Abby McCloskey, Dallas Morning News, November 6, 2025

“They say that 40 is the new 20. This birthday girl is not so sure.

For me, this birthday has been a long time coming. I was voted “oldest looking” in high school, which I took as a sign of maturity, but let’s be honest, I’m still not over it.

My bedtime keeps shifting forward. I tell myself that’s to align with that of my children’s schedules, and it’s because I’m getting tired earlier. I’ve already established a relationship with a GI doctor to do my plumbing work for the next decade and beyond. I do my morning walks with a weighted vest; it’s never too early to fight off osteoporosis. And after two martinis, I’m guaranteed to wake up around 2 a.m.

So I’ve been feeling this one for a while. But it’s done strange voodoo on me anyway. It was a few months ago when I started noticing the feeling of a crushing deadline, one I normally get for conferences or columns, but this time the source of the pressure was, well, mysterious.”