age comes after beauty; age is now.

forget internet dating, the increase in support groups around town (sufferers of varicose veins, survivors of botox, dry cleaning addicts) appears to be a conveniant place to self-help, self-actualize, and find someone to take to the sunday matinee. obviously, a codependency meeting might be a better place than say, overeaters anonymous (unless there is an underground cellulite fetish movement going on that i don't know about). certainly if you are looking to be taken care of, there is no better person than a recovering codie needing a "project".

apparently the years of "forgetting" to moisturize and put on sunscreen have caught up with me; my youthful looks are drying up much like my reproductive system. somewhere in the last year, things have changed. i am no longer asked for my ID when i slap down a bottle of "yellow tail" at the booze shop; i am no longer asked why i am tardy when i go to meetings at high schools; school buses have stopped stopping for me.

at tonight's meeting i sat next to the older guy from a couple of weeks (and blogs) ago. we chit chatted. i apologized for not calling and following up on the potential job opportunity he threw my way. after the closing he turned to me and asked if i might want to get coffee some time. he's older! WAY older. i guess i am older than i feel. so this means i have officially "crossed over". like pubic hair; you don't notice it, then suddenly you become old enough to be "older man's young totty".

the whole "being targeted and pursued/having to reject" is not a dynamic i am well versed in, so i tried to respond with kindness; "i think i'm going to pass" or something to that vague effect. of course i did not want to hurt his feelings (nothing if not classic codie) i said i would see him in 2 weeks after the labour day break, and then i made sure to wave at him when he drove out of the car park.

damn, now i can add a couple more adjectives to the ever increasing neurosis; "naive" and "old".