Boy, do I have some Tales to Tell...
I get it. Everyone wants something for cheap. Well, not everybody. There are still those of us who want good quality. And there are still some of us who know that good quality comes with a price. A big one. Not a cheap one. Because, the truth is, like any good business, you sell high quality stuff for big prices even if it cost you nothing to make.
So, here is what I don't get. Most people drink wine purely for pleasure. Why would you buy cheap wine? As someone who worked in that business, most of everything below $12 is hit-or-miss; mostly miss. Most of everything below $6 is gross. If anyone every says to you, "It delicious. And only TWO DOLLARS!" Run. Run fast. Their trying to fool you. Especially since they have fooled themselves.
You know, nothing worthwhile is cheap anymore. It either is a bad knock-off of something that will break sooner than you want. Or it's made out of mediocre materials that will cause more harm than pleasure. It's funny how most of America has fooled itself into believing that good stuff comes cheap. It never does. It never will.
You want good wine? Pay up. Trust me. It's far worth it. It's a far more pleasurable experience. And wouldn't you rather have a truly amazing experience for $15 than a pretend one for $6? I would. Later.
I think I have experienced my first "turning-40" moment. I have been a bit to obsessed with being more fashionable. I'm not sure if it's the fact that there is a new Project Runway. Or that
my cousin has launched a fashion blog. But I suddenly feel the need to be more hip.
Working for a food retail establishment does not exactly inspire one to dress well. And it doesn't help that I am not surrounded by people consider clean clothes fashionable. Not that I am judging. I went downtown to meet a friend today and realized how much more fabulously dressed people were. I want that back.
I used to be one of those fashionable folks. I was wearing man-pris before everyone else. I made my own out of D&G pants. I wore Yohji. I owned $200 tank-tops. I mixed it all in with jeans from K-mart. T-shirts from Fruit of the Loom. Above all else, I owned shoes. Gloriously, beautiful, fashionable shoes. I was hip.
Then I got married. Moved to the Upper West Side. Started working for food retail. And it was over. I want THAT to be over. I need to be fashionable again. I think I've been feeling pangs of this for a bit now. But turning 40 has made it more prominent. It all started with my new Marc Jacobs jacket. Followed by trips to
Uniqlo. It helps that I fit in skinny pants lately. The latest purchase was a tweed hat from
Kangol. And before that, a fabulous scarf from
Barney's Co-op.
So, what's one to do. Go shopping. Spring is almost here. I want short pants and cardigans. I need new white tees. V-neck preferrably. Something form-fitting. I need fashion. I need it now. Wonder how long this will last? Later.
On January 11, 2010. At 5:00pm Eastern. I turned 40. It was pretty uneventful. I was actually in the gym working on my biceps. Pretty uneventful considering that 40 years ago at that same time, the bells throughout Lagos, Nigeria rang to indicate the end of the Biafran War. I always like to remind people that my birth signaled the ending of a war. Notice I said nothing about peace.
So, what's it like to turn 40? Pretty cool. I was surprised by my co-workers with a vegan chocolate cake. I never saw it coming. It was cool. I ate a sliver because I was heading out to dinner with the husband. We went to Perry Street. I highly recommend anything run by Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Genius always comes to mind. And I was not disappointed. I highly suggest the crispy poached eggs with caviar and creme fraiche. They also make a mean fried chicken. The dessert was delish. The cocktails fabulous. It was wonderful.
Still, what's it like to turn 40? Nice. Especially because I have to love and support of someone extra special. Above all else, he's my friend. I work with people who are at odds with their "partners". It's weird to think that some of them don't consider their significant others friends. I can't imagine that. Wouldn't you just leave after a while?
I don't feel different from 39. I had a big birthday brunch for my 39th birthday. It was great. But for some reason, for this one, I needed it to just be me and my husband. I loved it. We loved it. It was all I could have wanted it to be. No more. No less.
I highly suggest turning 40 to everyone. Especially if it turns out the way my day did. Later.
It's a new year. It's just another day. Another man-created milestone. But we can't help but put it all behind us. I am fine with putting it all behind me. But last year was a good year that had it downs. But it had many more ups. I don't know if it's the fact that I have chosen to recognize the ups. But I have. So, here are what I am happy about:
- My partner and his realization that you can choose to be happy. We are on for New Zealand. We are both EXCITED... to say the very least.
- My friends. When it comes down to it all, it matters who your true friends are. I am very lucky to have good ones. Ones who are true to who they are. For those people that I know who are not true to themselves, I hope you find it within. Because it is there.
- Me. I am about to turn FORTY! I could not be more happy with who I am and why I am. I can't explain it. But I am. Maybe it's because I am more confident with my being. Maybe it's because I have realized that many of the things that happen are a direct result of me. Maybe it's because of the last two bullet points. I don't know. I do know that I am happy. Scary. But good.
- My family. Not always easy to reconcile. But something about them. I think when you realize that your family did their best to understand and accept who you are, then you realize that they are good. Not always easy to swallow. But they are who they are. They are what they knew how to be. They mean well. I could not ask for more for them. We've all lived good lives. Luckily.
- My past. It was not always easy. But it is my past. I have accepted it. I have left it behind. And nothing matters but...
- ...my present. Refer to bullet point #1.
Later.
