where wildly different is perfectly normal
I am now stocking up on sunscreen and shopping for a hat
I am now stocking up on sunscreen and shopping for a hat

I am now stocking up on sunscreen and shopping for a hat

Note to self: if you’re going to the Denver Museum of Nature of Science, go when they open. That was totally the best time to hit it today! Got there at 9 when no one was there, left at noon when the throngs descended upon the building. The benefit to getting there early was that there were no crowds at the new exhibit, Exhibition Health. Ok, it’s been there awhile, but it’s the first time we’ve seen it.

So, Jen, what did you learn?

I learned that my arm span is less than my height by about an inch.

I learned that I need to up my cardio, for heart health and bone strength.

And I learned that, oh my holy hell, sunscreen is NOT optional. Same with a wide-brimmed hat.

Age 40

On the left is how I’d look in a little more than 3 years, at age 40, with normal aging. On the right is the same age with UV exposure.

Age 45

Getting a little more haggard.

Age 50

Um, things are getting a little frightening here…

Age 55

Whimper…this isn’t good…

Age 60

Sweet Baby Jesus…really?

Age 65

AAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Age 70

OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD!!!!!!! Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I try to remember to wear sunscreen, but I don’t more often than I do. Wide-brimmed hat? Rarely. I have no idea if these examples take into affect the altitude, but I’m pretty sure they do. We get a LOT more sun and UV rays here in Colorado than other places in the country. So I’ll be wearing sunscreen year-round now, and shopping for an attractive hat for the summer.

A also did this, but with the effects of smoking instead of UV rays.

A age 9

One year…

A age 70

Freaked him out enough that I’m pretty sure he’ll think twice before taking up smoking. That said?

A age 40

The picture on the left there, of A at age 40 (he clicked through so fast I couldn’t get 30 or 35) is a dead ringer for my brother. Further proof that I’m raising my brother!

Sunscreen. Hats. Freaked the hell out of me today.

7 Comments

  1. I love that exhibit! We’ve got a membership to the museum and go there pretty often. And I can’t believe you put up pictures of your aging. Mine freaked me right the hell out. But I’ve got to give it to them, it’s the best way to get people to take care of their bodies I’ve ever seen. The obesity one was pretty freaky too!

  2. ella

    We love that museum and always make sure to visit at least once when we’re in Denver. Your brother? I’m raising my late mom over here. Yikes, that could be misconstrued :-). Hope the exhibit stays open through the spring when we’re hoping to be in Colorado again.

  3. WOW. Thanks for the reminder to us all to wear sunscreen. I’ve always heard that people should use it, but wow. I didn’t realize how it rapidly ages a person! (Not to mention skin cancer.) I use a tinted moisturizer that has an SPF of 15. Now I will use it religiously.

    And by the way, how cool is it that you could see A’s aging all the way up to 70!?!?!? Cool.

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  5. What a NEAT exhibit. Since my dad has dealt with skin cancer stuff for years (he’s ok as long as he goes to the derm doc all the time), I’m pretty big on sunscreen. But last year I also added a big dorky hat.

    Google “Tilley Hats.” Mine is awesome. It fits my big head, it keeps off the sun, and, as I just discovered, it is waterproof enough to keep rain off my glasses, too.

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