Expressions

I like expressions, and whenever I see one that's thoughtful, I try to jot it down.

I think it is novel, expression wise, to describe ageing in terms other than those which directly implicate the subject--whose age one is discussing--in physical decline.

How about being "lavishly cobwebbed with time?" Movie critic Anthony Lane, known for his writing excellence, uses the expression to categorize movie-goers into two groups: males who are in their twenties, "of unvarnished social aptitude," and males who have been marked by the "cobwebs" of time. While the former group would adore the latest Spidey flick, the latter are most likely to turn away from it.

The visual is remarkable--it's precisely referential in that Spidey's face is lavishly cobwebbed with time, yet ironically, Spidey would appeal to those whose visages are free of time's cobwebs.