I want everyone to know that under this short, slightly plump, senior body is a 39 year old waiting for her cue to limbo low and break-dance. It comes as a definite shock that others do not see me as I feel. The bag-guy at the supermarket keeps asking me if I need a helping hand to take the groceries to the car.  I always want to ask him if he would help me with the bags when I get home. No one ever asks that. You know what else? This growing older business has been going  on my entire life, but it seems to me that all of a sudden, simple things done effortlessly before are a major undertaking now. Well, alright–maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration but some tasks definitely need a game plan.

And if one more helpful person asks if they can help me find whatever-it-is I’m looking for, when I know darn well what I’m looking for but somehow got turned around searching for my item that use to be right there. . .sigh. Please, just stop moving things around and/or rearranging them. Don’t you just love it when the cashier asks if you found everything okay? Well, actually I didn’t find what I came into the store to buy but I did find some stuff that screamed my name and fell into my cart.

I love browsing—whether it’s for clothes, furniture, books and/or art. Browsing has a lot of benefits—it’s free unless you buy; walking hither and thither is exercise.  It stimulates the brain for mental exercise and can inspire scenarios for future stories. It’s also research.  I kid you not.  This is not just a frivolous browsing/shopping excursion, but a chance to dress your characters and give them some background such as art galleries or bookstores—even a liking for pastries and chocolates. This is considered research.  I wonder if this can also be considered a tax-deductible benefit for writers. . . .

At this time of my Freedom 65+ life, I find myself doing Nuline dancing for co-ordination, Burlesque-fit for fun and Taoist Tai-chi for balance.  The other day my neighbour asked me if it helped. I had to laugh as my co-ordination had always been zilch and my balance barely okay. But you know what? I’m having a great time learning. I figured that getting older is not a bad thing–it’s adapting and adjusting to what you can or can’t do. No matter what, just get on with life and quit worrying about getting older. We can’t turn back Time but we can have a damn good time slowing it down!