By JOHN LELAND DEC. 25, 2015

Now my view on aging or getting older is that “Age ain’t nothing but a number.” I do acknowledge the arthritis and the creaky joints, hypertension, insomnia, the gray hair, (well not my hair thanks to L’Oreal Feria) and those moments of forgetfulness that can be quite scary. Alzheimer’s runs on both sides of my family in my female relatives but hopefully it will skip me as I age.

Young at Heart if not in body is a state of mind. My co-workers know me for my witty humor and my unction for bursting into spontaneous dance in the galleries.

Exercise. Everyday that I don’t have to report to my job I do what many of my readers/subscribers have come to know as my Soulful Struts. Basically a Soulful Strut is my Walking Exercise where I traverse the streets of New York, especially my neighborhood in Brooklyn walking and taking photos. Photography is one of my many passions.  Please feel free to visit my Photography Blog — Roaming Urban Gypsy.  Here is a small taste of my constitutionals:  http://roamingurbangypsy.com/

As of Jan. 2016 I will be two years from retirement. Perhaps I will stay at the museum until I’m 60 but only to build up my pension and investment funds. I belong to a Union and as such can take an early retirement than non-Union staff. Via maintaining an ongoing exercise program, eating more fruits & veggies, getting my financial house in order, pursuing my passions of writing and photography I am setting the stage for a successful, prosperous & healthy retirement.

In Feb. 2016 I will turn 57 years of age but I still have the sense of adventure I had when I was 18 and shocked my parents by joining the U.S. Army! No I don’t plan on joining the French Foreign Legion when I turn 60 but I just feel like even more doors will open for me at that age. Some women have referred to it as the “Third Act.”  Many women don’t look forward to getting older because they mourn that loss of youth, having the guys look and chase you, an empty nest if you had kids or if you never had children the loss of fertility.

As for lines and wrinkles well to be honest being a dark skinned woman it’s very unlikely I’ll become wrinkled unless I live well into my 80s or 90s. Yes it’s true that Black don’t Crack! Happy to be a part of the highly melanin Tribe!

I have to admit the first part of menopause was rough on me physically. Hot flashes. Night sweats. Anger or maybe it just me taking less shit or no bullshit than when I was younger. Anyway I Love and enjoy this new DeBorah I’m growing into. Yes it would be nice to have a man. I enjoy male companionship but on the other hand I’m not going to chase one down. No plans to become a cougar. Also I’m not in competition with younger women. They do their thing and I do mine.

As the street slang goes I plan to Do Me!!  And Yes I will still be sexy at 60!!

🙂    😀