I'm ok with growing older....

It's my birthday..I woke up this morning feeling really good about the day and thought to myself..why do so many people, particularly woman, have an issue with growing older?

What's so wrong about celebrating the life you have right now. I have been on this earth for 36 years today and I am proud to share that I have earned each one of those years. Now don't get me wrong, if you're in the entertainment industry, sure...you want to keep it down in fear of maybe not getting roles or having people put you in a box, but I'm not great at auditioning anyway and most likely will make the stories and projects I put myself in..so really, count me out for that one.

I grew up in a time of Strawberry Shortcake, friendship pins on shoes, the pop shoppe, Reading Rainbow and Today's Special. Cheez Whiz was new on the shelf, we didn't have microwaves, internet and email didn't exist. And although some of you might say "woah...she's old"....I say...I'm lucky. As a child, we rode our bikes, hung on street corners until almost dark. We spun globes and stopped it with our fingers and imagined that country and what it would be like to live there. I grew up to the Cosby's and "A different world", where Will Smith still wore his hat backwards and sported neon pink, yellow and white sweat tops. I come from a land of Tretorn shoes and Atari games. I wore Toronto Tee's to Wonderland to get in free. I watched Electric Circus and tuned in to Tarzan Dan. I wanted to be Whitney and tied a big bow around my curly hair and sang "How will I know?" in the mirror. Michael Jackson wasn't an icon, he was my boyfriend...at least that's what I'd like to believe. Duran Duran sang "Girls on Film" and I thought I was watching the best porn I could ever see..I remember distinctly only wanting to get that vidoe from the video store for a party, and my Jamaican parents not knowing what it was, obliged. When they saw what it was...I was quickly beaten with a brush...

I lived in a time where kids were afraid to call the childrens aid if they got a spanking...and talking back was not an option.

I drank Pepsi and Coke from the cans that had two holes...remember those? One big one and a smaller one. Chip bags had winning numbers on the back where you could win another bag.

So...

I could go on for years...and I'll save you all the details.

Bottom line, I'm happy to be the woman I am...not afraid to let you know how far I've come... but the most important thing for me...is that I know where I am going.

If this is your birthday today...Happy Birthday!