photo by David Quesada

I’d like to propose a new rule: Cool Broads never save seats.

Who’s in?

Here’s my argument: If you and your friends want to secure specific seats or sit together, whether it be at the movies, the pool, or in church, everyone needs to get to the venue early. EVERYONE. Sending one person to reserve a whole row of seats, an entire pew, or twelve lounge chairs, is just not cool. It’s that simple.

All you have to do is dig deep into that Cool Broad heart of yours and put yourself in someone else’s shoes. For instance, if you make the effort to show up to the theater early, or come down to the pool the first morning of your vacation to soak up the sun, but there isn’t anyplace to sit because all of the seats have been “reserved”…it’s irritating. Right? Especially if not everybody shows up and choice seats are left empty, or people don’t trickle down to the pool for a couple of hours.

Here are a few places that I propose we allow the first who come to be the first to get served and agree not to save seats for others. [Read more →]

I ran across this post from Gretchen over at the Happiness Project and it gave me a chuckle. She lists 7 topics to avoid talking about if you don’t want to risk being a bore.

It’s a great companion piece to an earlier post of mine, 10 Things NOT to Talk About at a Cocktail Party…especially since we’re inching up on the beginning of the holiday social season (who’s taking advantage of the fact that Halloween falls on a Friday this year by hosting a killer party for grownups on Saturday? If so, check out this article for some great Halloween party ideas.).

Gretchen’s 7 topics to avoid talking about include:

1. A dream. Ever wonder why your husband sighs in resignation every time you start a conversation by saying, “I had a really weird dream last night”? He’s bored.

2. The recent changes in your child’s nap schedule. One of my rules is, “never talk about your kids excessively”, because unless you and another new mom are comparing nap schedules, this subject won’t be very interesting to anyone. [Read more →]

How many of you have a bad habit of doing something over and over, even though you know it won’t make you happy and it always ends up hurting? Getting back into a bad relationship, perhaps? Or watching Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous when you’re broke and nobody knows who you are?

For me, especially lately, it’s been to watch the stock market. It up, it’s down, it’s more down, it’s way, way down. Crap. Now I feel like dousing myself with hot coffee.

Something else I can’t help but do (and ALWAYS feel terrible afterwards) is to watch political pundits spew spin on TV. Unfortunately, I have a tendency to take the attacks on my candidate personally and it never ceases to amaze me how easily a clearly unsubstantiated comment or viewpoint can effect my mood. Afterwards, I’m like that little Zoloft egg who can’t seem to get from under that raincloud. It just follows him wherever he goes.

So, with the current economic crisis coupled with the fact that we’re less than a month away from another inevitably close presidential election, I’ve found myself engaging in both of these bad habits more than what’s typical. It’s my version of self-injury…and it’s no less effective.

I do, however, find some solace listening to soulful music (like this song) during times like this…as I huddle in a corner with my knees drawn up to my face, hair in my eyes, and I paint my fingernails a nice, inky shade of black to match my equally dark mood.

So spill. What are some of the ways you “hurt” yourself?

~tcb

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You know what’s really weird? This is the second post in a row in which I’ve mentioned Madonna, and yet it’s only the second time I’ve mentioned Madonna on this blog EVER! So before any newcomers draw the conclusion that I’m either her biggest fan or her most ardent stalker, please read on. [Read more →]

I recently read an article on ABC.com called “Aging Chicks: Still Rockin’ or Embarrassing?” about the success many aging “rocker chicks” have enjoyed as of late. From the likes of Cher, Deborah Harry, Madonna, and Tina Turner…these ladies are proving that getting older doesn’t necessarily mean becoming obsolete. According to the article, they’re still “recording, touring, and commanding astronomical ticket prices at the biggest venues with fan bases that cross all age barriers.”

But the same article also quoted Jefferson Airplane’s Grace Slick (pictured below in the ’60’s and today), arguably one of the original rocker chicks, as saying that “all rock ‘n’ rollers over the age of 50 look stupid and should retire.” [Read more →]