1. One of my husband’s high school classmates became mayor of his hometown last year.

2. The gaggle of white hairs expanding throughout and streaking the sides of my head.

3. I just recentely figured out who Justin Bieber is.

4. Justin Bieber looks like he’s 13.

5. Why are all the girls wild about Justin Bieber? I seriously don’t get it.

6. When informed that youths of today send about 100 texts per day, I scratch my head and turn around three times in confusion. It’s an odd day that I even send a text, for gosh’s sake. I think the generational gap is getting gappier and gappier all the time.

7. New technological gadgets don’t excite me.

8. New technological gadgets stress me out.

9. Please don’t make me change cell phone models. I’d be lost.

10. I love my bedtime. I have no desire to party all night. Or even stay out past, say, 10pm.

11. Make that 9pm.

12. My metabolism doesn’t seem to be able to assimilate anything I eat with no complaint anymore. I used to inhale pounds upon pounds of pasta, constantly. Now, a generous serving of pasta is likely to make me feel there’s a rock in my stomach for at least 24 hours. Methinks my stomach doth protest too much, savvy?

13. There’s this dress, see. A very light pink with a feathery grey print. Silky, cut on the bias. I planned on wearing this to dinner when I was with my extended family the other weekend. Thankfully I tried it on before packing it, because dangit if it wouldn’t zip up. I sucked in my stomach. I expelled all the air in my lungs and crunched my ribs inwards. I solicited my husband’s help and told him to use whatever force was necessary. After a few minutes of huffing and puffing, I finally accepted the fact that I just don’t have the same body that I had when I was 18, when I first wore this dress. Or when I was 24 and last wore this dress.

The signs are unmistakeable. But if I’m honest . . . I’m loving it. I wouldn’t turn the clock back even if I could. I’m remembering all the insecurities of 18 . . . the meltdowns at 20 . . . the roller coaster of 21 . . . the huge (and painful) learning curve when I entered the workforce . . . and I’ve gained so much since then. There’s a confidence that comes with age; an emotional stability. Then there’s financial stability we’ve been blessed with–yep.

I’ll take the white hairs.