Yesterday, Life in the Boomer Lane was doing some intensive online research into the new Taco Bell waffle taco, when she received a missive from an alert reader, telling her that the Today Show had started a series about loving ourselves, unfortunately titled “Love Your Selfie.” LBL finds the word “selfie” to be the perfectly odious label for the current self-obsessed society we have created. But, as she has shared this thought with no one but herselfie until now, she will save further rumination for a future post.
Reluctantly, and in spite of the name of the series, LBL tore herself away from thoughts of whether the Taco Bell waffle taco would be better with or without the side of syrup provided, and she watched the Today Show segment online. The clip showed all of the Today show talking heads seated in a semi-circle sans makeup, in which they discussed weighty and provocative topics like what it was like to be seated in a semi-circle on national TV without makeup.
LBL then found herself involved with thought that were even deeper and more provocative than her prior thoughts of waffle tacos. Namely, why do men wear make up on TV?
From that jumping off point, she found herself thinking about self-image, specifically, whether our self-image improves or degrades with age. LBL knows what you are thinking: Who cares. I would rather hear about the Taco bell waffle taco. But this is LBL’s blog and she controls the air waves. If you want to read about the waffle taco, do your own research.
Having done her research, LBL is now aware of two important items. One is that there is something called gerontophobia, which is fear of older people. LBL had not been aware there was such a thing, and she certainly was not aware that young people crossed to the other side of the street when they saw her approaching.
The second is that in spite of the frighteningly massive number of articles about how great it is to be a boomer, all research points to 60 as being the peak of the positive self-image mountain. Once humans have passed the acne stage, self-image steadily climbs. Then, from age 60 on, both self-image and self-concept begin to slide. The bottom line is that older boomers are more apt to fret, qvetch, and whine about themselves than are younger boomers.
Let us define self-image as how we feel about how we look and how we feel about how others see us. Let us define self-esteem as how we see our value in society.
The underlying question to all of this is: What is the correlation between self-esteem and self-image? Is it possible to have high self-esteem in spite of a low self-image? LBL poses a situation with various reactions one might have. Feel free to identify yourselves with one of these or to create your own:
My face has all fallen into my neck, and my butt has become part of my thighs. But basically, I don’t give a shit. I’m great and I love to scare young people.
My face has fallen into my neck and my butt has become part of my thighs. I am going to celebrate by eating a Taco Bell waffle taco.
My face has fallen into my neck and my butt has become part of my thighs. I am going to spend the rest of my life in a dark closet, and then will my body to someone making a science fiction movie.
I have no idea what my face or butt are doing. As long as I don’t start facing backward all the time and as long as my butt stays behind me, they can do whatever they want to. I am too busy being horrified at the thought of people eating waffle tacos, with or without maple syrup.
Sara's Musings
February 27, 2014
Another good one, LBL! Keep ’em rolling along with the laughter!
Life in the Boomer Lane
February 28, 2014
Thanks, Sara. As long as life keeps providing me with material, I’ll keep writing about it.
NN Bartley
February 27, 2014
O my! I was watching a friend’s HUGE HDTV the other morning and EVERYONE had too much make up on. It was like watching airbrushed photos-noone’s faces moved.
And I am going with your option #4
Life in the Boomer Lane
February 28, 2014
I’m glad I don’t have a huge screen TV (and that my eyesight isn’t perfect).
janesjournals
February 27, 2014
waffle tacos!
Life in the Boomer Lane
February 28, 2014
Next up:waffle nachos.
wordsfromanneli
February 27, 2014
Waffle tacos must be the cause of that waffly skin on the back of women’s thighs. Ya think?
Life in the Boomer Lane
February 28, 2014
Funny girl, Anneli.
merrilymarylee
February 27, 2014
I have found that once one passes a certain age, she’s invisible anyhow, so no one notices what she eats, except when her physician needs a sermon topic. Eat away–if you can get the waiter’s attention. (Wait. . . this is Taco Bell you’re talking about? Maybe that’s why I couldn’t find a waiter.)
Life in the Boomer Lane
February 28, 2014
Now that was funny. I envision a commercial where someone takes a seat at Taco Bell and sits patiently, waiting for the waiter o appear.
Sammy D.
February 27, 2014
I can’t see my face ‘cuz my eyesight is shot, and Hub still wants “a go” at my butt if I flash it provocatively (maybe he’s thinking about jello) so all’s good on both SEsteem and SImage.
Life in the Boomer Lane
February 28, 2014
Kudos to you, Sammy D.
lindalh
February 27, 2014
So hilarious. On the serious side, I keep noticing that if you never have something in the first place life can be easier, you just never realized it. When all my friends are trying to figure out how to manage taking their money out to live off of without paying taxes, it doesn’t matter when you don’t have any money. When everybody is worried about losing their looks, if you never had them in the first place it doesn’t bother you. My optometrist tells me, when I am whining about the rims of my glasses being in the way, that I am a terrible patient because I never had to wear them. If I had to wear them all my life, I wouldn’t complain so much. I could go on, but it all leads to how you look at things. And the way you twist your research into humor shows us how to do it. Thanks.
Life in the Boomer Lane
February 28, 2014
Good point, Linda. I suppose that why I’m not bothered by post-menopausal brain meltdown.
btg5885
February 27, 2014
The great truth in life to be learned by the young and the restless is self esteem is less related to self image and more related to self worth. When Andre Agassi did those commercials back in the 90s for the camera and said “image is everything” he did a disservice to all. We all want to look our best, but we need not let that overwhelm our self esteem. That and $2.10 will get you a coffee at Starbucks. Later, BTG
Life in the Boomer Lane
February 28, 2014
Thanks, btg. That was far more pleasant than visiting a Starbucks.
lauramacky
February 27, 2014
When my skin starts to get pasty white and I’m still wearing dark eyeshadow, black mascara and red lipstick, slap me. Although after the slap my skin will probably stay in that position since it’s lost elasticity. Don’t even ask about my butt, lol.
Life in the Boomer Lane
February 28, 2014
Oh Laura, you do bring up some rather distasteful images.
lauramacky
February 28, 2014
The truth hurts! 😉
T. Dawn
February 27, 2014
I really enjoyed reading this. Actually, I seem to enjoy everything you write 🙂
My 30-something self would say, yes…you can have high self-esteem but a poor self-image. I think that is happening to me at this point in time. I’ve never thought too highly of the way I look but despite that, I have gained a beautiful amount of self worth over the past few years. Perhaps one may boost the other but I don’t think they are dependent of each other.
I know I’m never the prettiest girl in the room but when I am feeling confident and can make people in that room laugh, I could care less.
Life in the Boomer Lane
February 28, 2014
Thanks, T. I completely agree. And an aside: I know these tiny profile photos aren’t the best, but I think you look great. Also, start loving your looks now. You’ll look at your photos years from now and wonder why you didn’t think you were gorgeous.
T. Dawn
February 28, 2014
Well thank you 🙂 such sweet advice. I try not to be so critical of myself but…it’s tough these days.
Anonymous
February 27, 2014
LOL! I’m over 60 and afraid of myself! There was a hag on the computer screen one day and it was me! Hurrah for maple tacos! Haven’t lost the sense of taste yet anyway.
Life in the Boomer Lane
February 28, 2014
🙂
jlheuer
February 27, 2014
People were a lot less scary before HDTV. Maybe they wore less makeup, who knows.
Life in the Boomer Lane
February 28, 2014
I think you make a great point. When everything was grainy black and white and shown on tiny screens, there would have been no need for make up. Hell, we were just happy to watch something. We didn’t even need to be able to figure out what it was.
Anonymous
February 27, 2014
GMA is ridiculous….thank goodness we over 60 look fantastic, of course, I eat hickory nuts and exercise 8 days a week (Lennon an McCartney)
Life in the Boomer Lane
February 28, 2014
It was Today, but same thing. Love the Lennon/McC quote.
Elyse
February 27, 2014
The timing of this missive is hilarious for me. Because just yesterday, I had plastic surgery on my face. Not to make me look like a younger boomer, but to remove a melanoma. At the moment because things are pulled up I have a perpetual sneer on my face. The surgeon did promise though that within a couple of months the sneer will fade into a smirk, which is at least consistent with my personality.
I will keep you posted on how this cosmetic surgery turns out or up.
Life in the Boomer Lane
February 28, 2014
That’s a world class comment: “the sneer will fade to a smirk…” Good luck with your recovery!
ermigal
February 27, 2014
Good one, LBL! It’s inevitable that our butts fall into our thighs unless we spend hours at the gym, which I can no-way, no-how, make myself do. It’s a good week if I do 30 minutes on the treadmill–as if that helps one iota. *sigh* But glad to be alive and kickin’ . Keep us laughing, girl! 😉
Life in the Boomer Lane
February 28, 2014
I have never been able to figure out how my non-existent butt still managed to fall.
theattitudequeen
February 27, 2014
I don’t know what a Taco bell is so I will pick the last option. 🙂
Life in the Boomer Lane
February 28, 2014
Lucky you.
marvalus2013
February 28, 2014
Hilarious. I’ve only just recently discovered your blog and I reckon it’s going to do wonders for my self-esteem as they say laughter is the best medicine. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) we don’t have Taco Bell in Australia so the delights of the waffle taco (with or without maple syrup) will forever be a distant dream to me and perhaps, as far as my butt is concerned (wherever it happens to be positioned) that is not a bad thing.
Life in the Boomer Lane
February 28, 2014
Thanks for visiting Life in the Boomer Lane all the way from Australia. I’m happy to hear it’s a Taco Bell-free zone.
Valentine Logar
March 1, 2014
Selfie? I would only create one of these if it I was able to show my true inner self, the demon most people believe I am. Then I would be happy.
I am nearing 60, does this mean I don’t have to worry any longer? Gravity and I haven’t been friends for at least a decade.
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 3, 2014
I think the original screenplay of “Gravity” was about post-menopausal women.
Gayle's Craft Room
March 2, 2014
I literally laughed out loud the whole time reading the blog and then comments!!! Thank goodness I found you!:)
Life in the Boomer Lane
March 3, 2014
I am honored to be found.
benzeknees
March 7, 2014
I have no idea what my face or butt are doing. As long as I don’t start facing backward all the time and as long as my butt stays behind me, they can do whatever they want to. I am too busy being horrified at the thought of people eating waffle tacos, with or without maple syrup. – As long as I don’t own a floor length mirror I prefer to pretend my body still looks the same as when I was 40! That’s the body image I’m going to hold on to & you can’t make me change my mind! Nananana-boo-boo!