LOL!


This post brought a song to mind from West Side Story... We should sing this to ourselves every day! LOL!




MARIA
I feel pretty,
Oh, so pretty,
I feel pretty, and witty and gay, (meaning happy)
And I pity
Any girl who isn’t me today.

I feel charming,
Oh, so charming--
It’s alarming how charming I feel,
And so pretty
That I hardly can believe I’m real.


LOL! About six months ago, I woke up and looked into the mirror. I was devastated. I needed a face lift, lipo, laser skin rejuvenation, tummy tuck, and etc. & ect. Then I discovered BHRT. It was amazing how my body started changing. I lost weight, and my skin looks nice again. My eyelastes started growing along with my hair, and my eybrows filled out. I feel and look so much better now.

I have noticed when women get divorced that they look great in about 2 weeks. Depression might be good for something....LOL!


I wonder if we all might embark on an adventure? How about a make-over. Let's lose weight & exercise & etc.



Some things that really helps...

Use olive oil to take of mascara. (I know, they say to never use oil!) It condidtions your lashes and keeps them from breaking. It helps them to grow.

Mud mask

Fredrick's bras ...LOL! If you feel sexy underneath your clothes...it helps the outside in some strange way. They are worth every penny that you pay for them and because they are well-made, last for long time.



Do I feel pretty? People tell me that I am, but my older brother did a job on me...He always told me how ugly I was, so when people compliment me, I take it with a grain of salt. I say thank you, but don't really believe them. LOL!

Shebee

I looked at my face in the mirror and noticed how smooth my skin was an how nice it looked ,,, I had had 3 beers and 2 glasses of wine .. AHHHHHH HAHAHAHHAAHHA ,, today I look like I have a Turkey neck

LOL...

i'd just like to look like larafalcon's or Shebee's avatar...........amen!
boo

oh please please, just for one week!!!!

They probably DO look like their avatars Grrrrr

Same as I do mine I,m 2inch tall by 2inch wide Grrrrr

LOL! ROTFL!!!!

Oh, yes, indeed...we look exactly like ours, except we are prettier! LOL!

ROTFL!!!!!!





LOL!


Shebee

Well yes I used to be pretty. That is one of my biggest problems now because my self-esteem hung on the way I looked. Now that my looks are quickly fading there goes my self-esteem. I'm so irritable all the time now I know there isn't any inner beauty shining through.

It just doesn't seem right that everything goes to pot ie: dry thining grey hair, wrinkles, age spots, loss of eyelashes, bags, jowls, loss of color, eyes seem to shrink back into their sockets, receeding gums, facial hair, head looks wider, loose neck skin, dry skin, splotchy skin, droopy boobs, thick waistline, wider hips and butt, more and more spider veins, cellulite by the ton, flabby muscle tone. That's just the outside, the inside is probably starting to look pretty sad too. Plus I'm on here at 5 in the morning because I've been up for two hours. That doesn't help the reflection in the mirror either.

Has anyone seen the swan program on tv? They take someone and make them beautiful....New teeth...new nose...new face...new body...and et.

It just does not seem fair that they don't have an Old Goose Show...

Now that would be worth watching!

Shebee

Hey Kath:

I do kinda look like my avatar - more from a distance though - LOL - but I chose her because I ASPIRE to look like her - I do think beauty is within the reach of EVERY WOMAN - and it is not that difficult to obtain - I have written loads on this topic - but have stopped because I feel its falling on deaf ears - most women like to complain but don't do anything to stop the aging process - this takes time, commitment and yes, money - but not that much money - if you are starting to have low self-esteem because of your aging face then by all means go and do something about it - and we are so lucky that we have the means and ways to help ourselves - our mothers and grandmothers were not that lucky - and I'm not talking plastic surgery here - you don't have to be that extreme - just using Retin A for a start can make you look so much better - ofcourse it takes a while to see the difference (about 6 months) and your skin peels like crazy (so you mix Retin A with moisturizer) but Retin A has been scientifically proved to create new collagen in the skin - also Hormones - wonderful hormones - you can start taking estrogen (unless you have contraindications) or even put it topically on your face - and don't lose too much weight as you will look older - remember after 40 you keep your face or your body - I think keeping your face is a wiser choice - because you can always cover up your body - of course don't be overweight - but having a few extra pounds on ones body really helps the face look youthful - on the other hand I see so many women who try to get down to the bodies they had as teenagers - but who are they fooling - they don't look like teenagers LOL

I have a friend who went on this crash diet and lost over 60 pounds. It aged her by 10 years. I was stunned. I agree with you here........sometimes a few extra pounds does provide for a bit more of a healthy and youthful appearance. I am overweight but not by alot.....I think back to her when I start complaining about my extra 30 pounds and think....hmmmmm is it worth it???

I have to ask whatever happened to the beauty that lies within each of us, that is not so out in the open and outward beauty is. I know this is easier said than done to find within ourselves, but really I hate that as women we just beat the crap out of ourselves because we are not falling into the standard of what a TV ad says we "should" look like. For one we, well I compare myself to women half my age which isn't fair to myself and I don't need to compare in the first place we are all so different and have different qualities. I have to say I have never been satisfied with the way I look.....I have been complaining since my teens so aging is not bringing it on for me that is just the way I have been and now I look back and say man I didn't look bad what was wrong with me and in 20 years, God willing I am still here I will look back to this age and say the same thing. I made a promise to myself last week, really I did, that I would NOT belittle myself anymore especially in front of my 12 yr. old daughter. When I look in the mirror I will make the effort to counter my neg. thoughts when I look at my face and body.....I know it will take time, but I am not just a face walking around...there is more to me that makes me than just how I look. I have skills and talents and parts of my personality that noone else has this makes me unigue. I know this is going to be hard after years of bringing the hammer down, but with practice I will believe it and my self esteem will go up and I will love what I am.

My best friend was telling me last night how depressed she has been....that when she looks in the mirror this is what she see's "fat, ugly, old" I just wanted to cry when I heard her say this stuff about herself......yet this is what I say almost everyday to myself, but it hurt me so much to hear her say it, can you imagine the damage we do to ourselves without even realising it, but for some reason we think it is ok to slam ourselves when we would dare let anyone else say these things to us.... When I see her I don't see the things she pointed out I see my freind for 30 years. I pointed out all her good qualities, and I don't mean saying stuff to make her feel better, but true qualities that make her stand out and make her my best friend...if I had 1/10 of the personality she has I would love it, , her sensitivity, her being there when I struggle, her laughter and wit and I could go on.....we all have them, we all have something someone else is looking at and saying man I wish....... and it probably has nothing to do with our looks. HUGS Mikki

Mikki you are so right. It's just so hard with all the pressure of today's society putting LOOKS first!!

yes oh how I know fried....I have to just say I am not saying to let it all go either, I mean I put makeup on and exercise, but the energy and emotion it takes out of me when it is never right no matter what I do is something I can't afford to give anymore. HUGS Mikki

GREAT POST, Mikki!!! You are a wonderful person and you should tell yourself that every day. I used to be just like you; I was never happy with how I looked in my twenties and thirties, and now if I look at photos, I think that I wasn't all that bad. There's a saying, "You look better now than you'll ever look again." It's really true and it makes us realize that we should appreciate how we look today because it ain't gonna get any better, LOL. Anyhow, I'm done with worrying about the face. It just seems petty and small-minded. I throw on some foundation and cheek color and I'm done; no more eye make-up because I don't like the feeling of it getting into my eyes and I wear my glasses a lot anyhow. I can do something about the body and I'm concentrating on getting into the best shape of my life. I don't look in mirrors or worry about how big my butt is, but I feel good and I'm up to running four miles in an hour; maybe I'll get to five some day. Compared to how I used to be (fat and out of shape), I feel as if I'm accomplishing something worthwhile.

Sugargrove - sometimes it does get better - you yourself say that you have a better body now than when you were younger - aren't you contradicting yourself?

I have seen some women who look better in their fifties than in their forties and thirties - this is because they have taken time and money to take care of themselves - one of them finally decided to do something about the acne she had all her life and so she took Accutane (the wonder drug for acne) and now she has a wonderful complexion that she never had in her twenties - this has given her more CONFIDENCE in the way she deals with the world and she has become attractive in the process - along with her new skin she decided to lose weight (20 pounds) and buy a new wardrobe - and so she does look better now ... I know of a few other people who have had this wonderful experience of "going back in time" and looking better or younger than they were .. its all a matter of courage and attitude -

also, looking after ones face is not "petty or small-minded" -- we are constantly judged by how we look - its a very sad but true fact - I'm not saying one should be obsessed with ones appearance, but taking advantage of modern science and what it can do for women (without spending a ton of money) is a wise approach and can bring happiness to our lives. My friend who took Accutane and is now thinking about a light skin peel to erase her acne marks did not spend a lot of money on herself - she is also much happier now because of all the positive feedback she is getting from the superficial (LOL) world we live in - its a sad fact - but if you can't beat them - join them - also looking attractive to yourself and others is very good for our mental health. So many ladies here are depressed about the fact that they are overweight with dry skin and sagging faces etc. My friend used to be depressed - but no longer - she is also much kinder and more patient with people because she is so much happier with her life.



Lara Falcon

I have to say my sister is taking this "wonder drug" for her acne and she is having some really concerning side effects, systemic side effects. She has been on it for a month I think and we are all very concerned as to the long term damage this could be doing, but will only find out later in life when it shows up, all in the name of smooth skin and a blemish free face. She won't stop taking it and I can't say it has done wonders for her skin other than make it so dry she is peeling everywhere. There are so many other things in life more productive and fullfilling to strive for other than the perfect face and body, it also takes courage to love yourself just the way your are, forget what the world says they don't matter anyway...the people who matter are the ones who don't give a horses behind if you are 20lb heavier than when you were 20, I am not saying to be unhealthy. I exercise everyday and every day I would look in the mirror and be disappointed that my stomach was not flatter or my butt wasn't as tight and up where I thought it should be....no matter how much I exercise I don't lose the extra 15 lb's I have gained in the past few years and my face is never going to look like it did when I was 20 or even 30....never.....so what does this say about me....I don't have what it takes... not enough courage, or the right attitude, that puts alot of guilt on those who just can't turn back time no matter how hard they try. Sure we all enjoy compliments and yes they make us feel good and they lift us up, but there is much more to compliment than appearance. We are going to get older and ther is only so much clock turning we can do before we start to look like clowns...if we bank all out happiness in our appearance we are going to be pretty disapponted some day.

We need to remember that what we see on TV or movies is not usually what the person looks like and these are what we are comparing ourselves to, something that isn't even real..I mean I am fairly talented i the art department, but am not talented enough to airbrush my own six pack on. I thought this was one of the perks of getting older was not to give a hoot what people think anymore, to be your best and if that is not good enough then forget them...easier said than done I know....but I for one am making the effort to try and know I will be better for it ... belittling myself because I can't be more attractive or younger looking is not doing my mental health any favors which then effects me physically . HUGS Mikki

Miki - I don't think you really get what I was saying -If people didn't care about how they looked and also if this world was more spiritual and loved people for who they are inside instead of what they looked like - then why is this thread "I don't feel pretty" even in existence?????? of course we should not belittle ourselves for looking the way we do - but at the same time don't think that we will never look better - your sister was optimistic enough to think that she will look better after her Accutane and I hope she does. Accutane does make you peel - but it goes away after a while - I'm sure she will have excellent results - I don't know your sister but she must have had a compelling reason to take that drug - it is a very powerful drug and should not be taken for "garden variety" type of acne - good for her for being brave enough to take it - we are not trying to have PERFECT FACES AND BODIES and ofcourse we all grow old - no matter what we do - and I am the first to say that what is inside is more important than the outside - but the outside does count - I have seen that people who have become more attractive by losing weight, changing their hairstyle or anything else become happier -- there have been scientific studies done on this topic- but people can be happy even when they don't feel they are pretty or upto society's harsh standards - looking good is not the only reason to be a happy person. Nobody is telling you to change your looks - if you are happy looking the way you are that is wonderful -

Maybe I am misunderstanding you if so I am sorry......I have to say though my sisters reasons for taking this med. I won't get into, but the side effects are pretty bad, so bad she did consider stopping treatment on a few occasions, but didn't. They have tried to raise the dose to the amount it should be and couldn't the effects got intolerable. The symptoms go beyond peeling skin and into things that just don't make sense for an ance med.....some side effects when taking meds are there to warn you that maybe this is not right for your body....I am afraid that she is not listening. I hope you are right in that after she will have the skin she wants....we are just concerned at what cost possibly later. HUgs Mikki

Hi Mikki:

Years ago I took Accutane too - and yes I did have peeling and very dry eyes and lips - in fact I had conjuntivitis towards the end - but after I finished the course everything cleared up and my skin was gorgeous - but I did have terrible acne - so the peeling and other side effects were a small price to pay for the long term benefit I received - I took it when I was 30 and 22 years later I have never had a pimple since - so it was definitely worth it - now I don't know how bad your sisters acne was to warrant taking this - if she is getting real bad side effects then maybe it is not good for her - it is a very powerful drug - when I was taking it they made me take a pregnancy test every month because if you were pregnant while on it you could have a deformed child - also I had to take a test to check my triglycerides every month because it also raises blood fats - so it is a very very potent drug and not something to trivialize - having said that it also is a miracle drug - but it should be handled carefully ... best of luck to your sister

Lara, yes, I did say that it has gotten better. I feel better physically since getting through meno, and I'm in better shape than ever before. I never ran like this before; I just walked if I did anything. My legs are really getting firmed up and my calf muscles feel hard; they were never hard before! But it has not been easy. I don't think there has been one day in the last two and one-half years that I wanted to work out. I run on a treadmill during my lunch hour while the other ladies are sitting in the kitchen having lunch and chatting. I eat a sack lunch discretely at my desk and then head out into snow, sleet, rain, heat, and wind when I'd much rather sit and chat with them. On weekends I drag my husband out for a two hour walk with our three dogs. So I guess what I'm saying is an addendum to what you are saying--we can improve, but some of it takes persistence and hard work. The ladies eating in the kitchen will say, "Oh, you've lost so much weight--we wish we could!" One of them even said, "You're wasting away," and I thought that wasn't very nice. They want a really easy solution, like swallowing a pill. It's just plain old hard work, but you can make it happen. I've invited them to come with me and get on the treadmill next to me (I'd love the company), but they decline. I even got a one day free pass for one of them but she has never used it.