Two Faces of Renee Z.

This just goes to prove that even actresses are human and we all can look like America's Next Top Model with a little photoshop.  Sorry Renee, I had to do it, we still heart you over at Middle Rageously though and Happy 40th on April 25th!  

BTW...don't EVER ask me to post my gym, no lip gloss, mascara or concealer picture...that is just a little too real for this blog.  

Aren't we all feeling a little more secure about ourselves right about now?!  

On Spring Break

Guess what?  I'm on my way to Spring Break!  

What had happened was...

One of my friends called me on Friday and said I needed a break and she had a ticket for me to go to St. Thomas with her on Monday to help her celebrate her birthday.  Oh, OK?!  I was shocked because I have been especially stressed these days (I'll tell you why one day when I'm not stressed anymore) and because...what a friend!  So, because I'm such a friend, I agreed to go.  :-)  

See what happens when you put pen to paper fingers to keyboard?  I'm going on Spring Break!  

I'm going to see what else I can conjure up while I'm gone I think there really might be something to this pen to paper mumble jumble after all.

I have a few posts pre-published while I'm gone.  Be good and no nasty comments that I can't respond to until I return.   

Have a great week!

DC International Film Festival Begins April 16

The Washington, DC International Film Festival begins April 16th!  Can I get a WOOT, WOOT?  I'm getting ready to check another goal off of my Rocking 40 List.   

Does anyone want to go to the Opening Night Gala with me?  How about...can anybody get me a free ticket?  Nothing beats a failure but a try!  LOL

Happy Friday!  Have a Great Weekend.  

Our Spring Break

Remember Spring Break?  The excitement of school’s out.  The excitement of doing nothing or everything for a week?  Why is it when we finished school we got so super serious and left all of our fun behind?   I remember my mother telling me “you have plenty of time to be serious,” she forgot to mention it will happen almost immediately upon graduation...On your march, get ready, set, now…serious!  No more Spring Break for you!  Well, I’m protesting!  The only thing I get to do for spring these days is cleaning.  I propose we bring back Spring Break!

If you happen to have a week and a few extra dollars to spare, why not take a beach vacation reminiscent of yore except this time luxury abounds.  If you only have a few days what about a short flight or road trip?  Tickets are super cheap and package/hotel deals are available on sites like Orbitz.com and Travelocity.com.  If you only have a day?   Take it!  A day to do whatever it is you want; rare commodity or blessing.  

No cleaning.   No kids.  No cooking.   No cellphone.  No laptop.  No working.  No kidding.

Grab your girlfriend(s) and take a break.  Take a Spring Break.  

Make an appointment at a spa or plan a spa day at someone's home (kick the family out of the house for the day of course).   Eat fabulously.  Go shopping.  See a movie or theater production.  Go to the museum.  Go to a lounge or nightclub (let men buy you drinks).  

The point is: take a break! Our kids do it and what do they need a break from; we do everything for them.   So, Rageous Women, let’s plan a spring break during the month of April.  I’m going to work on mine and get back to you.  Who is going to join me?

Rocking 40 List Update

As I approach the end of month 3 (or 2 for my Chinese New Year) of my Rocking 40 List I have accomplished a few things, but I also realize I have so far to go.  However, it has not all been for not because through this process I am learning a lot about myself like...I don’t do well being put into a box.  Many of those items I first had a monthly or weekly target but I soon realized that was too stressful for something that was supposed to be fun and I don't need any additional stress.  Some would call these goals, but I just don’t do well with closed ended goals like these, I’m more of an open-ended person.  I see the bigger picture and in Tamiville it always has more than one answer.  I could have never been an engineer or mathematician because I always thought there was more than one solution to the problem.  I'm just creative like that.  Although I don’t do well with "confinement" I realize I do need more structure in Tamiville particularly since my daughter is coming home (relatively) soon, this helps me to tackle them aggressively and give myself a break when I don’t accomplish them.  For instance: I gave up the no TV rule. My stress level required the mindless boob tube, but I am cognizant of it now and I am weaning myself off of it.  

Following are my other updates:

• Getting rid of unwanted clutter (paper) and items in my home.  This is a continuous battle.  I’m just tired of stuff! I want to lead a simple life full of only things I love, need and have a sentimental value.  How do we accumulate so many things?  I can't take it!!!!!
• Have scheduled and had monthly game parties at my house since February, they are a blast!  Number 3 is April 3.  
• Decided on the book I am going to write and have started working on the proposal and outline.  If anyone knows anything about writing a nonfiction book please send me an email.  I'm new to this....HELLLPPPP!
• Working out is up and down.  I don’t do well in times of stress, counter intuitive I know.
• Working on an adventure with my best friend…stay tuned! 
• Have not read one book! I have decided to make it a cumulative total (for the next 18 months) instead.

So…there is the update.  How are you coming with your list?

Don't Ask My Age?

This weekend I went to a birthday gathering for a friend that turned 40 a few weeks ago. It was a gathering of women where we had a great time reminiscing, relating and some refusing to admit they were or soon to be 40.  I don’t get it.  40 is a monumental time.   A rite of passage; I see it as my personal time to leave the BS behind, my private New Year or New Life.  They should all be celebrating and dancing in the street as far as I am concerned.  Instead, I have seen them lie about their age or use the line “you never ask a woman how old she is.”  Not that it matters, but these were beautiful women who looked like they were 30 and they were sad about turning 40.  Beauty definitely cannot bring confidence.

At various points in the night they mentioned how 40 was the new 30 or 20, which I believe we do have it going on these days (40 just isn’t what it used to be), but I was still bothered by the denial and sadness they had at entering this milestone.  I mean, as much as I loved my youth…I would not live it again if you paid me.  Ok, well, maybe if you paid me a lot of money, I could do the confusion, anxiety, low self-esteem and caring more about what everyone else thinks than about me again. However, I would love to have my metabolism back again, that perfect complexion, beautiful (minus the grays) hair, the ability to stay out late without taking a nap first or to have more than a drink or two and not need a day to recover…now that would be awesome!  

I think Oprah sums it up best on turning 40:

“Before I turned 40, I used to always worry about what everybody thought about everything…but, at 40, you see with crystal clarity.”

I don’t know about the other women at the party but I’m not denying or lying about being 40.  Go ahead ask me, ask me how old I am, I bet I'll tell you (some other stuff I might not)!   I’m as happy as pigs in mud (that’s for you Tracy, lol).  It is said at 40 you get clear and I must admit that each day I’m clearer as to my path and my life.  40 is great for me!

How is 40 for you?  How do your friends feel about turning 40?   If you aren’t 40 yet how do you feel about the milestone?

Dara Torres on April Cover of MORE Magazine

Ladies, Middle Rageously is becoming one of the go to blogs for Rageous women.  Who would’a thunk it?  That just goes to prove if you put together respected content , talk enough don't shut up people start to listen.  Last week I received an email about the preview cover for MORE Magazine with Dara Torres where she will talk candidly about her self-image, drugs in sports and more in advance of the release of her memoir Age Is Just a Number.   Since I was late checking my email (note to self: check email daily, you’re popular now...lol) it’s not really a preview since the magazine is on the shelf tomorrow (March 24) but never the less, here are a few excerpts from one my favorite Rageous women…now go buy the magazine!

New York, NY – When Dara Torres speaks, an allusion to swimming is never far away. “I’m still testing the waters to see what my limits are,” the perpetual comeback queen Torres tells More about why, instead of hanging up her goggles after winning three silver medals at the Beijing Olympics, she is now training for the world championships in Rome this coming July. In the April issue, on newsstands March 24, Torres speaks candidly about her self-image, drugs in sports and more in advance of the release of her memoir Age Is Just a Number. 

About being accused of taking performance enhancement drugs: “It’s the most hurtful thing. I was angry when journalists would ask to interview me and do stories that were drug-related, saying, ‘I wanted to believe Dara.’ I have a daughter who is one day going to read all this stuff. I’ve done everything I possibly can to prove that I was clean. I went to the head of the United States anti-doping agency and asked to be tested any way they wanted. They keep the samples for years. How can anyone in their right mind who is cheating decide to go through all that?”
 


About the athletes who do use drugs: “What I don’t understand is how these athletes don’t have a conscience.”
 


About her eating disorder years: “I had an eating disorder in college, and I went for years restricting myself from specific foods, looking at labels…It was a real dark thing in my life. I don’t think I would have had it if I wasn’t an athlete. I finally went to a doctor, who asked, ‘Do you make yourself throw up?’ And I said, ‘No,’ and then I felt horrible that I’d lied to her. I marched back in and told her the truth. She sent me to a psychiatrist. I threw up less, but it went on. When I decided to try for the 1992 Olympics, I knew I didn’t want to have this problem, so I stopped cold turkey.”



About being flat chested: “I have no chest; when I go to Victoria’s Secret, I have to ask if they have training bras.”
 


About her future Olympics hopes: “You have to take it day by day. I’m not going to put it out of my head until I know what my body can and can’t do.”
 


About life after swimming: “I’ve always enjoyed television and being in front a camera, reporting and interviewing.”
 


I can't wait to read the article!  Hey, maybe since I'm on the go to list now I'll get a copy or two of Dara's Memoirs for my readers as give-aways?  I think that is nice, what do you guys think?  Hint Hint