the older woman, but when she talked about using her Hermes scarf as a cumberbund, she lost me.  Number one, who of us can afford a Hermes scarf and since when do we women wear cumberbunds?

Over the years, as I have aged, I have been told to not wear leggings or skinny jeans, no berets, show no cleavage, no hippie items like tie dyed shirts or fringed jackets, no tattoos, not too much bling and nothing too trendy. And be sure to wear sensible shoes. Then there is the whole issue of size. Heaven forbid that you should be on the plump size. No big prints, no bright colors, no white skinny jeans. There is nothing for you but black bottoms and hip skimming tops and maybe some pearls.

So as I clutch my pearls, let me briefly address the issue of being fat.  We women are not just bombarded with how to dress so we don't look old, but we are also bombarded with books on how not to look fat and no matter what your age, if you are fat, you most likely also can't relate to most of the fashion books and magazines.

I know I could stand to lose a few pounds.  OK, I could stand to lose a lot of pounds, but it's all relative.  Yes, I am fat compared to Charlotte Rampling and I always was, even when I was a skinny-ish young thing 50 years ago.  That woman is S-K-I-N-N-Y!  But when I compare myself to Rebel Wilson, I am my own version of a skinny bitch, so I have given up trying to look like the women in the fashion magazines.  As long as I don't have to shop at Lane Bryant, I'm fine.  That's my bottom line (and believe me, I've been there).  When I lost a huge amount of weight ten years ago, it was one of the hardest things I have ever done and I've gained half of it back, so I have nothing but compassion for people who are overweight and struggling not to be.  No fat shaming here on myself or anyone else.

But being old is one thing.  Being fat is another thing. Put the two together and you might as well be invisible when it comes to fashion books and magazines.

So I am putting an end to all of that negativity toward us women of a certain age and certain weight.  It is no longer about what we can't or shouldn't wear, it's all about what we CAN!



Personal Style for a woman of a certain age?


I say that Personal Style is:  

 

Wear whatever the hell you want!

If you want to stuff yourself into leggings or skinny jeans, do it!

 

If you are over 50 and want to wear a beret, Viva La France!

 

If you want to wear big prints, go ahead!

 

 

 

If you want to show some skin, by all means!

 

 

Like bling? Bring it on!

If you want to wear bright colors, let your colors shine!

No tattoos?  Too late!

(And there are two more I don't dare show you!)



If you want to wear fringe, let your freak fringe fly!

Sensible shoes?  Hell, no! 

 

 

Ladies, we've paid our dues and we have the big butts and floppy arms to prove it.

Enjoy the time you have left! Wear whatever makes you happy!

Now I am going to try to put together that outfit on the cover of that book I talked about at the beginning of this post.  I wonder if I have any ankle socks!

 

 

Thanks for reading!

See you Friday

 

for my review of

 

"The Secret Life of Pets"


and 
 
The Week in Reviews

(What to See or Read and What to Avoid)

 
and the latest on

"My 1001 Movies I Must See Before  
 I Die Project."



 

 

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to click on the share buttons to share it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn, email it to your friends and LIKE me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer

A Woman of a Certain Age Reflects on her Birthday

When you are a woman of a certain age, you can't help but do some reflection every time another birthday rolls around.  I just had one, so that's what I am going to do.  Reflect.

  

Growing up, birthdays were a big deal.

My Dad was always on hand with his ever present camera to record the events, and he wasn't above staging a moment or two. 

Though I have to say, he didn't have to stage this one. That expression on my little five-year-old face in this last picture, as I look at my current love, says it all.  I look like a little spider spinning my web!  I have plans for this kid. One learns early!

Four years later, here I am holding forth on my 9th birthday and clearly I have a new man next to me.

At ten, I have become more pensive among what look to be opium poppies in our back yard!

By 16, though, I have clearly had it with the posed birthday photo ops. You can tell by the expression on my face.  I look like I am saying, "OK, look!  Here's my new dress.  Can we be done now?"  My mother clearly has the posing down, though.
(By the way, my Dad bought me that outfit, hat, coat and all. As you can see, he was big on red, white and blue)!

  

However, I learned well from my Dad and carried on the tradition of birthday photos and continued making a big deal out of birthdays for my own children.

 

In fact, I instituted "Birthday Week." 

So what is Birthday Week? 

We didn't just celebrate the birth-day, we celebrated every day of the week leading up to the birth-day with a gift.  When the kids were at home, each day they would get a wrapped gift which would lead up to the big present on the actual birthday. Even when the kids were grown up and off to college, we still had Birthday Week. I would send them a big box with seven gifts, each individually wrapped, and they were supposed to open one each day.  Our son was five years older than our daughter, so he was probably 25 or 26 when I stopped doing it, and I would probably still be doing it, except for an incident involving our daughter. 

As I said, when the kids left home, we would still have Birthday Week. I would send them a big box with seven presents in it, and each present would say Day 1, Day 2, Day, 3, etc. and each present was supposed to be opened in sequence one day at a time.  I usually choreographed some rhyme or reason for the order, and there was an accompanying note or card explaining the gift.  When the kids were older the present on Day 7, their actual birthday, would usually be money. 

Our son was very good at this.  He would wait and open one present each day and let us know how he liked it.  However, one year, during our daughter's birthday week, I happened to be checking our bank account and noticed the check I had sent her, the Day 7 present which was supposed to be opened on her actual birthday, Day 7, had been cashed -- ON DAY 1 OF BIRTHDAY WEEK!  She didn't bother to open the present for Day 1, she went straight for the cash!  Needless to say, I got my nose bent out of shape big time for that and Birthday Week was canceled -- FOR BOTH KIDS - FOREVER!  Even though our son was already going on 27, he resented his sister for that for a long time.  

  

But that was then. 

Now we can make a big deal out of our grandchildren's birthdays too.  Not sure about Birthday Week, though!

When I was young, I couldn't wait for my birthday.  Time would just drag in between each one.

But now that I am - ahem - "a woman of a certain age" - a birthday doesn't  mean the same thing it meant when I was young, and time is no longer dragging in between each one.  It is speeding by.

And yet have you noticed that time also has a strange way of moving just slowly enough that each year that goes by, you don't notice that you are aging?  But each birthday that passes puts a new wrinkle on your face and another pound on your body until one day you have wrinkles, have put on 30 pounds and when you look in the mirror, you go "Yikes!"  What happened?  Or you look at photo albums and suddenly notice you don't look like you once did.

However, some of that was a choice some of us are forced to make.  As you have heard me say on this blog many times, like Catherine Deneuve, I chose to save my face and not my butt (she said you can't do both and she didn't use the word butt), so fortunately, though I have a big butt, I have few wrinkles on the old face.

But even with that, when I look at pictures, I have to ask myself:

How did I get from this

to this?

 

                                                             


When did that happen?

OK, that was rhetorical.  I know the answer.  I got old.  But when we are living our lives, running around like crazy, raising kids, working full-time, trying to have a life, we don't stop to notice...time passing. Inside, we think we are still that young person who graduated from school, said goodbye to her parents and went off to live her life.  And then it does. Time passes.

As I said, my Dad was a camera freak.  He documented every first day of school, every holiday, every event and, of course, every birthday, so I can look at those pictures now and remember a happy childhood.  I can also see how I have aged.

So, with that, it's easy to feel a little sorry for yourself on your birthday, especially if your children's cards didn't arrive or you don't get a phone call.  I could whine that no one ever gave me a Birthday Week.  I could get depressed over regrets. I could lament the wrinkles, the rolls of fat, the high cholesterol and that, as a woman of a certain age, I am virtually invisible.  And when I say invisible, I am not talking about no longer getting wolf calls as I walk down the street. I'm talking about the kind of invisible where I fall off the treadmill at the gym and nobody notices. That kind of invisible.

And speaking of regrets.  I don't trust people who say they have no regrets in their lives, because if everything that had happened to them hadn't happened, they wouldn't be where they are now. All that stuff.  Blah, blah, blah.  I don't buy it. If they weren't very nice to people, are estranged from their families, lived dissolute lives of drugs and selfishness or never did what they really wanted to do, then I think there should be some regrets in there, even if their lives are OK now. If you don't acknowledge regrets, then you will never change and grow.

Yes, I could say if I hadn't been married three times, I never would have met Hubby and had our daughter. But I certainly regret getting married too young and missing out on normal college stuff and the opportunity to live in Europe.  I regret letting my kids down from time to time and moving so far away from my family.  I regret signing up for the Columbia Record Club.  I could go on and on...but I won't.  Let's just say, I could get hung up on regrets as I get older and spend my birthdays feeling bad.

But I am not going to.

Birthdays still mean something to me, but what a birthday really means to me now that I am "of a certain age" is this. 

A birthday is a time to reflect, to look back on my life, to think of those regrets and if I can right them, then I should and will.  But it's also a time to be grateful that I am here for yet another year. I may not be the young girl I was (though she is still inside me when I am not looking in the mirror), or the thin-ish girl I was, but I'm grateful that I still enjoy life, that I can do 45 minutes on the elliptical and 20 laps on the track, that I can get into skinny jeans and don't care if I am supposed to wear them or not, that I have a loving husband and successful children and that a glass of wine always awaits.

And you know what?  A birthday is a day to celebrate ME!

I'M STILL HERE!

This last birthday, I had a wonderful day with Hubby.  I got to do whatever I wanted which included some trash TV and wine, an expensive dinner and wine, and Hubby finally bought me a diamond ring after 32 years of marriage.  Long story which, you know I will share some day, but not now.  The long-distance kids sent cards and a gift (well, one of them sent a gift), and they called me, so that was fine.  It was a lovely day and I was grateful.

I was grateful for yet another birthday which represents another year of life on this earth, and I had better appreciate it because the alternative is unacceptable!

So for every birthday from now on, like Rare Earth sang,  "I just want to celebrate another day of livin'!"

Thanks for Reading!
 
See you Friday

for my review of

 "Finding Dory"

and


 The Week in Reviews
(What to See or Read and What to Avoid)

 
and the latest on

"My 1001 Movies I Must See Before

 
 I Die Project."




 

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