No Clear Map for Clinton’s Political Future: In a page one story today, the Washington Post looks at Sen. Hillary Clinton’s future in the Senate, assuming she does not win the Democratic nomination:

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, many Democratic senators said they expect Clinton to work doggedly for Obama this summer and fall, and they agreed that if she does, whatever hard feelings that linger from the primary race will vanish.

But a bigger question is whether, like Kennedy, she will shelve her presidential ambitions, especially if Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) wins in November. The 2012 election would coincide with the end of Clinton’s second Senate term, effectively turning her into a lame duck. A run for New York governor would hasten Clinton’s departure by two years.

But if Obama wins in November, her next likely opportunity for the presidency would be in 2016, when she would be 69. If Clinton makes it clear her future is in the Senate, she could find several paths open to her, aides and colleagues said.

One would be to champion a major piece of legislation, such as the health-care bill Obama has promised early in his first term.

Plus: "The presidential campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton has some disturbing messages for uppity women in the United States," writes journalism professor Caryl Rivers in Women’s eNews. "The reality that a woman is so close to the top political post in the country — perhaps even the world — has stirred up old ideas about the danger of female power and about woman’s proper place in society."

The backlash against female gains, she adds, is sending a retro cloud across a number of fronts, including college admission practices, votes in Congress and Supreme Court decisions.

Reinvent Yourself on a Shoestring: Marci Alboher, who writes the Shifting Careers column and blog for The New York Times, has a piece in More magazine about three women over 40 who took big leaps in their careers without the benefit of a wealthy partner or a family trust fund.

Of course, the definition of safety net is subjective. A woman with a sizable 401(k) and a lot of home equity may refuse to invest those funds in anything other than a sure career bet. Another woman may be willing to max out her credit cards. Economic climate matters too. Rising home prices and stock markets make change easier; recession requires improvisation.

The women you’ll meet here are all successful leapers. Their best advice to their midlife peers is to cash in on the kind of wealth we all have in abundance: patience; deep, broad networks; a willingness to ask for help; and stubborn, resilient enthusiasm.

Hair Today, Hair Tomorrow: Don’t talk to Connie Schultz about cutting off her long locks. The Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist takes umbrage at her readers’ suggestion that it’s time for a new look:

Yes, I know I’m over 40. I know it, and my knees know it. Yes, I know that most women of a "certain age" look younger with their hair sheared short. And, yes, I believe that you’re only trying to help when you say my hair drags down my face like ears on a bassett.

But you don’t understand the legacy of my mom’s hair. This mop is nothing compared to the wonders that hovered over her head most of her life. Compared to her, I’m just getting started.

What follows is a very funny story about the respect gained through "big hair."

Light Alcohol Consumption May Help Bones: "Although excessive alcohol consumption has long been associated with poor bone health, a new review suggests that people who have just one drink a day may actually have stronger bones that are less prone to fractures," reports HealthDay News.

"People who have one drink each day have about a 20 percent reduced risk of hip fracture compared to people who don’t drink at all. In comparison, those who drink more than two alcoholic beverages daily have about a 40 percent higher risk of hip fracture, according to the study."

"Our study adds to the literature that suggests that moderate alcohol use is beneficial for many diseases," said study author Dr. Karina Berg, an assistant professor of medicine at Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The study also found that "bone mineral density increased as alcohol consumption increased from abstinence up to about two drinks a day," said Berg.

A Great Response: Comment found among the many left on this New York Times Magazine story on blogging and personal relationships:

"Well, Emily, like the old joke goes, in your 20s, you worry about what people think of you; in your 40s, you decide that you don’t care what anyone thinks of you and in your 60s, your realize they weren’t thinking about you at all."