FROM FUNK TO FISHNETS...BRINGING SELF BACK

Dawn Boyle
It's here. The very last week of "summer". I feel like it was over in a blink of the eye. I feel that the days, months and now years are going too fast. I feel like I am entering into a new phase of my life...

A handful of months ago I turned 40. I handled it pretty well, if I may say so. I celebrated with my family and friends (somewhat - I think someone slipped me a mickey that night...you know who you are). I barreled into my new coming of age year with balls to the wall. I have to admit, I fell short of all the personal promises to myself. I wanted to accomplish way more than I did. I will say I kept to my word on a number of key issues, but once again let myself and my attempt at continuing it to be a "ME" year flat line.

I am not one of those people who believes in making resolutions, but I have to do something to bounce back. To get out of the funk that has encompassed me for a while now. I am taking the starting of the school year as my key to unlock the bullshit I have allowed into my own head and release it.

I had a good summer, not a great summer, but a pretty good one. I feel that I really need to start reading the Soul Food on our site, I need inspiration. I need a boost. I need a fresh start.

My friend Mary Sunshine tells me all the time that it starts with believing it and making it happen. So I say this...I believe. I believe that it's time to snap out of it and MOVE FORWARD. Leave all the crap of what is coming up on the year anniversary behind me. To let go of the issues other people have that for some reason I take on as my own. I need to embrace my immediate future and make it happen...what "it" is, I am excited to reveal within myself.

It's time to pull on the FISHNETS and let it ride!!! START SOMETHING POSITIVE TODAY. MAKE A DEAL WITH YOURSELF TO MAKE THIS A YOU YEAR!!! SHAKE IT UP  AND LIVE THE LIFE YOU WANT TO LIVE...I am going to give it my all!!

THE PANIC MODE PITY PARTY OF MY SO CALLED (Possibly) "MID-LIFE CRISIS"

Tony Walker
With the help of two wonderful people, Barbara & Dawn, I am going to make something happen with a show I wrote with my super duper business partner, April Keough, for our comedy group. We've been told by many people that this show has the potential to be something special. Something will happen.... I can feel it... but one thing I lack is patience. I want something to happen yesterday. I want something happening right now. I need something to happen because my finances are at an all time low & I am in panic mode. Along with panic mode comes the pity party I play on myself. (Or play with myself but that's a whole other story!)

The target audience of the Lounge are the 40 somethings (plus & minus more!), so maybe some of you 40 somethings can identify with what I'm going through.

How many of us grew up thinking that your whole life had to be in place by the time we hit 40 something? A change of career? Starting over? No way! Impossible! While I'd like to think I am a person who thinks out of the box, the truth is in this case I'm not. I am worried that I will lose my house before our show hits. I feel a sense of failure because I am 41 with a wife & 2 kids & I'm all over the place trying to find my place to make my mark. I am so stressed I hardly sleep, I've gained weight, & this 41 year old looks more like a 51 year old.... not that there's anything wrong with that.... but you know what I mean.

Sometimes I can't help thinking that if I had stayed at my job I would only have a few years left until retirement & financially we would be OK. But my job wanted to make me miserable because once I had my amputation they didn't want me. So what kind of life is that if I am miserable? As much as I would've hated my life I can't help think that security might have been a better way to go. Who knows... most likely if I didn't take this chance I'd be in my miserable job wishing I did take this chance. I am so confused!!!

How many of you have changed careers or made some kind of major life change around this age?
Did you feel like a failure?
Did you decide to stay in the safety of a miserable job?
Is this what a mid life crisis is?
Tell us what you think.

SHUT UP AND PUT UP!!! - Day 3

UPDATE!!! DAY 3 DAWN CHALLENGE

Okay - so far today...

Breakfast - 1/2 bowl of high fiber ceral with blueberries
Lunch - TLC Peanut Chew bar
SNACK - about 10 pretzel small logs
Dinner - 1/2 cup of noodles cooked with 5 grilled shrimp

I screw it up tonight with drinking Pinot Grigio Spritzers
I drank tons of water and did zumba this morning again...I can feel the BURNNNNNN BABY!!!

And, how's it going for you??? To quote, Jillian, "Talk to me people!"

Speaking of Jillian....... Your fans await --- Where the hell are you?
How about an appearance soon...!!!!!!!

WHATEVER IT TAKES !!!

Jennifer Copp

I was hit with a midlife crisis, not by choice. It was actually handed to me on a silver platter. I then had to decide what I wanted to do with it. My decision was that I wanted to move home. I was away more than I care to admit now.

Instead of looking back and writing a long drawn out story, I choose only to look ahead. I have 3 amazing kids that I can happily say are all ME, they walk like me, talk like me and laugh like me. They give me the courage to get out of bed and forge ahead. For that, I will always do what I have to do so that they can have a role model that teaches them they can do anything they want in life.