Growing Older

Diane Keaton, a woman of graceSource

At a certain age women should learn how to grow older with grace. Enough with the Botox, Latisse, Restylane, whatever -lane! Wrinkles, crows' feet, and other facial lines are so beautiful; they tell the story of the laughter, tears, joys, trials, and triumphs in your life. Why erase the story of you and where you've been?

Rami KashouSource

At a certain age men should stop the delusion that the comb-over hides the patch of sweaty, pinky scalp on top of their heads. Dear Men: If you're really attached to having hair, invest in hair plugs or join Hair Club for Men. Get a wig. Bond with Rogaine, even. However, why don't you just shave it all off? Bald is beautiful and yes, I dare say...sexy (in Rami Kashou's case).

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When I was a kid I loved water so much and wanted to be a mermaid, so I'd cover my feet with a pillowcase and legs with blankets, and flop around the floor singing, "Part of your world." 

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Now that I am older I still love water and still love mermaids, but am more into sharks. Dolphins, however, are nasty little buggers.

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You know you are too old to be cool when you receive a set of knives and spices as presents, and you are over-the-moon chuffed about it. You also shake your head and mutter, "Kids these days" when you see a teenager strutting through the streets with his pants hanging past his butt, exposing his boxers. 

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You know you are too young to be old when you still get carded at R-rated movies and clubs, because you have "such an innocent, baby face." Conversely, you still get the urge to stick your tongue out when in the middle of a heated debate. 

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When I was younger I listened to the music of Hanson, the Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, David Bowie, Fiona Apple, The Three Tenors, Braddah Iz, Hapa, 'Opihi Pickers, Pure Heart, Keali'i, Maria Callas, Leyla Gencer, Lea Salonga...and the Dawson's Creek soundtrack. Ad nauseum. My da got so sick of me playing Hanson's Middle of Nowhere CD (particularly MMMBop!) that he gave me $200 to throw it in the trash. I agreed, of course...and with that money I bought a new Hanson CD :oP 

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Because I'm now too old to be cool I still stubbornly cling to the last vestige of coolness in my antiquated bod and listen to the same music, plus P!nk, Shakira, Nickleback, A Fine Frenzy, Dashboard Confessional, Eva Cassidy, Cibo Matto, Mor ve Otesi, Sertab Erener, and Sezen Aksu. 

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On my last birthday an ex made me cry in a good way by showing up unexpectedly. I'd been moody and teary 'cos I thought he forgot. Not a greeting, not a sound! He also said he was going sailing. Anyhoo...he planned this whole shebang.About five of us went down Nantucket and had a mini sailing trip. After that, my momma and I had a mother-daughter bonding thing in CT. 

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The year before that my momma and I spent the day at (an AmerIndian) reservation. During lunch, I literally choked on my cake because the aforementioned ex showed up; he flew from Tokyo--where he works as a VP for his family's company--as a surprise for the weekend. The next day, some friends and I had dinner at Upstairs on the Square, then had drinks at Om. 

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On my next birthday I want to be in either Santorini (Greece), Capri/Ischia/Firenze (Italy), or Troy/Turkish Riviera (Turkey). Especially Troy, since "The Iliad" has such great personal meaning to me. 

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The best birthday present I ever got was , is, and will always be TIME. Presence, too. 

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The first time I felt grown up was when my momma and grandmother allowed me to "help" them with making Pinoy-style macaroni salad. I was about four, and my "job" was to mix the ingredients. Of course I ended up eating most of the cheese before they even got into the bowl, but I'll never forget that moment. It was also the moment I began to love cooking.