I started blogging at 60.
And each year on my birthday, I have posted a new photo.
There's two reasons why I share my selfie every year:
1. Affirmation. My photos are my way of showing the world (well, a minuscule part of it) that it's not so bad to be in your sixties. I'm not an old lady yet. I think I look better than I did 20 years ago. That's what I tell myself anyway. Sixty is not scary.
2. Defiance. Posting my photo at each passing year says, "Screw you, Mother Nature! You are NOT invited to my birthday party!"
So now it's my birthday (yet again).
And this year I have two photos to share.
This is the birthday when I needed to renew my driver's license.
My husband chastised me (which your spouse would never do, right?) for waiting until the last minute. He just doesn't understand.
With working full-time, I am left with only Saturdays for my renewal. Last Saturday I had a seminar about nontraditional book sales. Which was excellent, especially if you have a how-to book on a subject that would appeal to state governments. (I have a novel that appeals to middle-aged ladies.) But as far as Hubby was concerned, last Saturday was late anyway. Two Saturdays ago was when my husband wanted me to go for my license renewal. In Connecticut, you renew your driver's license for a six-year stretch. And two weeks ago, I was five days away from my hair appointment. So for the next six years, I would be carrying around an ID in my wallet with a photo of me with gray roots.
Clearly he is out of his mind.
So this Saturday was it. I fixed my hair (concentrating on the front) and put on two layers of makeup. License photos tend towards washing you out. So I wore enough blush to work part-time as a TV evangelist.
I went to AAA rather than the DMV. At Triple-A, their mission is to help you and be nice. At the Department of Motor Vehicles, their mission is ... well, something else.
When it was my turn (there was a line, but not like DMV, where you stand in line long enough to have to pee, but you can't or you'll lose your place), I explained to the nice lady my extreme dilemma.
"I'm turning 64," I said. "A six-year license means I have to use this license until I am 70. 70! Do you know how scary that is? Please make me look good." I pleaded.
She told me that the DMV rules say that you can only have one shot. But that she lets everyone have a look first, and gives them a second chance, if they want. "I just think it's the right thing to do," she said. This woman is a saint.
Well, my first take was pretty bad. I had those white-surrounded crazy-eyes like a few politicians I won't name. (but you know who...)
So my helpful lady deleted that one, and warned me that she would have to use the next one no matter how awful it looked.
That really relaxed me.
My remaining shot wasn't what I exactly wanted either. Because what I wanted was to look like Jennifer Aniston. I asked if I could have maybe four more chances, but the nice woman just shook her head.
Anyway, it really isn't so bad. And when I am closing in on 70, I think it will look pretty good:
And here's photo #2. My selfie.
As I've said before, the nice thing about selfies is you get more than four chances. I won't say how many shots I too, but let's just say, like every year, that I took more than one, but less than two hundred.
And I did not photoshop this. Not that I wasn't tempted. There are one or two (or 14) little issues I'd like to fix.
But this is supposed to be an affirmation of how good it is to be in my sixties.
Just as is.
So here it is. As is.
This is me. I'm 64. This is what 64 looks like:
Read more from Nancy at her blog, "Not Quite Old."
Earlier on Huff/Post50:
