Forty-tude (for-tee-tud)noun: a certain attitude that women (and some men) rarely acquire before their fortieth birthday.
Do you have forty-tude yet? If you find yourself saying any of the following, you might:
- "I don't really give a shit what (you, she, he) think(s)"
- "What are they gonna do? Fire me?"
- "No. I can't be the Benefit chair/bake 12 dozen cupcakes/attend another meeting I don't want to go to/travel 10 hours in holiday traffic to see my in-laws."
Forty-tude is about finally getting your priorities straight and saying, I'm not going to spend one more minute doing things solely because someone else wants me to do them and I feel obligated.
Forty-tude is life, your way...with a few compromises thrown in, but not too many.
Do you have forty-tude? Sometimes? Always? Never?
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thirty-Nine and Thankful
We were away for Thanksgiving, so I didn't see two of the nicest expressions of thanks until we got back late yesterday.
The first was a jar of homemade cranberry sauce that my almost four year-old made with her class at school. I'm not sure we'll ever eat the cranberry sauce, but that wasn't the best part. Attached with a piece of ribbon was a water-colored card with a note, dictated by my daughter and written by the teacher,
"Dear Mom, Dad, and L.,
I am thankful when Mama goes to the store and buys me popsicles. I love you very much. Love, S."
Next, was a letter addressed to me and my husband, with my seven year-old's name and school address in the upper left hand corner. "Dear Mom, Dad, and S.," began this letter - much longer than her sister's - that expanded upon all the things she's thankful for - from her family, to food, to God.
So, if a three year-old and a seven year-old can take a moment to express their gratitude, so can I.
I am thankful for:
A wonderful husband who is supportive in a very practical way
Two beautiful, kind daughters
Healthy parents who live nearby and are fun to be around
Great relationships with extended family
Good friends
My health
My home
My job
Everyday beauty that feeds my soul
And so, so, so much more...
The first was a jar of homemade cranberry sauce that my almost four year-old made with her class at school. I'm not sure we'll ever eat the cranberry sauce, but that wasn't the best part. Attached with a piece of ribbon was a water-colored card with a note, dictated by my daughter and written by the teacher,
"Dear Mom, Dad, and L.,
I am thankful when Mama goes to the store and buys me popsicles. I love you very much. Love, S."
Next, was a letter addressed to me and my husband, with my seven year-old's name and school address in the upper left hand corner. "Dear Mom, Dad, and S.," began this letter - much longer than her sister's - that expanded upon all the things she's thankful for - from her family, to food, to God.
So, if a three year-old and a seven year-old can take a moment to express their gratitude, so can I.
I am thankful for:
A wonderful husband who is supportive in a very practical way
Two beautiful, kind daughters
Healthy parents who live nearby and are fun to be around
Great relationships with extended family
Good friends
My health
My home
My job
Everyday beauty that feeds my soul
And so, so, so much more...
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Fab 40 Definition #14: Howdy Doody Lines
Howdy Doody Lines How-dee du-dee linz (noun): lines leading from the nose to the outer corner of the mouth that appear so deep that they make the mouth and chin look like a separate entity, much like famed dummy (is that the PC term for this kind of puppet or is it like saying midget instead of little person?), Howdy Doody.
Since I was in my early twenties, I've always regarded Howdy Doody lines as the true giveaway of a woman's age. Women in their twenties don't have Howdy Doody lines - their skin is soft with just the faintest shadow of a line leading from nose to mouth. This is why they're still carded at bars.
Women of a certain age develop Howdy Doody lines -- not just lines, but deep crevices that don't go away...or do they?
The medical term for Howdy Doody lines is the nasal labial folds. Everyone has them, but when they start looking like permanent parentheses, you Google what they're really called and what you could do about them. It turns out...a lot.
So far, I'm too chicken to do anything that involves injecting botulism into my body, sloughing off my skin with chemicals that leave me red and raw, or buying a cream that costs over $100 for a few ounces. But I'm not saying never.
Until that day comes, lines add a little character; that Howdy Doody was quite a character, right?
(Photo credit: from www.fiftiesweb.com)
Monday, November 23, 2009
Julia's Fab 40th
If you build it, they will come. On Saturday I attended my first 40th birthday party since launching this blog...and...it was fabulous.
As we headed out the door on Saturday night, I warned our babysitter (again) that this could be a late night. "Are you going to boogie?" she teased us. Clearly she had taken a peek at the beautiful, yet simple, letterpress invitation that asked guests to join the birthday girl for dinner and a chance to "boogie down."
The birthday girl was our friend, Julia, who looked just lovely. You know when you're just really happy, you have that glow about you? That's how she looked. Not one to seek the limelight, she gracefully accepted a little extra attention, although she drew the line on gifts -- "no presents" it said on the invitation. (It's a classy touch, but for the record, I think it would be just fine to accept presents.)
The party was held at Momofuku Ssam Bar - a small downtown hot spot that was closed for the evening just for Julia's bash. (I just learned from Momofuku's website that ssam means anything encircled or wrapped.) We had a blast - guests were squeezed in tight at a handful of tables, as well as at the long narrow two-sided bar, where my husband and I sat about four seats away from one another. We were all seated with place cards, which is always kind of fun. It forces you out of your comfort zone to meet a new friend or two.
Julia's husband kicked off the evening by toasting the woman of the hour, who he declared "hot." Isn't that what we all want to hear from our husbands at 40 and forever? Julia stood and thanked everyone for coming as well. As I mentioned, she's not a limelight seeker, and characteristically, she took the opportunity to share the attention with shout-outs to others turning 40, and 40 year-olds doing fabulous things like running their first marathons or half-marathons. It's nice to include everyone in the kudos.
Remember when Diddy's party planner said his party was going to be "more experiential than spectacle...but still spectacular?" (See Friday's post). I think I finally know what that means!! The experience of this evening was an 8 course menu - cured hamachi, scallops, country ham, pork belly, seasonal pickles, and the piece de resistance -- the whole butt (translation - an entire pork rump that pulls apart and you wrap into bib lettuce with a variety of sauces...and oysters, if you like!) Everything was shared and passed family style, which I think always brings guests together in a more intimate way. The meal was an experience, but it was nothing short of spectacular.
Keeping it humming all night long was DJ Mr. Blue - an awesome deejay who had played at Julia's wedding (I didn't know her back then; we met when the kids were in nursery school together) and he really got the crowd going. By course #7, most people were on their feet...boogying, as promised. Some were smart enough to bring their dancing shoes!
As it hit 1:30, even though I'd warned our babysitter it would be a late night, I thought it best to hit the road. We got our coats and said goodbye, but not without one last dance with the birthday girl. I can't remember what the song was - maybe "It Takes Two to Make a Thing Go Right," but the dance, like the party, like Julia, was fabulous!!
As we headed out the door on Saturday night, I warned our babysitter (again) that this could be a late night. "Are you going to boogie?" she teased us. Clearly she had taken a peek at the beautiful, yet simple, letterpress invitation that asked guests to join the birthday girl for dinner and a chance to "boogie down."
The birthday girl was our friend, Julia, who looked just lovely. You know when you're just really happy, you have that glow about you? That's how she looked. Not one to seek the limelight, she gracefully accepted a little extra attention, although she drew the line on gifts -- "no presents" it said on the invitation. (It's a classy touch, but for the record, I think it would be just fine to accept presents.)
The party was held at Momofuku Ssam Bar - a small downtown hot spot that was closed for the evening just for Julia's bash. (I just learned from Momofuku's website that ssam means anything encircled or wrapped.) We had a blast - guests were squeezed in tight at a handful of tables, as well as at the long narrow two-sided bar, where my husband and I sat about four seats away from one another. We were all seated with place cards, which is always kind of fun. It forces you out of your comfort zone to meet a new friend or two.
Julia's husband kicked off the evening by toasting the woman of the hour, who he declared "hot." Isn't that what we all want to hear from our husbands at 40 and forever? Julia stood and thanked everyone for coming as well. As I mentioned, she's not a limelight seeker, and characteristically, she took the opportunity to share the attention with shout-outs to others turning 40, and 40 year-olds doing fabulous things like running their first marathons or half-marathons. It's nice to include everyone in the kudos.
Remember when Diddy's party planner said his party was going to be "more experiential than spectacle...but still spectacular?" (See Friday's post). I think I finally know what that means!! The experience of this evening was an 8 course menu - cured hamachi, scallops, country ham, pork belly, seasonal pickles, and the piece de resistance -- the whole butt (translation - an entire pork rump that pulls apart and you wrap into bib lettuce with a variety of sauces...and oysters, if you like!) Everything was shared and passed family style, which I think always brings guests together in a more intimate way. The meal was an experience, but it was nothing short of spectacular.
Keeping it humming all night long was DJ Mr. Blue - an awesome deejay who had played at Julia's wedding (I didn't know her back then; we met when the kids were in nursery school together) and he really got the crowd going. By course #7, most people were on their feet...boogying, as promised. Some were smart enough to bring their dancing shoes!
As it hit 1:30, even though I'd warned our babysitter it would be a late night, I thought it best to hit the road. We got our coats and said goodbye, but not without one last dance with the birthday girl. I can't remember what the song was - maybe "It Takes Two to Make a Thing Go Right," but the dance, like the party, like Julia, was fabulous!!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Diddy's 40th Birthday at The Plaza
According to party planner Bronson Van Wyck (as quoted in W magazine), the mood of Diddy's 40th Birthday bash would be more sensual than overtly sexual, and more experiential than spectacle...although it would still be spectacular. What does that mean???
The party happened last night at the newly renovated Plaza Hotel in NYC and aside from the Wire Image photos here, I can't find much about it on the web. Perhaps all the coverage of this "news" story has been promised away in exclusives to Access Hollywood and the like. From the pictures it looks like Kim Kardashian was there with her mother Kris. Nelly and Martha Stewart made appearances. And it appears that Al Green performed. I like Al Green, but overall, I don't think we missed much.
Diddy's party was sponsored by Ciroc Vodka, Diddy's own line of vodka. Imagine if the rest of us had our birthday parties sponsored by someone? I suppose it would be a product or service that I use often and represent well...
It could be Trafalgar Dry Cleaners, Zorba Pizzeria, or the local nail place, Dolce, but probably the best sponsor for my 40th birthday would be Marshall's/Home Goods...Marshall's/Home Goods presents KC's 40th Birthday.
Who would be the most likely sponsor of your birthday party?
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Nice Shout Out from Turning40.net
Turning40.net has a feature from My Fabulous 40th Birthday on its home page right now! Click here to see.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Fab 40 Definition #1: Pfeifferize
Pfeifferize fi-fer-ize (verb): 1. The act of getting increasingly better looking with age, like Michelle Pfeiffer.
The best possible benefit of turning 40 is Pfeifferizing. It doesn't happen to everyone, but you'll know it's happening to you if your once round face starts to give way to cheekbones -- sultry, sophisticated cheekbones. If your eyes sparkle with a little more confidence...you're probably Pfeifferizing.
Check out this then and now of Michelle Pfeiffer here.
Other well-known people who have Pfeifferized include Katie Couric, Sela Ward, Tom Cruise, George Clooney. Even Oprah has Pfeifferized.
It's the luck of the draw, those who Pfeifferize and those who don't. For those who do, it makes for a Pfabulous Pfortieth.
*photo from InStyle.com
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