Today is All About Me!

This is supposed to be my "Travel Tuesday" post about our trip to Key West. But, well, not today---maybe next week. Today is going to be all about ME! After all, it is my 70th birthday! Yikes 70! How is that possible? 

Seventy?? You’ve Got to be Kidding Me! Seventy—the Big 7-ohhh--7-0—seven zero. 

What?? How can that be? How did I get here so fast? It seems like only yesterday I was playing third base and sweating into my eyes! Now here we are. 70!

I’ve never really felt anything about my birthdays other than it was a day to celebrate me and get presents. Not a single one ever bothered me or caused me to reflect. But this one? OMGosh! I’m actually freaking a little. Okay, maybe more than a little. I am definitely reflecting. Am I old now? I don’t exactly feel old, but that number...Sure, the bod is showing some signs—but then just like the saying “beauty’s only skin deep”—I’m revising that to “old is only skin deep!” I just don’t feel old. At. All. Maybe it’s that same mind trick that some people play when they look in the mirror and don’t see fat. Or like when you look in the mirror and don't see all the lines and wrinkles until you see yourself in a photo. Yeah, that's eye-opening! (Said with a groan!)

Whatever. I’m going to look at it like this: Age is just a number. I feel young(er) than I actually am. I’m healthy. I’m still excited about learning new things. I’m still excited about seeing the world. I’m still excited about that next book or new pair of shoes or Broadway show or my morning cup of tea—I’m still that same optimistic girl that gets excited about everything. I'm pretty "happy go lucky"--even though I don't really know what that means. I think it just means me.

I remember asking my grandmother on her 80th birthday how it felt to be 80. She said, “Honey, I’m still that 18 year old girl inside!” Yeah, grandma, I totally get it--now! I feel exactly the same way. So, instead of lamenting 70, I’m going to be grateful—for my health, weight loss, new wardrobe, ability to travel, financial freedom, a wonderful, loving husband (whew! I got that right!) and most of all—my FAMILY and my many, many friends! (Jordan and Morgan, should we name them?--inside joke). I’m 70 times thankful for it all! I'm a very lucky girl!

I'm old enough to remember a lot of "old" things that were really cool at the time--like transistor radios (where the batteries wore out too fast), scooter skirts, drive-ins (definitely went to my share and made out in the back seat on occasion), Weejuns (it took me until the '80's to afford them--and then I bought the tassel AND the penny loafers), 45 records (that I couldn't afford either, but luckily my grandparents owned a cafeteria that had a juke box. I got the records they replaced every month or so), Villager purses (even though I never owned one), Heaven Scent perfume, Dippity Do (what a gooey mess that was), Aquanet hair spray, nylons (that ran immediately when you put them on--better have clear nail polish on hand, if not, color will do) and garter belts, sleeping in brush rollers (and sleeping under the hair dryer at 5 a.m. because I really couldn't sleep in brush rollers), Fritoes (they were a special treat when they came out), and A&W Rootbeer stands,

(I still love A&W Rootbeer. I miss the hot tamales with chili that they had at the drive-ins) and bell bottoms (although I never had them. I had to cut the pants off to get the right length, so the bells were gone!). And for my grands:

Yeah, we were cool!

And now, on to the making fun of myself part because, well, after all, I am OLD!

1. The older I get, the earlier it gets late.

2. When I say, "The other day," I could be referring to any time between yesterday and 15 years ago.

3. I remember being able to get up without making sound effects.

4. I finally got eight hours of sleep. It took me three days, but whatever.

5. I run like the winded.

6. When you do squats, are your knees supposed to sound like a goat chewing on an aluminum can stuffed with celery?

7. I don't mean to interrupt people. I just randomly remember things and get really excited.

8. When I ask for directions, please don't use words like "east."

9. Don't bother walking a mile in my shoes. That would be boring. Spend 30 seconds in my head. That'll freak you right out.

10. 

Happy birthday to me! The whole family is coming in this weekend to celebrate. I have no idea what they have planned. I suggested a fun game idea, but Stephanie responded, "Maybe another time. All you need to know is that you are to be at our house at 5:30 for happy hour." No telling what they have up their sleeves. Sandy and family arrives on Thursday night. Maybe I can get something out of her! I do know there are white boards involved...