BlogHer - Where are all the middle-aged women bloggers? - Comments

Mid-Life Bloggers

boopboopadoop — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:16:45 -0500

Yes, we are out there! As I'm happy to discover on this site. Mid-life rants seem to be emerging as a constant theme in my own blog: http://chronicfatigue.typepad.com/mj/ (check out "Indignities"). I'd love to hear from some of you...especially in the non-Mommy category.

Thanks!

Middle aged and lonely.

maxie62 — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 09:17:42 -0500

I am new at this. I guess the whole idea of my being here is to communicate with people my own age. I need somewhere to share my story and to ask questions.

Midlife Muse and all the

ls_1955 — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 07:56:18 -0500

Midlife Muse and all the others out here

I am so glad I found this blg space! My daughter left home a couple of years back and my son left home recently... both to study further... and I find myself not doing anything at all. Now why cant I just enjoy that... not doing anything? I used to love that when I was 15 years old... just standing and staring at the sunset, why do I feel guilty now to not be doing anything?

Glad to hear an echo

ls_1955 — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 07:44:46 -0500

Glad to hear an echo

Relationships and Reinvention

Carmencita — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:19:57 -0500

Plusstyle:

Thank you for your well wishes and Amen to the importance of relationships, above all!

I mean, I am so grateful I had the opportunity to have a wonderful career where I could satisfy that portion of my being, 'there is a time for all seasons," It also served as an example to my children on perseverance, work ethic and self fullfilment - but most importantly, it helped to mold the ME of "now."

At midlife, I have worked a lot out of my system, and now can focus on relationships - so it is the most critical and wonderful time of all, for me.

(By the way, I too love to use photos to conserve family history, one of my hobbies being restoring old family photos and presenting them to my children.) Your calendar project is a great idea!

Remember, life is a

judithL — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:14:33 -0500

Remember, life is a journey, not a destination. Here's to Living Well! www.themadgoddess.blogspot.com & www.lwbms.blogspot.com

Right On Jane

judithL — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:13:38 -0500

I think the underlying sentiment of most of the comments here is that we want to be viewed as a unique segment of the society with individual concerns and needs. Like the middle child in a family where the focus is split between the oldest and the youngest, we are saying, "Hey, remember me?"

We weren't always in the middle. For a brief, shining moment in life, we were the baby and now we are feeling overlooked.

A question - Do you think midlife is different for men and if yes, how so?

Remember, life is a journey, not a destination. Here's to Living Well! www.themadgoddess.blogspot.com & www.lwbms.blogspot.com

Oh yes, me too

NurseBarb — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:25:46 -0500

Well, there's really no point trying to hide it. I've been around the block a few times.

Let's do the math, first 8 years working in a pediatric ICU, then over 21 as a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner. I've asked my 12 year old and we both agree, I do qualify as a middle aged blogger. And, as it turns out, all those years add up.

Come to think of it, I think a few added miles gives us a little street cred. I mean after all, we've got some stories! I work with women of all ages and stages, each brings so much to the banquet!

I write a daily health blog at www.nursebarb.com

We have a lot of fun talking about all women's health issues, sex included, with plenty of posts to interest women no matter what they're experiencing. I like to sprinkle in a little humor to keep my readers entertained.

Be well,

Barb

www.nursebarb.com

We're Everywhere!

apietrangelo — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:38:46 -0500

I'm new to BlogHer and just happened upon this post. I've been blogging for a little more than a year now. I, too, envy today's "mommy bloggers." I would have jumped in on that for sure! But, here I am, coming up on 49 years old, and I blog about women's issues, life, love, and multiple sclerosis.

Multiple Sclerosis Central

Conversations Over Dinner

MS Maze

and I contribute one or two articles a month to "Women Over 40 Rock!" -- I'm sure you'll enjoy that blog!

Ann Pietrangelo

http://www.AnnPietrangelo.com

Not Old or Young, Just Me

KelleyS — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:36:30 -0500

While I am over forty, I have two young kids, run around like a crazy woman and never think twice about being old, young or any age category. My best friends are around my age, but most definately in the same lifestage. Given how vital many people are, even when they are old, almost makes age irrelevant.

Even when my grandmother was 90 years old, she always said it was just her body that was getting older and that she was the same person she always was. I guess I am old enough to appreciate that sentiment. Whether 20, 40 or when I am 60, I think I'll still just be me.

KelleyS, Too Busy to Shop

Life begins at 40

LMBehr — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:24:54 -0500

I've never been ashamed of my age. I remember that I got a little weirded out when I turned 33 (don't ask me why). When I turned 40, I had bought my first computer and spent 6 months researching internet dating. My life consisted of working, raising a teen-age son (or rather, TRYING to raise a teen-age son since he was mostly never home) and reading on the couch. I remember deciding that, even if I met an axe murderer, it ought to relieve the monotony. I finally learned who I was during that time, enough so that, when I met my future husband about 18 months later, I recognized what a treasure he was AND accepted that I deserved him! As for body image, my ex-husband told me that my weight bothered him (I was 200 pounds and 9 months pregnant at the time). He left when the baby was a month old. Well, I got past that because I was still 200 pounds when I started computer dating (12 years later), 220 when I re-married and 270 a year later (right before my gastric bypass surgery). I remember asking my husband if he would still love me when I lost weight! Bottom line is, love yourself. Anyone who can't accept you as you are isn't worth your time. Let them walk their own path. You just have to know yours.

Linda

Does being closer to 40 than 39 count?

Southerngirl — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:24:04 -0500

I willbe 40 in a few short months. Have not thought about the fact that I just might be middle aged! OMG! I am just getting used to the idea of how old I am. I just started blogging on this site and at Many Opinions. as the title of the blog states it is about a lot of topics. Mostly what goes through this mind and that can be anything! I would be curious as to how the women who do not think of their age beyond the most minimal of circumstances. I know I am 40 when someone asks if I would consider having kids (H*!! No!) on matters of sex I now need a bed, the fact that most of the really cute professional atheletes are too young for me and then there is the body much better with clothes than without! Other than that I rarely think of my age. Unless of course my darling little children want to tell a total stranger, in their loudest voice.

Michelle

call them bloomacious!

bloomacious — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:00:51 -0500

There's a lot of names but few really characterize the whole age group since it's so diverse.

http://www.bloomacious.com

Aren't labels kind of Old?

LMBehr — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:53:39 -0500

You know, maybe our whole problem is all the labeling that our world seems to be so fond of. Back in the day, we were men, women, boys and girls. I personally consider myself nothing more than a grown-up. And it took me 50 years to feel this way. Linda

Relationships and Reinvention

plusstyle — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 07:47:30 -0500

Hello,

Congratulations on retirement! I am also new to blogging. I have just started for a project for work. I stumbled across your midlife blog and it echoed so true - I just had to write.

Having just reached the 45 mark myself. I have found that my spiritual being and relationships with family and friends are most important to me. That said, I also realize that these things are ever evolving and take time, energy and patience to grow, embracing each moment along the way.

Several years back, I was looking for a Christmas gift for my 90 plus year old grandmother and stumbled across the idea of a family calendar with pictures of the year along with birthdays, anniversaries, etc.. As a result I have become the family photographer. Documenting our lives and adventures. It is a great way to remind myself of all of the milestones that would otherwise have been caught up in the blur of every day living. My grandmother passed this year at 97 and the calendar seemed almost impossible to master but my parents and siblings were happy to receive it. It is a daily reminder that hangs on our walls that these people are what we value most in life.

Where are all the middle-aged women bloggers?

msmeta — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:20:42 -0600

Okay, I'm a real newby, and I realize, at this stage of my blogging life, I’m largely talking to myself, but I’ve been doing this fairly regularly for more than two months now, and I still can’t decide what I want my blog to be. I write like I’m going to be graded. I’ve been wandering around the Internet, going from blog to blog, finding blogs I sort of like and linking to blogs those bloggers like, but I can’t seem to hear the voice I want to hear. (I should note that I’ve pretty much restricted my search to blogs by women, which in many — but certainly not all — cases kind of limits the conversation to the traditional women’s topics: love, relationships, parenting, fashion, body image, equality, etc.)

I’ll admit it. I envy the mommybloggers. Twenty years ago — barely married, relocated and jobless, holed up in a Victorian three-flat in Chicago with two very small boys and no one to talk to — I would have found those sites a lifeline, a very Godsend. But, despite the obvious fact that theirs are among the most powerful and prolific voices on the Web, the Mommys don’t speak to or for me. I have different issues now, and I’d like to talk about them and hear others talk as well.

I enjoy the literary blogs, particularly Maud Newton, with her combination of literary insights, family history and life in the Big City. I learned of her and several other great literary/arts blogs from another favorite blog by WSJournal critic Terry Teachout. And who couldn’t love Bossy? (Good luck on your trip, girl!) But there are some pretty dark voices out there, and while I enjoy a well-written rant, I tend to stay away from the really angry bloggers.

It’s not like I’m a neophyte. I may not choose to have a Facebook or a MySpace site, but back in the day I would almost daily log onto alt.fashion (”What are YOU wearing today?”) and alt.depression (with its multiple threads) to check in and join in the conversation. Does anyone else remember these sites? Am I such a dinosaur? It was just the ’90s! I know you’re out there!

If you are a woman of a certain age (doesn’t that sound better than middle-aged?) and know of blogs that talk comprehensively about this wonderful, frustrating stage of life, please let me know.

We need to talk.