Friday, May 08, 2009

If It's 1985 Again, I Can't Be 30...

Ugh. It's May 8th. I know, for most of you, this means very little. Mother's Day weekend, maybe. But that, my dear readers, is because you are not turning thirty tomorrow. Today is the very last day of my twenties.

I know those of you who are staring down larger numbers may scoff at me, but I don't care. This is just bothering me for some reason. I'll get over it. Eventually. Maybe around thirty four or so. I know its silly. Everyone tells me that their thirties were great. And I believe them. I'm sure it will be wonderful. And yet...

I think its the idea of being 30 more than anything. To have to say - "I'm in my thirties." Sigh. I've been in this funk over it ever since I turned 29. Where did I think I would be by now? Married? A mother? Published? I'm none of these things and for the first two, not anywhere near ready to be. I thought I would be, but I'm just not. My personal timeline is slipping. As an INTJ, I can tell you that my schedule is very important to me. Things are all out of whack and if I try to think about it for too long, I get panicky.

To distract myself, I'm throwing an 80's Flashback party next weekend. I love the fun campiness of the 80's. Some of my favorite music is from then, for sure. I was pretty young, but so was my mother, so I was raised on MTV and Magnum, PI. Planning parties is an avoidance tactic of mine, I can focus on that and what I'm going to wear and serve instead of me aging. I think I need to raid a thrift store - find an acid washed mini skirt and a sweatshirt with the collar cut out. Scout out some fingerless lace gloves. PC and Queen Rhonda are threatening to tease my hair into the stratosphere and glue it with Aquanet. The hole in the ozone layer will get slightly larger next weekend, that's for sure.

What was your favorite thing about the 80s? The music? The clothes? The big, big hair? Did you have a mini-meltdown at any particular age milestone?

SP

PS. In case I crawl into my cave and don't emerge, Happy Mother's Day to all of you brave enough to breed! My mom originally asked to get eyebrows tattooed on for Mother's Day, but we renegotiated for me to babysit LS while they go out to the Melting Pot on my dime.

16 comments:

Playground Monitor said...

I don't remember a lot of the 80's because I was raising children. If I wore my usual attire from that decade to your party it would be a sweatsuit with baby spit-up on the shoulder.

Y'all are going to have to help me come up with some sort of outfit cause I'm clueless.

My birthday was 4 weeks ago and it pinched a little because I started thinking about being only two years away from sixty. Yes, I said 60. Oy.

Anonymous said...

To save you some shopping time, Claire;s or their sister store Icing, has those gloves...in wonderfully bright, neon colors! Dont forget the legwarmers and high heels! Have a wonderful weekend everyone! Sheryl M.

Alicia Hunter Pace (aka Jean Hovey and Stephanie Jones) said...

I've been trying to remember what I wore in the 80's I decided it's pretty much what at wear now--khaki shirts, twinsets--I'm so boring. There was also a lot of Laura Ashley when there were Laura Ashley stores. I don't know what that stuff is they sell in department stores with her name in the label. Oh, god. I just remembered the wedding dress. I don't want to talk about it. Why didn't somebody stop me? Too bad it doesn't fit me anymore (for so many reasons). I could wear to the party.

housemouse88 said...

What I remember most about the 80's was coming of age. Graduation was the main objective. I enjoyed the hair products from the 80's. You had to make sure with all that big hair that it couldn't move an centimeter. LOL

It's strange I didn't have a problem turning 30. It was 31 when I had my meltdown. I guess I just had a delayed reaction. Now that I'm 39, I'm having a problem with 40 next year. Can't seem to shake the blues and it's still 8 months away.

Have a great day. Happy Mother's Day to all.

Maven Linda said...

Hmm. My age has never bothered me one way or the other. My birthday isn't important to me. Other people's birthdays are, but my own isn't.

I remember the eighties. I think that's when the big shoulder pads were in (Joan Collins?), and I do remember the big hair. But mostly I remember working my butt off at my job during the day, and writing at night until I feel asleep at the typewriter.

But, you know -- my thirties were prime. Good health, maturity, looked good . . . you go, SP! This next decade will rock.

Problem Child said...

30 didn't bother me as much as 35 did...

Although my hair and clothes are something I often cringe at now, I do miss the body I had in the 80s...

For Mother's Day, I'd really like the last chapter of this book. Oh, crap, what am I getting *my* mother?

M.V.Freeman said...

I really don't like hitting round numbers in any age bracket...30 was a hard year, so I commiserate with you.

BUT..as for what I remember of the eighties...the shoulder pads...and the big hair, and how awkward I was despite it all.

oooh, do you remember those aerobic videos??? Spandex and all? LOL

My favorite part was the "Hair" bands..the music was the best! And who can forget those movie classics: "The Breakfast Club" "Pretty in Pink", "Sixteen Candles" or even "The Lost Boys"--where my love of vampires was born!

mslizalou said...

I turned 30 almost 8 years ago, and really didn't have a problem with it. However, as I get closer and closer to 40, it's starting to bother me. I do have a fun trip to look forward to in a couple of years. My friends and I are going to Vegas when we turn 40 and doing it up right.

I love the music from the 80's, but I don't love the fashion as much. I saw some of my prom pictures on facebook the other day and can't believe the hair and clothes.

Lynn Raye Harris said...

I'm not sure why, but age has never bothered me. I think it's because the alternative is death and therefore life is pretty damn good.

And SP, my darling sweet child, trust me -- NO ONE is where they think they want to be when they hit 30. Personal timelines are pretty much bunk anyway. Seriously.

Life is what happens when we're making plans, right? So enjoy. And when you're facing 40, you'll look back and wonder why you were so silly over 30. You'll miss 30 with all your heart then. :)

I remember those shoulder pads, oy! And Madonna's crazy clothes. My hair was big, naturally. Sprayed stiff and straight into huge bangs and wings on the side. Lord.

Not sure what to wear to your party yet..... Not sure my hair would even defy gravity like that again.

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

Thanks, guys. It's probably not as bad as I'm making it out to be.

This video is awesome. Worth checking out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnYm0EmyDVU

Angel said...

I'm still trying to figure out what to wear to the birthday party--but I have a sitter! :)

I'm having a few qualms about 35 this year, but I'm sure I'll get over it. What else can I do? I'm trying to talk my sister into a girls day at the spa. I'm dying to be pampered.

Angel

Katherine Bone said...

What do I remember? Magnum P.I. .. Remington Steel.. James Bond.. Indiana Jones.. Star Wars.. Discos!!.. Drive In's.. Pretty Woman.. The Hobbit.. College.. Getting Married.. Babies.. Pulling my hair out (Sadly, I still do that).. Oh, time plays a wily game.

30? Why so glum? Believe me it's better than pushing up daisies.

Decade years are very hard for me. For some reason, I really abhor being able to say, I'm *fill in the blank* decades old. But, before you dive into gloom, SP, I will say this--30 didn't hurt as much as 20 or 40. When I turned 30, I was about to have #4 and felt like I was really in a good place. Frazzled, yes. But, all was well, both physically and mentally.

In fact, I think 30 is AWESOME!!! Why do you think women always want to say they're 29?

Christine said...

Happy Early Birthday SP! Wow!! You are a great mother's day gift--according to your mom you are a wonderful daughter. Your party idea sounds perfect to take away the doldrums.

I never had too much of a problem with any birthdays except for 25. For some reason, probably cause my life was major hijacked prior to my 20s, I felt so behind other 25 year olds.

Now I don't care. I'm 46 and pushing toward 50. I'm okay with the getting old thing, it's the bloomin' hormones going insane that I don't like. I don't even mind not having the perfect body (I used to model--believe me--not easy to stay that small). I figure I can blame it all on gravity.

The 30s were a great decade for me. The 40s are shaping up super well too. I am at the stage of life where I really don't care what other people think and I have no problem setting boundaries...

We're toughest on ourselves.

Enjoy your day and celebrate the moments. You've got decades ahead of you to live, laugh and love.

Anonymous said...

Favorite from early 80's would be music. Early this month I turned 48, WOW but I don't feel 48. When I turned 40 was an eye opener for me.
robertsonreads
ps don't dread your 30's be thankful that you have made it so far...

Unknown said...

Happy birthday anyway.

The 20s and 30s are the best years. You'll like your 40's, too.

I'm facing the big 5-0 in November. I'd love to be 30 again.

29 was a terrible year for me. My mom had just died and I was a wreck that whole year. I thought 30 would be bad, but by the time I turned 30, I was recovering so it was okay.

The 80's? That decades a blur of Big Bird, Thunder Cats, and He Man for me. That seemed to be all my kids watched on TV. Oh, and I was buried in diapers. Okay, I was in college, too - how could I almost forget that?

Linda Winstead Jones said...

Like PM, I was busy raising kids during the 80s. For a while I sold real estate, but I threw away the suits with the huge shoulder pads. I did find one dress in the closet, though. Very Dynasty. I never throw anything away. :-/ Miami Vice! That I do remember. MTV. Overalls. (Come on Eileen . . ."

The only birthday that ever bothered me was 34. Honestly, I think I was just having a bad day, otherwise why would I obsess that I was moving into my MID thirties. Then my brother called and told me that "You're only as old as you look." :-)

LJ -- late again