Vibrant Nation» Bernadette North

A Dispatch from the Gray-haired Front

I’ve been a soldier in the grey-hair wars for nearly ten years, since my late forties. I think in military terms because I’m constantly battling society’s disdain for mature, untreated hair and my own conviction that I look older than my color-treated peers.

Back when my grey hairs began advancing, I colored my hair for the first time in my life. But I never got comfortable with the process. I hated the smell of the chemicals and the way my hair felt afterward. I worried about the possible side effects of such an unnatural process and wrestled with the need to disguise aging, a 100% natural process. I finally surrendered, stopped coloring my hair, and cut it really short so that as little grey as possible framed my face.

I kept my hair short for the next ten years. From time to time, I’d try to grow it out, but always caved in when it seemed my faded hair made me look haggard. And my hair wasn’t just an unappealing color, it was more wiry and unmanageable than my youthful hair. So I regretfully resigned myself to never having long hair again.

This summer I attended a wedding and found…

Our Closets, Ourselves

There’s no denying that the clothes we wear are noted and interpreted by others. If our clothes don’t feel comfortable or appropriate, our efficiency levels and dispositions suffer.

Health and Happiness, Korean Style

It took the worst flu/head cold/creeping crud I’ve had since college to drag my sorry ass to the Korean spa.

In Praise of Regular Habits–Part I

Originally an engineer, my father couldn’t help but think in mechanical terms, regarding his home and body as engines requiring systematic maintenance. And above all, he believed in balance.

Help! It’s My Hibiscus!

I had my first Hibiscus this summer.

What we can do for our country–I think

If "We the People" could find a way to rouse ourselves into positive action, we’d rise above this economic mess. Here’s my list, which I hope the collective wisdom of our Vibrant Nation will be able to flesh out further.

A lemon a day

When I was in my twenties, I read in a fashion magazine that drinking lemon juice and warm water before bed was an excellent way to counter the effects of too much food and drink.

switching sartorial gears–my mother’s way

I spent a good part of yesterday pulling out my winter clothes and packing away my summer ones.

Getting the Most Out of Life. Still.

At my library's annual used-book sale, I stumbled upon a thin, well-worn volume entitled Getting the Most Out of Life.

Reclaiming My Pre-pregnancy Weight (25 Years Later)

When I became post-menopausal two years ago, I was 24 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight. I felt dumpy, lethargic, and uncomfortable in my own skin. Six months after my youngest child graduated from college, I decided it was time to reclaim myself.