On Crows Feet, Clogs & Rebranding

I ran into a darling friend the other day while shopping with my son when he was home for spring break. As we chatted, she reached out and touched my cheek just below my eye. "I never noticed that you had crows feet," she said. Then when I admitted that I try to downplay the wrinkles with makeup, she quickly tried to spare my feelings. "Oh, but I mean that in a good way," she said. I told her that since I earned them, (looking at my son), it was just fine with me. She went on to say that she thinks crows feet are attractive... in that "older woman kind of way."

Uh oh. My son looked as if he wanted to run. Luckily, I know exactly what she means. I am fine with my face - crows feet and all. And yes, when I smile big, I have crows feet. So what? If I never smile, who will know? God love good friends who can tell you anything!

This incident reminded me of the latest typical American craze that some women are falling prey to: Rebranding. Columnist Maria McErlane with the Daily Mail wrote this: The rebranding party is a craze currently sweeping America. The idea is that instead of friends telling you how wonderful you are, they tell you everything about you that they don't like - with tips on how to change. Each attendee must be brutally honest about the elements of your personality they feel may be holding you back. They must bring positive and constructive ideas, offer assistance, and are given carte blanche to say whatever they want, on this one occasion, without you taking offence.

And in fem-magazine Marie Claire, the "I don't like you much party" is described as: the hottest party craze currently sweeping the States is the 'rebranding' do, where women ask their friends to come along and tell them exactly what's wrong with their life/lover/wardrobe over drinks and nibbles.

Uh oh, again. Not only am I sure that I don't want to give my friends that kind of liberty with me, I am pretty happy with the way I am. I think. Not that I couldn't use a little help from those who have to look at me... I get dressed up when I have to... even my 18-year old son thinks I look pretty good all dolled up. But what about the rest of the time...

So, if I entertain participating in this craze, my rebranding party invitation would read:

45-year old married gal, wears golf attire and yoga pants too much (& the clogs have got to go), needs a manicurist/pedicurist, can get too skinny, needs to be more disciplined with weight lifting for her bad back, should wear lipstick more often, needs to curb her opinion in social situations, should be more aggressive with her political writing career, needs to learn to return phone calls quicker, must get out for lunch more frequently (and stop eating leftovers while writing at her desk), needs to clean her house regularly and not just when people are coming over, takes in way too many stray animals (geese, birds, cats, dogs, rabbits...), rabble rouses too much, (at least she has a good husband)...

Oh no. I am afraid my Rebranding party would take weeks instead of just one evening. Forget the crows feet and yoga pants, I am a work-in-progress. Maybe some rebranding wouldn't hurt.