random musings

Yep, about this same time 42 years ago, my Mom decided to play the best April Fool's trick in the world and pop me out on April Fool's day, in the middle of the night, no less (and everyone wonders why I'm a night owl. It's your fault, Mom!)! I'm a big 4-2 today! I'm sure she didn't anticipate the fact that having me on on this auspicious day meant I would hear, and have played on me on a regular basis, every single April Fool's joke known to mankind. And wouldn't you know? She even tried to play one on me this morning with my birthday call (and sadly, I fell for it). Sick, Mom, sick! :)

Thinking back to when I was a kid, I thought people in their 30s were old, 40s were ancient, and 50 was about ready to kick the bucket! Now that I'm actually in the "ancient" category I so described, I'm thinking 40 isn't quite so bad, 50 is just a youngster, and 60 is the new 30. I look at my Nanny, who is 82-years-young, and I think, "I hope I am a tenth as ornery, vibrant, and active as she is when I get to that age!" I mean, if she can chase kids down the street with a broom for getting on her grass, then surely I can, too!

Now that I've reached the ripe old age of 42, I really do think life is just beginning. I mean, let's look at it this way. In our twenties, we're just getting started in the world, worrying about getting a good job, truly living on our own for probably the first time, and well in the midst of finding a girlfriend who actually lasts more than a couple months that isn't a LUG (lesbian until graduation). This goes on for the majority of this particular age. Oh, and of course, in our twenties we know way more than our parents even thought of knowing. They're lame, right?

Next up is the thirties. Most of us have had fairly good jobs for quite awhile and are probably sick of apartment living, looking for a house. We've had a few relationships, some long-term, others a flash, and a couple cats (in my case, I must not be a "real" lesbian as I'm a dog person with only one lone cat who thinks he's a dog...or Doberman, rather!). We've had our heart broken more than once and recovered, even though we knew we'd just die from it at the time. And we can no longer get away with the immature behavior that we used to blame (or have blamed) on our tender twenties. We're in our thirties! We're grown up...or so we think. Ha! Oh, and our parents? While they still don't know much, are actually a little smarter than we originally thought. How about that? Must be all the supplements and vitamins they take.

Then comes 40. The big four-oh...as in "oh, God!" For many women, that's a major change in our life as not only are we growing older, but our body is actually starting to change (rebel is more like it!). And now our doctor says it's imperative we have mammograms. What?! I now have to have my boob smashed to the size of a pancake in a cold metal machine by some sadistic doctor just because I'm 40? Who made these rules?! (Yes, we know it is important and we encourage every single one of you to get checked. Don't put it off as it may save your life. Don't believe me? Ask Melissa Etheridge and Anastacia. Both beautiful women were recently diagnosed with breast cancer and it was caught through regular exams, mammograms, and such. So quit being weenie! Embrace the pancake!) FYI, the Melissa Etheridge/Joss Stone album link above will take you to the iTunes Music Store for the exclusive "Cry Baby/Piece of my Heart" song performed by Melissa Etheridge and Joss Stone at the Grammys this year. All proceeds benefit two cancer organizations: City of Hope and the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation.

Okay, back to our regular programming. :)

Not only must we embrace the pancake, but parts of our bodies have decided to let us know that we're no longer in our teens and we simply can't do the things we used to do so well. I like what Bette Midler said about jazzercise, exercise, and exorcism....oops, maybe not the latter one...well, exercise does seem like exorcism on occasion! She said during the 80's it was all about exercising, and she was asking her body to do things it hadn't done since Senior Prom, singing, "Let's get physical, physical...let me hear your body talk....my body said fuck you!"

I think that is my body's sentiments exactly. I took up racquetball recently and within a couple games, my elbows had a few choice things to say to the rest of my body, most of which aren't printable in the family newspaper! Now, when I hear pops and creaks, I'm surprised to find out it's not the house settling, but my bones and joints cracking! That old saying, "what goes up must come down?" Well, in our case, it's more "what goes down gets comfortable on the couch for awhile!" It's hell when your body decides to get old, but your mind still thinks you're a youngster!

So, while the forties have had their share of interesting developments, I have decided to embrace my newfound maturity—pops, cracks and all. This is the best time of my life. I'm beyond the questioning years, the "discovering who I am stage," and the "whatever will I do" stage of my life. I'm in the "let's see what new things life has to offer..." stage and I'm going to embrace it to my fullest. This is a beautiful world with abundant opportunities for life, love, and happiness, and I for one, want to discover them all. Hey, I'm an Aries, we just can't help ourselves! One of my favorite quotes is from Humanity by Mark Twain, who said: "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Life is entirely too short to live filled with fear, regrets, or wishing that you had taken a chance...on love, on a job, you fill in the blank. Sure, you may fall and get your knees scraped. You may get your nose bloodied. You may even get your heart broken again. But you know what? Scraped knees heal. Noses quit bleeding eventually, and hearts do mend. Life's messy. So is ice cream. But it sure does taste good, now doesn't it?

Given that, I want to say thanks Mom, for deciding to have me all those years ago. You've been an inspiration to me my entire life and for that, I thank you. And you know what? You and Dad are pretty smart after all.

As for me, I think I'll go sailing...