I do/I don't

People often say, and I have to agree, that I neither look nor act my age. At 36, I don’t feel the way I thought I would when I was say 25. There are moments though when I do feel my age, if not older. Here are my top 3 “I do feel my age” and top 3 “I don’t” from recent experiences.

I do/I don’t #1
Do - Last Friday, the girls in the doll house wanted to go to Grapefruit – a monthly dance of somewhat retro music with some ‘very now’ tunes thrown into the mix. I was all for it! So Alberta Boy, the Doll House Girls and I headed out at 9:30, apparently one must get there EARLY (not that early mind, but within an hour it was packed) and danced the night and early morning away. The next day at work however, my hips felt like I had given birth to twins. Even when I lay down for a power nap après work, there was a throbbing from my hips I did not care for one bit. I remember back in my raving days I used to get shin splints from bouncing around on my feet all weekend. This was right up there on the pain scale. My shoes at Grapefruit were fashionable but not practical. I will chalk the hip pain up to that and be back next month with better orthotics.

Don’t – When the invite went out I didn’t give it a second thought that I had to work the next day at 8:30 which meant getting up at 6:30. Even as we drove home at 3:00 I pushed for a stop at McDonalds for some booze soaking grease to settle my stomach. And, oh my God, it was good. I had a productive day at work and was out the next night.

I do/don’t #2
Do – Grapefruit was PACKED to the rafters and it was getting hot in there. So like the song says, I started taking off my clothes. Not all of them mind, just my shirt. Back in my day (again, this is the do column) when one person took off their top at a dance, others followed suit. Even Cousin Janet (absent in Egypt on said evening) joined in the fun after enough libations, but not this night. I was solo. I had made the commitment though and was not about to slink off to the bathroom and return avec my shirt – I was sans until we left. This made me feel old because the young un’s weren’t doing what my generation did.

Don’t – I got pinched, poked, touched and whistled at all night long.

I do/don’t #3 (none Grapefruit related)
Do – about two weeks ago I discovered a cut on the side of my forearm. I had been out grocery shopping and must have caught it on something. No big deal, a little band-aid for my arm and bleach on my shirt cuff and all was good. This morning as I was flossing I caught sight of the scratch in the mirror. It had healed and the scab was gone but there is still little red welt that is fading a bit more each day. At that moment it dawned on me that my dermis is just not what it used to be. The rate of repair for the wounds inflected upon my body seems to be slowed significantly. I feel a bit like Eva Peron – my little body is slowly breaking down.

Don’t – I go to the gym four days a week and do yoga the other three. Sore hips from dancing non-stop for 4 hours aside, I have no aches or pains and often get by on less than 6 hours of sleep.