formerlyhot.com

This movie requires Flash Player 8

SHARON WROTE: For nearly a decade before having kids, I lived in Paris and had a fun, fancy job schmoozing with (cute) government delegates to Climate Change talks.  Had an affair with one, too.  I had a charming apartment, a great wardrobe, cash to spare and tons of frequent flyers miles racked up on business trips abroad.  French and English were one in the same, dinnertime was ten p.m. and lunch – mandatory, bien sur – lasted daily from noon to two.  Ooh la la!  Eventually, I met a man (a Franco-Italian Cohen to boot) and settled with him in the picturesque outskirts of Aix-en-Provence.  What more could we ask for?

A lot, it turns out.  Unfortunately, life in France is hard for entrepreneurs like my husband, and after our first son was born in ’99, he begged me to pick up and move stateside.  It took me three years to relent and agree to leave behind olive trees and year-round sunshine, baguettes, eight-week vacations and free childcare.  It then took me another three to get used to living in suburbia, carpooling, playdating and eating peanut-butter sandwiches on the run.  But my husband was right: working life is easier here, for him and for me.  Which makes family life easier, too.  Still, even now – ten years and a second son later – I often find it hard to believe how many wonderful things we had to give up in order for everything to truly be BETTER.  And that this frumpy, American mom I’ve become is happy despite being… Formerly French.

Photo by Jules:Stonesoup CC

LUCKYGIRL WROTE: Turning 40 in one month.  Unloading the lazy husband, raising two smart, confident, funny girls, loving my work and feeling that what I do makes a difference.  I spent 39 taking a long look at where I am and where I want to be (and what I want for my girls) and found that I can be fabulous on my own!
Photo by Izarbelzta CC

LEANNE WROTE: Pressure! Am feeling self-generated pressure to maintain the physically fit, post-Menopause body I created within the last couple years.  When does conscientious working out slink into obsession?  But, how not to stay this way when the attention is so captivating?  It is so nice to feel confident.  Maybe I could start a “formerly nothot” site.  Returning to Key West where I intend to strut my 51-year-old stuff.

Photo by , CC

KELLY WROTE: As god as my witness, in my Formerly Hot life my morning beauty routine consisted of mascara (a must) and red lip gloss (optional). Now the word for us Formerlies is that we should use LESS make-up for a ‘fresh and youthful’ look.  HELLO…WTF??? I’m now at a point where it takes more, I have the resources for the good stuff and thirty years of application tips and practice I’m supposed to wear less?  What?  Is that possible  for any of us Formerlies?  Am I the only one out here that has to spend three times longer applying twice as much stuff to look half as I good way back when?  Not Fair!  I’m calling Shenanigans!

Photo by Snowkei CC

JESSICA WROTE: I had to run out to pick up cold medicine for my son and ran into my friend’s brother whom I hadn’t seen in 5 years. In our meeting he told me I looked older, he attempted to redeem himself by saying, “I mean more mature.” Ouch. I later talked to my friend he told me his brother had thought I was stoned. Nope, the fun days are long gone and replaced with kids, work, and bills, making me extremely tired looking.

Photo by Wiros CC

CYNTHIA WROTE: I used to be able to count on manly types stopping to assist when auto failure haunted my travels. Had three crusty geezers trying to change a tire in the rain not so long ago. A recent breakdown found not a soul willing to offer a jump-start, and I knew I’d “crossed over.”  Mom says just wait; pretty soon they’ll be back to help me out ’cause I’m an old lady.  Thanks, Mom.  Of course, I know how to do my own repairs.  It’s the principle of the thing.

Photo by HGruber CC

BROOKE WROTE: Did some math today. This year’s incoming college freshman were born in 1991. I wept very salty old lady tears.

THE MIDLIFE GALS WROTE: I have decided to be 35.  I am going to skip past the notion that 50 is the new forty and go down to the 30’s.  It just sounds better and feels better too.  Until, of course, I have to put my mascara on in one of those magnifying mirrors that makes me look like my face is one BIG eye. My eyelids have crept down to produce their own double chins, so I have to really open my eyes wide and lift my eyebrows in order to put on eye shadow.  And, speaking of eyebrows, mine are going bald so I have to use a pencil to ‘fill in.’ I’m thinking of tattooing eyebrows on so I can eliminate one more step in my beauty regimen, but then I’d have to glue individual hairs on top of that so I wouldn’t look like Marlene Dietrich.  So, I’ll think 35, but everyone will still see 57.  Can’t be helped! Onward, through the fog!

LEABRAUSUB WROTE: ‘Hard to pick a “formerly” anything b/c I feel so good now.  Returned to school, then grad school, then to a professional occupation at 45 after 14 years at home.  Making nice money (finally), which is great b/c “things” cost $$.  After menopause-am 50 now-lost 38 pounds; I work out; eat healthy; attend lots of rock shows; have co-workers apparently emulating what I have done.  Even got a nose piercing.  Travel to Key West every Easter week-made it up to 2 stages there the year I turned 50. Happily married soon-to-be 29 years. Just never knew 50 could be so good.

Photo by Sillydog CC

NFA WROTE: I don’t have time to go get waxed anymore, so I buy a Sally Hansen extra strength variety, presumably for really hairy people. I keep running out of strips (last time, after I had done only one leg), but don’t have time to find just the strips alone, so I keep buying kits. Now I have three tubs of wax in my bathroom, and one set of strips. My kids were out on Sunday morning, so I managed to wax the back of one of the unfinished legs. Then they came home, and I couldn’t get to the back of the other one. And I’m still walking around with a partially hairy leg.

Photo by Quinet CC