On birthdays, aging and that "joie de vivre"

My birthday is coming up.   I hesitate to announce it since I don't like too much attention.

Considering my chronological age, I can confidently state that I still possess my original teeth, joints, fingernails, breasts and hair.  

I am though having difficulty discerning the difference between what is a hot flash and what is a reaction to recent weeks trapped in an unbearably sticky summer.


On the one hand, my front teeth seem too big, and my breasts seem too small. Heard this since adolescence...

On the other hand, the joints are relatively flexible and the hair is still a healthy, natural blonde mane sans des produits cosmétiques. 

On neither hand are bangles, rings, fake nails or polish.    

I wonder how women can function with fingernails longer than an eighth of an inch?  Is that hygienic or safe?  Is it even functional?  I'd be afraid of hurting myself or scratching a male companion.  Oh, right.  It's coming back to me...

And the colour - how the heck do you ensure the nail colour doesn't clash with your outfit choice each day?  I suppose one could make exceptions as an Olympic athlete - as long as it goes with the bronze, silver or gold! 

Who has the time or expendable income to frequently apply toxic substances and artificial colours.  Then there's the stuff you need to remove the polish a few weeks later. It is a rare occasion that I will apply a thin, clear layer after a quick trim and filing.  At least once it starts chipping, it's not as noticeable as with "cherry red" or "goth black".  The whole thing seems like a waste of resources and time - time I could spend reading or napping!

Speaking of artificial colour jobs: In the past two weeks five people have complimented or challenged the legitimacy of my natural blondness.  Why should it be so surprising that I don't colour or bleach my hair?  The only reality-altering liquid that comes out of a bottle in my petit apartment is wine and sometimes that just makes me giddy, sentimental or more apt to converse en Français.

Yep. Being a natural blonde has been a blessing and a curse for many years.  Poor me.  It has also been an assumed invitation for family and friends to send me copious emails containing dumb blonde jokes. Sigh.

Without seeming too vain, I hope that similar to my dear old Dad's, my hair will gradually change to platinum then morph into a mature silver-gray by the time I reach retirement age.  I also hope to inherit his folksy disposition, keep my mind and hands skillfully busy and continue to maintain a sense of awe.  

According to Psychology Today, if you want to know your true age, don't look at the calendar.  Don't do it!  Put it away.  (I have the same advice for bathroom scales.)   The article states there's a difference between your biological and psychological age.  I don't mind growing old, as long as happens gracefully.  Sometimes I just don't want to grow up. 

Again, I hesitate to announce MY UP-COMING BIRTHDAY  since family and friends may feel compelled to cover the cake with forty-some candles.  Considering that could be a fire hazard during our drought-like conditions, I advise them to use only one candle.  Tell them to make sure the CAKE contains CHOCOLATE.  A bottle of wine is optional.

- - - 

Goodness!  How I have rambled on.  Is that a sign of aging or an inane urge to share my deep blonde thoughts?  

Thanks for dropping by.  If you liked this blog entry, you can sample wine excerpts from my novel, The Year of the Rabbit.  

(Au sujet du Français, j'ai besoin de quelque gens qui peuvent m'aider traduire le roman en Français (gratuit) durant 2013 et peut être 2014.  C'est fou - ou un bon idée?)


T

Satisfying a desire

If you have followed my deep blonde thoughts for the past couple of years, you will be aware of my efforts to downsize my family's home, my attempt at living a more minimalist lifestyle after moving to a small apartment. You may also recall my 2010 post about coveting furniture.

Last weekend, I succumbed to the siren call of that desk (or his cousin) while passing by an English Butler outlet.  I saw the object of my desire. It was signalling to me from inside the store.  "Remember me?" he whispered, "Come closer.  Play with my pull-out writing surface.  You know you want to play with my drawers."

I paused in front of it.  I stroked the dark wooden surface, opened the drawers and pulled at the knobs with visions of getting this beauty into my bedroom. All I had for a writing surface in my tiny room was a folding table which had recently disappeared, being borrowed by a resident budding artist. 

This was not an impulse purchase, dear readers.  It was more of ... an obsessive love affair.  

I had been coveting this desk for years, every time I'd walk by that store.  If it wasn't near the front, I'd find myself craning my neck to see if it was somewhere at a side wall, hidden by the frivolous ornaments, candles and tapestry. 


Once the sales clerk confirmed that they could deliver, I was at the precipice to purchase.  My justification?  I had recently come into some coin plus needed a private place to write in my journal, to store stationery and books that were cluttering my tiny bedroom. 


My other justification was that due to the other procurement demands and errands of the day, I did not have time to study the PMBoK - something I tried to do on a weekly basis after escaping our crowded apartment for a visit to the local library.  Other than the dining table, there was no other decent place for studying.

So there it sits, waiting for me to organize my books, stationery and files into its mouth and belly.  I'll save that  activity for tonight - in-between loads of laundry.  I lead such an exciting life... 

Thank you for reading this far.  If you like my writing style, you may also enjoy reading "The Year of the Rabbit - a novel about Fate, Family and Forgiveness".  

T
 





 

Take me away from it all

More like... take it all away from me (as in, things I willingly want to part with...) 

Our recent move to a smaller abode has proven to be an exercise in making choices and efficiently managing our living space.  The whole family has learned to have some forethought before making acquisitions.  I encouraged the young people to take a look at The Story of Stuff video.  My goal over a year ago was to downsize our material possessions and I am happy to say that we have almost met that objective.  I was so happy that the treadmill and encyclopedias found new homes :o)

We have just a few more days to clear out and clean up the old place. It was a happy, clean and bright home for seven years.  It provided us with plenty of space indoors and out.  Now we need a home that is secure and affordable.  Soon the offspring will spread their wings and leave the nest.  Some may need a little nudging ;o) Hence the plan to move to an even smaller place in two years!

Thanks for dropping by to read my blog.  It has been a challenge to find time for posting my deep blonde thoughts during this uprooting and being "off the grid" for five days.  Stay tuned for updates related to Father's Day, finding the perfect man :o) and blog references to my recently released novel "The Year of the Rabbit".  Don't be afraid to follow the rabbit.  I won't lead you down a dark hole but into the lives of small town folk in the 1970s.  Just imagine!  No Internet, no computers and no cell phones.  Ah, simpler times...

T

Cute Tiny Houses

I caught this in one of my tech rss feeds a few weeks ago.  

"Started by Jay Shafer, who began living in a 75-square-foot house in 1997, Tumbleweed Tiny Houses specializes in designing homes that are both functional and highly efficient. Sized between 65 and 837 square feet, the homes are meant to be affordable while emphasizing the need for organization and minimalism."  

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/2300-11386_3-10005492.html

I really like how he made space for the necessities like the tiny wardrobe closet, the pots on kitchen walls and even the composting toilets.

"While many of the Tiny Houses are actually "tiny" and are geared toward single people, some are meant for couples, or even families. But all are meant to be very space efficient."

I could see these being good for newlyweds (for snuggling) or empty nesters (for less places to lose things) but they don't seem very practical for families.  

Where would one put all of her books?  Or wine? 

Visit Tumbleweed Houses
http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/

Forever fashion is just so relevant now

Here's a good little article I tripped upon at Yahoo Lifestyles.

Fashion goes back to the future
By Tracy Nesdoly

http://ca.lifestyle.yahoo.com/fashion-beauty/articles/archive/yahoolifestyle/yahoolifestyle-fashion_goes_back_to_the_future

I like to think I'm half-way ahead of the game with the list of suggested items :-)  although I wouldn't spend $1,500 for a trench coat. 

As for care and durability, show me something I can wash at least on the gentle cycle, tumble dry lightly then hang to dry.  Ironing?  Are you kidding?  Only on very rare, special occasions!

I agree with comments about the fashion industry, like, it's in "their best interest to change styles or even details in order to get people to buy them".  See my recent rant about python prints. 

Sorting, collecting and hoarding

During a family gathering over the holidays, some of us were discussing the problems of living with someone who hoards and how it hampers our efforts to simplify our lives and physical space. When it comes down to fire hazards due to piles of magazines and newspapers in your basement, that's when you really have to speak up. It can become physically and emotionally draining to live in a cramped, cluttered home - especially when your requests are discarded as nagging and selfish. How ironic! So glad I'm not living THAT nightmare anymore.


Sure, we each may have tendencies to "collect" things like books, photographs, figurines, etc. It helps to define a bit more about us. I like to discover what family members or friends "collect" as it reveals a little more about character and interests. When it extends to too many categories and clutter, that's when a person would want to step back and take a fresh look. You can even hire people to do this for you!


I know that during my purging project, I will have to be selective with the "things" I have collected and prioritize which ones to keep or give away. My books will have to be exempt from this project. It's just a matter of getting more shelf space and reorganizing by subject - again. Hello, IKEA.


On a humorous note, one family member at the gathering quipped that the acronym for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: should really be "CDO", organized alphabetically.



Definition: "Obsessive-compulsive disorder: A psychiatric disorder characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions, such as cleaning, checking, counting, or hoarding. "



Links about Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD):

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_disorder
• http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=4610