Change of Life

Allison is back to school today after a day off for a strained back (oh no! it's hereditary) , and for Friday the 13th, things went pretty smoothly this morning. I should either appreciate that at face value, or start looking over my shoulder. I'm off to Amsterdam (not that Amsterdam-the town off Exit 27 - one exit before us) where my Endocrinologist is. I got into a discussion with Allison this morning, about Doctors. I was explaining how after you go through the change of life you can change out your gynecologist for an internist or cardiologist or endocrinologist, depending upon your particular case. (Don't worry guys, I won't linger on this topic for long) Her confusion stemmed from my use of the term "change of life" which she translated to mean "moving"; as in our move from Long Island to upstate New York. This cracked me up. It also made me realize how many other terms that are open to misinterpretation due to generational differences. We are very different from the next generation, even as we assume that we have kept up to date and are quite "hip". First of all, simply using the term "Hip" qualifies you as someone who doesn't have a clue as to what is now referred to as "fat" (phat?) Even my inability to properly spell this term is another indication of my condition known to my contemporaries as "out of it". That I can spell. We have an entire language with different meanings that we are sharing with the younger generation. I was reading an article last week that was written by a HR officer who was appalled that she had to explain to a new employee what appropriate "business attire" was. What her boss explained to her in wise boss fashion (aren't all bosses wise?) is that this is the generation who wore pajama pants to school. Plaid. Flannel. Pajamas. How in God's name would they recognize appropriate business attire? Plaid flannel? They will need positive and detailed instruction. Daily. Once it is all explained to them, they will embrace it and perfect it and make us oldsters wish we had never told them anything. Because they will be fabulous at appropriate business attire, and make us look old just by their newness and their flair for fashion. It's inevitable. We've discussed elastic waistbands in the past, there is no need to go there again, but fashion for the business community is more and more meant to be worn by young people who want to be dressed up. I think I have reached that age where dressing up is seen as an inconvenience. Don't get me wrong, I love to get dressed up as well as the next guy (gal), but my standards of dressing have changed dramatically over the years. I know I don't speak for everyone of a certain age, but I will no longer stuff my poor twisted toes into a pair of shoes that are uncomfortable simply because it is the right shoe for the outfit. I will go out and get a different pair of shoes that fits the outfit AND feels good on my feet. Or, I will ditch the entire outfit and find something else, because I'll be damned if I'm going to hobble around for however many hours I have planned just so I look good. Not anymore. The change of life I am referring to is one that enables me to say with conviction "I'm not wearing this anymore". We're smarter than that. I will wear appropriate clothes for my body type, the weather, the time of year, my age, etc., because I finally understand that what works for me may not be the newest style. I absolutely want to follow trends and be fashionable. I just don't have to be a fashionista! Men have perfected this. They have a suit. It changes color and maybe a certain style from year to year, but basically, it's comfortable and fits well. I'm not saying I want to wear a suit, but you get my point. They have simplified it to perfection. I look at some of these young ladies in the screen magazines (there again, does anyone under the age of 40 know what the heck a screen magazine is?) and wonder "how the devil can they walk in that?" "does she know that dress is missing the backside?" Or I just look at Posh and think "NO NO NO!" Then I see someone like Meryl Streep who is classically dressed and looks fabulous. For any age. It just took her a few years to determine what that style is and how to work it. I think that it takes a number of years to really perfect your own style without hurting yourself. That is the change I'm referring to. It might have been due to our move from LI to ADK that really opened my eyes about this change, because my lifestyle has changed dramatically. But I do know that the even during the last few years of working in an office I was beginning to find my own sense of style (or lack thereof?) that didn't involve pain or permanent injury in order to go to work. This is how I went from working in an office to wanting to be a farmer. Shoes. It's all about the shoes. I have my wellies, my workboots, my hiking boots, my flip-flops, my snowboots and my slippers. Dressing for success, from the feet up. This is change I can embrace. It has nothing to do with hormones. This change of life means that when I go out today, I will be wearing appropriate footwear and loving every minute of it. How easily I'm pleased these days.