Gray Hair there???

 Okay, most people in their 60's have gray hair. For most, it starts a lot earlier. Hey! It's normal and beautiful. 

I remember my mom's snow white hair, so soft and beautiful.  It's the kind of gray I'd like someday. 

Right now, believe it or not, I don't have a lot of gray. I'm a natural blond so even those glinting grays that do appear, look like highlights. Why not so much gray? I have no idea. It's not a family thing, I don't think, but I do take a lot of vitamins. I have Pernicious Anemia, a B12 deficiency, so I take B12 in shots. Is this why I'm not so gray? 

I had a friend who needed a kidney transplant. After the transplant his gray hair slowly disappeared. Was his body suddenly processing nutrients better? 

Anyway, gray hair can pop up anywhere on our bodies. Down below? Who cares! But the eyebrows? Really? And not the whole eyebrow, just a few random bright white hairs. 

At first I'd pluck those one or two gray eyebrows and be happy. Lately more and more seem to be appearing so now.... what to do?  Plucking a random hair.... so what, no one notices.  Plucking four or 5 from the same brow? 

EEEEEeeeeeeeeekkkk! 

What to do, what to do.... I'm not really a make up kind of person so whatever there is to use on eyebrows is not in my frame of reference. Eyebrow pencils? Will they really color those bright white hairs blond again? Or will I look like a clown with sketched on brows?

Time to call in reinforcements. Time for a YouTube video! 

So how's your brows? How to do control them? Go freestyle? Tame them? Paint them? 

Making the Most of 60+

 Tomorrow I'm 64. WoooHooo! 

Actually, I feel 30. Except for the stiff back from sleeping on the couch for two days because my new foster dog has anxiety issues.  He's adorable, but is still getting used to us. 

I always look at each decade as an adventure. Something to meet with joy & awe.  This decade had me opening my own business and facing the challenges of running it during Covid. 

So for this new year of my 60 decade, what challenges shall we find? Adventures shall we plan? Or goals shall we set?  Okay, let's give it a go. What would be good things to do/see/experience for 64? 

•  Build my business 
• Publish another Book on Amazon (It's written but now comes the edit)
• Post some short stories on The Midnight Brain
• Rescue more dogs 
• Buy a home
• Get organized
• Lose 10... okay, 15 pounds
• Make friends
• Plant a garden
• Paint a mural 

So what's your plans for this year of your life? 

Is 60 the New 40?

 I remember my mom in her 60's. She had trouble walking, losing weight and was out on disability. I think if she had access to the internet like we have now she would have been healthier. 

Today if we have a pain in our hip we can wade thought tons of information and read about what helped others and maybe take this info to our doctors or try some exercises or stretches to ease the pain. My mom had no help other than one doctor who evidently couldn't help her. 

I remember reading my mother's women's magazine and their exercise suggestion? It was pictures of a woman carrying a small pile of folded towels up the stairs. No hard cardio, no suggestion on weight lifting or yoga. If that was mom's only input of how to maintain weight, it was no help at all. 

So today we have so much information at our finger tips we can be a healthier 60.  Not that I'm saying listen to all the info out there, but read, double check, know your source, etc. 

I've had a few health problems along the way. One day my daughter was watching Medical Mysteries. In it a woman had problems with tiredness, IBS, tingling and a few other things. We're watching and the woman lists her symptoms I say, "I have that." and "I have that, and I have that, too." My daughter turns to me and says, "Whatever that woman has, you should get checked for!"   The woman had a B12 deficiency.  Later I found out that I have it too and that information changed everything! 

No matter what your symptoms, don't stop searching for an answer. Just be careful who you're listening to. Know their credentials, where they got their facts from and check and double check. We have what our parents didn't. We have access to a world of answers. 

So with all this help to keep us going...isn't 60 the new 40? 

Keeping Safe, Staying Safe - Mask it!

 I can't wait to rip this mask off --- finally!

But it doesn't look like that will be anytime soon. 

Now, when frustration is peaking and the urge to just be normal again surges this is the time to stay strong... and masked. 

It would be so easy to just stop the mask stuff and walk around free as a bird but I think this would invite Covid to spread more. Endangering ourselves or others. 

Such a creepy horrible germ. 

I keep going back to the fact that in 1918 they got through the pandemic with half the medical science we have now. They wrapped rags around their faces (hey! at least we have these fancy prints to wear on our face) and had very  little medication to deal with it. And they got through it. 

What happened after the pandemic faded away? Ha! The ROARING TWENTIES!

Wo0t! 

So there is something to look forward to at the end of all this craziness. We'll be able to ROAR once again. Fun times will come back. We just have to stay strong and stay masked for ourselves and for each other. Do it for your family, your neighbors & maybe someone's grandma. 

Are New Years Resolutions a Good Idea?

 Let's face it if we were going to resolve to do something to improve our life why is January the best time? 

It's after the holidays when, truthfully, I just want to relax and veg for a while. The last few months have been a stressful time. Wouldn't it be better to just let January pass by and rest and think about all that other stuff maybe in February? 

Oh, I've tried. Every January for over ... well at least 45 ish years.. I've thought what should my resolution be this year? Usually it came back to losing weight. Yet, whatever it was seemed to kind of be in the negative column. How come our resolutions aren't in the positive column? 

So here's some positive New Year's Resolutions (I'll pick mine in February :) 

1. Draw more pictures. It doesn't matter if you're a professional or never picked up a pencil to doodle - just draw more pictures. Art is therapy and we could all use a little of that right now. 

2. Play some music. Did you take lessons as a kid? Or ever wanted to? Do it. Pick up a guitar from a thrift shop or see what other instruments they have there and give it a go. 

3. Perfect one cooking skill. Ever want to bake from scratch? Make a tart or roll some sushi. 

4. Take a painting class. They're all over the place now days. Google paint and sip and see what you can find. Then go paint it. You might surprise yourself. 

5. Plan a trip to some place you've never been. Okay, you might have to wait a few months till travel is safe again, but go explore some place. Do the planning now so you can be ready later. 

6. Make something for someone with your own hands. Sew or knit or ...back to #1, draw something and gift a gift for no reason. 

7. Read one book classic book a month. Any library can tell you what the classics are; Tom Sawyer, To Kill a Nightingale, Anne of Green Gables. The list is long so there are plenty to choose from. 

8 Make one day a week your Pamper me day. Give yourself a pedicure, soak in a tub full of bubbles, or cuddle up with your significant other and watch a movie. 

9. Have a night out with the girls or guys once a month. Plan it and make it more than beer and pretzels. Make it a special event with something interesting. 

10. Volunteer. Find your favorite charity and volunteer. Animal shelter, Red Cross, Homeless Shelter, Meals on Wheels. There's always something, someone, somewhere who needs help. Find some time and do something. 

So do that New Year's resolution now or later but make it something that will help your soul grow and blossom. 2021 is here so let's make it beautiful. 

Got a great idea for a resolution? Post it below & share the wisdom! 

Good Times for the Introvert

 Can a person be a closet introvert? 

I think so. Although when in front of people I can walk the walk & sing the song, but I'm more comfortable in small groups of people I know well. Alone time is a precious thing. When I leave the crowd I'm exhausted. Drained. And really in need of that alone time. It recharges and relaxes. 

Now with everyone locked down or afraid to go out, there's so much downtime that... it's okay.  I've adapted like I think most people have. The first lockdown had me staring out the windows but looking back, I wish I had used it to clean out closets, write a new book, or done something more constructive. Why did I waste all those days of downtime?

I think there's a little bit of introvert in all of us, but not a lot of extrovert in some of us. Being an extrovert means you love people, crowds, attention. I admire those people with that zest for the spotlight. Do I ever want that? No. It's not in my DNA. 

So yes, I think an introvert can adjust easily to this crazy world we find ourselves in but they have to look to the opportunity and not to the negativity. Instead of thinking "Why can't I" the questions should be "How can I use this time?" 

It's a bit like what I'd imagine retirement would be like. You suddenly have all the time to do anything but spend days bored and restless. 

Planning this time is what we all need now. Stuck in the house? What would we do if we only had more time.  And please, don't think painting a picture, playing an instrument or even writing that book is not worth it. It is. Get creative, bring the spark of things you always wanted to do and do them. 

Let your Introvert flag fly! 

Make it Your Year