on getting older

Further on the topic of coming of age, I've been realizing something lately. And it's not just that I probably need to pick a hair dye and just dye the grays already. I received season ten (the last season) of Friends on DVD for Mothers' Day. This is the first tv series I own on DVD. I never thought I'd get into it, but turns out I kind of like having my favorite episodes at my disposal. I watched the first four while I was in labor with Baby V.

For my birthday last week, I got season one of Friends, so I was able to compare how freaking YOUNG they all looked at the beginning compared to season ten. Wow. Okay, so they aged and it shows. That's normal, healthy, even, since the alternative (at least in Hollywood) is creepy. The thing that's been making me introspective (like it takes much) is that I prefer them all in the later seasons. Especially the only guy I'm attracted to on the show - Chandler. Tom and I watched a movie with a young Hugh Laurie in it and there is a scene with an almost butt shot. I "ewwwed" and Tom laughed and said that since I have a crush on him, I should like that. I replied that he looked too young in the movie - I prefer him now. Tom laughed that I prefer middle age paunch, scruffy beard and wrinkles. I guess I do.

So do I prefer older looking guys now because I'm older too? Or would I have preferred them all along? The guys on my list (you know, my list of five freebies?) have changed as I've gotten older. Maybe there's something to this thing about getting older. I don't really mind. So I prefer guys who seem comfortable in their own skin, so what? That's the one thing I'm most proud of about myself. I'm happy being me, something I could NOT say even ten years ago.