Cool Chicks

I strive to be cool. It's an aspiration I've had since I was a teenager when, of course, everyone is striving to be cool - whatever their particular definition of cool happens to be. Part of my problem with being cool has always been - and continues to be - trying to figure out what my particular definition of cool is.

I have one friend who I would classify as a cool chick (I use the term chick here affectionately and in a positive way). She's an earth goddess type. Her job - green IT for a large government contractor. She tries very hard to practice what she preaches. On the side, she teaches yoga a couple of days a week and is perhaps the only woman age 50+ I know who can do a full split - without breaking a sweat. Now that's cool.

Another cool chick I know is the central magnet of a group of friends. Mother hen is completely not the right term to describe her, and yet she's the glue that holds this particular group together. She is responsible for buying the cake and balloons for each birthday celebration. She's the organizer and broadcaster of such celebrations. Mother hen, right? And yet that is so not her. She has several tattoos. She drives a car with flames emblazoned down each side. She is a professed pagan. And every Saturday, she does what she affectionately and proudly calls "devil's work" - escorting scared young women into an abortion clinic past the crazies shouting invectives at them. In my book, that's cool.

The third cool chick is at the other end of the political spectrum. Conservative. Right-wing. Religious. I aspire to have her grace and charm, even while disagreeing with her on just about everything that matters to me. She has an infectious laugh that comes out often. A ready smile. She loves to cool and gives awesome parties - to which I'm only sometimes invited but always wish I was invited. A world traveler and adventurer. Generous to a fault (what a strange expression that is!). And co-valedictorian of her MBA program. A cool chick.

There are elements of each of these women that I want in my brand of cool. To be brave. To be honest. To be charming. To be smart. To be, well, cool.