On Presidents Day at noon, Fuse and its partners will gather on the steps of the state Capitol in Olympia to urge legislators to vote for a balanced budget that will meet the needs of the state's consumers during tough economic times.
Boomers
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Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Boomer Consumer
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Stand up for good government in Olympia on President's Day
5 Feb 2010 | 11:33 pm -
Join efforts to pass bank reform
4 Feb 2010 | 10:54 pmFrank Luntz, the pollster who wrote the talking points for opponents of health care reform, is turning his sights to blocking bank reform Lutz told opponents that bank reform is so popular the only way to fight it is to make stuff up. -
Collection agencies top list of state's consumer complaints for 2009
4 Feb 2010 | 1:33 amConsumer complaints related to tough economic times are on the rise. During 2009, the state's Attorney General's Office received 1,671 complaints on collections agencies, up from 1,431 in 2008, a nearly 7 percent increase. Complaints on retail sales, commercial banking, credit cards, health care, mortgage lending, financing, advance fee fraud, and consumer lending and transfer agents also rose. -
PI invites bloggers to bowling party
2 Feb 2010 | 5:21 pmThe PI's Blogger Bowling Bash at The Garage on Capitol Hill is about to begin. -
Portland offers big baby boomer event Feb. 20-21
2 Feb 2010 | 5:07 pmA free Baby Boomer Lifestyle Expo is being offered Feb. 20 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Feb. 21 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Portland Expo Center.
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Boomer Cafe...It's Your Place
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Retirement Age Increases in Finland
29 Jan 2010 | 2:43 pmSomewhat surprisingly, the average age of retirement in Finland rose from 59.4 in 2008 to 59.8 last year, regardless of the ongoing recession and rising unemployment.Experts have been rather taken aback by the fact that the average age of retirement in Finland rose noticeably from 59.4 in 2008 to 59.8 last year, in spite of the ongoing recession and rising unemployment figures.In comparison, the pension age in 1999 was below 59 years. The pension age keeps rising, as the rules have been changed and as people also live longer.The increase as such is in line with the forecasts made following… -
Saying Good-Bye to Our Parents
29 Jan 2010 | 1:34 pmJoyce ZonanaNot every boomer spends a lot of time helping aging parents, but so many do, we thought it would be useful to read the reflections of just one, writer Joyce Zonana. What she is going through is in one way unique, but in another way it’s precisely what so many baby boomers are facing right now.The mothers of four different friends have died in the past month, and my own mother, 88, has turned her face to the wall.“I’m finished,” she says when I urge her to join me for a walk in the park that stretches invitingly just outside her windows. “I’ve had enough.” Although… -
The Man Behind Woodstock
25 Jan 2010 | 9:15 pmNettie HartsockLast year we started a new feature on BoomerCafé: interviews with prominent people who have changed the way baby boomers look at life. They are done by Nettie Hartsock, who has made her bones talking with authors and luminaries. In this installment, Nettie talks with Michael Lang, producer and co-creator in 1969 of the Woodstock Festival. He also has just written “The Road to Woodstock.” …..Intuition, Inspiration and Keeping Your Inbox Free…..BC: I loved the book. One of the things I read is that you said, “Money has never been my aim – always a side effect of what… -
Boomer Generation Defies Labels
22 Jan 2010 | 11:44 amHere’s a piece to remind us that not all baby boomers are empty-nesters or burgeoning grandparents. Plenty still have young children at home, including writer Morgan Petrini, who reminds us that the boomer generation defies labels.I guess you could say I’ve always been a late bloomer. Adolescence for me lasted well into my 30s. I was in my late 30s when I finally graduated from law school; pushing forty when I married my darlin’ wife Laura; and now, mid-fifties for becoming a first-time dad!Not that we didn’t want or try to have children sooner; procreational success just seemed to… -
How to Talk with Your Doctor
13 Jan 2010 | 12:30 pmDr. Bill RoiterWe hope against hope but sooner or later we’re going to be seeing the doctor….probably more often than we used to. The question is, as independent baby boomers with healthy lifestyles, will we take the doctor’s advise seriously? Dr. Bill Roiter says there’s a way to relate to the doctor that will keep us healthy.The holiday ads are gone, replaced for most of us baby boomers by weight loss, gym, and fitness equipment ads. It’s the season of resolutions and healthy intentions… the season of exercise, a better diet, and a willingness to sacrifice. I hope that you can…
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Who Moved My Dentures? Essential Information for Boomers on Healthcare, Aging and Caregiving
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Anthem Responds to Sebelius on Rates
8 Feb 2010 | 3:06 pmHere is the response that Anthem sent to me in reaction to HHS secretary's Sebelius's letter.Anthem Blue Cross Regarding Letter from Secretary of Health and Human Services February 8, 2010 Anthem Blue Cross in California has received the letter from Secretary Sebelius. We will reply to her promptly. It is important to note that individual medical insurance premiums do not reflect an individual member's personal claims experience. Therefore, as medical costs increase across our member population, premium increases to the entire membership pool result. Unfortunately, in the weak economy many… -
Sebelius Calls on Anthem Blue Cross to Justify 39% Premium Increase
8 Feb 2010 | 12:53 pmI am not one to be a mouthpiece for the government but this caught my eye and seemed appropriate to pass on. I would be glad to blog about Anthem's response to this and do not profess that I have dug through the facts to know if HHS's figures are accurate though I would imagine they came from publicly available materials from Wellpoint.Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today sent a letter to Anthem Blue Cross and called on the company to publicly justify its decision to raise premiums for its California customers. Here follows the letter:February 8,… -
How to Deal with Health Care Ratings
8 Feb 2010 | 6:54 amRead our guest post in MDS Central. -
Is Aging Healthy Out of Our Control?
8 Feb 2010 | 6:18 amScientists have discovered genetic variations that could explain why some people seem to age faster than others perhaps suggesting that healthy aging may be somewhat out of our control. The researchers analyzed more than 500,000 genetic variations in search of those linked to aging. According to study co-leader Dr. Nilesh Samani, there are two forms of aging: chronological (based on how old something actually is in years, months, day) and biological (in which cells of some people are older or younger than their chronological age). "There is accumulating evidence that the risk of… -
Why Steve Jobs Should Run Healthcare!
4 Feb 2010 | 6:15 pmNew terms are being bantered about in healthcare. One is the accountable care organization. The idea is that a group of providers - primary care physicians, specialists, hospitals - would come together and be responsible for the cost and quality of care for a given population. In theory, and in talking with some hospital administrators, this organization could spread to include nursing and assisted living facilities, after all they are part of the continuum. So how do you make that happen with so many disparate parties, agendas and politics. Take a few lessons from Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
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Blogging for Boomers
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Blogging Blues-Put the THRILL Back Into Your Blogging
8 Feb 2010 | 10:17 pmHere is the recorded interview with Blogging Betty Boomer and Beverly Mahone! Be sure to grab the handout for Blogging Blues Tweet This Post -
Protected: Blogging Blues?-Put the THRILL Back into Your Blogging!
3 Feb 2010 | 8:19 pmThis post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: Tweet This Post -
How Do You Delete Your Wordpress.com Blog?
3 Feb 2010 | 12:01 pmA very good boomer buddy asked me this question today, “Rosie, how do I delete my Wordpress.com blog.?” Actually, she stumbled on this site she started a very long time ago and had forgotten all about it. Of course, my desire is for her to try and develop it with the idea behind why she started it in the first place. It can have several good practice points. But in case there is someone else reading this that has an old Wordpress.com blog hanging out there is cyberspace. This is what you do: Sign into your dashbroad Click on Settings in the Admin. Panel on the left Click on the… -
How Much Traffic Has Your Mouse Pad Seen? Blog Motivation Tip For Baby Boomers
2 Feb 2010 | 7:40 pmHow much traffic has your mouse pad seen? The more you blog the more traffic your mouse pad should see. So here is a blog motivation tip. Get seven (7) mouse pads all with different messages and images. Rotate them and stimulate your blogging. So, what do you think? The mouse pad below is from European photographer Kim Anderson set the world on fire with his timeless and nostalgic photographs of young children in oversized adult clothing. Can you imagine the great traffic you could provide on a mat like this? PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PAD IS STILL IN THE PLASTIC WITH THE COUPON INSIDE! I am… -
I Blog Because…
20 Jan 2010 | 6:04 pmHave you ever thought about why you blog? I blog because I am happy? I blog because it is fun? I blog to make money? I blog to escape boredom? I blog for therapy? I blog because I am a boomer and I want to exercise my brain? Why do you blog? Tweet This Post
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Advertising to Baby Boomers
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PMP Spring 2010 Marketing/Advertising Catalog
7 Feb 2010 | 11:22 pmParamount Market Publishing has just released their Spring Catalog – and it’s a huge one, packed with fresh titles, author interviews, and stacks of real and virtual marketing parchment. Click to download. (PDF): One title just released, one not quite released: Custom Surveys Within Your Budget Maximizing Profits Through Effective Online Research Design by Brian Cooper and Maria Philips Custom Surveys acts as a comprehensive guide to cost effectively managing a survey and covers everything from the evaluation of a research program to the actual output and analytics of the research. Women,… -
It’s Easier Than Learning The Twist!
2 Feb 2010 | 3:07 pmA good piece by Emily Brandon of U.S. News & World Report (and not only because Yours Truly and Brent Green are quoted): Social Security Administration Sees Stars February 1, 2010 (Chubby) Checker is the latest star in a series of celebrity-studded Social Security public service announcements that have come out over the past year, most of which feature actress Patty Duke. I warn against nostalgia because it’s almost always a disaster when used in most advertising campaigns. And I don’t believe employing a celebrity spokesperson is usually a good idea. From Harris Interactive:… -
Disruptive Demographics: Global Aging, Technology & Innovation
31 Jan 2010 | 6:24 pmComplementing Laurie Orlov’s Aging In Place Technology Watch and Dick Stroud’s Mobile apps for Baby Boomers, Joseph Coughlin has a new blog: Disruptive Demographics: Global Aging, Technology & Innovation Insights on the impact of aging and technological change on innovations in society, business and government. Dr. Coughlin heads up MIT AgeLab. He also puts on a great show when presenting at conferences and seminars. Here’s one I had something to do with: While on a private day-long consult for a major pharma company and their marketing agency, I met Dr. Joseph Coughlin,… -
If you’re not up on apps …
29 Jan 2010 | 9:42 amDick Stroud is excited. With the help of wise outfit MotherApp®, Mr. Stroud now has his own iPhone app - and a new blog to blog about it: Mobile apps for Baby Boomers Everything you could want to know about mobile apps that are especially useful for ageing consumers be they Baby Boomers, Seniors, Matures, 50-plus or even oldies. I remember the thrill of HTML – and tossing up my first web page in 1996. The second one even had an animated GIF! There have been a few technological advances since then (although sometimes I wonder how ‘advanced’ they really are). From my… -
Virtual Professor Chuck
28 Jan 2010 | 7:51 pmIt all started around 1999 when I was writing on the web about Baby Boomers. My articles were getting hits from a University of Southern California intranet site. I thought for sure that some professor of English or Literature or an artsy subject like that had made my online scribblings mandatory reading. Then I found out the truth: the course was about Gerontology. Skip ahead a few years, and yours truly pens a book about advertising to baby boomers. I was floored when it was selected as a Classroom Resource by The Advertising Educational Foundation. I still get…
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Boomer News
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America is Not Yet Lost
8 Feb 2010 | 2:24 pmA little over a year ago, a Russian professor predicted that the disintegration of America would occur by 2010. The Russian National Security Agency, FAPSI, said it will begin with wealthier nations withholding funds from America. Paul Krugman began his article “America is not lost yet” in the NY-Times by saying; “We’ve always known America’s reign as the world’s greatest nation will eventually end.” My question to Paul is when? My grand-kids would like to know. Obviously the Russian’s have done some serious thinking on when America will… -
Back to the drawing board
5 Feb 2010 | 6:22 amAfter looking into the difficulties and and the huge effort to set up a dedicated Forecast Channel built around charts & graphs to get accurate data on the world and national mid to long term problems, I’ve concluded that it would be a very risky venture. I was encouraged when Ross Perot started a website in 2008 called perotcharts that provided charts on looming budget crisis issues. Apparently the website is no longer active. The public response to his website was poor based upon websites that tracked Perot’s website performance. The NY-Times column called “By the… -
The Geezers’ Crusade
3 Feb 2010 | 5:43 pmBefore we push forward on our dedicated graphics TV channel, I will fill you in on the comments I made on a David Brooks NYTimes articles … The Geezers’ Crusade. Here it is: “I hope old geezers like myself can make a difference. I’m 79 and I started a blog in 2006 to communicate with our grandchildren, our children and their spouses. (11 grandchildren and 11 adults.) My initial motivation was to see if I could interest a few kids in math & science careers, using the cosmos and human thought as the main subject categories. My last blog I posted was to… -
It’s better to trust … than not trust
2 Feb 2010 | 6:15 amWhat do you do kids when you feel you can’t trust your government and you can’t trust many of our influential business leaders? Where do we turn for truthful information? In a recent article by David Brooks called; “Politics in the age of Distrust” he offers the Obama administration 4 bad options in going forward. The Heedless and Arrogant Approach. Weak and Feckless Approach. The Dangerous and Demagogic Approach. The Incoherent and Internecine Approach. (yes, I had to check the meaning on a couple of words too kids) We have a fifth approach: Establish a… -
Do older Boomers still read the newspapers?
27 Jan 2010 | 7:40 amI’m one generation older than the oldest Baby Boomer. Do you older Boomers still like reading the daily newspaper over coffee in the morning and relax on Sunday with all the information in the thick Sunday paper? The “Tablet” is the latest electronic digital device designed to put an end to the newspaper business. I’ve been advocating a dedicated TV channel to put words to the graphics that track the worlds most serious problems on a daily basis for 35 years now. That concept has not caught hold yet. Poor Ross Perot tried to get interest in the use of graphs in the…
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Boomers
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The Super Bowl, Baby Boomer Men and Classic Rock Bands
8 Feb 2010 | 6:49 pmThe educational travel industry focuses mostly on older adults who have time, money and propensity to participate in higher-end travel adventures emphasizing learning experiences. The industry consists of tour operators, such as World Leaders Travel; planners, such as executives with Yale University alumni association; and suppliers, such as Menlo Consulting Group, Inc., a respected travel industry research company. I was a keynote speaker for the Educational Travel Conference in Providence, RI, during the week before Super Bowl Sunday, where I spoke about marketing to Baby Boomer men. About… -
Volkswagen, Baby Boomers, and the Future of Automobiles
19 Jan 2010 | 9:28 amFast Company magazine recently published an article entitled, “The Germans Are Coming: Volkswagen’s Drive to Succeed in America.” The upbeat article suggests that author Ellen McGirt thinks generously of her new friends at Volkswagen Group of America (VGA). She professes highest regard for Stefan Jacoby, CEO of the American division, partly for his rock-star vibe and European-bred charm. Here's how Ms. McGirt describes VW’s torchbearer in the U.S.: “Hardworking, exacting, and exceptionally likable, he has crisscrossed the United States like a presidential hopeful, donning… -
Born from 1946 to 1964 – Baby Boomers Turn 46 to 64 in 2010
31 Dec 2009 | 11:01 pmLast summer something interesting occurred to me. In 2010, a demographic symmetry arrives. Americans born between 1946 and 1964—the birth years sociologists have traditionally used to delineate the Baby Boomer Generation—range in age, youngest to oldest, from 46 to 64. The demographic contrivance of 1946 to 1964 becomes the aging reality of 46 to 64. Millions of Boomers may be asking themselves a rhetorical question Beatle Paul McCartney first intoned in his 1967 hit, When I’m Sixty-Four. Will you still need me? Families and friends will still need their 64-year-old Boomers. And,… -
Avatar: A Mythic Movie for Baby Boomers
19 Dec 2009 | 6:48 pm“You’re not in Kansas anymore, ladies and gentlemen.” cautions Col. Miles Quaritch, a sinewy, pugnacious antagonist in James Cameron’s instantly classic science fiction movie, Avatar. Most American Boomers recall a powerful line from the first mega-movie to capture them as children: an eternal story of fanciful travel and even alien humanoids, a movie masterpiece called Wizard of Oz. Spoken by child actress Judy Garland, the original quote rings through the ages: “Toto, I have the feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” Many glowing film reviews are being written about… -
Susan Boyle, Baby Boomer Celebrities, and A New Culture of Fame
3 Dec 2009 | 1:25 pmPopular culture favors youth. Celebrity favors youth. Many of today’s icons of the Baby Boomer Generation achieved fame before turning 30, certainly by 40. And unlike older generations, where many youth icons faded away after age 50, Boomer icons persist successfully today: filling stadiums, such as Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Gene Simmons, and Bonnie Rait; and winning starring roles in movies, such as Richard Gere, Jessica Lange, Meryl Streep, and Sigourney Weaver. The Boomer generation’s cultural hegemony is maintaining, even expanding celebrity status for those well past 50,…
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Aging Fabulous
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Homemade Anti-Aging Beauty Recipes
3 Feb 2010 | 10:20 pmJust because they are cost effective and require less time than it would take you to go to a local cosmetics counter at the mall doesn’t mean that these anti-aging beauty recipes can’t be decadent, luscious and luxurious: Lighten Circles under Eyes Recipe To lighten dark circles under your eyes, wrap a grated raw potato in cheesecloth and apply to eyelids for 15-20 minutes. Wipe off residue and apply an eye cream. Grape Cleanser Recipe Grape juice makes an excellent cleanser for any skin type. Simply split one or two large grapes, remove pits and rub the flesh over face and neck. Rinse… -
Anti-Aging Elixir
1 Feb 2010 | 8:52 pmIn an ancient Japanese legend the hero Takenouchi no Sukune, lived to be more than 300 years old drinking daily from the waters of a sacred well. Though we may not want to live nearly four centuries, regularly consuming good quality water will have a significant impact on our health. Image: istockphoto How much water does one need in order to reap the benefits of water anti-aging? Eight full glasses of water is a standard answer, but the key to appropriate water intake lies in common sense and moderation. You will need more water than the average person if the weather is hot and dry and you… -
Lemon Juice to the Rescue
27 Jan 2010 | 8:18 pmLemon juice is naturally rich with natural sugars and fruit acids. Not only does it bleach darkened or discolored areas, but it also removes dead skin cells. A natural antioxidant, lemon juice helps stimulate collagen production in your skin. sxc.hu Lemon juice provides lots of health benefits. Here are some beauty tips using lemon juice for anti-aging head to toe greatness: Get Healthy Nails Soak your fingernails (or toenails) in lemon juice for 10 minutes. Brush your nails with a nail brush or tooth brush using a mixture of ½ warm water and ½ white vinegar. Rinse with warm water. This… -
Yardley Natural Soaps Collection
22 Jan 2010 | 6:00 amA big part of keep your skin looking young is finding cleansing products that nourish your skin, rather than drying or damaging it. New Yardley Soaps are vegetable based, all natural beauty bars containing nourishing oils and wholesome ingredients to transform the daily bathing ritual into a therapeutic and indulgent experience. Three selections; Honeysuckle Citrus, Lavender Wisteria and Almond Milk are triple-milled using a highly emollient with a blend of sunflower oil & organic Shea butter and real oatmeal bits to gently cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize, leaving skin with a natural… -
Dance Your Age Off
16 Jan 2010 | 9:55 amPopular in dance studios and gyms, and a hot favorite among celebrities, dance fitness, also known as “beat-based” has become big business. Combining dance and exercise is a great idea. Let’s explore some options: Ballroom Dancing Fueled by recent reality TV programs which put well known names through their dance paces, ballroom dancing is experiencing a renaissance all over the world. Practicing ballroom dancing is a heart pumping workout. It may look elegant, but this is no easy option. Enhancing posture as well as balance and flexibility, this is strenuous exercise at its most…
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Time Goes By
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There's No Place Like Home
9 Feb 2010 | 2:35 am[EDITORIAL NOTE: Another blogger, Gaea Yudron, has submitted a photo of her photo blog space. You can see it here. Others who would like to post their workspace, instructions are here. I considered yesterday's “announcement” that I've decided to move to Portland, Oregon, to be a personal indulgence, not something that really belongs on this blog about aging. But I'd been busy thinking through some of the details of selling and buying and all, and by Sunday evening I had not written another post for Monday. And look what happened – wow! I had no idea so many of you would have so much to… -
Finding a New Place to Call Home
8 Feb 2010 | 2:35 amEDITORIAL NOTE: Time Goes By reader, Dee Hayes, has posted a photo of her computer space at home. You can see it here. Others who would like to post their workspace, instructions are here. Those of you who have been reading Time Goes By for several years will remember a companion blog I started during the months I was selling my home in New York City's Greenwich Village in 2006, to move to Portland, Maine. That blog was called A Sense of Place and I really liked – still like – the banner I created for it. I won't go so far as to start another blog this time, but I will post updates here… -
ELDER MUSIC: 1950s – Pre-Heartbreak Hotel, Part 2
7 Feb 2010 | 2:30 amYou never know who you're going to meet on the internet and I came to know Peter Tibbles (bio here) via email over the past couple of years. His extensive knowledge of most genres of music and his excellent taste became apparent only gradually (Peter's not one to toot his horn) but once I understood, I knew he needed his own column at Time Goes By - or, better, that TGB needed his column - which appears here each Sunday. You can find previous Elder Music columns here. [Part 1 can be found here] NOTE: Norma’s Choice: These tracks were chosen by the A.M. (The Assistant Musicologist) with… -
GRAY MATTERS: Medicare Home Health Care
6 Feb 2010 | 2:30 amPulitzer Prize-winning journalist Saul Friedman (bio) writes the weekly Gray Matters column which appears here each Saturday. Links to past Gray Matters columns can be found here. Saul's Reflections column, in which he comments on news, politics and social issues from his perspective as one of the younger members of the greatest generation, also appears at Time Goes By twice each month. I learned the hard way: The greatest and the most predictable danger for older people is falling. Too often, a broken hip can lead to a deep and irreversible decline in one’s health or well-being if you… -
If You Thought the Gregg/Conrad Commission was a Bad Idea...
5 Feb 2010 | 2:35 am...wait until you read this. On the day of President Obama's State of the Union address, Republican Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin introduced a budget proposal that would, according to the Congressional Budget Office [pdf], create a budget surplus of about five percent by the year 2080. The three main changes that Ryan's Roadmap for America's Future would make are: • Restructure the federal tax code to eliminate all taxes on interest, dividends, capital gains and estates (which mostly benefits the rich) • Privatize Medicare and Medicaid • Privatize Social Security In…
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ChangingAging.org
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The Velocity of Aging
9 Feb 2010 | 6:00 amPeople vary widely. Some run fast, some walk slowly, some grow quickly– others are “late bloomers.” So what about aging? Is it possible that we vary from each other in terms of how fast we age. I am not talking about people who live hard and die young. Could there be an internal biological clock that determines the velocity of our aging? The answer is — probably — yes. From the Guardian… Scientists have isolated a gene sequence that appears to determine how fast our bodies age, the first time a link between DNA and human lifespan has been found. The… -
The Curious Story of George
8 Feb 2010 | 3:04 pmIf you have been following the blog for a while you know that I like mashups… This mashup is a collision between a German film director and a child’s storybook. -
Monkhouse Monday
8 Feb 2010 | 5:49 amAgeing alert! Every year in February, in Switzerland, there is the day when 7500 sirens are tested to remind people how they sound and how one should react in case of water- fire or other emergencies of local or national scale. The government had three funny TV spots produced, worth watching even if the language is German so people would not panic if they hear the sirens. Overhearing conversations on trains and busses I get the impression that many people are very surprised that suddenly, one day, they are “old”. I have seen this as early as 45 years in some friends also. Maybe… -
Power-Up Friday
5 Feb 2010 | 8:28 amDoes the village of Ballabgarh, India hold the key to preventing dementia? Researchers have found a much lower than expected rate of dementia among residents of this northern Indian village. While one might expect that people don’t live as long in rural India on average as we do, the discrepancy holds even when taking this factor into account. Over 5000 people were tested there by doctors from the University of Pittsburgh to look for clues to this phenomenon. They carry the same proportion of the APO4E gene as do Americans in Pennsylvania. But guess what? They are all very physically… -
Power Up Friday: Beyond Dementia
5 Feb 2010 | 7:17 amAl Power, my friend and co-blogger has a new book out. Dementia Beyond Drugs is a groundbreaking work that will rattle the foundations of conventional wisdom on dementia. Buy his book In the spirit of Dementia Beyond Drugs, Al offers us a look at the relationship between diet, exercise and community in Indian– the community of Ballabgarh has a substantially lower risk of dementia compared with America. Why? I’ll let Al take it from here. Does the village of Ballabgarh, India hold the key to preventing dementia? Researchers have found a much lower than expected rate of dementia…
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Rosie's Boomer Review
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Super Bowl Commericials-The Good, The Bad and The Insanely Funny
7 Feb 2010 | 11:06 pmOk, I admit that the only true joy of Super Bowl for me are the commercials. So, I decided to give them my own review. IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ALL OF THE COMMERCIALS. Here are the clips from the commercials I saw. The Good Bridgestone: The Bachelor Party I think the car knew those guys had issues. That poor whale. If it wasn’t for the tires… Hyundai: New Car Real class act. Music, attention to detail, etc. Now, I would like to see a series to convince me to buy for more than the paint. How about that engine, safety, etc. But this was a great commercial to bring down the excitement… -
Have You Ever Wanted to Change the Endings of Some Movies?
3 Feb 2010 | 9:25 amI am an avid movie lover. I view, review and cite them in workshops and keynotes. But so often I look at a movie and decide on how I would create a different ending. For example, the movie I posted the other day Dodsworth had one of those endings most of us would cheer. I mean after all he had such a horrid time with his wife. Why shouldn’t he be happy with a lonely woman his age who appreciated his gifts? Yet, I came up with an alternative, rather controversal new ending. It goes something like this: His selfish, self-centered and cheating wife goes home alone after he leaves her for… -
Relationships-What Happens When a Woman Does Not Appreciate Her Mate?-An Old Movie
28 Jan 2010 | 7:39 pmThere was a woman who did not appreciate her mate, relationship and family. She just did not want to grow older and did all she could to escape. Now, yes this is fiction but this old movie still has some biting relevance to the complexity of relationships. The interesting thing is how much her baby boomer husband knew about forgiveness. I simply love old movies and was able to view and enjoy this one tonight while preparing for a blog training. So, I share it with you. Tell me what you think. The movie is called Dodsworth. ShareThis -
107 and Still Going Strong? A Baby Boomers Goal
18 Jan 2010 | 7:22 amOk, this baby boomer now has a serious goal, live long life and keep going strong. Of course this is rather unusual so yes, I am glad to live what ever life God grants me and live it to the fullest. I just read this story about a woman who is 107 years old in Newark, NJ. She is from Georgia, just like my mom. So, of course before I posted this I spoke to my 82 year old mom and shared the highlights. We all need encouraging. I also hope that her senior housing complex has a full time social worker. They have been missing on a full time basis in Newark Housing complexes for a while now. … -
The Wordpress Wizard is Whipping out Another Wonderful Workshop
11 Jan 2010 | 6:42 pmMy friend and fellow baby boomer, The Wordpress Wizard, Cathy Perkins is starting yet another workshop series. She is really, I mean really knows her stuff. I have learned a lot from her and still learning. So listen now to her description of the workshop in her own words. It’s short and you can start it by clicking on the play button at the beginning of the blue bar. If you get interrupted by a phone call just click on pause. If you want to invest in yourself just click right now and sign up. PS She is one of the few social media folks I actually trust. I only promote folks I like and…
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Baby Boomer Talk and Other Stuff
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The Storm Isn't Over Yet
5 Feb 2010 | 1:13 pmLast weekend, a snowstorm swept across North Carolina. We got about six inches. Schools were closed and city services came to a halt for a few days. Most of the snow is now gone, but the storm isn't over yet. Right now I am storming mad over the fact that the City seems to be dragging its feet on a hazard created sometime after the snowfall.OK here's the story....... My daughter came home from college today and discovered the storm drain cover in front of our house had been removed. Upon further investigation, my husband discovered that the storm drain cover had broken in half. How could this… -
Let There Be Light
29 Jan 2010 | 6:04 pmAbout two years ago, I called City Hall to ask them to send someone out to repair a street light that had apparently blown a bulb. At that time, someone said they would take care of it---but never did. I called again several weeks later and was told they received tons of repair requests and would get to mine as soon as possible.Time passed and I forgot about that light until today. Much to my surprise there was a repair truck in our neighborhood right in front of that light. When I approached the repairman I told him I couldn't believe it took them over two years to finally answer my call. He… -
Whose to Blame When Children Fail?
22 Jan 2010 | 4:23 pmThis week a former principal in my community died from an apparent heart attack. Earl Pappy was 51. I met him once in 2008 when I brought actress Bern Nadette Stanis to his school to speak to the drama students. (pictured on the left of Ms. Stanis). My first and only impression of him was he was nice. But that's not what this post is about.Mr. Pappy was forced to resign last year because of his school's continued low academic performance ranking. Of all of the high schools in the area, Hillside was dead last. The school had been on the steady decline for several years. Mr. Pappy was supposed… -
The Challenge of Raising a Black Male
9 Jan 2010 | 7:27 pmMy daughter returned to college this week after a three week holiday break. Having her home gave me a much needed vacation from her three-year-old son. But now I am wearing the mommy/grandma hat again and dealing with a growing, inquisituve and challenging little boy. At three, he is now starting to test his limits and testing my nerves. This means he is beginning to defy authority and assert his growing independence. Everything I've read indicates I should recognize that this is a developmental stage. Frequent eruptions and disobedience can be a sign of a strong-willed child, the experts… -
Ugly Sweaters at Christmas
22 Dec 2009 | 1:10 pmIt's that time of year again when we decorate our homes with a beautiful Christmas tree and festive lights. Then you have some of us who choose to decorate ourselves with some of the ugliest sweaters ever seen and then parade around town as if we were in a fashion show.Today while shopping at Costco's I saw some of the most hidious looking sweaters I'd ever seen--and they were all worn by baby boomer women! I obviously didn't get the memo on this one and if I did, I'm glad I didn't read it.One woman actually had on a sweater with blinking light bulbs. To top things off, another woman wore her…
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The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide
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Super Bowl ads violent, sexist, and ageist – again
9 Feb 2010 | 1:49 amThis year, I was only able to watch the first half of the 44th Super Bowl. Once again, the ads were a disappointment. It makes you wonder what companies and their advertising firms think the intellectual level of American consumers is.An average 30-second spot on the Super Bowl costs 2.5 million. An esimated 106 million watched the game, making it the most watched program in TV history.Here are my picks for the worst ads:Unnecessary violence. A four-way tie: Snickers, in which Betty White and an older man are tackled in a game of football and slammed into the mud; Focus on the Family, in… -
Recall of the Week: Glass water bottles due to laceration hazard
7 Feb 2010 | 11:16 pmAbout 11,000 glass water bottles in the United States and 1,200 in Canada are being recalled by Starbucks Coffee Co., of Seattle, Wash. Made in Taiwan, the glass water bottle and/or its stopper can shatter when the consumer is removing or inserting the stopper, posing a laceration hazard to consumers, reports the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.Starbucks has received 10 reports of either glass stoppers or water bottles shattering, including eight reports of hand lacerations.The recall involves clear glass water bottles with SKU number 11003503. The 20-ounce water bottles have the… -
What were your best and worst consumer experiences this week?
7 Feb 2010 | 12:43 amWhich consumer happenings cheered you recently and which ones made you want to scream or weep?Here are my best and worst consumer experiences this week:My best: Lunch with friendsI enjoyed a luncheon at the Olive Garden with 10 of my friends. We had great conversations and good food. My worse: A miscommunication about medicationWhen I saw my doctor, she said she’d send an order for a prescription for an infection to my pharmacy over her office’s new computer system.I decided I’d walk over to Safeway to pick it up. It’s good exercise. It’s about a 15-minute walk to get there.When I… -
How to buy a mattress
6 Feb 2010 | 1:07 amA mattress can be a major investment, and shopping for one is challenging for consumers. Price comparisons are difficult because brand names and styles within the same brand differ from one store to another. In addition, you may also be looking at used bedding that appears to be new.A new mattress will usually have a white tag or label stating that it contains “all new materials, consisting of…” If you don’t see a tag, shop at another store where it’s clear what you’re buying. Up to 10 percent of mattress sales involve used or renovated bedding, some of which may… -
Former middle class families now fighting homelessness
5 Feb 2010 | 12:12 amThere’s no doubt about it.This recession is driving consumers from the middle class further away from their goals and aspirations and, in some cases, into poverty.Last August, construction-worker Troy Renault, his wife Tammy, and their five children were living in a comfortable, three-bedroom home in Lebanon, Tennessee. The family now resides in a donated trailer on a local campground, having downgraded from about 1,900 square feet to about 215, reports the article “Middle Class No More, Families Struggle to Fight Off Homelessness” on The Huffington Post.See the HuffPost series for…
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Midlife Crisis Queen
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Ready for another Boomer Blog Carnival?
9 Feb 2010 | 6:33 amGo check out the lovely array of Boomer articles Ann over at Contemporary Retirement has put together for your reading pleasure! -
Do you feel too old to pursue your dreams?
7 Feb 2010 | 7:46 amHave you ever felt like you’re too old to make a serious change in your life? Is it too late to finally get out of debt, find the kind of work you were meant to do, start your own business, find the love of your life or live your dream? Whatever your age, the rest of your life is ahead of you. You can’t go back and change anything about your past, but you can change your future. Now is your time to take action! It’s a very good thing these “elders” didn’t say NO to changing their lives: Henry David Thoreau was twenty-seven when he moved to Walden Pond,… -
Find inspiration everywhere!
5 Feb 2010 | 10:32 am“I’m out there trying to make the impossible happen.” This is a quote from a Winter Olympics TV ad, but it’s also a great example of how you can find inspiration everywhere you look. Yes, that young athlete is talking about getting a gold medal at the Olympics, a great goal for their abilities and stage in live. For those of us in midlife, how can we begin today to make what seems impossible right now, happen in the next few years? I’m coming from a place of recently experiencing an amazing and what I would have considered, impossible transformation of my own… -
Find your right livelihood AND your passion!
3 Feb 2010 | 6:26 amI did and I cannot believe how exciting it is! I’m just starting to blossom in my work as a life change coach and I LOVE THIS WORK! In fact, I have trouble thinking of it as “work,” because it is so naturally ME! I have finally found exactly what I’m good at and where I fit into this world. Please allow me to help you do the same! I guess there are really two ways to think about this. The first would be poor me. It has taken me three graduate degrees and over 30 years of searching and struggle to finally arrive where I am today and know that I belong. … -
Time for a brand new boomers’ carnival!
1 Feb 2010 | 6:51 amGo see what Andrea over at Baby Boomer Entrepreneur has cooked up for your reading pleasure today!
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The New Old Age
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Ask an Elder Law Attorney
5 Feb 2010 | 10:34 amCan a parent spend down for Medicaid eligibility and still keep her home? -
In Obama's Budget, Help for Caregivers
3 Feb 2010 | 5:30 amThe president's proposed budget sets aside more than $100 million for services provided to caregivers. -
Underused Therapy for the Heart: The Gym
2 Feb 2010 | 12:50 pmNew research shows that a program of cardiovascular rehabilitation is remarkably effective following heart surgery or a heart attack. -
Help for Hoarding
28 Jan 2010 | 12:30 pmResources, though limited, are available for helping seniors who hoard. -
Schooling the Aging Brain
26 Jan 2010 | 9:37 amA new study adds to evidence that the aging brain needs novelty and stimulation.
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Midlife Bloggers
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Poetry from Midlife: Deep Bloom
8 Feb 2010 | 12:44 pmI want to live right through to the end in full frontal engagement, awake to everything. -
My Feet Hurt
4 Feb 2010 | 11:35 pmYes they do. Every day. In almost every way. This, as much as used-up eggs and hot flashes, seems to be a fact of my midlife. Once, in my glory days, I could ... -
Wednesday Writer’s Workshop: Writing Creative Non-Fiction
3 Feb 2010 | 11:30 amThis year, the sixth annual BlogHer conference has a Writing Track, and as part of that track, there will be two Rooms of Your Own (ROYO). If you have been to Blogher before, then you ... -
Going Home–While You Still Can
31 Jan 2010 | 10:17 pmTime really does move faster when you're older....I just blinked and 2009 had passed me by before I realized it...and 2010 is already moving just as fast! -
Pretty, the Series: A web mockumentary
29 Jan 2010 | 12:06 pmLate in the evening when there’s absolutely nothing else on, I have found myself on occasion watching Toddlers & Tiaras. It’s one of those train wreck reality shows in which overweight parents groom their ...
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Over 50 Website
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Boomer Business – Starting a Business Over 50
8 Feb 2010 | 7:21 amBusiness Startups Over Age 50 Do you think you are too old to start a business since you have passed 50, 60, or even 70? Well, since you are reading this, you are obvously not too old to cruise the internet. To me, that means you are the type of person who keeps up with technology, the news, and business! I think that’s a great sign that you are not too old to start a business. In fact, it may just mean you are good and ready! Retirement is For Other People According to the Small Business Administration, 63% of non-retired Americans plan to work in retirement. When most of them were… -
Free Credit Reports – Good Deals?
2 Feb 2010 | 1:46 pmAre Free Credit Reports a Good Deal? Hello, helloo, hello…. Can anybody hear me….? Yes, it is a very catchy jingle, and it is sung by a baby faced rocker and his group. But despite the engaging commercials for websites like FreeCreditReports.com, are they a good deal? Of course, free sounds like a good deal. But those of us over 50 know that no company spends all of that money on ads just to give away things for free. Actually the Better Business Bureau has heard over 11,000 complaints about this credit bureau owned service. It works like this. You sign up for the free… -
Own or Rent – The Ads and Disads of Home Ownership Today
31 Jan 2010 | 10:37 amShould You Buy or Rent a Home? Even though the image of owning our own home, complete with a white fence, seems to always stay with us, nobody can disregard the news of how home ownership has meant financial disaster for many American families in the past several months. Most of us, over 50, probably always assumed we would own our own residence by middle age. And many of us have bought a house or two. How has that worked out for you? For many families, home ownership has been great. The family home has provide security and pride. For others, the home has become a burden which ended up… -
Dr. Sears of Prime Time Health – Live Interview
28 Jan 2010 | 8:03 amAsk Dr. Sears Questions in a Live Interview I posted my review of Prime Time Health by Dr. Sears a while back. Now I have just been notified that we are all invited to attend a live interview. I also mentioned you can read more reviews and buy Prime Time Health at Amazonn. Here is the update: Date: January 29, 2010 Time: 2:00 PM ET Author: William Sears, M.D. Title: Prime-Time Health Publisher: Little, Brown Where: BlogTalkRadio.com BlogTalkRadio/HBG Program: Join us as we interview Dr. William Sears about his new book PRIME-TIME HEALTH, understanding the changes in our bodies, how to keep… -
Meet New People Over 50
28 Jan 2010 | 7:48 amMaking New Friends Over 50 I think it gets a little harder to meet new people as we get older. I know that when I was younger, I was involved in a lot more activities with people who were open to connecting on different levels. Then, when my kids were younger, I tended to meet the parents of their friends. But now, as my kids go off on their own a lot more, I tend to be stuck in a rut where I never meet anybody new. Where Have You Met Friends in The Past? The one good thing about being in our second half century is that we have a lot of experience to fall back on. So consider your…
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The Boomer Chronicles
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BloggingBoomers Carnival #148
8 Feb 2010 | 6:39 amThe blog Contemporary Retirement is hosting our Carnival of links for baby boomers this week. Be the first to arrive. -
Friday Links Variety Show (February 5, 2010)
5 Feb 2010 | 4:59 amRead her Valentine’s Day wish list Here’s a roundup of online appointment calendars Living the fantasy of retiring abroad Dom Perignon was 60 when he produced his first champagne. It’s never too late to pursue your dreams. -
Could You Give Up Oranges in the Winter? Peak Oil Says You May Have To
4 Feb 2010 | 7:01 amI’ve got a big, fat honeydew melon ripening in the pantry, and a bunch of clementines piled up in an orange string bag. Could you live without fresh fruit and vegetables during the winter? If you’ve been reading this blog for the last year or two, you know I’ve talked about ‘peak oil‘, the point at which extracting the remaining oil from the ground becomes so costly that it not worth doing. In fact, oil production in 33 out of 48 countries has now peaked. What does this mean for you? It means everything that is not bought locally, and anything that has to be… -
Weird Wednesday: A New Bigfoot Report
3 Feb 2010 | 7:32 amEvery once in a while I visit the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization website to read about the most recent Bigfoot sightings around the U.S. Here’s a great report of a Bigfoot sighting from a truck driver who saw the strange creature in the summer of 2009 near Richland Chambers Lake in Texas: At precisely 1:30 a.m., on the 25th of August 2009, I was driving an 18-wheeler on CR.196 which runs off of FM.416 in Freestone County, Texas. I had just driven about 100 meters on an oil field lease road, when I spotted what I thought was a large Russian boar hog on the right side of the lease… -
The Oscars Could Make History This Year
2 Feb 2010 | 7:06 amThe Academy Award nominations were released early this morning. The Best Picture nominees are: “Avatar” “The Blind Side” “District 9″ “An Education” “The Hurt Locker” “Inglourious Basterds” “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” “A Serious Man” “Up” “Up in the Air” I am excited about the Oscars this year for two reasons. A film about sexual abuse and poverty, featuring a black cast and a black (and gay) director (Lee Daniels), and based on a semi-obscure novel — Precious — is in the running. The Hurt Locker, directed by a…
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Whose Shoes Are These Anyway?
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E*Trade Baby: Girlfriend, Milkawhat?
9 Feb 2010 | 12:07 amThis hilarious E*Trade commercial is from the 2010 Super Bowl, SB44, in which the Saints won. Yes, they did! I'm still smiling silly over that win. -
New York Times Reviews 'Pinky,' a 1949 Movie about Racism
8 Feb 2010 | 10:19 pmWhether by coincidence or providence, I do not know, but tonight, after seeing a post at BlogHer.com on the complexities of interracial dating, I came across the 1949 20th Century Fox movie Pinky on cable via demand. The movie is based on a book by Cid Ricketts Sumner, a white female writer from Mississippi. Predating movies such as Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Spike Lee's Jungle Fever, and -
Saints Win: NOLA Sports Caster Waxes Poetic
8 Feb 2010 | 7:08 pmThe video is from WWL TV, New Orleans: Watch Jim Henderson's final commentary is an homage to the Saints fans and the City of New Orleans and the team that has helped us believe.Related: New Orleans Sees Bright Economic Future with Super Bowl. -
Saints Win Super Bowl 44! We Win, We Win!
7 Feb 2010 | 6:56 pmI have warned everybody in my house, "Do not toss out tomorrow's newspaper." Yes, the Saints won Super Bowl 44! Final score, Saints beat Colts, 31 to 17. Both teams gave their all.Tracy Porter's interception of Manning's pass for a 74-yard touchdown had me screaming at the top of my lungs, and did anyone notice when the clock stopped at 4th Quarter 44 seconds? I hear shouting in the streets, -
Mitch Landrieu's Win Is Not About Black vs. White
7 Feb 2010 | 9:16 amWhen news came that Mitch Landrieu had won the New Orleans mayor's race, I was reclining on my sofa with a headache, watching a horrible made-for-TV SyFy Channel movie. (Maybe that was making my headache worse.) And I was thinking about how I'd be watching the Super Bowl Sunday even though I'm not into football. Come on, it's great news for the city.Anyway, I read the news that Landrieu won in a
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Twenty Four at Heart
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Call Me Exhibit A
9 Feb 2010 | 12:05 amLast June, I underwent breast reduction surgery at the urging of my shoulder surgeon, Dr. Schobert. He felt it would help me with my post-car accident arm/shoulder/neck/upper back problems. My arm/shoulder is doing much better now than it was pre-reduction, but I can't say definitively if my improvement is a result of the reduction or not. In any case, I now have smaller, perkier, breasts and less pain than I had pre-reduction.Oh, I also now have bionic nipples which are both a blessing and a curse.If you've been reading Twenty Four At Heart for awhile, you know I became friends with… -
Forming A Plan
8 Feb 2010 | 12:05 amI've gotten so many emails, I feel like I need to respond publicly. I don't want any of you to worry about me, I'm fine. Before we move on to other topics (and tomorrow's post is a good one!), I just want to assure you I'm picking myself up and moving forward. Last week's drama was a surprise ... a sad and heartbreaking surprise, but oh well. It certainly isn't the first time in my life I've been disappointed or hurt by a friend. Such is life.I'm seeing my doc/surgeon this week. I've decided to wait and discuss my future PT with him before I make any appointments. If I were… -
Rainy Weekend
7 Feb 2010 | 12:05 amI'll be at a Super Bowl party today. I'm hoping the rain stops, or at least slows down, so we can enjoy being outside for part of the day also. It has been a wet, wet, weekend.(This is a stock photo, I didn't take it. I don't want to get my equipment wet!)© Twenty Four At Heart -
Focusing on the Positive
6 Feb 2010 | 12:05 am© Twenty Four At Heart -
Emotional Hangover
5 Feb 2010 | 12:05 amHave you ever felt hungover just from stress? Or from emotions running intense and high? Well, yeah ... that's where I am. I'm wiped out, drained.You guys were awesome yesterday. Your comments, emails, tweets ... all made me feel like there really are good people in this world still. I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to each of you individually yet.Did I mention I'm emotionally drained?There are two parts to my break up with The Torturer. I'm trying to adjust to, and digest, both. First, there's the fact I've lost my long-term physical therapist. Many of you have been lucky enough…
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Anali's First Amendment
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More Than A Baker's Dozen - A Giveaway For Bakers
6 Feb 2010 | 11:37 amThe term "a baker's dozen" has always intrigued me. A baker's dozen is 13 instead of 12.It appears that the term goes back to the 13th century and comes from an English statute from the time of Henry III (1216-1272) called the Assize of Bread and Ale. A baker who was found to have given customers less than a dozen could be severely punished. Possibly losing a hand to an axe. So to be extra careful, bakers gave one more item than necessary. Just in case. Why have I been thinking about dozens and baking? Because I have a giveaway for you! Dozens and dozens of Eggland's Best eggs and more! You… -
Happy World Nutella Day!
4 Feb 2010 | 10:09 pmThis year I couldn't get it together to create a new Nutella recipe. You can still try my Nutella cookie recipe though.But as you can see from the post below, I've been feeling rather poetic. And the rules on how to particpate in World Nutella Day include poetry. So, I created a Nutella inspired found poem. The poem was found in the blog post Two Drops of Oil on Paulo Coelho's blog.A Nutella Found PoemA table laden with the most delectable dishes.It was time. His eyes fixed on the spoon. Did you notice the taste that I entrusted you?Looking down at the spoon, the young man realized the secret… -
A Found Food Poem
4 Feb 2010 | 4:39 pmEver since I first learned about found poetry, I've been fascinated with them. For some odd reason, I was inspired to try one today after picking up the current issue of Hannaford Supermarket's fresh magazine. Words jumped out at me as I was reading A Pocketful of Flavor, by Keri Fisher. I'm not sure that this poem is any good. But it was fun finding it. A Found Food PoemFoods surprise.Crowd-pleasers,pastries,filling.Basics inspire combinations.Recipes easy--freeze set dough.Olive oil stars instead of butter.Savory... Enjoy.Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2010. All rights reserved.This… -
Happy Groundhog Day!
2 Feb 2010 | 12:46 pm1. DSC_0866_edited, 2. 33/365 Happy Groundhog Day, 3. groundhog, 4. little groundhogDid you see your shadow today? :)Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2010. All rights reserved.This Post’s LinkLike what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here -
When Race, Culture, & Food Clash
1 Feb 2010 | 1:33 pmI thought this exchange on the Myers + Chang website was very interesting. Since I have some very smart and thoughtful readers, I was wondering about your take on it. The parties are a restaurant owner, Joanne Chang-Myers, and a commenter on Yelp. Here's an excerpt:"I get it, do over-priced Asian fusion food, but why do it in a way that’s offensive? Not only is the “ancient chinese secret” thing messed up, but I also heard about the messed up commercials/ads for this place saying junk like “Confucius say ‘When man go through turnstile sideways, Bangkok!’” or something to that…
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Art of Allowing Mindset
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change your perspective, change all that enters your experience
8 Feb 2010 | 5:47 am“Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at will change.” ~ Wayne Dyer What have you been looking at that you really want to be different? Is it your life? Is it a relationship? Is it your income? Is it your career? … How can you look at this in a different way? Make a list [...] Related posts:choose your own change- 3 steps to start down a new path and direction of your choice Are you happy with the direction you are moving in your life? Did you intentionally choose the direction or do ... change your life:its time to take the wheel Who is driving the wheel on… -
your attitude possitive or negative, where does yours rest?
6 Feb 2010 | 5:03 amYour attitude is one of your greatest tools or snags to your life success. If you want to be and feel successful one essential ingredient is an attitude of openness, possibility… You must believe in your success and your ability to create it. Success comes from you not to you. And where your attitude rests [...] Related posts:earth day- approach mother earth with a new attitude and inspire each other Rejoicing and hope is the breakthrough we need not futility and fear. Earth Day, is the 22nd and the... positive thinking is enhanced by listening to your inner voice Listening to our… -
stay focused, pay attention… sometimes its hard to do!
5 Feb 2010 | 5:30 amSometimes its hard to stay focused on a project you are working on or pay attention to the steps, stages, details… of what you are supposed to be focused on. Have you ever had one of those days when you just can’t stay focused on the projects or items you wanted to accomplish that day? What [...] Related posts:content marketing: 3 focus points to leverage small business success People do business with people they know like and trust… When you do this through content marketing and attraction marketing... attraction marketing frame of mind- 10 tips to stop having a hit or miss… -
martha’s vineyard musings: new day, new beginnings, fresh start… you’ve only to choose
3 Feb 2010 | 5:34 amNo matter where you are in your life right now.You always have the opportunity to create a new day, new beginnings, a fresh start… It could be for the way you think, what you feel, what you want to explore or experience. You’ve only to choose- To make the choice and step into the creation of [...] Related posts:martha’s vineyard:walking buddies point to unconditional love martha’s vineyard musings walking dogs… I have two Labrador retrievers, Taza who is 8 and Luna who is 6. They... choose your own change- 3 steps to start down a new path and direction of your…
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Average Jane
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What Do You Want To Know About Average Jane?
9 Feb 2010 | 3:00 amEveryone has been playing around with formspring lately, so naturally I had to sign up. If the other bloggers jumped off a bridge, would you jump off, too? Well...maybe.So ask me some questions. I'll answer the fun ones here later in the week. -
Average Jane's Winter Blog Lull
8 Feb 2010 | 5:52 amThere hasn't been much to report lately. This keeps happening: And we're spending a lot of time dealing with him: Don't let the adorableness fool you. Notice the open mouth? That's from the incessant gripe-y commentary. He also has a little problem with minding his own business: Trillian loves him, though. So that's good.My husband and I did attend a very nice Super Bowl get-together at Cagey's last night. Rita and her family were there as well. As usual, the women chatted throughout the game and stopped to pay attention to the commercials. It was a good game,… -
Average Jane's BlogHer Room of Your Own Suggestion
2 Feb 2010 | 9:36 amI've proposed a Room of Your Own session at BlogHer 2010 called Balancing Personal Blogging & Professional Life.If you're going to BlogHer this year and it sounds like something you'd be interested in attending, please vote. Thanks! -
Be Average Jane's Fan
31 Jan 2010 | 8:40 pmMy band, Rock Machine, has finally reached the stage where the marketing juggernaut is going full-bore. Thus, I'd like to point you to our MySpace and Facebook fan pages, where I invite you to become our friend and/or fan so I can spam you mercilessly about our upcoming shows.I'm extra excited about our logo, which was designed by Kennon James, whom I can't seem to stop name-dropping lately. I love his cartoon style and was quite giddy when he agreed to do our band logo. It's pretty cool, don't you think? Our next gig (that I know of) is going to be Friday, February 26th… -
Average Jane & the Sea-Monkeys
28 Jan 2010 | 7:15 amIf you're a relatively new reader, you may not be aware of my Sea-Monkey Journals, which were pretty much what got me started as a blogger. They were a series of e-mails that I wrote to friends chronicling the growth and development of a tank of Sea-Monkeys that I received as a birthday gift in 2000. My friends started sending them to their friends and eventually I had a pretty big subscription list going.I re-read them yesterday and was reminded that I could stand to loosen up a little with my writing. I think I used to be much funnier.What started me on this week's Sea-Monkey…
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Cindy La Ferle's Home Office
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In praise of scars
6 Feb 2010 | 8:19 am“By the time you become Real, most of your hair has been loved off. Your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby.” –Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit Earlier this week, my friend Alice posted this empowering Caitlin Crosby video on her Facebook wall and I was moved to share [...] -
Advice to writers
3 Feb 2010 | 6:25 amThe more you clean, the more brilliant your writing will be.” — Billy Collins Last week I shared Jane Hirshfield’s “The Poet” (about a writer at her desk), and in the comment section we all compared notes on where we do our own creative projects. Writers are inherently messy — in a good way. We save [...] -
Botanica
30 Jan 2010 | 9:01 pmI believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright. ~Henry David Thoreau When I was a student at Michigan State University in the 1970s, three natural science courses were required of all liberal arts students. An artsy kid, I’d nearly flunked math and biology in [...] -
The Poet
28 Jan 2010 | 4:44 amLet her have a chair, her shadeless lamp, the table.” — Jane Hirshfield, “The Poet” The place in which we work — an art studio, a home office, a spare bedroom, or the corner booth at the local diner — is essential to our creative lives. I often hear would-be writers and artists complain that they can’t [...] -
Got secrets?
25 Jan 2010 | 5:50 amAs a culture, I see us presently deprived of subtleties. The music is loud, the anger is elevated, and sex seems lacking in sweetness and privacy.” — Shelley Berman Last week I told 325 friends on Facebook that our bedroom in this old house is torn apart for remodeling and looks like a mess. Later that [...]
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Coming to Terms
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A Fresh Start
16 Jan 2010 | 9:31 amThe new blog name came to me this morning: A Fresh Start After all, isn't that what we crave when we've come through a gut-wrenchingly difficult experience? Coming2Terms went a long way to helping me realize that women without children after infertility experience tremendous isolation. We often feel like misfits, square pegs trying to fit into round holes. That's in large part because we don't have readily available support networks, our own easy-to-locate tribe to turn to following an emotional body slam. For those who go on to parent, there are play groups, the PTA, etc., etc., What we bad… -
New Decade, New Beginnings (updated)
4 Jan 2010 | 5:00 pmUpdated 1/4/2010Wanted to share a TV interview scheduled at the end of last year that took place today on the ABC affiliate KXTV. I hope you find that it moves the discussion away from OctoMom and the related soap opera reality TV shows focused on unusual fertility treatment outcomes to the more basic realities faced by couples coping with infertility. Please feel free to share. You can view the video from the KXTV website here:* * * *Original post from 12/30/2009I made my way into our coffee-perfumed kitchen yesterday morning and heard my better half in the garage. I opened the door into the… -
Yes, Virginia, There Are Lovely "'Fertiles" Out There
19 Dec 2009 | 6:56 amM E M O R A N D U M To: The Fertile Community From: The Infertile Community RE: Bridging the Chasm Caused by Infertility We're talking about you, and, I confess, it's not always in a good way. We spend a fair amount of time in the infertility community sharing anecdotes about how little our "fertile" friends, family and acquaintances "get us." You give us lots of good material to work with. Just a few days ago, The Wall Street Journal (who would have thought?) had a blog post up, The Swell Season: Haunted by Reminders of Infertility, that provided some examples of the typical casual… -
Our Next Guest: An Infertile Woman
10 Dec 2009 | 7:01 amMy, my...how times have changed. Two years ago I could barely summon the courage to acknowledge at a BlogHer holiday meetup that I blogged about infertility. Now, I'm practically wearing a sash. I now chat about infertility with such ease that I sometimes forget that those outside of the infertility community need a little time to wrap their heads around the complex set of ideas we routinely discuss online. For the uninitiated I have to take a deep breath, slow down and move with them through Phase I -- aka the "awkward phase" when someone first attempts to contemplate what infertiles face. -
The Game of Life
29 Nov 2009 | 12:13 pmAnyone out there remember playing the board game LIFE? It's been years since I spun the wheel of fate, but during a visit with friends who have a seven-year-old daughter and nine- and 11-year-old sons I was invited to put a pink peg in a car and see what life had in store for me. On the living room floor in between turns I watched college football and snacked on cheese, nuts and assorted spreads while the other adults relaxed on the sofa and chairs.The game didn't take much concentration since the kids were content to move my car according to my spin result and keep the pay day cash coming my…
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Diary of a Midlife Crisis
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Good morn... wtf?
6 Feb 2010 | 8:41 amThis is what I came out to this morning. Got to love California in the rain. Well, I guess Bette Blue needed a bath... -
Four years ago, life began...
29 Jan 2010 | 11:17 amFour years ago today, my new life began officially.I got my tattoos, which I still adore to this day. Destiny on one side of my wrist, and a Buddhist chant for blessing and enlightenment on the other side of my wrist.Oh, and my divorce became final.I don’t know why this day - this fourth anniversary - is so heavy on my mind. And I don’t know why this quote from (god help me) “Xanadu” keeps running through my mind: “Well, maybe just one moment. Or forever. I keep getting them mixed up.”One moment or forever.That’s what it feels like.It feels like just yesterday that I sat in our… -
Opening weekend
17 Jan 2010 | 10:47 pmGreat opening weekend for "The Jamb". I love my cast. It helps to work with two of my favorite men on earth - Kerr Seth Lordygan and Brad C. Wilcox. They are not only great men and great friends but amazing actors who bring intelligence, grace and dignity to every part they perform. I wish I could play with them all the time. And Garrett Liggett and Kenlyn Kanouse are just icing on the very wonderful cake that is my cast.The play by J. Stephen Brantley is full of amazing words and amazing characters and gave me so very much to work with. It was great that he was able to come out from New York… -
Another opening...
15 Jan 2010 | 1:13 amMy new play, the world premiere of "The Jamb" by J. Stephen Brantley, opens today - Friday, January 15 at Eclectic Company Theatre in North Hollywood, CA. Featuring Kenlyn Kanouse, Garrett Liggett, Kerr Seth Lordygan and Brad C. Wilcox. Directed by yours chumly.Tuffer (Kerr Seth Lordygan) and Roderick (Brad C. Wilcox) are turning forty. Neither wants to face it.While Tuffer continues to smoke, snort, and screw his way through Manhattan's much younger gay male population, Roderick's gone as straight as possible for activism and martial arts. With the arrival of Tuffer's latest boy toy Brandon… -
Blackout
11 Jan 2010 | 12:11 am“She laid her heart and soul right in your hands/but you stole her every dream and you crushed her plans…”Keith Urban on an endless loop tonight. “Stupid Boy”. I almost let you back in. Almost. This close. Was going to send you an invite to the new show, thinking that maybe I should reach out to you, try to close the gap, try to let you back in, in whatever tiny way I could. Let you share in my life for a second, see what I’ve done, see what I’ve accomplished, who I’ve become.“She never even knew she had a choice/and that’s what happens when the only voice/she hears is…
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DuchessOmnium - Island to island
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Floating service station
3 Feb 2010 | 7:58 amWe were all running short of diesel, coal, gas and toilet fluid, because first Dusty was stuck in the ice at Duke’s Lock, and then he had to go north to reload his boat. So everyone was glad to get his text message the other day. Squirrels are searching out their nuts for a nibble, but you get Dusty’s nuts delivered. Rock on Tues, Thrupp Wed, and Dukes plus Oxford Thurs/Fri. You don’t need to nibble at my nuts – buy them by the bag. Yesterday evening around half past five a bell jingled, a boat tied up alongside me, and I went out to greet Dusty. He loaded eight bags of coal onto… -
Blogging for beginners part 2 (post 101)
1 Feb 2010 | 5:16 pmMy elder daughter tells me I gave up on Twitter too soon. People get interested in your life, she says, if you just keep going. That’s probably good advice for blogging too, and for life in general. Success is mostly about showing up. I admire those like Ruth who always have ideas and themes and structure. When I don’t manage, and then say nothing at all, later it seems to me that I should have at least mentioned what I ate for lunch. So here’s the latest on my life, in case you got interested: Last night I tucked my radio under the bedclothes and listened to the late… -
Down the pub
29 Jan 2010 | 2:58 pmThe new year is beginning to feel old, which, I guess, is a way of saying I am beginning to feel at home again along the tow path. I have a new neighbour (Mr Badger) and the swan family has changed, but otherwise things are pretty much as usual: Ratty emerged from his boat for the first time this morning (that is, the first time I have seen him since I got back), off for a toilet run. He’s still banned from the pub. Ferret, working on the new boat, has broken up with Dina, but she still shows up at the pub now and then, never ever without her head covered. Wheels finally got his… -
Fire and ice
22 Jan 2010 | 8:51 amThere’s a guy who cruises up and down the South Oxford Canal filling boats with diesel and delivering coal. In the way that people call each other after their boats, he is known as Dusty. I have his real name on a bit of paper somewhere, for when I write the cheques, but I think of him only as Dusty the Coal Man. When he is on his way he sends text messages to everyone along the route, reminding us to fill up. The texts are usually vaguely suggestive: “Dusty – your man for hot nuts, exotic red juice and whiffy gas…Nice! Rock on Tuesday, Kidlington Wed, and on to Oxford… -
Since you asked
20 Jan 2010 | 3:57 pmOkay, Jan asked. So here is my little grandson, four months and a day old when the picture was taken last week in Seattle, just before I left for the airport. Little Julian and Big Julie Young Julian is doing well, thank you, and giving his parents exactly enough bother to make his grandparents smile and remember that revenge is sweet. I maintain that he is a particularly pretty baby. One school of thought declares that I am biased, which might just be possible. Or we could simply agree that he is not only unusually attractive, but also shows signs of extraordinary intelligence. Here, he…
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Good & Plenty
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Sometimes love goes missing.
6 Feb 2010 | 6:29 amSometimes love goes missing. When it does – go find it! Did it get trapped in the pages of yet another book you’re reading? Is it stuck in the keyboard of the computer that’s become an appendage to your fingers? Is it hiding among the kids and their demands? Will you find it at the board meeting or volunteer event you’re at? Is it at the church or the club? Does it live in the television programs you watch so frequently? Love can go missing not only because of infidelity or major disagreements. It can go missing because of simple neglect – it is easy not to be… -
The Hills are Alive...a Walking Observation
31 Jan 2010 | 5:59 amThe hills are alive, okay, not really hills, it's one hill and if it feels alive because it seems to change or at least my experience of it changes. Read on. I face the same hill nearly every day that I leave my home on my walk to Ashmont Station. At the top of the hill, there is a small church, Calvary Baptist Church. Whenever I make it to the church, I always think, “I made it to Calvary.”* Some days I bound up the hill almost unaware of the experience because I'm emeshed in my thoughts and not concentrating on the walk. Other days, every step… -
Source of Strength, Source of Pain
27 Jan 2010 | 5:10 pmI admit it. I’ve often avoided facing history. Especially history from the period of African-captivity known as American Slavery. I’ll read history but avoid seeing history, especially this period, because of the pain that it conjures up in me. So, it was with some trepidation that I went to see the play Harriet Jacobs, presented by Underground Railway Theater, playing until Jan. 31 at the Central Square Theatre in Cambridge (Massachusetts). The play is inspired by the autobiography, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs. I went because… -
Sufferin' Succotash - the MA Senatorial Election Debacle
20 Jan 2010 | 4:35 pm“Sufferin’ succotash," Sylvester the Cat said when he was distressed usually after having failed, once again, to catch Tweety-Bird. He said it with a stutter and plenty of spit. (Daffy Duck also uttered the phrase but it was Sylvester’s originally.)I’m stuttering, sputtering and shaking my head in dismay at the outcome of the special election to fill the late Senator Ted Kennedy’s seat in Massachusetts. Unlike Tweety, Martha Coakley, did not outrun her nemesis, Scott Brown. In fact, she didn’t even run a campaign. I wonder… -
It Ain’t All About You – Communication Issues with Friends
19 Jan 2010 | 7:03 amIt Ain’t All About You – Communication Issues with Friends My friendships with a couple of long-term friends are in an inactive phase, either because we are no longer physically located near each other or because we’re in a different phase in our lives so that the things that brought us together – a job, children, hanging out at the same places – is no longer providing glue for the relationship. We just grew apart. It happens. This distance doesn’t mean, however, that I don’t still care for them. I do and so I try to be in touch on a regular basis. With some friends…
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Granny Sue's News and Reviews
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One Step at a Time
7 Feb 2010 | 8:25 amLike many others I wondered how people moved forward after the loss of a child. I am learning a lesson I never wanted to learn. I will tell you that it is the hardest journey I have had to make, and we've only taken the first small steps.There is still joy--we tell "Jon Ford" stories about the many memories we share. I have learned much about my son in the past few days that I did not know because he had many friends in different walks of life, and of course his time with his family here has created a pool of adventures and experiences I knew only in part, because I live six hours away. It's… -
Jon
5 Feb 2010 | 10:43 amJonathan Scott Ford, 39, of Leesburg, VA passed away on February 2, 2010 from injuries received in an auto accident in Grundy County, Iowa.He is survived by his wife of 17 years, Jennifer Effland Ford, daughters Jordan Ford-Smith, her husband Ethan Smith and granddaughter Cadyn Smith of Ripley, WV; Kathleen, Cassidy and Allison Ford at home, brothers George L. Ford and wife Cassandra of Maysville, WV, 1st Sgt Derek R. Ford of Ripley, WV, Aaron Ford and wife Jaime of Fairmont, WV and Larry T. “Tommy” Holstein of Morgantown, WV; parents Susanna Holstein and Larry Holstein of Sandyville, WV… -
My Son Jonathan: Rest in Peace
2 Feb 2010 | 2:54 pmMy son Jonathan lost his life in a traffic accident in Iowa today. We will be leaving in the morning to go to his wife and children in Virginia. Please keep us all in your prayers. The photo is Jon at Thanksgiving with his granddaughter Cadyn. -
The Mystery Hole Flash Fiction
2 Feb 2010 | 6:26 amYesterday Susan posted this as the writing prompt photo on her blog: It's West Virginia's very own Mystery Hole on Rte 60 near Hawk's Nest State Park!Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to write for Susan's Microfiction Monday, but I did drop a little ditty on First 50, where Virginia also posted the Mystery Hole photo and prompt.The stories people have come up with for this photo are fun reading. Go visit Susan and First 50 to read what creative ideas were inspired by the photo. Maybe you could write a story or poem yourself about it? Here's what I wrote on First 50: He was an old-style… -
Moonset, Sunrise
1 Feb 2010 | 2:19 pmI could do a whole blog on sun and moon photos, I think. This morning I left early because I knew the sky was going to be a glory to see.I was right. At the top of the driveway, the moon hung silver in the fading night sky...while behind me the sun was just beginning to color the horizon. I turned around and headed out toward the sun (I can go either direction and still come out at the same place because our road makes a four-mile loop)...but stopped on top of the hill above our driveway to catch one more of the moon, and the pink light of dawn just beginning to brush the snow...then…
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It's a Mad Madge World
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last madge post
3 Feb 2010 | 7:11 ami decided to go home to my first and fav blog - slow panic. please come see me there. -
I'm trying veganism. Stop freaking out.
12 Jan 2010 | 10:54 amYes. Yes I am being vegan. Did you know vodka is vegan? See, it's not so bad.People do kind of freak out and think it's radical, that I can't get enough protein, calcium or vitamins. No, I don't have all the stats on how much protein or calcium I need, but I'm going to figure it out here in the next week or two.Here's what happened. I read Skinny Bitch. I love this book. They tell you how it is and take away any excuses not to take care of yourself. Yes, I pretty much skipped the chapters on the slaughtering of animals 'cuz I was already pretty much vegetarian and I figured I didn't need the… -
Poem Thursday on a Friday
8 Jan 2010 | 6:29 amIt's either a couple of poems or I tell you that I'm going vegan..... Both of these are by Jeremy Voigt. The first appeared today on The Writer's Almanac One NightThe car crossed two lanes of trafficand a grass median before plowinghead-on into me, killing my wife,unborn child, and myself. BeforeI died I touched the shoulderof a policeman, felt the sure strengthof his muscles, heard the only wordhe spoke, "Jesus," and I smiledbecause I stopped believing in himlong ago. He mistook my smilefor something positive and not listlessirony, and I tried to correct him,but my throat stopped. Red… -
The Burpee Seed Catalog
2 Jan 2010 | 11:58 amEvery year right around December 25th I get one of my favorite things in the mail. The Burpee Seed Catalog. I set it aside until the madness is over and then I pour over that catalog, dog-earing pages and day dreaming about the amazing garden I'm going to have.Eventually I toss it into the recycling without ordering one seed. But this morning as I went through the catalog I made a list of seeds to order. I haven't placed the order yet, but I'm going too. I'm starting small -- some herbs, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, cucumbers, radishes, carrots.Damn. I guess I'm not starting small. The thing… -
NYR #3 through yeah like that's gonna happen
1 Jan 2010 | 12:45 pmOK I don't actually have a third resolution. I have more like three million more. I can't help it. It's a new year, I just managed to somehow survive the crazy holidays, which even when they aren't crazy are still just a little to crazy.So of course I have a zillion things I want to do differently. Of course I want to lose weight, exercise more, spend less, save more, not watch t.v. so much, knit more, sew more, write more. Spend more time with my friends. You get the idea. And it all seems so easy today doesn't it? Most of us aren't working today and we still have the weekend ahead of us.
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Jan's Sushi Bar
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Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding
8 Feb 2010 | 7:10 amI’m not a big bread eater. Oh, every now and then I’ll get a hankering for a good sandwich or I’ll have a piece of toast with my Sunday brunch or a warm roll with dinner, but I’m not one of those people who can’t do without bread – to be honest, I’d miss cornbread way before I’d miss sandwich bread or dinner rolls. Nor are Beloved and the Young One all that fond of bread – they both enjoy a good sandwich (more than I do) and those warm dinner rolls (again, more than I do), but that’s about it. There are weeks I buy or bake bread… -
HEAT IS GOOD
5 Feb 2010 | 7:01 amWell, since it’s Friday and I have a great deal to do I thought I’d join in on Happy Hour Friday again this week. Because while my week has been really, really stressful there is still so much I have to be happy about. As you might have guessed by the title of this post, I am absolutely doing-the-happy-dance THRILLED that we have heat again. See? It took two young men almost 7 hours to install the new furnace, but it was soooooo worth it. They’ll be back next week with the water heater and I’m ready for that, too. I am also happy to report that before he left… -
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
4 Feb 2010 | 5:56 amTuesday evening Beloved was in the living room watching something on television (probably either Cops or America’s Dumbest Criminals Trying to Flee the Authorities and Failing Miserably), The Young One was in the kitchen looking for something to eat (30 minutes after dinner) and I was sitting in front of my laptop, playing a game (and using my earphones so I didn’t have to listen to the drivel on the television), when Beloved said, “What’s that sound?” “What sound?” The Young One and I both chimed in. I didn’t notice anything, what with the… -
I’m Just a Little Peeved
3 Feb 2010 | 4:45 amThe subject of this week’s Spin Cycle is pet peeves. Where do I begin? There are plenty of people who are complaining about the butchering of the language, especially this new “texting shorthand” – the use of things like “u r” for “you are” and “ppl” for “people” – so I won’t add to it; let’s just suffice to say that it irritates me to no end. The same goes for the proper use of “they’re”, “their” and “there.” Beloved will tell you that his biggest pet peeve… -
RTT – It’s Groundhog Day…Again
2 Feb 2010 | 6:07 amIt’s that time again folks – so grab the funky purple button (what’s with that ham, anyway?), link up to Keely and play along with Random Tuesday Thoughts. Today’s edition: The Annual Groundhog Rant. So, here it is…February. My least favorite month of the year – for all sorts of reasons, but mostly because it’s going to be at least six weeks before I see the sun or any sign of life around here. No matter what the stupid groundhog says. Because while it is PERPETUALLY GRAY here in my neck of the woods I imagine it’s sunny as all get-out in…
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Midlife's a Trip
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A New Direction on My Midlife Trip
3 Feb 2010 | 5:08 amThis is my last post here on Midlife’s A Trip. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been blogging here for several years now. Funny – when I started I was so green, a real “newbie” as they say online. But as I look back, I realize that not only did I learn how to blog here [...] Related posts:Some Changes at Midlife’s A Trip For the regular readers at Midlife’s A Trip, you may...The Evolution of Midlife’s a Trip I’ve been blogging here at Midlife’s a Trip for over...Happy Moments in the Life of a Midlife Blogger Today I’ve been… -
50 Plus Woman Does a Disco Christmas
25 Dec 2009 | 5:23 amIf you’re 50-something like me, you probably remember disco dancing. When I hear that music it brings back fun memories of my younger days. That’s why I jumped at the opportunity to create this crazy disco, celebrate the holidays, celebrate my fifties video. I hope you enjoy it and the spirit of this wonderful holiday [...] Related posts:Christmas Dinner–A Bittersweet Meal I had Christmas dinner with a very special family. It...Deck the Halls, No Joy in Your World As the holiday season is upon us, does it feel...10 Ways to Avoid Holiday Overwhelm As we head into December,… -
What Would I Do Without Sisters?
26 Sep 2009 | 9:52 amThe story below was posted today on Facebook by “Irma” and it’s just the amazing kind of woman’s wisdom I like to share here on Midlife’s A Trip. Let me know how it resonates with you: “A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother. [...] Related posts:Age is But a Number Yesterday evening my sister and I took my mom to...Being Big Sister This week I had to pull rank on my sister. ...Meditation Can Lower Blood Pressure I am the daughter of a woman who did Transcendental... Related posts brought to you by Yet… -
The Fork in the Road
22 Sep 2009 | 6:03 amDo you feel like you are the proverbial “fork in the road” these days – vulnerable, uncertain and not sure which way to turn next? With the current economic situation still so volatile, many people around the country are just plain afraid about the future and wondering: “Will I be laid off tomorrow? Will my [...] Related posts:Choices Several weeks ago on a great sunny Saturday afternoon,...The Advantages of Closing a Few Doors One of the most popular news articles in the last...The Absence of Fear–A Midlife Perspective I’m the person who’s deathly… -
My Latest Eco-Accessory
13 Aug 2009 | 10:18 amAs I continue on my path to green up my little piece of the planet as much as possible, I’ve made a firm commitment to bring my own bags when I go shopping – anywhere. I don’t need another plastic or paper bag in the house. And frankly, lots of retailers are offering very cute [...] Related posts:Trader Joe’s Comes to the Little Screen I’m a self-confessed Trader Joe’s fan. Who’s Trader Joe? Well...Menopause Mommy My sister is the menopause mommy–52 year old first time... Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
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Midlife Slices
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Good Things Come To Those Who Procrastinate
5 Feb 2010 | 5:57 pmI knew if I waited long enough, my sister would post about our most recent ordeal. Tah dah! You can read about it here but then come back because I’ve got a little bit to add. *drumming fingers on the table* x x Back already? Wow, you’re a speed reader for sure. x O.k. so now you know [...] -
Has It Been That Long?
3 Feb 2010 | 10:06 pmIt’s been so long since I’ve visited my own blog that even after reading the title of my last post, I had no clue what I’d written about. X I have an excuse. X I’ve been waiting on my sister to thaw out and write about the whole ordeal but she’s probably waiting on me so I’m not sure [...] -
Boxers or Briefs, Mattress Dancing and Birthday Confusion
18 Jan 2010 | 8:16 pmExploding underwear! If I hear another word about exploding underwear, my head might explode. At least I didn’t say my underwear might explode. The other night HBL and I are trying out our new damn bed by watching a little television. The 10 p.m. news came on and all they could talk about was exploding [...] -
Confession Time
12 Jan 2010 | 9:54 pmI have a confession to make. I like to watch television and I’m easily hooked on a show even when it’s garbage. Hoarders is garbage. Literally. It’s like watching a train wreck and I can’t take my eyes off the screen nor turn it off or switch to another channel. I even have my DVR [...] -
10 Things…..or maybe 12 or 15
8 Jan 2010 | 7:33 amLife of Privilege posted a meme that I really liked and so I decided to steal it for myself so I could share 10 things that make me happy, with all of you. For the record, my husband, my children, grandchildren, family and great friends are and will always be at the top of that [...]
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Nanny Goats in Panties
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This Ain't No Goat Blog
5 Feb 2010 | 8:45 amAnybody who tries to call Nanny Goats in Panties a goat blog is severely mistaken, according to a recent Google Search. I Googled "goat blog" and NGIP does not appear even once in the results! Of course, I only checked the first four pages, but still. Not a goat blog. I can't begin to tell you how proud I am, however, that people around the globe have come to my blog while searching for the following terms in the last month: buddha sex with skulls pissing contest all you can eat panties son of a gun from nannygoatin' there once was a man with a bucket a mean old nanny goat doesn't… -
Goat Thing of the Day: Goats on the Ground, er, Roof
3 Feb 2010 | 2:13 pmEver been to Door County, Wisconsin? I haven't. Which is why I'm glad I have you people to tell me about goats the world over. Like the ones that hang out on the roof over at Al Johnson's Restaurant. As seen on Ruth's Visions and Revisions (via JD at I Do Things) So now when you see this next photo, you will know that they are standing on that roof. As seen on Eat Wisconsin (also via JD at I Do Things) Fellow blogger Kathy (who blogs at On a Chicken Wing and a Prayer) sent me a picture of a kid with her kid. Buddy and Andrew, circa 2005 According to Kathy, Buddy the goat became enormous and… -
Jim McCormick: The Bernie Madoff of Snake Oil Salesmen
1 Feb 2010 | 2:22 pmHow much would you pay for a magical bomb detector that can sniff out explosive devices as far away as 1 kilometer? Boy, THAT sure would save a lot of lives, wouldn't it? And how much would you pay if this magic bomb detector came with a set of memory cards, each one detecting different items, like, say, oh, I don't know, elephants and 100 dollar bills? I mean that last feature alone means it would pay for itself, right? Because that HAD to have been the clincher for why the Iraqi government spent $60,000 each on what some people refer to as dowsing rods. Behold, the ADE-651: The ADE-651. In… -
Goat Thing of the Day: Up, Up and Away
30 Jan 2010 | 11:48 amBeth (of Be Yourself...Everyone Else is Taken) was at Peck's Farm Market in Spring Green, Wisconsin when this goat... ... started climbing... ...and climbing... and climbing until.... Ta Da!!!! Beth's Blog Post about the Farmers Market (featuring MORE goat photos) -
Retro Desserts: There's a Cake For That
28 Jan 2010 | 8:45 amWhen you're looking for a real hot and romantic night on the town with your Significant O, your first thought is probably: teenage birthday parties in the suburbs! Right? I know mine is. I don't have kids, so I'm totally out of touch with what's hip and trendy and phat and sick and yo and dope and whatever is the kids are saying these days. Turns out not much has changed since I was a youngin' in the 1980s. What a relief we felt when we discovered at a recent suburban teenage birthday party that kids are still observing at the Altar of Ms. Pac-Man even though we're living in a brand new…
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Not What It Seems
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Snow and its attendant woes
1 Feb 2010 | 3:26 amEach winter when I lived in the snow belt I thought, I will not survive this winter. It was more than pleasant to leave that fear behind when I moved to the island. The last two winters have been very mild with a dusting here and there that quickly melted.This winter we have had two snowstorms. This weekend I experienced Post-Traumatic- Snow-Disorder. As everyone here (unaccustomed to snow) searched high and low for sleds and traded recipes for snow cream, I felt that fear again. Walking down the stairs and glimpsing the field with its white blanket, I shuddered and thought, "I cannot live… -
Missing
28 Jan 2010 | 2:58 amI have been missing. My children, family and friends are wondering where I've been. I've been wondering too. When I do have time to talk to people, I am usually sleeping.I've been setting up various appointments for my husband and working as much as I can in order to be out the house. It's not really what I need or want, but I have no escape from him otherwise. I have not been alone in my own house since perhaps the end of August. That is excruciating for me.Today, usually the lightest day in my schedule will begin by running in to work to do a bit of paperwork, an ENT appointment for my… -
Denial
24 Jan 2010 | 4:31 amDefinition Denial is the refusal to acknowledge the existence or severity of unpleasant external realities or internal thoughts and feelings. Sounds nice, doesn't it? It might be if both of us were dwelling there. I was feeling very optimistic for a few hours last week after talking with my husband. I forgot that we cannot stay in the same place in our heads. I realize that he is struggling, and very frightened. I don't know how to make that better.His denial is so strong, and so wrapped in the lies that he tells to himself and everyone, that it is sometimes more than I can bear. I don't want… -
Questions
21 Jan 2010 | 3:47 amIf I believe, as I say I do, that there are some things we are not supposed to understand, then I must accept that there is something I am meant to experience or learn from the issues with my husband.I put a deposit down on a little apartment. Following my trip to NY, I was told that it was not a safe place for me to live. I went over and got most of my money back, even though I was afraid.But I had already told my husband what I had done.I also told him why, and how heartbreaking it is for me to watch him disappear. He was quiet, but did finally admit that he knew that he was experiencing… -
2009
29 Dec 2009 | 8:32 am2009 has been both better and worse than I'd imagined and I am more than ready for it to be over. To me it will be remembered as The Year of the Rains, the year the beach was destroyed, the year green mold grew on everyone's houses and cars. The island remains sodden, some houses still looking as though they were built in the middle of lakes. It has been a year of decay and destruction. That can be a good thing, as it forces one to rethink before rebuilding, to reassess the contents of the toolbox, reexamine the blueprints, to think carefully about what is necessary. The powers that be at the…
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Out on the Stoop
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Love In the Spirit of The Sun Magazine
8 Feb 2010 | 4:58 amWith that dang book about compromising on a marriage partner still bouncing around and other folks are fighting to get into and out of marriages it makes me almost proud that i am single woman.Yes. I'm holding out for the relationship thing. I was re-evaluating my thoughts on free range thumpety thump. If it was just the sex we'd all be perhaps not quite so tense.The Sun Magazine has heart pounding writing. Each and every month there is gold coming out of North Carolina. Sy Safransky is the editor and publisher.Sy has been known to write about his wife and his feelings about her. There is a… -
The Gift of Permission For the Imaginary Box
7 Feb 2010 | 2:14 pmThis is one of those moments that smacks you upside the head. I have had a mental loop of a scene in a movie that comes back to me from time to time. The movie is The Devil in Miss Jones. The link is to the specific scene in the movie and nothing more.For those on work lock down it or otherwise video prohibited it is the scene where Miss Jones is about to be enroll in the School of Carnal Knowledge. Miss Jones meets "The Teacher."The Teacher removes the inhibitions that probably caused Miss Jones to take the express train out of life in the first place. The scene has always been my favorite… -
Prelude to Gifts I Should Remember to Give Myself
7 Feb 2010 | 9:25 amI have decided that I'm going to do February 14th differently this year. I was staring to get irritated with the VD ads for underwear, chocolate and the implicit messages, instructions and tutorials on how to please your man. I don't have one, a man I mean. It is not like I can stroll into JCPenney's and flip the racks in the men folk's department until I find the guy that fits.Now if JCP decided to get innovative and have a registry where you could obtain a vetted and verifiable man of your desires I do think it would brighten the profit outlook of the chain. Then again, the return policy… -
All Night Long on the Finally Friday Freakout
5 Feb 2010 | 8:00 pmKeely Smith? I had never heard of the woman until I stumbled into a video. Keely was performing during the transition time between the poodle skirt and the mini skirt. Think of the Mad Man years. In between was Keely. This is Keely singing All Night Long.For a time she hung out with a cat named Louis Prima who was a force a nature by himself. This was classic fire and ice and sometimes you had to work out which was which. Usually Keely was the ice as Louis was burning up the joint. This is their rendition of Don't Worry About Me. Mr. Prima passed away in the 1970s. Keely Smith is still… -
Accidental Love Song on the Finally Friday Freakout
29 Jan 2010 | 12:00 amI am going to start with a song cuz this guy has nothing to do with the current cultural angst about getting married. He is a singer. It is his job to sing songs of love, love lost and found again. It is a love song of a young man.A song that continues the tradition of a line of people crooning you are the one and only with the added kicker of "I'm not about to let you go." This is Andy Kong with Accidental Love Song."Accidental Love Song" by Andy Kong from Eugenia Loli-Queru on Vimeo.Love doesn't seem to have much to do with marriage anymore. Maybe it never did. There is a never ending bar…
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Seasonality
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RANDOM GLEANINGS FROM STORIES FROM THE HEART V
8 Feb 2010 | 7:20 amThe rash of blog-inspired book deals is probably over. Turns out, they didn't sell all that well. At least, not the ones that were just a re-hash of what you'd read in their blogs.1 in 4 females, and 1 in 5 males, will have been sexually abused by the time they are 18, and incest is not nearly as rare as you would think.Writing heals.You can have "clouds" of categories on the sidebar of your blog, and there is also a place called "The Cloud", where back-ups can be stored.Adding video to a blog is probably not as difficult as I have been imagining.There is a gizmo out there that looks just… -
AND THE WINNER IS...
8 Feb 2010 | 6:56 amDuh, duh-duh-duh, da-dah...Kathy Gerwig! Congratulations Gus! Now all you have to do is decide whether you want your cozy to be sage green with dark teal trim, sage green with a rusty-red trim, or multi-colored in shades of soft yellow and coral (though I have to say, the pretty pattern of the stitches gets lost in a multi-colored yard). Oh yeah, and you have to promise to replace at least one Diet Dr. Pepper a day with a cup of tea! Love you Big Sis. Glad you finally won something! -
GOING...GOING...
7 Feb 2010 | 2:32 pmAlrighty! It's good to be home! Almost time for that drawing I told you about, and you've got two different ways to get your name in the hat tonight, before it's too late. If you have not yet responded to my informal census survey, all you have to do is leave a comment containing your basic vital statistics (minus real name, of course). I'm just curious as to the general makeup of my audience here. OR, you can leave a comment telling us about something you have done, cooked, made, read, explored, etc., that was inspired by something you read in this blog. Winner will receive a FABULOUS… -
MAJOR GAB-FEST
5 Feb 2010 | 7:35 amWoohoo! The Story Circle Network conference hasn't even officially started yet, and already I'm having a blast! Left home about 4:00 yesterday and drove into Austin in the pouring rain. Stopped at Mama Fu's for some potstickers and seared ahi tuna (3-6 is happy hour and all appetizers are half-price!), then came and checked into the hotel. Had a few minutes to get unpacked, then it was time to head downstairs for the bag- and folder-stuffing party over in Susan's suite. Finally got to meet Linda Hoye, whose blog (My Own Velvet Room) I've been reading for some time, and who is heading the… -
KISSIN' COUSINS
4 Feb 2010 | 6:41 amI'm ever so glad that there are people in the world who love/live to organize and conduct. Me, I'm not one of them. Oh, I can really groove on reorganizing some shelves or a closet, but when it comes to whipping people or events into shape? Well sheesh, I get a headache just thinking about it!Take an event like, oh, I don't know, let's say a family reunion. In theory, I'm all for them. We had so much fun visiting with various cousins at both my nephew's anniversary barbecue and after my mother's funeral, that someone said "Hey, we should have a cousin's reunion!" Then we were all, like,…
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Telling It Like It Is
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Chicago Vacations – Things to Do in Chicago
8 Feb 2010 | 3:00 amWhat are some cheap and fun things to do during family vacations to Chicago? Anyone who has been to Chicago during the winter months knows that taking a Chicago vacation requires bundling up with warm winter clothes to offset the cold, blustery, freezing temperatures and winds from the Windy City. There are a lot of fun and cheap things to do in and outside of Chicago, indoors and outdoors, including things to do in the suburbs for families, kids and adults of all ages. Looking for fun things to do in Chicago during the summer or winter? Chicago has a lot to offer tourists and vacationers… -
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick Book Review and Video
5 Feb 2010 | 3:00 amThis is a book review guest post of Hush, Hush: The New York Times bestselling book by Becca Fitzpatrick. The “Hush Hush” novel is a very popular book among teens and young adults, including a Hush Hush fansite “Fallen Archangel” at fallenarchangel.com and a Youtube video trailer. In Hush, Hush, Nora Grey meets Patch Cipriano. Patch is mysterious, attractive, a bad boy, and the school’s newest transfer. Nora is brown-haired, smokey-eyed, an only child, and a columnist for the school’s eZine. In the biology class they share together, Patch seems to know way too much about… -
Reality Steve Bachelor Spoilers vs ABC The Bachelor Mike Fleiss
4 Feb 2010 | 5:56 pmOur favorite snarky and sarcastic reality tv blog-master Reality Steve has Bachelor producers in a dither because of Steve’s bachelor spoilers. Reality Steve, aka Steve Carbone, just might need to watch out for the Israeli secret service to come knocking on his door, according to an interview executive producer Mike Fleiss had with EW. Really ABC? I just bet that Reality Steve is shaking in his Texas boots right about now. Not likely. While Bachelor producers are going about their business of preparing for the upcoming wedding of Jason Mesnick and Molly Malaney, to be aired on March 8,… -
Apple iPad Reviews – Is the Price of the iPad Worth the Hype?
4 Feb 2010 | 3:00 amWhen the Apple iPad was unveiled last week by Apple CEO Steve Jobs, gadget geeks were anxious to learn what all the hype was about. Who will want to buy the iPad and what all does it do? Is the iPad application device worth the hype that has been built up? Whether or not the iPad will crush or slay netbooks and e-readers like the Kindle remains to be seen. The iPad is an application device and not a computer or a laptop, so why there is talk about the iPad crushing netbooks sounds like nothing more than hype and geek jargon to me. After reading a ton of pro and con reviews about the Apple… -
How to Talk to Teenage Girls – Things NOT to Say to a Girl You Like
3 Feb 2010 | 3:00 amWhat is the best way to flirt with a teenage girl you like, without coming on too strong, if you are a teenage boy? Sometimes teenage guys say stupid things to girls and end up regretting it, especially if the dumb thing said leads the girl to slap the guy in the face. Young guys in the process of becoming a man sometimes learn valuable lessons the hard way, and learning what things not to say to a girl they like or have a crush should rank very high on the list of learning “how to talk to girls”. A young, 17-year-old teenage guy contacted me the other day, telling me the story of…
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Hot Flashes
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Power Struggle Over the Thermostat Between Husband and Wife
1 Feb 2010 | 6:01 amWe've had colder temps than normal here in Houston this winter, (Note: If you read this blog from outside the Texas area, our winters typically consist of 60's and 70's mixed with the occasional "cold front" where temperatures dip way down - but it is very temporary and before long, we are using the air conditioner again) With those colder temps, the thermostat power struggle between husband and wife is waging on in many households. Or is power struggle too mild a term? For some, it is all out war. Normally, the husband adjusts the thermostat to cooler temps, with the wife jockeying for… -
Enablers Unintentionally Cripple Their Children/Significant Others
25 Jan 2010 | 6:00 amSome call over-involved parents "helicopter parents" because they hover over the most minute details of their children's lives. There is a lot of disdain among experts for this type of parenting, but many of us are guilty of it to some degree.I too, was a bit hovering, a bit over-involved. My children, now adults aged 22 and 25 still complain sometimes that I don't realize their ages when I insert myself in a "helping" mode. That's when I know to back off, because despite my parenting style while they were growing up, I did not keep them bound to me. They are off and running on their own… -
Am I The Only Snuggie-free "As Seen on TV" Buying Addict?
19 Jan 2010 | 6:00 amAm I the only human who doesn't have a Snuggie? You know what I am talking about - those thin fleece things with sleeves that are supposed to warm during cold winter months while glued to the television or reading a book. In the meantime, if I did want a Snuggie type thing, I would probably buy or try to make a thicker one on my sewing machine. My daughter has a Snuggie and it is ridiculously skimpy-thin. It's surprising that I don't have one because I have a huge assortment of things that are sold on TV. I am such a sucker for those pitches of wonder items.I have a kitchen full of regrets -… -
Friends Rally Around Woman Looking for a Kidney
14 Jan 2010 | 6:00 amAfter writing this story for the Neighborhoods section, I started counting my blessings of health. This woman, through unfortunate genetics has advanced kidney disease - the same disease both her parents were afflicted with and died of in their fifties.Since I am around that age, as is the woman Sallee I wrote about, I think it is far too young to have a health issue about a failing organ, particularly when you have taken care of yourself.I must say though, what she lacks in health right now, she is wealthy in the friends department. Her friends, particularly Lisa, are doing all they can do… -
A Real Life Blind Side (Adoption) Story Right Here in Houston
4 Jan 2010 | 6:00 amWe, like everyone else it seems have seen the movie The Blind Side and have been tremendously moved (to tears) at the generosity of the Tuohy family taking in a homeless child and making him part of their family. In fact, after I walked out of the movie, I read everything I could about this remarkable family and found out that much of the movie information is true, with the exception of Big Mike not knowing anything about football. There are true life stories every day of the week about loving, generous people who take in less fortunate children. Some provide loving foster care, others…
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Baby Boomer Talk & Other Stuff
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The Storm Isn't Over Yet
5 Feb 2010 | 1:13 pmLast weekend, a snowstorm swept across North Carolina. We got about six inches. Schools were closed and city services came to a halt for a few days. Most of the snow is now gone, but the storm isn't over yet. Right now I am storming mad over the fact that the City seems to be dragging its feet on a hazard created sometime after the snowfall.OK here's the story....... My daughter came home from college today and discovered the storm drain cover in front of our house had been removed. Upon further investigation, my husband discovered that the storm drain cover had broken in half. How could this… -
Let There Be Light
29 Jan 2010 | 6:04 pmAbout two years ago, I called City Hall to ask them to send someone out to repair a street light that had apparently blown a bulb. At that time, someone said they would take care of it---but never did. I called again several weeks later and was told they received tons of repair requests and would get to mine as soon as possible.Time passed and I forgot about that light until today. Much to my surprise there was a repair truck in our neighborhood right in front of that light. When I approached the repairman I told him I couldn't believe it took them over two years to finally answer my call. He… -
Whose to Blame When Children Fail?
22 Jan 2010 | 4:23 pmThis week a former principal in my community died from an apparent heart attack. Earl Pappy was 51. I met him once in 2008 when I brought actress Bern Nadette Stanis to his school to speak to the drama students. (pictured on the left of Ms. Stanis). My first and only impression of him was he was nice. But that's not what this post is about.Mr. Pappy was forced to resign last year because of his school's continued low academic performance ranking. Of all of the high schools in the area, Hillside was dead last. The school had been on the steady decline for several years. Mr. Pappy was supposed… -
The Challenge of Raising a Black Male
9 Jan 2010 | 7:27 pmMy daughter returned to college this week after a three week holiday break. Having her home gave me a much needed vacation from her three-year-old son. But now I am wearing the mommy/grandma hat again and dealing with a growing, inquisituve and challenging little boy. At three, he is now starting to test his limits and testing my nerves. This means he is beginning to defy authority and assert his growing independence. Everything I've read indicates I should recognize that this is a developmental stage. Frequent eruptions and disobedience can be a sign of a strong-willed child, the experts… -
Ugly Sweaters at Christmas
22 Dec 2009 | 1:10 pmIt's that time of year again when we decorate our homes with a beautiful Christmas tree and festive lights. Then you have some of us who choose to decorate ourselves with some of the ugliest sweaters ever seen and then parade around town as if we were in a fashion show.Today while shopping at Costco's I saw some of the most hidious looking sweaters I'd ever seen--and they were all worn by baby boomer women! I obviously didn't get the memo on this one and if I did, I'm glad I didn't read it.One woman actually had on a sweater with blinking light bulbs. To top things off, another woman wore her…
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Boomer World
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Baby Boomers Don't Read Blogs
31 Jan 2010 | 12:26 pmI'm a baby boomer and I write blogs. As a matter of fact, I have more than one active blog. I also read blogs written by fellow boomers but, according to the latest research, I am in the MINORITY because the majority of baby boomers don't read blogs. The study claims the number of blog reader/writers is below 10%. Although 49% of boomers use online reviews and recommendations on a retailer’s site to make their purchase, only 9% looked to other blogs or communities for recommendations.Another interesting statistic involves Twitter. The study also showed that Twitter is not very popular with… -
Baby Boomers Give a Thumbs Up to Fox News
28 Jan 2010 | 5:16 pmMore than 1100 baby boomers nationwide say they watch and trust Fox News more than any other news network.According to a new poll by Public Policy Polling, 52 percent of Baby Boomers say they trust Fox as an informed source for news--while CNN comes in a distant second at 33 percent.Why do you think that is? Unfortunately, this survey does not break down the numbers to determine the number of white males polled versus women and other ethnic groups. I will point out that 1151 people surveyed nationwide is merely a small drop in the a very, very large bucket but I'm sure FOX News will get… -
Baby Boomers Beware of Free Trial Offers
12 Jan 2010 | 2:00 pmHave you ever been the victim of a "free trial offer"? This is where a company offers you a sample of their product or service for a limited period of time.Not long ago, I had to cancel my credit card and have another one re-issued because I became a victim of the free trial offer. I heard about a particular product on the radio targeted for baby boomer women and decided to try it out. All I had to do, they said, was give them my credt card number to cover the nominal cost of shipping and handling. I was also advised to call them within 30 days if I was no longer interested in receiving… -
Sex and the Single Baby Boomer Woman
6 Jan 2010 | 3:39 pmThe Shady Lady Ranch in Nevada has been given the go ahead to hire the state's first legal male sex workers. As a matter of fact, this is the first time in the history of the world that male prostituion is being made legal.Brothel owner Bobbi Davis was quoted as saying, "I personally feel, as do the many other women who have made contact with me since I started this, that this is a service whose time has come." No word yet on the MO of the women she will market to however here's a statistic that might help her:57 million American women 45 and up, nearly half—25 million—are unmarried. And… -
My Weird News Stories of 2009
29 Dec 2009 | 7:21 pm
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Boomer Diva Nation
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5 Tips To Make Customers Come To You
3 Feb 2010 | 5:19 pm1. Determine who your customers are and what their needs and wants are. Know how your product or service can satisfy that need or want. 2. Make sure you select the proper medium to carry out your message and choose the proper location within that medium. 3. Direct your message to where your prospects are listening, viewing [...] -
When Social Media Relationships Go Bad…
25 Jan 2010 | 6:34 pmGuest Post by: Wendy Y Bailey I’m certain you’ve met people through Facebook, your blog or even Twitter. You connect with a few select friends and followers who are genuine professionals with solid reputations in the world of social media. Even though you’ve never actually met the people in person – you connect, tweet and in [...] -
Meet Featured Diva Beverly Mahone
17 Jan 2010 | 10:20 amBeverly Mahone is a veteran journalist, author, media coach and motivational speaker who writes about issues affecting middle-aged women in her book, Whatever! A Baby Boomer’s Journey Into Middle Age. In addition, she is a Featured Writer for Boomer Living, Bonkers and Passionate For Life Magazines. She also hosts a weekly show on BlogTalk Radio [...] -
5 Tips on Preparing for Disaster Recovery
14 Jan 2010 | 5:26 pmIn the wake of the happenings in Haiti, this is an important post. As a woman in business, you must be prepared for just about anything because on any given day some type of disaster could strike in your community and create havoc in your business and personal life. You must recognize that your business [...] -
Unexercise Works
2 Jan 2010 | 8:50 pmSpecial Guest Post by: Wendy Y Bailey We’re bombarded with so much more in life these days. Business is no different. It’s a far cry from the simpler life my parents experienced more than 40 years ago. Fewer people. Less technology. No information superhighway. Today we marvel at the convenience of plug and play, cell [...]
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Merlot Mom
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What Goes Around Comes Around
5 Feb 2010 | 10:57 pmWhen I was a kid, I spent my Friday nights eating Lays potato chips with a side of Oreos watching The Brady Bunch and The Partridge Family. Later, in high school and college, I was too busy using mind-altering substances (and then eating Lays potato chips with a side of Oreos) to watch tv. I was making my own entertainment; some of which was award-winning, most of which were boring repeats. Then, I got married and had kids and my Friday nights blended into every other night which meant eating Lays potato chips with a side of Oreos and falling asleep before prime time. Now, with my… -
Don't Try This At Home
1 Feb 2010 | 9:16 pmIt is close to 8:30. I have just finished cleaning the kitchen. Homework is done. The kids are upstairs. All is QUIET on the domestic front. I tell you this not to gloat, not to make you feel bad, but to tell you that THIS IS NOT NORMAL. Normal by this time of night is my dogs barking, my son crying, and the tv blaring. Normal by this time of night is my ears ringing, my chest tightening, and my throat stinging from screaming above it all. No, this night is not normal. Not normal at all. My son did his homework without a fight. No sibling snark was passed with… -
Sharing A Few Funnies
31 Jan 2010 | 2:44 pmAfter a hike with my friend and our dogs on this gorgeous LA Sunday and a run to our local Farmer's Market, I just spent the last few minutes relaxing, watching these two clips and laughing out loud. Nothing I say today can compete. So, if you haven't seen these yet, enjoy (and pardon the lead-in commercials, the skits are worth it.) Have a great Sunday. -
It's Good To Get Out Once In A While
24 Jan 2010 | 10:20 amI forget how much I like my friends. I spend much of my time in solitude: writing, in my car listening to NPR, walking with my dogs. And when I'm not alone, I'm with my family. I'm not a total hermit. There's plenty of time in the day with people around: volunteering at school, carpool, play dates. And I cherish Thursdays with my writing workshop where I am amongst a group of people whose interests are the same as my own - HEAVEN. But, when the day is done: the dinner dishes cleaned, the next day's lunches made, the kids asleep, what I most… -
Andy Rooney's Ode to Women Over 40
22 Jan 2010 | 7:00 amI was sent this by a friend and thought it, if you missed it on 60 minutes as I did, it was well worth sharing in a blog post: 60 Minutes Correspondent Andy Rooney (CBS) As I grow in age, I value women over 40 most of all. Here are just a few reasons why: A woman over 40 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, 'What are you thinking?' She doesn't care what you think. If a woman over 40 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do, …
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Zen and the Art of Midlife Crisis
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Http://
8 Feb 2010 | 10:33 amAt our gig over the weekend, I met Lisis Blackston, a blogess who writes so well about creating a balance in our lives. In ways that I can identify with so easily, she writes about making changes using her own life as an example of an honest account of the ups and downs we all go through.Although we had never met, I recognized her immediately as she entered with her husband and son. After reading -
Energy Rising
22 Jan 2010 | 11:14 amIn many ways this has been the most challenging week yet. My conception that healing should progress in a linear order dips once again into a feverish state.The belief that I can participate in this healing by the moderate embrace of the things I love--thinking by doing a little, I gain a lot—I focus on a little work with my Skatter Monkeys and making music. My doctor gives me full clearance to -
At the Firey Core
14 Jan 2010 | 7:07 amYesterday, I awoke late at seven, after falling asleep early, stumbled to the couch and fell asleep again. In the afternoon, trying to write, sleep over took my scribbles again. This morning, a phone call woke me close to ten. Anyone who knows me well knows this is not me. My thoughts are scattered, simple words difficult to retrieve, sentences cut short, wandering to a dead end. My last -
Monday, Monday
7 Jan 2010 | 10:38 amOn the first Monday after the New Year, the start of another decade, on Facebook and the road outside my door, people charge forward with resolution. Determination is rampant and optimism runs high. Deep from another perspective, I see for myself ahead a day of solitude, a week of finding work, a half-year of recovery, challenge over abundance. My heart flirts with both ecstasy and despair in -
Medical Report
1 Jan 2010 | 7:13 amThe Christmas season has been very different for me this year, a time of disorientation, solitude and also some emotional invigoration. Preparing for the New Year under the bright blue moon, my heart dances with optimism and is sobered by reality. Forgive the gory details (or skip over them), but to properly convey my state of mind and trains of thought, the specifics of my physical ordeal are
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Midlife Musings
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Someone actually thought this was a good idea?
6 Feb 2010 | 6:51 pmToday, I decided I didn't feel like cooking dinner, because as I rooted around in my pantry for a can of something I needed for my recipe, I sat down on the floor and started pulling out cans from the bottom shelf and discovered something disgusting.I don't know what happened, but I think a can started leaking long enough ago to make a really, gross, disgusting pile of mold on the bottom shelf and all over the cans. Ew... I mean we are talking major gross-out. It was completely disgusting. After I stopped freaking out and gagging, I threw out every can on the shelf, cleaned it up, lined it… -
Sight for Sore Eyes: Lasik Surgery
1 Feb 2010 | 9:26 amFor years, I've been wanting to have Lasik surgery. As I mentioned in my previous post, I've worn glasses since I was 10 years old and I was teased unmercifully. Kids can be so cruel to one another. But over the years my vision has continued to worsen, and I also have developed a bad astigmatism, too. When I finally made the decision to have the surgery done, I applied for financing, and when I was approved, I decided to move forward with it. Once I made the decision, it all happened rather quickly. That's probably a good thing, because I might have chickened out otherwise. It's really scary… -
Spam Comments
30 Jan 2010 | 10:38 amWell I've finally decided I'm going to have to disable anonymous comments. I've been getting a few spam comments here and there, but mostly they've been placed on posts that are so old, no one reads them anymore, so I wasn't too worried about it. I like to give people the opportunity to comment on my blog without having to sign up for something, like Open ID or Google or whatever. Well, yesterday I got a comment on my most recent post, and it was a spam comment. I don't want anyone being able to spam my comments for even one second, so I have disabled anonymous commenting. Sorry about that,… -
Success!!
29 Jan 2010 | 9:48 pmI am not even supposed to be on the computer yet, but I have to say that there aren't words for how ecstatic I am. For the first time since I was 10 years old, I can see 20/20 without correction!!!The experience was wonderful. I'll blog more later.I woke up this morning, and I could see. I could see! Unless you've worn glasses like I have for years, you might not understand.More later, but O-M-G!! I can seeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!! -
The better to see you with!
27 Jan 2010 | 6:50 pmWell, I've decided to do it.No, not that. I've not decided on the "D" word yet. (see previous posts).Tomorrow I'm having Lasik surgery. I have terrible vision and have worn glasses since I was 10 *sigh*. What a misery that was. Kids can be so mean. I was tall, geeky and wore glasses. I might as well have worn a target on my back. "Oak tree" "four eyes".... ugh.But I digress...I have 20/400 vision. Yes, that means I can't see much beyond the end of my nose except blur. Plus I have a bad astigmatism and due to my age, I have presbyopia. This means reading glasses, or bi-focals as I have now. My…
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Boomer Cafe
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Retirement Age Increases in Finland
29 Jan 2010 | 2:43 pmSomewhat surprisingly, the average age of retirement in Finland rose from 59.4 in 2008 to 59.8 last year, regardless of the ongoing recession and rising unemployment.Experts have been rather taken aback by the fact that the average age of retirement in Finland rose noticeably from 59.4 in 2008 to 59.8 last year, in spite of the ongoing recession and rising unemployment figures.In comparison, the pension age in 1999 was below 59 years. The pension age keeps rising, as the rules have been changed and as people also live longer.The increase as such is in line with the forecasts made following… -
Saying Good-Bye to Our Parents
29 Jan 2010 | 1:34 pmJoyce ZonanaNot every boomer spends a lot of time helping aging parents, but so many do, we thought it would be useful to read the reflections of just one, writer Joyce Zonana. What she is going through is in one way unique, but in another way it’s precisely what so many baby boomers are facing right now.The mothers of four different friends have died in the past month, and my own mother, 88, has turned her face to the wall.“I’m finished,” she says when I urge her to join me for a walk in the park that stretches invitingly just outside her windows. “I’ve had enough.” Although… -
The Man Behind Woodstock
25 Jan 2010 | 9:15 pmNettie HartsockLast year we started a new feature on BoomerCafé: interviews with prominent people who have changed the way baby boomers look at life. They are done by Nettie Hartsock, who has made her bones talking with authors and luminaries. In this installment, Nettie talks with Michael Lang, producer and co-creator in 1969 of the Woodstock Festival. He also has just written “The Road to Woodstock.” …..Intuition, Inspiration and Keeping Your Inbox Free…..BC: I loved the book. One of the things I read is that you said, “Money has never been my aim – always a side effect of what… -
Boomer Generation Defies Labels
22 Jan 2010 | 11:44 amHere’s a piece to remind us that not all baby boomers are empty-nesters or burgeoning grandparents. Plenty still have young children at home, including writer Morgan Petrini, who reminds us that the boomer generation defies labels.I guess you could say I’ve always been a late bloomer. Adolescence for me lasted well into my 30s. I was in my late 30s when I finally graduated from law school; pushing forty when I married my darlin’ wife Laura; and now, mid-fifties for becoming a first-time dad!Not that we didn’t want or try to have children sooner; procreational success just seemed to… -
How to Talk with Your Doctor
13 Jan 2010 | 12:30 pmDr. Bill RoiterWe hope against hope but sooner or later we’re going to be seeing the doctor….probably more often than we used to. The question is, as independent baby boomers with healthy lifestyles, will we take the doctor’s advise seriously? Dr. Bill Roiter says there’s a way to relate to the doctor that will keep us healthy.The holiday ads are gone, replaced for most of us baby boomers by weight loss, gym, and fitness equipment ads. It’s the season of resolutions and healthy intentions… the season of exercise, a better diet, and a willingness to sacrifice. I hope that you can…
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Going Like Sixty
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Geeky Animated Gif Monday (except it’s a vid)
7 Feb 2010 | 10:04 pmYou might like these too...Geeky Animated Gif MondayGeeky Animated Gif MondayGeeky Animated Gif MondayGeeky Animated Gif MondayGeeky Animated GIF MondayPowered by Contextual Related Posts Be Socialable -
Book Review: Do It or Age Quickly. Going Like Sixty to Live Better!
7 Feb 2010 | 11:02 amI didn’t write this book. But any guy that designed a workout machine for Jackie Chan is pretty tops in my book. BTW: Jackie Chan is starring a new movie The Shinjuku Incident, for all you Jackie Chan movie buffs. But I digress. Do It or Age Quickly is by JB Berns. JB Berns created the Urban Rebounder. You know, the little trampoline that is now in thousands of professional and home gyms… JB Berns & Urban Rebounder I’m sure this made him a rich man. If that didn’t the Jackie Chan Cable Flex System as seen on Tee Vee certain did. I admire any Boomer that comes up… -
Circle This Day, I Was Wrong – Twice. Magic Jack Didn’t Die and My Ab Wasn’t What I Thought.
6 Feb 2010 | 2:44 pmI’ve been listening to Rex Havens – a Christmas gift – and he’s a funny guy. He notes that in understanding women, there are only two lies a woman will tell to a man: “Whatever makes you happy” and “Fine!” Otherwise, the man is always wrong, and should never stop saying “I’m sorry.” Those are the only things I’ve learned about men and women which are always true. Love does not mean you never have to say you’re sorry. If you’re a husband, love means you never STOP saying you’re sorry. Love means a husband should start… -
Oldie but Goodie Meme: You Have A Rock Band, Design a Cover.
5 Feb 2010 | 10:03 pmI haven’t seen this one around for a while, but Avitable has decided to revive it. Then Grant did it too. Then Cynical Bastard did. So, I figured I would too. 1. Go to the “Random Article” link on Wikipedia. Write down the title of the article. This is the name of your band. 2. Go to “Random Quotations” and the last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album. 3. Go to Flickr and click on “Explore the Last Seven Days”. The third picture will be your album cover. Internal decapitation close-knit family in another city. -
I Can Has Forum? AARP? or Very Serious, You Are on Fire, Just Kidding
5 Feb 2010 | 6:54 am*Jumping with joy* There are two new forums that I found for you. One isn’t active yet… Community will have exciting improvements in April. From easier ways to join interesting conversations to faster searches, you’ll find connecting with others more fun than ever. You’ll also discover… New technology for a smoother and more dynamic user experience Feature enhancements to support and showcase your discussions, comments, photos, and more Check out the AARP Guide Blog to learn more about the new Online Community. Or… and this is the one I am recommending:…
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A Boomer in the Pew
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Bible in a Year Series: Aaron's Priesthood, Priestly Garments, and the Foreshadowing of the Christian's Call to Spiritual Priesthood
8 Feb 2010 | 8:17 amDay #39 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the Bible. Click here to learn more. You are most welcome to join along at any time. Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Exodus 28-29.One of the joys of my second journey through the Bible is that I am able to comprehend a little more this time through. My first journey could only be described as shock and awe. I had no idea the things that lie between the covers of this book.I distinctly remember my quandary, in my post from a year ago, as I contemplated the amazing detail that God… -
Bible in a Year Series: The Tabernacle as a Symbolic Representation of the Garden of Eden
7 Feb 2010 | 6:40 amDay #38 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the Bible. Click here to learn more. You are most welcome to join along at any time. Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Exodus 25-27.Crossway Publishers, the creators of the ESV Study Bible, have done a very nice job of creating illustrations of the tabernacle, and all its components. Click these links to view the illustrations: The Ark of the Covenant The Table for the Bread of the Presence The Tabernacle and its Court The Tabernacle Tent The Golden Lampstand The Bronze Alter Something… -
Bible in a Year Series: And They saw the God of Israel
6 Feb 2010 | 4:48 amDay #37 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the Bible. Click here to learn more. You are most welcome to join along at any time. Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Exodus 22-24.I found chapter 24 to be the most amazing scene. God has given Moses the Book of the Covenant, he reads it to the people, the agree to obey, and a most solemn ratification of this covenant is done on an alter before the Lord.Then, look at this:"Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel. -
Bible in a Year Series: Fear, Faith, and Moses on Sinai
5 Feb 2010 | 6:19 amDay #36 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the Bible. Click here to learn more. You are most welcome to join along at any time. Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Exodus 19-21.Yahweh to David Porter:I'm God, and your not!Mankind was severely messed up from the apple in the Garden of Eden. At the root, we became proud, and would dream that we control our destiny, in essence, our natures are inclined to call themselves god.So how might the one true God communicate to us that we are not God? By forcing upon us, or bringing to our… -
Bible in a Year Series: Over 1,000,000 People Whining in the Wilderness
4 Feb 2010 | 6:07 amDay #35 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the Bible. Click here to learn more. You are most welcome to join along at any time. Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Exodus 16-18.If you have ever been in a leadership position over a large group of people, then you will have a crystal clear understanding of the grumbling that can occur. We must remember that when Israel left Egypt, there were over 600,000 men, plus women, children, massive numbers of animals, as well as a "mixed multitude". Consider the immensity of well over…
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Catskill Cottage Seed
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Lullaby
23 Jan 2010 | 3:58 amJust coming to realize that every lullaby draws is effect through the interaction of the child’s breath with the one that holds her. It’s a kind of synchronized serenity… -
Certitude and Unconscious Bias
19 Jan 2010 | 8:21 amIf I had time to go in search of it, I’m sure there must be an interesting quote from Shakespeare on the dangers of certitude. Once I’ve locked reality to meet my assumptions, I’m no longer able to admit any wider possible aspect within reality that challenge those assumptions, and in effect, the power of my bias begins to work unconsciously. The bias becomes a lens whereby each and every piece of incoming data must meet the demands of given prejudice. I’m saddened by the overt racism that is leaking from so many quarters in these days of suffering in Haiti. Do you see… -
Write America
18 Jan 2010 | 8:06 pmMy friend Marty has launched her Write America project in 2010. Its a wonderful process where she finds an interesting, odd, tragic, or just plain weird news item from a different State each week and uses the story as a writing prompt for either a short story or a poem. She’s three states in now, so you’ll want to catch up! -
Out of Line?
18 Jan 2010 | 11:52 amImage via Wikipedia Getting notice that another has thrown the foul flag at you, claiming that you are “out of line” provides a great opportunity to do a little inventory work. Is the issue at hand being brought up because responses were inappropriate or because the information delivered does not fit in the others expectations? And then, if we can be honest with ourselves, can we admit that perhaps the answer is most likely in the gray area that includes a little bit of both possibilities. Often times emotional responses can be viewed as out of line simply because the anger,… -
Denial
16 Jan 2010 | 6:11 pmImage by pixn8tr via Flickr In many ways the concept of denial is a catch 22, for as I often hear explained when working at a therapeutic boarding school, it’s kind of like this: When you’re in denial you don’t even know your lying to yourself In many ways that’s a really good descriptor for the way all unconscious processes work, including projection (when we see the fault or blame for something in someone else…or all the exceptional qualities for that matter as well). To claim the psyche is elusive is an understatement. The challenge is to provide…
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Nourishing Relationships
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Cuddling on Valentine's Day
8 Feb 2010 | 7:01 amWith record snow on the east coast and heavy rainstorms on the west, what better to do than cuddle for warmth with a loved one? Last week we looked at how singles can thrive on Valentine's Day. This week we focus on couples and how to bring you closer.Contrary to the new film, Valentine's Day, love alone does not guarantee the success of a close relationship. It also takes a willingness to work on building stronger connections through commitment and communication. Remind yourselves of the commitment you made and the love you created. Plan date nights even when you don't have something special… -
Sandwich Generation: Nurture Yourself
5 Feb 2010 | 12:13 amAll week we've been talking about how to stay centered and nourish yourself on Valentine's Day. But don't save these practical strategies for just one day a year. Use them often and they'll become second nature.Relax and rejuvenate to relieve stress. Nurture yourself and your body through regular exercise, good nutrition and proper rest. Attend to your mind and your spirit. Practice techniques of deep breathing or your own form of meditation. And set aside quiet time to do what brings you pleasure. This sort of attitude will sustain you as well as promote greater self care.On Valentine's Day,… -
Sandwich Generation: Make it Happen
4 Feb 2010 | 6:36 amAs Valentine's Day approaches, you don't have to feel down in the dumps. If you're single and a member of the Sandwich Generation, do you have an aging parent who's not feeling so well or an adult chld who's going through a rough period? Reach out and see what happens to you when you bring a smile to their face.Give back some love. Go outside your normal routine and get in touch with a relative or neighbor you've been meaning to call or visit - it could brighten the day for both of you. Studies show that when you shift attention away from yourself to others, you actually feel better.Volunteer… -
Sandwich Generation: Focus on Friends & Family
3 Feb 2010 | 7:00 amJust because you're single doesn't mean you have to be lonely on Valentine's Day. As members of the Sandwich Generation, focus on these tips that can reach far beyond a love relationship and perk you up:Pay attention to the positives in your significant relationships. Notice who you enjoy spending time with and what about them brings you pleasure. And remember that your personal character and qualities make them want to be your friends. Relax into your friendships as you enjoy fuller and deeper conversations.Connect often with others. Going out with a group of colleagues can sometimes be more… -
Sandwich Generation: Love Yourself
2 Feb 2010 | 6:30 amValentine's Day is right around the corner. If you're single and feeling out of sorts, here are some ideas about how to brighten your day:Give yourself an emotional break and watch what happens. With a deep breath, release any negative thoughts you have about not being in a relationship. Actively dispute the notion that you are unworthy or unattractive. Choose an affirmation that rings true for you - I'm fine just the way I am; my life is full of those who care about me - and repeat it out loud, with conviction and often. Take a step back and trust your instincts. Listening to your inner…
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Silver Planet
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The Importance of Being
8 Feb 2010 | 7:23 pmThis is a time for many of us when we begin to ask the "why" questions of life. I call them the why questions because that is how I interpret Genesis 3, in which the issue of one's mortality is raised. -
Elder’s Sense of Home Frustrates Caregiver’s Best Intentions
8 Feb 2010 | 1:42 pmMy mother is in mid- to late-stage Alzheimer’s. She is in a very good nursing home, and I visit her almost every day. She breaks my heart because she keeps saying she wants to go home. What do I say? -
Older Adults Skipping Vaccinations
8 Feb 2010 | 10:15 amUnlike children, who have regularly scheduled vaccines as part of their well-checks, older adults are on their own when it comes to knowing what vaccinations would be good for their health. -
Top Five Mortgage-Related Scams in Utah
8 Feb 2010 | 9:02 amFew parts of the country have been untouched by mortgage-related fraud, which shows no signs of leaving the news. These won’t sound unfamiliar—and if you, or someone you care about, are having trouble making your payments, watch out! -
Enron, the Play: A Different Kind of Spotlight on Fraud
5 Feb 2010 | 9:43 amFinancial collapse never looked so good, or so many reviewers imply. Inspired by the energy corporation that went belly up in 2001, this production documents the roots and aftermath of the scandal.
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Aging as a Spiritual Practice
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Loss of Livelihood I
4 Feb 2010 | 4:05 pmThe fourth “great fear” of Buddhist teaching is “fear of loss of livelihood.” It is interesting that this doctrine was formulated by monastics living a life of mendicancy and voluntary poverty. One would think that the vow of poverty would liberate monks from the ordinary anxieties of earning a livelihood, but of course the monks [...] -
It’s All About Emotion
18 Jan 2010 | 11:02 amBuddhist transformation is all about emotion. Actually, that’s not literally true; a lot of meditation, especially for Westerners, is about de-constructing and seeing through the illusory world of self that thinking creates. But neuroscience has now demonstrated what Buddhist meditators have long known: that as meditation matures, the discursive thinking aspect of mental activity subsides, [...] -
Thinking Is Overrated
10 Jan 2010 | 1:17 pmThe comedienne Lily Tomlin, in her persona as the bag lady, once said, “I tried reality once, and found it highly overrated.” From a Buddhist standpoint, the same could be said for thinking. The various schools of Buddhism all have a highly technical literature, whose collected works fill a good-sized room. That being said, the [...] -
Fear of Dementia
27 Dec 2009 | 9:22 amWhat a downer of a topic! Who wants to think or talk about dementia, Alzheimer’s, losing one’s mind? Yet it is the “third great fear” in Buddhist teaching, so clearly the ancient Buddhists wanted to talk about it. They knew that the best way to transform and dissolve fear is to face it. Well, today [...] -
The Gift of Human Birth
19 Dec 2009 | 7:54 pmMy theme the last few posts has been the “five great fears”—fear of death, fear of illness, fear of dementia, fear of loss of livelihood, and fear of public speaking. This week I’d like to take a break from talking about fears, and talk instead about gifts—in particular, the gift of human birth. It is a [...]
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RetirementRevised
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How to be a successful consultant
8 Feb 2010 | 5:14 pmIf your second act involves going solo as a consultant, read Richard Greenwald’s article in The Wall Street Journal exploring the factors that drive success for freelancers and solo entrepreneurs. Greenwald notes that high unemployment and corporate downsizing has made solo consulting the new normal–and a permanent condition for many. He cites statistics indicating that more [...] Related posts:Jobless rate has doubled for older workers since 2007Six secrets for a successful retirementReinvention wake-up call: Half of lost jobs are gone forever -
Reader mailbag: How to draw down savings in retirement
3 Feb 2010 | 9:14 pmQ: It’s been suggested that I withdraw about 4 percent of my retirement savings ($430,000) each year in addition to my current income of approximately $3,000 per month. I am 70 and my wife will turn 64 this year. We have no mortgage payments, although we do have a $550 monthly car payment for the [...] Related posts:Reader mailbag: Working while receiving Social Security disabilityReader mailbag: Social Security COLAs and spousal benefitsReader mailbag: Rules for Roth IRAs, minimum withdrawals -
AARP offers career transition scholarships for 40+ women
29 Jan 2010 | 12:38 pmThe AARP Foundation’s Women’s Leadership Circle will accept applications starting February 1st for its 2010 Women’s Scholarship Program, which helps fund career training and education to women over age 40 who have limited economic resources. AARP says the scholarships are awared to “women who are entering 2-3 year technical or skills up-grading programs or in the [...] Related posts:WhatsNext.com offers free career change guideProject Renewment: The First Retirement Model for Career WomenAARP award points toward best areas for 50+ jobs -
Online resource launches for intentional communities movement
29 Jan 2010 | 8:19 amA national group that supports grassroots aging-in-place communities has launched a web portal to support its movement. Village to Village Network (VTV) provides assistance and consulting services to intentional communities–a small but fast-growing grassroots movement to support seniors who want to age in place, rather than move to retirement communities. They do so by providing [...] Related posts:WSJ: Making suburbs age-friendly communitiesLearn how to create age-friendly communities at D.C. symposiumRetirementRevised Facebook page launches -
Feds offer website to boost women’s financial literacy
29 Jan 2010 | 7:59 amWomen tend to outlive men–but far too many face poverty in old age. That’s due mainly to the continuing income gap with men, which affects contributions to Social Security and retirement accounts. But researchers also have documented that many women have a financial literacy gap that leads to poor decisions about saving, investing and debt–all [...] Related posts:Too many women run the risk of retiring into povertyHow income annuities can boost retirement securityWomen face high risk of outliving their money
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Baby Boomer [Knowledge Center]
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Links for 2010-02-08 [del.icio.us]
Finding Yourself in Love - - and Menopause -
Boomer Golf Course Review
8 Feb 2010 | 11:00 pmBoomer Golf Course Review by Peter Blais Today’s review: Robert Trent Jones (RTJ) Golf Trail ...Warmer weather is on the horizon and Boomers looking for a spring golf destination should consider... Click headline for the complete article and more terrific content specifically for Baby Boomers. -
8 Feb 2010 | 10:30 pm
8 Feb 2010 | 10:30 pmAmazon.com WidgetsThe Information Destination for the Baby Boomer Generation. Click headline for the complete article and more terrific content specifically for Baby Boomers. -
Finding Yourself in Love - - and Menopause
7 Feb 2010 | 11:00 pmFinding Yourself in Love - -and Menopause by: Carrie E. Pierce and Menopauserus.com Over the course of the past few months, it has come to light that four of my closest friends are finding... Click headline for the complete article and more terrific content specifically for Baby Boomers. -
Membership in Boomer Authority™ Reaches 1000 Plateau
6 Feb 2010 | 11:00 pmMembership in Boomer Authority™ Reaches 1000 Plateau Boasting a broad array of critically-acclaimed professionals from around the world, Boomer Authority™ Association is poised for major growth as... Click headline for the complete article and more terrific content specifically for Baby Boomers.
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onlybabyboomers.com
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Top 7 Baby Boomer Ricky Gervais 2010 Golden Globe Award Quotes
30 Jan 2010 | 2:15 pm“Actors aren’t just loved here in Hollywood, they’re loved the world over, because they’re recognisable,” he said. “You can be in the Third World, and you get a glimpse of a Hollywood star, and it makes you feel better. You can be a little child, a little Asian child, with no possessions, no money - but you see a picture of Angelina Jolie and you think, ‘Mummy!’” Not even legendary personalities were immune to Gervais’ barbs. While introducing fellow countryman Paul McCartney, Gervais said that the former Beatle had flown to Los Angeles in economy class. “He’s… -
Jay Leno Quote On Hillary Clinton
25 Jan 2010 | 9:59 am“CNN found that Hillary Clinton is the most admired woman in America. Women admire her because she’s strong and successful. Men admire her because she allows her husband to cheat and get away with it.” —Jay Leno James Douglas Muir “Jay” Leno (born April 28, 1950). Leno owns approximately 200 vehicles, including about 100 cars. Leno also has an website called “Jay Leno’s Garage,” which contains video clips and photos of his automobiles in detail. Share on Facebook -
Meryl Streep Quote 2010 Golden Globes-What’s really important
24 Jan 2010 | 8:26 amMeryl Streep “I am really honestly conflicted about how to have my `happy movie self’ in the face of everything that I’m aware of in the real world. And I want to say that that’s when I have my mother’s voice coming to me, saying, ‘Partners in Health, shoot some money to Partners in Health, put the dress on, put on a smile and be damn grateful that you have the dollars to help.’” — Meryl Streep, accepting her award for best actress, musical or comedy, for “Julie & Julia.” Born Mary Louise Streep in 1949 in Summit, New Jersey. -
Keith Olbermann Quote-Every Great Team
23 Jan 2010 | 6:49 amKeith Olbermann“Even on the greatest teams, there’s always one role player.” Keith Olbermann, Born January 27, 1959, New York City, New York. Author / sportswriter / radio commentator / TV pundit Keith Olbermann’s first book, “The Major League Coaches,” was published when he was 14. He began his career as a play-by-play announcer for WHTR while he was still in high school. Beginning college at age 16, he graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in communications arts from Cornell University at age 20. Share on Facebook -
Conan OBrien Quote To Kids On Being Anything You Put Your Mind To
22 Jan 2010 | 9:21 amConan O'Brien“Remember kids you can do anything you put your mind to….unless Jay Leno wants it.” Conan O’Brien Born April 18, 1963. Poking fun at Jay Leno and the NBC debacle of who is going to host the tonight show. Share on Facebook
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About.com: Senior Living
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One-Stop Shopping for Senior Benefits
4 Feb 2010 | 10:23 amCould you use some financial help paying for prescriptions, health care, meals, and more? Are you looking for senior housing options? Many people don't know that local, state and federal programs exist to help older adults with bills, prescription drugs, housing, Medicare and more. To help seniors find the resources they need, the National Council on Aging has developed a comprehensive Benefits Checkup site that will help you locate assistance programs and determine if you qualify for assistance. The page offers large print and an easy-to-follow format, making the process of finding and… -
Get Off Your Duff: Prolonged Sitting Increases Your Risk of Death
1 Feb 2010 | 2:40 amI wish I could find a way to prop my laptop on my elliptical trainer. That's because researchers in Melbourne, Australia report that the more time we spend sitting still, the greater our risk of death. After tracking 8,800 people for an average of six years, they discovered that people who watched more than four hours of TV a day increased their risk of dying from any cause by 46 percent, and dying from cardiovascular disease by 80 percent. While researchers focused on TV watchers because they are most likely to sit still for extended periods, the real culprit isn't television--it's the act… -
Trend Analysis Shows Bright Future for Older Adults
28 Jan 2010 | 10:33 pmWhat does the future hold for older adults? Living to age 100 will be more common, we'll depend more on the Internet to manage our health and make friends, and we'll focus increased attention on positive thinking as a route to longevity and good health. Read more...Trend Analysis Shows Bright Future for Older Adults originally appeared on About.com Senior Living on Friday, January 29th, 2010 at 06:33:21.Permalink | Comment | Email this -
Prevent Elder Abuse by Caregivers
28 Jan 2010 | 11:59 amDid you know that one in four U.S. households provides caregiver support to someone? Whether you choose to be a caregiver for a friend or family member--or you are a professional caregiver--you know that caregiving can take a toll on a caregiver's physical and emotional health. Read more...Prevent Elder Abuse by Caregivers originally appeared on About.com Senior Living on Thursday, January 28th, 2010 at 19:59:26.Permalink | Comment | Email this -
Exercises That Are Easy on the Knees
22 Jan 2010 | 8:01 amA reader asked for advice about the best exercises following knee replacement surgery, and it turns out that the recommended choices are good for every older adult because they provide a combination of fitness and cardio--and they're easy for beginners or people who may not be in good shape. Read more...Exercises That Are Easy on the Knees originally appeared on About.com Senior Living on Friday, January 22nd, 2010 at 16:01:17.Permalink | Comment | Email this
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oomphTV | baby boomer health and wellness
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Another Reason to Love Blueberries
1 Feb 2010 | 10:28 pmMany of us love blueberries. And now we have another reason to love blueberries even more. A new study suggests that drinking wild blueberry juice daily may have the potential benefits of enhancing the memory of those at the risk of dementia and other age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Although there has been earlier research exhibiting that blueberries can improve memory in mice, this is the first time that research was conducted to demonstrate a similar effect in human beings. Robert Krikorian, psychiatrist at the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Centre, one of the authors of… -
Six Ways You Can Get oomph!
30 Jan 2010 | 8:50 amMany of us want to find creative ways of getting oomph! We all know we will not live forever, but how do we live into a ripe old age with plenty of zeal, energy, vitality, inspiration or shall we say…oomph! Some of this information I received from various studies listed below and from health expert Joel Weber, who writes for Men’s Health magazine. Personally, I think there are many ways to get oomph!, but here are 6 different key ways you can get oomph! and maybe even stick around a long time: Exercise – I know, I know, maybe we all know this and maybe it’s boring to keep hearing… -
Inspired By A Local Weight Loss Program
27 Jan 2010 | 9:11 pmMy partner, Tammy 0’ Connor, read about a local long-distance run in our home town of Glendale California and wanted to cover this event for oomphTV. This will be the third annual 5K (3.1 miles) Glendale Downtown Dash taking place on March 14. Nearly 70 runners and walkers started preparing two weeks ago as part of an eight week training program designed to shape up the participants before the Dash. The Glendale Downtown Merchants Assn. will host the Dash, which raises money for the Glendale Adventist Medical Center’s stroke services. The event has raised nearly $100,000 for the… -
How Much Exercise Do I Need?
22 Jan 2010 | 8:22 pmIn my last posting called “Exercise, Stress and The Brain,” I wrote about the experiment that was done at the University of Colorado on the stress-reducing changes on the brain produced by exercise. In that experiment rats that ran for only three weeks did not show much reduction in stress-induced anxiety, but those that ran for at least six weeks did. “Something happened between three and six weeks,” says Benjamin Greenwood, Ph.D., a research associate in the Department of Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado, who helped conduct the experiments. Then he goes onto say… -
Today’s My Birthday
21 Jan 2010 | 11:11 pmLast month, I was at the gym as usual, trying to kick it up a notch by introducing some interval training. I was really working it, lost in the aura of my ipod (thank you, Rolling Stones), challenging myself for a real run and gun for sixty seconds here and there. Soon thereafter, an acquaintance asked me if I was doing a new routine and wanted to know why I was pushing myself so hard. I explained that I was turning fifty next month, and I thought I should see how much I could handle, even if only for a very short time. She looked at me, exasperated. “You’re turning fifty?
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William Peiffer
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W.R.Peiffer & Associates, Inc. receives license approval to offer patent pending concept to help charity fundraising
5 Feb 2010 | 7:58 amW. R. Peiffer & Associates, Inc. is a licensee of a patent pending concept that will help a Charity to increase donations with no net cost to supporters. Donors can support their favorite charity with no net cost, and get a tax benefit. Do you know an organization who would like to increase charitable contributions? We [...] -
Long Term Care Expenses- Does it Make Sense to Self Insure?
25 Jan 2010 | 1:57 pmWould you risk the loss of $1,300,000 in the hope of gaining at most $167,000? That is what you are doing if you decide to self insure Long Term Care expense. Someone who is 55 years old with a current cost of LTC expenses of $150 per day would spend $1,300,000 for 5 years of care [...] -
The Lost Secret of Planning
11 Jan 2010 | 12:20 pmIt’s funny… The more things change, the more they stay the same. Here we are beginning the second decade of a new millennium in America, the greatest country on earth. A very sophisticated, technically oriented country. It’s a country where advancements are being made every day and where progress is always expected. Where moving ahead [...] -
People don’t plan to fail, they just fail to plan
22 Dec 2009 | 1:49 pmSometimes old cliches get overused and people feel they are insignificant. However, the other side of the coin is to understand why they became cliches in the first place. People use them over and over simply because there is a lot of truth to them. As I said, (a cliche if you will)… people don’t plan [...] -
Why Only a Few Americans Have Attained the American Dream…
15 Dec 2009 | 8:28 amOur definition of “financial independence” is fairly simple: that you can basically do what you want and not worry about the money! For example, if a family is able to live on $3500 per month income in today’s dollars, pay the bills and taxes, and do the things they want, whether it’s vacations, golf, hobbies, then [...]
