What little pot belly? Me? Are you kidding?!?! [Suck in gut. Turn sideways. Gaze confidently into mirror.] Nope. No little pot belly. Nothing. Not me! I'm trim. Fit. Svelte. Looking better than my thirties. Little pot belly... whatever! Billy Crystal's Midlife Crunch So you're feeling optimistic. You're advancing on your midlife quest for greater creativity and curiosity (and a healthier, ...
Change
Experiment
My bride laughs at the way I pronounce "experiment". Apparently I say /ikˈspirˌmənt/ or something not too far from that. Vestiges of a southern father? No clue. And given the way I pepper my language and life with references to this word, I afford my loving-but-laughing partner plenty of chuckling. It's made me a bit self-conscious when I say the word, but doing it is another thing altogether. My ...
Midlife Quest
I've talked about a midlife reboot, proclaimed a midlife manifesto or three, and meditated on middle age long enough to grok the importance of a midlife leap rather than a midlife crisis. More like leaps versus crises... But the adventure, one I originally anticipated being a tidy yearlong reflection (ergo 40x41), has proven to be far lengthier and more complex than I imagined. I'm slowly coming ...
Midlife: Fumbling Forward
"I saw how a man who, unexpectedly, in midlife, had been dumped for someone else, might struggle to keep up his old sense of self, his old optimism. How he might take on an Indiana Jones look, indicative of hopes of adventure, while being careful not to get into anything new that might result in further pain. I saw the polite charm, the detachment, the silk shirt and the expensive restaurant ...
In-Betweenness
"In-betweenness is a fundamental condition of our times." ~ Homi K. Bhabha While more of a cultural reference than an age reference, Bhabha's quotation offers a provocative invitation. Midlife is another sort of in-betweenness. A liminal period that is abstract and undefinable in so many ways. Maybe all of life is liminal. Maybe in-betweenness is all we ever know... ...
Moustache
Approximately nine weeks. Mowed twice so far, and a third time after this photo. Salt and pepper. Wiry white whiskers make it easier to purchase booze without having to produce an ID. Slightly curved mustache makes my bride laugh. Makes me laugh. Like a goofy character in a children's book. And then my laughing bride stops laughing and reminds me that I said I would mow it. Soon. I will... ...