All posts by kmcataldo@gmail.com
YOU NEED IT or what a cosmetic surgeon should not say
Adventures is Cosmetic Surgery, part two
I knew I only wanted my neck done. Possibly something to get rid of that red postmenopausal neck and decolletage (love that word).But that was all! I was firm! Uh-huh.
I chose three surgeons, because three is the magic number for getting quotes. I would like to say I had a systematic, well thought out list of criteria for how I chose these three, but I’m not that analytical. I rely on my initial feelings and am generally happy when I trust myself. Without fail, whenever I have disregarded my Gut Reactor it has been a mistake and I was furious with myself for ignoring the internal warning signs. Having said that,Continue reading…
I FEEL BAD ABOUT MY NECK (Nora Ephron)
or
Adventures in Cosmetic Surgery, part one
Here’s where we talk about not succumbing to the pressures of the world to look younger and to find our inner beauty and let that be our guideposts. That sounds amazing. The place where that happens is called Heaven. But in a world where Christie Brinkley and Jane Fonda and Helen Mirren are setting the looks standards for our age group, I am caving.
And I am not alone. According to a recent New York Daily News article, 85 percent of 55 to 64-year-olds said they are unhappy about “at least one” body part. The article went on to say that a report commissioned by RealSelf.com – an online community around elective cosmetic procedures – showed that the trend to seek help from a cosmetic doctor is on the rise by more than 200 percent.
The cover story of the upcoming issue ofContinue reading…
June 17, 2015
OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! DR. SEUSS
What to expect for this coming of age year? As I said in my last post, I have been looking toward 60 for a few years, and not with all excited anticipation. I have often rolled my eyes at the super positive cheery attitudes with accompanying clichés.
“It only gets better!”
“All the pressure from your younger days to be perfect is gone!”
“60 is the new 40!”
“Age is only a number!”
Blah, Blah, Blah.
There are several types of people who make these statements: The woman with a frozen, toothy insurance salesman smile, but an expression in her eyes that says,”Yeah, I know it’s crap, but I’ve got my own issues.” An individual who just popped her daily Lexapro. And finally, Continue reading…
Birthdays for me are a great celebration. An excuse to do all the things I feel guilty about without the guilt. OK, just less guilty. More cake! More cocktails! More indulging! In my family, a birthday turns into an entire week of excess. We love a good time.
It was more than a bit of a shock to realize this was my 59th year of indulging.
Today, the cold water of being 59 years old hit me square in the face. Fifty-nine and all that implies. The fear of aging, potential squandered (do I still have potential? Did I have potential or am I romanticizing that as well?), fear of aging. There seems to be a part of me, perhaps in all of us, that doesn’t accept aging as a reality.
Ah, denial. I love the denial alternate universe. It’s so easy to live there, where no reality is allowed. I pour a drink while I settle in for a visit. But while using denial as a coping device, I have let time slip away. All the things I meant to do, all the things I imagined I would do/see/accomplish. I had plenty of time. Now I don’t.
We can (and will) have a long conversation about life expectancy, “age is just a number”, etc. But the truth is that the number of vibrant, healthy years ahead of me are fewer than, say at 40. One broken hip, career catastrophe, or family crisis can make for unexpected forks in the road. Every era of our lives brings different challenges, which, in turn, causes different anxieties. The question Continue reading…
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