Happy Birthday To Me

Today is my birthday. I'm 38. I don't feel old. I don't feel 14, but I don't feel ancient, either. Although I think I look my age, most people think I'm 3 to 4 years younger than I am. Maybe they're just being nice. Better than them thinking I look 3 to 4 years older! But seriously - how do I know I'm old? Here's how:

-I have a mortgage.
-I have little kids. The days I can't keep up with them make me feel much older than I really am!
-I can talk about things I did over 20 years ago (example - I've been wearing glasses for 27 years. I graduated almost 20 years ago. The list goes on).
-My younger brother, Keith, use to watch classic Weird Al videos. I cringed because I remember when they were new!
-Yes, I watched "Friday Night Video's". We didn't have cable, so it's where I saw those classic videos in the first place!
-I started doing freezer meals because it's easier to prepare several meals at one time than spontaneously take my children to a restaurant when I don't feel like cooking.
-I'm reading a home organization book.
-Massages are more of a necessity than a luxury. But I just love getting them.
-I can afford a massage (the young usually cannot)
-My jeans are much lower than I'd like. While I don't want to wear "Mom Jeans", there's a pair out there somewhere that doesn't create the "mushroom top" effect that is ever so popular, yet ever so unflattering, these days. Even my thin, in-shape friends have the same problem! Almost no one looks good in today's jeans. Someone has got to make jeans for those of us who aren't 20, but are not yet 50!
-I think popular fashion is highly unfashionable.
-Every now and then I see a shirt or skirt in the window of Coldwater Creek or Chicco's that I think is really cute (so far I haven't gone inside to try anything on, so I'm still okay!).
-I'm no longer in any demographic. I don't matter to the television authorities, since the viewership they care about is males between the age of 18 and 34. All Old Navy clothes that look cute on the models look like crap on me, and are usually such poor quality that I wouldn't buy them anyway! 'Cause now I even care about that!
-Wait - I'm in the mini-van demography. Oh yay.
-VH1 is far more appealing than MTV (if I watch either one of them at all)
-I listen to talk radio more than I'd like to admit
-I don't get a lot of the "music", or what stands in for it, that I find on the radio
-I confess, I do love to listen to the "all 80's" weekends on the radio when I'm out and about by myself (provided they play more than the most common tunes). I turned up Billy Idol's version on "Mony Mony" the other day and sang at the top of my lungs. Good thing I was alone.
-I really don't get rap.
-I like naps. Don't get them often, but I like them.
-The only time I get looks anymore is when my daughter yells "NAKED" at the top of her lungs while running through the airport or mall. And those stares aren't anything like what I use to get when I was younger, thinner, and blonde.
-Over Christmas I found a sweater that I got when I was 14 (24 years ago - See point #3 above). It's back in style. In fact, I bought one very similar to it in early December. Why it was still in the closet at my parent's house, I'll never know (they've moved 4 times since I left home). Still, I washed my old sweater and brought it home with me.
-It's okay if I don't go out on a Friday or Saturday night.
-My four year old tried to count up to 38 on his fingers. He gave up.

Such is life, I guess. I'm not bemoaning my state. I still don't feel grown up. Just old. I'm happily married and have two wonderful kids. We're slowly figuring out our new lives in a new state with new people. Maybe all the change has made me feel old. Maybe it's the kids. Moving is such a great time to reinvent yourself, but I don't have the time or energy. Oh well. My birthday was happy! Even if I am old now! I got a gift certificate to a spa. For a massage. Now that's a good husband!