This is a tribute to the insanity of old age and the absent-mindedness of youth.
For a few years now, my parents have availed of dozens of youth-enhancing and age-defying, slimming and smoothing products and procedures. From Botox to Thermage, from laser eyelid surgery to the latest Home Shopping Network weight-loss invention, my parents have done it all. And in fact, they aren't in bad shape for their age. My dad's been looking better from running daily for the first time in his life. My mom's blessed with good health. But sometimes their attempts at regaining youth get a teeny bit ridiculous. Like today. I found out a little while ago that my dad bought my mom a DVD set to help lessen the lines on her face. It's called (wait for it) Carolyn's Facial Fitness.
I know. And check this out: it consists of this dubiously-aged (she claims to be 60 but she could be in her early 50s; who's to know?) woman named Carolyn guiding viewers to daily facial exercises. Open your mouth out wide and count to ten to straighten out wrinkles around your mouth. Pull your nose up and your lips down to stretch out the surrounding skin. That kind of thing. Between fits of laughter, my mother described to me how she told my dad to go ahead and practice the damn exercises himself; he can teach them to her later.
God help the aging. I love my parents, and I understand and respect their attempts to look and feel young, but oh how my funny bone gets tickled at the thought of walking into my parents looking like they're practicing how to scare kids on Halloween.
Meanwhile, my 17-year-old brother spent a good part of his day looking for his remote control. Now because there aren't any control buttons on his sleek and sexy HD TV's body, without the remote, he could only turn the damn thing off and on. He couldn't adjust the volume, change the channel, or play with his precious PlayStation. After hours (and literally hours) of searching, he--and our maid--found it wedged in an obscure area in his bed, between two large pieces of wood. Oh, how enslaved we are to the onslaught of technology.
Between my parents and my brother, I'm not sure what's worse: getting old, or staying young. At the same, I can't decide who I find more endearing. God I love my family. Buncha weirdos. :p
You write well, Jessica!
ReplyDeletehahaha its better to experience both so therefore we must not take time for granted. do what we can do, while we can do it.. and i think that youth is a reason or an excuse to be stupid. so we should all try to be stupid for now. because when we grow old, there will be no excuse.. plus i was thinking a while ago while i was watching you at ustream that you are one of the examples of people who choose the things they love rather than what they can. and for that you inspire me. thanks. and thanks for the blog. it also inspires me to write. (as you can see) maybe someday i'll have the guts to put up one. anyway. thats all for now. thanks jessica. -NZ
ReplyDeleteThanks for an excellently written sneak-peek into your family life and good job putting the spammers and flamers on your comment box in their proper place. Ang taray! That should teach them not to mess with you.
ReplyDeleteAs a post-script, why does this phrase, when taken out of context sound dirty to me.... "he--and our maid--found it wedged in an obscure area in his bed, between two large pieces of wood."
ReplyDeleteEnjoy Boracay. =)
@NZ I definitely agree with you on this one, youth can be an excuse for stupidity but that's how we learn I guess.
ReplyDelete@Jessica yes,we are torn between getting old and staying young
"growing old is mandatory - growing up is optional." c",
ReplyDeletewhat a priceless work of art by
ReplyDeletejessica..... all of us need to grow old to find maturity for ourselves....but we also need to learn more things for we are still growing...