Stephanie Dolgoff's Blog, page 16

Curses, foiled again

"YOU SAID A BAD WORD TO ME!!" my daughter Sasha, 7, cried, shocked, after I had, in fact, said a bad word to her. I loudly think lots of bad words to my children, but rarely do they come out of my mouth in their hearing. The bad word in question was "damned," as in  Lady MacBeth's, "Out, out, damned spot," Queen of the Damned, and, of course, Damned if you Do, Damned if you Don't (a.k.a., life with twins, which I have).

I had kept it clean the first three times I asked her to please stop...

I didn't dream this

NY Times Extended List

The devil is in the decals

(Forgive the repeat–I'm pooped and all I wanna do is drink wine and grill things and nap. I know you know what I'm talking about.)

The hunt for flattering gymwear is never-ending, and I know you know what I'm talking about.

Few women look good in those capri-length workout bottoms that are everywhere–they make a woman look like a peg leg pirate with stubby, wide thighs–and you have to be Gwen Stefani with her rock-hard abs to pull off track pants rolled down at the waist. No one, male or...

Yeah, touch THIS!

I try. I really do. But when it comes to those ever-smaller and lighter devices that are meant to make my life easier, as game as I am, I always feel like I am in their service rather than the other way around. And it's starting to piss me off.

This is a distinctly Formerly condition, because we are just old enough not to have been raised with computers in the classroom or even mostly in the dormroom, yet just young enough to at least try to be fluent as adults if we want to make a living...

She's not a fan

DENISE IN SF WROTE: Well, what I can tell you is that I wasn't hot in my 20s.  I was fat and insecure, but still pretty.  In my 40's I turn more heads and feel fantastic.  Everyone who disagrees with you is not a "hater."  But I would say your little gimmick is pretty stupid.  Anyone, anywhere who feels the need to pigeonhole women into tidy little categories is adding to the problem.  And you do not look like Julia or Julia!  You're not saying I can't be hot?  Gee, thanks!  But some of us...

The unique plight of the adult tween

A woman named Noelle posted this in "Share Your Story" on the right there, but it summed up things so eloquently  for Formerlies with teenagers that I had to give it a more prominent spot:

I have two precious things in my life, one that makes me feel "hot" - the perfect little black dress - and one that makes me feel "formerly hot" - a 15-year-old daughter. Her friend had a "club-themed" Sweet 16 party and the next thing I know my Little Black Dress walked out the door on my "little girl." ...

Happy birthday, Sweet Adult Tween

NOELLE WROTE: I have two precious things in my life, one that makes me feel "hot" - the perfect little black dress - and one that makes me feel "formerly hot" - a 15 year old daughter. Her friend had a "club-themed" Sweet 16 party and the next thing I know my Little Black Dress walked out the door on my Little Girl.  My clothes are going to parties I'm not invited to!

Photo by Dancer Dalagio CC

Fashion forward, people!

[image error]KIMBERLY WROTE: Ray-bans, how I love thee, but sometimes I'm afraid my desire is driven by intense nostalgia for those former days of the 80's and I'm also afraid the youngsters (hipsters) will think I'm trying to "be cool" and that I'm clearly too old to be wearing them.  Ray-bans were the "it" glasses when I was in high school and my over analysis of how others will respond shows I'm clearly conflicted about leaving my former life behind.   I teach fashion students and when they show up to ...

Suddenly the oldest

K WROTE:  I was always the youngest –in my class, at work, among my friends. Then I worked for five years b/f I started law school. Suddenly I was the oldest. And — seven years later, still the oldest. Everyone who is at the same stage of the profession is at least 4 or 5 years younger than me. This may not seem like a lot, but while my other friends are now on their second children, thinking about whether they can still wear short(ish) skirts, and getting divorced or remarried — my younger f...

Formerly NOTHING

[image error]SHARON WROTE: Hey what's up with the Formerly Hot stuff? If you're proud of your accomplishments and are in love with life…every day is full of creativity and excitement. I'm a veteran globetrotting travel journalist writing about adventure-I invite ya'll to join me exploring Planet Earth. Read my global travel features: www.moultrienews.com Click Travel. Plan your own adventures: you'll be hotter than ever. Sharon Spence Lieb, 50+++ and in love with travel and my husband.