anyresemblance

I'd rather be...

I am so fickle.  On Sunday I was delighted at the rain soaking my garden and parched grass but now it is Thursday and I am over it.  It is coinciding with the trees starting to show signs of yellow leaves and the end of summer.  It would be ok if I was snuggled in a blanket watching a movie or reading a gripping book but working at my desk with the smell of damp dog surrounding me, it is not so charming.

Plus I organised to get the carpets cleaned today so will have damp, clean carpet and separation of former from damp, dirty dog.

Cradle to grave

Watching the Oscars, pondering on beauty and thinking about a few things some other people have been writing has had me wondering about the nature of ageing in a culture which seems to celebrate youth.

I do not envy youth.  I was unhappy for some of my teens, had a swell time in the 80s, in retrospect was probably not a very good at being married and am very satisfied with the decade I am in.  I feel more confident of myself, professionally, as a friend and as a sexual being that when I was in my late thirties and early forties when motherhood consumed me. I do not wish myself younger other than a fleeting thought of what it would be like if I had more children.

Now, I can say this now when I know I look much younger than my date of birth implies.  It helps that I don't smoke.  It helps that I eat quite well. It super helps that I grew up in Scotland under rainy skies and not baking on an Australian beach.  It helps that I have good teeth, good skin and great hair.  It helps, to be honest, that I am not thin and that my extra fat rounds out the rough edges.  I tried botox seven years ago and it made my eyebrows look ridiculous so I would not repeat that experiment.  I'll be honest and admit it was nice to have the wrinkles on my forehead smoothed out but when I look at a photo of me then I am appalled at how plastic my face looks.  I'd be less than honest if I said that it would be nice if my eyes were not so hooded these days but who would put themselves through "work".  There's an irony that it is called "work" when its objective is to ensure that no "work" appears to have been done.

I do find myself forgetful  of how old I am and drive my children mad by having to manually calculate it every now and on.   I also can't believe that I am closer to 60 than 40 but so what, it means I don't have to mess around doing stuff I can't be bothered with any more.

But I am intrigued how having a younger boyfriend is being paraded as a badge of honour.  I've had a fling with someone significantly younger than me and it was exhausting to be with someone who was so needy and so, frankly, immature.  I do not wish to parade around with a twenty something or even a thirty something for that matter.  Having been married to someone older than me, there is something to be said for being with someone who knows what tv you watched as a child, listened to the same music as you at the same time and remembers a world when we all hated Margaret Thatcher rather than watched movies about her.

Which is not to see that there are not a whole bunch of dull men (and women) out there.  I've dipped my toe in the dating pool and the water is brackish.  I have no intention of going back there and realise that I have gone from thinking "it would be nice to be in a relationship" to "I have a satisfying life that would not be made more complete by a relationship with a significent other for its own sake".

When I was travelling a newish work colleague asked me if I wanted to be married again.  I was sort of shocked that a) she would ask such a personal question and b) that she thought it was a question worth asking.   I am constantly reminded of how the norm is still seen as coupledom but it seemed kind of impertinent.  Bet she wouldn't ask George Clooney that question.

Traveller's tips

This trotting between hemispheres is very confusing for my seasonal nail polish.  I go from the bright hues of summer to the brooding climes of northern winters.  I have my toes a mid brightness blue which seems to satisfy both (not that there was much toe exposure in Paris) but my fingernails are baffling. What looked good in Paris (some Navy Chanel thingy) was way too gothic for Dubai.  

I am off to Mexico City next week so need something that will cope there even though it is winter - neon orange?

Also, altitude sickness, wtf?

Sheiks on a plane

I wonder if Dubai is the Singapore of the Gulf? sort of middle east made easy?  anyway, everything was very comfortable.  Super luxurious hotel, charming staff, delicious food, comfy beds.  I had a good time though saw nothing beyond the 5km radius of my hotel.

I spent a good 20% of my time away sitting on planes.  I am now well acquainted with the entertainment offerings of Emirates.  I watched Newsroom which was excellent plane fare with its wordy expositions. And many, many movies.

Here are the short versions:

• Argo - despite my expectations I liked this.  I didn't think it shied away from why Revolutionary Iran was so anti-American.  Some of it was very, very familiar.  Oddly, it did not feel like that much happened in terms of dramatic tension.  I was more excited about the kids pasting together the shredded documents.
• Lincoln - I only lasted 15 minutes.  Worthy, I am sure, but everything looks sepia on a small screen and I didn't think I could last 3 hour of DDL in the gloom.  I can't remember why I dislike him these days as was totally devoted to him in the old days.  Did he behave badly somewhere?
• Your sister's sister - there seemed to be a bit of a Emily Blunt fest going on but I liked this one as a movie in which not much happened but all the characters were likeable.
• Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.  Hokum but see above.  Also, Ewan Macgregor playing a nerd.  Cute.
• Premium Rush - Joseph Gordon-Levitt and bike couriers in NYC.  Let's forget the people smuggling bit but enjoyable.  He reminds me of Heath Ledger these days.
• The Cold Light of Day - truly, utterly dire.  So sad as was feeling the Bruce Willis love after watching Moonrise Kingdom.  Only lasted 20 minutes of this. That kid who is going to be Superman? wet
• Lawless - screenplay by Nick Cave, Guy Pearce reprising one of his sadistic villain roles, Tom Hardy totally compulsive watching, Shia La Boeuf  totally irritating, great soundtrack, tons of violence.  
• Taken 2 - ok, I know it was hokum but Liam Neeson.  I rest my case.
• Hope Springs - torture.  Can't bear Meryl Streep when she is breathy.  Not even Tommy Lee Jones could save this for me but good to see Steve Carrell play it straight.
• Arbitrage - why wasn't Richard Gere oscar nominated for this?  Fantastic.
• Pitch Perfect - I am a Rebel Wilson fan girl but this was fun (a bit of a cheat as I had already seen it with my kids)

Lost in transit

I have been here and there and my body is only just catching up. This was Paris on a rainy Friday night. We ate at la Fontaine de mars. I had goats cheese tart, steak frites with bernaise and iles flottante. There goes my healthy fast for that week.