So here’s an interesting news flash: I saw a new doctor the other week, and she tells me I may not be in menopause after all. Yeah, the hot flashes, sleeplessness, and all of the other delightful symptoms may have been perimenopause. I’m fine with that except that two years ago, I spent a lot of money on a Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) test that said I was in the throes of “the change.” Now, this new doc says that maybe it was just that particular month that my hormone levels indicated I was in menopause. They fluctuate, ya know….
I’m not happy about this. I stopped having hot flashes every day, a million times a day several months ago. Now they’re occasional – sometimes I have several flashes a day. Some days I "flash" once or twice. Sometimes I go days without any flashing.
I’m no expert on menopause, which is why I write this blog (when I get around to it, that is). The thing is, I keep thinking I’ve figured it out, and then I discover something like this. Next week, I’ll spend another sum of money on anotherFSH test to see if I’m in menopause. But here’s the thing, if the test indicates I am menopausal, how do I know it’s not just another reading from another particular month? I can hardly wait to find out.
Follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/hauteflash
Friday, March 27, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Valentine's Day According to Me
I’m not a fan of Valentine’s Day. I like the idea of celebrating love, but I see this particular holiday as a commercial event that leaves out those who have no boyfriend/girlfriend/lover/partner/spouse. My cynical view of Valentine's Day (I call it VD) probably stems from being a single mom for 12 years. Every VD, I would go to work, dreading the parade of flowers that would march past me en route to my female co-workers. By the end of the day, mine was one of very few unadorned desks.
When I met the man who is now my husband, he gave me a card for our first Valentine’s Day. He has a habit of purchasing cards, modifying the message, and watching for my reaction to see if I catch his clever edits. Seven years ago, we started giving each other traditional Valentines. I now receive a dozen red roses, along with a heart-shaped box of candy, and one of his goofy cards. I give him a box of expensive chocolates. (This year, I gave him a huge jar of jelly beans because I felt it was time to shake things up.)
In spite of my cynicism towards Valentine’s Day, I appreciate that I have someone special in my life. I enjoy feasting on chocolate and breathing in the aroma of roses. But in a few days, the heart-shaped box will contain empty crumpled paper. (My chocolate is always the first to go, and it goes fast). The roses will soon droop in their vase. What I celebrate every day is that when I go to sleep at night and wake up every morning, my sweet, unromantic husband is right there next to me. No commercial holiday can make that blessing any more meaningful.
When I met the man who is now my husband, he gave me a card for our first Valentine’s Day. He has a habit of purchasing cards, modifying the message, and watching for my reaction to see if I catch his clever edits. Seven years ago, we started giving each other traditional Valentines. I now receive a dozen red roses, along with a heart-shaped box of candy, and one of his goofy cards. I give him a box of expensive chocolates. (This year, I gave him a huge jar of jelly beans because I felt it was time to shake things up.)
In spite of my cynicism towards Valentine’s Day, I appreciate that I have someone special in my life. I enjoy feasting on chocolate and breathing in the aroma of roses. But in a few days, the heart-shaped box will contain empty crumpled paper. (My chocolate is always the first to go, and it goes fast). The roses will soon droop in their vase. What I celebrate every day is that when I go to sleep at night and wake up every morning, my sweet, unromantic husband is right there next to me. No commercial holiday can make that blessing any more meaningful.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Facebook is My Friend
Like millions of others, I’ve become a fan of Facebook (FB), which I joined about 18 months ago. As is the case with many newcomers to FB, I signed up for just about every application. I got to super poke, give good karma, plant trees, give sea creatures, and accept all sorts of lovely things. The problem is that the darn thing consumed too much of my time. Now I use it mostly for connecting with people.
I love FB because I have made hundreds of new friends from all over the world. Most of those are people I’ve made through Common Tables (www.commontables.org), an interfaith organization for whom I do pro bono PR. It’s easy to befriend those who think the world would be a better place if more of us came to understand and honor that which makes us difference from one another and celebrate the things we have in common.
There are several Monaghans (and one Monahan) on FB, who are friends, simply because we share the same last name, but they’ve become great new pals. A number of my friends on FB are people I actually know. Just in the past two months, I’ve reconnected with dozens of former co-workers and classmates I thought I’d never see again.
Those who don’t get social media consider it a waste of time. As I've already admitted, it can be, but it’s also brought me in touch with people I dearly love. As a public relations professional, I’ve realized that social media is a tool I must embrace and use frequently. It cannot replace person-to-person contact, but it can enhance existing connections and help form new ones.
I’m no longer super-poking or doing any of the other fun things on FB which I so enjoyed, but I continue to build my network and make new friends. If you’re on Facebook, feel free to "friend" me. You can also follow me on Twitter – www.twitter.com/hauteflash.
I love FB because I have made hundreds of new friends from all over the world. Most of those are people I’ve made through Common Tables (www.commontables.org), an interfaith organization for whom I do pro bono PR. It’s easy to befriend those who think the world would be a better place if more of us came to understand and honor that which makes us difference from one another and celebrate the things we have in common.
There are several Monaghans (and one Monahan) on FB, who are friends, simply because we share the same last name, but they’ve become great new pals. A number of my friends on FB are people I actually know. Just in the past two months, I’ve reconnected with dozens of former co-workers and classmates I thought I’d never see again.
Those who don’t get social media consider it a waste of time. As I've already admitted, it can be, but it’s also brought me in touch with people I dearly love. As a public relations professional, I’ve realized that social media is a tool I must embrace and use frequently. It cannot replace person-to-person contact, but it can enhance existing connections and help form new ones.
I’m no longer super-poking or doing any of the other fun things on FB which I so enjoyed, but I continue to build my network and make new friends. If you’re on Facebook, feel free to "friend" me. You can also follow me on Twitter – www.twitter.com/hauteflash.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Not Blahgging
It’s scary writing a blog because I’ve discovered that some people actually read it. I always feel a bit embarrassed when someone I don’t know well says, “Oh, I’ve been following your blog.” I also feel like I’m letting them down. Given the gaps between my blog entries, there’s not a lot to follow. Regardless, I continue to blog because I know there's a point to it.
Every day for the past two weeks, I’ve sat down to update my blog. The words just haven’t flowed. I’ve found myself getting easily distracted. I’ll start to write, and just as I get to something sensible, I look at the clock and realize I’m running late for a meeting, or that it’s time to get back to work on a client project.
I drafted one entry after January 1st – sort of a New Year’s bit, but it seemed trite and more of a blahg entry than anything else, so I scrapped it. In spite of my lack of updates, my life hasn’t been that slow and uninteresting – certainly not this month.
Last week I reconnected with two women I hadn’t seen in 10 years. Initially, I was concerned that they’d see me and think “Man, she looks old!” After all, I’m now in my 50’s, and they’re still in their early 40’s. I advocate that our culture should not so hung up about getting older. Sadly, I share in that hang up. It is when I speak with dear friends, about the different paths our lives have taken us that I cherish my experience as a middle-aged woman. Women my age, who are comfortable in their own skin, do not dwell on petty issues. We embrace our past, acknowledge that we’re learning in the present and anticipate the challenges and opportunities awaiting us in the future.
I’m not an extraordinary woman, but I knew that when I first created thehauteflashsite.com. I’m a typical 50-year-old woman (soon to be 51), who hopes my ramblings might nudge other middle-aged women to see that life, as average as it may be, offers and abundance of experiences and lessons, most of which are pretty darn interesting.
Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/hauteflash
Every day for the past two weeks, I’ve sat down to update my blog. The words just haven’t flowed. I’ve found myself getting easily distracted. I’ll start to write, and just as I get to something sensible, I look at the clock and realize I’m running late for a meeting, or that it’s time to get back to work on a client project.
I drafted one entry after January 1st – sort of a New Year’s bit, but it seemed trite and more of a blahg entry than anything else, so I scrapped it. In spite of my lack of updates, my life hasn’t been that slow and uninteresting – certainly not this month.
Last week I reconnected with two women I hadn’t seen in 10 years. Initially, I was concerned that they’d see me and think “Man, she looks old!” After all, I’m now in my 50’s, and they’re still in their early 40’s. I advocate that our culture should not so hung up about getting older. Sadly, I share in that hang up. It is when I speak with dear friends, about the different paths our lives have taken us that I cherish my experience as a middle-aged woman. Women my age, who are comfortable in their own skin, do not dwell on petty issues. We embrace our past, acknowledge that we’re learning in the present and anticipate the challenges and opportunities awaiting us in the future.
I’m not an extraordinary woman, but I knew that when I first created thehauteflashsite.com. I’m a typical 50-year-old woman (soon to be 51), who hopes my ramblings might nudge other middle-aged women to see that life, as average as it may be, offers and abundance of experiences and lessons, most of which are pretty darn interesting.
Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/hauteflash
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Moving Back Home
After living on her own for the past eight (or is it nine?) years, Caitlin has just moved back home. She is in school full-time, and next month, she’s going to Mexico to study for a semester. The lease on her apartment ended in November, and it didn’t make sense to pay rent on a space she wouldn’t occupy for several months. She spent most of November moving, cleaning and organizing.
A lot has changed since Caitlin and I lived in the same house. First, I sold our old home about seven years ago, when I moved to New Mexico for about five years. (We moved back about two years ago.) Second, Chuck, the guy that was my boyfriend those many years ago, is now my husband. Caitlin and Chuck hit it off from the start, but after knowing me as a single mom from the time she was two, Caitlin’s still adjusting to the concept of her mom as a married woman. Third, and probably most challenging for Caitlin, we live 20 minutes from the center of Denver.
Caitlin’s trying to make herself at home in our townhome, in this suburban neighborhood of mostly retirees. I know it’s difficult for her to explain to people that she lives in her mom and step-dad’s basement. (How many times have we heard about creepy ax-murderers who live in their parents’ basements?) But I love having my daughter around. It’s an adjustment for all of us, but we’re making it work.
A lot has changed since Caitlin and I lived in the same house. First, I sold our old home about seven years ago, when I moved to New Mexico for about five years. (We moved back about two years ago.) Second, Chuck, the guy that was my boyfriend those many years ago, is now my husband. Caitlin and Chuck hit it off from the start, but after knowing me as a single mom from the time she was two, Caitlin’s still adjusting to the concept of her mom as a married woman. Third, and probably most challenging for Caitlin, we live 20 minutes from the center of Denver.
Caitlin’s trying to make herself at home in our townhome, in this suburban neighborhood of mostly retirees. I know it’s difficult for her to explain to people that she lives in her mom and step-dad’s basement. (How many times have we heard about creepy ax-murderers who live in their parents’ basements?) But I love having my daughter around. It’s an adjustment for all of us, but we’re making it work.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
It's Not Getting Older I Mind... It's Getting Old.
I’ve been trying to stop by my mom’s at least once a week. She is so capable, and the last thing she wants is for anyone to consider her old, but I know that at 86, she doesn’t have the energy she once did. Here senses are also not quite as acute. We have a ritual, where I track down the moldy food item producing the offensive odor in her fridge. Once I’ve done that, we make lunch, and then we sit and chat. After lunch, I clean the dishes. I wrap up my visit by wiping off smudges of newsprint she's left on wall switches and doors. She's about 4'10", so it's easy to tell which are the prints she's left behind. Shortly after I leave, she takes a nap. The napping thing is not new to Mom. She has always been a napper – something I inherited from her. Nothing like a great nap to rejuvenate a body!
Mom tells me she doesn’t mind getting older. It’s getting old she hates. I know that Mom appreciates every day of life she’s lived. I also know that as she gets older, things that used to be trivial are now significant issues. When she fell last month, it was scary. I fall, and I’m a klutz. She falls, and the rest of us hold our breaths. She is also more sensitive to harsh words. Mom has never liked confrontation. When I’m feeling a bit “hormonal” and bitchy, I can see my mom flinch. I try to contain these little outbursts, but there are those days…
Earlier this morning, I wasn’t sure I was going to make it by my mom’s today. I’m so glad I made the time. Ever the gracious person, she always sends me on my way with a big hug and says, “Thank you SO much for coming over.” No, Little Mom. Thank you.
Mom tells me she doesn’t mind getting older. It’s getting old she hates. I know that Mom appreciates every day of life she’s lived. I also know that as she gets older, things that used to be trivial are now significant issues. When she fell last month, it was scary. I fall, and I’m a klutz. She falls, and the rest of us hold our breaths. She is also more sensitive to harsh words. Mom has never liked confrontation. When I’m feeling a bit “hormonal” and bitchy, I can see my mom flinch. I try to contain these little outbursts, but there are those days…
Earlier this morning, I wasn’t sure I was going to make it by my mom’s today. I’m so glad I made the time. Ever the gracious person, she always sends me on my way with a big hug and says, “Thank you SO much for coming over.” No, Little Mom. Thank you.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Nearly Two Months Later
I didn’t blog once during October. I spent the month working on new business, dealing with personal stuff, and avoiding television commercials. How is it that the right to vote, which is so key to our democracy in the U.S. has become such contentious ground? I love that people are so passionate about presidential candidates, but these men are just men. They are not genies who can deliver us from evil and greed, or bestow us with wealth and self-fulfillment. Besides, as my family will attest, I don’t like talking politics. I’m not going to change anyone’s mind – nor is s/he going to change mine.
So now it’s November. Tomorrow we vote for our first African American president, or our first female vice president. Either one is significant. Either is historic. Our sons and daughters finally know that regardless of race or gender, they can aspire to vice-president of president. It is that fact I celebrate – whatever the outcome of the election.
And now that October is behind me, and the election will soon be decided, I feel a bit more focused. I think I'll be more productive.
So now it’s November. Tomorrow we vote for our first African American president, or our first female vice president. Either one is significant. Either is historic. Our sons and daughters finally know that regardless of race or gender, they can aspire to vice-president of president. It is that fact I celebrate – whatever the outcome of the election.
And now that October is behind me, and the election will soon be decided, I feel a bit more focused. I think I'll be more productive.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
About Me
- Haute Flash Blog
- I am a public relations and marketing communications consultant with more than 20 years of experience. I love working with clients who are passionate about the services or products they provide their customers. I take my work seriously, but my sense of humor keeps me from letting life get in the way of my perspective and ability to create. My latest mantra: I'm a work in progress.