Reasons to go on a date if you're older than 40

1) You'll remember why being single is OK.

2) The GOP presidential candidates might look less horrific by comparison.

3) Your next day at work will seem easy

4) You can take bets on how many times your group of girlfriends will say, "Oh. My. God." as you recount the tale at your next GNO.

5) It'll give your relationship with your dog/cat even more value and clarity.

Im shrinking? Already?

I want a recount.

I'm apparently only 5-foot-5 now. I've always been 5-foot-5 and 3/4 inches. But I measured a mere 5-5 at the doctor's office.

My mom is shrinking, and I think she's a bit young for it, too.

First I get spots all over my face (and ladies, do not bother with that oil of olay or clinique or anyone else's spot cream -- a quick trip to the dermatologist and some ). Now I'm shorter. Not much I can do about that.

But about the spots. Here's what the Mayo Clinic has to say:

Age spots — also called liver spots and solar lentigines — are flat gray, brown or black spots. They vary in size and usually appear on the face, hands, shoulders and arms — areas most exposed to the sun. Though age spots are very common in adults older than age 40, they can affect younger people as well.

True age spots are harmless and don't need treatment, but they can look like cancerous growths. For cosmetic reasons, age spots can be lightened with skin-bleaching products or removed. However, preventing age spots — by avoiding the sun and using sunscreen — may be the easiest way to maintain your skin's youthful appearance and to avoid these dark skin spots.

I had my dermatologist remove mine 3 years ago with liquid nitrogen spray. Not exactly pleasant, but not any more painful than the nick I got from my favorite knife cooking for a dinner party last night. Within 3 days after the spray, my spots were gone. Of course, after 3 years, they're coming back. That's OK with me. I'm embracing aging.

Speaking of which, I'm thinking of letting my gray grow out. My mom is horrified at the thought. Any opinions?

Brows or bangs?

So I was at a lovely dinner party with my tennis girls about a month ago and we were talking about how fabulous Michelle looks with a new haircut.

She told us about how her bangs were on the advice of her hairstylist for hiding certain other flaws (we shall NOT refer to them as 'wrinkles'), which led us to the discussion of how simply getting a haircut with bangs was probably a better decision than getting botox. Forget the price tag -- it's probably a wash -- but don't get me started on willfully injecting botulinum into yourself. Botulinum is a WMD -- or it would be if someone stuck it in a bomb. It's the most powerful neurotoxin ever discovered. The stuff works by paralyzing your face. Preferably temporarily and only around the wrinkles.

I guess I got myself started. Back on track.

My tennis buddies are blessings, and we can discuss all of the issues facing women of a certain age. Like cancer. Like friends facing terminal disease when they have small children. Like letting children grow up and make their own mistakes. Like putting down a beloved dog. Like wrinkles, botox and plastic surgery.

Yes, these are the issues that face adult women. And thank God we have each other to lean on.

We talked about starting this blog that wonderful night over roasted Cornish hen and salad and rice and apricot stuffing. Here's to sisterhood and talking about all of our issues so we can share joy, pain, fear and triumph.