College ladies and the men who love them

As a beautiful, albeit nearly 28-year-old woman, I am concerned about the growing trend of men my age and a bit older dating 19 and 20-year-olds. It scares me because as long as those women date those men, the men that I have to date get older as well and I really don't want to date a man in his 40s. And boys in their late teens and early 20s are dumb, immature and sexually inexperienced. Hence, the pool of men from which I can draw grows ever smaller. And men my age in New York City, already commitment-phobic and terrified of marriage, have no reason to pursue a woman like me. That's awfully disheartening.

My friend Gabe has dated a young woman who is 20 and ogles the 19-year-olds in our office. A friend of his is dating a girl the same age. My boyfriend's friend John, 30, is dating an NYU student who is not yet 20. I understand the physical appeal of this women, I do. Believe me. I haven't dated a single man with a washboard stomach and soccer legs in years. (And I do miss it.) I know what time, beer and food do to the lazy late 20-something who's pushing 30 and doesn't hit the gym so often. Likewise, I've seen women's thighs and hips grow to shocking proportions and we all know men are not as forgiving of women's perfections as we are of theirs. My own thighs ain't so great.

The root of this dilemma is simple. First off, everyone loves a sweet young thing. Secondly, men supposedly are more "visual" than women, whatever the hell that means. Thirdly, and perhaps most disturbingly, the barely legal Lindsay Lohan type, most recently epitomized by Britney Spears or perhaps originated by Natalie Portman's turn in "The Professional," has become our society's ideal woman. How funny . . . our ideal woman isn't quite a woman yet.

Did I date men in their 30s when I was in my early 20s? Yes. Did any of those torrid affairs amount to anything of substance? No. Most of those men went off to have a string of similar affairs with young women who are awfully pretty, naive and easily disposable.

Does every guy in my age group want a woman 10 years his junior? I don't know. God, I hope not.

Should I hit the gym more often and get a decent night's sleep every night? Yes.

Hm.