About Me

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Recent retiree--35 year's experience teaching reading, English, adult basic education and volunteer leadership skills. Started this blog to exchange ideas and commentary with friends and others having an interest in joining the discussions. Greatest life accomplishments include: 1.organized my 3rd grade class to check out library books for me to get around librarian's weekly limit--Amazon.com, the Mullins Elementary 3rd Grade Class of 1956 is still waiting for "thank you" notes; 2. volunteered in the Peace Corps, island of St. Kitts, West Indies; 3.taught adults to read, earn their GEDs., and speak English as a second language; 4. bought a border collie puppy for $6, got evicted rather than give him up, and began a life-long love affair with all things "Dog"; 5. joined a physical fitness boot camp in my mid-50s--don't mess with someone who's been doing regulation pushups in wet grass at 5:30 a.m.; 6. walked across Northern England with best friend Sally--over 80 miles from the Irish to North Seas; and 7. travelled to many foreign countries for pleasure and work.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Fun Monday - Maxine on Age and Beauty


The topic for November 22nd Fun Monday is a simple one according to our host Julie at Another Chance Ranch . It's to share our favorite beauty product. I was going to go all philosophical about aging gracefully, inner beauty, and other profound considerations on just reaching Medicare age last week. However, I think I'll just share a few hints for aging well and then let Maxine finish with her unique, but so true, slant on age and beauty.

First to favorite beauty product. For me that would be Origins, a line of plant-based skin care products made from natural botanicals. Used faithfully every day for cleansing, toning, and moisturizing, your skin will look pretty darn good, even at Medicare age. Aside from good skin care here's some other beauty aids that I believe in:


--good haircut every four to six weeks in a style that makes you happy;
color if you prefer or celebrate those grey hairs if you feel you've earned them;

--fashionable eyeglasses, especially if you wear them all the time. I just got some bold black retro frames with a modified "cat eye" to give my face a bit of lift;

--regular dental care to keep teeth bright and strong;

--regular medical checkups to spot problems before they become major; serious illness does a number on your looks;

--eat good nutritious food and enough junk to keep you from feeling deprived;

--move it! However you prefer--just keep going--and stand up straight to avoid that dowager hump;

--get enough sleep, however much that may be for you personally;

--be passionate about things great and small--your family and friends, learning something new, politics, a book, TV series, travel, cooking--your choice.


To add to my little beauty list, here's Maxine's advice for dealing with unrealistic expectations foisted on all of us by advertisers and our peers. I get Maxine's point about fad diets and unrealistic goals, but maybe hold on to that three way mirror. Just yesterday I was having coffee with friends in Starbucks and we were commenting that, based on her unfortunate back view, our girl friend at the counter must not own a full length mirror. Think of it as tough love.


And finally, I'm sure everyone has experienced this. You look at yourself in the mirror or at a photo and think: "What happened to me?" At one time I had "stuff" to strut, now it has, as Maxine says, gone off without me! Paying a bit of attention to your own needs may prevent more loss in the future.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, friends. I hope it's a thing of beauty for each of you.

11 comments:

Jan n Jer said...

That is wonderful advice Faye, I could not have said it any better. I try to pratice all of the above...You have such beautiful skin, keep doing what your doing. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Sayre said...

What a great piece! My goal has never been to look like a model, but to have beautiful, healthy insides. If you have that, I think the outside pretty much takes care of itself. (Except moisturizer... need that on the outside as well as the in.)

Gattina said...

I think I do what you say, for myself not for anybody else. I don't want to look like a witch when I look in the mirror,lol

Michelle said...

I so love Maxine. Thanks for the great advice.

Stefanie said...

I love all your advice. I try to do everyone of them. I have heard about Origins but never tried any of there products. I may have to get one or two and give them a try.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Qtswede said...

Nice write up! I have to agree :) My area is hard to find many natural products, but to be honest many of my friends & I tend to make our own stuff. :)

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

Love those cartoons.

Hope you have a fantastic Thanksgiving Holiday this week.

I pretty much follow all that advice, apart from getting enough sleep, I rarely manage to do that. Too busy reading...

Jill said...

That Maxine is so funny. Love your take on this!

joanygee said...

"Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes." Jung A quote I saw at the airport today before I came home. It seemed appropriate. Glad you like natural stuff, Lush seems similar over here. It used to be called Beauty without Cruelty.

Jo said...

I love Maxine's advice and am happy to say that I follow most all of yours already. (Need to work on things like moving more.)

As for Maxine's "stuff" that strutted off w/out her, just today my husband looked at a picture of me in college (before we met) and said "You were hot!" to which I replied that at 115 lbs and in a short short skirt, almost any girl is hot. But it was nice to know that at least at one time in my life I had stuff to strut, even if I didn't find out till later.

Lane Mathias said...

So you went for the retro glasses. I remember you saying you were deciding on a new style.

Hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving at the restaurant.