Life After 50

To all my readers...yes...I did turn 50 on January 8, 2008...but...but...but...since blogging has become my ritual this past year...I just could not stop blogging because I turned 50...no...now is the time to celebrate my age...to keep my community going...so I can share...and grow...and continue to learn from all my virtual friends...as we commiserate and celebrate the second half of our lives.

So...so...so...please join my new community...yes...join my new community...it is going to be fabulous...and fun...and you never know the ups and downs...and downs and ups to come.

You can find "A Baby Boomer's Life After 50" at the following address:

aboomerslifeafter50.blogspot.com


I look forward to hearing from you there!

And hopefully...you'll see this blog in book form one day...yes...watch for "A Year to 50...An Extraordinary Journey by an Ordinary Woman" coming soon to a bookstore or online bookshop...sometime soon.

Judi

P.S. - This blog will remain up on blogger...so if you have any friends who are turning 50 and want to read my archived posts...feel free to pass along the address.

Happy Birthday to Me!

It's here...today is the day...no more days to go...January 8, 2008...I'm 50...I'm fifty...I'm five times 10 = 50...no more counting down...no more waiting...I've reached the milestone...so what do I want to say to myself today...yes...what do I want to say to myself on this special day...I think I'll just sing:

Happy Birthday to YOU,
Happy Birthday to YOU,
Happy Birthday dear JUDI,
Happy Birthday to YOU.

How old are you NOW?
How old are you NOW?
How old are you NOW?
How old are you NOW?

I am 50 years old,
I am 50 years old,
I am 50 years old,
I am 50 years old!

Now I get to spend the entire year celebrating. I already had my 50th birthday party...it was spectacular...and today I went to the spa for my massage...and my manicure...(I treated my daughter to a facial too...even though it wasn't her birthday...it was great to share a spa day with one of the most favorite people in my life)...and I'm getting ready to go out to my birthday dinner with my daughter and my son, the other favorite person in my life...The Cheesecake Factory...that's where we're going...and I'm going to have a BIG piece of CHEESECAKE to celebrate my birthday...and blow out another candle...maybe they will sing to me...I think I can handle a little more singing.

And the sun is shining...and I know that my other favorite person in my life...my late husband is looking down on me today...yes...he is looking down on me and wishing me a happy birthday...wish he could have been here to celebrate with me...but I know he is here in spirit.

I still have another 12 months to enjoy my 50th year...I still have to plan my trip to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in NYC...that was on my birthday list too...and my trip to an exciting European city that I haven't been to before...Provence...Provence...Provence...I want to go to Provence...where the lavender grows and grows.

I am 50. As Gail Sheehy says in her book Passages, in the roadmap of life I am now entering the "Refreshed (or Resigned) 50s...it's the best of life for those who release old roles and find a renewal of purpose"...and I'm ready...I believe what Gail says is true..."The courage to take new steps allows us to let go of each stage with its satisfactions and to find the fresh responses that will release the richness of the next. The power to animate all of life's seasons is a power that resides within us."

I am 50...yes...I am 50...let me open that Hallmark card...what did it say...what did it say...hmm...hmm...Hallmark always says it best...

Some birthdays are bigger than others -
Their memory sparkles and glows,
Their songs and their laughter
Will echo long after,
And this year
I have one of those.

Yes...this year I have one of those...happy birthday to me!

Judi

P.S. - To all my blog readers...a special 'thank you' for going on this year to 50 with me...for being by my side during my ups and downs...during my laughter and during my sorrow...while I think of myself as an ordinary woman...my countdown to 50 has been an extraordinary journey...and my life after 50 is going to be an extraordinary journey as well...stay tuned..the best is yet to come...I'll be back soon...after all...I did say writing was one of my new year's resolutions.

If you are not already an email subscriber...please sign up so you can receive all upcoming posts...as my 'life after 50'continues.

My 50th Birthday Party

My 50th year is almost here...just two days to go...two days to go...and oh...what a birthday party I had yesterday...with a BIG birthday cake...a REALLY BIG BIRTHDAY CAKE...it had my upcoming age 5-0 written in big numbers across the top...it was my favorite cake with bananas and strawberries and real whipped cream...I blew out five candles...I made five wishes (I'm allowed to make more than one wish on my 50th birthday) and I ate a really BIG PIECE OF MY REALLY BIG BIRTHDAY CAKE!

All my friends came to my party...more than I've ever had at any of my previous birthday parties (my mom always made me choose a few kids to attend my birthday parties when I was younger...she said I had to choose six or seven girlfriends since my parties were always held at home in our small apartment...except for my Sweet 16...which was held at Mama Leone's Italian Restaurant in Manhattan...that was a great party too.)

But...for my 50th birthday my daughter invited all my girlfriends...more than six...it was a BIG BIRTHDAY PARTY...with 30+ girlfriends...it was simply the best birthday party I have had in a long...long time...(not that I can remember the last birthday party I had...think it was actually my Sweet 16...yep...it was my Sweet 16...was that really 34 years ago...OMG!)

I started off the day by getting my hair cut (still makes me feel good to get my hair cut...nothing beats a good haircut for making me feel better).

Then I went to get my make-up done at Bobbi Brown Cosmetics...Dolly, the make-up lady did a really great job...she convinced me to buy several items...let's see...what did I purchase...oh, yes:

...I bought the pink blush (it was a new color and it was a creme version...so I had to get it...especially after Dolly said it brightened my face...how could I resist...I need to have a bright face for my 50th year)

...and I bought the foundation with oil (Dolly said that at my age it was time to start wearing foundation with oil in it...no more oil free foundation for these wrinkles...I'll show these wrinkles who is in control)

...and then I bought the compact powder that Dolly said I should put on before I use the new pink blush and after I use the foundation with oil

...and I bought the lip liner and gloss to go with it...Dolly said that I should use a lip liner that is almost the same color as my lips and just put gloss on the center of my lower lip

Dolly is really smart when it comes to making faces look better...I hope I can duplicate Dolly's magic...probably not...since I didn't buy all the make-up brushes that she suggested...I had to set some limits...but I said I would return to purchase the rest of my beautiful face at a later date.

Nevertheless, I left the Bobbi Brown Cosmetic Counter not only looking great...but feeling great too...thank you Dolly for making my birthday face bright and cheery.

So...there are two more days until my 50th...two more days...but the celebration year has begun...my 50th birthday party was simply the best...I'll cherish the memories forever.

Judi

New Year's Resolutions

It's the first week of 2008...so I guess there is still time to write my new year's resolutions...not sure I'm in the resolution writing frame of mind right now...I may need more time to think about my resolutions...but, I really should make some resolutions for 2008...after all...it is my 50th year...should I write down 50 resolutions in honor of my 50th year...no...I don't think so.

I was intrigued by the resolution writing I read the other day in the Blogher newsletter. Lisa from Blogher said she writes her resolutions in what she calls 'The Matrix.' Here's what she said to do: "Across the top of the page write the months of the year. Down the left-hand side draw up the bucketfuls of life you want to live in the coming year. These buckets may change in order, but they're nearly always the same" (let's see...can I do this...am I able to do this 'Matrix' exercise during the end of my 49th year...just 5 days shy of 50...let's see what this 'Matrix' is all about):

Heart - Lisa says this is about what you want to accomplish for yourself and your family...I want to mend, to heal, to support my children during this difficult year of grieving and mourning the loss of my husband...my children's father...my big love...yes...this is the year to heal my broken heart...put it back together again.

Family - Lisa says these are the key things to do with extended family and friends...I want to be there for my family and friends...and open up and let them be there to help me too...no more superwoman (I still like Alicia Keys'new superwoman song...and I may still sing the words as I hum the tune...but unlike Alicia who sings about 'putting on her vest with the S on her chest'...that's not me...no...I'm taking off my vest with the S on my chest...I'm not gonna fly...I'm packing up my superwoman cape too...and keeping my feet firmly planted for my 50th year.

Spirit - Lisa says this is about giving back financially and personally...I want to do that...I need to do more volunteer work...I need to give back financially too...I need to think about how I'm going to give back to the community and communities that need my help...maybe that will help me heal too.

Wallet - What are the items I am forced to worry about this year? Lisa didn't have any answers for this one...not sure I do either...although, I do have a new set of college tuition bills to look forward to this year...once my son goes off to college...and I likely have other items to worry about that my husband used to take care of around the house...but I guess I can't worry about the items I don't know about...good thing my husband didn't tell me all his secrets...less worries to worry about.

Health - I like this one...according to Lisa...this is about taking care of my body...so that I can do all these other things...my new year's health resolution is to continue my monthly facials...take care of those wrinkles...go to the gym at least twice a week...maybe try yoga...maybe try that spin class...maybe not...maybe train for a marathon...maybe not...keep taking my vitamins...every day.

Create - What am I going to sew, make, paint this year...oh Lisa...I like this one...I like creating...this one is fun...let's see...I definitely want to sew something this year...make a skirt...a form fitted skirt...and maybe I will paint my closet...or the dirty wall in my basement...or maybe I'll take a painting class...or an art class...or a sewing class...yes...I really like creating...so many things to create.

Work - This is what I'm going to do at the office...I think I'm going to try to spend more time working all the other resolutions...spend a few less overtime hours working at the office...in my 50th year...I will work hard...but I am also going to spend more time on my other new year's resolutions: more heart...more family...more spirit...more health...more creating...and less wallet...definitely less worrying.

Write - Lisa says she learned the hard way in 2007 that if she tried to lump writing in with creating or working, it came last...I agree...I'm going to spend more time writing too...I'm going to finish my year to 50...I'm going to write my book...and maybe I'll start another blog...maybe I'll call it 'day by day'...or maybe I'll call it 'life after 50'...or maybe I'll just wait and see what I want to call it...no need to resolve this resolution right now.

I like this 'Matrix' approach...why limit myself to one or two new year's resolutions...who's counting...not me...I'm just counting down my days to my 50th birthday...five to go...five to go.

Judi