I'm not getting older, I'm getting better...

To preface this post, these are pictures of me on my birthday a month ago. Jeff, one of my best friends in the whole world, baked the most amazing yellow cake with homemade chocolate frosting that I've ever tasted. He also insisted that he stick all 25 candles on it (which, by the way, I now have to buy two packs of candles...since they only come with 24 a pack). After I successfully blew them out, the entire room filled with smoke. The second picture is of me trying to duck and save my lungs. 

I clearly remember the day I started to feel like an adult. Ashley and I were on our way home from Scipio where Darren and Lacey had invited us to get together with the whole gang. We had a great time, and if you put us in the country/outdoors, we get really giddy and playful...almost like children. Throughout the weekend trip though, it became increasingly evident that it was incredibly unpractical, and just down-right unsafe for us to use our bodies as if we were teenagers again. The many horseback rides, trampoline/night games and running around looking for adventures had taken quite the toll on what was left of us. Ashley spent the next couple weeks visiting the chiropractor for a trampoline-related neck injury and I spent the next couple days icing some sore muscles and tending to a bruise that went from my left hip down to my ankle. Okay, so we aren't as resilient as we used to be. Fine. It happens to everyone and we should just learn to age gracefully. And I plan on it. Still, just for the fun of it, I have compiled a list of reasons of why lately, I feel so old.

1-  First one, already mentioned...too many candles. Too much smoke sets off fire alarms. Enough said.

2- I find myself using words like "comfortable" when describing my ideal clothing now, and "practical" when shopping for shoes. I'm 5'1" on a good day, and I choose to wear flats because it just doesn't make sense to me to wear heels that would give me blisters, or knowing me...make me trip and fall. This also brings me to reason #3....

3- I "just don't get" teenagers and their fashion choices today. You should see some of the things they wear. Not only do they look ridiculous, but also just look really, really uncomfortable. I also find myself lingering around the faculty saying things like, "I can't believe kids today..." and to my students, I will start off an annoying number of phrases with things like, "Well, when I was in high school...," or "When I was growing up...".

4- Songs like Bon Jovi's, "Its My Life," and the "Macarena" are considered oldies. (Another thing I picked up from the kids at school.)

5- I could care less about rims, TVs/DVDs in the back of your car, or how much you spent on those pants. I'd rather throw my "G's" towards something worthwhile, like a new home, or on my family and friends. It takes a lot more to impress me now.

6- I realize that my parents actually do, "know what's best". They are always right and always have been. Also, I find myself enjoying the company of people older than the age of 50. Actually, I might prefer it. They are so full of wisdom and have so many great stories to share. I always come away feeling satisfied.

7- Weekends are still for relaxation, but also for being productive. I really do not want to be up at all hours of the night, unless it is in the company of the people I care most about. "Going out" has become much less appealing because I've got stuff to do.

8- I'm going blind. I wear sunglasses for at least 2 minutes after I've walked inside a building.  I only take them off when I'm in complete protection of the sun hitting my eyes. My eyes have become so bad and sensitive that I've turned into one of those people that you want to say, "Hey, where's the sun?" to and smack them upside the head for looking so ridiculous. 

9- Fear of the sun, in general. I have spent more money on anti-aging creams, lotions and treatments than I ever spent actually tanning to get all this "irreversible damage" I've been told I have. And yes, I have looked up the price of Botox...on more than one occasion. 

10- Up to a certain point, when you tell people how old you are, they will respond with a, "Oh, you are still so young." Now, when I tell people how old I am they say, "Oh...cool." or "Well, at least you don't look it....".