I learned something new yesterday while taking an online training course for my job.

I am now federally protected from age discrimination since I am 40.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at this news. I've never been federally protected before, so it makes me feel important, and, well ... protected.

Perhaps those who made this law realize how hard it is on a person when they turn 40, so they wanted to do something to lessen the impact. Perhaps these same lawmakers once were the victims of the "over the hill" assault — you know, the poor sap who comes to work on his or her 40th birthday only to find their desk decorated in black streamers and "over the hill" balloons.

I turned 40 in June, and I didn't like it.

So, to make it a bit easier, federal law says people who are 40 or older can be discriminated against because of their age.

However, if you look at this law in another way, it doesn't sound so good.

I am now at the age chosen by the powers that be that is officially categorized as old.

On the bright side, my co-workers cannot refer to me as "old lady," make fun of any gray hairs or refer to my 11 p.m. late night weekends as boring.

Still... I don't know if I like this federal law. I'm stereotyped with a certain group of people now. It kind of makes me feel discriminated against.