Act Your Age!

So, what does that mean to someone who is about to hit the half century mark?

I was told over the weekend that I am acting and dressing too old for my age. Hmmm. Really? Granted, I was told this by a sales associate at the Gap who was trying to sell me “skinny” jeans. She said this to me after I told her that I didn’t think that Gap was making clothing for women my age anymore. This opened a real can of worms!

The sales associate (her name was Charlotte) was a sassy, middle-aged woman of color. (I mean ‘sassy’ in a good way). She looked at me and said, “Girl, just how old are you? I bet I’m older than you and look at me - everything I’m wearing except for my shoes - I bought here!” It turns out that she is 54.  She was a full figured gal, even more so than me, and was wearing black Gap jeans and a nice blouse. She turned me around and looked at my backside (I told you she was sassy!) and went on and on about how I should be wearing more form fitting clothes. When I told her that I will be 50 in a couple of months and was too old and heavy for ‘skinny’ jeans she laughed and told me that I was too young to be dressing in loose-fitting clothes. She went on and on until I tried on some ‘curvy’ jeans and some ‘skinny’ jeans.  She made me laugh, but she also made me think.

I have been acting like a grown up since long before I actually was one. I am the eldest of my siblings and was often left ‘in charge’ of them and the house from the time I was 12 years old – this is something that I took very seriously. I didn’t quite learn to let my hair down in college – I was even an RA (at Ball State the RAs were called Student Staff).  In my work life, I have been working with older adults since 1994. I have never felt more comfortable than I do working with this population. Maybe I am an old soul.

As for my fashion sense, well, I really don’t have any. I have always been fairly conservative with my clothing - pretty much a Plain Jane. It’s hard to get me out of my turtleneck sweaters and scarves – my comfort zone. If I ever do have a midlife crisis, maybe I will take Charlotte’s advice and start wearing some more form fitting clothing. I did tell her that I would go back and see her in April for my birthday and let her help me dress up a bit. But geez, it’s not like I dress in burlap bags or muumuus.

For the record, I did leave the Gap with a bag. Nope, I didn’t buy the jeans – neither curvy nor skinny. I do have a very lovely new scarf, though!

There she goes again!

Looking smart and sassy pre-interview!

The week passed by in a flash! Mandi flew from NYC to SFO a week ago last Friday to interview at and tour prospective Physical Therapy schools here on the west coast. She would rather I not disclose where she interviewed and what her prospects are at this point. I think maybe she is afraid that we might jinx  it. As soon as she gives me the high sign I will let you know where she is going to spend the next 3 years of her life! Anyway, having completed her last interview yesterday, she was off to NYC this morning and will be back to work tomorrow. She got here - I blinked - and she was gone again!

It amazes me how at ease my girls are about hopping on a plane and traveling to the four corners of the Earth. They are absolutely fearless. Beckie had her passport when she was 15 or 16 years old and jb and Mandi got theirs soon after. I didn't get my passport til I was in my 40's. My not so exotic out of country  adventures have been to Mexico and Canada - hardly worth a stamp in my passport. The Beeson Gals have travelled to Europe (jb), Australia (Bec), Honduras (Mandi), South Africa (Bec), and repeatedly back and forth across the US. Amazing.

So, as Mandi flies back across the country I hope you will join me in wishing her a safe flight and good luck as she begins to consider her options for graduate school.

IMMORTAL

I forgot to mention that to celebrate Ron's big birthday, we got tickets to see The Immortal World Tour at the Oracle Arena last Tuesday night. This is a touring Cirque du Soleil show based on the music of Michael Jackson. It's only the second Cirque show that we've seen, but I assumed that since it is a touring show that it would have to do with a lot less of the fabulous stunts that make a Cirque show so amazing. Since the only other Cirque show that we've seen is Love I couldn't tell you if that is true. I will say that this show would not have had the emotional impact without Michael Jackson's music.

Regardless of MJ's eccentricities and whether or not he did any of the things he was accused of over the years, for me it is indisputable that his music was groundbreaking and will absolutely stand the test of time. The performers in this show had to be able to dance. None of them displayed MJ's dancing ability, but their acrobatic talents were amazing nonetheless. There were a couple technical glitches along the way, but with a show as complex as this was, I wasn't surprised. There were a couple of numbers that fell flat in the beginning, but as the show went on the costumes were more elaborate and the acrobatics and aerial stunts more spectacular. The crowd in Oakland was very appreciative of all aspects of the show, but seemed most moved by the music and the Michael's appearance through film clips. Huge cheers erupted whenever Michael's film clips were shown.

 It was a very satisfying show all in all, and I am hoping that it finds a permanent home in Las Vegas at one of the hotels just as so many other Cirque du Soleil shows have. If it does, you can be sure that Ron and I will go back to see it again - trust me when I tell you that as expensive as the tickets are for these shows - that is saying a lot!

3 more movies...

I really don't like being a week behind with these reviews, but my life being what it is these days...busy, busy, busy...well, that's just the way it is. So here are my thoughts on 3 more movies.

I have been wanting to see this movie since Christmas. You know how I love films that are based on true stories...well, I loved this one, too. Matt Damon is Benjamin Mee, the widowed dad of two kids who are struggling to make sense of their lives after the mom passes away. Benjamin is especially having trouble with his 14 year old son Dylan who is acting out in many different ways to get his dad's attention. He is avoiding dealing with his own grief so he can't bear to deal with his son's. His solution is a brand new start in a brand new house. He finds the perfect house that just happens to be connected to a zoo. His 6 year old daughter Rosie falls in love with the animals so he decides that they could all be happy there...it's pretty predictable what happens next, but I didn't mind that at all. It is a very sentimental story, but there are some fairly funny scenes in it as well. I do like the older more mature Matt Damon. Scarlett Johanssen was inconsequential here, but the shining star for me was Miss Maggie Elizabeth Jones who played the daughter, Rosie. She was just precious!

Bottom line: Good movie - go see it, but take some tissues!

Ms. Meryl Streep...how do I love thee...let me count the ways...Out of Africa...Postcards from the Edge....The Bridges of Madison County...Marvin's Room...The Prairie Home Companion...The Devil Wears Prada...Mama Mia!...Julie & Julia...and now, The Iron Lady. She has been in many other films, but these are some of my favorites. It is amazing how completely she becomes the character she is playing - more so than any other actress I know. That's why she is my favorite.

 Watching this film was like having a history lesson, but taught in the most interesting way. The story is told through a series of flashbacks as the aging Margaret Thatcher deals with hallucinations of her dead husband. It's never said that she suffers from Alzheimer's Disease, but it is obvious that she is dealing with some form of dementia. Very sad.

It is no surprise that Ms. Meryl has won the Golden Globe for Best Actress this year. I expect that she will also get a Screen Actor's Guild award and the Oscar. We shall see. Until then, you should definitely go see this movie!

Finally, we saw Moneyball last weekend as well. I am not a big fan of baseball (sorry, Deb), but I do LOVE baseball movies. Well, I love baseball movies that show some baseball. This movie was about the behind the scenes politics and money deals that go along with professional sports. It was interesting because it was about the Oakland A's specifically (my house is just 10 minutes away from the Oakland Coliseum).

Brad Pitt was fine in this movie and general it was ok. I didn't love it but as I said before - it was interesting. I'm glad that we didn't run out to see it when it was in the theater - we watched it on pay-per-view.

Happy Birthday, Twinkies!

Happy Birthday, Mandi and Beckie! 

My twin daughters turned 24 years old today! I know you are thinking that I couldn’t possibly be old enough to have children that old (yeah, right!) but the fact is that it’s true. It is also true that it’s an ongoing challenge to be the mother of independent adult children.  After repeated missteps, I have learned to listen rather than lecture and when I am asked for advice, I measure my words carefully.

Rather than bore you again by telling you how proud I am of these amazing young women, I thought I would share some of my favorite photos of them through the years and hope they won’t be too upset with me! Enjoy!

6 months old

2 yrs old

4 yrs old

14 yrs old

  

15 yrs old

16 yrs old

  

18 yrs old

19 yrs old

23 years old

I'm sure you noticed that the photos jumped from age 4 to 15. I haven't scanned all the pictures from their childhood yet - and I'm sure they are grateful for that! It's harder to photograph them together these days with Mandi living in New York and Beckie living in California. I could keep adding pictures, but then I wouldn't get this posted on the 20th. Happy birthday, my girlie girls! I love you!

graffiti with punctuation?

Ron and I were watching a movie the other day and there was a line in it that I can't seem to get out of my head. One of the characters was speaking in a disparaging way about blogging. I'm paraphrasing but he said something like "blogging is just graffiti with punctuation"! Hmmpf! I was immediately offended. Here is the definition of graffiti from dictionary.com -

graf·fi·ti

   [gruh-fee-tee]  Show IPA

noun

1.

plural of graffito.

2.

( used with a plural verb ) markings, as initials, slogans, ordrawings, written, spray-painted, or sketched on a sidewalk,wall of a building or public restroom, or the like: These graffiti are evidence of the neighborhood's decline.

I haven't been blogging for very long, but I do enjoy it and would hate to think that there is anything negative about it. I have tried to keep a journal for years. I have many (probably over 20) beautiful journals in many different colors and covers that I bought or was given. None of them are blank. None of them are filled. Most of them have as many as 20 pages written on with my thoughts or poems or just phrases of ideas. For whatever reason, I would get busy or never found a good time to sit and write in the journal. Blogging is easier for me because it's truly easier on my hands to type on my laptop rather than write in a journal. The fact that I post the things I've written - well, I guess that's the graffiti part. 

When I was in high school and college (seems like hundreds of years ago), one of my faraway dreams was to be a published writer. I wanted to write great works of fiction that would move people to tears or epic poetry that would inspire people. I have considered children's literature. I even thought that I might write the story of my life someday. Unfortunately, the more I read - because I used to read voraciously - the more insecure I would feel about my writing. I never thought what I wrote would measure up to great works of literature. So I stopped trying.

Then along came my children. When my eldest daughter, jb, moved to Washington, DC, she started blogging - it was called "jb in dc" and I loved it. It was a great way for her to communicate with the family without having to write to us individually. I started encouraging Beckie, the writer of my girls, to start a blog as well. She hemmed and hawed about it for a long time then challenged me to start blogging. She said that she would do it if I did it. Hmmm. What an interesting idea...

So here it is a little more than 2 years since my first blog post. I have no delusions that anything written here in my silly little blog will ever be considered great writing. I write my thoughts, my movie reviews and my observations about my life and the world and put them OUT THERE. I guess that is something like graffiti. Now that I'm older I have less insecurities about people reading what I write. I will never write anything here that I wouldn't say out loud in a room full of people - if you have been in that room with me you know firsthand that I talk a lot! 

I will end this particular rant by saying that personally I like graffiti (as long as it's colorful and without profanity). I photograph it whenever I have the chance...here are a couple of works of art that I saw in NYC on our recent trip. Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Mid Month Movie Review

Well. It’s almost the middle of the month, but it occurred to me the other day that I haven’t written anything about the movies I’ve seen recently. I have a few excuses for this…

1. It was a rough holiday season for me. I caught a terrible cold and am only now back to normal (maybe not normal, but as least not sick).
2. My days and weekends have been so busy. When I have time to write I sometimes just fall asleep.
3. Lastly, I have recently gotten sucked into the world of Words With Friends and have had as many as 8 games going at one time. It’s quite time consuming and takes quite a bit of brain power.

However, I do have some movie recommendations for you…

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – I saw the original version of this movie last year (in Swedish with subtitles). Even though it had some pretty difficult subject matter and some very brutally violent scenes, the story telling was pretty good. The “girl” was tough and took care of business. GIRL POWER, Baby! The original was a little slow in spots, but this new version was quicker and slicker. American movie making is better than it’s foreign counterpart, in my opinion. Mara Rooney was good, but I think Noomi Rapace from the original was better – she had more rough edges that suited the story much better. I did enjoy the movie and recommend it as long as you remember that it is pretty violent.

Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol – Recently, I have not been a big fan of Tom Cruise. His couch - jumping silliness and then his nastiness towards Brooke Shields and Matt Lauer a couple years ago really turned me off. However, his religion and his personality aside, he is a good actor. I was drawn to this movie by the previews – seeing him doing amazing stunts on the top of what seems to be the tallest building in the world in Dubai. The story is good stuff and reminded me a lot of the original MI movie and even the TV series back in the old days. I loved the TV series! Anyway, this movie was exciting, clever and fun to watch.Also in this film is Jeremy Renner - a great actor who is going to be someone to watch for a long time.

Young Adult – Charlize Theron plays an emotionally stunted and probably alcoholic 30-something-ish woman named Mavis who is still pining for her high school boyfriend. She is completely self-centered in her motivations as she goes back to her home town to try to rekindle her relationship with her old boyfriend even though he is happily married and a first time father. It’s hard to watch her as she self destructs at the new baby’s naming ceremony. Charlize is fantastic, but even better Patton Oswalt who plays a disabled high school acquaintance who tries to help her see reason and reality. This movie is funny at times and even though Mavis is horrible, I couldn’t help feeling sorry for her and hoping that she would have an awakening (she almost does). It was quite entertaining and I do recommend this movie – she will probably be nominated for an Oscar.

Sherlock Homes: A Games of Shadows - Robert Downey, Jr. is an exceptional actor. He is excellent as the iconic Sherlock Holmes. In this installment of the series ( I can't imagine that there will be less than 4 of these films), he meets Professor Moriarty and goes up against him with the help of Dr. Watson. Director Guy Ritchie does an amazing job with incredible slow motion effects. The movie is clever, funny and suspenseful - Robert Downey, Jr. does a fantastic British accent and his delivery of his lines is perfect. I recommend this movie wholeheartedly. 

Contagion - This movie was on pay-per-view and we watched it last weekend. I predict that if you weren't germophobic before seeing this movie, you will be afterwards! This story follows and outbreak of an unknown virus and tracks how quickly it can cause a global contagion. Very scary but it's a good film. Don't forget to wash your hands!

So that's it for now...but the weekend is almost here and there are so many movies we haven't seen yet...see ya at the movies!