Today I had a passport picture taken, and, as I was putting it away, I found another picture that I had taken just two years ago for a visa application. Yes, neither one will put me on the cover of HELLO, but I am shocked at how different the two are. It got me thinking about how much my life has changed from two years ago, when the “pink” picture was taken, and it isn’t just my hair colour.
Menopause
Some women love it and others hate it. To me, it is a realization that I will never be pregnant again, and that was my favourite time in my life, and so there is a feeling of loss there, maybe a touch of jealousy for fertile women, and a sense of “what now?” for me. Do I go on and save the world? Many women have their most productive time at this age, once the children are grown, but some are happy drinking G &Ts at the golf club. Just don’t know….
My oldest son moved out
He is living on campus with his Med School girlfriend, and that life change was huge for me. He is graduating in a month and has a maniacal scientist job lined up, so he is doing great, but I miss him so much.
My health has changed
The Pink Girl was a vegan, and 60 lbs heavier. A year ago I was put on Victoza and, though the weight loss has slowed down, it started me on my healthier lifestyle – I work out with a trainer three times a week, and horseback ride now. Unfortunately, I started smoking after 20 years of having quit. I started because I was living in China alone where beer was cheap and people smoked in bars… On the upside, my blood glucose and other numbers are great now. So, I don’t know; I sort of won some and lost some in this category.
So, in two years a lot has changed for me, and I guess it shows in these pictures. Actually, I don’t feel like I look like either one, but they say pictures don’t lie… darn it!
Thanks for sharing your interesting story. I just switched back to my rockabilly profile pic b/c I like it more, perhaps because I look about 20 years younger.
I wish more places offered diet tonic water as I love g&ts myself but too carby most of the time.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Acidrock. I know these pictures look like police photos - you should see my old passport pic from 4 years ago!!! Diet tonic water?? I didn't know tonic water had any calories, but I just looked it up and it is 124.
I think tonic water is like soda. I have them at home but not out, unless I can arrange a timely hypo, as I've never run into a place that has diet tonic. My passport photo is hideous and, as it dates back to when I was heavier, is going to stay in a box. It's probably expired but I have to save it in case I need a new one.
Certain classes of photos are inherently hideous, for some poorly understood reason. Drivers license and passport photos certainly fall in that category. No question.
I need to get a decent photo taken. The only ones I have are several years old and 35 lbs heavier. That's why I use the photo at left. She's much better looking. (FYI, her name is Lilah and she's about 15.)
That is certainly true, David but I have to say, I'd gladly suffer the hideousness if I required a visa to ... ANYWHERE! It's been much too long since I've traveled to far away lands. As for g&t ... I gave up the tonic ages ago and now have gin & soda water. It's really quite nice.
While I think I'm looking forward to 'empty nest syndrome,' I fear I'll cry when it's a reality. Big hugs to ya, Gb.
David, she is a beaut! Ren, thanks for the hugs. I will try soda with my gin this summer. I am not good with change, yet it keeps showing up in my life like a bad penny - lol. Pennies are going out of circulation in Canada. I wonder if that means no more change for me???
