Thought you just go buy a sportscar?

Midlife crisis tide washing over us.

It seemed like a familiar scenario: the stay-at-home mom with two young children. The Tribeca loft, the Wall Street husband. And, after less than a decade, the divorce. Those of us who knew her, if only casually, jumped to conclusions: "Typical finance jerk . . . up and leaves his wife."

But no, it turns out, she left him. She had an affair. And she's apparently much improved, complete with a new apartment, a new lover, even a new start-up company. At once exhilarating, gutsy and faintly embarrassing, the spectacle looked just like your classic midlife crisis.