It did this for me until I hit 30, then it just made me up up up and not hungry, now past 50 it feels smooth and I can eat but can’t have it in the evening because it will keep me from getting sleepy!

Caffeine & Daily Exercise & a job that is flexible about how we do things. I have only worked at startups and places that change systems a lot, that seems to suit my nature better somehow.

But my favorite T-shirt says

Whiskey and Yoga

I got:

Women are my favorite guy

Women are born with pain built in

For men:

Men are the answer

Men are either good at bowling

Mine was easy too, no hot flashes or anything, don’t even know when it happened since I had the IUD. but got the MHT, low dose estrogen & progesterone, because I was getting bladder infections and worried about osteoporosis (family history) realized I did have some symptoms because my balance came back (standing in one foot balance not like mental balance) and my thinking cleared up some, I was foggy but just figured it was normal. I freaking love this routine except for the fact that it’s made me medium sized rather than slender, which is a mindfuck - I feel really good otherwise, both in body and mind. And the weight gain increased my bone mass so I can’t even lose it.

I think it’s 50% of women get symptoms like hot flashes - that’s a big chunk but certainly not everyone.

It hurts. Some Gynecologists will offer anaesthesia, mine is more a “suck it up buttercup” lady but does tell the nurse to hold your hand. The worst part was definitely the depth sounding. Once that’s done, it goes in, some cramping, and as I noted, the first one I had the light spotting for nearly a year. I had already had kids, but my daughters reported similar experiences. They didn’t have the year of spotting but a couple months of spotting then nothing.

One or two days of pain for six years of no periods and no pregnancies is a good deal I think. If you don’t have sex with men I still think it’s a good enough tradeoff for no periods. I left the last one in until my doctor was sure I was through menopause, that made it so easy.

Birth control pills made my migraines so much worse, and raised my blood pressure. The hormonal IUD did neither of those.

No - using the pill continuously works as well as taking the week off.

The Mirena IUD was (after a solid year of spotting) 5 years of no periods. I got it replaced, 6 more years no periods. That is 11 years no periods. Also the best birth control known to science right now, smaller failure rate than getting tubes tied or vasectomy. And none of the side effects I got with the pill.

Not the copper IUD, that was a nightmare. 2 weeks bleeding, heavily like Carrie, one week off, repeat. Got so anemic I couldn’t go up stairs without panting. Terrible side effects with that one.

That is more calories than I can eat in an entire day to maintain my current weight. Just looking at it gives me anxiety.

I do think at some point you really can’t call them shorts. Some of the “shorts” men wear are more like wide leg capri pants.

Pixel 5 is my new phone, lol. I had the original Pixel, now the 5. One of my kids used the original one for a few months after I upgraded too.

I do miss headphone jack :(

It’s ok, and getting better. My big problem with it is (like you) that Google Play Music was incredible, so good, and they discontinued it in favor of the much worse and awkwardly named YouTube Music.

Whoever convinced them to give up the branding of “Play Store, Play Music, Play Movies” should be drawn and quartered.

Sure, totally agree. But average people too - we just are not aging as fast as our parents or their parents. Not so much a longer life, just not as old for as long.

My kids say:

Birth to 30 is young.

31-60 is middle aged.

Over 60 is old.

Over 90 is fucking old.

People are aging more slowly than they did in the past, better information about health now. Look up 55 year old celebrities. These are certainly middle aged people, they aren’t young, and most don’t look old either. That is how I would define middle age and it’s getting longer. You can’t get old at 40, you will be old too long.

I wanna know who took the picture, though. Someone is on that same vertical wall wielding a camera?

I don’t think that is what’s going on. I work upper body plenty, just don’t eat to bulk and that gives me shape not size. Probably most women who do lift are working upper body, and just not bulking.

I am mid-50s, female, casual lifter, mostly do yoga & only lift once a week on average. Look lean but not at all bulky. I can bench 65lb, sure. Strength can be built separate from bulk. But personally wouldn’t do it alone, just in case, and honestly it would be my heavy set. For scale - Big awkward dog food bag is 45lb and most of us can wrangle that, or a 50lb bag of dirt or whatever. So it’s not a crazy heavy amount and also not crazy light.