This afternoon, Nick and I went to Swannanoa to pick up Emma and Olivia, then went to Monroe for Thanksgiving. It was a lot of driving, but a beautiful day. The clouds were spectacular, and there was still a bit of color left on the trees…
November 25, 2014
Tonight I had a photo shoot with my class in a warehouse that belongs to a local theater. We had a blast setting up a staged scene and using props. Here are some of our mannequin models…Shirley and Gertrude.
November 24, 2014: Early Morning, Swannanoa
November 23, 2014
I had to work today, but only for a couple of hours.
These boxes were stacked up in the hallway. They just looked interesting to me…
November 22, 2014
Today is my 50th birthday.
This is the view that I had from my car as I received the most amazing gift this morning…
Over the past three months, Tony painstakingly collected voice recordings–songs, stories, salutations–from 84 of my friends and put them on 2 CDs. For two hours, we sat in the car at Miller Park and listened to friends and family wish me well and share a piece of themselves with me. It was the most beautiful experience I have had and the best birthday gift. All of my family participated, as well as close friends, acquaintances, and many people who have touched my life. As I told Tony, I felt lifted.
It was truly a beautiful moment, wonderfully emotional, and I will never forget it.
Thank you Tony. Thank you.
So Here It Comes…
This is my last day of being in my 40s. I’m excited…
I have big plans for my 50th birthday thus far. In the morning, I will be doing something with my boyfriend Tony who is insistent that I go over to his place as soon as I can in the morning and avoid Facebook at all costs. I’m not sure why, but that will be known to me soon enough so I’ll play along. After that, I will spend time with my son Nick, my daughter Emma, and maybe have lunch somewhere, I’m not sure. More time with Tony at his request in the afternoon, then at 6:00 I will head over to our local music venue, The Garage, to set up for a big night of performing. First, Tony and I will host our Pop Music Quiz that we have been doing for 8 years. After that, Tony, three of my friends, and I will be performing 4 Squeeze songs together under the name Cuddle (Get it? Squeeze, Cuddle…Jon the drummer thought that one up!) . Squeeze is one of my favorite bands and has been for over 30 years now, so it’s kind of a “Squeeze-themed” night in honor of my birthday. I will be singing back-up and playing the bass guitar on the 4 songs we are performing (Hourglass, The Waiting Game, Messed Around, and Labeled With Love). This will be the first time in 29 years that I have played bass with a band on stage, so I am a bit nervous. But I’ve really enjoyed our practices, so I’m fighting my nerves and facing it head-on. It’s a great way to bring on 50, I’d say.
After we play our 4 songs, a local band called the Vagabond Saints Society will perform the entire album Squeeze Singles: 45 and under. Tony and I will be singing 3 songs with them: Take Me I’m Yours, Slap and Tickle, and If I Didn’t Love You. So it’s a performance-filled night and I just hope it all goes well. Nervous indeed, but excited, and also hopeful that this won’t be our last time performing. I’ve got the bug again, and I’d really like to start playing the bass with a band on a regular basis.
So 50…what am I going to do with myself? Things have to change, I know that for sure. My 40s weren’t really a positive decade for me on the whole. Lots of stress, life and family changes, loved ones gone, goals not met, and life passed by. So I’m hoping that I can turn things around in my 50s and make it better. I am genuinely feeling positive.
And I can’t wait to start posting a photo-a-day here. That starts tomorrow and will continue with a photo-a-day until I turn 51.
Goodbye 40s, hello 50s! Bring it on!
Amanda
Trying…
And Here I Am.
November 22, 2014 is the day that I will turn 50.
I’m not upset about it. I’m not worrying about it. It is what it is and I’m just glad that I’ve made it this far. In a way, I see my half-century accomplishment as an opportunity, a chance to start again instead of giving up and giving in to my age. I still feel like I’m 25 in my mind (not so my body!), so I’ve got a quarter of a century of catching up to do if you look at it that way…
I was born exactly one year after John F. Kennedy was shot, almost to the exact time. I’ve carried that around with me all of my life. My birthdate is always talked about, though not in conjunction with me. This past year it was 50 years ago that Kennedy was shot. So this year is my 50th anniversary.
On my birthday I will begin a photographic journey of my 50th year, taking one picture every day until I turn 51. I’ll post those here. In the meantime, I’ll just throw out some random thoughts here and there and wait for the big 5-0.
You’ll see me around.
Amanda
Mid-Century Me 