Are You A "Make-Do" Baby Boomer Woman?

Every now and then a "floating" email catches my attention---like this one did. It got me to thinking about the kind of woman I've become. Beverly Mahone is living fabulous at fifty and not lamenting on the would've, should've, could've of life. I'm NOT a "make-do" woman. I'm a "make-time" woman. What about you? If you identify with the type of woman described here, it's definitely time for a change.

When I was preparing to get married (the first time around more than 20 years ago), I started getting all sorts of advice especially at bridal showers and things like that from family and friends. But one of the most interesting "lessons" came from a woman I met for the first time, just a few weeks before the big day.

She said, "Honey, whatever you do, don't ever let yourself become a "make-do" woman" I had no idea what she meant, but, of course, she was about to explain.

She continued, "men" don't deny themselves anything. Whatever they want to buy, they buy. Whatever they want to do, they do. Meanwhile, there is the wife, making do with her hair not being done, her clothes from yesteryear, her nails in need, never had a pedicure, scraping the bottom of her tube of lipstick! Oh, I could go on and on with how "we" make do.

And why? Because the car needs fixing, this Bill is behind, we have to use our time to take care of this, or take care of that; we're saving for this, working, cooking, cleaning, raising, etc." She warned me to never become a make-do woman, because she says if you start, it is hard to stop and one could easily find themselves making-do for the rest of their lives.

I vowed it would never happen to me. I didn't think much more of the conversation until one day, I began to take notice, she was right. Men are a lot better at being good to themselves. Some call it being selfish, there has to be another word for it. Tell me if you know. Whatever you call it. It does have its place.

When they want to play ball, or golf, or fish, they go! When they want to buy clothes, or equipment, or video games, or whatever their "thing" is, they buy! Have you ever tried to stop one? Has anyone ever been able to stop one? Let me know! When I look around, I see a whole heap of make-do women, married or not, with or without children, they are all over the place!

I have decided that I am going to make my best effort to become a "make-time" woman! I will make the time to do what I need to do to be good to myself, whether that's a trip to the salon, or the gym or the mall. This time I'm going to take a lesson from the guys!

All right ladies, single and married... Let's NOT be a "MAKE-DO" Women!

"I'm Still Hot" Tour Part I

Last week I started the first phase of my "I'm still Hot...it just comes in Flashes now!" book tour. First stop, WGHP Fox 8 in High Point/Greensboro. I decided to take my daughter and grandson with me so they could experience what it was like to be "on the road." I have to say I probably learned more from it than they did.

At WGHP, I was interviewed by a young woman named Shannon--she looked young enough to be my daughter. I didn't think she understood the whole "menopause" thing but she did read my book and asked some VERY GOOD QUESTIONS during the interview. It appears the one book I sent got passed around to the women at the station because they all had a comment about something they read. Fortunately, I was able to wait until the camera stopped rolling before I had a "hot flash!"

My biggest thrill was getting to see a guy I worked with 20 years ago at WITN-TV (NBC Affiliate) in NC. His name is Bob Buckley and he was hired to do sports back then. He was always a friendly guy and I enjoyed his take on sports. Well, at WGHP, he is now a news anchor/reporter---a job he says he prefers---and he seems to be doing a wonderful job at it. As a matter of fact, he's the one who pushed for me to be interviewed at WGHP because it just so happened that he was filling in as an anchor for the morning show last week.

Bob and I reminisced about old times and connections. I learned, for the first time, that he went to school with Brad Pitt and Sheryl Crow and another former colleague of mine from ABC-11. The man has connections.

I left the interview feeling really good about it. My daughter even said she enjoyed it. From there I spoke at a luncheon of about 60 women. They laughed at my jokes and gave me a standing ovation at the end.

Next it's on to Charlotte, NC.

Wanna know what the rave is all about? Pick up a copy of "Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age" on amazon.com and find out!

A Baby Boomer Diva Butterball? Whatever!

Yesterday after church a woman named Lois came up to me and complimented me on my appearance. She said she noticed I had lost weight. I thanked her for noticing and explained that I have been working on dropping some pounds. I told her I had lost about five pounds. She thought it was more than that and then went on to tell me I had turned into a little "butterball" so losing any weight was obviously noticeable.

WELL!!! So that's what I've been looking like to the general public? A little butterball! Funny no one else said anything before. Maybe they were just trying to spare my feelings because you know how sensitive some of us women can be about weight issues. But this particular baby boomer diva didn't bite her tongue or mince words---she just came right out and said what she thought.

Although Lois and I have been attending the same church for years, we became friends after my book "Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age" was released. She bought a copy and said she's read it about four or five times. Bless her heart.

I told her how I had changed my eating habits and about going to the gym and participating in the fitness boot camp.

On the way home from church I told my husband what she said and he was surprised at her comment. But then I asked him to BE HONEST and tell me if he thought I had gained alot of weight. And then he confessed that I had packed on some pounds since we first met six years ago but his love for me wasn't measured by how much I weighed.

Awww...that was sweet. But I do thank Lois for keepin' it real.