I Feel Bad About My Neck and Other
Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron
I feel bad about my neck. Honestly, I feel bad about my neck—and I have for a while now. It’s one of the many subjects Nora Ephron tackles in her book, and I couldn’t agree with her more. According to her dermatologist, a woman’s neck starts to go south at 43. I’m not sure why 43 is the magic number and not a milestone like 45, but that’s what she said.
And here’s the worst part: it can only be fixed with surgery. Botox won’t help. I HATE SURGERY. I HATE SURGEONS. A very good friend of mine recently had the procedure done, and she looks absolutely amazing. But she’s much braver than I am. And once again, for the record—I HATE SURGERY.
So now I have to decide just how badly I really feel about my neck. Maybe I’ll start wearing scarves. Or maybe I’ll buck up and go for the surgery—and while they’re at it, they can throw in some liposuction, a tummy tuck, and oh yeah, a nose job!
Another thing Nora Ephron talks about is purses. And honestly, I kind of agree with her. I won’t try to paraphrase her brilliant explanation—she says it best—so I’ll just let you read it for yourself.
As for me, I go through phases with my purse. Sometimes I carry a small one, sometimes a large one. Right now, I’m deep in my large purse era. I’ve realized I can actually measure my stress level by the state of my purse’s interior. When I’m really stressed, it’s basically a mobile trash bin. When I’m feeling calm and collected, it’s surprisingly organized.
Cooking and cookbooks are another topic Nora Ephron explores in her book. She actually met some cookbook authors and was influenced by them. I remember back in the ’80s, I was pretty obsessed with both. I had the time, the interest, and—most importantly—no kids around to complain when I made something out of the ordinary. They used to call it “orphanage food,” which eventually got shortened to O.F. What do kids know anyway?
Now that I’m semi-retired, the creativity bug has bitten again. I don’t cook a lot, but I do love to experiment and try new things.
Read the book she is
very insightful
Dear Susan! Hey don't fret about your neck, look how great Diane Keaton has looked for years in her stylish turtlenecks! As far as not inspired to cook anymore, remember, you have your wine club members who just love when you try out new recipes on us!!!! And remember if given a choice, Nora would rather be alive with a droopy neck then 6 feet under! Enjoy every living breathing moment shared with family and friends, neck and all!!! Marj.
ReplyDeleteLoved your comments. Love you wine guys. It is always fun to try out new things on you guys and if it turns out bad well then I just open up more wine.
DeleteAnd you are definitely correct about Nora. I am sure she would trade the Diane Keaton turtleneck to be alive and writing.
Recently the New York Times had an article in the Sunday magazine written by her son (when she was married to Carl Bernstein - another book from that marriage!)where he wrote about her last days when she was quite ill. She had so much more to say and thought she had more time to keep writing and living, when her illness returned with a rapid downhill course. She gave us many laughs and truths through her clear vision.
ReplyDeleteSharon
Thank you for your comments. I totally agree with you when you say she had so much more to say. What I found so interesting about her writing is that what she said made so much sense and was so relatable and humorous
ReplyDelete