Now the AARP has co-opted George Takei's internet celebrity . . . which means we're NEVER going to get rid of them! http://www.adrants.com/2013/09/george-takei-teams-with-aarp-for-video.php

@David: WORD. Thanks for a great post! And I've been getting mail from AARP since I turned 40. Seriously, AARP -- WTF?! @Tammy: You rock. Thanks for joining the convo. I've emailed a request for mail suppression, as you suggested. Many thanks for the ip! @JeffMarhafer: I think you missed the point, dude. Just a hunch. ;)

Estimated 22 / Actual 34. Hmmm . . .

I also love that she was already pissed off before she got there, because they made her wear heels! Nice to see you. ;) Composed on my BlackBerry's teeny, tiny keyboard.

I know, right?! She's like the Lauren Bacall of her generation. A cool broad, nobody's babe. ;) Composed on my BlackBerry's teeny, tiny keyboard.

Look at those little faces! They're adorable!

Done! Thanks for stopping by, Dan. I think I saw your pants on the beach . . .

Done! Thanks for reading Writer Vixen, Julia. ;) Deborah

OMG. Where to start? One of the (many) reasons I enjoy reading your blogs is that I find you so relatable -- it often seems like you've been inside my head and then written about it. But now it's feeling a bit like parallel lives! I just this minute finished watching the latest episode of "Being Erica" on Hulu! I'm totally addicted. But then, I've always been a sucker for those "road not taken" movies. I'm embarrassed to say how many times I've seen "Sliding Doors" and "Me Myself I!" And of course, it's because of the regrets thing. Like you, I was in a pre-IPO pre-millionaire situation in 1999-2000. Like you, I was emotionally unavailable, and -- of course -- in a relationship with a guy who lived across the country. Like you, I unexpectedly fell in love and had to make a choice. I chose love. Sounds noble, right? Except, uh, NOT. Ask me how many times I've looked at my finances and thought: "Damn. You just had to follow your heart instead of being smart! If I only had it to do over!" But here's what (I think) I've learned: We can't make balanced decisions from an unbalanced place. Recognizing that we have intimacy issues doesn't automatically make us emotionally available, or mature enough to responsibly handle a committed relationship. Which means that it almost doesn't matter which choice we make. Because here's the thing: the purpose of life isn't "getting it right." It's not about avoiding mistakes, or following a script, or even living without regrets. In the end, we both followed our hearts and deliberately made decisions that were right for us at the time. Here's what I believe right now: That when I'm 104, all the things that didn't turn out quite as I'd hoped will probably be some of the highlights of my life -- the moments when I lived intensely, listened to my inner wisdom (such as it was!), and played my own game instead of the one everyone else was playing. And speaking of Eric Stolz -- "Caprica" is my new favorite SciFy show, also (fortunately) on Hulu.

P.S. You should put a "Follow Me on Typepad" link on your blog. So we can, you know, follow you on Typepad. ;)

Wow! What's you've got in Lucinda is your basic narcissist. It can be confusing! They are strangely compelling, yet very damaged, and can leave massive damage in their wake. You got lucky, I think. Wonderful article. I found you through Roger Ebert, as well. ;)