About Me

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Delta, British Columbia, Canada
I took very early retirement from teaching in '06 and did some traveling in Europe and the UK before settling down to do some private tutoring. As a voracious reader, I have many books waiting in line for me to read. Tell me I shouldn't read something, and I will. I'm a happy, optimistic person and I love to travel and through that believe that life can be a continuous learning experience. I'm looking forward to traveling more some day. I enjoy walking, cycling, water aerobics & and sports like tennis, volleyball, and fastpitch/baseball. I'm just getting into photography as a hobby and I'm enjoying learning all the bits and bobs of my digital camera. My family is everything to me and I'm delighted to be the mother of two girls and the Gramma of a boy and a girl. I may be a Gramma, but I'm at heart just a girl who wants to have fun.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Cosmetic Surgery - Yes? No! or How much?

The latest Reader's Digest (October 2006) has an article about cosmetic surgery. It's a big and fast-growing business, but how do you feel about it? I must admit to having had my upper eyes done 12 years ago. However, it was my sister who told me I need an "eye job." I went "Huh? What do you mean?" She told me my eyes were drooping and I'd look a lot better. I responded with, "Is that why my eyelids are always itchy?" "Uh - yeah!" she answered. So I looked into it and went ahead with the procedure. It was so easy! I was put out and my 2 daughters took turns putting ice packs on my eyes for 24 hours straight - even through the night. I had minimal puffiness and bruising, needed no pain killers, and was wearing makeup again within 2 weeks of the whole thing. Now I'd love to have a tummy tuck, but my sister (who had that) told me it's VERY painful and don't do it. I'd love to have the jowels that were handed down to me by my loving ancestors lifted. A little liposuction around the middle, a boob lift and butt implants would be great, too. But, BIG BUT ... Shouldn't I grow old gracefully by eating healthily and exercising as much as I possibly can, considering the old-age afflictions that seem to keep me company more often lately? The eyes were done because they were physically irritating and would eventually have hindered my eyesight. But do I have to have the stomache or waistline of a pre-pregnancy 20-something? I'm glad we live in a time when cosmetic surgery can help burn and accident vicims or those with birth disfigurements, but I think there needs to be some sort of happy medium when it comes to keeping our youthful looks.

5 comments:

Jo said...

Omigod, where on earth did you get that cartoon? It's hysterical.

I suppose after the age of 40 or so we would all like to find the fountain of youth, but usually people who have plastic surgery don't really look better, they just look plastic.

I think people can look beautiful at any age, and they can look age appropriately beautiful, rather than trying (unsuccessfully) to be something they're not.

Leslie: said...

I do SO agree with you. I saw a lot of women in LA trying to look younger. It was SO obvious they'd had plastic surgery - they were stuck in a time warp, but time moves on. And we have to be self-confident enough to move along with it.

Leslie: said...

I doubt that, Neva! :D

Anonymous said...

Bottom line, we are not teenagers anymore....my favorite sentence "We use to look like that!"

As for the childbearing tummys...well...I am doing 30 situps each morning, and that is enough. I have had three children and am very thankful my skin is elastic. Think about it!! LOL.

I can see surgerys and braces for troublesome thinks like Improved breathing..visual problems etc....can't bring the teeth together to eat food..etc etc etc.

Just like teeth whitening...fine for those that choose that...but when will we be happy with who we are and accept life. I would much rather help some struggling Mom with little ones get on her feet than spend thousands for vanity. There are exceptions yes....but trying to find fountain of youth...no. We weren't meant to. That is the fun of our youthful teen rebels....lets let them have the fun of flat tummies..after all...we've earned ours....

Leslie: said...

I agree, Peg. After having my teeth fix last week, I can't believe my parents didn't do anything to fix them when I was a kid. But I guess in those days braces were so expensive - how many kids do you remember having braces then? However, now by bite is good and I can get all my teeth together properly. Today I'm having the top 6 whitened so they all look uniform and can hardly wait for that. I'm luck that my teeth are as white as they are, considering my age. I know lots of people younger than I am whose teeth are quite yellow.