Monday, August 9, 2010

Insidious ageing

A fact of life.


(from ehow.com)

I am getting older.

That seems to be stating the obvious, I know,
but I am noticing how I am changing-
you know, I am getting old.

I am not talking about the obvious physical stuff.

Not the fact that I find myself looking at those facial waxing products in the supermarkets with a feeling of impending doom.

Not the fact that my boobs are headed south as fast (or possibly faster) than my son is reaching towards the ceiling.

Not the fact that I must face it: that I am past my physical prime,
as my varicose veins, stretch marks, cellulite, creaky knees, decreasing bladder control
 and increasing number of wrinkles...er, laugh lines will attest.
I am talking about the state of mind.

I feel like a young mum.

I have 3 young kids.
I am ready to "get down" with my kids,
bust a move with them or whatever lingo will be in vogue when I have teenagers
that I need to (re)connect with.

But I am changing.

About 5 years ago, I switched off Saturday morning telly music clips
as I didn't want my kids asking just exactly what Jessica Simpson and that sponge were doing to that poor car.
Now I don't switch it on because, well, so much of that music is just so awful.

(from images.mirror.co.uk)

C'mon, hands up anyone who hasn't said to their kids
"When I was your age..." ?

Wizz Fizzes just don't taste the same.
Is that because the palate of a 42 year old is a bit more discerning than the palate of a 5 year old?
Or because sometime in the last 37 years they changed the formula?


Either way, it makes me feel old.

It is insidious.

Just the way my hubby reaches for the telly remote but now checks out ABC and SBS
before the commercial stations.

Just the way I used to barrel through saying "me, me, me" when a video game was on offer but now I just sit back and watch while I crochet rather than take on my 7 year old son in battle.

Just the way that I lie awake in bed at night wondering what is "daggy" and what is "cool" these days.

Just the way that I find that my objects of housewife crushes are 40-something year old men rather than 20-something year old men.
Ashton Kutcher?
No thanks.
(Not that I dribble over Brad Pitt but did you know that he is 46?
Johnny Depp the same.
Now I feel old...)

(from susieqtn.com)

But I will take heart in that I do know who Justin Bieber is,
that I can and do still dance like a dag around the house in front of my kids to anything on the radio
and that I don't have to buy facial wax just yet.

"Growing old is inevitable.
Growing up is optional."
(Anon)







7 comments:

Liesl said...

As a fellow 42-year old, your list made me laugh. I love it! The sign for me was switching the radio permanently to ABC 774.

Oh and for the record, I am sure they have changed the formula of Wizz Fizz. Surely it wasn't just icing sugar and citric acid when we were kids?!

Tania said...

If it's any consolation, I have had my radio permanently fused to ABC 774 since I was 22. Not only that, I waft off to sleep listening to the (very) old (I think) fogies battling it out on the quiz. Weekends are a disaster at bedtimes (no quiz).

Sigh.

PS. I do insist on some small level of elderly quality control. I aim never ever to enjoy Midsomer Murders.

Carolyn said...

Ill put my hand up to say that I too listen to 3aw (another talk back)... what can I say I like to learn! I dont have time to watch TV! Better than listening to the kids argue. And I hit that stage alot younger than you! Might have something to do with the age of my kids.

Its all so true Tas... but I think some of us do keep our dignity to actually know who Justin Bieber is, and to vaguely know what colour lippy is in at the moment.

Karen said...

Just this year I have become an ABC 891 devotee....yep I'm old too. Oh and I'm older than you too, so you are just a young whipper snipper to me ;)

And anyway as my Dad would say "Getting older is better than the alternative" :D

Carolyn said...

I should add- I realised I was getting older when I could hold a meaningful conversation with someone who I held as a bub!

Tracey said...

how gorgeously honest and funny tas. just letting you know that even as a 21 year old 7 yrs ago Global Village was my fave tv show. nothing old or wrong with realising good tv from crap tv ;)

x

Cathie said...

i love this post, made me laugh & say..yep, to many things on your list!
we are definitely getting better with age..i hope!
happy weekend ♥