The Midlife

Last month, I turned 52. 52. 52. Sounds so old, right? I remember when my mother turned 52, and I considered it to be “getting up there” or the even more dated: “over the hill.” Turning 52 has me thinking differently about aging. (I’m also including some things that I have been enjoying as a now-52 year old.

Physically, I feel great. Minus the tail-end of a cold’s persistent cough, I feel pretty good. While I am full-figured, I am active and I really believe near-daily movement or sweating keeps me healthy mentally and physically. During the holidays, I amped up my fitness journey with a minimum of three workouts per week. I started incorporating workouts with Grow With Jo. She’s on YouTube, and the majority of her workouts are no longer than 30 minutes and extremely effective. There’s no jumping. And she previews every move in advance, so you can follow them easily. Plus, she’s just adorable and enthusiastic. I recommend you check her out.

The world has felt so heavy; I’ve been looking for some levity, some laughter. I binge watched What I Like About You, now on Netflix.

The best show for getting in a few laughs.

The show stars Jennie Garth (90210 fame) as Val Tyler and Amanda Bines (She’s All That, The Amanda Show) as Holly Tyler. Circumstances arise where Val, a successful publicist under thirty, takes in her teenaged sister and raises her. As a former fan of 90210, I was surprised in the best way by Jennie Garth’s comedic chops. And while I didn’t follow Amanda Bines during her Nickelodeon fame, I could appreciate her movie roles in films like Hairspray and Easy A. Her work as a comedian on the show is pretty brilliant. Her timing and line delivery are so well done; her dialogue with Garth puts them in a Lucy and Ethel category of comedic sparring. Another appealing aspect of the show is that it has a theater-like feel in the way the scenes play out; it even has some comparisons to Friends. And while some of the romantic storylines dragged at the end of the four-seasons series, overall, I was sad when I finished watching. The characters are so likable and the cameos throughout the show are so memorable, I think you’ll like it, too.

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t enjoy reading. My mom always reminisces about how I used to walk up and down from our basement with a paper bag full of books to read. It was non-stop. And while my tastes have changed over the years, at 52 I tend to read more non-fiction and young adult. Until, I stumbled upon The Tenant by Freida McFadden. Today, I’ve paused book number 12 of hers to share this post. It’s been a long time since I’ve followed an author’s work so extensively. Freida McFadden, is a pen name used by a real-life surgeon who writes thrillers. Her books are so twisty and suspenseful, I have only picked up one title that I could not get into. (I may try it, again, later in case my mood at the time of reading didn’t quite match up with it.) Her stories follow a variety of characters, some with dark histories, and her plot twists are unpredictable, for the most part. Her writing is sharp and more nuanced when it comes to the slasher and sex moments, which she often highlights (the nuances) at the beginning of her books. My favorites so far are Dear Debbie, The Tenant, The Boyfriend, and The Teacher.

Lastly, my final thoughts about turning 52 are simple. I feel content, although things are never perfect or going all well all the time. I know that sounds so commonsensical, but maybe that is what “they” call finding wisdom. Or am I entering my zero effs era? Or taking it all as it comes. Got it: I’m perfectly OK with having zero effs as they come.