Today is my 50th birthday.

I don’t mention this for any accolades or well wishes. I state that today marks the date of my birth simply as a fact. It’s just another day. I woke up, laid around the apartment, drenched myself in classic movies on TCM, and just relaxed.

I don’t feel any different, I don’t look any different. But, turning 50 is supposedly a big deal. I guess turning fifty, for many, is like living a scene from Logan’s Run. That dot on our hand suddenly turns red and we are to be put out of our misery, or just stop living as we wish. We are to stop having fun because it’s not “becoming” of a mature lady. We are to act a certain way, dress a certain way. We have to rethink the clothes we buy as “age appropriate.” Bullocks!!!!!!

Many of my female friends had a hard time with turning the dreaded 5-0. “I’m now a half century old!”, “I’m old now.” Many of them cried.

As for myself? I guess I have been preparing for this “world-altering event” for a while. Why? I had a very difficult time turning 30. I wasn’t married yet, I didn’t own anything, I didn’t have a college degree, I was a mail & file clerk, I didn’t have much going on in the way of accomplishments. Yes, 30 was hard. Turning forty was such a non-event, that I don’t even remember doing anything. But, 50! My, god, 50 years old is, well, old…right?

I’ve been reading articles, watching videos, and listening to stories of women far past this “agonizing” age and took note as to their outlooks on life. Many of these Goddesses are well into their 80’s and 90’s! They dress how they please, talk how they please, do what they please. I adore every one of them! They are my muses. They are the ones I found comfort in. They taught me that age truly is just a number.

I look to these ladies for their stories, their perspective on aging for women, for their advice on how to handle getting older when society expects us to look young forever. Their advice was simple: don’t give a f—k what society expects of you! If you want to do something, do it! If you want to wear something, wear it! If you want to say something, say it! Don’t be afraid of what society expects of you now that you are of a certain age. BE YOU!

Today’s “50” is nothing compared to what turning 50 was for a woman say as little as 30 years ago. A 50 year old woman was more than likely married, had children, and possibly, grandchildren. If she was married, she was probably a housewife or had a job doing some sort of secretarial work or something along those lines. If we look farther back, say the 1940’s to the 1960’s, a 50 year old woman was a housewife sitting next to the fire with her husband either knitting or making sure the grandkids were put to bed. My how things have changed!!!!

Yes, I am 50 years old today. But I’m no senior citizen! I’ve been mistaken more than a few times for a 35 year old, I still wear Doc Marten boots, I still go to punk rock shows and stand in the mosh pits, I still dye my bangs purple (or whatever other color tickles my fancy), I travel when and where I please, and I occasionally get carded at bars.

Yes, I am 50 years old today, but, I have lived a full and amazing life thus far. Yes, it’s had some amazing “ups” and some very low “downs.” But, it’s been an honest and full life!

I have had 50 years of adventures! I was born, I survived high school, I dabbled in acting, I worked at Disneyland, I got married, I graduated from University, I bought houses, I’ve traveled all over the country, I’ve met amazing people, I started writing two blogs, I’ve met countless celebrities, I survived divorced, I took myself to the UK, I survived the death of my father, and I’ve found my inner pinup again…yes, I have had an amazing full life in these 50 short years. But, the really exciting parts are still yet to come. I have the potential of living at least another 50 years! Can you imagine?!?!

50 years is a helluva long time!

More adventures lay ahead. More stories, good and bad, have yet to be told. More places to be seen, more people to meet. I have at least 50 more years of laughter, tears, love, and loss to experience. I have many more things to say. I have more vintage dresses to buy. So much more is waiting for me!

Yes, I have lines around my eyes, but they are from the thousands of laughs I have had.
Ok, so I don’t have the figure I had when I was a young gal. But, I have tasted many a great dishes.
Alright, I still dye the grey out of my hair, but I choose the colors that make me feel pretty.
Sure, I’ve gained weight, but I continue to work on my health and well being daily.
Like I’ve said in a previous post, I’m always a work in progress.

Yes, I am 50 years old today, and I’ve never felt more alive in my entire life!