A Guide to Life After 50

It’s Ok as long as you get the piercing before age 50. How’s that? Oh wait, and it’s OK whenever, as long as you don’t have big chains hanging from the piercing. Are we still OK?

I am so happy for you. Your blog is so good and you deserve all the readers you get. Kudos to me for recognizing real talent!

I wore diapers for a couple years during the Truman administration. Made clothing choices so much easier.

A close friend of mine got a big tattoo on her breast way back when: roses, vines, leaves. Now, at age 70, her roses, vines, and leaves are all long and skinny.

Outstanding advice.

So true about hanging around young people. Although if the “young” are a two year old and a newborn, you could feel like you just got hit by a truck.

Oh, perfect. I feel so much better now.

Just don’t get any tattoos that say “Rockin’ Grandpa.”

You’re ahead of the curve, GG.

Priceless.

I’ll take it under advisement. Greasing my palm would help (most likely another phrase that I shouldn’t be using).

It has become apparant to me since writing this post that people would give anything up before they would part with their right to Jello Shots.

My daughter goes wild everytime I say the word “panties.” I need a support group.

That’s pretty brilliant, actually.

I lived in fear of AARP until I turned 60. Then, either the magazine started to acquire a much younger look, or….

Thanks, Gaga! Hey, you can say “cool” or any other word you want, as long as you throw accolades my way. Thanks for visiting Life in the Boomer Lane!

Thanks, Patti. I stopped going sleeveless awhile ago. I think everyone should dress however they feel best, and for me, sleeves are way more flattering.

I’m so glad to hear that. I now wish I had recorded my mom and my grandparents. Your husband created a precious legacy for everyone.

I checked your site immediately. What a great idea for a book. And I love that you wrote it at this stage in your life. My two friends and I have written two books for women over 50 and we started when I was in my late 50s and they were in their early 60s. It’s been amazing for us to have reached thousands of women through speaking, workshops, etc. Good luck with the Today Show!

Thanks for visiting life in the Boomer Lane, Jim, and those are great suggestions.

Thanks, Betsy, and thanks for visiting Life in the Boomer Lane!

And it absolutely will. The years since 50 were fabulous, and the ones over 60 so far, even better.

Beautifully said. The years over fifty can be the most powerful, the most visionary, the most creative, and the most gratifying.

I’ll certainly remember your story everytime I flirt with a hot young guy!

Wow, I think “dancing in the clouds” should be the name of a book (or at least a blog post). I love it. Congrats on your upcoming marriage. I married Now Husband Dan when I was 58 and he was 56. New adventures are great. I make sure I have them all the time (although the re-marriage thing is only once).

Thanks for visiting Life in the Boomer Lane, Rebecca. Your photos are AWESOME (there, using the word and yelling it.) And I’m so happy you, too, have discovered the joy of the flirting thing.

Thanks, Dor, and thanks for visiting Life in the Boomer Lane. My friends and I have written two books about life over 50. Now, with two of them approaching 70, we are making a pitch to Rosie to be on her show to represent the power, possibility and outrageousness of life at 70. We get to keep pushing the limits!

“If not now, when?”: I agree. I figure at this point in our lives, we don’t have to eat first before having dessert. We get to have dessert all the time. That was metaphorical, of course. Except for what I’ve been doig for the past week.

I draw the line at frisbee golf.

Thanks for visiting Life in the Boomer Lane, Erin, and for your comments. Some real wisdom there. Somewhere along the way, females (and I include those down to elementary school age) have been convinced by the popular media that skintight clothes, cleavage (breast and butt), and a general hooker look is the most attractive way to go. As long as our celeb icons keep pushing the envelope like that, women will follow. Sometimes it’s scary. I do love that you got your mom to update her look.

Yes, the post was tongue-in-cheek. But the topic of dress and what’s appropriate and not appropriate is polarizing, indeed. We walk a fine line between the right to self-expression and the ability to gross people out. I follow one rule, and that’s to wear what enhances my best features. Oh, and not to wear a tee shirt that says “I’m with Shithead” when I’m out in public with Now Husband Dan.

Thanks, Stacy, and thanks for visiting Life in the Boomer Lane. I’m still laughing at your comment.

Thanks for visiting Life in the Boomer Lane, Katey. I only flirt with young men who are in some way connected to my friends (like their sons) or friends of my kids. I told my son-in-law’s friend that he was hot (He is a dead ringer for Ben Affleck). He blushed and my daughter was mortified. Later, she said, “Mom, I can’t believe you said that to Matt! Blah blah blah.” The next day, his finace came over and told us Matt came home and told her he was blown away by what I said. He said, “Renee rocks.”

Thanks, June! I have a friend who is tall, thin and 67 years old. She rocks mini skirts.

I had a friend who actually did that. Hilarious.

Thanks, Kid. Wow: Keep on truckin’. Possibly the finest piece of advice ever given in the history of the world. It takes me back to those days, and moves me forward all at the same time. Thanks for reminding me of that.

I ran a speed dating company for 3.5 years. Yes, many women have told me the same. But many men have also. This post isn’t long enough to get into the details (Ooooh, I can write a post about it). It’s an onlgoing issue.

Thanks!

The hunt for cute clothes and shoes for those of us at midlife and beyond is ongoing. I’ve solved the shoe issue (Certain brands are up-to-the-minute adorable without forcing me to totter on 6 inch stilletto heels). Clothes, ah. another issue. I still have a body (especially when I just sort of close my eyes halfway in front of the mirror and look through my eyelashes) and I still want to look cute and hot and me. I know what looks good on me but sometimes when I’m out and about I will buy something that is the exact opposite. Then I wear it once and am completely mortified and end of giving it away. Cute, cute, cute. I will never give that word up. I will take it to my grave: “Here lies Renee. She sure was cute.”

Thanks for visiting Life in the Boomer Lane!

And it’s funny now, in a sort of tragic way. It’s a shame our body parts go south and insist on taking our tattoos with them.

Possibly the finest Christmas card I’ve ever seen. Seriously.

Just stay away from the muumuus and mini-skirts and you’ll be OK, Larry.

AARP stopped scaring me when I turned 60. Then everyone in the mag suddenly looked good. After writing this post, I have been deluged with people oner 50 telling me about their tattoos. I never suspected.

Start complaining to 80 year olds. They’ll just beat you with their walkers.

I love that you did this. What a precious gift for him and what an amazing legacy for the family.

The whole topic about appropriate dress is such a mixed bag (Oh wait, can I still use that phrase?). I agree that people should wear what makes them happy. Unless I’m walking down the boardwalk and cringing at some of the things I see.

Thanks for visiting Life in the Boomer Lane, Lynn. I wish someone would pay me to be a one woman Dress/Hair/Makeup Squad and authorize me to do citizen’s arrests. Of course, I, on the other hand, could look however I wanted.

Thanks! It’s another wild ride, for sure.

Thanks for visiting Life in the Boomer lane, Natasia. Rock on.