second lives club: About Us

Carrie Tuhy (Caryl) writes:

In my first life, I was a mother, a spouse, a magazine editor for 25 years (Real Simple, InStyle, Life, Money). I lived by an external script where “having it all” meant doing it all—and mostly for other people. Today I am good friends with my ex-husband, my daughters are working or in grad school, and I am straddling old media (writing a book on the changing lives of contemporary women) and new media (starting this blog).

I am creating a second life that is uniquely my own. If it means flying off to a remote part of India to study how to weave (okay, to buy) Ikat or staying home all day in bed to finish a book, I’m fine with that. My priorities are maintaining my health (and salvaging my looks) and being there for those I love most. Figuring out what I want and then going after it –or merely giving it to myself—is my new life’s work.

Mary Lou Floyd (Maryl) writes:
In my first life I was a daughter, sister, student. I was the first in my family to go to college, traveled half- price with my “12 to 21” card (anyone remember that?), spent my sophomore summer abroad, communed at Woodstock and marched on Washington DC against the war.

I joined the workforce as a video producer and then was part of the female invasion of corporate America. I’ve directed documentaries, produced advertising and represented some of the first major brands (like AT&T and IBM) to jump on the internet. I became a mother when my husband and I traveled to Russia to pick up our then three-year-old daughter.

Since then I’ve been orphaned, downsized out of three (count ‘em) corporations and become an embarrassment to my teenage daughter. I'm ready to move forward….becoming an entrepreneur, exploring the world (Buenos Aires and Vietnam next), starting this blog with my college friend. I’ve got my passport and my password for my second life. Care to join us?