HAPPY BIRTHDAY 45!

No, not me yet (I'm gonna see how many years I can hold at 40). My friend (to protect the names of the innocent, and of my friend, lets just call her Georgia) is turning 45 and saying "I'm old now". But isn't age just a number? Okay, maybe not if you are a health professional, a model, an actress, a professional wresler, etc. etc....But it is a number!!!

We women seem to find these ages that begin with a "4" very, shall we say, uncomfortable. What do we do now? Can we still wear our little mini skirts and Jimmy Choo's? How 'bout long hair? Can we still have wild, long hair? Do we have to put down our Appletini's and learn to play bunko? Is it time to be a grown up and stop the 'just getting started' phase?

I think not!!

Just look who else is a "4" something. Christie Brinkley. She gave birth - twice - in her forties. She got rid of a jerk and looks fabulous. Andie McDowell! Another fabulous fortysomething, who also had a baby in her forties. Cheryl Crow!! Still rockin' both on stage and in her (adopted) infants nursery. Demi Moore - well, maybe a bit too freekish to make my point. My point being that women in their forties can be as sexy, young and fabulous as they want to be because by this point in their life they have the confidence to do anything they want.

A classic example of a woman who has everything and is in her forties is (drum roll please) Barbie! Yes, my friend 'Georgia' shares not just a number "4", but a zodiac sign with Barbara Millicent Roberts. Barbie was born on March 9th, 1959. And talk about accomplished, she's held more careers in her short 48 years than anyone else I know. She's been a model, fashion designer, tennis star, figure skater, veterinarian, nurse, teacher, nascar driver - she was even a contestant on American Idol. She is definetly not afraid to 'just get started'.

Barbie has also weathered more lawsuites than most pharmacutical companies. She's been accused of discrimination, of anti Islamic beliefs and of promoting anorexia (that last one has some validity. In 1965, Slumber Party Barbie came with a book on how to loose weight that said 'don't eat'). One might wonder, given her fifty some careers, why she never went to law school?

And then there's the issue of never been married. Barbie began her romance with Ken when she was a toddler (1961). She's bought countless wedding gowns, but he never actually married her. Being a liberated woman, in 2004 she finally kicked him to the curb. But then she took the dud back. Probably because no other plastic, anatomically incorrect dolls came knocking at her many doors.

She's 48 and has no grey hair, no wrinkles, no need for botox and she still has a 36 - 18 - 33 frame (that courtesy of research conducted at the University Central Hospital in Helsinki, Finland. No, I'm not making that up!)

She's got a little sister, a lot of best friends, about 40 pets....but, Georgia, guess what Barbie does not have. A baby (probably because she lacks the 17 - 22% body fat required to mensturate, and therefore would be unable to get pregnant - also courtesy of University Central Hospital). So, while it's nice to know that we "40" somethings are in good company, it's also nice to know that we're better off than the more famous fortysomethings.

Ah yes, have a HAPPY birthday.