I finally looked at The Age Project which has been on the side panel of a friend's blog for ages now. The idea is that one submits a photo and others see the photo and rate how old they think you are. I've seen similar when others rate how attractive they think you are which I think is far too arbitrary and anyway I couldn't cope with being rated "less than".
Having looked, I was quite captivated by the Age Project. I like watching those TV makeover programmes where they take people on to the street and ask members of the public to rate how old they are. A bit of me is quite fascinated as to what age people think I am especially as I grew up always looking much younger than my age. Thank goodness it was back then or else if it was these days I'd have never gotten into discos or pubs with the strict age laws.
These later years, age has caught up on me so that a careful look reveals the age lines and wear and tear. Even still, they are not too bad. But the other day there was a group family photo in which I looked how I hadn't looked before. Not that it was particularly flattering - just different and I looked very young.
This was the photograph I submitted to The Age Project last night. The photo was cropped so it was clearly just me. Other people amazingly submit photos where they are not the only person in the photo so how are we supposed to know which person is the subject? On those I was so piqued I'd put in a ridiculous age that was say, maybe a combination of the three ages.
So I am not sure what it was, whether it was just karma, when the first (and only) vote came through and put me at a full four years more than my real age. This shouldn't be a problem except when the photo clearly looks a good ten years younger than my real age. And vanity thinks even younger still! I hadn't expected that I would feel quite so flushed with upset. Flaming cheek. I was muttering all round the house last night the figure that had been quoted. It is now ingrained in my brain. My ego was so evidently dented that the subject even invaded my dream world last night but that is another story of me having a virtual mid-life crisis!
I did what any self-respecting person would do and deleted my Profile and started again with a different pic. It is a slightly funny pic so I don't take this so seriously this time. That's the idea anyway.
Puzzle: I think younger people want to look older and the older people want to look younger. At what age does does this difference occur?
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I don't know - but I'm 36, have stopped wanting to look older and don't yet want to look younger. Perhaps you could put together some sort of survey? :).
Tuesday, April 10, 2007 9:46:00 AM
I did it. And I got it nearly nearly right!!
Obviously I can't possibly reveal my true age...but it does make a big difference which pic you use I think!!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007 6:53:00 PM
Well I want to know which pic it is? Is it the first one that appears? I am such a nosey old bag that I have to know which one is you? O.k. I am going to sulk until you tell me. lol
Take care and hugs Doris xx
Thursday, April 12, 2007 10:58:00 PM
To answer your puzzle, the need to look older stops when one no long needs to look of a legal age, and the need to look younger starts when one stops even being carded.
I joined, but the only vote as of now is my own ... so it don't really count, haha.
Monday, April 16, 2007 6:23:00 AM
I'm 35, and want to look a little younger. Not much, just to lose a few greys that have started coming in. And we won't mention other bits of the anatomy that aren't where they used to be. Good question.
Yes, one day you're being hit on by hot 18 year olds, next somebody says you look like you're 42 when you're 35. Arghh.. I know the feeling. ;-)
Thursday, April 19, 2007 5:52:00 PM