In my twenties, when I was living in Southern California (another shallow, youth-oriented place). But you have an advantage that I did not have - you don't care about having children. When I was your age, I was dying to have a baby. God answered my prayers and I'm now married and the mother of two. I'm grateful, but damned well aware that motherhood is hard work that not everyone is cut out for.

Unfortunately, the fear of the future has never gone away for me. Today, I'm 46 and I still worry. But I suppose that's cause I'm a Virgo, and we are notorious for that sort of thing. Speaking of astrology, I loved Tigressa's quote from astrologer Rob Brezny. Thanks for sharing, Tigressa!

totally vile! As the writer said, it makes Playboy look great by comparison. The writer's experience would not have been so bad if Maxim had rejected her at the start, but no, they had to drag her along. But maybe it's a good thing that they did, otherwise we would not have had this funny article. Hopefully, we will have more articles like this in the future. I can always use a laugh.

we hear about Michelle Kwan dropping out of the Olympics immediately after she made her decision, and yet it's at least 24 hours before anyone knows that the Vice President shot a man. Even my church-going conservative co-worker had to admit "Yeah, Bush and Cheney sure do control the media." She may have different values than I do, but my co-worker hit the nail on the head with that comment!

of the very idea of sex for older women. Hopefully, the baby boomers will change this as they have changed everything else in our society.

Don't tell me "that won't happen, men are biologically designed to want younger women". "Biology" like this is proven wrong by the scientific community every day. As new things are learned, old beliefs die. If you don't believe me, take a look at any science section of a newspaper or web site dedicated to this subject. You'll see more controversy than you do in Broadsheet. Experts disagree with each other even more than the trolls here argue with the rest of us.

I can not believe this man's idiocy! If I had been in his shoes, I would not have had a drink for at least a month before his big event on Sunday. If he had been totally sober on Sunday and come in fifth, I would have sympathized with him. Shit happens, even to Olympic athletes. If Bode can't take the Olympics more seriously than this, he should not even be over there.

I admire the self-discipline of those who have given up meat. Just like any other change, it's tough. Especially in this society where we are bombarded with advertisements for meat and can not go anywhere without seeing people eating the stuff.

I know it's real hard for you to ignore your emotions about this, but try not to obsess over the animals that die for humans to eat. I'm sorry, preaching about the evils of meat will not convert anyone. You'll win a lot more converts by emphasizing the benefits of your diet. Very rarely (if ever) does one see a fat vegetarian, and the vegetarians who eat eggs and drink milk (I think they're called lacto-ovo vegetarians) are supposedly the healthiest people around. I'm not sure how vegans compare, but I'm sure that you all are healthier than the average fast-food consuming American. When someone comments on how you never gain weight or how great your health is, that's the time to bring up your diet. And take heart - more people are giving up meat today than ever before. If the fears of bird flu become reality, millions more of us will be joining you. Then you'll no longer be a depressed vegan, but a trendsetter.

Yes, you will probably continue to worry about whether or not you are doing the right thing, but you will never know what else is out there if you don't try.

Those letters calling the LW a whiner remind me of the fools I worked with in the Air Force. For most of us, the military is the epitome of soul-sucking. When I went in in 1982, I did so merely to get away from my home in Illinois. I had no intention of staying beyond the first hitch (4 yrs.). But I ended up staying in for nine and a half years. Why? Because I allowed my family back home in the Midwest to influence me far too much. Every time I griped about the Air Force, I would get a lecture about factory layoffs in my hometown.

Yes, I agree that the economy sucked and continues to not do well. But damn it, my life is far more important to me than any economy. In 1992, I was offered money to leave the Air Force and went for it. Yes, there was some tough financial times after I left. Especially after I failed a nurse's training program. That sucked, but I learned a few things. One is that for me, nursing is even more soul-sucking than the Air Force. I finally understood why my registered nurse Mother is an alcoholic (shit, I'd drink too if I had become a nurse). The other thing I learned is that no position, no matter how well-paying, is worth having if you hate the work. I remember laying in bed at night, unable to sleep, and absolutely dreading going to the hospital the next day.

Now I work for a city government. I do not get paid well, but I love my job and get along great with my boss and co-workers. I'll stay there as long as they'll have me. Sure, I'll have to continue to pinch my pennies, but as long as I'm happy, it's worth it!