wow...perfectly said. I can relate 100%. I don't feel any need to offer up how old I am. All of the snarky comments from young girls are kind of pointless in that they too will be your age some day. It's either that or die. Amazing how we value youth above anything these days.
sorry OP- we can resume your convo again now..
Actually, it was a guy who gave me the nickname. He's at least four years older than me. It was the guys who harassed me about my age. I suppose that they think it's hilarious when women age or something.
For the most part, women don't joke about my age. With women it's more like whether or not I fit in that bothers me. Just before those three guys called me a cougar for the first time in my life, we attended a wedding and I was seated at a table with most of the bridesmaids who had all just recently graduated from college. They assumed that I was around their age. I liked feeling like I was included. It really drove home the difference in how it feels when other people treat you like you're one of them instead of like you really don't belong.