Welcome back! I’m not American and have no clue what basic means. But I’m sure I’m very basic:)

Same age and yes, I get dismissed (openly or covertly) as a Karen all the time with PTA stuff. Uh, I’m a volunteer and really, it’s so awful to ask about stuff that happens at school and how I could help?

I had a pair of white Vuarnet Skilynx sunglasses in the 80’s and thought they were the coolest thing ever. I maybe still do. I’ve had at least one pair of canvas Tretorns in my closet for over 40 years. I wish you could still buy the ones where the little design on the side was tartan.

I think it would be really interesting to put together a popular outfit, head to toe and fully accessorized, for each decade.

I don’t like most usage of the terms such as “basic”, “Karen”, and the like. These terms are designed to dismiss and denigrate women. I think that certain men have managed to successfully line up older white women in the line of cultural fire as a diversionary tactic. Having been patted on the head while being called honey by a judge in his robes stepping off the bench (late 1990’s and yes I was fully suited up), having flatly been told “we only hire women for the administrative staff” (1987), having overheard two partners saying they don’t want to make any women partners because it will screw up the annual hunting retreat and clients don’t want them anyway (1992), and having been talked over in court by a male lawyer who really needed to take a seat (last Friday), and so on, ad nauseum, I resent being cast as a member of a group of people who are all at once, in control, ridiculous, needy, and abusing their power over others.

Rant over. Sorry, needed to get that out I guess.

I agree!

Also, I think the most conformist thing to do these days is to get a tattoo. At the beach, it seems like everyone had one. Not having one seems pretty original, in my opinion.