Midlife seems to be a phase of life that most of us prefer not to dwell upon - that time in life when we realize that we will be old like our parents and grandparents, that our names will soon become "Maw Maw" or "Paw Paw". We notice that we start avoiding mirrors, or we obsess in front of them. Our fashion accessories become larger, and our skirts suddenly possess flowers. We start seriously considering those things that did not seem important just a short while ago - like plans for retirement. It's a dismal time at its best.

There are those special people, however, who have the ability to face this time with a positive attitude. Christee Gabour Atwood is one such person, but then again, it is obvious upon first meeting her that she is a special person - she does have that rubber chicken hanging from her key chain.

Christee's recently published Journal of a Midlife Crisis is a revealing day-to-day chronicle of a woman reaching midlife and the offbeat way in which she deals with the onset of middle age. The reader journeys with Christee through the course of a year filled with highs and lows from "Hair Today - Gone Tomorrow" to "The Fat End of My Closet" to "Seeing My Feet - A Highly Overrated Pastime." With humor and certain ruefulness, Christee reminds us all that sometimes it's best to just sit back and laugh at ourselves - that laughing really is the best medicine.

"I had to publicly humiliate myself in this thing," Christee said. "But hey - if I ever run for office, there's no dirt anyone could dig up on me. I've already said it all."

Christee was six when she began writing. Her parents had a weekly newspaper, and they gave her an old Royal cast-iron typewriter, which she set up in the room with the hot water heater. By the time she finished elementary school, she could type 64 words-per-minute. She wrote her first book when she was 11, mailing chapters to her brother in Korea as she finished them. It wasn't until Christee was in her twenties, though, that the humor, which is her trademark, began appearing in her writings.

"I never thought of myself as being funny as a kid." She said. "I was too shy. My writing was very serious at first - teen-angst poetry, mostly."

In 1982, Christee, a self-syndicated columnist for numerous publications around the country, created a column called, "A Certified Cynic," and her career as a humorist was born. She has also been an anchorwoman for KALB and KLAX in Alexandria, a radio personality in Baton Rouge and Alexandria, LA, a stand-up comedian, an actress, an editor, a lobbyist, a consultant, a training manager, a much-sought after public speaker, and a tour guide for Universal studios - which she says was one of her favorite jobs.

"I loved all of my jobs, but Universal Studios was so special. You get to go to wardrobe, you get to be on movie sets, and you meet people from all over the world," she said. "Of course, the minute I'd say "ya'all," everyone knew where I was from."

The rubber chicken is symbolic to Christee because it reminds her not to take herself too seriously. One of her seminars, "Rubber Chicken in Every Boardroom," focuses on using humor in the workplace.

"Humor is a great communication tool, as well as a stress buster," she said. "If someone reacts negatively in a seminar, I throw them the rubber chicken. They have to hold it until someone else says something negative, then they get to throw it at that person. The seminars remind people to lighten up a little."

Christee's husband of 18 years, David, shares her sense of humor and plays a starring roll in the book. Her portrayal of her marriage in such a realistic manner is compelling. David's seeming resignation to Christee's idiosyncrasies and his unquestioning acceptance of some of her more off-the-wall rationales provide the reader with a sense of bond between the couple.

"He's so wonderful," Christee said. "I mean, if he could put up with that - but of course, he is not normal either. He's really twice as funny as I am, he's just quieter about it."

The article above was reprinted from the City Social magazine in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Christee will be their new humor columnist as of January 2002.