The grandest of ladies in Australia is surely the Sydney Opera House (followed closely by Ita Buttrose and Aileen from TV’s Home and Away).
The iconic landmark turns 50 this year.
The building, not the living legends.
The Opera House and I have a bit in common as I, too, nudge my half-century milestone birthday in just weeks.
We both have cracks appearing after five decades of wear and tear and a bit too much booze spilt over us over the years.
The Opera House is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. I am not.
But some days I feel I could be heritage listed, with the scaffolding starting to need extra support on this body to hold it all together.
Half-a-century comes with wrinkles and sagging, but it also comes with more certainty of who I am and which people I want to surround myself with.
I also did my back trying to limbo at the work staff party last week.
I am not quite sure how I got to be 50, but I am not having a huge bash.
Instead, I am celebrating slowly over 12 months – catching up with small groups of special people in my life.
Last weekend, one of my life-long friends and I flew to Sydney and went to see Miss Saigon at the Opera House.
You know its 50 years since Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War ended.
It was all just meant to be as we both stood there toasting turning 50 in the iconic building that is 50 as well. Nice.
It just doesn’t seem real that I am a real adult now.
But then we are all getting older, and I am in good company.
Other celebs turning 50 this year include Gwyneth Patrow, Sofia Vergara, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Garner and Eminem.
Lose yourself in those facts. How the heck can this be true?
But the fairest of them all to me will always be the Opera House.
Sami Muirhead is a radio announcer, blogger and commentator. For more from Sami, tune into Mix FM.
