Things I Thought I’d Be Doing When I Turned 36

by Mocha Momma on April 10, 2007

  • Attending Tupperware parties and bringing home leftover deviled eggs.
  • Driving a station wagon. The original beacon for Yes, I Have Stretch Marks.
  • Having a martini at 5pm every day. Damn. Not doing that one yet. Whyyyyyy?
  • Baking cookies for the PTA parties where we really discuss the best ways to cook a pot roast and not so much how the children are doing in school.
  • Worrying about my thighs.
  • Listening to Carole King on the car radio where I belt out tunes when no one else is in the car.
  • Trying to make anything that Julia Child was baking on television, but noooooo I have to look at that skinny Giada when I watch a cooking show. Bring back the voluptuous Nigella, please.
  • Perfecting my skill at using spray starch when ironing. Sadly, I have not a clue.
  • Using my electric standing mixer bowl to create delicious treats. I wouldn’t even know where to begin with that sucker.
  • Clipping coupons on a regular basis, organizing them into lovely little piles, and being able to find them when it’s time to go to the grocery store. That is so not happening in my lifetime.
  • Being able to discuss which cereal has the most vitamins and minerals for my family. (13? Is that enough? Oh, I don’t think so. Look for something with at least 42 so I don’t have to take a Flintstones vitamin, ok?)
  • Slowing down in the drug store aisle to casually and nonchalantly find out the age I should be to begin taking Geritol.
  • Worrying about fiber. Wait. I do that now.

Obviously, I read too much Erma Bombeck as a kid since I based my grown up life on her. Still, I have yet to attend a Tupperware party. Instead, I spent my 36th Birthday last week in South Beach learning how to salsa and merengue and no, I did NOT come home with a new tattoo, but Erma would probably be proud even if I did. I wanted to be either Erma, Sophia Loren, or Charo when I was a little girl. Somehow, I think I accomplished it. Cuchi-cuchi, y’all.

There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt – Erma Bombeck

{ 36 comments }

Leigh April 10, 2007 at 2:46 pm

Welcome back….I hope the trip was everything you needed it to be!
~L.

Lara April 10, 2007 at 2:49 pm

i find myself wanting to say things like, “i love you!” and “you’re wonderful!” and all sorts of non-judgmental, i-don’t-know-what’s-going-on-but-i-care statements. but they all sound condescending to my ears, like i feel bad for you. on the contrary, i still think you kick ass like nobody’s business. i’m just sort of here, watching from the cheap seats and admiring the feisty heroine of an unwritten story.

so HI from the cheap seats! :)

Dave2 April 10, 2007 at 3:23 pm

• Blogging every single day.
:-)

Tom April 10, 2007 at 3:55 pm

Ya know, you were in Florida during spring break. I’m going to start looking for the new “Girls Gone Wild 2007″ dvd.

Fabiola April 10, 2007 at 5:39 pm

Welcome back!! I hope you had a wonderful vacation. Mine started yesterday and we are going away next Friday for 2 weeks.YES!!!

Fabiola

Missy April 10, 2007 at 5:47 pm

Happy Birthday and so glad to click on your site and see new posts. I know it wasn’t that long you were gone but it felt like forever!! Welcome home!!

nelle April 10, 2007 at 7:29 pm

Happy B-Day!

Um… unapologetic fan of Carole singing Up On The Roof…

Yolanda April 10, 2007 at 7:39 pm

Happy Belated Birthday! You are definitely deserving of that vacation- I hope it was restful and rejuvenating. I refuse to turn my tv to Giada, too much like watching a living breathing bobblehead.

tanyetta April 10, 2007 at 8:31 pm

stopping by to say hello :)

kapgar April 11, 2007 at 4:44 am

Does this mean I can say “happy birthday”? If so, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Yeah, why aren’t you downing martinis every day? I’d have one with you. Well, I’ll settle right now for the fact that you’re still blogging on occasion. It’s always good to see a new feed alert from your site.

wifey615 April 11, 2007 at 5:17 am

Happy Birthday Kelly!

You know, Nigella does come on Food Network @ least on Saturdays, which is the only time I watch. Giada makes me ill with her perfect little self :)
You should start on the Martini’s tonight. I know you could incorporate it into your schedule…

deannie April 11, 2007 at 5:29 am

Never been to a Tupperware party either and I am WAY older than you. I do own it though…does that count?

hugs!
:)

Karl April 11, 2007 at 6:55 am

Happy Belated Birthday!

-S. April 11, 2007 at 8:12 am

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Glad you had such a great time on the beach. My B-Day was 3/11 and we are the same age. I Have been to a Tupperware Party, in fact many of them. I also sold it for a while as did my mother when I was a kid. (Sad?!?!)

Did you ever watch Paula Dean on Food Network? That is my kind of cook. Chubby and cooks with lots of Butter, Sugar and anything Fatty!!

-S.

Elizabeth April 11, 2007 at 9:14 am

MOCHA!!! I thought you quit blogging! I am so happy to see your coffee beans background and your sweet face at the top of the screen!! SMOOOOOCH!!!

KC April 11, 2007 at 9:21 am

I’m just sitting here with a grin from ear to ear… If only we lived the life we had planned out as youngins… oye… we’d never be living the life we were meant to live!!!

Happy birthday… How were those margarittas? Any cosmos?

Ciao bella,
KC

Shirl April 11, 2007 at 9:42 am

Erma Bombeck always said when she died she wanted her tombstone to read “I told you I was sick”. I wonder if it does. I always loved that.

Be sure to put on a Frank Sinatra CD when you start mixing the martinis. Cheers!

Rebecca April 11, 2007 at 11:58 am

Hey Mocha!

I just turned 43 yesterday, but I so loved your list! Thanks for sharing it! I hope that you had a great trip! But I love Nigella way more than Giada! Now that is a woman who sure has been through life and come out the other side stronger!

Have a great day!

dana April 11, 2007 at 1:25 pm

Happy Birthday! I’m glad you enjoyed your vacation!!! We really missed you!

I don’t think you look a day over 25. Seriously. I’m 28 and I look older than you. :)

J to the Wall April 11, 2007 at 2:26 pm

I am 100% with you on all of that except for…..Tupperware…I love it….and Geritol….not with you on that one. Sorry.

RWA April 11, 2007 at 2:51 pm

I must have missed something. I could have sworn you were shutting this thing down as a result of your new job, but oh no, you’re still here!

I’ll scroll back through the archives to find out what’s been going on.

Mocha April 11, 2007 at 3:45 pm

I’m trying to quit you people. It’s hard. Stop loving me so much.

Mike April 11, 2007 at 4:16 pm

36, is that how young you are. I thouhgt you were 29 AGAIN! Ain’t life grand. We have all these preconcieved notions about what it will be like – Yeah Right!!!

Quitting, you are not a quitter. Step right on up to that keyboard and make it smoke. You know you want to. LOL

Belated Happy Birthday. Next year you get to be 28. Whoo Hoo!

Mrs RW April 11, 2007 at 4:21 pm

Hmmm…36. Was a good age, I think, except I can’t remember that far back. I think 36 was when I still had a waist. Erma has gotten me through lots of life’s little curve balls. From her I learned that it’s better to laugh than cry. And to tell each one of your kids that you loved them best.

You were missed.

katy April 11, 2007 at 6:51 pm

Brava, chica!

Sounds like you had a wonderful birthday–I wonder what I thought I’d be doing at this age. I really never thought that far ahead.

KM

Nora April 12, 2007 at 7:01 am

Glad to see ya. What shoes did you wear? My two year old son would have made you proud at his recent birthday, as he opened his presents the only thing he walked around the room to show everyone was his new shoes.

Cordaville April 12, 2007 at 7:49 am

Happy Belated Birthday! Glad you enjoyed it.

Cordaville

Jenn April 12, 2007 at 6:35 pm

You would TOTALLY play Charo in the movie! Where IS Charo? Oh my God! Are you really Charo? Is this Charo’s secret blog???

Caffeinated Librarian April 12, 2007 at 7:39 pm

So are you actually back? Can I move you back into the active blogs in my Bloglines now?

And LADY, what were you thinking? 36 is not nearly old enough to be doing all that crap…I mean Carole Frickin’ King? Who are you and what have you done with my Mocha?

Oh, yeah…and happy birthday too. *grin*

kate5kiwis April 12, 2007 at 9:34 pm

love your nigella buzz: she is my muse. one of them.

Missy April 13, 2007 at 2:08 am

Welcome home! HAPPY Birthday! I hope things are going well for you and that you are feeling fabulously refreshed after your vacation.

Aloha,
Melissa

Psycho Cyclist April 13, 2007 at 6:49 pm

Nigella rocks!! Love voluptous women, especially ones that can cook.

Welcome back. Let’s both ease back into this blogging thing.

jess April 14, 2007 at 12:25 am

Happy birthday momma.

MizAngie April 14, 2007 at 1:32 pm

You sound refreshed! Good!! I always wanted to be Sophia Loren, too. She’s still a hottie.

Tiggerlane April 16, 2007 at 10:27 am

I totally dug Erma Bombeck as a kid…her “If Life is a Bowl of Cherries…” book was my favorite.

Erma would be WAAAY proud of you! Besides, screw the spray starch. I don’t know anyone besides the dry-cleaner who does it right.

Beth April 16, 2007 at 4:42 pm

God, how I used to love Nigela….now, you knew she ate what she cooked. Giada eats that one little bite and THAT’S IT!! When have you ever seen an Italian woman with NO HIPS?!!

Bring Nigela back!

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