Comments on: Pursuing a New Relationship http://www.geezersisters.com/women/pursuing-a-new-relationship Austin, Texas novelist Ruth Pennebaker, who's old enough to call herself "fabulous," writes about family, politics, marriage, friendship, feminism, aging and whatever else occurs to her. Her latest novel, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough, was published by Berkley in January 2011. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:24:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Susan http://www.geezersisters.com/women/pursuing-a-new-relationship/comment-page-1#comment-5167 Susan Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:36:34 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=1981#comment-5167 Ruth, I enjoy the comparison, but while I'm very loyal to people, I have a lot of purses and don't think twice about upgrading to a smaller, shinier one. ;) PS Sorry I missed it before, but I love your blog's new look! Ruth, I enjoy the comparison, but while I’m very loyal to people, I have a lot of purses and don’t think twice about upgrading to a smaller, shinier one. ;)

PS Sorry I missed it before, but I love your blog’s new look!

]]> By: Winston http://www.geezersisters.com/women/pursuing-a-new-relationship/comment-page-1#comment-5160 Winston Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:04:50 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=1981#comment-5160 <em>Besides, I remind myself, what do men know about purses?</em>   Well, we know quite a lot, some of us!  Years ago I got tired of  keys constantly gouging my thigh, a wallet so thick and lumpy as to cause curvature of my spine from sitting too long on unlevel surfaces and all those coins eating holes through the pants pocket.  One day when that ravenous change had devoured yet another pocket and my ankle was blue from the rain of coppers and quarters, I took the plunge.  I invested in the spawn of all joggers-- the fanny pack-- and emptied my pockets of all that weaponry.  Quite liberating! Slowly, I realized I could carry stuff that I never could before.  A bottle of Tylenol.  A pair of scissors.  An apple.  Spare socks!  Thrilling!!!  Now I could be all the way across town and have at hand anything I might one day suddenly need.  In fact, I had gathered so many Handy Items the zipper exploded. I needed something a bit larger.  The next day I pinched that pack together with an assortment of hors d'oeuvre picks and proceeded to Wal-Mart where I found the most divine 35 mm camera tote.  Black.  Genuine leather.  Adjustable shoulder strap.  Three interior compartment flaps.  Seven exterior zippered units for things like checkbooks, cellphone and keys.  I was in heaven!  And I could carry so much more stuff.  I loved it to pieces.  The leather had long ago lost its sheen.  I'd had to tie two knots in the shoulder strap to keep it together.  Zippers became dysfunctional.  Plus, I had aged too.  That camera tote had gotten so heavy! Reluctantly, I went shopping for something lighter-- but still roomy.  There were, after all, so many things I could no longer do without.  Example: day planners dating back eight years.  My memory was not as sharp.  Suppose I suddenly needed to know what was on my Christmas shopping list the year I had that lower left molar pulled?  Or which summer was it that the dog threw up for two weeks?  Yes, I would still need plenty of room.  I did find a good replacement.  I moved up to a camcorder tote.  Made of padded nylon, it is so much lighter, and there's acres of space.  Velcro abounds instead of all those clunky metal zips.  Camcorders have so many accessories there's a generous number of compartments-- but the floorplan was all wrong.  It took a long time to decide where to place my things.  Finding things in that new tote was like moving into a new house-- blindfolded.  I would occasionally go to the closet and wistfully look at my old tote, now living in retirement beside the shoe rack.  Gallantly, I persevered, and now Camcorder Tote and I are good friends. Lately, however, it, too, has gotten a little heavier on my shoulder.  Should I-- NO!  Forming a relationship with a new tote is tough.  Maybe I'll just up my protein intake.  Yeah, that's it! Besides, I remind myself, what do men know about purses?
 
Well, we know quite a lot, some of us!  Years ago I got tired of  keys constantly gouging my thigh, a wallet so thick and lumpy as to cause curvature of my spine from sitting too long on unlevel surfaces and all those coins eating holes through the pants pocket.  One day when that ravenous change had devoured yet another pocket and my ankle was blue from the rain of coppers and quarters, I took the plunge.  I invested in the spawn of all joggers– the fanny pack– and emptied my pockets of all that weaponry.  Quite liberating!
Slowly, I realized I could carry stuff that I never could before.  A bottle of Tylenol.  A pair of scissors.  An apple.  Spare socks!  Thrilling!!!  Now I could be all the way across town and have at hand anything I might one day suddenly need.  In fact, I had gathered so many Handy Items the zipper exploded.
I needed something a bit larger.  The next day I pinched that pack together with an assortment of hors d’oeuvre picks and proceeded to Wal-Mart where I found the most divine 35 mm camera tote.  Black.  Genuine leather.  Adjustable shoulder strap.  Three interior compartment flaps.  Seven exterior zippered units for things like checkbooks, cellphone and keys.  I was in heaven!  And I could carry so much more stuff.  I loved it to pieces.  The leather had long ago lost its sheen.  I’d had to tie two knots in the shoulder strap to keep it together.  Zippers became dysfunctional.  Plus, I had aged too.  That camera tote had gotten so heavy!
Reluctantly, I went shopping for something lighter– but still roomy.  There were, after all, so many things I could no longer do without.  Example: day planners dating back eight years.  My memory was not as sharp.  Suppose I suddenly needed to know what was on my Christmas shopping list the year I had that lower left molar pulled?  Or which summer was it that the dog threw up for two weeks?  Yes, I would still need plenty of room.  I did find a good replacement.  I moved up to a camcorder tote.  Made of padded nylon, it is so much lighter, and there’s acres of space.  Velcro abounds instead of all those clunky metal zips.  Camcorders have so many accessories there’s a generous number of compartments– but the floorplan was all wrong.  It took a long time to decide where to place my things.  Finding things in that new tote was like moving into a new house– blindfolded.  I would occasionally go to the closet and wistfully look at my old tote, now living in retirement beside the shoe rack.  Gallantly, I persevered, and now Camcorder Tote and I are good friends.
Lately, however, it, too, has gotten a little heavier on my shoulder.  Should I– NO!  Forming a relationship with a new tote is tough.  Maybe I’ll just up my protein intake.  Yeah, that’s it!

]]> By: Meredith Resnick - The Writer's [Inner] Journey http://www.geezersisters.com/women/pursuing-a-new-relationship/comment-page-1#comment-5158 Meredith Resnick - The Writer's [Inner] Journey Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:28:26 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=1981#comment-5158 I love this post! I get really attached to my purses--and wallets. I can carry the same one for a really long time. I like to try to find one I love that's not trendy at all so it can take me through several seasons (years!). I love this post! I get really attached to my purses–and wallets. I can carry the same one for a really long time. I like to try to find one I love that’s not trendy at all so it can take me through several seasons (years!).

]]> By: Cindy A http://www.geezersisters.com/women/pursuing-a-new-relationship/comment-page-1#comment-5157 Cindy A Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:18:13 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=1981#comment-5157 Love your new masthead.  Let me know when and where I can buy, "What Did I Do to Deserve This?" Love your new masthead.  Let me know when and where I can buy, “What Did I Do to Deserve This?”

]]> By: Hope http://www.geezersisters.com/women/pursuing-a-new-relationship/comment-page-1#comment-5156 Hope Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:14:16 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=1981#comment-5156 Ok Ruth, it's time for yoga... have you been yogaing lately.  Janice and I want to know (smile) I think there is a pose for that... Ok Ruth, it’s time for yoga… have you been yogaing lately.  Janice and I want to know (smile) I think there is a pose for that…

]]> By: Stephanie http://www.geezersisters.com/women/pursuing-a-new-relationship/comment-page-1#comment-5155 Stephanie Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:01:11 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=1981#comment-5155 I've carried the same purse for three years - a Nine West bag that's probably more bedraggled than I'd like to admit. I love it though, and it works. How can you beat that? I feel so disloyal giving it up. I’ve carried the same purse for three years – a Nine West bag that’s probably more bedraggled than I’d like to admit. I love it though, and it works. How can you beat that? I feel so disloyal giving it up.

]]> By: Jennifer Haupt http://www.geezersisters.com/women/pursuing-a-new-relationship/comment-page-1#comment-5154 Jennifer Haupt Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:17:58 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=1981#comment-5154 Ruth, this is so funny and so true! I will use the same dang purse until it literally falls apart--and then some! Why are we so attached to our purses? Maybe because we are literally attached to them, like another appendage. Ruth, this is so funny and so true! I will use the same dang purse until it literally falls apart–and then some! Why are we so attached to our purses? Maybe because we are literally attached to them, like another appendage.

]]> By: Ellen http://www.geezersisters.com/women/pursuing-a-new-relationship/comment-page-1#comment-5153 Ellen Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:38:06 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=1981#comment-5153 OK, so I look like a turtle, nothing like a stylish woman....but no purse existing can trump my handsome lightweight Swiss backpack.  Yesterday I toted five heavy textbooks plus all the usual female paraphernalia for miles.  No strain.  I always have reading material available if stuck in a situation where I must wait.  There's room to stash a bottle of Coke Zero (or a dozen bottles).  Plenty of compartments for everything, including a secured pocket for my cell phone on the right strap.  To me, purses are like high heels:  attractive, with understandable appeal, but utterly impractical for day to day living. OK, so I look like a turtle, nothing like a stylish woman….but no purse existing can trump my handsome lightweight Swiss backpack.  Yesterday I toted five heavy textbooks plus all the usual female paraphernalia for miles.  No strain.  I always have reading material available if stuck in a situation where I must wait.  There’s room to stash a bottle of Coke Zero (or a dozen bottles).  Plenty of compartments for everything, including a secured pocket for my cell phone on the right strap.  To me, purses are like high heels:  attractive, with understandable appeal, but utterly impractical for day to day living.

]]> By: Kristen J. Gough http://www.geezersisters.com/women/pursuing-a-new-relationship/comment-page-1#comment-5152 Kristen J. Gough Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:30:52 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=1981#comment-5152 I'm with Cindy, I tend to keep my purses until they die--battered handles and all. I just can't seem to pick out purses so I wait until I have to! I’m with Cindy, I tend to keep my purses until they die–battered handles and all. I just can’t seem to pick out purses so I wait until I have to!

]]> By: Roxanne @ Champion of My Heart http://www.geezersisters.com/women/pursuing-a-new-relationship/comment-page-1#comment-5151 Roxanne @ Champion of My Heart Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:58:36 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=1981#comment-5151 See ... the older I get, the smaller my purses get. I wish I could say the same about ye olde backside. Alas, the latter is why I finally understand the draw of both shoes and purses. They simply do not mock me the way clothes do. See … the older I get, the smaller my purses get. I wish I could say the same about ye olde backside. Alas, the latter is why I finally understand the draw of both shoes and purses. They simply do not mock me the way clothes do.

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