A Few Good Men

Filed Under All Posts, Connie Stetson, Courage, Relationships | 10 Comments

Strongman Eugen Sandow, 1893, Library of Congress

I want to sing the praises of good men. Men who teach, love and protect children. Men who deny their own needs in order to put their families first. Men who really like and seek the company of women. Men who are called to service, or art, or creation, or justice; who can fix broken things, can build and farm, who cook, and men who use their strength to stand for those who cannot.

It often becomes so easy for women in our righteous anger, disappointment, frustration and worse, real fear, to disparage our brothers. Some of the most hilarious, satisfying, nasty conversations I have with my girlfriends are over martinis and indulging in a little cock talk. (And you can take that any way you want.)

But it hurts my soul to feel that we need to see men as adversaries, that we feel the need to brace ourselves in their presence waiting to see if we’ll be assaulted, and that we feel essentially unsafe in their company. So we get snarky and funny, and blame them for what has and has not happened to us in our lives. Read more

Entering the Blogosphere

Filed Under All Posts, Cathy Fischer, Courage | 9 Comments

I was high atop the clouds last summer on a 757 heading to Chicago for the annual BlogHer conference, a gathering of mostly women who believe, strongly, that they have something to say.

Will I have something to say as I am catapulted into the world of commentary, citizen journalism and navel-gazing? I hope so. I think so. I know so. For backup, I have enlisted the help of some articulate, powerful, funny, sexy and smart voices. Other women, friends of a ‘certain age,’ whose reflections make me sit up and take notice, wonder aloud, laugh, get enraged and engaged in life—mid-life.

Fifty is the new… is a new state of mind. As we try to figure out how to live our best lives, we struggle with personal, professional and physical changes. Unlike the women of Wisteria Lane or “reality” shows, we use our hard-earned wisdom for good, not evil. And we support one another as a community of like-minded individuals going through similar discoveries, delights, frustration and joy.

We come together to reflect on what it’s like to be a woman in her fifties who sometimes feels like it’s still the ‘70s. So when the mirror ball of life is throwing diamonds against the wall, we can dance on into the night to “Stayin’ Alive”, singing “I will survive… hey hey,” all the while chanting, “I am woman, watch me roar,” only with better hairdos, improved Lycra and less make-up, thank goodness.

We’ll be exploring a myriad of topics including and not limited to: work, play, love, family, relaxation, stress, societal pressures, politics, health and beauty, arts and culture, food and even shopping—whatever tickles our fancies, pisses us off, or makes us ask WTF? with the perspective of keeping it real—staying young and healthy in heart and mind.

Boomers beware! It’s time for a girlfriendly point of view from real women who are hip, smart, reflective and fun—aging gracefully and with a sense of humor. Meet the Bloggerinas >