50 is NOT the new 30

One day back in February I was sitting in bed, sipping on my coffee, and having a little pity party all while watching the TODAY show.  My birthday was a few days earlier and I was having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I was officially a card carrying AARP member. 

50!!!!!!  Really?  How did I get here so fast?!?!?!
Wasn't I 30.....just last week??? 
I was having a very hard time attaching that ginormous number to myself. 
Needless to say, there was a little wallowing going on. 

So, anyways, as I was sinking into the depths of despair...the announcement of the next segment on TODAY caused my ears to perk up......What was it???  "WHY 50 IS NOT THE NEW 30?"  

Whoa!  Were they trying to depress me even more???

So I continued to watch, because, lets face it.....I'm a masochist.

In the segment, they introduced this lady.
She says she's 52 (i think....). 
I was like "yeah, right."  I mean really she looks all of 35....on a really bad day!!!!
I was also thinking....of course it's easy to say 50 is not the new 30 to all of us....
When you look like one of the "does she or doesn't she" ladies.
 (And if you don't get that reference, you're probably too young to understand anything in this post!) 
So, where was I......ah, yes.....
50 is Not the New 30 is actually a book  

that Tracey Jackson wrote about this lovely transition in life....
I don't remember exactly what she said but by the end of the segment I remember thinking...
I've got to have that book!! 
So I got it.....that very day.
And read it cover to cover. 
I loved it! 

I found it in the self help section at Barnes and Noble
But it is not your typical self help book. 
It is a witty and very refreshingly candid look at the nuances of being a 50-something. 
She talks about sex, menopause, job opportunities (or lack there of), life and death. 
And all of it is from the perspective of the challenges she faced. 
I especially enjoyed her take on menopause....
And I appreciated it even more after spending an evening with the girls and having a couple of them
try to shove their theories on menopause down my throat....oops, sorry, bygones! 
Anyways, it is a great book....and it pulled me out of my funk. 
I do have one gripe about the book though...
I really think the title should have read  "LIFE DOES NOT END AT 50". 

Hmmm.....maybe she could write another book...
Just a thought.....

Later, gator!