Saturday, July 04, 2009

I Feel Bad About my Neck by Nora Ephron

I heard of this book quite a while back and thought it sounded like it'd be fun to read. Nora Ephron wrote quite a few screenplays I like -- You've Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, My Blue Heaven, When Harry Met Sally, to name a few. I thought of this book again last week when I tried to take a picture of myself.

I'd posted a new profile photo on Facebook and my sister Jan said she'd like to see my new haircut. I thought I'd take a picture on Sunday morning. I sat in the chair and held the camera with my arm extended and took a "selfie", as Cori called it. I couldn't get one that I felt was acceptable! My neck! I've always been self-conscious about my chin anyway, and unfortunately the getting old thing does not help. Cori told me the secret is to take the photo from way up high. Maybe I'll try that. Or Photoshopping may be the answer.

Anyway, I've started reading the book. Each chapter is an essay. The title is from the first essay. Here's a bit I liked, "If I pass a mirror, I avert my eyes. If I must look into it, I begin by squinting, so that if anything really bad is looking back at me, I am already halfway to closing my eyes to ward off the sight."

Actually, I don't avoid mirrors too obsessively. I've grown to accept myself a lot more than I used to. I still hate seeing my big old pot belly but I don't let it get me all crazy.

I'm enjoying the book. It's amusing.

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