Congratulate me. I’ll be celebrating 39 years of existence next week. My mother didn’t think I’d make it. Here I am, on the cusp of 40, and I’m wondering if I’m ever going to learn to clean my house.
Don’t grownups do stuff like that? You know, file stuff and mark boxes and clean walls. I’m still doing housework and bills the way I did in High School.
Then again, I’m also likely to tear across the parking lot at Safeway with my kids in the cart and run (you heard me) at full speed.
And writing is kind of weird too. I’ve got this story that has been bugging me for TWO YEARS. I keep saying “That’s it! I’m deleting it!” but I can never do it. So, I’ve committed to finishing it.
Very mature of me.
Meanwhile, my boys have both started school and their teachers expect me to be a grown up. I don’t know why. I never have been. I forget paperwork, annoy the school secretary and hug my kids in public. What kind of a grown up parent am I anyway.
This weirdness of growing older has made me consider *choke* the possibility *gasp, choke* of actually *choke* plotting *gasp, gasp* What a friggin’ concept.
But I’m not a grown up so it hasn’t gone well. No worries, though. I keep plugging away at the thing and try and pretend that there’s a mature well rounded (in several places) person running the show.
Between you and me, I’d rather have a banana split.

11 Responses to “The Weirdness Of Growing Older”

1. Ericka Scott Says:
   August 29th, 2007 at 10:49 am

   Put extra hot fudge on mine please!

   My hubby is the big “kid” in our family. I went out with the girls last night at 6…when I came in at 11, he was camped in front of the TV watching a “how it’s made” epidsode and the house looked like they’d had a huge party. Sigh…

2. Jennifer McKenzie Says:
   August 29th, 2007 at 5:14 pm

   And extra cherries too.
   My husband does the same thing but its usually “Deadliest Catch” or “Ice Road Truckers” or something.

3. T. Sue VerSteeg Says:
   August 29th, 2007 at 6:50 pm

   Honey, growing older is mandatory, growing up isn’t. I just hit 40 (head on, mind you) and I still do stuff that embarrasses my kids. My mom just walks away (somewhere in the past 40 years she learned), but the kids stand there slackjawed like I was sacrificing a lamb or something. Being childish ROCKS!

4. Jennifer McKenzie Says:
   August 29th, 2007 at 7:14 pm

   Well, it DOES rock….as long as I’m not trying to do things like, I dunno, write a book.
   Having the attention span of a 5 year old when I have a book to write and the WHOLE INTERNET TO DISTRACT ME…..
   You see the problem?

5. Diana Castilleja Says:
   August 29th, 2007 at 7:58 pm

   Hugs, Jen. Growing up is for the birds. I’ll join you for the ice cream any day.
   It’s part of the fun. Don’t you remember all the embarrassing things your family use to do to you? This is your chance to pass that on. Isn’t it grand??

   I still hug mine in public and expects kisses too. Dreadful!

6. R.G. Alexander Says:
   August 29th, 2007 at 11:44 pm

   I know exactly how you feel. I still feel like I did ten years ago-
   I’m not remotely good at truly grown up things like lists and plotting…not dancing to the muzak down the grocery aisles-setting a good example etc.
   It used to upset me-but lately I’ve been going with it. Who wants to grow up anyway? LOL

7. Crystal Jordan Says:
   August 30th, 2007 at 12:55 am

   HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JEN!!!

8. Jennifer McKenzie Says:
   August 30th, 2007 at 9:28 am

   Diana, they don’t get embarrassed by me hugging them anymore. It’s just ammunition they know I’ll use.
   And RG, I DO embarrass my best friend as I sing “Anything For You” by Gloria Estefan in Safeway.
   Thanks Crystal.

9. Samantha Lucas Says:
   August 30th, 2007 at 3:26 pm

   You know, it’s funny I used to be so mad at my mom when I was a kid for her acting like a teenager. Now I’m doing the same freaking thing! My kids are always yelling at me to turn down my music and let me tell you, highlight of my life was when they both told me I needed to be quieter in bed. OMG I wanted to dissolve into the floor boards. lol

10. Jennifer McKenzie Says:
    August 30th, 2007 at 6:34 pm

    I can’t wait until they tell me to be quieter in bed. I’ll inform them that they need to take hints. When mommy and daddy say they’re going to “take a nap” make yourself scarce kiddo. LOL.

11. Lyric James Says:
    August 30th, 2007 at 8:21 pm

    “I don’t want to grow up, I wann be a kid.” That song is in my head now. My kids aren’t old enough to get “embarrassed” yet. *Insert evil smile*…but I sure can’t wait for it. LOL