I’m embarrassed to admit I’ve never completely figured out my skin tone! I’m pretty pale and I guess neutral-to-cool. Definitely not warm (which is why I don’t use orange very often) but I can never tell if I’m actually neutral or cool!

We’re having my husband’s family over for a BBQ this coming weekend, so I’m deep cleaning my house. (My house is always super clean but I’m neurotic!) So that’s one thing I want to do. I got most of the downstairs done yesterday, minus polishing the wood floors. Working on the upstairs today.

But on a more fun note, I got a new workbench for my woodworking project, so this week I’d like to finish building the second chair for my pergola area and get them both stained. The workbench should help make the pre-sanding step go faster!

Also I’ve been pushing myself out of my comfort zone with eye looks lately. I’m thinking I want to try something orange and pink - sort of sunset inspired. These are the palettes I’m thinking of playing with - anyone want to suggest which colors to use?

Ooh let us know how it is! I’ve always wanted to do that.

This all sounds amazing. I agree you must share donkey pics!

I would look like Laura Ingalls Wilder if I tried to wear a blouse like that. Props to those who can!

I guess I’d pair it with faded light blue jeans, either bootcut or flares, and birkenstocks. Really lean into the boho-hippie vibe.

Yup! I hated being a kid and a young adult. You have to work so hard in school and at work to prove yourself and still nobody takes you seriously or treats you with real respect. You burn yourself out taking on too much, and you never have enough time or energy left over to do the things you want to do.

But I really like where I am now. I’m retired, physically fit, have time to cook healthy meals from scratch, and I can pursue my interests and hobbies. People take me seriously and respect my choices (for the most part anyway). I’m not nuts about aging and the hormonal changes that go along with it, but medication, skincare, healthy eating, and exercise are helping.

I get along with other women pretty well on a surface level, but it can be hard to really relate to a lot of women my age because I don’t have kids. And there is a certain amount of stereotypically female pop culture that I’m not into, like the Kardashians or romantasy books, which can be limiting when I’m trying to connect with someone new.

I’d love to make IRL friends with some women my age who share some of my interests - makeup, nail polish, star trek, kayaking, gardening, '60s music, weightlifting, French language. But I don’t know how! I’ve struck out on Bumble BFF and kind of gave up for a bit haha

It’s a community for women. We’re not so hard up that we need men to come in and be sympathetic. Sometimes we just want a kiki with other ladies. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

You did a nice job, especially with shaping them!

Reminds me of Aaahh!!! Real Monsters

This makes me think of the Ani DiFranco lyrics:

I am not an angry girl
But it seems like I’ve got everyone fooled
Every time I say something they find hard to hear
They chalk it up to my anger
And never to their own fear

Rather than take what we do or say at face value, there’s some kind of interpretation that is meant to diminish us. So assertive becomes bitchy, and honest becomes angry. 🙄

What an insecure little manbaby. I feel bad for his wife!

In my early twenties I worked in the main office for a company that staffed medical imaging personnel (e.g., x-ray techs and sonographers) to local facilities. It was an office full of ladies and only one guy, and this guy was a jerk. His job was to handle the scheduling for the techs. He had been a daytrader on Wall Street but couldn’t handle the stress, so I guess he was slumming it with us for a while. He was a very intense dude with no chill, and he clearly had a pretty low opinion of women in general.

Anyway. One of our ultrasound techs was heavily pregnant and feeling unwell, so she called out sick one morning. And this douchebag went on a huge angry rant about how being pregnant isn’t a sickness, it’s not an excuse to miss work, his wife never took a sick day during her pregnancy, and how the tech was creating more work for him to have to scramble to find someone to replace her at the last minute. And nobody said anything - all of the other ladies in the office were just silent. And I guess my New Jersey came out, because I told him the fuck off. Told him that he has no goddamn idea what it’s like to be pregnant, and no right to judge her for taking a sick day, and he’s in an office full of women, so he should be respectful and keep his sexist tirade to himself because nobody wanted to hear it.

I was so sure I was going to get reprimanded for that, but a bunch of the women in the office thanked me for saying something. I was really surprised! Even my boss said something like “yeah, you probably shouldn’t have done that, but I’m glad you did.”

Please tell Leonard he’s precious 🤍

Not to nitpick but I think chav is more like white trash for Americans. Redneck is more rural or Southern, and may or may not be white trash. Although I suppose there are chavs of color so it’s not a perfect analogy.

• Protect your time and your peace. You don’t always have to say yes to every request or invitation. Get comfortable with saying no and advocate for yourself.
• Prioritize your physical health. Drink a bunch of water, commit to a regular weightlifting regimen, learn about nutrition, count your calories and macros, watch out for saturated fat and limit your sugar, eat a fuckton of protein (1 gram per pound of ideal body weight), make sure you get at least 25 grams of fiber daily, and limit alcohol and caffeine. The goal is to age healthily!
• SUNSCREEN. For godsake use mineral sunscreen with both titanium and zinc. Not because it’ll help keep you looking young (although that is a nice side effect), but because you are pale as fuck and the dermatologist is gonna have to remove a bunch of things from you in your thirties, and you’ll hate the scars.
• Yes you need to floss. No it’s not optional.
• Learn to differentiate between need and want. I need a roof over my head. I want that new eyeshadow palette. Most of your spending should go toward needs, and set aside a small amount for wants. The rest goes in savings (consider that a need too).
• It’s OK to be imperfect, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t strive for perfection.

And

• Be proud of yourself!

I wish someone had told me this when I was young. It’s such good advice 🤍

Man that sucks :( I’m curious, why do you feel like you have to allow it and pretend to enjoy it?

Those are both good! Especially humor, funny is very sexy.

• If they smell good
• If they take pride in their appearance
• If they can make me laugh
• If I feel safe to be myself around them
• If they make me think
• If they have green eyes (I’m a sucker for green eyes)
• If they’re kind
• If they take a genuine interest in me

The smelling good thing is huge for me. Some animal part of my brain craves the way my husband smells, for example. Not deodorant or shaving cream, but just his smell. 🤷🏻‍♀️