winter is coming

No, I'm not talking about the weather.  In fact, winter has finally arrived after dragging its feet to get here.  Today we're living with wind chills below zero and tomorrow we're due for 5"-7" of snow.  We're all January-y here.  No, I'm talking about the winter of my existence.  It's starting to show its ugly head.

A couple of years ago, I noticed my first gray hair.  I can handle one or two, no problem.  Unfortunately in the past few months I've noticed more and more springing up.  In clusters.  In fact, when I pull my hair back (which I tend to do quite often with long hair), these clusters of grey hair are as visible as a hunter in the woods wearing blaze orange.  They scream, "You can't miss us!  Look at her - she's getting old!  Neener, neener, neener!" and every time I look in the mirror I can hear them laughing at me.  They mock me because even though I'm feeling younger and better than I have in years and years, I can't fight time, I'm still getting closer to 40 and there's not a damn thing I can do about it.

So now I'm toying with the idea of coloring my hair.  Again.  I went through a few years of it when I decided to change things up a bit and go auburn instead of the dark blond than I am naturally.  After auburn I went for a ginger color with highlights which I really liked but they discontinued.  (Damn you, L'Oreal!)  The only thing is that now once I start I won't be able to stop...ever.  I'll have to continue covering those damn things until the end of time...or until I'm completely gray and the thought of that makes me want to puke.  I guess I don't really know if they're as noticeable to other people as they are to me.  I'm blond and they blend in a little better than if I had jet black hair, but they're there.  I keep thinking that other people see them and think they're highlights.  Gray, coarse highlights.

Today as I looked in the mirror I noticed that my face has a few more creases in it than it used to.  If I raise and lower my eyebrows, the lines it creates in my forehead seem to linger.  They don't bounce right back the way they used to.  Upon closer inspection, I also noticed fine lines at the corners of my eyes.  And laugh lines.  Freaking laugh lines! Now that the wrinkles have started, how long will it take until I look like this?

So, what, now I have to get Botox injections in order for me to look the same age as I feel?  Crap!   What else can I do to get rid of these things?  $100 wrinkle creams?  I refuse to buy anything called "wrinkle cream."  It reminds me of going through my grandmother's bathroom looking at all of her beauty products.  She was old...and had a ton of wrinkles.



"I will never get old as long as I'm moist"

Vain?  Sure.  I admit it.  When I looked great, I didn't feel great and now that I'm feeling great, I'd like to look it too.  Is it really that much to ask?

Bring on the plastic surgery prize - I think I'm gonna need it now.