Keep up the good work!

Well you are doing a damn fine job as I never realised that you were 85! I hope I look as good as you do and are as dynamic at the same age. I am only 50 (oh, it felt so good writing it that way) and don’t achieve as much as you do! I am an ongoing project myself though so I know what you mean. Long may you continue.

Like Liz, I think we were “given” our greatest invention - us! And - after that - it is up to each one of us to keep this product well oiled - body and brain - to keep it in good working order. Ideas are as individual as we are, but hey, I am not one to reinvent the wheel. . . not when I could follow the lead of a family who excelled into the later ages, looking years younger. How did they do it? As I look back, no one ever let grass grow under their feet. They were always out there with the crowd, “letting the wind blow in the air” and if you wanted to see women enjoying life, they did. Working helped, as you had to look pretty well kept up to have a good job when you were in your 70s. They turned heads. They loved what they were doing, had challenging professions that kept their minds in high gear. And so, perhaps without knowing I did, I now realize that I followed in their footsteps. Those footsteps lead upward, into interesting positions that still make me get dressed in the morning and try to look my best. I said “try” as some mornings it would be nice to lie around. But so far so good - I say with my fingers crossed - I am still pretty up to all the challenges that come along. And I can come home with interesting and different stories of my day. I love it, love it, love it. All the joints remain well oiled - no complaints there - as I wait each year for the journeys to faraway places where I am found, at this later stage, still leaping in and out of Zodiac life rafts, running - head ducked - to get into helicopters to continue to spend those precious weeks of my pre-twilight years (that I hope never arrive) at the bottom of the world amassing memories “to kill for” on those five weeks off. And so - I guess I would say I try to keep “me” - the “invention” itself - in the greatest condition I can so I can live life for all it is worth, taking my bumps like everyone else but always trying to bounce back with both feet dipped in the water on new projects - well, I guess like Liz.

One of the things I love most about wowowow… among many things actually… is the inspiration. To read Liz’s post (not to mention see her wearing sexy black leather jackets and kickin’ arse on the rest of the women in the photo) along with so many others. Both founders of the site and participants…. just makes me feel valuable. Being a woman and aging is an odd struggle between two dichotomies. The truth that you find your own power as you age, you find your own voice compared to the truth that as you start to value yourself MORE society starts to value you less. Liz having her own spot on TV at 85 to report out on things that they usually hire 26 year olds to do… it’s just flat ass inspirational! Watching all of the things the ladies on this site do and the things they feel is just awesome. Once again I love this website.

Liz, You are a great example of unique individual that shows us all, that within us is, endless champion of our Possibilities. And once again if I could have a weekend with 12 people that I would like to learn and laugh with, you would be on my list of who!

You are very lucky, Liz Smith. In a way, time has stood still for you giving you more time to seep it all up.

Mass production? Sorry, Liz. I’m pretty sure you’re one-of-a-kind!