Sunday, July 12, 2009

Is It Really Half-Time?

Yes, it is me.... My brothers and me (left) with beagle puppies.

High School senior picture.

.....this past year.
Today I turn 50!!!! :)
Why so happy about it? Because there is only ONE way to avoid it......................and I prefer to avoid that as long as possible! I recall when my mother turned 50 because I was singing 'happy half-a-century to you!" all day and she was laughing while telling one of her sisters on the phone about it.
Mid-life, is that what 50 is considered? Is mid-life your 40's to early 50's? Obviously, I don't know, which is not much of a surprise, considering what little I knew of menopause as well as many other things...but don't worry, you men that may accidentally wander onto this site...I'm not going to talk about that.

Seriously, for the age of 50 to be considered mid-life, one would be assuming I would live to be 100. Right? Okay, I know that the lifespan has extended over the years and, sorry guys, women tend to live a bit longer. Recently, I have read of a few centenarians that have surpassed the big double O. C'mon though, it's not a common thing at all, chances are that I will not make it to 100 and frankly I cannot imagine it with the way my joints feel now. Hey, if God chooses that I remain here on earth in a bent over position with a head I can't turn and the memory of a gnat, then so be it! Perhaps I will still be able to share with others about all the friends, kindness, their personalities and art that was a part of my 'mid-life' years, waaaay back in the days of laptops and lattes!

I'm thinking that my mid-life has passed already and darn it, I missed out on a good crisis apparently since I've not had a fling with a boy-toy or haven't purchased the very latest, high-speed, high-performance, voice command Kitchen Aid mixer or anything else to commemorate the occasion. Let's face it, I'm on the backside of life now, but I can testify that 50 is still in the middle.........
Being 50 years old means you're too old to wear the fad styles but too young for the snap-front dusters, stockings rolled down above the knees and earth shoe style footwear.
The music still moves you at 50 and though in your mind you still dance well, your kids laugh at your moves and the older ones think how young you are.
Maybe at 50 your hair doesn't look good in the new styles, but still isn't ready to be blue.
Probably at 50 it's difficult to find a new job, but too young to retire.
This 50 is too old to have a baby but still far from the grandbaby years. It better be
50 means most of the commercials are focused on the younger generations, yet too young to qualify for senior discounts.............

So, today will be viewed as the fork in the road for me. I'm good with a fork (ahem) so I will continue on my track for now until I appear adorable as an old dancer , wear snap-front dusters, dye my hair blue, retire, play with grandbabies, and get my senior discounts !

13 comments:

  1. Congratulations on turning a half century. I hope you have a happy day and that the next half of your life is fun filled and satisfying.

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  2. Ohhh what a beautiful face, and I had to go and put up my sad post...my hubby's birthday is this week and mine was last month...we are fun months aren't we...you look gorgeous!

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  3. Happy, Happy Birthday to you!!

    When I turned 50, I decided that it was a pretty fantastic age to be turning- yes- a new life was emerging, and I was going to reinvent myself.
    So, just the other night, my sister (older than me,) my niece, and my one daughter and I were doing our versions of Michael Jackson's moonwalk. Well, the girls were doing it, and just laughing at our attempts. But that was ok. We were having FUN!

    You go girl! Have fun in any way you feel! After 1/2 a century, YOU DESERVE IT!!!!
    j.

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  4. Happy Birthday...you still look very much like your high school photo...To me 50 is still so very young and they say it's the new 30 or 40...Enjoy...the years go by and this grandma does NOT have blue hair or a duster or rolled stockings. LOL Love your picture of what you consider old. Made me laugh out loud. Me, your 18 yr old senior! Just wait and see. I think we get younger and younger these days.

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  5. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! You look as beautiful now as the day you graduated. I agree with you that 50 seems strange for "middle". (Remember when 30 was "over the hill"?)
    I can't remember what I did for my 50th. Too long ago, I guess.
    My hubby turns 57 tomorrow, and he is younger than me. My 55th was a startling realization that I probably wasn't going to achieve all the things I had planned to do in my life, so maybe I had better just calm down and enjoy my slice of life as it is.
    P.S.-My sister turned 50 on June 6th and she and her husband went on a hot air balloon ride! No that would be something to remember.

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  6. oh happy birthday you old fart. seriously you really don't look that different in your before and after pics.

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  7. Happy Birthday, AU!!

    I turned 51 this past January. My husband has a band so I'm still out dancing most weekends! Keeps you young!

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  8. Hey, happy BIRTHDAY you beautiful woman! All the best to you and good health to you and your family:)
    Concerning the hurting joints (I turned 52 this spring) a German friend of mine always says: "When you are over 50 and wake up in the morning and nothing hurts, then you're dead..." (we Germans can be kind of not so delicate sometimes, LOL)

    You sure don't look like middle-age but smiling, and happy and serene.
    Have a great weekend
    love
    Andrea

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  9. Happy Belated Birthday....
    What a lovely photos, especially the high school one... you look so gorgeous... not much different to the one turned 50...

    I hope you had a fantastic birthday...

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  10. oeps I missed your birthday dear!
    Happy late birthday!!!!
    Hope you have had a happy day and that you haven't even reached half time yet!
    You certainly look still like 40!

    I wish you a long healthy and happy life!
    hugs!
    >M<

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  11. What a great post. Happy, HAPPY 50th birthday to you.
    YOU have youth in your soul, spirit in your step and a fabulous attitude!

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  12. LOVE this post - great writing! I think it's impressive how great you look with your senior photo & current photo side by side. (Good genes!)

    Hope to catch up this week & maybe do a post-birthday lunch sometime soon!

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  13. Sorry I missed THIS post! Happy Late birthday! Here is a little ditty that my Mom sings to me every year.....Uhh Humm
    "Birthday Girl...Birthday Girl...AU Is a Birthday Girl"
    (sung as many times in a row as to become VERY annoying :)
    Hope you had a good one.....You look FANTABULOUS!

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