Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Then and Now

Occasional Reader and blog-bud Deb sent along an e-mail titled "Then and Now," which consisted of contrasting photos of celebrities taken in their youth and what they look like these days.  Herewith two such... rock'n'rollers who are dear to me:

 Neil Young

Linda Ronstadt

The e-mail had a tag-line which said "Oh my! Please God, be good to me!"  Which got me to thinkin'... what of MY "then and now?"  Here it is...

(age 53 and 66)

(added - 1975, when I was 30; SN1 on the left, SN2 on the right)
(click to embiggy, as always)
 
I think The Deity At Hand has been reasonably kind and merciful to me.  Your mileage... and your opinion... may vary, Gentle Reader.

Note:  Wanna see all of those "then and now" pics?  Drop me a line and I'll forward the e-mail to ya.

14 comments:

  1. I know I'm supposed to be shaking my head sadly about Clint and Arnie right along with the rest of 'em. But if I deteriorate over time just like those two gentlemen, I'll be happy. You can't expect to come out of all those decades completely whole.

    I do hope to have better decision-making skills than both of 'em in the women department.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've seen the pictures of before and now, there are some that have not been dealt kindly with vs. the old age monster.

    Jagger and Richards have the look of hard livin', really hard livin'. When you think it was self inflicted too, it makes for a big wake up call.

    I have been to a couple of reunions where I hardly recognize my fellow travelers, so much has life and age changed them. Others, while older, remain pretty close to their former - younger self.

    I guess the saying "it's not the years, it's the mileage" is quite astute.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I do hope to have better decision-making skills than both of 'em in the women department.

    I have no comment in THAT space, Morgan... except perhaps "Good Luck." I thought I did well, but history has proven otherwise.

    I guess the saying "it's not the years, it's the mileage" is quite astute.

    Astute indeed, Anon.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Agreed about Clint - he'll always look great at any age.

    As for all those pics, I saw a similar e-mail a while ago and let's just say that time has been very cruel to the likes of Val Kilmer.

    As for you Buck...you hold up well my friend. You may not drink much of it but you, sir, are a fine wine.

    ReplyDelete
  5. That's really funny that you posted that, I got a bunch of those before / after photo things in my email not an hour ago, and considered posted them on the blog!

    Gotta say Stallone looks pretty much the same.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think they purposely choose a bad photo of the now. Linda Ronstadt was beautiful then, but she is just pretty cute now - heavier, but cute - lots better than that skinny nude lady.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Chunky People30 June, 2011 00:12

    That picture of Linda is old. She doesn't look as good as the older now one.

    I can't judge her, as I am 50 pounds heavier than the day the USAF said my services were no longer needed (retired), but I think Linda likes Crisco a whole lot more than I do...

    Still though, with a lot of oil you can slip and slide down the mountains and valleys...

    ReplyDelete
  8. That beard in '75 had to have taken about six weeks to grow. And you weren't in the Navy... Were you UA?

    On the subject then and now photos; I had hair and was nicer looking until my 40's. It can't all be the beer, I think genes may have a role (or is that roll) in faces puffing up with follicular defenestration. (Be tryin' to make up new uses for big words!)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for the link Buck.
    I think The Deity At Hand has been reasonably kind and merciful to me. You've weathered well, my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I agree with everyone above - you've aged well, Buck. I really like the "now" photos of you; you look better without a beard, IMHO.

    Those bell bottom jeans from '75...I hear from my fashionista daughter that bell bottoms are coming back in style. Now I don't think that's a style that has aged well. If it was unattractive then...it's still unattractive now.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Excluding the specs, and a couple years age diff, we were sporting fairly much the same look in '75, right down to the hair/beard color.

    Compared to Mr. Young, you've aged remarkably well. In any case, I don't think Neil looks all that bad. Nor does Linda. That's life. You add some wrinkles and some weight, generally. Everybody has it happen, more or less, and I pity the snarksters who are making fun of some more-aged folks than themselves. They will soon enough realize that they aren't immune.

    ReplyDelete
  12. You may not drink much of it but you, sir, are a fine wine.

    And you, Kris, are a fine friend for sayin' so.

    That's really funny that you posted that...

    Great Minds, Matt... Great Minds!

    ...heavier, but cute - lots better than that skinny nude lady.

    I'll agree on your first, Lou, and reserve judgment on your second. There aren't that many current pictures of Ms. Ronstadt out there... I googled "Linda Ronstadt 2011" and saw variations on the pic I posted, along with LOTS of the Young Linda.

    I can't judge her, as I am 50 pounds heavier than the day the USAF said my services were no longer needed (retired)...

    We shall not rub it in TOO much, CP, but I'm within five pounds of the weight I was on the day I retired 26 years ago. Just sayin', is all.

    That beard in '75 had to have taken about six weeks to grow. And you weren't in the Navy... Were you UA?

    That's about a four-week growth, Darryl, and it was toward the end of the only 30-day leave I ever took during my 22 years. I kept that look right up until the very last minute I signed in at my duty station at Yokota AB.

    Deb: Thank ya, Ma'am!

    If it was unattractive then...it's still unattractive now.

    Hear, HEAR! Ya won't find any bell bottoms around ECMdP.

    ...right down to the hair/beard color.

    Now that ya mention it, losing my red hair/beard is about the only thing that pisses me off about old age, Jim. And you're oh-so-right about the snarksters.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'd have to agree that old man Time has been kind to you.

    Having recently gone through the marrying off of two daughters and the accompanying socializing with many people I haven't seen in years, I've been wishing for a portrait aging in the attic lately. It seems like just yesterday that I was that young, slim bride instead of a plumping mom with a not-so-smooth face and silver hair beneath the "color."

    You just had to brag on staying at fightin' weight, didn't ya?

    ReplyDelete
  14. You just had to brag on staying at fightin' weight, didn't ya?

    Sorry, Moogie. But I have SO little to brag about, yanno?

    ReplyDelete

Just be polite... that's all I ask.