Friday, October 10, 2008

Time to face reality

Doesn't mean I have to like it, does it?

However, the fact is that I'm 71 years old. The fact is that I'm OLD!

I guess I just never wanted to face it.

I mean, I look at myself in the mirror every day, but I guess my mind always saw myself as young, youthful, not necessarily energetic anymore but still full -- in my mind's eye, anyway -- of vim, vigor, and vitality.


I went to get my passport pictures taken today at Kinko's (Federal Express).

At first, the young man behind the counter told me that their camera wasn't working.

Then, another young man came over and snatched the camera out of his arms and changed the batteries. Voila! Camera's now working!!


I looked at two different sets of pictures ... one smiling, one with ends of mouth turned up and eyes (I thought!) twinkling.

The first set looked like I'd been dead and buried already.

The second set looked like I was 187 years old.

I chose the second set to have copies made for my passport pictures.


All you guys who have been screaming to see what I look like ... do you really want to see what I look like? I look like an old hag, is what I look like!


Sorry about the rant, but I've just been brought back down to earth from the optimistic stratosphere I was blithely occupying.

9 comments:

Craig Peihopa said...

it is a stilted reality you are looking at Goldenrod. These are not photographers, they are order takers who struggle to change batteries let alone take a decent image. I see this all the time when people say I am not photogenic or other crap they say, but after a session with me and my "eye" often say Wow, thank you. So too bad I am not getting to Houston soon. But you just never know!
My musical hero Burt Bacharach is 71 and he is a master! So hang in there my friend!

whalechaser said...

Goldie,
I follow about 20 blogs and I have to tell you...yours is the most lively, thoughtful, provoking and just all around fun. If you need to be old to make that accomplishment, I say so be it.
We cannot stop the clock, but if your heart is young and springy (I believe your is) then the years should not matter a whit.
If you want a youthful photo, you will need to go to a real photographer and pay some big bucks, because he will know just what lighting to use and the angles to show your fine points.
I can read them every day in your blogs...but it is up to you.
Whale

Tammy said...

Well it doesn't matter to me if you are 71 or 17, or somewhere in between. Your blog is always one of my FAVORITES to read because you are such a fascinating and fun person.

And heavens to betsy! Don't judge yourself by a Kinko's photo! lol. Too bad Craig isn't near you. He'd do a good job taking your photo!!!!!

Goldenrod said...

It's been almost a day now since my initial shock, and I'm getting over it, thanks in part to all of your wonderfully supportive comments.

Believe it or not, the pix are 'growing on me'! :)

Craig Peihopa said...

poor pictures are 'growing' on you? Saints preserve us!! someone bring me oxygen! This is a global problem, we are more accepting of lesser quality.

a bit of a rant I grant you, but it does belie real problem as I see it, near enough is never good enough and I see it here all the time.

Goldenrod said...

Someone down there in Australia rush on over to Craig's house, would you please? Grab some oxygen, smelling salts, EMT's, whatever is most handy. I just hope you're not too late! :)

Come on now, Craig. I had my rant and my bit with depression, but I'm over it now.

Besides, I didn't mean I LIKED them ... they are what they are what they are, OK? I decided to laugh [:)] at the situation rather than continue to cry about it. Just a passport picture, and that's all the importance and recognition it should receive.

Hey! When you come to Houston, I'll let you take my picture and we'll plaster "Gorgeous Goldenrod" (picture by Craig Peihopa) all over the internet, how's that sound to you?

Goldenrod said...

Thought I'd share with all of you an e-mail that I just received from my daughter.

In part, it said, "Hey there. Just wanted to say that whatever your Kinko's photos looked like, the truth is that you still look just like my mom to me."

A nice warm fuzzy.

Polimom said...

Your daughter sounds like a sweet girl, Goldenrod.

Goldenrod said...

See next post, Polimom.