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| Cynthia as a cartoon using the Hello Camera App |
Cynthia: One of the neatest things about all of this technology at our fingertips is the ability to alter our bad photos.
Dark shadows? Press auto-enhance.
Looking tired? Slap on a filter.
Horrified at how old you look? Turn yourself into a cartoon.
No matter what, you can always look twenty-eight.
Marcy: What’s wrong with looking your age?
Cynthia (brightly): Nothing.
Marcy: Uh huh. Then why did you turn yourself into a cartoon?
Cynthia: Because it’s fun! Because I can! Because… because…
Marcy: Go on.
Cynthia: Because…
Cynthia looks somewhat disconcerted.
Cynthia: Because as time creeps in and settles into your face, the person in the mirror is not the same person on the inside.
And it’s so subtle.
But so startling.
And so scary because you realize how quickly life goes by.
Because there it is, grinding into your face. And you begin to understand why so many women who hit forty have “work” done.
I’d rather be a cartoon.
Marcy: But isn’t using filters making it worse for your real life?
Cynthia: Probably. I had a friend recently accuse me of being addicted to my filters. And you know…he’s right.
Marcy: So what will you do now?
Cynthia (unabashedly and loudly): Use more!!!
Look. I turned Freddy into a 1980’s film star! Doesn’t he look like Judd Nelson from The Breakfast Club?
Marcy: No.
Cynthia: And I turned you into an illustration!
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| Marcy illustrated |
Cynthia (eagerly): Maybe they’ll make eyeglasses with filters so we can see the whole world through Instagram! Gasp! Instagram Eyes! Now that would be social media at its best.
Marcy: “Demented and sad, but social.”
*Oh my goodness, Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo, just published a post on aging today with an incredible interview of Frances McDormand by Katie Couric. Check it out here.
16 Comments
I love your outfit in the cartoon! And Marcy's response to the Freddy pic 🙂 This is very topical for me because I feel like I've aged ten years in the past year. I think 40s is when people just really start to look older unless you have work done (or filters). But I think it looks worse to us than to those who see us. Especially those who know us. They just see our personality.
Oh you are so right. When my friends claim to look "so old" I usually think they are insane and are not seeing what I am seeing.
I just wish I would have known that my jawline would start to disappear. If I had known I may have been less alarmed. But probably no. LOL
xo,cynthia
The solution is to never wear your contacts or glasses when looking in the mirror. Blindness is bliss.
Ah ha! Good advice.
xo,cynthia
This is so true. In my head, I'm still 25. So is my mother, in her own head! Filters are fun, though. I love making a photo look instantly "vintage", and I love being able to simply brighten photos if the natural light was too dark… I say just have fun with it. And Freddy certainly looked like an 80's film star, but I would've said Rutger Hauer, you know? 😉 More of an action star kinda guy. Anyway, I still think you're pretty, filters or not!!
Awww… thank you. Frreddy says he looks more like Harvey Keitel. He will be happy to hear Rutger Hauer. Filters are so fun!
xo,cynthia
Damn, I think I'm looking more like Harvey Keitel, but with less hair.
That's okay – you're still cute. Did you see Gwen's comment above? She thinks you look like Rutger Hauer.
xo,cynthia
you really need to do something about that hair.
meow,marcy
I love that outfit. And I am with you on the filters. They are fun. I usually find them overwhelming so I brighten the photo a little and then leave it. Plus my photobox is getting too full! Freddy looks so handsome. What a fun post!
Jenni
Thanks, Jenni! It's so amazing what we can do with filters. I'm going to check out some more artifying apps and just go crazy!
xo,cynthia
Actress Bette Davis said that old age is no place for sissies! I tell ya. The outwards signs are kinda startling. Do you ever look back at pics taken even a few years ago, and think, dang it, I looked good and didn't even appreciate it! So…then I think…I better appreciate how I look NOW, so I don't look back and say that again, later! Let's say, we just look cute in a different way. There are also all the more internal/health changes that happen, that is challenging too…but don't wanna go all gloomy and grown up here, so meanwhile just enjoy playing with the filters! You and Freddy look great. Marcy, appreciate that your fur covers any wrinkles, not that you HAVE any of course.
You are so right, Vik! Twenty years from now I will think I'm crazy. Kinda like how I think of my thirty year old self now. LOL At any rate, I'm very happy to be alive so what's the loss of a jawline or an 11 between my eyes anyway, right?
xo,cynthia
you people should all grow fur on your face. it's very becoming for us felines.
meow,marcy
I love the picture of your husband…he looks so cool like that! 🙂
Thanks, Merrie! He will be very happy to hear that. Especially since he is convinced that he looks like Harvey Keitel.
xo,cynthia
I love playing around with the filters, too. I like adding a vintage haze or lots of color saturation depending on my mood or the theme of my outfit. I also get a little carried away with light flares, hearts, and starbursts. I think it's fun! And I also think it's comforting because it gives us some control over how we present ourselves on social media. But I don't think it's terribly misleading or deceitful, which are some of the criticisms of using filters. Even as a cartoon, you still look like you! Just with a bit more whimsy and fantasy!
<3 Liz
http://www.withwonderandwhimsy.com
It is just so amazing all of the nifty things we can do with technology now. I am so glad you feel the same way about filters. I need to try hearts and starbursts now! Too cool!
xo,cynthia