You have heard of the viscous street gangs the "blood"s and the "crips." Well there is a new, even worse, street gang. The" AARP's." They are starting to pop up in some quiet suburban neighborhoods all around the country. The police are beginning to get a lot of complaints about small groups of 50+ year old men causing disturbances. Sometimes as late as 7:30 or 8:00 pm on a school night, no less, these men can be seen hanging out on the corner. They are usually sipping expensive scotch whiskey while discussing which medications they are now on and which is better, Cialis or Viagra. They complain about back pain, being bald, and having to wear reading glasses and pants with elastic waste bands.They worry about high cholesterol, cataracts, and colonoscopies. Sometimes they drift off to better days and talk about athletic achievements, a former pant size, or even boast about how good (they think) they used to be in bed. This usually leads to everyone agreeing that things in general where much better in the 60's, 70's, and 80's. Maybe they are right.

For those of you in other parts of the world. AARP stands for the American Association of Retired Persons. Two weeks ago I received my card in the mail. You become eligible to join at the age of 50, which I will be in a couple of days. However, I am nowhere near being close to being able to retire.

Another in the long series of self-portraits on the theme of aging.

how we stay in the world till we don't anymore

There is always some kind of gate only a few are allowed through in religious beliefs. Face control is everywhere there days...

Cologne Cathedral or Kölner Dom

Sony A7

Cosina Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1.1

Another in my series of self-portraits only in this one I am actually smiling. Kinda of a Mona Lisa smile, don't you think? Shot in the studio.

Black & white, studio, self-portrait that is part of a 9 year series on aging. Started the series when I was 58 in 2010 when I had to have stents placed in 3 coronary arteries.

Boring strip mall in Norwalk, CA, waiting for mom's perm to be done. It was getting hot.

one of the joys of getting old is an invitation to a bowel scope. An important thing to do and I feel better for having done it. Uncomfortable, but easily done and it could save your life. Googly eyes against cancer.

She did make it over the fence

Black & white studio self-portrait.

Self portrait in a 10 year series of self portraits tracking my own aging. Armpit hair still not gray. Lucky me.

Eight in a row is enough, here is hoping that there will eventually be some sun between the rains.

I stole the subtitle of this from a friend I had in college. Lately I think I could write the book. Formal studio portrait wearing an undershirt (a formal one).

Pentacon six TL

Studio self portrait, part of a ten year series on the affects of aging on myself.

Sonja: "I refuse to let go off my femininity just because I am growing old. A woman must always get to be a woman."

#makeup #growingold #journalism #latvia #riga #reportage

One of the latest in a 11 year series of self-portraits that draws on the theme of how we change as we age. I started these when I was 58 and now I am still doing them at 69.

Don't know the particulars, but it looked like a common purse snatch/dump. Norwalk, CA

So scared of getting older

I'm only good at being young

So I play the numbers game to find a way to say that life has just begun

Had a talk with my old man

Said help me understand

He said turn 68, you'll renegotiate

Don't stop this train

Don't for a minute change the place you're in

Don't think I couldn't ever understand

I tried my hand

Honestly we'll never stop this train

These lyrics pretty much sum up the inspiration for this one. I think we all from time to time feel the sudden panic from the realization that time is speeding on, and all we can do is grasp it tightly until we can't hold on anymore. And yes, I know I'm young, but I'm definitely not immune to this feeling.

I've been wanting to do a post like this for forever. I studied photos of my parents and grandparents to get an idea on how I will age and where my wrinkles would be. They actually have aged much better than this though. :-)

I showed Bryan this picture and jokingly asked if he will still love me when I'm this old. Without missing a beat he replied, “From a distance.” haha.

Hope y'all have a great week!

Past youth, still fresh in the memory

"It's hard to afford the living. If it wasn't for the help I get from my community, I would be without heat. The winters here are very cold." #poverty #Latvia #growingold #people #reportage #life #journalism #economiccrisis

Bella is the type of dog that hates rules. She isn't a bad dog but freedom is her number one thing. Putting her on a lead or tying her up is the worst possible thing that could happen to her.

I have had to keep her tyed up at work all the time now due to the neighbours complaining that she is running wild on their property and let me tell you, she HATES coming to work now. I feel for her so much I avoid looking at her at work hehehehehe...the look in those eyes isjust too sad :(

4 in comments

And so as you hear these words

Telling you now of my state

I tell you to enjoy life

I wish I could but it's too late

- Paranoid , Black Sabbath

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk_wUT1CvWM

.....older today. Here I am at the Sky Garden inside the Walkie Talkie building in Fenchurch Street London. It's well worth a visit but you need to book a timed ticket.

I never expected to see the day when girls would get sunburned in the places they do now. ~Will Rogers

My 11 and 8 year old nieces spent the night with me last night and we went and got fancy manicures. The henna was already there...courtesy of Miss E's mother who was practicing for a demonstration at a local library (she paints faces, henna, etc. at events and parties) but the two-toned neon nails with added glitter is all Miss E. She thinks it looks cool...and it didn't look so bad once it was all said and done. However her dad (my brother) is probably going to kill me! ;-)

I'm so not ready for her to grow up!!!

Texture Tuesday - used KK's Aurora and Yesteryear Textures

July MSH Entry - "Fancy"

Applefaces, appleheads . . .by Hannelore Demel-Lerchster, an Austrian artist. A lot of vanitas-applesculptures, getting older and older, more and more wrinkled and stained like real human beeings while hanging around in the exhibition . . . just great!

Next exhibition:

BETWEEN REMEMBERING AND FORGETTING

Finiteness & Eternity

Admont Abbey – Library & Museum

14 July to 4 November 2012

Curator: Michael Braunsteiner

Birth, life and death, remembering, fading and forgetting: the boundaries and the spaces in between. That is the subject of this exhibition. Some areas of the museum display works from the Abbey’s own holdings, drawing on the wealth of objects available. Others reveal the subject naturally inherent in them in the manner of a zoom. Different genres begin to communicate with each other. Past, present and future interweave:

In the furnishings and books of the baroque library and in the museum of natural history, you can find all of the questions of “Remembering and Forgetting” that interest us – and quite probably several answers, too. In the museum of contemporary art, current art on the topic communicates with historical books. In P. Gabriel Strobl’s museum of natural history, stuffed animals, ethanol-preserved specimens, countless plants and insects appear to be alive – and yet they are all long dead.

Only human intervention has saved the specimens from decay and rot. The fight against the ravages of time is also evident in the museum of art history. We try to preserve the finest art works for as long as possible, in most cases for many years and even centuries. But not for ever. Against the backdrop of the philosophy of existentialism, the paintings and prints of Hannes Schwarz (b. 1926) explore the depths of this important topic.

The baroque columned hall presents the multimedia experience of the Dramatic Poem, generally believed to be unperformable, to the music of Robert Schumann’s “Manfred”. The poem is based on a text by Lord Byron, originally conceived as an Anti-Faust. This work, directed and visualised by media artist Johannes Deutsch in 2010, and only performed three times at the Düsseldorfer Tonhalle, is concerned with a man who believes his life to be at an end, begging to be able to forget and finally dying from grief. Original drafts and storyboards give an insight into the creation of this total work of art.

Everything has an expiry date. Without exception. And in the end? What then?! We human beings are all different. Some believe that it’s all over then. Others say they will be reborn into this transient world. Christians believe and hope – believe in God and hope for eternal life after death. And some believe quite different things. Everyone thinks that they know that they are right. What do you think?

Humankind has pondered these questions from the very beginning. They are focal topics above all in religion, philosophy, science and art. Admont Abbey with its richly varied museum and library is the ideal place to explore the most burning, timeless and topical questions of our human existence.

www.stiftadmont.at/english/museum/museum/exhibitions.php

I think you don't care at all...

If you don't get here soon,

I'll tear that clock down from the wall...

One of my favorite Billy Bragg lyrics. Patience is one of those "adult skills" that I believe one has to work on and constantly hone to keep sharp... or maybe it's just me...

"100 Years"

I'm 15 for a moment

Caught in between 10 and 20

And I'm just dreaming

Counting the ways to where you are

I'm 22 for a moment

She feels better than ever

And we're on fire

Making our way back from Mars

15 there's still time for you

Time to buy and time to lose

15, there's never a wish better than this

When you only got 100 years to live

I'm 33 for a moment

Still the man, but you see I'm a they

A kid on the way

A family on my mind

I'm 45 for a moment

The sea is high

And I'm heading into a crisis

Chasing the years of my life

15 there's still time for you

Time to buy, Time to lose yourself

Within a morning star

15 I'm all right with you

15, there's never a wish better than this

When you only got 100 years to live

Half time goes by

Suddenly you’re wise

Another blink of an eye

67 is gone

The sun is getting high

We're moving on...

I'm 99 for a moment

Dying for just another moment

And I'm just dreaming

Counting the ways to where you are

15 there's still time for you

22 I feel her too

33 you’re on your way

Every day's a new day...

15 there's still time for you

Time to buy and time to choose

Hey 15, there's never a wish better than this

When you only got 100 years to live

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmoE8_U-JTw

So there's a contest called Name Your Dream Assignment for photographers sponsored by Microsoft and Lenovo. I decided to go for it because, well, why the hell not?

I need as many votes as I can get between now and April 3rd so I can get into the top 20, when the voting closes and real judging begins.

Here's what I wrote:

For Our Daughters

Thanks! xoxoxo

Mom transitions from car to wheelchair after receiving perm. It looks tough, but she was quite pleased! What we have to look forward to... Whittier, CA

love the leggings!

Mom broke her ankle in April, 2016 and was transferred temporarily to a nursing care facility. While there, they offered her a free (Einstein) haircut. Actually, she looked kind of cute with it, but she wanted a perm. So we scheduled such and off she goes here to receive.... Whittier, CA Love you, mom!

An updated version of www.flickr.com/photos/psd/40378764/ made using HTML for my about page

Mom transitions from car to wheelchair after receiving perm. Whittier, CA

Hey, I'm a Morgan.... Norwalk, CA