The good news is that there are a few exceptions.  Being a perpetual dieter has resulted in me taste-testing more than my share of diet foods over the years and remarkably, I have actually found a few that I genuinely love!

In a strictly platonic way, of course.  Mostly. 

Let’s face it – most diet foods do.  As though sucking out the calories requires sucking out the flavor as well. 

The good news is that there are a few exceptions.  Being a perpetual dieter has resulted in me taste-testing more than my share of diet foods over the years and remarkably, I have actually found a few that I genuinely love!

In a strictly platonic way, of course.  Mostly. 

Here are my favorite finds of late, perfect for satisfying that craving for “a little sweet”…

Yoplait Delights Parfait, Caramel flavor.  Oh, my.  Seriously yummy.  It is not a heavy, sicky-sweet caramel flavor, but rather a quieter, gentler caramel.  And yogurts simply do not come any creamier than this – not gel-y, but creamy.  And it does not have a heavy “yogurt” taste to it either.  It is my favorite thing to grab and indulge in when I want a little something.  100 calories, 3 g’s of fat.

Weight Watchers Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sundae.  Wow.  Tastes like real chocolate, real ice cream, real cookie dough chips.  The trick to eating a small-portion serving like this is to fight the urge to down it in two huge bites, and instead use one of those little plastic disposable spoons and just nibble away at it.  Every bite of this treat is unbelievably perfect. 

Slimfast Peanut Butter Crunch snacks.
Like a Butterfinger bar?  Well, this is it!  The taste is close enough to a real Butterfinger your taste buds will rejoice!

I also put away lo-cal frozen entrees pretty regularly and my latest favorite is Lean Cuisine’s spaghetti and meatballs.  Add just a little Parmesan cheese and it is a perfectly acceptable choice.  No, it is not the same as authentic Italian spaghetti and meatballs, but my love for THAT got me on the diet train to begin with.  So for now, my penance for overindulging is not a hard one.  Trade in a little fat for some diet-friendly choices?  Easy-peasy when you have decent options like these.

Now.  Your turn.  Any favorites you can turn me on to?

Well, no one in their 20s, anyway.  Please – does ANYONE have any advice about how to get through to a kid (meaning someone – anyone – in their 20s) who already knows it all???

So what is the point of gaining all this wisdom with age and experience IF NO ONE IS GOING TO LISTEN TO ME?!?!?!

Well, no one in their 20s, anyway.  Please – does ANYONE have any advice about how to get through to a kid (meaning someone – anyone – in their 20s) who already knows it all???

I know, I know.  I’m not THAT old.  I DO remember when I, too, was a know-it-all.  I had it all figured out, or so I thought.  Turns out in retrospect that I was just another stupid kid who should have LISTENED when others older and wiser than myself tried to get me to consider bigger pictures than the one I lived in.

But noooooo. 

My point here is not to whine – well, not JUST to whine – but also to seek guidance.  Does anyone have any idea how to get through them?  Is it even possible?

You see them standing on the train track.  You hear the train whistle.  You know what is going to happen.  But for whatever reason, they won’t budge.  They do not hear or see what you do.  You beg with them, you plead, you reason.  To no avail.  You try to knock them off the track but they are rooted there.

Sigh.

The main thing I have learned over the years is how much I have yet to learn.  So if anyone would care to step in and offer myself – and others in my predicament – guidance, trust me, I will listen.

That’s one of the best things about reaching our age.  Finally, we DO listen.  Because we know that no matter how much we know, it is nowhere near as much we don’t.

So I grabbed a few consumers - i.e. friends - and treated them each to what looked to be really cool new product - the Colgate Wisp.

I figured that I am probably not alone in seeing ads for new products and saying to myself “Hey, that’s cool!“, followed by “Hmm - wonder if it works.“

So I grabbed a few consumers - i.e. friends - and treated them each to what looked to be really cool new product - the Colgate Wisp.

It’s a fabulous idea.  A little disposable one-use toothbrush pre-packed with a dab of freshening cleaning polish for your teeth - no water, no rinsing, no muss, no fuss.  Just drag it over your teeth when you are in a position where a toothbrush and toothpaste are just not an option - or just too inconvenient - and voila!  You can face the world with clean teeth and fresh breath.  Cool!

Here is what my cool consumers had to say about the coolness potential of the Wisp:

Ashley: 
Initial reaction - “This is interesting.“
Next Reaction - (cinnamon flavor) Tastes like Big Red Chewing Gum!
Bottom line - “It’s not as good as a toothbrush, but overall I like it.  I’d buy it!“

Jesse:
Initial reaction - “It would be easy to carry.“
Next reaction - “Gum would do the same thing, but cost less.“
Bottom line - Uncool.  He wouldn’t buy it.

Heather:
Initial reaction - “How strange!“
Next reaction - “It’s a good idea when you don’t have access to a toothbrush, but I wanted to rinse and spit even though it says you don’t have to.“
Bottom line - “My teeth feel really clean, but my mouth feels the same.“  Still, she’d buy it.

Other Heather:
Initial reaction - “Cool!“
Next reaction - Loved the concept of not needing needing water or rinsing.  She was also impressed that they thought to make the other end of it a toothpick.
Bottom line - REALLY didn’t like the cinnamon flavor, but overall liked it.  She’d buy it (just in another flavor!).

Me:
Initial reaction - “How is this gonna work?“
Next reaction - Heather was right about the spitting thing, but I think I figured it out.  Use the toothpick on the opposite end to dislodge any food particles, THEN brush. Much better.
Bottom line - I went crazy and brushed my teeth, my tongue, the roof of my mouth, my gums, the inside walls of the mouth - you name it.  And I felt like my breath was super fresh and my mouth super clean.  You had to brush pretty hard to burst the little gel bubble in the toothbrush but that was my only negative.  At $1.38 for a pack of four, definitely worth it.  Definitely cool.

And thanks to the Consumer Cool Crew.  They’ll be back!

Stupid is not a word I use lightly.  It is an ugly word I save for special occasions.  Here, it is appropriate.

Richard Simmons.  With his scary little afro, his star-spangled too-short shorts, and his unbridled near-manic enthusiasm.  I miss him, God love his freaky little heart.  Why?  Because the weight-loss/exercise alternatives we are offered today are just plain stupid in comparison.

Stupid is not a word I use lightly.  It is an ugly word I save for special occasions.  Here, it is appropriate.

It is not so much the exercise equipment that we see advertised, though I have to admit that that vibrating dumbell thingee is pretty odd.

It is not so much the exercise gurus we are advised to follow, though I must confess Jillian Michaels scares the bee-jeezes out of me.

It’s not so much the pre-packaged diet plans we are urged to buy, though the one I broke down and tried tasted like shoe leather in meat sauce with chocolate-covered sand clumps for dessert.

I have no doubt that much of the equipment, the trainers and the diet plans work.  That’s not the problem.

The problem is I have no idea if they will work for ME because no one over 100 pounds is ever shown using them!

This is advertising 101, people - why does no one “get it”?  I don’t care if some size 0 nymph whose hair weighs more than she does can work that piece of equipment.  I want to know if I can use it!  What would happen if an overweight person climbed on that gizmo?  Would it snap like a twig?  I don’t know because they won’t show me!

Show me real people with real weight problems making that baby sing and THEN we’ll talk.

See, that was the thing with Simmons.  His videos (yes, we only had video tapes then, no dvds - shut up) showed real overweight people “sweatin’ to the oldies”.  Sure they were led by a few fit trainers, including Simmons himself, but the fatties were out there sweatin’ it right along with me. 

THAT was inspiring.  THAT made me feel like I could take it if they could.  THAT made me buy the product.  And it worked!

Unfortunately, now that I need it again, I no longer have a player for the tapes and haven’t yet managed to find Richard Simmons on DVD.  When I do, I’ll buy it, believe you me. 

In the meantime, I am left wondering why in the world Nordic Trak can’t figure out that they would probably sell alot more machines if they showed someone with a weight problem actually using them. 

Excuse me?  It just started!  Now it’s over?  Whose idea were these mini-series disguised as regular series tv shows anyway?  I’m ticked off and I want a name!

Just when I start getting into Men of a Certain Age, I hear the promo for “the final two episodes”.

Excuse me?  It just started!  Now it’s over?  Whose idea were these mini-series disguised as regular series tv shows anyway?  I’m ticked off and I want a name!

They sucked me in with Saving Grace.  Great show, love the storyline of a middle-aged rebel seeking redemption, sorta.  So they show it for a couple of months then, boom!  It’s over.  And who knows when or if there will be another season?

Call me old-fashioned - you won’t be the first, trust me - but I just hate these new mini-series tv shows.  If you are going to be a mini-series, then you should have a beginning, a middle and an ending.  Roots.  War and Remembrance.  THOSE are mini-series.

If you are going to be a regular television series, I need to be able to depend on you to entertain me every week from approximately September/October through May.  Even THOSE seasons are shortened now, and yes, they are rife with reruns, but at least they bear some semblance to tv series of old.

But these 8-10 weeks spurts of a tv show only serve to tick me off.  Just when I start getting into it, they give me the kiss-off and leave me hanging, with no idea of when they will back or even IF they will be back.  Sorry, but I’ve had too many relationships like that with real live people. 

I expect more from a tv series.

I practice for the day when I can unload on the people around me, by – for now – unloading on celebrities.  And at the awards show this week, they gave me much to work with.

Ah, good times.

Listen.  I’m not sure what the official definition of “fashionista” is, but I’m pretty sure I don’t quality.  Nevertheless, I do love a good dish.  And as I creep ever closer to that anticipated age where I can officially say whatever I want with no more repercussion than an offhand “Oh, she’s a senile old so-and-so, never mind her”, I occasionally like to practice saying exactly what’s on my mind. 

I practice for the day when I can unload on the people around me, by – for now – unloading on celebrities.  And at the awards show this week, they gave me much to work with.

Ah, good times.

Mariah Carey – have you lost your mind??  You ridiculous slut puppy, put those things away before you hurt someone.  Yes, we all see that you have boobies and we are very happy for you.  Now get some therapy.  And a turtleneck. 

Monique – darlin’, I got no problem with you not shaving your legs.  For years.  Whatever.  But when you are on national tv, DO NOT hike up your skirt and make a point of showing us the mass of tangled fur working its way from ankle to knee on your legs.  We do NOT want to see that.  Ick, ick, ick, shudder.

Tina Fey – Really?  All that money, access to any top designer, and that is what you come up with.  You poor clueless girl.  I hoped maybe you were making a statement or something - - but no.  Just a dress so nasty you made Mickey Roarke look well dressed.  Stop now.  Have a good cry (I know I did when I saw you), fire whoever tells you what to wear, and buy an issue of Vogue.  Heck, buy an issue of Field and Stream – I daresay you’ll find better fashion choices there than the one you made on Globe night.

Sandra Bullock – Everyone is making such a big woo-hoo about you kissing Meryl Streep on the mouth.  Don’t you pay them any mind.  Meryl Streep is a gracious goddess whose acting talent is nothing less than mind-blowing – heck, I’D kiss her on the mouth if I was standing next to her, too.  Closed-mouth, naturally.  I’m not an animal.

Simple.  It’s called growing up.  Welcome the Age of Paying Attention.  And oh, it is a glorious thing!

Since I flew past age 30 oh so many years ago, I have changed my politics, changed my religion, changed my priorities, and drastically changed my hair (the latter, more than once).  What’s the deal?

Simple.  It’s called growing up.  Welcome the Age of Paying Attention.  And oh, it is a glorious thing!

Paying attention requires more effort than most younger people want to invest (myself at that age included).  You have to soul search and research, ponder and wonder, think outside the proverbial box and not be afraid to look at ALL sides.  The result is thoughtful and considered decisions and – beginning around 30 and usually steamrolling by the time you hit 40 – these decisions come to define who you are.

When we are young, it is easier to just parrot what you hear other people saying and believing.  There are more important things (or so you believe) to tend to, like getting a career started, getting a family started, getting a social life, blah blah blah. 

Only with age and experience do we figure out that the easy way is seldom the best way.  And that the time, sweat and hassle that usually go into doing the homework and figuring out what we truly believe (as opposed to what is simplest to believe or what we have been told to believe) are worth it.  Sad to say that the afore mentioned age and experience are no guarantee that you will start paying attention.  Lots of clueless folks over forty roaming around out there, and it is not nearly as cute on them as it is on kids.  It’s actually kind of creepy.

I ran into an old friend the other day – hadn’t seen her in about 20 years.  As we talked, she commented that “You sure are singing a different tune than you were back then”. 

Well, duh.  I was a child.  And when people ask me when I changed my ideas about politics or spirituality or what made me decide to redirect my life or my heart, I always answer the same way.

I started paying attention. 

Quote of the Day:  “Faith makes things possible.  Not easy.”

What a treat!
(read more)

If you are under 40 years old and/or have never been divorced, “It’s Complicated” is a very funny movie.
If you are over 40 and have at least one ex-spouse, “It’s Complicated” is an HILARIOUS movie that is blessed with moments of thought-provoking poignancy. 

What a treat!

Divorce – any divorce – is couched in what if’s.  In between the witty dialogue and the side-splitting can’t-catch-your-breath moments of laughter, the what-if’s are addressed and explored in a way that real life seldom offers up.  (I haven’t quite decided if that is a good or bad thing.)

Then there is the aging factor.  Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin all portray different stages of the aging process – not in their actual ages which are pretty much the same, but in the way each approaches and copes with (or fails to cope with) the fact their bodies and minds are not always aging at the same pace. 

You will no doubt identify with one or more of the three main characters.  I know I did.  I could identify with moments that all 3 of them portrayed at different times.  And it is interesting to watch how they each deal with the “what if’s” that you and I have only imagined.

Bottom line is that it is truly funny.  But it’s the P.S. – those moments of poignancy – that send it over the top and make it a must-see.

I was cleaning out a drawer the other day (what are the odds?) and came across something I cut out of a book (yes, I sometimes do that).  That little quote on a little yellowed scrap of paper has followed me for at least 20 years, probably longer.  I don’t even remember the book it came from.  But it was easy to remember why I saved it.

I wanted to share it with you here, now.  Maybe you will print it out too and let it follow you from place to place, from time to time.  Maybe it will inspire you as it has me, each time I have rediscovered it over the years. 

The older I get, the more grateful I am that long ago, I took to stowing away little things that rise up and surprise me in years to come.  Anyway…

“Each smallest act of kindness reverberates across great distances and spans of time, affecting lives unknown to the one whose generous spirit was the source of this good echo, because kindness is passed on and grows each time it is passed, until a simple courtesy becomes an act of selfless courage years later and far away.  Likewise, each small meanness, each expression of hatred, each act of evil.”

No doubt about it – it wouldn’t be Christmas without Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.  But the questions is who, in your opinion, is the ultimate Ebenezer Scrooge??

There are plenty of Scrooge’s to choose from, and I am offering here my top picks, one for a literal depiction of the story, and one from the many, many “based-on” depictions.

My top pick for “based-on”?  Bill Murray in Scrooged.  What a fabulous take-off on the original.  It cracks me up every time – Murray is a riot, Cratchett is a hoot, and the “spirits” are too funny, especially the Ghost of Christmas Present.  Even John Forsythe as Marley is hilarious!  And best of all, it keeps the spirit of the original story alive, so much so that for the last scene, I am laughing through tears.  If you haven’t seen it, you don’t know what you’re missing.

And – drumroll, please – for the ultimate portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge taken straight from the Dickens classic, no one – and I mean NO ONE – can beat George C. Scott.

Just WOW.

His portrayal is dead-on, from first moments of the movie, through the slow awakening of his senses to the final transformation.  Just takes my breath away, as does the FABULOUS costumes and scenery that make you feel as though you are right there in merry old England for the holiday.  The spirits are portrayed so convincingly that I cannot help but imagine Charles Dickens himself must have pictured them JUST THIS WAY when he wrote the story.

Scott was born to play Dickens.  No one else even comes close.

Okay – your turn.  Am I right?

Was that your reaction, too?  Okay, maybe as a tv special if you feel you really have to.  But that they managed to come up with enough women who could honestly say “I didn’t know I was pregnant” (women past their 3rd or 4th month, that is) is horrifying!

Or is it just me?

No.  Really?  Surely not.

Was that your reaction, too?  Okay, maybe as a tv special if you feel you really have to.  But that they managed to come up with enough women who could honestly say “I didn’t know I was pregnant” (women past their 3rd or 4th month, that is) is horrifying!

Or is it just me?

Those of us over 40 remember television before “reality” set in.  The Love Boat and Fantasy Island.  Remington Steele and Mary Tyler Moore.  Ya know – tv for entertainment.  For escape.

This show surely sets a new low. 

Some reality tv is okay – a few are even good.  I love Project Runway, and I guess that sorta falls into the reality category.

Frankly if I wanted to see the kind of reality some of these show give me, I’d walk around the neighborhood looking in people’s windows.  I feel just as sleazy watching it on tv as I probably would peeking in windows.  Blech.

But THIS one – this “I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant” thing – truly does horrify me.  Can there BE that many ridiculous women walking around free and unsupervised?  Evidently so.

I can see how in extreme circumstance it might slip by one or of them.  But that many of them?  And how does the fact that a life is growing inside them continue to elude them for nine months?  How is that even possible?  I am embarrassed FOR them. 

It is a sad state of affairs.  I want my Remington Steele. 

This year, though, something is different.  Maybe it is the time change, or maybe it is some other changes that have coincided with it.

It either case, it’s kinda freaking me out.

What is it about the time change this year?  Usually I breeze right through it and barely notice.

This year, though, something is different.  Maybe it is the time change, or maybe it is some other changes that have coincided with it.

It either case, it’s kinda freaking me out.

Is it just me or is the dark a little darker and the early a little earlier?  Truly the dark seems deeper and seems to set in earlier than it used to each fall. 

I recently lost someone I had once loved deeply.  Every woman knows that when you love deeply, it never completely goes away.  A part of your heart is forever devoted to that love, like it or not.  I liked it.  I liked thinking that some day, one day, we might even find our way back to each other.

He didn’t just die.  He died in a fiery plane crash.  And frankly, the world in general has seemed a bit darker since it happened.  So maybe it’s not the time change after all.  Maybe it IS me.

Even though he was not a part of my daily life at the time of his death, his absence has left me feeling - - well, different.  Changed somehow.  Maybe even profoundly.  And in a way I cannot quite put my finger on.  It is not good, not bad.  At least, I don’t think so.  It’s just different.  And I find myself scrambling to figure out how to deal with it.

Anybody?

It’s funny.  Just when you think you’ve got a handle on life and how it works, it throws you a curve.  At my age I should be used to it.  But as it turns out, not so much. 

His mother gave me an old ball cap of his.  I find myself wearing it a lot, hat hair be damned. 

I remember when you had to stand up and walk over to the television set in order to change the channels or set the volume. 

On your black and white tv set.

Oh, well.  I guess showing my age is kind of what this space is about, so what the heck – there it is.

Now, back to reality tv - - -

I guess I’m showing my age when I say I remember a life before reality television.  Even more so when I point out that I remember when there were only 3 television networks to choose from for viewing choices.

I remember when you had to stand up and walk over to the television set in order to change the channels or set the volume. 

On your black and white tv set.

Oh, well.  I guess showing my age is kind of what this space is about, so what the heck – there it is.

Now, back to reality tv - - -

Watching television used to be something we did to escape reality.  Not relive it.  With the exception of The News – which was limited to two 30 minute segments on weekdays (one segment on weekends) , if you can imagine – television was about entertainment.  Sometimes we laughed, sometimes we gasped, sometimes we sat on the edge of our seats, sometimes we even learned something.

But reality as entertainment?  If that be the case, geez, just turn off the tv and walk outside.

But no, these days “reality” tv is all the rage and it is EVERYWHERE. 

TO make matters worse, they appear to be throwing around the word “reality” a lot lately where it is not entirely appropriate, don’t you think?  I don’t know about YOUR reality, but mine doesn’t look anything like what I see on so-called reality television.

To take a closer look at what’s going on, I reluctantly turned off I Love Lucy and took a good hard look at what’s passing for “reality” these days…

to be continued…

So what happens when a politically conservative over-40 woman sits back and watches a politically liberal over-40 woman with a microphone entertain?

She laughs her head off – THAT’S what happens!  I tuned in warily to Wanda Sykes’s comedy special on HBO – warily, because I know her politics are different from my own and I know how much she likes to talk about those politics.

I was prepared to watch a few minutes then tune out. 

I was NOT prepared to stay glued to the set for the whole 90 minutes – not to mention being wildly disappointed when it was over!  The woman is a scream, plain and simple – in a good way, mind you.

Yes, she talked about politics but not as much as I feared and not in a way that got me all up-in-arms.  Mostly she talked about life and love and being over 40, and honestly, I laughed ‘till I had tears running down my face – she was that funny, God love her.

Take the time – make the time – to check out the special.  If you do not have HBO, find someone who does.  You will be so glad you did.

In all honesty, I probably won’t watch her upcoming daily show on Fox – in that format, I daresay it WILL be too hard to designate politics to only a small portion of the show.  But when it comes to standup, you cannot go wrong with Wanda Sykes! 

continued…

(Don’t be a slacker - read Parts 1 and 2 first!)

continued…

You know what experience is?, I thought to myself.  It isn’t things that happen to you.  It is how you handle the things that happen to you.

It happens as it happens.  It can’t be rushed, it can’t be learned from a book or studying. 

So how do you explain that to a 25 year old who think they already have LIFE all figured out?  Easy answer.  You don’t.  Don’t try.  Just pat them on the head, turn them around, send them on their way with that condescending look they don’t understand but hate nonetheless, and tell them to come back in about 20 years. 

Experience has taught me to never try to teach a pig to sing.  It will only frustrate you and p—s off the pig.  Let it go.

The good news is that the older women in your life, including your mother, now get to share with you those special “Ah” moments.  Not “aha” moments, mind you.  I’m thinking of those moments when you – in your fabulous over-40-ness – look at Mom and giving her a knowing “Ah”.  Translate “Ah.  I see now.” 

Priceless. 

Continued…
“You don’t have to talk to me like that”, she whined.  “I’m not a child, you know.”

Continued…
“You don’t have to talk to me like that”, she whined.  “I’m not a child, you know.”

I smacked her on the head again.  “Rule Number 2”, I told her – “Yes, you are.  You are not officially an adult until after you turn 40.  I don’t care what the law says.  The law that says a 21 year old girl is a grown-up was written by a bunch of 50 year old men going through mid-life crises who were looking to score a young chick.  This was their way of kissing up.”

She looked confused.  I knew I was taking a risk by telling her what I was about to divulge – the truth about women over 40.  Chances are, she wouldn’t get it. 
But what the hey.  I was in the mood for a challenge, and besides, I was feeling a little bad about that last smack on the head.  It was a little harder than I had intended.  So when her eyes stopped rattling around, I decided to give it a shot.

to be continued…

So I was talking to a child yesterday and she looked at me with sad little-girl eyes that mirrored the innocence only found in the very young.  She wiped her nose with the back of her hand, hiccupped back a sob, and slowly wrapped her tiny fingers around a cigarette and took a long pull. 

“I can’t believe I’m turning 25”, she whined.  “I could just die!”

I smacked her on the side of the head – gently, of course (what with child abuse laws and all) – and sternly informed her of “Rule Number 1 – no whining!  Now get rid of that cigarette, put on your big girl panties and listen…”

to be continued…

Between Clean House and the new reality show Hoarders, I have never been so inspired to throw things away. 

A member of my family who shall remain nameless (out of respect, since she is my mother) definitely qualifies as a hoarder.  Two incidents stand out in my mind as moments when it became clear beyond doubt that she had a problem.

One was when myself and a younger sister were going through a pile of blankets that the person in question had squirreled away, and we came upon what had at one time been a bedspread.  A yellow and orange floral bedspread, no less, dating it to the 70s.  (If you are over 40,  you know what I’m talking about.)  The holes, tears and unraveling edges indicated that it had probably lived well beyond its expected life span and passed away quite a while ago.

It was old, ugly – okay, even when it was new, it was ugly, but hey, it was the 70s – torn and worn and unusable in any way, shape or form.

Sis and I naturally threw it in the trash.  The hoarder among us saw what we were doing and promptly rescued it, removing it from the garbage and hugging it to her chest with tears in her eyes.  No, really.  It was bizarre – even moreso when she reminded us that when sis and I were young and had shared a room AND a double-bed, this was the bedspread that covered that very bed.  She sniffled her way back into the house, leaving sis and I staring at each other, stunned at the emotional bond she had formed with a bedspread. 

The second moment was when my 42 sisters and myself were having a yard sale and we were going through the tiny box of things that the family hoarder had contributed.  I came across a dark brown piece band of cloth made out of some kind of puckered material.  I held it up, wondering aloud what it was.  I remember thigh warmers – maybe it was ankle warmer for someone with really fat ankles?  I was lost.

I stretched it out, turned it over, and asked for ideas.  Picture the look on my face when said hoarder identified it as a woman’s top – the kind we used to crudely call a “boob tube”.  And to whom it did it belong?  The hoarder, now 77 years old.  Since she had certainly never worn such a thing in my lifetime – unless I was a baby or toddler and therefore young enough to black the episode out of my mind. 

No emotional attachment this time.  Just something she might be able to use someday, she said.  As a rag?  A can huggie?  A headband?  Who knows? 

She saved an old boob tube for at least 40 years.  Isn’t that funny?  And a little horrifying?

She has no interest in watching Clean House with me.  Any suggestions?

Okay, now what else do we have….

Let’s start with the one for that life-lock place that secures your identity.  The one with the woman sitting on a stool talking about how having her identity stolen affected her?  Is that the most whiny, grating voice you’ve ever heard OR WHAT!  ARGH!  It makes me CRAZY!  SHUT UP AND QUIT WHINING!  And by the way, why is she bothering to get the service NOW?  She has nothing left to steal!!

Okay, now what else do we have….

Being an admitted tv junkie, I get more than my share of exposure to bad commercials.  So in no particular order…

I got used to Billy Mays yelling at me a long time ago.  (I thought he might stop after he passed away recently, but the screaming continues.  Oh, well.)  And I am also nonplussed by the now-infamous “BUT WAIT, THERE”S MORE” line.  But the ad I saw yesterday went too far.  It’s the one where he is hawking some kind of jack you use in your car so that you can use your cell phone hands-free.  It started with a price of $40.  The BUT WAIT was that if I order now, they will cut the price in half - $20.  But I didn’t see the second BUT WAIT coming.  Again if I order now, they will send me not one, but TWO of the jacks.
 
What am I, stupid?  THEY ARE TEN BUCKS EACH!  WHY DON’T YOU JUST OFFER ME THE DUMB THING FOR TEN BUCKS AND BE DONE WITH IT?  WHY GO THROUGH ALL THIS RIGAMAROO?  ARGH!
Sorry.  Didn’t mean to yell.  It’s a Billy thing, I guess.  God rest his soul.  I just wish they’d rest his mouth, too.

What about the ads for a famous investment broker?  They are serious and straightforward with just one oddity – for some reason, they use those SERIOUSLY CREEPY actors that are kind of animated but kind of not.  You know the ones I mean?  They are animated but made to look like real people with CREEPY accuracy.  It’s like some bizarre peak into a future where people and computers find a way to mate and THIS is the result.  Blech.  Too disturbing for me.  And did I mention CREEPY?

Okay, what am I forgetting?

In my neverending search for ways to improve my health that do not require any money or any effort, I have turned up gold!  Solid Gold, as it turns out…

What kind of music makes you happy?  A special song, a special singer, a particular type of music?  Whatever the answer is, listen as often as you can and you’ll be doing as much for your health as your state of mind – seriously! 

They did a study at the University of Maryland and found that when you listen to music that YOU think is joyful, your blood vessels widen by about 26 percent.  That’s good, because it means you’re releasing a protective chemical caused nitric oxide which reduces the risk of hardening arteries and of blood clots.  How cool is that? 

So, yes, there are certain physical dilemmas we have to deal with after 40, but you can help offset them with something as simple as listening to music you love.  Throw in a little exercise while you listen and boom – you’ve just done something fabulous for yourself. 

Excuse me now.  I’m going to listen to some Steely Dan…

For many of my fellow over-40s, parents in nursing homes is something we have to look at, whether we like it or not. 

And we don’t like it.  Not one bit.

I cannot even bear to look at the photograph of the man arrested locally for sexually abusing senior citizens in a nursing home.  I want to cry in anquish, scream in rage and take a shower all at the same time.  A shower, to wash away the image of his face, as though that were possible.

For many of my fellow over-40s, parents in nursing homes is something we have to look at, whether we like it or not. 

And we don’t like it.  Not one bit.

I suppose there are some individuals who gladly put their parent(s) in a nursing home at the first opportunity and promptly proceed to schedule obligatory holiday visits and nothing more.

But most of us do not fall into that category.  Most of us struggle with the decision and choose to make use of a nursing home only when no other options are available.  And I mean none.  Even then, the guilt is surely overwhelming, deserved or not.

The choices are dismal.  Fabulously appointed “homes” with top notch medical care are hard to find and when you do find them, they are simply unaffordable for most of us.

Your best hope is to find one with a caring staff.  Even then, though, there is the chance of the occasional demon slipping through the cracks of hell and into the nursing home disguised as a staff member– as it was with the case I referred to earlier.

So now, in addition to all the other demands of life, you must find time for regular visits – daily if possible – to visit Mom or Dad in the “home”, thinking that if the staff sees you there on a regular basis, they will be less likely to shortchange or overlook your parent.

Maybe there is some truth in that reasoning.  I don’t know.  I thank God that between my sisters and myself, we should not have to go the nursing home route for our parents.  But you never know.  Things change.  Stuff happens. 

When other members of my extended family have had to be in a nursing home facility, there is one little thing that we have done in an effort to remind the staff and caregivers just who it is they are caring for. 

Place a picture of now-elderly-often-invalid person in a prominent place.  Make the picture one of them taken in the fullest, most robust part of their life, laughing and full of vigor. 

THIS is who lies here now, with crippled limbs, fading eyesight and weak bladder.  THIS is who you are caring for.  Because the body may have changed, but THIS is still who they are.

It serves as a reminder for those us visiting, as well, lest we ever forget.

Oh, and PS – a heartfelt “Thank you, God” for the blessing that is those patient, caring people who care for our loved ones with kindness. 

Yes, I watched it.  I had to.  I had to see if it would show the real story of kiddie beauty pageants or go with some cleaned-up version.  And to my surprise, it pretty much does show the scary (to me, at least) reality of it.

The irony is that the women that are being filmed – and yes, the show is about the women, not the kids, as far as I can see – have absolutely no idea how they are coming across to viewers.

They are sincere in their beliefs and their actions.  Ironic, yes.  And a little scary.

Unfortunately, no.  It is a reality and for better or worse, the reality of it has been captured on tv in a show of the same name.

Yes, I watched it.  I had to.  I had to see if it would show the real story of kiddie beauty pageants or go with some cleaned-up version.  And to my surprise, it pretty much does show the scary (to me, at least) reality of it.

The irony is that the women that are being filmed – and yes, the show is about the women, not the kids, as far as I can see – have absolutely no idea how they are coming across to viewers.

They are sincere in their beliefs and their actions.  Ironic, yes.  And a little scary.

Mostly the show just left me feeling sorry for those tiny little girls who are – regardless of what the mothers, the pageant directors and anybody else says – being taught one thing and one thing only.  A lesson that, having been ingrained so early, will be frightfully hard to overcome:

If you are pretty enough, you get a crown and lots of prizes and people clap for you;  if you are not pretty enough, you are a loser.

Gee.  Thanks, mom.

And let’s not kid ourselves about the definition of pretty.  It has nothing to do with anything natural.  These 4-8 year olds are spray tanned.  They are given manis and pedis.  They wear false eyelashes and wiglets and hair extensions.  They wear more makeup than most women MY age wear on a daily basis.  They even wear something called a “flipper”, which is basically false teeth, designed to cover up the stray loose, missing or less-than-perfect front tooth.

No, not all the girls wear all of these things.  But some do.  And all of them wear at least some of it, along with rhinestoned, glittery outfits that any adult hooker would sport proudly. 

They smile their fake smiles on cue, and walk and dance and grind (yes, some of them grind!) while watching Mommy in the audience miming them through the moves. 

I could cry.  It was the saddest thing.  I have seen these pageants close-up back stage when my work required me to act as emcee.  Now the world can see it. 

Is it what you expected?  Is there some hidden up-side to these things that outweighs the psychological damage that is being done to these tiny girls’ sense of self?

I’m listening…

Let me clarify.  That is what people do WHEN the government gets out of their way and let’s them do it.

See?  This is the America I believe in.  An America – that is, Americans, for what is a country but the people who live in it? – whose citizens take care of each other.  Reach out to each other.  Not because they are told to.  Not because they are forced to.  But because that is what people do….

Let me clarify.  That is what people do WHEN the government gets out of their way and let’s them do it.

No where is that more obvious than here in the Tri-Cities.

Operation Insasmuch, a grassroots group of citizens determined to live out their Christian values by giving a helping hand to those in need, recently put their beliefs into action in Bristol.

http://www2.tricities.com/tri/news/local/article/operation_inasmuch_grassroots_christian_aid_comes_to_bristol/30652/
The Remote Area Medical Clinic has come to Wise 10 years in a row.  Thousands of people receive free eye care, glasses and dental care - something that is crucial to your overall health -  who could not otherwise afford it.

http://www2.tricities.com/tri/news/opinion/editorials/article/eager_to_hear_obamas_health_care_talk/29648/

There are medical clinics in each city run by volunteers and staffed by medical professionals for the “working poor” – those who work and make too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford health insurance on their own. 

The churches who do outreach work to the poor in our communities are too numerous to count.

Look, I am not saying that volunteerism is the whole and complete answer to whatever health care problems exits in our country.  But it is a big part of it, and who knows how much bigger a role it COULD play if we didn’t pay so much in taxes that the Government decides how to distribute.

When it comes to helping others, more often than not, people rise to the occasion.  When some one – or some thing – has their foot on your back, though, it makes it a bit hard.

Need more evidence?  Have you checked out Christian Healthcare Ministries?  Go ahead.  Take a look – http://www.chministries.org.

It’s not just me, is it?

Sorry I disappeared for awhile.  Have you ever done that?  Just kind of checked out for a few days?  Usually the people around you don’t even know, since you are still present in body.  But sometimes, your mind just takes a vacation of its own.

It’s not just me, is it?

When need be – and lately, trust me, NEED BE – you just have to give yourself a mental break.  Unable to literally walk away from life for awhile, I go into some kind of shutdown mode. 

Usually a period of emotional overload sets it off.  The good thing about it is that at my age, I can get away with it.  When I was younger I pretty much let my emotions rule the day and have their way with me.  Made for some messy moments that accomplished absolutely nothing.

Now I just quietly check out for a brief time.  Those closest to me – that would be my sisters - can spot what is going on and cooperate with my mental sojourn by keeping things on a small-talk level and whispering their love.  Isn’t that nice?  I have such wonderful sisters.  I still do what needs to be done – work and the like.  Just quieter than usual. 

For me, church is a lovely place to put my physical body while I am taking my emotional respite. 

After a few hours or a few days, I’m back.  Stronger.  Better.  At a younger age, I had yet to master the disappearing act.  It took this long.  We all have different ways of coping, and at least mine is cheaper than shopping.

So.  What works for you?

There is no primer for dating at this age, which is fine because it would be pointless.  Every woman at this stage of her life is different, moreso than at any age before this one.

(Just fyi, the “30” in the photo was my table number at the restaurant.  I got a kick out of it)

It is the experiences that brought you to this point - and how you dealt with them, perhaps even more importantly - that define how you look at dating at this moment.  So forget the idea of a rule book.

I have had my Grand Love, and a number of fun-but-pointless ones, plus a few what-in-the-world-was-I-thinking ones as well.  I feel I have had more than my share and loathe the idea of appearing greedy.

And frankly, I am just kind of over it.  And I say that with a relieved smile on my face, not a lick of despair or unhappiness in sight.

Granted you are never too old to find love.

But you CAN be too tired.

Or too distracted.

Or too sober.

Or too busy.

Or too sane.

Or too put off by the idea of having to shave your legs.

Or all of the above.

to be continued…

Just a quick follow-up pic of AFTER my donation to Locks of Love…

It’s one of those days when a gal just has to paint her toenails blue and say the heck with it.

I’ve been having those weeks where you just wanna smack somebody.  No particular reason.  Just on general principle.

Ever feel that way?  The older I get, the better I get at not actually following through, thank God.  But no matter how old I get, the frustration behind that urge never goes completely away.

Part of being human, I guess. 

Truth be told, I’m kind of a wuss and I’ve never actually smacked anybody.  Ever.  Hmm.  What does that say about me?  I’m not sure.  I’ve never smacked a guy for getting out of line.  I just walk away.  I’ve never smacked somebody who insulted me.  I usually just come up with some hopefully-withering remark in retaliation.  Then walk away. 

I’m good at removing myself from negative situations.  At least, NOW I am.  I wasn’t when I was younger.  I never looked at walking away as a sign of weakness.  Just the opposite.  It’s a sign of strength, isn’t it?

I find myself getting very reflective and introspective sometimes, moreso as I get older. 

Duh.  Like you didn’t notice.

http://www.daytimetricities.com/tri/news/article/locks_of_love/29126/

Check out this story from Jonathan Webb about Locks of Love.  If you are considering a big change, do it.  I did.  Here’s a pic of me (and puppy Chica) BEFORE donation!

http://www.daytimetricities.com/tri/news/article/locks_of_love/29126/

Slow day.  Slept late.  Worked late.  Does anyone (everyone) else my age find themselves checking in on their parents every day?  Mom especially – she lives alone.  I see her at least a few times every week, but I feel better if I talk to her every day.  She gets around great for a 78 year old woman, but I still feel like I need to check on her.  I don’t think she minds.  Some women might feel crowded – I probably will at her age – but I think she likes knowing that if anything happens to her, she’s not going to be stranded for long. 

Anyone get one of those life alert thingees you hang around your neck in case you fall and can’t get up?  I wonder if she’d mind if I suggested it.

On the other hand, she might suggest it for me.  Always been a bit of a klutz.  Hm.

Dad, I don’t worry as much.  He and my stepmom have been married almost 30 years and though his health is a bit more precarious than Mom’s , stepmom is a jewel about taking care of him, staying after him, alternately babying him and smacking him into shape.  She’s a gem alright.

Life alert?  Anybody?  Does it work?

Smooth it away, baby!  After decades of shaving my legs, I found something easier and better and ultimately, cheaper.  You know, you don’t really appreciate finds like this unless you’ve been stuck with the alternative (shaving) for a long time.  It’s called paying your dues.  Women under 40 should not be allowed to use it – they should be forced to shave and suffer the same cuts and blood loss the rest of us did.

Anyway, its that Smooth Away you see on tv.  It really works!  I found it at a Dollar General for 10 bucks and HAD to try it.  It’s so cool.  Completely painless and totally works!  Don’t ask me how.  I can’t even figure out where the hair goes.  It’s just sorta gone.  Who cares?  I’ve turned all the women in my family on to it – thought I’d spread the good news to you, too.

What an incredible day!  Sunshine and temperatures so cool you’d think it was autumn!  What a fabulous gift in the middle of a hot July!  Thanks, Papa.

Fun with family today.  I feel good about the next generation in my family.  They have a strong sense of family that will be a life-raft when seas get stormy.  Each has his/her own traumas and dramas, as we all do, but overall, I think the family is in good hands.

I sat back today at the lake with my eyes closed and just listened to them.  I’m usually watching/playing/chasing/holding, but today I just listened.  Tiny ones alternately laughing and crying, depending, I presume, on the current state of their diaper.  Toddlers screeching as they played.  (I think it has something to do with being heard in a grown-up world).  Voices talking and laughing, calling out to each other.  It was nice.  Just listening.  As my great-nephew would say, it made my heart happy.

No sign today of my newly-clean family member.  I think the WHOLE FAMILY thing was a little too overwhelming.  He sounded good when we spoke though.  I know Papa hears me when I pray.  So I pray.  What else can you do?

This is such a good, good age to be.  I think I’ll stay awhile. Wonder how long I can get away with it?

That commercial for the aspca just came on – the one with Sara McLaughlin singing and the sad pictures of hurt and lonely animals.  How am I supposed to stand that?  It’s a good thing it’s after one a.m. and the shelter is closed.
I’m digging mosquito bites – I’m allergic, so I guess that means they itch me more than they do you.  Dad always said to indent an X on the bite with your fingernail and it will stop the itching.  How come that kind of thing always seems to work when you’re a kid but not as an adult?  I’m thinking it’s a “daddy” thing.  Once he becomes Dad instead of Daddy, his magic powers become more limited. 

I’m going to the lake tomorrow – family thing, all 42 sisters and their kids and husbands and kids’ husbands and kids’ kids, etc.  I’m lucky – generally family get-togethers are something to enjoy.  I know women my age who just dread them. 

One family member just got out of detox.  I just want to wrap my arms around him and hold him and pull out a gun and blast away anyone or anything that wants to hurt him.  Do you know that feeling?  The older I get, the more protective I get, especially when it comes to gentle souls.  And he is that.  Just a gentle soul. 

After starting her career as a living breathing Barbie doll, moving toward legitimate acting credits, then reemerging in Playboy and later, in a cheesy reality show on TV Land called Chasing Farrah, the final word is this:

Such a pity that the death of Farrah Fawcett was reduced to a pinhole footnote in the news.  Many of you read my rave about her recent television special wherein she chronicled her struggle with the cancer that eventually won out. 

After starting her career as a living breathing Barbie doll, moving toward legitimate acting credits, then reemerging in Playboy and later, in a cheesy reality show on TV Land called Chasing Farrah, the final word is this:

Her dying and her death will potentially impact more people than her work ever did.  Make of that what you will.

The sincerity and honesty with which she approached her video account of battling cancer was inspirational to those who shared her fight and enlightening to those of us who have not been to war with the disease personally.  Yet.

What could be a more wonderful legacy than to inspire and enlighten?

Me?  I’m not entirely comfortable with the idea…

That is what the ads urge – that women “re-punctuate” our lives.  In other words, mess around with Mother Nature.

Me?  I’m not entirely comfortable with the idea…

Take this medicine and you will only have four periods a year.  Or two.  Or none.  Different meds promise different results, but all are geared toward avoiding the inconvenience of women having a monthly menstrual cycle.

Is it just me or is this idea making anyone else nervous?  I know, I know – the ads say it will not affect your ability to bear children in.  I haven’t seen the science on which they base that – or the test studies – so I will reserve judgment.  But I’m doubtful.

And in the meantime, what kind of changes are we inflicting on our bodies and the way they will behave in the future?  See, I don’t think anyone can honestly say that they know the answer to that. 

Women’s bodies are amazing, intricate, crazy things.  The monthly cycles we experience tie into everything in our bodies and everything around us as well.  The moon, the tides, the whole harmony of the earth.  Okay, okay, I’m sounding a little like a Birkenstock-wearing hippie, but I truly believe that our bodies are a miracle.  Geez, just look at the way they work!  How could anyone doubt they are miraculous?

Our bodies naturally begin a cycle at a certain age, end that cycle at another age, and behave in a certain way in between.  And messing around with that natural order for the sake of convenience just does not seem like a good idea.

Is it just me?

No debate about it – global warming invaded my body about the same time as menopause did.  (The menopause was very early for me – a family trait.)  And while the latter moved on, the global warming moved in.

Am I doomed to suffer hot flashes forever?

I have always been hot-natured, but never more so than since I went through menopause at about 40.  I was lucky in that it happened shortly after I went through a divorce, so the bitchiness and depression was indiscernible from that of any other post-marriage woman.  I assumed it was the stress that was making me – well, irregular if you know what I mean (and most women will), so honestly I was almost OUT of menopause before I even knew I was IN it.  My doctor and I were both surprised and like I said, I don’t know to this day which was the broken heart blues and which was the hormones!  In any case, I made it through without having to take hormone replacements or really, any kind of medication. 

Kept my shrink busy, though.

But here I am now, the hottest woman in the room – ANY room – and I don’t mean that in a good way.  I have blankets and sweaters in a stack by my front door so that when friends and family come over, they can grab what they need.  And they WILL need it.  To say you can see your breath in my living room is not a stretch. 

Welcome.  Brrr.

But it is when I am sitting there minding my own business and suddenly BAM!  I am covered in sweat - that’s what makes me crazy. 

If June is any indication, it’s going to be a scorcher of a summer.  Oh goodie.  Imagine my delight.

More later…

Trying to assess whose hate is going to explode into violence and whose is not is, at the end, impossible.  We can guess, we can suspect, but we cannot know conclusively.

So to one extent or another, it is always a surprise when it does.

Just this month, one man’s hate for abortionists drove him to – ironically – kill.

Another man’s hate for Christians justified – in his mind – the killing of one soldier and the horrific wounding of another.

Today a man’s hate for Jews was such that he took a gun into the Holocaust Museum and killed a man, deeming that to be a warranted action.

In the latter two cases, there is little doubt that these men would have taken many more lives than they did, had the opportunity to do so existed.

Hatred does not exist in greater force today than it did last year, or thousands of years ago.  Thanks to technology though, we are more aware of it than ever. 

Trying to assess whose hate is going to explode into violence and whose is not is, at the end, impossible.  We can guess, we can suspect, but we cannot know conclusively.

So to one extent or another, it is always a surprise when it does.

Just this month, one man’s hate for abortionists drove him to – ironically – kill.

Another man’s hate for Christians justified – in his mind – the killing of one soldier and the horrific wounding of another.

Today a man’s hate for Jews was such that he took a gun into the Holocaust Museum and killed a man, deeming that to be a warranted action.

In the latter two cases, there is little doubt that these men would have taken many more lives than they did, had the opportunity to do so existed.

Hatred does not exist in greater force today than it did last year, or thousands of years ago.  Thanks to technology though, we are more aware of it than ever. 

It is the nature of mankind that some will hate and, in some cases, hate to such an extreme that violence is inevitable. 

Some try to understand the haters, dissecting their lives and their pasts in search of something that makes sense, desperately grasping for some sliver of logic that can explain the nonsensical actions they take.

Some try to blame others – the killers’ parents, society, the media, anything so that – again – sense can be made of tragedy.

They are wasting their time.  Hatred will explode when and where it pleases, driven and fed by an evil that not only exists in our world, but thrives.  Its frenzied lust for souls is unquenchable and it feeds on the weak and the ignorant.  Of which there always, regrettably, plenty.

Strictly my opinion, and as always, I invite yours.  Not to try to convince anyone else.  Just to vent.  I felt the need to.  I imagine some of you who read this will as well.

Do not pick apart my belief and I will not pick apart yours.  Let’s just give voice, shall we?  Part of reading and considering other peoples opinions - even when you do not ultimately share them – is part of what helps us keep ignorance at bay. 

Finally, why?  Whether the hatred explodes in the killing of a U.S. soldier last week or the killing of thousands in September 2001, why should it be allowed to exist?

Deuteronomy 29:29 – “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

God has his reasons.  God has his plan.  Either you trust him or you don’t.  It is as simple as that.  There are some things that – for reasons known only to him – we are not permitted to know.

Hey, nobody said faith was easy.  But it is what it is.

57years old.  Wow.

I was watching a few minutes of the Tony Awards last night, and happened to be tuned in when Lucy Arnaz came on stage as a presenter – or something.  I was blown away by how great she looks, so I googled her to find her age.

57years old.  Wow.

Add her to the list of women in their 40s, 50s and 60s, too, who look the best they have EVER looked – and yes, that includes in their 20 and 30s.

It wasn’t just that Lucy was fit and in shape.  She glowed.  Her eyes were bright and alive.  Her demeanor was confident and easy.  She carried herself like…well, like a woman over 40.  Over 50.  Throw in a great haircut and my, my – what a broad! 

I love being my age.  Dont you?  I have never felt so comfortable in my skin, with all its imperfections.  I look in the mirror and these days, I see what is inside.  And it makes me smile.

Of course, I still wear makeup.  I’m not a nut job. 

Take heart!  With the right attitude and a willingness to climb out of your comfort zone, nothing is impossible.  So put on your big girl panties and get over it!

I derive my income from a number of sources and places and recently, one of the major sources disappeared.  This was not a job whose income I could simply re-budget and work around.  This needed to be replaced.

Poof.  There goes my comfort zone.

Like so many others, I found myself looking for work.  God has long blessed me with a myriad of ways to supplement my income, but the opportunities he has given me have been ones I have had to use my own ingenuity to bring to fruition.  In other words, He doesn’t throw them in my lap.  I have to get up and find them and work for them. 

S’okay by me. 

But jobs that play to my personal strengths aren’t growing on trees these days.  And being significantly over 40 didn’t appear to be working in my favor either.  The number of people applying for each job opening was pretty amazing – and pretty discouraging. 

But I have one thing that the other applicants did not have.  Me.  With whatever trial-and-error wisdom and common sense I have picked up over the years.  I climbed out of my comfort zone and started thinking about employment possibilities that had not occurred to me before. 

And there it was.  A job that is interesting, has benefits and decent pay, and hours that work nicely around my other endeavors.  So with the two weeks notice that my former employer gave me, how long was I unemployed?  Exactly 0 days.

The work is there, folks.  You just have to think outside the box.  Am I earning the same amount of money I earned at my previous job that was eliminated due to a rumbly economy?  Of course not.  But it is enough.  And I am still working.

I encourage you not to poo-poo any job right off the bat.  Think about where it could lead or what opportunities it may present that hadn’t occurred to you.  Because the longer you sit on your duff and collect Unemployment, the more unemployable you become.

You have to stay in the game.  THAT is the bottom line. 

Now given my earlier rant about Susan Boyle, you might be tempted to call me a hypocrite at this point, but give a moment to explain, will you?

I have never gotten into any of the model search tv shows that we’ve been inundated with over the past few years.  This one, though, caught my attention.  Because this one celebrates older women in particular – to be exact, women over 35.  That’s almost Fab age!

Now given my earlier rant about Susan Boyle, you might be tempted to call me a hypocrite at this point, but give a moment to explain, will you?

In blogging about Susan, I raved that “Has anyone or anything ever proven so vividly or so profoundly that it truly is what’s on the inside that counts?  Packaging be damned.  This 48 year old shy, quirky Scot made us look beyond what our eyes can see and look instead with our hearts.”

I meant every word of that.  But let’s look at what is happening on The Look, as season 2 gets underway this month on TV Land.

As with all of these competitions, I could do without the living together angle.  Seems kind of silly and pointless.  The competition is the fun.  I could not care less how well they get along with each other.

But speaking of the competition, up for grabs is a modeling contract, cash and a spread in Self magazine.

No one can deny that it is what is inside a woman that counts the most.  And I specifically rant in my Boyle blog about the number of gorgeous women with no sign of talent who are famous for absolutely nothing. 

But this, I think, steps outside of preconceived notion of beauty that society holds.  Not in the bold way that Susan Boyle does, but a way that emphasizes that physical beauty is not limited to those under 30.  That aging can be a beautiful thing as well.  It encourages the mind of society as a whole to think outside the beauty box, so to speak.

Granted, these are all gorgeous women.  But check out the beautiful 70-something year old.  And the incredible 50-somethings.  See, the point is not that they are lovely.  It is that they are outside the “lovely” norm that insists nothing is as beautiful as 25.

I don’t know if I’m expressing myself well.  I hope you get my point.