Saturday, April 25, 2009

You are SO not cool anymore.

An identity crisis can usually be expected when we become a tween...not babies but not quite teenagers either.  Maybe again after high school.  We are too young to be adults but way to old to act like silly teenagers.  Then there is where I sit today.  A young, healthy, adventurous. empty nester looking for something worthwhile to fill my life whilst I wait for Jakie-Poo to get home and meet the most amazing addition to our little clan or grandbabies.  I'll take both please.

So where exactly is my place in the world.  Recently I felt the desire to get more connected with my ward family.  I became a more dedicated visiting teacher.  I embraced the Activities Co-Chair with gusto. I am loving the Achievment Day girls with renewed passion.   I joined the ward choir.  

In my personal life I started quilting.  I found a sweet little baby that needed to be rocked one day a week for a couple hours.  I started playing tennis again....well that's cool so it doesn't really belong in this post.  

In the last two years I had traveled to many foreign countries.  Had adventures galore.  This year I have made a couple road trips and a fateful trip to Mexico.  BORING.  Doesn't count.  I did take a quick jaunt to Paducah Kentucky to attend an awesome quilt show with my sister and sister-in-law (who are very cool) and with 9000 other women.  Carolyn and I  were easily the youngest and Carolyn the skinniest by miles.  MILES.  So not cool

I gazed at my open calendar and realized the most exciting thing on there was a mother/daughter (Thank goodness for daughter in laws)quilt retreat to the Ozarks.  Yes....Janae' is going back to the Ozarks., country road take me home.....you know the song...
cool but so "uncool".
 
I'm even concerned about the my social coolness.  I've been hanging out at quilting revivals with women in a tent who raise their hands in praise of one Ellen Burnes.  The 1st lady of quilting.  They sang and chanted and rocked from side to side as she walked the stage.  The average age in the tent.  74 years old.  I enjoyed it.  I like to see new things.  I just don't want to look like I might belong there.  They are nice old gals but not my people.

Then last night a fun trip to see the Kenny Rogers show.  Cool I guess, in a I'm only there because my Mother in Law wanted to see this show for her birthday.  Median age at concert. 73 years old. The show was actually pretty good.

The quandry comes when I recognize those old gals aren't MY people.  Then where are my people?  I want to be at the Brittney Spears Concert tonight or Kenny Chesney.  I want to eat at the swanky "Cherry" up at Red Rock Station and not look like a cougar.  I want to be able to meet some friends and go eat dinner and maybe some dancing without being a specticle.  

Where in the heck do you go when you are 49 years old???  All I know is that when I realized I wasn't young anymore life isn't fun anymore.  

So I'll sit.  and quilt.  and go to choir.  rock a baby.  clean the house (My favorite).  Where did my coolness go?
I want it back.
NOW  

There is a reward to anyone who can find it and convince me it is me and I can live it.

Where did all this crazy thoughts come from?  From the words of the great Elder Runyon, after reading a few weeks of my letters stated-
"MOM, YOU ARE SOOOOO NOT COOL ANYMORE!"

I know son.  
I'm working on it.

18 comments:

Kadee

I don't know about your ward choir director, but if she or he is anything like me, the fact that you started singing with them makes you just about the coolest person in the world and they sure as heck think you're awesome. You also have a niece that doesn't think there is or ever will be an ounce of not-coolness in you. :) Thanks for your text the other day.

Keith A. Runyon

You are soooo wrong Janae. Any woman who knows sports as well as you do is beyond cool.

Janae...rockin' my world since 1984

Anonymous

You are young, I am old.... we'll meet halfway in the middle and be cool again together :)

susan bunker

Janae, who would have thought? I never would have thought you would be suffering from these feelings. In my experiences with you, you are fun, funny, hip, relaxed, always a blast to be around! You are the favorite, cool young woman leader of ALL time in the Canyon Gate ward. Your legacy lives on and on and on!. If the young woman love you and think you are cool, where does this question come from? The young women even come over to hang at you house when they definitely have other choices. 49? You are a baby! The 76 year olds must love your vibrant, energetic personality! You must give them a huge boost, but you are NOT one of them. YOUR PEOPLE are very beautiful blondes, who are also loving and living life. Don't let Satan knock at your door and make you feel like you don't fit in at your age. You fit in with the young ones and the older ones! Everyone loves to be near you!

And that is all I have to say about that!

KACEE

I found your cool, it is waiting for you at lunch with myself and McCall, who are both cool, and who both only WISH we were as cool as you! You are the coolest girl I know-PLEASE!!!! SNAP OUT OF IT!!!! You put everyone else to SHAME with your coolness! Any YW leader who lets me drive her car (under age) and well, too many things to mention here. YOU ARE COOL.

Lenzi Woodbury

Awwww!! Janae! You are SOOOO cool! There are plenty of COOL things about you! Can I say that when you said "49 years old" I gasped!?!? I always think you are younger than Wade & then you out yourself! (You can tell him I said that too! LOL!) You just need to convince about 10 other 50 & under ladies to start quilting with you. Then you'll bring the average age down some.

AND if you want to wait a month or two we can swing by Cherry and make an absolute spectacle of ourselves on the dance floor. You'll feel like an absolute bombshell next to my 5-6 month pregnant belly! It would be SOOOOO fun/funny!

And if that doesn't work you can borrow my baby any time (in November--so just hold on -- if you can't wait, I have two lovely sons that you could steal!!).

Alec and Tiffany

Mom, you're the coolest person I know. Do I also have to let the world know that you are undefeated since your triumphant comeback to tennis? Lets go play family tennis while we are down there...just don't go too hard on Tiff and I!

ACR

Sam and Jaana
This comment has been removed by the author.
Carrie

All I can say is you are one of the coolest people I have ever known! So just stay how you are! :)

Sam and Jaana

Well, Sam and I think you are cool if that counts for anything =)

Anyone who gets to travel around like you do are extremely cool in our book...so anytime you'd like to go exploring around the world with Sam, the baby, and I...just let us know so we can be cool too!

Alyssa Joy

Aunt Nae, you are the coolest... seriously. And you'll be even cooler with your extremely cool/hip/stunningly beautiful young daughter-in law and nieces as we venture into the Ozarks! Don't worry, you are more young at heart and adventurous than most people my age. I aspire to be like you... really! Keep the Big O's coming....

Kathy's Boys

It's called mid-life crisis, hugh!! I know, I'm feeling it too. Just think, we're not get older, we're getting better. (I wish I was more like you. And so do a lot of other people I'm sure.) So keep being your beautiful self. Love ya!

Allison Barnes

Janae,
You are so cool! I am with Susan, don't let Satan get you down!! He's a bad guy and makes us think dumb things about ourselves. You are so fun!! I actually noticed that you have been more involved in the ward, (not that I have made it to choir yet... it's on my list) ... you guys have even stayed for Sunday School! So when is our first ward activity with you guys?? I can hardly wait.
Maybe we need to have a bloggers lunch group! That would be a blast! You are amazing and everyone loves you just the way you are!!

Alec and Tiffany

What are you smoking? Seriously, you are the funniest, most beautiful, adventurous, outgoing, loving YOUNG mother-in-law anybody could ever have. It is time to party! We will be down in an couple weeks and get to hear Jakeys sweet voice, then OZARKS here we come. HOLLA!

Elder Jake Zebe

Janae not cool?!?! That is ABSURD! Janae...you are the "cool maker"! Whatever you choose to do...you make it cool! Be it quilting or whatever! As far as finding your people...I can relate to that one. You just put the finger on what I've been feeling for the last six years! Not very many 50 year old mother of 5 and 7 years old's out there. You are one of the COOLEST people I've been blessed to know! Love and miss you!

Melissa

ummm ok so when i read your blog and i realized that at the quilting camp in the ozarks the average age last year was 74!!! that is SO not cool!!! but its a good thing you have some way cool neices to help bring that number down a bit! see ya in a few weeks!

email and phone numbers

hahahaha....profound Janae! i'm so proud of the way you're growing up! brings a tear to my eye!

you'll never NOT be cool!

love you much

sew and sews mom

Hey Little Sister!
Being "Cool" is good...
Being "Warm" is great...(I hope that's were I am)
and with any luck someday we can be "Hot"! - Look out Keith and Larry!
BS