How adept are you at placing your left pointer finger along side your left temple, your right pointer finger along side your right temple, simultaneously placing your thumbs along your jaw line and then, with an oh  so gentle tug, pull your face up and back, immediately taking ten years off your current age?

I am, in this manuever, undoubtedly an Olympian, a good medal winner. I score a perfect ten.

Except, I’ve learned that I need to flex my biceps as I do this. Much to my horror, as I lift my arms to effect this pose it appears that my underarms have taken on a life of their own.

Maybe, I thought, it’s time to go to see someone. Chat about how, what, how much, how soon. A phone call or two later I was off to see Dr. Makeyoulookyounger.

Our conversation proceeded something like this.

“My eyes” I said in response to his query as to what brought me to his office. “And, what else?” he said. Hmm, not quite the response I wanted, I thought. “Well, maybe a little work around the jowls but, I am fearful I won’t look like me” I sheepishly added.

“Get over yourself” he snorted. “Do you think that Helen Mirren doesn’t look like herself?”
“You did Helen’s face?” I asked, hopefully. “No” he said.

Alrighty then, I thought. He just did an exceptional endorsement for Helen Mirren’s doctor, or took a wild stab that someone I could possibly admire would motivate me to proceed.

“Let me rethink this” I said to him, gathering up my things.

If I was going to model my decision on a British actress, I thought, perhaps Dame Judi Dench is the role model  in all her dignified, jowly, lived in face, splendor.

That works for me. For now that is…..