Getting "Old"

I keep waiting to feel old but I think I've under-estimated what "old" feels like.

I have yet to have an urge to cut my hair off short, perm it and color it blue.  I have a few grays but nothing to get bent out of shape over.  Oddly enough, most of my hair is darker than it's ever been - a nuisance when trying to maintain "natural blonde." 

I have a few aches and pains but if I'm honest with myself, I've had a few aches and pains my entire life, starting with gymnastics at age 6.  My worst pain is in my neck and it was from falling on it too many times as a very young child.  Other than that, my hips sometimes hurt if I run really far distances.  I also get shin splints and stress fractures in my feet.  But really, I can run a couple miles every single day and be fine.  It's those really long distance runs that hurt.  And if I remember correctly, I hurt every day of my high school tenure due to running too much.  Pain from running, in my opinion, is not limited to 40+ year olds.  It's just par for the course.  So as a result, I keep my running to a mile or two a day and I am fine as frog's hair.

My vision is shitty.  It used to just be distance.  My distance vision is now something like 20/300.  I have to wear glasses or contacts to drive.  The issue I'm having now is that, when I wear contacts, my vision is OVER-corrected and I can't see close up.  This poses a problem when, for instance, I want to wear contacts AND read a dinner menu.  My solution is to wear only one contact and to read close up with the uncorrected eye, and see far with the corrected eye.  I refuse to wear reading glasses.  At least not yet.

I'm noticing more and more "hyperpigmentation" spots on my skin.  Or for a much uglier word, "AGE SPOTS."  Yes, that's right.  I have age spots.  And despite what those expensive spas tell you, there really is nothing that makes them go away.  As soon as you have spent $3,000 getting a spot lasered, another freckle party sprouts up and then what?  I'm noticing them all over my body and not in places where the sun hits.  So all that lecturing about staying out of the sun is just a bunch of hooey.  Fact is, if you were a kid with really cute freckles on your face, you will grow up to be an old person with age spots.  Which are just freckles who found each other.

I'm still not fat.  And I never will be.  I have found the cure for fatness and it is called NOT over-eating, and also staying physically active.  Very simple, even in later years. 

What I can tell you about getting older is that, if you are the type of person who learns from your mistakes, who takes personal accountability for your actions, and who has sought out knowledge and understanding, then getting old equals getting WISE.   Not everyone gets wise with age.  But I'm working on it.

Right now, at age 44, I am truly more happy than I have ever been.  I have experienced many hardships (of my own doing), many trials, hurdles, obstacles and set-backs.  And I have never given up or given in.  I am not only a survivor but a thriver.

I look forward to what life has in store for the rest of my life.  BRING IT.

Spring Break

We're not going to a theme park this year.  In fact, we've NEVER been to a theme park.  I hate theme parks.  I would rather lick the guest toilet seat than go to one of those places filled with crowds of screaming kids, over-booked into over-priced kid-centric hotels with kids screaming and running through the hotel hallways, and two-hour long lines to stand in for a 60-second ride.

Nope.  Nor are we driving cross-country because we waited until the very last minute, waiting for airline fares to go down when they actually quadrupled in price.  I don't think driving for 15 hours constitutes a "vacation".  I think that sounds like torture.

It's a "small world" and I choose to live in a small world, as in, going to the awesome resort just 30 minutes north of where we live, where they have a water park, awesome restaurants (not disney-esque kid food) with steak and *gasp* seafood and good wine.

We have an 1,800-square foot suite with two separate bedrooms overlooking the lake, with access to jet skis and fine dining and putt putt golf.  We're going to have soooooo much fun with Kaelen.

Pictures to follow.

Paganism Prevails

My Mother tried her damnedest to turn me into a hypocritical religious zealout like herself.  But in her attempts, she alienated me from all things religulous.  But I believe that I have benefitted from this - I have an open mind.  And most importantly, I am not a HYPOCRITE.  I believe that everyone has a right to believe whatever they choose to believe, cult brainwashing and human/animal sacrificing not withstanding.  To each her own.

I've read up a lot on Pagan/Wiccan beliefs, and I have come to the realization that the Pagans had it right.

I know what you're thinking... those crazy pagans gather together in dark capes, encircling themselves in salt rings and casting spells on people.  I'm not saying that doesn't happen - it does.  But that is not what Paganism is about, really.  Paganism was and is SCIENCE.  Yes, before modern religion there was science.

At one time, all humans were Pagans.  The Pagans realized their place in the planet, as one of Dependency.  We depend on the elements (sun/fire, earth, water and wind), for our existence.  The Pagans didn't so much "worship" the elements, as they acknowledged their dependency on them.  For instance, the Pagans don't view the sun as a God in human form, but rather, they view the sun as the sun - a bright ball of fire that lights our planet, grows our plants, warms our skin, and sometimes, burns us and our crops.  Same for the earth, the wind and the water.  They are exactly what they are - nothing mystical - but part of life, good and bad.  But things that we as humans cannot live without.  And since the elements provide life for all living things on the earth, there is a "life force" within the elements.  Again, this is not mysticism, but rather Science. 

As with all good things, bad things evolve and this is what happened with Paganism.  The Pagans began putting more and more power into their own hands and started sacrificing humans.   This grotesqueness paved the way for mysticism and modern religion (Judeo/Christian/Islamic) to form hold.  Modern religion claims that we HUMANS have dominion over the earth.  And for the past 3,000 years or so, we have been setting to destroy the earth and our environment.  And quite successfully.

Stating what should be Obvious

I have embedded within this blog a tracking software code and I must say it is quite extraordinary.  Not only can I tell the NUMBER of "hits" I receive to this blog.  But I can also tell the CITY from where my viewers reside, as well the URL address that my viewers came from, and where they went to just AFTER viewing my blog.

I'll be the first one to admit that my blog, "Farting Glitter," is exactly what the blog title implies - don't expect any soul-revealing deep secrets here.  Like I would do that.

Nope.  My life is perfect as far as you or anyone else who stumbles upon this Blog is concerned.  And if you "stumbled" here intentionally for the purposes of snooping on me, here's a  glittery unicorn for you. 

I See You.  Stay away from porn.

Lover's Day

The Beauty of being married is not having to fret about things like Valentine's Day.  No wondering WHO will be my Valentine, or wondering IF I should send or even SAY the words, "Happy Valentine's Day."  And potentially risk of killing any lukewarm relationship, or worse, sending the wrong message.

As is Mickey's and my tradition, we ate in, in our PJ's (all day).  No fancy gifts, no chocolates (that neither of us needs).  No cards with cheesy sentiments that someone else wrote...

We just enjoyed each other immensely.  And even after 10.5 years together, it's still pretty "immense". 

I'm so Lucky to have Mickey as my permanent Valentine, year after year after year.

Happy Valentine's Day, Baby!  I love you IMMENSELY.
xoxoxoxo

THIS is the way to spend Christmas!

 My Dear Husband decided that he would like to do something nice and elegant for just he and I, since we are kid-less this year.  So he booked a suite at the Four Seasons.

I had a facial at their Spa, which was awesome.  And while I was getting that done, Mickey bumped into Donovan McNabb.  The Washington Redskins team happened to be staying in the hotel that night (for the Cowboys game the next day).  Mickey told Donovan that we hated both the Eagles and the Redskins, but that he and I bothed really liked Donovan.  Then Donovan signed an autograph for Mickey that said, "#1 Cowboy fan, Donovan McNabb."  How cool is that?  I would have skipped the facial for THAT.

The suite was 2,000 square feet, with two bathrooms.  Tiger Woods stayed here during the Byron Nelson.  Mickey surprised me with the most beautiful flower arrangement I've ever seen, as well as a bottle of champagne. 

Sunday we went to watch the Cowboys game.  And the Cowboys beat the Redskins by one point, securing their "lead" by intercepting a pass in Redskins' territory.  It was a perfect weekend.

Merry Christmas!

Mickey Really is the Sweetest Man

I mean that, too.  Not just because he pays my bills and buys me nice things.  (not that those things hurt, mind you)

A couple days ago FedEx delivered a box addressed to Mickey.  I e-mailed him and told him his box arrived.  He said it was for "our son."  I thought he had bought something for Gunny. 

I called and asked Mickey if he wanted me to open it and he said, "Yes."  So I did.  And in the box was a deployment flag with one star, representative of the one child that "we" have deployed right now.  A deployment magnet (for my car), and a Christmas ornament that says, "Proud of my Soldier."

It was such a sweet and thoughtful thing of him to do.   I wish Mickey was home right now so I could hug him.  I wish James was home so I can take that flag down.  I have two wonderful Men.  I am very lucky.