Maybe the emphasis on age is a cultural thing... In any case, this is funny, clever, and somehow sad.
BLOOMINGTON, MN—Acquaintances and coworkers of local resident Jenny Scribba cannot get over how vibrant she looks, considering the fact that she is 32 years old.
"That girl is 32? No way," 24-year-old Arden Rice, a waitress at a local diner that Scribba frequents, said Monday. "You're joking. I never would've guessed she was over 30! She looks so great."
Sources say many people are incredulous when they hear that Scribba, who is still quite attractive, is actually 32. It's hard to believe, but true: Scribba was born in 1972, the year of the Watergate break-in and the Israeli Olympic team massacre, yet she possesses a trim figure and a smooth, unlined face.
"Jenny hardly looks a day over 27," said neighbor and University of Minnesota student Bethany Weber, 21. "Where are her wrinkles? You can sort of see little lines around her eyes when she smiles, but they disappear when she stops. I hope I look that good when I'm her age."
Continued Weber: "I have this older cousin who was a total hunk in high school. But now he's 35, and he looks like Popeye. Jenny gives me something to aspire to. I wonder if she uses, like, Oil Of Olay or something. I don't think she's had any work done."
Scribba, an assistant designer at a commercial-graphics firm with a relaxed dress code, frequently wears jeans, T-shirts, and casual skirts like those worn by women 10 or even 20 years younger than she is.
"Normally, when I see a 32-year-old woman dressed like [Scribba], I think, 'Give it up. You're old,'" intern Kimberly Kleutgen, 18, said. "But Jenny manages to pull it off."
"When we go out for drinks after work, Jenny sometimes has to show ID along with the younger employees," 21-year-old coworker Judd Truman said. "Keep in mind, this is a woman who learned to walk years before the commercial availability of VCRs, when Billie Jean King was the world's top female tennis player and people purchased music on 8-track tapes."
According to Truman, Scribba's friendliness and enthusiasm also lead people to assume that she's younger than 32.
"Jenny doesn't act like most older people," Truman said. "She's totally willing to joke around, and she never looks down on you for having a good time."
"In fact, she's into a lot of the same things my friends and I like," Truman continued. "When they played [OutKast's] 'The Way You Move' at the office party, she was totally dancing with us. Believe it or not, it wasn't embarrassing. It didn't come off like she was desperately clinging to her fading youth at all. In fact, it was almost like she was in her element. She's still totally able to enjoy herself. That's so cool."
The reason for Scribba's youthful appearance is unknown. Heredity is most likely not a factor, as her parents, Edina residents Michael and Madeleine Scribba, both suffer from the dry, wrinkled skin, bony hands, and sagging chests that old people usually have.
"Jenny's a lovely girl," Madeleine, 60, said as her 63-year-old husband nodded in assent. "I've always said that."
Scribba said she does not avoid foods that contribute to premature aging, such as alcohol, meat, and junk food. According to Truman, Scribba regularly eats pizza, M&Ms, and even doughnuts.
"I once saw her eat an entire plate of fettuccine Alfredo," Truman said. "That stuff is just swimming with free radicals, you know. I would think that someone Jenny's age would avoid cheese and salt, but it doesn't seem to affect her."
Asked about her beauty regimen, Scribba seemed reluctant to give away any of her secrets.
"Uh, well, I don't know, nothing too special," Scribba said. "I guess I try to get enough sleep. I eat a good breakfast, and I ride my bike when the weather is nice. I go to the movies at least a couple times a month. Oh, and I wear sunscreen."
"Yeah, I can't believe I'm 32 already," Scribba added. "All the same, I can't tell you what I'll be doing at 40. Married? Kids? Who knows? It's still too far off to even speculate."
The age-defying Scribba turns 33 next February, but shows no signs of slowing. In the coming weeks, she plans to paint her apartment, attend a family reunion in Biloxi, MS, and get her hair cut.
HL- this is an interesting article. 32 is old?? It is funny how our perception of age changes. For my 3 year old granddaughter, the world is made up of kids and not-kids. Seventh graders think anyone over twenty is old, but they have little perception of actual age for adults. When I was younger, I thought that people who were at the age I now am were old. Now I get p****d when a provider insists on a d.o.b. becuse I know that assumption will be made -inaccurate ones- that will adversely affect an encounter, at least initially. In fact, I tend to not engage such persons. However, when a 21 year old thinks 31 is "old", what does this say about the 21 year old's life expectations? Are the commentators in this article really that shallow? No wonder that so many are willing to screw over Social Security.
I got carded at the airport bar in Chicago. I was so excited, but then she did it to everyone, and its magic wore off a bit. I still look hot in daisy dukes though!
This article should have been ablout a woman who was at least 50, or even older.
May we be damned as a society if we cannot appreciate the beauty and capabilities of those who have lived life longer than the median. There are so many ladies in TER older than this woman that I think are smokin hot that I can't even begin, and we can go into the forties and even the fifties with some of them. While I can appreciate the beauty of the human body, female or male, in its youth, any person of depth adds so much to their character and the things they bring to lovemaking as they mature and experience life further that it more than makes up for losing a little of the luster that we all, male or female, lose through time.
Someone made a good point recently about older people enjoying younger partners because they were able to re-experience life through fresh, usually less jaded eyes. This often is true. The wonderful thing is when you can be with someone who is able to not be jaded about loving and sharing life and who has still expereinced much and is mature. These things go a long way to defining "beauty" for me as I grow older myself.
You've hit the nail on the head (pardon the pun) once again. While I was reading this, I had to laugh at the age of the woman. Thirty-two years old . . . so what? An article like that needs to be about someone in her fifties (at least). I also looked really young at 32. In fact, I was still being carded at that age. I don't think I got a wrinkle on my face until I was 34 or 35 years old.
Hugs,
Ciara
I like your new photos. Much better than the "old" ones :^)
I stopped thinking 32 was old right around the time I turned, well, 32.
something is different...
I can't seem to put a finger on it.
I do find myself more distracted than usual when reading them.
...and it seems that unlike my finger, my hands want to reach out and touch someone.Drooling takes place uncontrolably,now.
I almost shorted out my key board the other day.(just installed a splash guard)...the slide out track gets misalligned.
Don't get me wrong, its a good thing.
I look forward to your next post.
Cheers!
... interested me most was that the writer choose comments attributed to women! Ladies, perhaps you (and your sisters) are your own worst critics when it comes to "looking old".
I know I am not universally representative of anything, but I rarely think about a woman's age. Harry
I prefer to think about women for ages than to think about a woman's age...
I don't particularly like the really young ones.
and silly me was out of the loop. However, it was close enough to much of reality that I still feel good baout my post.
but as there is a Ciera who is a well established provider, as well as the lovely Ciara here, I thought I should.
You must have been thinking about your teachers when you were trying to write again. :P
Cheers!
I especially laughed at the last line as the "age-defying" woman made the momentous decision to go get a hair cut. 
and let me add Nicole, honey... that the
drool sighting wish is mutual.
Cheers!
Splash guards...lol...I need a bib!
I'm sorry...meant to say lovely Ciara.
afterall...you know I dream of those high Ciara's from time to time...not to mention your fun posts.
Cheers!