See Concessions - Part One here.
I love the little vanities observed in others. Particularly in women who are old enough to be my mother. I have one friend, not a shred of make-up visible on her face, hair au naturel, and her nails are always long and exquisitely polished in pearly pink.
I think I had my nails 'done' about five times in my life. A complete waste of time and money. They are chipped and sorry looking within about ten minutes of having them professionally manicured. I don't know how that happens and I'm at the stage where I don't care. Sweet concession. But I've always begged to ask: why does anyone bother?
I think one of the big concessions for me is driving. I can drive. I can drive at night. But oh boy, rain or fog or snow at night has me in panic attack mode. Reflections piercing the eyeballs. Those new blinding halogen headlights on cars. Speeding trucks pitching filthy water/ice on my windshield, legitimate fear of hydro-planing on the highway, accidents, the odd deranged moose venturing forth in the darkness, all of the above makes me white-knuckle the steering wheel.
Not good.
I think I'll be bunking with friends in town on such nights in future.
I may drive during the day time as a concession to any urgency, but will not drive in the night under any circumstance, for the same reason as you write. I am lucky that I live in a country where we can still hire drivers and/or use taxis and autorickshaws at reasonable cost.
ReplyDeleteI try to avoid driving at night because so many vital visual cues and landmarks are hidden and there's much less to guide you along safely. Ferocious concentration is needed.
ReplyDeleteConcessions seem to increase with the years, become more noticeable, or both, I find.
ReplyDeleteI share your experience and attitude toward nail painting -- a waste of time and money from my perspective.
I neither paint my nails nor drive at night, though one has nothing to do with the other ;) My eyes, along with a lot of my other attributes, are working less well than when I was in my youth. Driving at night is like staring into a camera's flashbulb. Not driving at night is a concession I am loathe to make, nevertheless.
ReplyDeleteSince I don't drive anymore, I only have to worry about riding my bike at night and that is still fairly easy to do. But not in inclement weather. I do stay home then. It's a consession I make, but not because of age. It's because of comfort.
ReplyDeleteSomewhere I came across the idea (I think it is French,which makes sense) that you should dress for the sake of the people who have to look at you.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I'm off to have my hair done, my only concession to appearance. Or vanity.
Ramana:
ReplyDeletePublic transit where I live is completely unaffordable. You are lucky to live in a country that provides a reasonable alternative!
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My car is my lifeline, so I drive in all weathers and shades of light. The features I hate most are freezing fog or low winter sunshine.
ReplyDeleteAs for nails, I never paint them. In times of emergency so much information is visible under our nails, from ridges, to flaking, or in differences of colour - in my case that can be from waxen to purple.
Nick:
ReplyDeleteIt can give one a bad headache!
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Joared:
ReplyDeleteI think that it also has to do with beautiful hands, which I, alas, don't have!
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Pauline:
ReplyDeleteI'm with you in the reluctance department!
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Nora:
ReplyDeleteRiding a bike, now that is something I haven't done in years. I wonder if I still could?
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Sharyn:
ReplyDeleteAh the French! Gee I hope my unpainted nails are not causing offence amongst my friends!
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GM:
ReplyDeleteLifeline for me too living as I do in an outport. And right about the fingernails, I had forgotten that.
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I've a vanity or two myself, but have never had my nails "done" professionally, ever - and only varnished them myself once or twice in clear varnish. Waste of time, as you say, WWW. Hands are tools, and need to be free of encumbrances and conceits. ;-)
ReplyDeleteHusband will not drive at night, other than short distances in well-known territory, these days, he feels much as you do. I don't drive anyway, anywhere, anyhow.
T:
ReplyDeleteYes, we do have our little vanities, I've got some of my own!
Wrapping up tight in the house at night and letting the young 'uns do the driving is the way to go. Though I'll be off out tonight now as it is clear.
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I can still drive when it's dark on side roads (not freeways) that I know well. Nothing would get me behind the wheel of a car in a strange city at night.
ReplyDeleteIts wise to be careful with driving at night especially in bad winter weather.I had to do that professionally for many years but not anymore .
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