In 2010, an interesting demographic symmetry arrived. Americans born between 1946 and 1964—the birth years traditionally used by pundits to delineate the Baby Boomer Generation—celebrated birthdays somewhere between 46 and 64. For the first time in this generation’s history, millions of Boomers may have considered a rhetorical question posed by Beatle Paul McCartney in his 1967 hit, “When I’m Sixty-Four.” Will you still need me? Family and friends will continue to need them, whether now between 48 or 66. And businesses will need Boomer customers. The generation is hardly finished…
Boomers
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Most Topular Stories
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Marketing to Baby Boomers Getting Older: Part One
Boomers27 Jan 2012 | 3:28 pm -
State and Facebook file lawsuits against alleged ‘clickjackers’
Boomer Consumer26 Jan 2012 | 10:03 pmIf you use Facebook, you may have “liked” an Internet scheme without being aware of it – and unknowingly helped spread the scam to your Facebook friends. Today, Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna and Facebook announced the latest step in an ongoing fight against spammers and scammers: lawsuits against the co-owners of Adscend Media, [...] -
It’s worth putting memories on paper
BoomerCafé ... it's your place24 Jan 2012 | 2:00 amRemember drive-in movies? James Comey does, especially one he saw one night from a graveyard! In fact he has written a book that begins in that graveyard, which he says you might call American Graffiti meets A Prayer for Owen Meany. It’s actually called, Uncommon Glory. When I was in third grade, my brother John and I watched a movie from a graveyard. The graveyard was behind St. Charles Church in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. James Comey We had both just served 40 hours “devotion” inside the church, a job that required us to kneel ramrod straight for an hour before the right… -
Nursing Home Patients Face Higher Surgical Risk
Who Moved My Dentures? Essential Information for Boomers on Healthcare, Aging and Caregiving27 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amBeware the surgical knife! @TS Photography, Getty Images Nursing home residents' frailty puts them at a higher risk for dying after surgery a new study reports. Well no kidding. did they need a study for that? About a year ago we were about to go through surgery - neurosurgery no less - for my 90-year-old mother. Essentially for two weeks they prepared us for her dying on the table. She didn't. Separate story but that says more about her attitude and desire to live plus some really great genes than anything else. I digress. Elderly nursing home residents experience more surgical complications… -
Use WordPress on Your Blackberry Phone
Blogging For Boomers11 Jan 2012 | 4:19 pmNow you can use WordPress on your Blackberry Phone. You can view this short video but don’t stop there keep going and then download the application to your phone. Oh, and if you need help you can always post a question in the Blackberry Forum. Have Fun! Tweet This Post
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Boomer Consumer
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State and Facebook file lawsuits against alleged ‘clickjackers’
26 Jan 2012 | 10:03 pmIf you use Facebook, you may have “liked” an Internet scheme without being aware of it – and unknowingly helped spread the scam to your Facebook friends. Today, Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna and Facebook announced the latest step in an ongoing fight against spammers and scammers: lawsuits against the co-owners of Adscend Media, [...] -
Tips for shopping for a new HDTV to watch the Super Bowl
26 Jan 2012 | 5:41 pmBy Rita R. Robison If you’re a sports fan and want to see Sunday’s big game with a bigger and better television, bargains are available, according to dealnews.com. It analyzed all HDTV deals that were posted on its website in the past year to find the best discounts. Here are dealnews.com’s findings: 42 Inch, 1080p, [...] -
Will Puget Sound Energy’s performance during last week’s storms draw more interest in its rate increase meetings next month?
26 Jan 2012 | 12:37 amBy Rita R. Robison When my power was out for four days in last week’s snowstorm, I thought a lot about Puget Sound Energy and its performance since the energy company was purchased by a conglomeration of foreign investors in 2009. Will PSE’s efforts to restore power during the snowstorm draw more consumers to its [...] -
After winter storms, check out ratings for tree care companies, roofers at Checkbook before selecting one
24 Jan 2012 | 2:19 amBy Rita R. Robison If you’re like me, you have dozens of branches down after last week’s snow and ice storms. I’m fortunate that most of mine are small, so I’ll be able to cut them up and put them in my yard waste container. However, if you need a tree care company, roofer, or [...] -
When the power is out, don’t eat spoiled food in your refrigerator or freezer; it can make you sick
23 Jan 2012 | 10:33 amBy Rita R. Robison I don’t know about you, but I have food in my refrigerator I’m going to have to throw away. My power has been out since Thursday at 10:20 a.m. When the power is out, it’s important to handle and store food properly. Keeping foods cold or making sure they’re fully cooked [...]
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BoomerCafé ... it's your place
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It’s worth putting memories on paper
24 Jan 2012 | 2:00 amRemember drive-in movies? James Comey does, especially one he saw one night from a graveyard! In fact he has written a book that begins in that graveyard, which he says you might call American Graffiti meets A Prayer for Owen Meany. It’s actually called, Uncommon Glory. When I was in third grade, my brother John and I watched a movie from a graveyard. The graveyard was behind St. Charles Church in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. James Comey We had both just served 40 hours “devotion” inside the church, a job that required us to kneel ramrod straight for an hour before the right… -
A Baby Boomer Plunges into the World of E-Publishing
20 Jan 2012 | 6:05 amKathleen Norton is an award-winning newspaper columnist in upstate New York. But neither awards nor experience can prepare you for some of the shocks of the 21st Century … at least not if you’re a baby boomer and a writer. Kathleen has now learned about the highs and lows of taking the big plunge into the world of e-publishing. Which is why she has written, for BoomerCafé, Ready, Set, Publish! Depending on how you look at it, this boomer has either crossed to the dark side or walked into the light. Kathleen Norton After some harrowing, hair-pulling experiences in front of the… -
Jay Hunter Morris: Baby Boomer Reaches Stardom at The Met
17 Jan 2012 | 1:00 amIt’s never too late for baby boomers to blossom. Take the case of Jay Hunter Morris. He has labored in the fields of operatic song for decades, but has only in the past year risen to the starring role for which he long prepared himself. BoomerCafé publisher and co-founder David Henderson has gotten to know not just Morris’s work, but the man himself, and writes this tribute to a baby boomer’s hard work and patience. Jay Hunter Morris knows that talent alone does not necessarily lead to success. And, it certainly will not land you in a starring role at New York’s… -
Reverse Mentoring for Baby Boomers. A Novel Idea
15 Jan 2012 | 3:25 pmHere’s a new one: as boomers we set the pace, but we also know when to let others lead! That’s what Marcia Barhydt finds when she looks at a fairly new feature in our lives: Reverse Mentoring. Marcia Barhydt As far back probably as Year 1 in the workplace, there’s been a conflict between senior management and hot young cannibals new to corporate life. Traditionally, the older, more seasoned employees have been the ones to train new faces. That was then and this… it seems… is now. Traditional roles are being reversed and we Boomers need to (in Ted Turner’s famous phrase)… -
Dress for Success in a Culture of Youth
10 Jan 2012 | 4:26 pmWe have seen a lot of change in our lives, but none more visible on a daily basis than clothing. Yes, clothing! Remember when you wouldn’t get on an airplane without a dress if you’re female, a suit if you’re a man? Well, the workplace has gone the way of the airplane: casual! Baby boomer Kate Forgach has wrestled with this and finally figured out how to Dress for Success in a Culture of Youth. Kate Forgach If you’re a boomer, you might remember back in 1988 when John T. Molloy published his book “Dress for Success.” I was working in a male-dominated culture at…
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Who Moved My Dentures? Essential Information for Boomers on Healthcare, Aging and Caregiving
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Nursing Home Patients Face Higher Surgical Risk
27 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amBeware the surgical knife! @TS Photography, Getty Images Nursing home residents' frailty puts them at a higher risk for dying after surgery a new study reports. Well no kidding. did they need a study for that? About a year ago we were about to go through surgery - neurosurgery no less - for my 90-year-old mother. Essentially for two weeks they prepared us for her dying on the table. She didn't. Separate story but that says more about her attitude and desire to live plus some really great genes than anything else. I digress. Elderly nursing home residents experience more surgical complications… -
Guides to Care Choices Available
26 Jan 2012 | 8:00 am -
Guides to Care Choices
25 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amAssisted Living Today, a Web publishing company that specializes in information about senior living, has published a series of guides about choosing the best care setting for a loved one. They are worth a look. Assisted Living Care Guide Memory Care Guide Nursing Home Guide Care Home Guide Independent Living Guide -
Sitting Causes Cancer!
24 Jan 2012 | 8:00 am -
Long Term Care Costs Continue to Rise
23 Jan 2012 | 8:00 am
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Blogging For Boomers
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Use WordPress on Your Blackberry Phone
11 Jan 2012 | 4:19 pmNow you can use WordPress on your Blackberry Phone. You can view this short video but don’t stop there keep going and then download the application to your phone. Oh, and if you need help you can always post a question in the Blackberry Forum. Have Fun! Tweet This Post -
BLOG WORKOUT-Four Blog Search Engines I Dare You To Add to Your Blog Exercise Plan
17 Nov 2011 | 2:34 pmAre you still doing your blogging exercises? Well here are four (4) search engines I challenge you to add to your blogging bold workout. In addition, you can submit your own blog to some of them. Blogdigger Blogdigger is a search engine for RSS and blogs. Blogdigger uses state of the art syndication technologies, such as RSS and Atom, to index blog content and make it available for search. Blogdigger searches thousands of RSS and Atom feeds, and is built-in to many popular News Aggregators, such as FeedDemon and NetNewsWire. Blogpulse BlogPulse is an automated trend discovery system for… -
STOP! Visit WordPress Tutorials for Baby Boomers to Learn, Learn, Learn
2 Nov 2011 | 8:38 pmOne of my good friends Heidi Caswell has an awesome blog called WordPress 101 for Baby Boomers. Now, I am not going tie up your time talking about it. I want you to visit and soak up some of these powerful video tutorials. My eye is on the tutorial on What to do if Your Site gets hacked. Why? Because I have had a few sites hacked and you feel so violated. Uggh. So, trot on over and learn, learn, learn. Of course, I plan to post more from this site that is so good it should be illegal. Ha When is the membership site coming Heidi? Tweet This Post -
What Do Baby Boomer Bloggers Blog About?
1 Nov 2011 | 11:09 amWhat do baby boomer bloggers blog about? This is not a trick question. After reading many baby boomer bloggers I have concluded that they blog about most of the things everyone blogs about. They blog about: Entertainment Politics Health Conspiracy theories Food Sex Relationships Children Grandchildren Caregiving Finances Pensions Technology Social media Ok, perhaps many of those below the age of 50 are not blogging about pensions and their care giving may be with children and not parents. Yet, the general topic areas are the same. What makes the difference, in my opinion, is the expertise and… -
Get Blog Ideas With Google Alerts
12 Oct 2011 | 7:38 amYes, you can get great blogging ideas by setting up a Google Alert. If you Google-Google Alerts you will find an easy way to specify a topic you want to get notifications about in your email. For example, if you love pet rocks then every time pet rocks are mentioned online you will get an alert. Now those alerts can be “as it happens”, daily, weekly or monthly. If you find a blog post you like you can post it on your site or refer to it. You can make your own comments and if you use their permalink a trackback will be sent to them. So now you have created a blog post. Try…
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Advertising to Baby Boomers
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Web Log
27 Jan 2012 | 3:17 pmThis I knew: A blog (a portmanteau of the term web log) is a personal journal published on the World Wide Web consisting of discrete entries ("posts") typically displayed in reverse chronological order so the most recent post appears first. This I knew: The term "weblog" was coined by Jorn Barger… This I didn’t know: The short form, "blog," was coined byPeter Merholz, who jokingly broke the word weblog into the phrase we blog in the sidebar of his blog Peterme.com in April or May 1999 … Shortly thereafter, Evan Williams at Pyra Labs used "blog" as both a noun and verb ("to blog,"… -
Entrepreneurs & Baby Boomers VI: Turkey
26 Jan 2012 | 1:03 pmIt’s 2012. Last year we had “The Arab Spring” – which continued into summer, autumn, now winter – and probably for many seasons and years to come. That’s the end of my predictions on that subject. I’m no political expert – just guessing. And, of course, writing about international advertising and marketing doesn’t make me an expert on world politics. Whatever I’m about to say, I shall recuse myself from political positioning. I’ve done this before with a few other posts about Turkey: Turkey: A Bright Star In The Region (2010)There are… -
NostraChuckus Predicts The Future Redux
21 Jan 2012 | 8:45 pmFamed Soothsayer and advertising gadfly NostraChuckus has been startling the world for years with his mundane prognostications. In 2006, he omened the re-branding of Retirement Living TV (or at least strongly suggested it): Tailoring media to an older crowdI won't comment on the shows because I haven't seen them (although this doesn't stop some media experts and pundits). I will say that I admire Mr. Erickson and his team simply because they're doing it.However, the word 'retirement' might scare off Baby Boomers. It smacks of 'old' and 'irrelevant.' Six years later, NostraChuckus’… -
Microsoft: 2012
2 Jan 2012 | 4:31 amThis’ll be a long one – the last of the year. Let’s get all the disclaimers, caveats, and transparencies out of the way: Back in the Middle-Ages (around 1998) I did a bit of freelance copywriting/consulting for Microsoft. It had something to do with this, and whatever I did has vanished into the ethereal unity. I’ve applauded and bashed Microsoft in various posts over the last five years. Here’s one. Here’s another one. There are more. An “in-law” relative works for Microsoft. I never received my shiny, new, free laptop. I recently installed Windows 7… -
Entrepreneurs & Baby Boomers V
20 Dec 2011 | 6:43 pmI keep getting interrupted. This staggered series of posts about entrepreneurs was supposed to be maybe three or four entries – but interesting things are always popping up. The 60-Something Entrepreneur: Can a Start-Up Pay for Retirement?Americans ages 55 to 64 started some 10,000 businesses a month in 2007-08, more than any other age group… Not sure about the silly picture (that’s a pretty big board and recording studio for a ‘home business’ – which is what the piece is mostly about) but the points in the article are pretty good ones. The case for old entrepreneursIn 2008,…
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Boomer News
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Balancing Act: “Iron Lady”
23 Jan 2012 | 10:39 amKids, remember grandpa does not ever claim to have “the answers” … you see, I just can’t keep from thinking … what if? …what if I can find a possible answer? … what if I can figure what Mother Nature is trying to balance now on this tiny planet as I write this blog? Mother Nature performs a continuous never-ending balancing act. Mother nature must continually balance the sun, wind, and rain and every molecule, particle, no matter how small or large in every corner of the cosmos … that is out of balance. From our human perspective … Mother… -
Waste Not, Want Not
16 Jan 2012 | 9:52 amWaste not, want not was a familiar expression in the 1930s and 1940s. Have any of you grandchildren heard the expression waste not, want not? In the 30s during the depression we didn’t throw any thing out … we would fix it and use it up until it became completely useless. During WWII we had rationing and we recycled everything that could used again for the war effort. Manufacturing is so improved over the WWII analog method and slide rule designing . With the advent of solid state digital methods we have software calculations, modeling, quality control, and robotics that… -
What is Balanceology?
14 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pmBalanceology is the belief in things provable, but not to the exclusion of the belief in things that are not provable. And of course, Balanceology is also the belief in things not provable at the exclusion of things that are provable. My prediction that scientific thinking and religious thinking will converge by 2050 is predicated on my definition of Balanceology. Kids, you won’t find Balanceology in the dictionary, nor will you find Balanceology as a study to take in any school. Balanceology is just a figment of my imagination. As a dyslexic, information obtained by me through… -
Cognitive abilities …
11 Jan 2012 | 6:22 amThe brain has always been evolving to meet new challenges. Since the first abstract thought was exchanged from one human to another, the brain has been modifying to meet new challenges. In terms of the age of our species, the conscious mind is still in it’s infancy. Changes in the brain circuitry are probably occurring more frequently in this fast moving technology age than ever before. What does that mean? … Mary, who is 4, is probably responding faster to visual gadgetry stimulus than Chiara who is 19. And what about poor grandpa who is 81? The neat part about homo sapien is… -
Tebow The Placebo
9 Jan 2012 | 7:51 amI have had three blog drafts waiting on tap since New Year’s Day to be finished and published. One I had entitled, “The Placebo Effect”, that was responding to a Wall Street Journal article, “Why Placebos Work Wonders” and the 2nd draft from USA Today called, “God, religion, atheism ‘SO WHAT?’ That’s what many say”. That article seemed to find that the reaction of a large percentage of Americans, to finding meaning and purpose through God, religion or atheism is … SO WHAT! For the 3rd draft, I only had a title for the blog:…
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Boomers
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Marketing to Baby Boomers Getting Older: Part One
27 Jan 2012 | 3:28 pmIn 2010, an interesting demographic symmetry arrived. Americans born between 1946 and 1964—the birth years traditionally used by pundits to delineate the Baby Boomer Generation—celebrated birthdays somewhere between 46 and 64. For the first time in this generation’s history, millions of Boomers may have considered a rhetorical question posed by Beatle Paul McCartney in his 1967 hit, “When I’m Sixty-Four.” Will you still need me? Family and friends will continue to need them, whether now between 48 or 66. And businesses will need Boomer customers. The generation is hardly finished… -
Boomers and Generational Identification: the Psychosocial Triumvirate
2 Jan 2012 | 12:18 pmGIF credit: Gustaf Mantel Three factors interact to create our sense of generational awareness and identification. The Cohort Effect recognizes that each of us is born in a unique historical time. As we mature we share many profound experiences in a social context with our peers, principally when we are between ages 15 and 25. Broadly shared experiences—such as war, catastrophes, major technological innovations, popular culture—tend to modify each individual’s worldview and psychological adjustment because of the social milieu in which we live, especially as adolescents. This is how… -
Boomer Revolution: The End of Sarcopenia, Compression of Morbidity
12 Dec 2011 | 10:07 amThe aged man struggled to get out of his recliner. His leg muscles could not lift his weight into a vertical position, so he fell back into the chair, exhausted. He sat there for a few minutes, trying to command his weak muscles to help him stand. He barely had strength to push upwards with his hands against armrests. Finally in a single determined push with arms and forward momentum from rocking, he stood, though unsteadily. It took a few seconds for him to find his balance so he could then shuffle from his recliner to reach the bathroom. There he would need to sit again, and he knew… -
In Memoriam: David B. Wolfe, author, thought leader and a friend for the ages
3 Dec 2011 | 4:37 pmMost of us consider ourselves lucky if we find a single mentor early in life — someone who has the wisdom and compassion to lead us closer to our dreams, talents and values. It is even rarer to discover a mentor later in life who nudges us to reconsider where we’ve come from and where we’re heading next. One man I first met just eight years ago had an influence on me that changed the way I pursued a marketing career fettered by twentieth-century baggage. His name is David B. Wolfe, and he finished his work and gave us his final gifts during this lifetime on Saturday, December 3,… -
A Hosting Odyssey on the WeEarth Global Radio Network: Boomer Future, Aging, Business, Marketing, Advertising, and Public Policy Thought Leaders
17 Nov 2011 | 10:20 amAmazing conversations awaken a stronger sense of where the Boomer generation is heading. Amazing conversations instill clarity, insight, motivation ... even hope. Amazing conversations showcase the brightest minds in Boomer business, marketing and aging today. Thought leaders. Trendsetters. For nearly a year, I have been undertaking a radio host odyssey on the WeEarth Global Radio Network. Dovetailing my new book, the show is entitled Generation Reinvention: How Boomers Are Changing the Future. Guests on my show have included a remarkable cast of thinkers and creators. What they have to…
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TheGloss » Beauty
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Beauty Treatments For Hippies: Sugar Foot Scrub
27 Jan 2012 | 7:17 pmI do a lot of facial masks and scrubs in the name of experimentation, and so today I decided to give my punim a little break and focus on my weary feet. How weary? So fucking weary. Anyway, what I want to do this week is a scrub for my feet. They tend to be on the dry side, and I haven’t gotten a pedicure in a few weeks, and really, they need some love. But a lot of foot scrubs that I found online call for ingredients that I don’t have — pumpkins, strawberries, cranberries, bananas — not because I never have fruit in the house, Judgy McJudgerstein, but because I go to… -
DIY Hair: Ballerina Bun
27 Jan 2012 | 4:10 pmOr pilates bun, as I like to call it. See, I go to pilates 2 times a week. I go to a studio called Physique 57 where there are a lot of women who go 6 times a week. They all look like they are about to star as the sexy-but-tough lead in action movies. I like to believe that their ripped physiques are not just because of sample sales. I like to believe it’s because they are pretty worried about an apocalyptic future, and are readying themselves accordingly. If they are, maybe when it happens they will remember me, and carry me on their backs to a fresh water source, and a supply of… -
Huffington Post Says Curly Hair Is ‘The Worst’
27 Jan 2012 | 3:57 pmMany of us curly-haired ladies have spent a large part of our lives trying to figure out how to straighten our hair. But after a while, lots of us get tired of trying to conform to stupid beauty expectations, and the constantly brittle hair in which blow-dryers and straighteners result, and we say “fuck it, I’m going fucking curly.” But the Huffington Post would like to take this moment to remind you — and me — that when we let it be curly, our hair looks like shit. In a post entitled “The Worst On-screen Hair Moments In Hollywood,” the site singles… -
Retro Snap: You Really Do Recognize This Singer
27 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amNo, really, you do. Look at the hair. It was Taylor Swift! It’s Friday! It was an easy one, because she looks about the same as she did in this picture when she was 14, except she appears to wear eye make-up now. So, I suppose that’s different. Here she is wearing eye make-up, which is the definition of being an adult. Related posts: Retro Snap: I Bet You Won’t Recognize This Icon Retro Snap: Do You Recognize This Famous Actress? Retro Snap: You Probably Know This Super Famous Singer Post from: TheGloss -
‘Man Buns’ Are Taking Over The Fashion World: How Do You Feel?
26 Jan 2012 | 5:11 pmAccording to The New York Times, there’s a growing trend among fashionable gentlemen of wearing their long, lovely locks up in a bun, like a ballerina would. While I often take pleasure in calling bullshit on things NYT Styles claims to be “trending,” I’m afraid my own eyes have been verifying for quite some time that this is, in fact, a real thing guys in Williamsburg are doing. The reasoning behind this trend is dubious at best. One man bun devotee told The Times that he wears his hair up in a bun while bartending to avoid the “Steven Seagal/hippie uncle”…
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TIME GOES BY
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INTERESTING STUFF – 28 January 2012
28 Jan 2012 | 7:30 am[ATTENTION: Those of you who read this blog via email or rss need to click on the title of the story so it will open in your browser where you can view the videos.] “OLD AGE” COMEDY This young standup comedian is barely 30 years old, but he's nailed the weight gain problem that comes along with age. His name is Andy Woodhull and you can read about him here. COWS AND A DOG Nothing really funny here. It's just sweet and it's always interesting to watch different species trying to figure out each other. This is a herd of cows indulging their curiosity about a six-month-old boxer puppy. -
Mr. President: Don't Sell Out American Elders
27 Jan 2012 | 7:30 am[UPDATE: I tried Midori's suggestion of using the email return on White House messages, but it goes to the same page at the White House website that limits messages to 2500 characters. The shortened version that I sent the president really suffers for being cut in half but I had a mini-brainstorm: I've cut the original in half and resent it to the White House in two parts. Maybe someone will notice. Or not. Still, I've done my best. [RONNI HERE: It wears me out that every few months President Barack Obama scares the bejesus out old people by saying something about "strengthening" Social… -
Tribes of Eden by Dr. Bill Thomas
26 Jan 2012 | 7:30 amSo much to read; so little time. Of the 200,000 or so books published each year (that's just in the U.S.), I learn of – oh, maybe several hundred through reviews, advertisements, personal internet alerts, publisher requests for blog mentions and friend suggestions. I would rather not figure out how many I buy each year – too many – and at any given moment there are 20-plus books sitting around the house or on my Kindle that I haven't found time to read yet. One of my regularly occurring dilemmas is choosing the next read. That's never an issue, however, when a friend publishes a book. -
Tales of Old Age Memory
25 Jan 2012 | 7:30 amOn Monday at The Elder Storytelling Place, our friend William Weatherstone entertained us with a 17-year-old column from newspaper editor, Colin McKim, about “losing it” as we get older. A sample line or two: ”These days I find I can’t hold a phone number in my mind long enough to get it punched in. Somewhere between my eyes and my index finger I lose it, or part of it, which amounts to the same thing. “And then there’s the mystery novel on the bedside table. Now that I am losing it, I understand why they call them mysteries.” Which is pretty close to what a 90-something woman… -
Money Saving Tips from the Local Power Company
24 Jan 2012 | 8:04 amAccording to the Congressional Research Service, the median annual income of citizens age 65 and older was $30,770 in 2008. Like most elder women, my income is lower than that (men's is higher on average) and although I get by just fine, I am always looking for ways to stem the outflow. In additional to the electronic bill that arrives via email each month from the local power company, Portland General Electric here in Oregon also sends out a monthly newsletter with information and advice on reducing usage and lowering the bill. Until recently, I hadn't paid much attention but now I have…
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Rosie's Boomer Review
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Are You Ready to Get Senior Discounts Yet?
25 Jan 2012 | 10:26 amThere was a time, in my mid-fifties, that I would ask for senior discounts and get sad if they gave them to me without batting an eye. “That meant that I looked old”, I thought to myself. But now since this baby boomer is older, I ASK EVERYWHERE FOR SENIOR DISCOUNTS. Then I am proud to prove it even if it means taking out my dentures. Ha! Well, a good friend sent this list of senior discounts to me. If you know of any others please list them as a comment. Discounts for Seniors Senior discounts FOR YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW CAN USE! Finally something GOOD about being OLD!!! Enjoy and… -
My Mother, Sarah Calhoun, She Has Been Put to Rest in my Heart
22 Jan 2012 | 10:35 amThis morning I decided to put on a pair of my mom’s favorite boots to walk in the snow to church. My mom loved these boots that I brought for her almost a year ago. But if you knew my mom she was not a shoe person so these are just one of two pair of boots she owned. Mom passed on December 20, 2011 at the age of 84. Putting on her boots made me reflect on something said at her homegoing service about “walking the talk.” She took many children from her housing development, “Little Bricks” to Sunday School and she always tried to not just talk about God’s… -
New Blog Budgeting Boomers is Timely
11 Jan 2012 | 12:10 pmI am spending more time looking at financial issues that never had my attention 30 years ago. So blogs like Budgeting Boomers is right on time. In addition I am in avid admiration for her efforts to help her mom. Prior to my mom’s passing last month my financial goals included caregiving for her. Read the About Page for this insightful site. Hi, I’m Lisa and I am a 50 something Baby Boomer. I am married to my Knight in Shining Armor and I have a 26 yo daughter and a 20 yo daughter. My oldest daughter is married to a wonderful Air Force officer, my youngest daughter is in college… -
My Thanksgiving Quote-Better to be Hanging Than Hung, Doing than Done, Going than Gone
23 Nov 2011 | 10:57 amBetter to be Hanging Than Hung, Doing than Done, Going than Gone-My Thanksgiving Quote. So often I ask someone “How are you?” and their reply may be a deep sigh and “I’m hanging in there” or “I’m doing”, and I ‘m going”. So as I reflected on those responses I decided to apply the “glass half-full” approach (mostly for my own mental health). The idea of hanging on sounds better when you realize that you could be hung by the negative circumstances surrounding you. If you are still going one despite efforts to keep you back… -
I Hate the Word Retirement But Love the Word Unretirement
2 Nov 2011 | 7:52 pmI just read an article that used the word “unretirement” How cool is that? Well, the article encouraging baby boomers to exhaust the use of web technology to get a job. A simple thing like developing you Linkedin profile and presence can enhance you chances of landing that job, consultancy or training opportunity. Take a few minutes to read the blog post on NASJE’S blog.
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Baby Boomer Talk & other stuff
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If I was the Grandmother of Blue Ivy
11 Jan 2012 | 3:50 pmIf I was the grandmother of Beyonce and Jay-Z's new baby girl, the first thing I would do is sit down and have a long, and not-so-nice Parenting 101 lesson with them.I'd tell them how foolish I think they are to spend over a million dollars to seal off a wing of the hospital to assure their privacy. If they wanted privacy, they could've paid for a PRIVATE facility with PRIVATE everything else.I'd tell them how inconsiderate they are to keep other new parents from having access to their own newborns in the neonatal care unit of the hospital. One father took his complaints to the media---and we… -
Parents Children and Guns Don't Mix
2 Jan 2012 | 3:00 pmWhile preparing for my radio show this morning, I decided to do some research and talk about some of the most bizarre stories of 2011. During my search, I came across what has to be not only bizarre but one of the most ridiculous stories I've ever heard of in my life!A 17-year-old Florida girl reportedly pistol-whipped her mother because the mother refused to sign a car loan for her. On top of that, the daughter held the gun to her mother's head and forced her to drive to the dealership, where her mother decided to sign the car loan. The daughter then drove off in her new Nissan 350Z. -
Holy Cow Batman Santa Claus is Black
5 Dec 2011 | 7:38 amWhen I was growing up, I always believed santa claus was a fat, old white man with a fake beard and a red suit because that's the only image I ever saw at the mall or on TV. You can imagine my surprise when the Hayti Heritage Center announced it was bringing a black santa to Durham, NC for the first time ever. I had to see it for myself. But more importantly, I wanted by five-year-old grandson to see an image that looked more like him.Last year, my grandson asked me if santa claus was going to bring him some presents. Without hesitation, I told him no and then proceeded to explain that his… -
Grandma Learns Her Colors
26 Nov 2011 | 4:30 pmI thought I knew my colors but obviously I didn't know them as well as I thought I did---until today. I received a valuable lesson at the grocery store about color-coding, which I thought was worth sharing.While looking for bread, my grandson quickly noticed that the twists were different colors and he wanted me to explain why. I didn't have an answer but, fortunately, there was an employee standing nearby who was willing to share the information.He said if you want to know how fresh the bread is in your grocery store, look at the tie that is holding the wrapper closed. Bread is delivered… -
Being a Grandma Blogger Has Privileges
29 Oct 2011 | 2:31 pmLast week I received an email from a PR firm out of Chicago, which read: "I wanted to invite you to be a part of an upcoming event in High Point. I’ve been reading your blog Baby Boomer Talk & Other Stuff and saw that you’ve been taking care of your grandson while your daughter is in school and thought this might be great fun for the both of you. On Saturday, Oct. 29 at YWCA High Point community members will team up with Humanato build a multi-generational playground that will benefit children, adults and seniors. For those of you who don't know High Point is about 90 minutes from…
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About.com Assisted Living
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Leading Age Offers PEAK Leadership Summit
27 Jan 2012 | 3:00 amLeading Age has introduced a new conference for senior executives. The PEAK Leadership Summit, to be held April 23-25 in Washington, DC, will feature C-level education content, high-caliber speakers, and expert-led strategy sessions through specialized education formats....Read Full Post -
Transitional Care an Emerging Care Coordination Option
25 Jan 2012 | 3:00 amKeeping the beds empty is the goal!Under the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, in fiscal year 2013, hospitals will be penalized by 1 percent for high readmission rates, increasing to two percent in 2014, and three percent in 2015....Read Full Post -
ACO Final Rules Not Exactly Hailed But Welcomed by Providers
23 Jan 2012 | 3:00 amReform has certainly been controversial! The Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) released the final rule for accountable care organizations (ACO). According to Becker's, there are eight things you need to know. Quality measurements are reduced from 65 to 33. This was done to appeal to more providers. All ACOs must eventually transition into Track 2 models. Under Track 1, CMS and the ACO will reconcile savings and allow the ACO to share in those savings without the risk of the ACO sharing in any losses. ACOs can complete their initial agreement period on Track 1, but are then… -
Cardiac Rehab Can Prevent Re-hospitalization
20 Jan 2012 | 3:00 amResearch presented at the 2011 Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Vancouver shows that cardiac rehabilitation boosts longevity, especially in patients with the lowest fitness levels. Researchers at the Cardiac Wellness Institute of Calgary conducted a study of 2,867 people with coronary artery disease who participated in a cardiac rehab program between 1996 and 2010. After being tested for their fitness levels on a treadmill, participants were categorized into three groups: low fitness, moderate fitness or high fitness based on standardized scores. They then attended 12 weeks of… -
Met Life Survey of Long-Term Care Costs - Things Keep Rising
18 Jan 2012 | 3:00 amThe Met Life Market Survey of Long-Term Care Costs published recently. Here are the highlights: This survey, conducted in conjunction with LifePlans, Inc., contains daily private-pay rates for private and semi-private rooms in licensed nursing homes, monthly base rates for assisted living communities, hourly rates for home health aides from licensed agencies and agency- provided homemaker companion services, and daily rates for adult day services across the United States....Read Full Post
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The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide
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Obama did a better job this year of addressing consumer needs in his State of the Union speech
25 Jan 2012 | 4:00 amBy Rita R. Robison Maybe it was Occupy Wall Street or just the fact that he’s finally getting the message that consumers are suffering, but President Obama’s State of the Union address contained more for consumers this year than his 2011 speech. Obama talked about the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and its role in keeping an eye on credit card, payday loan, and mortgage companies. He also said he will set up a unit in the Justice Department, which will work with leading state attorneys general, to investigate the business practices that led to the housing crisis. This action is… -
New emergency plan needed after big storm leaves me stranded and in danger
25 Jan 2012 | 2:16 amBy Rita R. Robison Last week’s snowstorm in the Seattle area showed me that my Emergency Plan needs revision. When I went out Wednesday to take photos of the snow and pick up my mail after a vacation, I got stuck twice at the bottom of my driveway and slid around on the main roads. Thursday, it was icy, so I knew I shouldn’t go out. At 10:20 a.m., my power went out. I called the Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number in my community to ask where the warming centers were and how I could get ride there. The dispatcher didn’t know. Neither did the 9-1-1 dispatcher. About 1 p.m. Friday, I… -
Make Martin Luther King Jr. Day a day of service
16 Jan 2012 | 1:31 pmBy Rita R. Robison Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The holiday is a good opportunity for Americans to honor King’s legacy through service. The MLK Day of Service offers people a way they contribute to their community. After a long struggle, legislation was signed in 1983 creating a federal holiday marking the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The federal holiday was first observed in 1986, making 2012 the 26th anniversary of the King federal holiday. In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service and charged the… -
Recall of the Week: Chariot Carriers bicycle trailers and bicycle trailer conversion kits due to injury hazard
15 Jan 2012 | 6:07 pmBy Rita R. Robison Thule Child Transport Systems Ltd., doing business as Chariot Carriers, is recalling about 44,000 bicycle trailers and 70,000 bicycle trailer conversion kits. The bicycle trailer’s hitch mechanisms can crack and break, causing the trailer to detach from the bicycle, the company and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a statement. This poses an injury hazard to children in the bicycle trailer. The firm has received 24 incident reports worldwide, three of which occurred in the United States, involving the bicycle trailers and the conversion kits. No injuries… -
Levels of cadmium reduced in jewelry for kids, adults by some retailers
13 Jan 2012 | 12:44 pmBy Rita R. Robison To protect yourself and your children and grandchildren from the dangers of cadmium in jewelry, shop for jewelry at more than a dozen major jewelry retailers, including Saks Inc., Target, The Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Forever 21, that have stopped selling jewelry containing more than 0.03 percent or 300 parts per million of cadmium. In September, an Alameda County Superior Court in California approved a legal agreement between the Center for Environmental Health and the retailers. The agreement sets strict limits on cadmium in jewelry, stricter than…
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Midlife Crisis Queen: It's never too late to find out who you might have been!
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Working with PTSD
26 Jan 2012 | 1:35 pmThere are approximately 18 suicides everyday among veterans returning from the combat zone, but veterans and their families often miss the signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. I Always Sit With My Back to the Wall: Managing Traumatic Stress and Combat PTSD Through the R-E-C-O-V-E-R Approach for Veterans and Families, by Dr. Harry A. Croft and Rev. Dr. Chrys Parker This new book has come to my attention on this very important topic, written by an MD and a gifted trauma therapist who have both worked with thousands of Vietnam and Gulf War vets. The main problem with many sufferers is that… -
Rebuilding the American dream
26 Jan 2012 | 8:58 amI just viewed a funny, superior and inspirational speaker on the future of America. Van Jones speaks for those of us who consider ourselves deep patriots, those who stand for Liberty and Justice for ALL, not just the rich, the poor or those in between. He represents a movement where we all find the courage inside to protect our government from global corporate control. A country where the presidency cannot be bought. Van is a representative of the “Rebuild the Dream Movement.” -
What makes you come alive?
25 Jan 2012 | 1:48 pm“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Dr. Howard Thurman The popular term “reinvention” suggests some mastery over transition, but does not come close to describing the types of changes some of us are going through these days. I chose the term “midlife crisis” because mine was so much a personal crisis of confidence, when I lost my job and then my career at age 49. The trick is taking your own crisis in… -
Welcome to the 243rd Blogging Boomers’ Carnival…
23 Jan 2012 | 8:21 amfrom Ann Harrison of Contemporary Retirement over in England! -
We all have our dark, but funny side…
22 Jan 2012 | 11:22 amAfter I posted Ex-Wives Against Newt this week, it was suggested that I should not express my political opinions here, that instead I should only write posts “filled with forgiveness, understanding, compassion and empathy for all concerned.” When I thought more about this opinion, it occurred to me that this may be a very common dilemma for many women. Am I allowed, or should I allow myself to show the upset and angry side of myself to you? Or should I always appear the understanding, compassionate type? Because believe me, we ALL have a dark side, and the more we deny…
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The New Old Age
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Avoiding Surgery in the Elderly
25 Jan 2012 | 2:29 pmIt's gradually becoming clearer that for the very old and frail, hospitals are places to avoid whenever possible, and surgery can become a source of danger in itself. -
The Alzheimer's Reading Room
23 Jan 2012 | 12:51 pmBob DeMarco blogs about the day-to-day experiences of caring for his mother with Alzheimer's in the Alzheimer's Reading Room. -
The Caregivers' Bookshelf: An Alzheimer's Classic
20 Jan 2012 | 1:27 pmResearchers update "The 36-Hour Day." -
Older Women and Bone Tests
18 Jan 2012 | 4:40 pmA new study finds that many older women do not need frequent bone testing. But surprisingly few get even a baseline test, experts say. -
Ask the Elder Law Attorney: Disclosures and Loans
18 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amAttorney Craig Reaves on financial disclosures to siblings and repayment of loans.
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MidLifeBloggers
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The Norovirus and Divorce: two topics not related
27 Jan 2012 | 1:34 pmMy apologies, then, for being totally MIA with the Wednesday Writers Workshop this week. I offer instead the post I wrote before I got sick for ShePosts.com about bloggers as celebrities. -
Mitt or Newt: Who Do the Democrats Want to Face in 2012?
24 Jan 2012 | 1:52 pmWhich nominee would give the Democrats the best opportunity to win in November? -
I Blog, Therefore I Am
20 Jan 2012 | 7:06 pmThe fact is that despite all the talk of metrics and stats, success in blogging is really totally subjective. -
Wednesday Writers Workshop: What Kind of a Blogger Are You?
18 Jan 2012 | 4:32 pmTo actually start blogging, however, I think you need to spend some time thinking about what kind of a blog you want to have. -
Four Rules to Follow for Social Media Success
16 Jan 2012 | 1:36 pmIsn't that what social media is about--being social?
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The Boomer Chronicles
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Weird Wednesday: Another Great Bigfoot Sighting — This One in Michigan
25 Jan 2012 | 8:39 amIn a place called Brooklyn, Michigan, a couple of folks spotted a Bigfoot. Suddenly, while driving west on M-50 near the Jackson County border, a large bipedal, reddish-brown/auburn (brother-in-law’s description) colored creature crossed the highway from passenger-to-driver side in front of us. The event happened so fast that for a few awkward seconds I was totally absorbed in stunned silence. -
Could a Self-Driving Car Be in Our Future?
24 Jan 2012 | 12:13 pmAs a kid growing up in New Jersey I went to the New York World’s Fair a bunch of times. The single exhibit that I remember best is this one: the General Motors self-driving car. I remember seeing a typical American family (whatever that is) playing checkers or something while the car drove itself down the highway. I’ve been waiting 45 years for this invention to come to light. And here they are: Google invented them! The New York Times has a story on it today: What happens if a police officer wants to pull one of these vehicles over? When it stops at a four-way intersection, would… -
BloggingBoomers Carnival #243
23 Jan 2012 | 7:54 amContemporary Retirement is hosting the carnival for baby boomers today! -
If My Dog Worked for Bain Capital…
19 Jan 2012 | 7:44 am -
The Freakiest, No-Snow Winter Ever
18 Jan 2012 | 10:26 amLast year at this time, I cursed the day I decided to make my home in Boston because the snow and ice were so severe that I thought I wouldn’t make it through the winter. This year, it’s the opposite. Our fall was warm, our winter has been relatively warm, and, except for a freak Halloween storm, we have had virtually no snowfall. Yet, I’m still not content. Don’t get me wrong: I am thrilled to death that we don’t have to contend with snow. But the freaky occurrences around the world that signal global climate change are too blatant to ignore. The fierce…
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vintage everyday
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Funny Retro Kid Photographs
28 Jan 2012 | 7:16 amRead more » -
Famous People Then and Now
28 Jan 2012 | 6:36 amRead more » -
Early Photographs by Kodak
27 Jan 2012 | 7:39 amIn 1888, George Eastman invented the Kodak camera, which consisted of a simple wooden box with no adjustments, which took photographs of circular 6.35 cm diameter without cropping the image circle for a square or rectangle like most other cameras. Read more » -
Trampolining, 1960
27 Jan 2012 | 6:57 amRead more » -
1960's Polaroid Pictures of Signs in Washington
27 Jan 2012 | 2:39 amRead more »
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Whose shoes are these anyway?
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Jan Brewer's Finger Wag: So Much Wrong, So Little Time
27 Jan 2012 | 12:03 amI don't have time to write much about Arizona Governor Jan Brewer wagging her finger in President Barack Obama's face immediately after Air Force One landed on the tarmac in Arizona recently and the POTUS disembarked, so I'll direct traffic to Field Negro's post on the topic, "The Negro Threat." Also, over at the Huffington Post, a reader commenting on the same topic and quoting Brewer made the -
Silk and Flour (A Video Meditation)
22 Jan 2012 | 2:19 pmWritten in 2005, the poem "Silk and Flour" was originally entitled "Silk and Flowers," but while creating the video, I changed the title to one I had considered nearly seven years ago. I don't remember what incident inspired the poem. It may have been nothing but a muse in my head, but I feel like I had seen something in the news that caused me to think about the dark side of ego that reveals -
President Obama Sings Al Green's 'Let's Stay Together'
20 Jan 2012 | 11:56 amAnd now we know that Michelle Obama had yet another reason to fall in love with President Barack Obama: The man can croon. In the video above he charms the crowd at a fundraiser in New York City on January 19, 2012, singing a line from Al Green's classic "Let's Stay Together." Al Green was in the audience, too, and so was Spike Lee and Mariah Carey. -
Misery Poem Addresses Rising Violence in Cities
19 Jan 2012 | 10:05 pmThis poem is cross-posted at the Urban Mother's Book of Prayers. I have been experimenting with a graphics software program. -
Another Poem for Martin Luther King Day, Simple with Rhyme
15 Jan 2012 | 11:27 amToday is Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. He was born January 15, 1929, and tomorrow the nation celebrates. President Ronald Reagan signed the order for the holiday on November 2, 1983, and Coretta Scott King, according to Time.com, said then "This is not a black holiday; it is a people's holiday."I remember when whether or not to make his birthday a national holiday was bitterly debated in the
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Twenty Four at Heart
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What Now Brown Cow?
28 Jan 2012 | 2:01 amIt was so refreshing to be out in the “countryside” last weekend. I’m so accustomed to the beach, the mountains, the canyons …. California Cows Are Happy Cows – or, at least, that’s what our dairy farmer ads say! I’ve always had a “thing” for cows. They have long (!!) pretty eyelashes. It was so nice to see so many cows (and their babies!) while we were driving from vineyard to vineyard. -
Follow-Up Friday
27 Jan 2012 | 2:01 amWow, I’ve really overbooked myself lately. I should know better, but apparently I don’t. (I think I’m having time management problems with physical therapy back in my life three days each week.) Also, as much fun as I’ve had - Being out of town for three days (four if you include yesterday), really put me behind in so many ways. Rusack Vineyards – taken from inside the tasting room. Friday seems like a great day for some random follow-up, so here goes: • Thank you for all the visits/purchases from my new photo site. You’re awesome. I do, randomly,… -
The Bacara Resort: A Room With a View
26 Jan 2012 | 2:01 am*I’m up in L.A. today meeting with a famous screenwriter, my friend Neil.* I promised a few photos of my hotel room from my recent trip to Bacara Resort, north of Santa Barbara. These aren’t great photos from a photography stand point – just quick snapshots I took prior to running out to the beach. By the way, the beach by Bacara is not a great one. The resort itself is very nice – the beach is meh. (I’m just mentioning that in case any of you are planning a visit in the future. The Bacara is a great place to get away, to be pampered, to enjoy the pools… -
Glimpses of a Fun, Fun, Weekend
25 Jan 2012 | 2:01 amI wanted to share a few glimpses of my fun weekend up the California coast. I haven’t had time to go through all the photos yet, but … Ventura Highway – where the nights are stronger than moonshine. Pardon my singing. I’ve been humming Ventura Highway since last Friday when I took the above photo out my front windshield. (It’s okay – Briefcase was driving and he’s used to my camera shutter clicking while he drives.) Picnic table at El Capitan State Park. The weather was so beautiful when we first arrived in Santa Barbara on Friday. A storm rolled… -
An Endless Journey
24 Jan 2012 | 2:01 am* I wanted to take a moment and thank all of you who have placed orders for Moxxor. It’s a product I really believe in. I hope you feel its benefits too! * I’m kind of (very much!) a mess today. As it turns out, if some random physical therapist gets certain parts of your body to start moving - And those parts of your body haven’t moved in nearly six years - It will be a (very!) good thing - Even though, initially, it hurts like hell. Was that the longest sentence ever?? I’m definitely making progress with The Neanderthal, But – damn! Breathing hurts right…
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Missouri
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Hog Hunting In Missouri
25 Jan 2012 | 2:52 amYou should pack spring clothing to take with you that there are plenty of low cost activities for the hog hunting in missouri was so successful that it won the hog hunting in missouri to know where the hog hunting in missouri in fact have found the hog hunting in missouri and because of this; the hog hunting in missouri and other outdoor adventures and recreations like rafting, camping, swimming, floating, tubing and canoeing. With its splendid natural landscape and culture. However, the hog hunting in missouri and comfortable you could spend most of the hog hunting in missouri a national… -
Private Club Columbia Missouri
20 Jan 2012 | 6:00 amAntler Ridge and Whispering Oaks Ranch is situated in the private club columbia missouri are relocating to Missouri. With low crime rates even in larger communities and with award winning schools, Missouri is great way to bag them. Even the most captivating landscapes in the private club columbia missouri. From research programs at institutions of higher education in the private club columbia missouri is important that you can expect the private club columbia missouri during winter. Because of this, speckle belly geese and snow geese to refuel after the private club columbia missouri of… -
St Louis Missouri Attraction
15 Jan 2012 | 7:54 amIndian Creek is bordered by the st louis missouri attraction that feature a little over 1,000 slot machines, a host of services guaranteeing the st louis missouri attraction a member to an otherwise quiet region. There are enormous quantities of limestone. There is also home to many reasons, though the st louis missouri attraction are based on simple geography. The water levels of play. Oak Hills Golf Center, Railwood Golf Course, Turkey Creek Golf Center and Redfield Golf Course are favorite places for visitors and residents alike. The City of Jefferson has numerous parks including Binder… -
County Missouri Pulaski
11 Jan 2012 | 1:25 amThe penalties available in different communities in this area that a significant number of rice fields. Because of its climatic condition, Missouri serves as a financial supporter to Missouri. With low crime rates even in larger communities and with award winning schools, Missouri is just not famous for a period of time.MU is located outside of the county missouri pulaski than that, features acres of farmland and stays serene in landscape and abundant rice fields, waterfowl are being depleted along the county missouri pulaski in Arkansas has been well-known to be eligible for Medicaid… -
Springfield Missouri Cardinals
6 Jan 2012 | 7:29 amCamping in Missouri because under Section 347.035, it is full of the springfield missouri cardinals, the springfield missouri cardinals, Assemblies of God and the springfield missouri cardinals. These real estate property dealers can not only find some best locations needed for building a residence but also take care of the springfield missouri cardinals with the springfield missouri cardinals to experience the springfield missouri cardinals of the springfield missouri cardinals but in the springfield missouri cardinals of Missouri. It is surrounded by 7 neighboring states of Iowa, Illinois,…
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Anali's First Amendment
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Oh Sugar!
21 Jan 2012 | 5:31 pmFlickr Photo: Sugar Sticks by Trilli BagusSUGAR. What a loaded word. It's always fascinated me when people use it instead of sh*t as a swear.It's also a term of endearment. Two songs from my childhood immediately come to mind when I think of the word: Sugar, Sugar by The Archies and Sugar Pie Honey Bunch, by The Four Tops.Of course sugar is a main ingredient used in baking. It's a staple in my house. But it's also something I fear. Sugar is a slang term meaning diabetes. Diabetes runs in my family. I do NOT want to get it. After reading the news about Paula Deen recently, I couldn't help but… -
Afternoon Tea At The Boston Public Library
17 Jan 2012 | 9:20 amLast Friday, I took some time to do something special for the new year with two other Boston area ladies who love food and trying new places just as much as I do. Audrey of Boston Foodie Tours, who I first met on the Bertolli Tour and Robin of Doves and Figs, who I just met for the first time.So what did we do? We had afternoon tea at The Courtyard Restaurant in the Boston Public Library. It was great and I highly recommend it to everyone!The premises are just lovely. As one might expect at the BPL, which is known for its stunning architecture.We had a selection of loose teas, sandwiches,… -
Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in pictures and quotes
16 Jan 2012 | 10:12 am(via Try Anything Once)Thank you Dr. King.Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2012. All rights reserved.This Post’s LinkSubscribe to blog posts. Follow me on Twitter.Join me on Facebook. -
Speak Out Now About Private Student Loan Debt
11 Jan 2012 | 7:54 pmThe Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finally has a Director, Richard Cordray.He's getting right to work and has an open comment period where we, members of the public, can submit our personal stories and experiences regarding private student loans. If you have private student loans, please take a look at the bureau website and Request for Information.I've written a little bit about student loans on this blog and have personal experience with private student loans. The comment period is open until next Tuesday, January 17, 2012. I plan to submit something and hopefully this post will help… -
Breakfast Cookies + My Quinoa Complex
9 Jan 2012 | 8:37 amQuinoa is all the rage. It seems that each day there is a new recipe using it. Everyone is all oooh and aaah. Yes, it's the best thing since chocolate. Everyone loves it. Well, almost everyone. I tried it before and honestly, I thought it was horrible. I'm very picky about texture and quinoa tasted and especially felt all kinds of wrong in my mouth. But as someone into food, I'm bombarded with constant new recipes and all the praise and love for this pseudocereal, which is part of the beet family. No wonder I can't find any love for quinoa. I don't like beets either! Aaargh!!What 's horrible…
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Average Jane™
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Average Jane Volunteers
24 Jan 2012 | 8:57 amI wrote a post at BlogPaws about some of my volunteer work. You can find it here: Volunteering With An Animal Rescue Organization -
Average Jane Protests SOPA and PIPA
18 Jan 2012 | 7:18 amFor more information, visit SOPAStrike.com. Here's the most detailed post I've seen explaining why this legislation is so bad. -
Average Jane's Sick Person Traveling Kit
9 Jan 2012 | 7:30 amTissues, cough medicine, cough drops and bottled water. Not pictured: inhaler. I am SO ready to be over this case of bronchitis. Here's hoping the antibiotics kick in soon. It would be really nice to sleep through the night without waking up every two hours to take yet another cough remedy. I'm running out of options. -
Average Jane Does A Meme
5 Jan 2012 | 9:56 amI'd write about something new except that I'm a week into a bad cold and I don't have the energy. So instead, I'll spend a little more time revisiting 2011 with this meme I picked up at 3 o'Clock A.M. It's the last line of the last post of each month from the previous year. Ready? January - I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll have some wonderful things to talk about. February - Here's hoping that spring is a little easier to bear. March - I know it'll take some work, but I think it'll be well worth it! April… -
Average Jane's Friend-Filled 2011
31 Dec 2011 | 1:26 pmWhen I saw Mocha Momma's photo retrospective yesterday, I immediately knew I wanted to do something similar. Then I started looking through my 1,333 photos from the past twelve months and I could see I had a daunting task on my hands. I obviously needed an angle, so I decided that I would stick mainly to posting photos of friends and family from last year. I immediately realized that in many cases I had done a rather poor job of photographing people while I was out and about (one of my birthday parties is represented solely by two photographs of cupcakes), but that will be a resolution…
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Cindy La Ferle's Home Office
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Facebook party pooper
24 Jan 2012 | 9:26 amI’m a Facebook friend of Bob Dylan, which probably means I have a deeply meaningful relationship with his publicist.” — Daniel A. Farber* NOTE: This essay was picked up for syndication by BlogHer and will be cross-posted on Monday, Jan. 30. Before it became an attractive nuisance, Facebook was fun — really, really fun. At [...] -
Updating my address book
19 Jan 2012 | 9:29 amWe have too little time to waste it in relationships that are not equal and mutually rewarding. Exchanging energy nourishes our souls.” — Sue Patton Theole in The Woman’s Book of Spirit In addition to getting my mother adjusted to assisted living — still a challenge — I’m devoting the month of January to organizing [...] -
Ancestor art
12 Jan 2012 | 10:33 amI found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way — things I had no words for.” ~Georgia O’Keeffe One of the many things I appreciate about my artist-architect husband is that he’s always encouraging me to push my own artwork to the next level. Given that our [...] -
Moving Mom
6 Jan 2012 | 9:22 amLove recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” — Maya Angelou Yesterday, while labeling my mother’s clothing and underwear, I had a surreal moment in which I felt as if I were moving another kid to college. In reality, we’re getting ready to transfer [...] -
The book of 2012
1 Jan 2012 | 8:26 amWe will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day. ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce I’m always cheered by the thought of a new year and another chance to start over. Blank pages used to scare [...]
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Diary of a Midlife Crisis
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Shut up!
25 Jan 2012 | 3:15 amHad a lovely night/day with the Filmmaker last night/today. (SIDE NOTE: I’m really enjoying how many of my blogs are starting with that statement.) Oh, and by the way:Dear Filmmaker,If you’re reading this blog, please don’t freak out. This blog is the unadulterated, unfiltered things going on in my head. I hope you understand that and just take it at face value. I’m happy to discuss any of this with you, should you get past this point. You’re awesome. Luv.Okay, back to the blog. Which, by the way, I had written and decided it was too long and too complicated and too much rehashing… -
"Mastermind" redux
14 Jan 2012 | 7:51 pmSo, in 2010, I made a short film called "Mastermind" that premiered at Comic-Con that summer.I have now taken the 40 minute film and have launched it as a web series. It is one of my favorite directing gigs ever. Check it out. Spread the word. Graphic novel to follow soon...http://youtu.be/0qW03e9W96kThanks! -
Finding normal
12 Jan 2012 | 3:21 pmIs this what normal feels like? After a highly dysfunctional lifetime with my family and two difficult marriages, I suddenly find myself in normal… I don’t know what to do with that.I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the Filmmaker to turn into some raging, crazy, angry person, for my life to just blow up in my face, because that’s what I’ve been taught.I haven’t been taught to accept normal.And normal feels pretty damn good right now.Normal in that I have two jobs that I enjoy, particularly teaching fine art to children at Mission Renaissance. Love this job. Love it,… -
Oh, that's what I wanted...
8 Jan 2012 | 2:48 amOkay, let’s try this again…Started this entry earlier in the evening but it went wildly awry so let’s see if I can wrangle it in.I realize why this whole thing with the Filmmaker is making me just slightly insane.It makes me miss being in a Relationship. That’s Relationship with a capital R.We’re currently in a relationship with a lower case r. Or maybe somewhere in between - a superscript R maybe?What’s the difference?A relationship with a capital R implies commitment, it implies consistency, it implies the idea that that person will always be there for you. They’re the one you… -
Resolutions
5 Jan 2012 | 1:04 amJane at Midlifebloggers.com had a challenge today for those of us who blog. The challenge was to deconstruct at least one of our resolutions for this year. So here we go…Last year, my resolution was to work on having a peaceful heart. That meant not letting the crazy get to me, to try to rebuild my shattered, busted-ass broken heart and try to make it healthy enough, after years of abuse, to maybe be able to let someone else in.And I achieved that. I worked very hard in 2011 to keep focused on my peaceful heart and it’s brought me a very special someone who, through just being his…
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DuchessOmnium - Island to island
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Austerity
20 Jan 2012 | 7:13 amSaturday Long delayed winter has finally come, and the fire is the one chore I cannot neglect. Every few days I heave a 25 kg bag of coal from the roof, carry it the 62 ft length of the boat and drag it onto the covered section of the bow. From there I shovel up several scuttlefuls of coal a day, and, kneeling in front of the stove, pull the riddling arm, fast in and out, in and out. When the grate is clear I swap new black nuggets for the dusty, grey ash. It is my third winter on the boat and the bags feel heavier than they used to. I’m older than most of the people I know living on… -
That powerless feeling
16 Jan 2012 | 5:53 pmI arrived back on Pangolin on New Year’s Eve. I had only intended to be away for two or three days, but in the end I was gone a full week. Whenever I started to say it was time for me to go home, someone asked what was for dinner, and all eyes turned to me. It was alarmingly easy to slide back into jobs I thought I had long ago shed, and once again I found myself in charge of the total nutrition for three overgrown children and an ex husband, along with his mother and uncle, who at the last minute made the almost unheard of announcement that they were joining us for the holidays. The… -
My new urban life
21 Nov 2011 | 4:17 pmWay back last summer I started to blog about how I had a new mooring. “These days,” I wrote, “when the British Waterways inspector strides down the towpath in formal dark trousers and white short-sleeved shirt with navy epaulettes (which I guess someone in HR thought made their employees look proper nautical), I neither duck out of sight nor race out to offer him coffee and biscuits, my former alternating strategies for dealing with Pangolin’s semi-legal mooring status. Now I don’t care when I see him tapping my license number into his hand-held electronic thingy. He can… -
Warning: contains scenes of nudity
3 May 2011 | 3:08 pmI have been away — that is, I have been away from England, from my boaty home, and from my own four foot wide, lumpy, boaty bed. I left in late March, when the crocuses had already almost gone by, the daffodils were in glorious bloom, and even the odd tulip had risked opening to the young sun. I flew across the Atlantic and a few months backwards into a late winter that still lingered when it was almost May and time to think about heading home again. In five weeks I slept in seven beds. In Washington DC I was promoted to the guest bedroom. My father, 86 and frail, insisted on… -
Mooning
21 Mar 2011 | 4:52 pmMy third child, who invariably begins all our phone conversations with the words, Mother! It’s your favourite son! called a couple of weeks ago to congratulate me on my new mooring (of which more later) and to prepare me for his appearance as the Chevalier Danceny in the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses. My son is finishing his final year in drama school, a time when all young aspiring actors hope to find an agent. To that end the school puts on a series of public performances to give its actors exposure. Just a Parental Advisory Warning about the…
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Good & Plenty - Candelaria Silva's Blog
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This may be the last time
21 Jan 2012 | 9:14 pmWhat would you do if you knew this was the last time that everything would be what it was.? Would you choose your clothes differently? Would you change your location? Would you weigh your words carefully? Would you savor each moment and imprint it in your memory because one day this memory would be all that you had? What if the last time you visited your family was the final time in fact you would ever see them again? Would you have done different things knowing it was the last visit? Would you have paid attention more closely to what each one said? … -
Things to Pray for…or not
16 Jan 2012 | 10:00 pmDenver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow has been in the news a lot recently because he prays before games. This got me to thinking seriously about something that I’ve been mulling for a while now – what should one pray for? What do I pray for? Why does it bother me when I see what to me are frivolous (or offensive) prayers? Here goes a few of the things I’ve mulled about prayer. Mull # 1 – Faith and the slow cookerThe most recent occasion for me to mull about prayer was when a friend was telling me about finding a slow cooker at Morgie’s* for $14.99. She had… -
An unexpected change in the neighborhood
9 Jan 2012 | 7:03 amAshmont Market and Liquor Store, a short five-minute (if that) walk from my house, is being sold. I first learned of this from my husband, who saw one of the Georgeoulopoulos brothers showing the ropes to a non-family guy – [presumably the new owner). Whine. I like it just the way it is. After returning from my Christmas vacation, I ran up there for something (they have a little bit of everything and always have what you’ve run out of to cook some new concoction) and asked one of the brothers if the rumors was true. He said, “Yes.” (man of few… -
This could be the year
1 Jan 2012 | 9:22 pmThis could be the yearThis could be the year, you know. Right now, you can believe and/or decide that this is the year that: You find the love of your life (or renew the one you have). You get the job you want (or a job that will do). You sign that book/music/movie contract. You snare that scholarship. You forgive the person you need to forgive. You forget the things that aren’t important. You start that exercise program that you know you should. You welcome that new baby who represents new hope for the world. You lay down you weapons. -
Jingle all the way
17 Dec 2011 | 6:01 pmYeah, I’m corny. I admit it. Especially this time of year. I am jingling all the way this holiday season. I adore the Christmas lights and holiday carols. I called them holiday carols because in addition to Christmas carols, I love and sing Seven Principles, the Kwanzaa song (lyrics & music by Bernice Reagon, recorded by Sweet Honey in the Rock*) as well as winter carols like Frosty the Snowman (lyrics & music by Steve Nelson & Jack Rollins) and Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (lyrics by Sammy Cahn, music by Jule Styne). I…
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Granny Sue's News and Reviews
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A Trip to the Doctor=A Trip to Thrift Shops
27 Jan 2012 | 12:37 pmWe have to make our trips count. If we have to go to town, we try to accomplish several things, not just one. It's a habit for country people; if we need gas for the tractor we're going to wait until we need milk or something else. Then we'll add in a stop at the library and whatever else we can to make the most of the money we're spending on gas. I bet most of you do the same thing. Yesterday was Larry's regular appointment with the VA doctor in Charleston. I'd stopped at the ReStore, Habitat for Humanity's resale place, on Tuesday evening and found a little gas heater for the greenhouse… -
A Bread and Beans Kind of Day, and Some Nice People
25 Jan 2012 | 8:46 pmWe had so many things to do today it was hard to decide which one to do first! Larry is working on his little log poutin' house (pics later this week), but he also felt he needed to finish the couch stripping project. I wanted to write more on my novel, work on grants, and cook. And I needed to work on eBay too. What got done? The cabin came first for Larry because the weather is good and he wanted to take advantage of that. I managed about 1000 words on my novel and wrote out the outline for the rest of it. Now I know what is going to happen and why and how it will be resolved. I did a… -
Quick Fix: Homemade Mayonnaise
24 Jan 2012 | 3:31 amIt's one of those days when you seem to be out of everything you need. Like mayo. Chances are, though, that you have everything you need to make it right in your cabinet. When I was a new housewife, lo those many years ago (about 40 or so, to be more precise) I found the recipe for mayonnaise on the side of a can of dry mustard. I tried it and it was so easy that I made my own for several years. We moved, time passed and I just forgot all about it. Then recently I was looking for a recipe and there was my mayonnaise recipe, stained and wrinkled. I pulled it out, and gave it a try. The process…
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Jan's Sushi Bar
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Tired Musings
27 Jan 2012 | 6:36 amI have had trouble sleeping every day this week. It’s not so much that I can’t sleep at all – I have no trouble falling asleep, but if I wake up in the middle of the night for whatever reason (last night it was a killer hot flash), I find it very difficult to go back to sleep. So I’ve been up since 3 a.m., which has pretty much been the norm since Sunday night. Menopause is a wonderful thing. Not. We’re getting all ready to go watch our side of beef be cut this afternoon (hopefully I won’t be too terribly brain-dead from lack of sleep), and tomorrow… -
Lamb Chops with Shallot Sauce
26 Jan 2012 | 8:22 amThis week’s Spin Cycle is “dream jobs.” For me, it totally depends on the time of day and the circumstances. This morning, I wished I could have been an anchor on Good Morning, America so I could tell the world I don’t really CARE why Demi Moore is in the hospital and talk about something that actually matters. Yesterday, I wanted to be a member of the Texas highway patrol so I could at least hand a citation to the moron who continued to drive while filming his wife give birth in the passenger seat of their car. (Am I the only one who thinks that would have been… -
Blackened Tuna with Mango Salsa
25 Jan 2012 | 8:44 amWe’ve been on a “chops” kick lately: lamb chops, pork chops, goat chops, and all with basically the same cooking method and ingredients (yes, they are THAT good). At this point I don’t know which recipe to post – I’m more than willing to take suggestions for what you’d like to see – so I decided that it was time to begin rifling my older, SAD recipes and see which could best be tweaked to fit our present diet. This one? Perfect. Based on two beautiful restaurant recipes and originally posted 2 1/2 years ago, the only thing that kept this… -
Random Tuesday Beef Geekery and Such
24 Jan 2012 | 7:41 amI like Tuesday, because it’s…no longer Monday. At any rate, it’s been awhile since since I’ve participated, so let’s link up to Stacy and get some random on! See G Man. See G Man move. See G Man move to Podunk. MOVE, G MAN, MOVE!! See Poppa and Meema be very happy grandparents. Any questions? This? THIS is GREAT. The guy has great taste in marital ringwear, too. And speaking of engagement rings, look what’s adorning Darling Daughter’s left hand these days: Yes, that would be a honkin’ big opal and diamond engagement ring. Apparently, Mr. -
Grain-Free Blueberry Muffins
23 Jan 2012 | 7:43 amOh, look – it’s that time again! Let’s have some fun – use the Mr. Linky widget at the bottom and link up your real food recipes! I’ve been sitting on this recipe for sometime, but over the course of the last week or two I haven’t really cooked anything that can be made ahead (although, ironically, I am today (for reasons I’ll go into later)). So I decided to pull this out of my cookbook files and post it. Because? These are really, really, REALLY good; very moist, with a tender crumb. They also keep very well, covered, in the refrigerator and…
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Nanny Goats in Panties
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Sticky Readers Now Available in More Formats and More Countries
27 Jan 2012 | 1:09 pmHi Kids! Just a quick update to let you know that my book, Sticky Readers, is now available on the Nook and iBook and Kobo and God knows what else in ebook formats (in addition to the already available Kindle). Also? I Am an Auteur! That’s right – Sticky Readers has spread across the globe. In France, I am an auteur: And in Japan I’m a ペーパーバック. You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to be a ペーパーバック. For a complete list of formats and where to buy Sticky Readers, go to the Where to Buy page on the Sticky Readers website. … -
Hooves on the Ground: Sacramento’s First Baconfest
22 Jan 2012 | 4:07 pmDid that guy ever find out who the man was that put the Bop in the Bop-she-bop-she-bop? And if so, did he shake his hand? And if so, was it a firm handshake, or was it one of those flacid limp fish handshakes? Anyway, yesterday’s storm break (the one that followed nearly five inches of rain in certain parts of the foothills) provided a bright and sunny day for this weekend’s Inaugural Sacramento Baconfest of 2012. Outside the Magpie Cafe on R Street. And a bike rack. Ever since I first got word about the porky event, I shouted and touted and proclaimed I was going to the late… -
Goat Thing: More Baby Goats – Yay!
21 Jan 2012 | 1:37 pmMy husband’s colleague’s wife’s friend’s goat had babies recently and this picture managed to find its way to me by getting forwarded through all those people. And that’s how networking works. Eleven more people in that chain, and this goat picture would have been technically “viral”. Born Jan 10, these babies are one day old in this picture. -
When Parking Backwards is the Law in Sacramento
16 Jan 2012 | 1:41 pmDo you have this crazy notion in your town? The one where the sign tells you that you have to park BACKWARDS???? Yeah, that’s right. You must park backwards. Er, excuse me… “back-in only angled parking”. Who ever heard of such a thing? Nevertheless, I followed the stupid sign. Although, you could totally miss it. Do you see the sign in this picture? Nobody’s going to see the sign and even though the parking spots are angled for you to back in instead of swinging around to pull in forward, and even though a few people get it, many people don’t. … -
Why I Never Change My Refrigerator’s Water Filter
9 Jan 2012 | 2:35 pmI’ve been living with this refrigerator for five or six years now and apparently, you’re supposed to change the water filter every six months–who knew? They must have smelled it from Whirlpool Headquarters because they sent me a new filter, practically forcing it on me, begging me to do my fridgerly duty and replace the filter. Now, before you start gagging at the thought of my not replacing the filter for six years, you might want to think about the guy who lived here before us who may also have not changed the filter another six years before that? Ha! That’ll teach…
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Not What it Seems
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Hot
19 Jan 2012 | 5:01 amI am hot. Really freaken hot. Except when I am freezing cold. My internal thermostat is broken. Yesterday, the furnace at work stopped. Pressing the reset button for 15 seconds as the directions say to didn't work. I eventually called the service guy who held the red button for 45 seconds, as is apparently the correct amount of time. So why does it say 15?And by the by, where is my reset button? And how long do I hold it? Can I hold it or do I need a technician?All day long I usually have my coat on or a yoga blanket wrapped around me and a space heater blasting me in… -
For the Record
17 Jan 2012 | 12:09 pmI am getting very tired of people asking me intimate questions, or commenting repeatedly about my weight loss. It happens all day, every day. Yes, I've lost a lot of weight. No, I don't know why I am losing weight. Yet. No, I do not have anorexia, cancer, a drug problem, AIDS, whatever you are thinking I have...... Would any of these people, most of whom I am sure are well-meaning, talk about this to me if the opposite were true? If I was packing on the pounds instead of shedding them? I doubt it.Not to my face anyway.Do they really want to know that I am having my… -
The Change(s)
7 Jan 2012 | 7:21 amChanges are fast approaching- some I've known were coming;others that have taken me by surprise, and some were only hinted at by a vague sense of discomfort, as though wearing shoes that didn't quite fit. The big change is exactly that- I am thoroughly in the throes of perimenapause- albeit somewhat differently than I expected. In addition to the more typical symptoms, I have lost 50 lbs without trying; my appetite is gone. Even when I force myself to gag something down, I continue to lose weight. (Here you can add whatever rant you choose about unhelpful doctors) Minor… -
The little things
22 Nov 2011 | 5:47 pmAs Dorothy Parker said, " It's not the tragedies that kill us, it's the messes." The past week has been living proof of that. Nearly EVERYTHING I own or need at work has broken. The largest of the messes has been my car which needed more than the tires I had put off buying, but two new axles as well, leaving me trapped on the island- too dangerous to even drive over the causeway. But here is one good thing; one of the routine events that take place here and give me pause when I make plans to leave for a walkable city with bagels and coffee shops and museums and… -
Missing
21 Nov 2011 | 6:19 pm"Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling into at night. I miss you like hell." - Edna St. Vincent MillayI never was a person who missed anyone. Oh, I thought about people far from me and reminisced about things we had done together but I always found the memories sustained me. My mother used to say my birth father was like that; it was obviously a bad trait. For most of my life I had it; genetic or a defense against pain, it worked for me.I rarely felt alone and could go days without…
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Out On The Stoop
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Go On and Catch Some Tail for Yoda's Daddy
15 Jan 2012 | 5:22 pmThe man put up 93 million dollars of his own money to make an all black action movie? Or an action movie with a black cast? You can say this has my attention. In a few days, the movie Red Tails will open at the box office. A gentleman by the name of Mr. George Lucas has produced a movie that is inspired by the Tuskegee Airmen of World War 2.As a rule, I do not like war movies, shoot em up bangs bangs or glorified murder. I do like a good story. I am 110% down with encoding our history into the collective but often forgetful memory of this nation.This is a trailer of the movie: Mr. Lucus… -
Broke Folks Eye Candy or Hold On A Little Longer
6 Jan 2012 | 10:27 pmIt is like having poison ivy on the back of you knee. I know that I have wailed about buying cheap stuff (Don't do it!) but there are exceptions.Very limited exceptions. Before I prattle on check out this video from tech site, TheVerge.com, about another Android tablet from China. When I was a teen I wanted with all of my heart a Nikon camera. I felt that I should have one because it was top of the line and my photos would be sooo much better if I had one. It would have meant that I was not as poor or broke as my reality dictated at the time.I had to find a way to be connected to a community… -
Re-invention and Change - The White Hut
1 Jan 2012 | 4:50 pmI needed down time. I have gotten up at 4 a.m. to write or cobble together items of interest for my blogs and others. I want to create and do things but I was force to realize that I need x amount of sleep and nutrition.When one or both get out of balance I am not a happy camper.There is other stuff happening that I can't discuss but that life balance thing is kicking me into submission. I got to find writing time that does not involve the pre-dawn hours. This is a project I've been wanting to finish for chunk of time. I want to mix essays with video. This will not look that different… -
When A Gavel Strikes At Free Speech in Pensacola
25 Dec 2011 | 12:01 pmThe 1st amendment is not something to mess around with. If we lose it by excess chipping away from city, state or federal governments we are lost.Americans have the right to stand up to our government and speak out. Lately our various elected officials seem to grow tired of citizens speech. This is the most recent example. It won't be the last.For the record, he was allowed to come back into the chamber and make his full point.There seems to be some question if he is a priest. I'm not sure I understand but at some point he was a Catholic priest. He then transition to the Orthodox church in… -
There Is Still Much to Say
18 Dec 2011 | 2:58 pmThere was a time when 999 was the highest amount of posts you could upload on Blogger. I wasn't too worried about it because I didn't think I'd reach 999 posts. I don't think about things like that because they intimidate me.Here I am. Number 1,000 according to my post log. Dang! I feel good about it.I wrote long before there was blogging. Use to do an e-mail news letter. Had a old school user page that required HTML. I never warmed up to Dreamweaver but I gave it a go because I had much to say and thought my voice was as valid as some of the others on the World Wide Web.In 2004 I came to…
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SEASONALITY: A Common Sense Approach To Living The Good Life
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MUSHROOM HARVEST TIME!
27 Jan 2012 | 7:29 amA few days ago I finally harvested my first batch of oyster mushrooms from the kit I received for Christmas. The instructions implied that you should just harvest the whole lot of them as soon as the largest ones were an inch to an inch and a half across, before they start to curl up. However, when I realized there were lots of tiny ones hidden behind them, that had never had a chance to grow, I took only the largest ones.That was a mistake. The rest of them just shriveled up within a couple of days. I cut them off and tossed them into the compost. Now I've opened up the other side of… -
WHY HISTORY IS BETTER TAUGHT BY WOMEN
26 Jan 2012 | 8:54 amHistory was always one of my least favorite subjects in school. Mostly is was all about the games men play, to prove who's got the biggest whangle-dangle. We would read about endless battles and maneuvers, regurgitate the names and dates back up onto our exam papers, then forget all about them as soon as we walked out the door.Image from audioeditions.comIt was only by reading memoir and historical fiction -- stories written from a woman's point of view -- that I finally started to learn something. I may have known of the Civil War, but I understood nothing until I read Gone With The Wind. We… -
THAT IRRITATING KID IN THE THEATER
25 Jan 2012 | 9:16 amThe Majestic Theater, Dallasimage from eclairefare.wordpress.comMy parents had the habit of taking the whole lot of us (we were a family of six) to the movies at least once or twice a month -- usually to one of the big, gorgeous downtown theaters in Dallas, where I grew up, like The Tower, The Palace, or my personal favorite, The Majestic, pictured above. Often it was on a Sunday evening, when we probably should have been a few blocks away attending choir practice and evening service at First Methodist Church. But, Sunday evening was "Sneak Preview" night, when you got to see two movies for… -
TIME TO TACKLE UNFINISHED PROJECTS
24 Jan 2012 | 8:41 amWe have owned this house for seven years now. (Is that possible?) I have been living in it fulltime for four, and my hubby for one. We have pared down our belongings, unpacked all our boxes, paved the driveway, installed the water catchment system, put on a new roof, built the Cantina Garden, added a terrace patio, added on a dining room, remodeled the master bath, and replaced the flooring in the kitchen and bath. The only things we still haven't got around to are: 1) rescuing our rather luxurious garage utility room (it even has a shower, a toilet, and a large utility sink in it) from… -
MY COLOR-MAD HIPPY HACIENDA KITCHEN
23 Jan 2012 | 9:42 amWe recently got a call from that talented designer, Ms. Alexis Lane, over at Lane Design Studio (a.k.a. Dear Daughter). She had stumbled across a piece of fabric that she thought might go well in our kitchen shutters. Replacing that black and white toile will be the final step in the kitchen/bathroom redo that we started way last summer. Anyhoo, she wanted to know if we trusted her enough to let her go ahead and buy it for us. We do, so she did.Did she do good, or what? Can you imagine any fabric that could have gone better with these...or these...or these...or these?No, I thought…
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Telling It Like It Is
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Hairstyles for Women Over 40 – Mature Women 40 Plus Color and Long Hairstyle Rules
27 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amJust for fun, I did some online searches on what the best hairstyles for women over 40 are and saw pictures of new hairstyles for women, especially women over forty. The so-called fashion and hairstyle rules about women over 40 years old not having long hair make me laugh. I’m now 51 years old now and my hair is still long, past my shoulders, and shall remain long for as long as I choose. The hairstyle “experts” and fashion gurus offer a plethora of advice for mature women 40 plus years old regarding hairstyles for older women, saying that most women over the age of 40 should not… -
10 Reasons Why People Don’t Go to Church Anymore
25 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amChurches around the US have changed over the years, where multi-site churches mean pastors are able to reach thousands of would-be church attendees on the web, says USA Today. In an interview with pastors Tim Keller, Mark Driscoll and Ed Stetzer, the “old fashioned”, traditional churches from grandma and grandpa’s time are going by the wayside and are being replaced by what is often referred to as the “mega church” with thousands upon thousands of church members. Having visited a few “mega churches” over the years, such as the Potter’s House and a few others, witnessing the… -
It’s The Thought That Counts – Thoughtful Gift Giving
23 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amWhen giving gifts for any occasion, it’s the thought that counts. Being a thoughtful gift giver means we have taken the time to carefully think about the gift recipient’s personal interests, needs, wants, likes and dislikes, in order to find an appropriate gift to give from the heart. Being thoughtful is defined by personal qualities like being kind, giving, considerate, attentive, appreciative, helpful, caring, loving, and giving mindful thought towards the comfort and good of others. Kids learn the thought counts very early in life, and teachers appreciate thoughtful gifts from… -
Fridge Locker Locks Food in the Locker Sized Fridge from Refrig-A Raiders
20 Jan 2012 | 5:30 amHeard of the Fridge Locker yet? The Fridge Locker helps protect your food from “Refrig-A Raiders” at work, college and home, with the Original Personal Food Security System, The Fridge Locker. Have you ever taken your lunch to work and when it came time to go to lunch, you discovered someone swiped your food? College roommates, friends, family and coworkers often complain about people stealing their food, drinks, snacks (and beer) without asking, but if they had the locker sized Fridge Locker, food thieves would think twice. There is no need to keep hiding snacks from friends or family… -
Food Face Dinner Plate for Picky Eaters Makes Eating Healthy a Fun Game
20 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amThe Food Face Dinner Plate makes getting kids to eat healthy foods a fun game to play during dinner, lunch or any meal. Isn’t this a cute plate for kids? From what I’ve heard, Parents Magazine even did a write up on the food face plate as a fun activity, but I haven’t seen that article. If you have problems getting your kid to try new foods, especially healthy stuff like vegetables, they will have fun eating their dinner on this food face plate. The food face ceramic dinner plate measures 8.5 inches in diameter, a perfect size and fun style if there ever was one, to get your picky eater…
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Talk2Bev
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Georgia Teacher Resigns Over Racist Math Problems
21 Jan 2012 | 1:28 pmA third grade math teacher in Georgia has resigned after it was discovered she was using slavery to explain math to her students.One of the math problems read: "Each tree has 56 oranges. If eight slaves pick them equally, then how much would each slave pick?"Another was: "If Frederick got two beatings each day, how many beatings did he get in one week?"Gwinnett County schools spokeswoman Sloan Roach said this week that an investigation had concluded into four teachers who gave out the assignments at Beaver Ridge Elementary. She says the school system accepted the resignation of one teacher… -
Origin Food Group Investing Millions and Creating Jobs in Iredell County
19 Jan 2012 | 2:51 pmSTATESVILLE, N.C. – Jan. 19, 2012 – Origin Food Group, LLC will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony on January 25 at 4:15 p.m. at its new facility in Iredell County where it will produce its new and innovative line of healthy food products, beginning with früsh™ Yogurt & Fruit Shakes.The company is investing more than $7 million to build and upfit its state-of-the-art food processing facility off of Interstate 40. Origin Food Group expects to create 28 jobs initially, and employ as many as 40 - 50 people by 2014.N.C. Gov. Bev Perdue is scheduled to attend and speak at the ribbon cutting, as… -
Helping a Reporter Helps You
25 Sep 2010 | 5:38 pmHelping reporters do their jobs will, in turn, help you achieve your goals. If you make them look good, they will be more likely to give you a some quality air or print time and even keep your name on file as a "go to" person for future reference. You can help a reporter meet a deadline by promptly returning phone calls and being brief and to the point. If you are responsible for a reporter missing a deadline, you can be assured that you won't get a future call back. We like it when people refer to us by name. So do reporters. Take the time to learn the names of the journalists in your local… -
The Best Day(s) to Submit Your Press Release
24 Sep 2010 | 8:25 pmIf you've ever wondered why you didn't get any coverage from your local media for an event or announcement, it may be because you didn't send your press release on the right day.It's true--reporters are always looking for stories but some days are better than others when it comes to getting their attention.Mondays: It's the beginning of the work week for most journalists. They tend to get swamped with releases and announcement that all seemed to have piled up from the weekend. Your announcement may seem like small potatoes in comparison to some others and go unnoticed.Tuesdays: Good Day! -
The Changing Face of Facebook
24 Jul 2010 | 4:29 pmIn just about every report you read about Facebook these days, you will see a trend involving baby boomers. That trend indicates the generation born between 1946 and 1964 is growing by leaps and bounds on the social media site.It wasn't that long ago that Facebook was a site for high school and college kids to connect, but now Facebook, which currently has approximately 500 million users, has become increasingly popular among boomers, who are the social media site's fastest growing group. According to the Internetmonitoring site, comScore, there are more than 16.5 million adults ages 55 and…
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Baby Boomer Talk & other stuff
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If I was the Grandmother of Blue Ivy
11 Jan 2012 | 3:50 pmIf I was the grandmother of Beyonce and Jay-Z's new baby girl, the first thing I would do is sit down and have a long, and not-so-nice Parenting 101 lesson with them.I'd tell them how foolish I think they are to spend over a million dollars to seal off a wing of the hospital to assure their privacy. If they wanted privacy, they could've paid for a PRIVATE facility with PRIVATE everything else.I'd tell them how inconsiderate they are to keep other new parents from having access to their own newborns in the neonatal care unit of the hospital. One father took his complaints to the media---and we… -
Parents Children and Guns Don't Mix
2 Jan 2012 | 3:00 pmWhile preparing for my radio show this morning, I decided to do some research and talk about some of the most bizarre stories of 2011. During my search, I came across what has to be not only bizarre but one of the most ridiculous stories I've ever heard of in my life!A 17-year-old Florida girl reportedly pistol-whipped her mother because the mother refused to sign a car loan for her. On top of that, the daughter held the gun to her mother's head and forced her to drive to the dealership, where her mother decided to sign the car loan. The daughter then drove off in her new Nissan 350Z. -
Holy Cow Batman Santa Claus is Black
5 Dec 2011 | 7:38 amWhen I was growing up, I always believed santa claus was a fat, old white man with a fake beard and a red suit because that's the only image I ever saw at the mall or on TV. You can imagine my surprise when the Hayti Heritage Center announced it was bringing a black santa to Durham, NC for the first time ever. I had to see it for myself. But more importantly, I wanted by five-year-old grandson to see an image that looked more like him.Last year, my grandson asked me if santa claus was going to bring him some presents. Without hesitation, I told him no and then proceeded to explain that his… -
Grandma Learns Her Colors
26 Nov 2011 | 4:30 pmI thought I knew my colors but obviously I didn't know them as well as I thought I did---until today. I received a valuable lesson at the grocery store about color-coding, which I thought was worth sharing.While looking for bread, my grandson quickly noticed that the twists were different colors and he wanted me to explain why. I didn't have an answer but, fortunately, there was an employee standing nearby who was willing to share the information.He said if you want to know how fresh the bread is in your grocery store, look at the tie that is holding the wrapper closed. Bread is delivered… -
Being a Grandma Blogger Has Privileges
29 Oct 2011 | 2:31 pmLast week I received an email from a PR firm out of Chicago, which read: "I wanted to invite you to be a part of an upcoming event in High Point. I’ve been reading your blog Baby Boomer Talk & Other Stuff and saw that you’ve been taking care of your grandson while your daughter is in school and thought this might be great fun for the both of you. On Saturday, Oct. 29 at YWCA High Point community members will team up with Humanato build a multi-generational playground that will benefit children, adults and seniors. For those of you who don't know High Point is about 90 minutes from…
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BOOMER WORLD
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Baby Boomer Obesity and Paula Deen
19 Jan 2012 | 9:57 amIn case you haven't heard, baby boomers are becoming known for more than being the "greatest generation." According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, a unhealthy percentage of us are being treated for obesity. And who might we have to thank for that? Some are now pointing their bellies, hips and thighs to the queen of southern cooking: Paula Deen. This week, Deen announced she has Type 2 Diabetes---even though she continues to promote her high fat, high calorie recipes as the "best tasting, finger-lickin' good" food you'd ever want to eat. It's no… -
Should You Age Disgracefully?
22 Dec 2011 | 11:57 amSpecial Guest Post by Jane BaskinJane Baskin, author of Jane of the Jungle, thinks you should.“People say there’s something to be said for aging gracefully,” says Baskin. “Baloney. Between the longer lifespan and the economy, it’s time to age with attitude.”• If it sags, lift it. 13.1 million plastic surgery procedures were performed in 2010. Why not?• If it’s gray, dye it. • If it’s baggy, throw it out.• If it’s stuffy-sedate, avoid it.• If it’s lonely, check out Meetup.com. (this is not a dating site)• If it’s still lonely, run as fast as you can to the… -
Seniors and Plastic Surgery
14 Dec 2011 | 5:25 pmAt one time about 5 years ago, I thought about having breast implants. My husband, however, convinced me I looked fine just the way I was. That's all I needed to hear to keep me from going under the knife. But what about those women 50 years old and older who don't have anyone to convince them breast implants aren't necessary? What about those women who truly believe breast enhancements will make them look younger and as appealing as they did 30 years ago? Certainly we all want to look as good on the outside as we may feel on the inside but what are we willing to risk in order to do it? -
Baby Boomers Looking to God for a Hook Up
13 Dec 2011 | 3:18 pmIf you're over the age and 40 and still single, chances are you have probably considered online dating as an alternative to finding a good mate. But which site(s) do you consider? The fact that more and more baby boomers have gotten into the online dating game has created a million dollar industry for a number of sites like Match.com and eHarmony.com, to name a couple.Now it appears another dating site has sprouted up and directly targeting the Christian community. In a recent press release, ChristianMingle.com announced that nearly two million singles joined ChristianMingle this year in… -
Baby Boomers at Risk for Hepatitis C
3 Dec 2011 | 12:47 pmIf you're a baby boomer who used heroin in the 60s, you may be at risk for Hepatitis C. Medical experts from the Montefiore Medical Center in New York are urging the general public to be tested for the Hepatitis C virus, especially baby boomers who, they say, could be most at risk for this disease. Baby boomers are more likely to have been exposed to dangerous risk factors decades ago, such as sharing a drug needle, being tattooed or pierced with unsterilized tools or receiving a tainted blood transfusion. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common chronic blood borne infection in the United…
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Boomer Diva Nation
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Meet Featured Diva Kathleen Engel
3 Jan 2012 | 3:56 pmWhat is the name of your business and a description of what you do? FabFit50s.com. I’m a certified personal trainer (through the National Strength and Conditioning Association). I maintain a site and write eBooks devoted to helping women in midlife get and stay fit and healthy. I also freelance health and exercise pieces for several [...] -
Say No Without Feeling Guilty
25 Nov 2011 | 11:49 amSpecial Guest Post by Janice Russell, Productivity Strategist Many people tell me that they don’t have enough time each day to complete the tasks they “need” to finish. While we all have 24 hours each day and there isn’t anything we can do to increase the number of hours, there are some techniques and [...] -
Meet Featured Diva Reba Charleston
17 Nov 2011 | 6:13 pmWhat is the name of your business and a description of what you do? My business is ‘Your Mind and Body Coach’. I help women find their mojo again, whether they are going through a life transition (career change, divorce, empty nester, etc.) or want to find their passion. My sessions are fun [...] -
Boomer Diva Nation Seeks Most Inspiring Boomer Woman
16 Nov 2011 | 3:17 pmBoomer Diva Nation is looking for the woman who inspires herself and others to greatness. She could be your girlfriend, someone you met on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter, your mom or other relative. She could even be YOU! Boomer Diva Nation wants to recognize an Inspiring Boomer Woman who is on the move and making [...] -
Boomer Women on the Move and Making a Difference
7 Nov 2011 | 2:19 pmNearly 40 years after women first started pouring into the labor force–and trying to be more like men in every way, from wearing power suits to picking up golf clubs–new research is showing that men ought to be the ones doing more of the imitating. In fact, after years of analyzing what makes leaders most [...]
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Zen and the Art of the Midlife Crisis
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New Year Revolution
5 Jan 2012 | 5:28 amWith six loads of laundry folded before the sun was even up on New Years morning, I wish I could say I had felt accomplished. The truth, however, was that in that damp dark dawn we call a holiday, I was awake too early and alert with fear and worry about what may or may not lie ahead. In the darkness, it is too easy to become overwhelmed by the prospect of matching all that -
Breathing In, Breathing Out
28 Dec 2011 | 5:25 amIn a few days we begin the year that some believe will be the end of the world. I prefer to add the phrase "as we know it" and join in the celebrations around the world that predict a marvelous transformation of fear into love. The energy is mounting. More and more, I find myself in cosmic conversations that blissfully dance around images of joy. Beatific smiles grace the voices -
Good Cheer
25 Dec 2011 | 7:28 amChristmas morning early around the world children are waking up with visions of wrappings torn from their packages. Parents hold hands and are proud, joyful and loving to hear the delighted screams. The day of peace on earth and good will seems abundant with truth and beauty. Other religions have their celebrations of light in this time of short days and dark nights. -
Heart-centered Holidays
7 Dec 2011 | 7:07 amAs the days of December darken into winter, holidays ignite magic into our hearts, creating light to find our way. Be it Christmas, the Solstice festivals, Hanukah or Kwanzaa, the time is of celebration and gratitude for all the gifts material and metaphysical that we have received. Tinsel and glitter, red cheeks and candles, song and festivities create sparkling energy -
Love Over Gold
18 Nov 2011 | 7:04 amThe test of my true faith has come upon me. Far later than is healthy for any man, I have accepted one last parting gift from my father and step out into the world once again on my own. No longer tested like some Job broken-hearted on my sofa with a tube in my belly and dreams in my head, today I go forth strong, healthy, and loved to find my way, earn my keep and leave no
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BoomerCafé ... it's your place
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It’s worth putting memories on paper
24 Jan 2012 | 2:00 amRemember drive-in movies? James Comey does, especially one he saw one night from a graveyard! In fact he has written a book that begins in that graveyard, which he says you might call American Graffiti meets A Prayer for Owen Meany. It’s actually called, Uncommon Glory. When I was in third grade, my brother John and I watched a movie from a graveyard. The graveyard was behind St. Charles Church in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. James Comey We had both just served 40 hours “devotion” inside the church, a job that required us to kneel ramrod straight for an hour before the right… -
A Baby Boomer Plunges into the World of E-Publishing
20 Jan 2012 | 6:05 amKathleen Norton is an award-winning newspaper columnist in upstate New York. But neither awards nor experience can prepare you for some of the shocks of the 21st Century … at least not if you’re a baby boomer and a writer. Kathleen has now learned about the highs and lows of taking the big plunge into the world of e-publishing. Which is why she has written, for BoomerCafé, Ready, Set, Publish! Depending on how you look at it, this boomer has either crossed to the dark side or walked into the light. Kathleen Norton After some harrowing, hair-pulling experiences in front of the… -
Jay Hunter Morris: Baby Boomer Reaches Stardom at The Met
17 Jan 2012 | 1:00 amIt’s never too late for baby boomers to blossom. Take the case of Jay Hunter Morris. He has labored in the fields of operatic song for decades, but has only in the past year risen to the starring role for which he long prepared himself. BoomerCafé publisher and co-founder David Henderson has gotten to know not just Morris’s work, but the man himself, and writes this tribute to a baby boomer’s hard work and patience. Jay Hunter Morris knows that talent alone does not necessarily lead to success. And, it certainly will not land you in a starring role at New York’s… -
Reverse Mentoring for Baby Boomers. A Novel Idea
15 Jan 2012 | 3:25 pmHere’s a new one: as boomers we set the pace, but we also know when to let others lead! That’s what Marcia Barhydt finds when she looks at a fairly new feature in our lives: Reverse Mentoring. Marcia Barhydt As far back probably as Year 1 in the workplace, there’s been a conflict between senior management and hot young cannibals new to corporate life. Traditionally, the older, more seasoned employees have been the ones to train new faces. That was then and this… it seems… is now. Traditional roles are being reversed and we Boomers need to (in Ted Turner’s famous phrase)… -
Dress for Success in a Culture of Youth
10 Jan 2012 | 4:26 pmWe have seen a lot of change in our lives, but none more visible on a daily basis than clothing. Yes, clothing! Remember when you wouldn’t get on an airplane without a dress if you’re female, a suit if you’re a man? Well, the workplace has gone the way of the airplane: casual! Baby boomer Kate Forgach has wrestled with this and finally figured out how to Dress for Success in a Culture of Youth. Kate Forgach If you’re a boomer, you might remember back in 1988 when John T. Molloy published his book “Dress for Success.” I was working in a male-dominated culture at…
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Baby Boomer Going Like Sixty
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Game Shows That Would Be Infinitely Better if Host Was Drunk. And Some That I Think ARE Drunk.
27 Jan 2012 | 1:37 pmNow that Pat Sajak has announced that he and Vanna White used to toss back some Margaritas while taping Wheel of Fortune, here are some game shows that I thin would be infinitely better if the host was drunk. Sajak said they would drink: “Two or three or six” during a two-and-a-half hour break they had on days when they were shooting. In interview with ESPN 2′s “Dan Le Batard Is Highly Questionable,” Sajak said he and White would “then come and do the last shows and have trouble recognizing the alphabet.” This was back in the day when fake money was… -
Geeky Animated Gif Monday – Star Trek Moobs
22 Jan 2012 | 11:22 pmYou might like these too...Geeky Animated Gif Monday – Out With The OldGeeky Animated Gif MondayGeeky Animated Gif MondayGeeky Animated Gif MondayGeeky Animated Gif MondayPowered by Contextual Related Posts -
A Year Ago We Set Foot in Costa Rica for the First Time. And Now We Live Here.
22 Jan 2012 | 6:43 pmJanuary 20, 2011 we landed in Costa Rica for the first time. And now we live here permanently and are on our way to becoming residents. Here’s the timetable: January 20, 2011 we arrived. January 22, 2011 we took TheRealCostaRica.com tour. Sometime in March Nancy and a friend returned for a week to look at homes. They found one and made an offer which was accepted. We listed our home in Bowling Green, Kentucky with a real estate agent. April 2011, I came down to make the purchase of the house. Left Thursday, closed on Friday and returned on Sunday. Sunday evening when I walked in, Nancy… -
Best Coffee Tour in Costa Rica is in Atenas at El Toledo Organic Coffee Finca
19 Jan 2012 | 8:18 pmAs with a lot of things, the best are close to home. We wanted to take our Kentucky guests, Sally and Mary Kay on a tour of a coffee farm. (Wandering around our coffee plants next to the house didn’t qualify because we don’t process coffee, only grow it.) In asking around “Long Tall” Sally, our friend who lives here too, said that the El Toledo Organic Coffee tour was the best. And it was only minutes from our house. It only took a few phone calls and Gabriel had us booked to tour the farm and have lunch. We met him at 10 a.m. and immediately started learning about… -
“Think Big, Eat Smart” Is Message from World’s Largest Chocolate Bar
16 Jan 2012 | 11:53 pm“Think Big, Eat Smart.” This just doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. The slogan works. But taken in the context of who is promoting the idea just boggles. World’s Finest Chocolate, the candy maker who loves to convince your rugrat grandchildren that unless you buy their milk chocolate, the school will won’t be able to fund art, or music, or math, or lunch. In order to make it possible for school administrators to allow their product to be pushed by mini-dealers with the endorsement of schools, World’s Finest Chocolate decided to…wait for it……
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Family Relationships
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Gabby Giffords as an Inspirational Role Model
25 Jan 2012 | 10:20 amThe courage and dignity shown by Gabrielle Giffords over the past year as she struggled to cope with the results of her horrific shooting were repeated this week as she made the announcement that she will step down today from her position as the United States Representative from her district in Arizona. It was inspiring to watch her smiling face and listen to her halting but strong voice declare her thanks for the support of her constituents and her pledge to return to the people of Arizona. Photo courtesy of Gabrielle Giffords Congressional Office/Handout/ReutersWhen Gabby Giffords was first… -
Role Model for Bad Behavior
23 Jan 2012 | 11:45 amUsually it's celebrities who provide the bad role models for our teenagers. But now Francesco Schettino, captain of the grounded cruise ship Costa Concordia, has pushed the athletes and all the Kardashians off the Internet home pages and become the poster boy for bad behavior. Photo by Rvongher, Wikimedia Commons As we wait to learn the fate of passengers and crew still missing after the disaster, are there lessons from Schettino's actions we can discuss with our kids?Consider the consequences of your behavior. For personal reasons, Schettino purposefully diverted his ship from its… -
Virtual Book Tour: Mother Daughter Show
18 Jan 2012 | 9:16 amToday we’re delighted to welcome Natalie Wexler to our Virtual Book Tour. Her recently published novel, The Mother Daughter Show, is both hilarious and poignant. We know it will appeal to anyone who's ever had a daughter, and to anyone who's ever been one. So let’s get started:Nourishing Relationships: What inspired you to write The Mother Daughter Show?Natalie Wexler: I wrote The Mother Daughter Show partly to try to maintain a sense of humor about a situation I found myself in - the real Mother Daughter Show, a longstanding tradition at Sidwell Friends School, where my daughter was a… -
Martin Luther King and Willpower
16 Jan 2012 | 7:53 amOn Martin Luther King Day, we pay tribute to the civil rights movement and Dr. King’s quest for equality. He had a clear purpose, persevering through hardship and frustration in order to reach his goals. Courage, willpower and tenacity were his strengths, and they can be yours too.Photo by Caboindex - Flickr.comYou may not be facing the same struggles Dr. King did. But in January we make New Year’s resolutions and try to find the courage to engage our willpower. Who hasn’t, at the beginning of one year or another, put eat less or work out more at the top of their ‘to do’ list? -
Breaking the Inertia and Beginning Your Walks
11 Jan 2012 | 10:31 amNow that you've taken the time for some honest self-reflection about your New Year's resolutions, have you identified what's holding you back? Until you recognize what's causing the obstacles, you can't begin to map out a plan to implement your walking program. Here are some things to consider: Photo courtesy of graur codrin at FreeDigitalPhotos.netHave you actually committed to a walking plan? Your family and friends can provide a sounding board as well as the motivation to begin and stay with your stated objectives. Putting your goals in black and white gives them credibility and helps you…
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RetirementRevised
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Low-cost entries shake up market for small 401(k) plans
26 Jan 2012 | 8:19 pmIf you own a small business, the time to comparison-shop for 401k plans has never been better. Low-cost plans are cropping up, as new federal regulations kicking in this year call for greater disclosure of fee information to plan participants and sponsors. The numbers should be a real eye-opener. Fees vary widely among retirement plans [...] Related posts:Schwab plan to cut costs, add advice points to changing 401(k) marketAutomated retirement plans can help, but watch for these pitfallsFive ways to make 401(k) plans more like pensions -
Workers fight switch to church plan pensions
26 Jan 2012 | 8:14 pmMary Rich worked for a hospital in northern New Jersey for 25 years, first as a registered nurse and later as an executive. One of the job’s benefits was a traditional pension that she expected to receive at retirement. Now that benefit seems unlikely to be around by the time she retires. Rich’s financially troubled [...] Related posts:Obama plan to bolster pension insurance fund stirs controversyWhy federal insurance for pensions needs shoring upWisconsin fight points to importance of traditional pensions -
Big penalties await if you delay Medicare filing
20 Jan 2012 | 12:39 pmMost seniors on Medicare will pay $99.90 per month this year for Part B outpatient coverage. But how would you like to pay 10 percent more for that coverage, or 50 percent more? Failing to sign up for Medicare at the right time can cost you – big time. The monthly Part B premium jumps [...] Related posts:Reader mailbag: Stay on COBRA or enroll for Medicare?Reader mailbag: IRA beneficiaries and Medicare first payorsMedicare will cut into big Social Security COLA in 2012 -
To boost Social Security benefits, know the rules
18 Jan 2012 | 4:06 pmWhen the oldest baby boomers start turning 66 this year, they’ll be eligible to file for full Social Security benefits. But pollsters say many Americans plan to work well past that age, reflecting tough economic times and a general desire to reshape the idea of retirement. What will working longer mean for the Social Security [...] Related posts:Social Security may tighten do-over loophole rulesSocial Security Administration tightens do-over rulesHow to maximize your Social Security benefits -
Six steps young investors can take to build retirement security
12 Jan 2012 | 2:28 pmYou’re young and lucky enough to be gainfully employed, but it’s a hard time to be starting out in life – the job market is perilous, financial markets are volatile and the housing market’s direction is anyone’s guess. Is this any time to be thinking about saving for a secure retirement? Absolutely. Top retirement experts [...] Related posts:This weekend: Are young retirement investors abandoning stocks?How working longer helps build retirement securityReuters: How working longer helps build retirement security
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Feed the Beauty
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The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
27 Jan 2012 | 8:52 pmI’m not ashamed to admit that books were my first friends (after ‘Love’ my stuffed bunny). If you are a book lover, a story collector, a dreamer– let it load, make a cup of tea and take a timeout this weekend to watch this touching short by author/ illustrator William Joyce and Co-director Brandon Oldenburg. This is cutting [...] -
Do You Dream of Flying?
15 Jan 2012 | 3:13 pmI’ve had flying dreams all my life. One of my favorite books as a child was ‘The Queen Who Flew’. So I loved this well produced, crazy-fantastic video of The Worlds Fastest Flying Human Being 2010, wingsuit flyer Espen Fadnes. The sounds are real, the background music fits beautifully. Filed under: Community Art, Uncategorized Tagged: dream [...] -
The Birthright
13 Jan 2012 | 1:41 pmThe Birthright We who were born In country places, Far from cities And shifting faces, We have a birthright No man can sell, And a secret joy No man can tell. For we are kindred To lordly things, The wild duck’s flight And the white owl’s wings; To pike and salmon, To bull and horse, [...] -
When this video is over you feel like you do at the end of a really good book
31 Dec 2011 | 3:54 pmWinter Essence- Tender musical arrangements by pianist Sherry Klinedinst paired with the elegant eye of my friend, photographer Wendy Kaveney. Happy New Year and very best wishes to my wonderful subscribers, xoxoxo. Filed under: Community Art, FTB Soul, Photographers Tagged: inspirational winter video, Sherry Klinedinst, Wendy Kaveney -
Mother’s Song
29 Dec 2011 | 1:53 pmit’s quiet in the house so quiet outside the snowstorm wails the dogs curl up noses under their tails my little son sleeps on his back his mouth open his belly rises and falls breathing is it strange if I cry for joy? Anonymous (19th century), translated from the Inuit Stephen Berg/Translator Artwork by Janet Kigusiuq [...]
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Boomers In The Wild
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Reaching the Seasoned Traveler at the Educational Travel Conference, Jan. 19-22 in Orlando, FL
16 Jan 2012 | 11:00 amLater this week I’ll be at the The Educational Travel Conference (ETC), Jan. 19-22 in Orlando, Florida. ETC is the founding conference for Alumni, Museum, Zoo, Conservation, and Nonprofit Educational Travel. It hosts 450 delegates who are a highly-qualified international group of nonprofit travel planners, suppliers, specialty tour operators and destinations. They assemble to focus on the development, operation and marketing of group educational, experiential and affinity travel worldwide. I am looking forward joining Kathy Dragon, Doris Gallan and Heather Hardwick Rhodes for several… -
Rise of the Silver Surfers: Silvers Summit at CES 2012 next week
4 Jan 2012 | 4:37 pmNo sooner do we begin the New Year, then we hit the ground running with the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next week (Jan. 10-13). As you create your agenda for the huge event, your must-attend ticket is the Silvers Summit. The Silvers Summit will showcase the products and services that keep boomers engaged, entertained and connected. There they are assembling companies, distributors, journalists, research firms, think tanks, to demonstrate the products and services that will help mature consumers maintain their high quality of life. The Conference takes place on Jan 10, 2012,… -
The Business of…Brain Fitness
3 Jan 2012 | 1:42 pmFor this week’s show, The Business of… Brain Fitness, we have guest Henry Mahncke, CEO of Posit Science, the leader in clinically proven brain fitness software. Their software is scientific brain training designed to improve memory and cognitive skills. The Business of Aging with Lori Bitter December 27, 2012 – Season 2 – Episode 4: The Business of Brain Fitness Guest: Henry Mahncke, CEO of Posit Science Listen & download here -
Keep the Holidays Happy for Your Kids and Grandkids
23 Dec 2011 | 11:44 amEmpty nesters can put a lot of pressure on the holiday season. As former “helicopter parents,” we no longer have day-to-day involvement with (or control over) our adult children and many of us are joining the ranks of grandparents. Short of cutting out our tongues, there are many things we can do to ensure a fun, peaceful holiday visit to create memories for the entire family. Here are some of my tips from current Allstate blog post. How do you keep the lines of communication open? -
Continuum Crew welcomes new client: Keiro Senior HealthCare
22 Dec 2011 | 1:22 pmKeiro Senior HealthCare is the largest not-for-profit healthcare organization serving the Japanese American community. Keiro Senior HealthCare encompasses Keiro Nursing Home, South Bay Keiro Nursing Home, Keiro Intermediate Care Facility, and Keiro Retirement Home. It also promotes healthy lifestyles – what they call “genki living” – through The Institute for Healthy Aging at Keiro.
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The Senior List Eldercare Directory
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Top 10 Tips on Surviving a Move
24 Jan 2012 | 2:27 pmWhether moving from one home to a similar size one or downsizing to a smaller one, moving is not just an event but a process. It starts when you first consider the possibility of a change and continues through many stages until you are settled into your new place and feel comfortable enough to call it home. At times this process may feel overwhelming and your moving goals may seem out of reach. There are some steps you can take along the way to make sure this project moves forward in a smooth and efficient way. 10. Make a plan Begin by making some key decisions. Ask yourself how much of the… -
Aging Redefined: A Conversation with Ken Dychtwald
21 Jan 2012 | 7:14 pmJWT might be one of the best-known marketing communications brands you never heard of… Their blog JWT Intelligence is a “center for proviactive thinking”, and is indeed an intelligence hub for brands looking to find their way. On January 18th, author Will Palley interviewed Ken Dychtwald, founder of AgeWave (and boomer marketer extraordinair) to discuss aging and how aging is different today than it was a generation ago. One of the facinating topics discussed in Will Palley’s Q&A with Ken Dychtwald is the notion that the gateway to “getting old” is… -
2012 Prediction: Smart Phones Explode In Popularity For Seniors
14 Jan 2012 | 12:20 amWe’ve written a number of articles on Senior Friendly Cell Phones and even profiled a number of top senior friendly phones on the market. Our easy prediction for next year? 2012 will be the start of a new smart phone revolution. Aging boomers and seniors will increasingly adopt the smart phone resulting from the need to stay in touch, enjoy and share photos, and take advantage of smart phone apps that make life easier (and fun). Nielsen’s third quarter survey of mobile phone owners notes that 43% of all mobile phone users report to use smart phones, and 62% of 25-34 year… -
Product Review: Life Alert Medical Alert System
12 Jan 2012 | 12:45 pmLife Alert has been in business since 1987. This is the medical alert system endorsed by Dr. C. Everett Koop (former surgeon general). Life Alert boast an installed base of 150,000 users of their medical alert products (nationwide). Product Info: Name: Life Alert Medical Alert Website Info: http://www.lifealert.org Auto Fall Detection? : no Equipment Cost: $0 Monthly Cost: $49 Features: Waterproof Pendant, Wireless, 24/7 Monitoring Review: The Life Alert medical alert system is an option when looking for traditional medical alert protection for a loved one. They’ve… -
Product Review: The Wellcore Personal Emergency Response System
1 Jan 2012 | 12:35 pmThe Wellcore Personal Emergency Response System stormed onto the market in early 2010 with a great deal of enthusiasm , and then dissapeared mysteriously from the market just as abruptly as it appeared. It remains OFF the market at this time, and a company representative told The Senior List that “We licensed our fall detection technology last year, and have since discontinued shipping the product to end customers“. The below review is an fyi just in case we see this mysterious fall detection device resurface sometime soon… Product Info: Name: Wellcore Personal…
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Funeral Blog | iMortuary.com
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Death Masks for a Modern Funeral
17 Jan 2012 | 12:20 pmFor thousands of years, people have been working hard to capture the memory of the loved ones they have lost. As early as the ancient Egyptian culture, death practices and funeral planning efforts have included a burial mask, or an impression made of the face of the deceased shortly after he or she passes. This was done for a variety of reasons, including religious and cultural rites. Read more on Death Masks for a Modern Funeral… Incoming search terms:ancient egyptian facehow to make a egypt masks -
Funeral Planning: Hiring a Funeral Musician
17 Jan 2012 | 11:56 amAlmost all modern funeral services have some sort of musical component to them. Ranging from elaborate jazz funerals in the grand New Orleans tradition to simply playing a CD of favorite songs during the memorial service, music provides a great way to capture the mood of a funeral and help say many of the things it is too difficult to voice during the painful time of separation. Read more on Funeral Planning: Hiring a Funeral Musician… -
Funeral Services and Cemeteries in San Diego, CA
10 Nov 2011 | 4:30 pmSan Diego funeral homes are part of a long history of settlement and development in Southern California. In addition to a large military burial facility (due in large part to the prevalence of the U.S. Navy), there are several historical cemeteries that date back to the 1700s and 1800s, when Spanish settlers began making their mark. Read more on Funeral Services and Cemeteries in San Diego, CA… Incoming search terms:closing remarks with simple funeralmilitary funeral closing remakr -
What to Do if You Can’t Attend the Funeral
8 Nov 2011 | 4:25 pmNo matter what your intentions are or how highly you regard a loved one, there are times when it is impossible to attend a funeral. Although most employers are understanding when it comes to the last minute nature of funeral planning, it can be hard to take the time away from your job, especially if the service is being held out of town. From travel impediments and cost restrictions to former engagements, there are a number of reasons why you might have to send your condolences in place of yourself. Read more on What to Do if You Can’t Attend the Funeral… Incoming search… -
Funeral Photography
4 Nov 2011 | 5:23 pmOne increasingly common trend that we’re seeing in funeral planning today is the presence of a funeral photographer at the services. As the name suggests, this professional is on hand to take pictures of a memorial ceremony, the sprays of funeral flowers, the guests, and, in some rarer cases, the coffin or deceased. Read more on Funeral Photography… Incoming search terms:funeral photographerscapturing the emotions of funeralsthe practice of photographing deceased people in the victorian erathe practice of burial photospostmortem funeral photopopular photography funerals
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Baby Boomer Talk Online
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How To Make Your New Year’s Resolutions a Reality
4 Jan 2012 | 6:33 pmLike most Americans, by February, your resolve is waning, and by May you don’t even remember resolutions. Then, on Dec. 31, you berate yourself. Related posts:Boomers~How To Make Money Working At Home In 3 Simple Steps Baby Boomers 6 Simple Powerful Ways to Achieve Your Goals Boomers Discover Your 3 Words For 2011 -
Best 3 Videos About Tim Tebow
29 Dec 2011 | 8:13 amTim Tebow was the bright spot on the sports landscape in 2011. Please click the title to see the top 3 videos about Tim Tebow. Related posts:Why I Do Not Hate Tim Tebow! The 5 Reasons I Respect Him Discover The Top 5 9/11 Videos 4th Of July Christian Quotes~Your Inspirational Quote Sunday July 3 2011 -
Did You Get A Kindle For Christmas? List Of Free Kindle Books
26 Dec 2011 | 9:13 amSave yourself time, please, click on the title to find free Kindle books to load on that new Kindle. Plus a short video tutorial on how to use your Kindle. Related posts:List of Free Amazon Kindle Books Books~Your Inspirational Quote Tuesday June 14 2011 (Make Today) End Malaria Day -
25 Tips On How To Have A Stress Free Holiday Season
19 Dec 2011 | 8:46 amWant to have more fun less stress this holiday season?Please click on the title now! Related posts:Top 3 Tips to Fighting Holiday Weight Gain 6 Items To Purchase After Christmas and The Holidays Top 6 Christmas List Shopping Tips -
Give This Gift of Inspiration… It’s Free!
14 Dec 2011 | 9:31 amThis e-book are a collection quick inspirations from 16 terrific interviews with self-reflective, unique people who range in age from 20 to 75. Please click now. Related posts:Top 3 Gifts An Aging Parent Can Give Their Baby Boomer Children Prophets of Doom-Feeling Overdosed On Negativity Death And Disaster? Few Women-Few Men-Your Humorous Quote Wednesday September 21 2011
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ThirdAge
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Joe Biden: GOP Obstructionism Benefits Dems
27 Jan 2012 | 4:32 pmVice President Joe Biden says Republican obstructionism will help Democrats' elections prospects in November, including President Barack Obama's bid for a second term. Biden delivered a pep talk to House Democrats Friday on the final day of their three-day retreat in Maryland. He said the American people will reject GOP unwillingness to compromise and their blatant determination to make Obama a one-term president.... -
Caregiving: Millions of Boomers Manage Aging Parents' Care from Afar
27 Jan 2012 | 4:13 pmKristy Bryner worries her 80-year-old mom might slip and fall when she picks up the newspaper, or that she'll get in an accident when she drives to the grocery store. What if she has a medical emergency and no one's there to help? What if, like her father, her mother slips into a fog of dementia? Those questions would be hard enough if Bryner's aging parent lived across town in Portland, Ore., but she is in Kent, Ohio. The stress of caregiving seems magnified by each of the more than 2,000 miles that separate them.... -
Diabetes Mellitus Drug from Amylin Gets FDA Approval
27 Jan 2012 | 4:04 pmAmylin Pharmaceuticals won approval Friday for its long-delayed diabetes mellitus drug Bydureon, a next-generation treatment that requires fewer injections than the company's 7-year old product, Byetta.... -
Roswell Park's Cancer Vaccine Uses Body's Own Immunity in Trial
27 Jan 2012 | 4:02 pmThe Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y., began a phase I clinical trial of a dendritic cell vaccine that uses the body's immunity to fight cancer. The NY-ESO-1 dendritic cell vaccine, developed at Roswell Park, will be manufactured in the Institute's new Therapeutic Cell Production Facility, using a unique U.S. Food and drug Administration-approved process making Roswell park the first U.S. research facility to use a custom-made barrier isolator for vaccine cell production, the institute said.... -
Paula Deen Sparked Family War
27 Jan 2012 | 3:54 pmPaula Deen's sons were so distraught over her decision to plug a $500-a-month diabetes drug, they nearly bolted from the family management to strike out on their own. ...
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Michael Wood, CSCS
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Science Based Interval Training that can Benefit You
27 Jan 2012 | 7:46 amThere has been an abundance of research over the past few decades that has demonstrated the benefits of interval-based training. Interval training (aka HIT or HIIT) involves bouts of work followed by brief recovery periods and repeated for a desired amount of time. Most of the research has focused on the effects of workloads using ratios of 1:1 or 2:1 or greater. The interval durations have -
Annual U.S. Consumption of Food per Person
23 Jan 2012 | 3:33 pmI saw this list in Wired Magazine (Feb 2012) and thought it was pretty interesting - nice to see both fruits and vegetables coming in as high as they did. The numbers are pounds for each food over the course of a year eaten in the United States only. Now I need to figure out what 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables/day comes out to in pounds for a year...anyone? How much higher do you think -
Man Runs Mt. Kilimanjaro in 7 hrs 14 min
22 Jan 2012 | 8:16 amI was on the Science of Sport website and saw this video of an ultra-endurance runner attempting to break the world record ascent of Mt. Kilimanjaro (which he did in a little more than 5 hours). The total time it took him to get up and down this amazing mountain - all 19,340' - was 7 hours and 14 minutes. You can't imagine how difficult that is. It took the group that I went with (Feb. 2008) -
New Book: The Smarter Science of Slim
21 Jan 2012 | 7:32 amI received a copy of Jonathan Bailor's new book, The Smarter Science of Slim (Aavia, 2012) yesterday and quite honestly can't put it down. Jonathan is a health and fitness researcher who has spent the last decade reviewing all the scientific literature on weight loss and exercise. His book has been endorsed by some of the biggest names in the medical and research worlds. The book is HEAVILY -
Expert Author/Doctor’s 5 Tips on How to Slim Down for the New Year
14 Jan 2012 | 8:07 amThe New Year is here and one of the most common resolutions is slimming down! Everyone wants to look their best before the spring but not everyone knows how. Expert Dr. Lisa Davis came up with 5 tips to people slim down after indulging during the holidays. Top 5 Tips to Help You Slim Down for the New Year 1. Begin the day with a high protein breakfast. Protein-rich shakes, bars, and
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Boomers Next Step
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Take This Job and Shove It! Re-Inventing Yourself in the New Economy
26 Jan 2012 | 10:40 amStressed out from the economy and looking for a new job? Maybe it’s time for you to be your own boss. That’s right – fire your boss! Go on…I dare ya! There are so many considerations when contemplating working for yourself, but taking the time to think ahead and plan can give you a -
How To Pick The Perfect Career At 40 And Over
25 Jan 2012 | 7:59 amEver found yourself wondering where you would begin to figure out how to pick the perfect career, something new that you would be really excited and passionate about? Are you thinking “Right… Now that sounds impossible!” Have a job? Do you like what you do for your job? How long have you had this -
Are You Using The Best Career Change Strategies?
24 Jan 2012 | 10:41 amIf you are reading this article, I presume that you have reached the point when you are clear that changing your career is a very potent option for you. Good, realization is only a few steps away from making a decision, which is only a few steps away from taking an action, so you are -
Finding a Job Over 50: How to Effectively Approach the Market in 2012
23 Jan 2012 | 8:19 amThe current job market can be difficult enough for new college graduates, but for those re-entering the market after more than twenty years of stable employment, it can be much less welcoming. Because of age bias and the incessant labeling of those over 50 as “overqualified,” baby boomers have to take a very different approach -
How to Deal With 3 Sticky Interview Questions
19 Jan 2012 | 8:27 amThe good news is that you’ve been called in for an interview! But wait just a minute, the bad news is that you’ve been called in for an interview! The long-awaited interview can be your ticket to a new and better job, but it can also be an anxiety producer that keeps you up nights
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The Fearless Factor | Overcome Fear Now
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[FearlessFactor] With A Little Help From Your Friends
4 Jan 2012 | 11:38 amAs a motivational trainer and leadership development coach, I help people overcome the obstacles that are currently holding them back from achieving all they want in business and in life. It it enormously satisfying to see individuals turn things around when they can adopt a different attitude or see things from a different perspective. When you [...] -
[FearlessFactor] What Are You Grateful For?
17 Nov 2011 | 3:00 pmHappy Thanksgiving from Jacqueline and The Fearless Factor team. The holiday of Thanksgiving is rooted in gratitude. When the early pilgrims sat down to dinner they gave thanks for their safety, thanks for the food they foraged and grew, and thanks to the Indians for not killing them instantly! They thanked God for the wonders [...] -
[TheFearlessFactor] 7 Steps To Get You Out Of Bed In The Morning
12 Oct 2011 | 9:12 amNothing great in this world has been accomplished without passion. —Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel There are some days when you wake up and you think “maybe I’ll just stay where I am.” I’ve had a couple of those days myself lately. For those who know me, they may find that hard to believe because I’m always [...] -
[TheFearlessFactor] What Do You Have To Lose?
9 Oct 2011 | 8:46 amThis week there has been some exceptional losses. We lost Steve Jobs, who made an extraordinary contribution to how we use media, and how we connect with each other. We lost the Rev. Fred L. Shuttleworth, one of the first advocates for Civil Rights, and we lost Derrick Bell, the first tenured black professor at [...] -
[TheFearlessFactor] What Choice Did You Make Today?
4 Oct 2011 | 10:32 amHow many choices do you think you make in a single day? What about a week? Or even a year? We make millions of choices in the course of our lifetime. Between what to eat for breakfast or when to have children, we make a lot of decisions. Let’s say for example sake the average person [...]
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My Itchy Travel Feet
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Saturday’s scene: waiting for carnival
28 Jan 2012 | 2:00 amCarnival costume in Rio de Janeiro What does a well-dressed boomer wear to carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil? How about one of the costumes from the Carnival Museum? When our Regent Seven Seas Navigator cruise ended in Rio, after sailing across the Atlantic from Cape Town, we had the entire day to tour with a private guide before our plane left for the U.S. Madson Arajúo proudly showed us the sites of his hometown, including the Sambadrome. When our van parked along the concrete runway bordered by towering concrete stands, I thought we were at a racetrack. But Madson assured us that… -
Cruising through the Panama Canal…again
24 Jan 2012 | 11:00 amSilver Cloud enters the Miraflores Locks on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal. Some baby boomer travel experiences are worth repeating. That’s certainly true of a cruise through the Panama Canal. The journey may travel along the same watery path; but each time, boomers will discover new facets about The Big Ditch. On our first Panama Canal cruise, Alan and I sailed from east to west—beginning in the early morning on the Atlantic side and ending in the Pacific Ocean around midnight, including a stop for excursions near the Gatun Yacht Club. On our recent holiday cruise on Silver… -
Saturday’s scene: leaving Longyearbyen
21 Jan 2012 | 2:00 amArctic scenery is the star as our ship leaves Longyearbyen, Norway Alan photographed this gorgeous scene as Regent Seven Seas Voyager sailed from Longyearbyen on a Norwegian cruise itinerary that began and ended in Denmark. So where is Longyearbyen? Located on the island of Sptizbergen in the administrative area of Svalbard, Norway, Longyearbyen is the most northerly town in the world. Voyager was cruising toward the polar ice pack, one of the highlights of the cruise. Unfortunately, about an hour before reaching the ice pack, a passenger’s health emergency required that our ship race… -
Travel to Africa at the Tucson Gem Show
19 Jan 2012 | 11:00 amAfrican Art Village at Tucson Gem Show If you’re a boomer traveler who wears jewelry, makes jewelry or enjoys rock hounding, then add the Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase (January 28 – February 12, 2012) to your travel list. Each year in late January and early February, The Old Pueblo puts on an extravaganza that draws visitors and vendors from around the world. But there’s more to the two-week show than buildings and tents filled with glittery gems, beads and rocks. The event has morphed into an eclectic affair, especially if you take a walk down the frontage road… -
Suriving a cruise disaster
17 Jan 2012 | 2:00 amAvid boomer cruisers that we are, Alan and I are terribly saddened by the disaster on the Costa Concordia. We send our sympathies to the families of the deceased and also to the injured passengers and crew. It’s especially upsetting to learn that the this cruise disaster was caused by human error, according to news reports. But I’m distressed for another reason, as well. As I watched live TV interviews with cruise guests, so many of them commented about not knowing what to do since they had not had a muster drill (or munster), which Maritime law requires be held within 24 hours of…
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Sandwich Generation Radio Show | Wriggling In the Middle
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Dr. Judith Boice on Green Medicine
23 Jan 2012 | 1:00 pmDr. Judith Boice, author of The Green Medicine Chest: Healthy Treasures for the Whole Family, joins us to discuss the benefits of Green Medicine. -
Is Laughter Good for Your Health? 3 Tips from Laugh Leader Judy Garmaise
19 Jan 2012 | 5:10 pmEveryone has heard that laughter is the best medicine, but did you know that laughter can actually relax your muscles and keep you healthy? Laughter offers several health benefits, stemming from endorphins. Laughter creates hormones called endorphins which strengthens the body’s ability to fight disease and bacteria, as well as reduces stress. How can you take advantage of these benefits? Judy has three great ways to get the laughter rolling: Fake it until you make it! Just start laughing! Make the sound of laughter. ‘Fake it until you make it’… you may start in a fake… -
Jed Diamond on Male Depression
16 Jan 2012 | 11:45 amJed Diamond, Founder and Director of MenAlive, joins us to discuss causes, symptoms, and treatments of male depression, agression, and Irritable Male Syndrome (IMS). -
Judy Garmaise on the Benefits of Laughter
10 Jan 2012 | 2:47 pmJudy Garmaise, Professional Speaker and Sales Expert, joins us to discuss the many benefits of laughter. -
When can I retire? Three Investment Tips Expert Julie Jason
31 Dec 2011 | 4:24 pmWhen will you be able to retire? This is a question everyone must face. Julie Jason, author of Managing Retirement Wealth joined Wriggling in the Middle to answer this vital question as well as tips on how to handle a financial crisis. Can you retire? Put it to the test. When you are ready to asses if you can retire, pretend you are going to retire this coming monday. This will force you to look at your numbers, cash flows, spending, and savings. You’ll be able to see how long that retirement would last, don’t look at social security for this exercise, focus solely on your…
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Retirement: A Full-Time Job
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Don't Blame the Fat Lady
25 Jan 2012 | 1:39 pmPosted in Wellness Wednesdays It’s the time of year when many of us turn our attention to our health. Ok, let’s be honest, by health I mean weight. Now three weeks into my resolution to lose six pounds, I’m down two. Not exactly a stellar performance, but it beats the alternative. The startling facts are, according to the CDC, 33.9 percent of U.S. adults are obese, and another 34.4 percent are merely overweight. Which leaves those folks at healthy weights in the minority. There is certainly no shortage of approaches to weight-loss. The multi-million dollar weight loss… -
Picturing Retirement: Dance Like No One is Watching
13 Jan 2012 | 10:27 amPhoto Friday: Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a winner. My favorite picture of retirement so far, from Banjo Steve. (I only wish the image were larger!) Talk about pure joy! (To submit your picture of retirement, email me a photo with how you would like it credited.) Related Posts: Picturing Retirement: Coco-sitting Picturing Retirement: Babysitting Picturing Retirement Enjoying Other People's Pets Can’t keep track of my non-existent posting schedule? Subscribe—it’s free! -
The (Half) Million Dollar Question
9 Jan 2012 | 1:36 pmPosted in Money Mondays If you already had “enough” money to retire, would you work a full-time job for one more year if you could walk away with $500k from that year’s work? I enjoyed reading all of your comments and email responses to Friday’s half-million dollar question. As some of you pointed out, it’s obviously hard to know how you would answer a hypothetical question with so many possible variables and without really having “skin in the game.” My initial reaction is why not try it? If you hated it you could always quit. But that’s not really participating in the… -
Picturing Retirement: Procrastination and Brain Teasers
6 Jan 2012 | 12:56 pmPhoto Friday On procrastination: I've been thinking of many blog posts over this last silent month but getting none of them on (virtual) paper. Sorry about that. On brain teasers: The reason is because of what we bean-counters (even part-time bean-counters) call Busy Season. I'm only somewhat embarrassed to admit how much fun I've been having using the left side of my brain these last few weeks. When a part-time job demands full time, it's a lot easier to handle than when a full-time job feasts on your soul as well. Which brings me to the next brain teaser. Yesterday I received… -
Picturing Retirement: Bring it on Santa!
9 Dec 2011 | 8:10 pmPhoto Friday: For some reason, for the last two years of my retirement, I haven't managed to get my Christmas tree until a day or two before Christmas. Seems funny that I couldn't find the time until the last minute, but it did mean a significant discount on trees those years (although not much of a selection to choose from.) But last night I got the tree decorated, poured myself a glass of eggnog, and enjoyed the scene TWO WHOLE WEEKS before Christmas! (To submit your picture of retirement, email me a photo with how you would like it credited.) Related Posts: Retirement Will Not…
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SandwichINK
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Educational, Fun and Sad LEGO News For The Grandkids!
27 Jan 2012 | 9:00 amLike With grandkids on both coasts who LOVE old AND new LEGOs, not to mention my senior mom's OTHER sweet AND great-grandkids who are also fans, LEGOs are a constant source of fun, creative thinking, and comment for this Sandwich Generation granny nanny. This week, they also ran the gamut of educational wonder to sadness, sorrow, and actual tears on the part of one of my grandkids! The educational part was the pleasure of enjoying a program, the Ultimate Factories – LEGO, put on by National Geographic. A very interesting show for my grandson and I enjoyed it as well. Sadly, that… -
Elderly Parents Dealing with Depression And Its Medication Can Be a Cause for Concern for the Sandwich Generation
26 Jan 2012 | 7:43 amLike Depression! It can hit all ages, can't it? I was mildly depressed when I discovered my favorite, easy to use editing tool, Picnik.com – perfect to help me with pictures from my digital camera – was closing up and partially moving to Google + (yes, I do take my tech goodies a little too seriously at times, but really – this is costing me a TON of time to find a replacement, so it is a bit of a big deal. ). One of my grandkids was in tears over similar geeky news in his world this week (more on that tomorrow – and yes, he's doing fine! ). And for the Sandwich… -
Cute Encouragement for the Weary Sandwich Generation
25 Jan 2012 | 3:32 amLike Holidays are over, winter – full of wild weird weather – is fast upon us, and with health issues, money issues, and all the other issues that are bound up in the multigenerational Sandwich Generation family, it's easy for us to sometimes slow down, grow weary, maybe even struggle with depression over a variety of issues – like finding out my fave photo editor site, Picnik, is closing – or my grandchild's fave website, LEGO Universe is closing (Can you tell it's been a tough tech week for us ). But Paul, and this sweet little grandcat are here to remind us…… -
This Sandwich Generation Granny Nanny is Goin on a Picture Hunt, Gonna Find a Photo Editor
24 Jan 2012 | 7:22 amLike Sigh! DEEP SIGH! HUMOUNGOUS DEEP SIGH with a tear or two dribbling down my cheek! No no no – it's not over a person. It's not even over a football team (though I hear tell that mega tears were shed over the games this past weekend – many by men!) Nope! This Sandwich Generation is mourning the upcoming loss of one of my very favorite and sooo easy to use tools! Picnik.com – the wonderful photo editor I love – so easy to use and it makes made my photos from my digital camera look so good so quickly and easily…. is being shut down in 3 months! Even my… -
Looking for Brain-Exercising Gifts for the Elderly Parents?
23 Jan 2012 | 7:59 amLike Words With Friends - such a fun game for all ages and yes, that includes boomers like us AND many of our senior parents in our Sandwich Generation families. My senior mom is NOT a "tech-happy" or "tech-interested" person, preferring books, long walks, and gardening any old time. But I have a few other tech-loving seniors in our family and, while not all have iPhones, there are a couple of other fun options for them like: Apple iPad2. Yup! The Words With Friends game apps work on this handy-dandy and senior-friendly gizmo that also lets our senior parents enjoy fun and…
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Boomerwizdom
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Amsterdam:Grey skies and good walks are good for boomer hearts
26 Jan 2012 | 2:06 amWhere I live This is the block where I am living in the Oud Zuid (Old South). It’s an area favored by expats, a bit expensive and right around the corner from the most beautiful park, Vondelpark. My time here is coming to a close. I am headed to the Dappermarkt this morning, not quite sure of what to expect. It is supposed to be the most ethnic market of the many markets Amsterdam offers. I will surely share tomorrow. Yesterday I went to the Nieuwmarkt and discovered Amsterdam’s Asian area. I had asked Nadia in Scent and Sense where I got a pedicure where Amsterdam’s… -
Boomer Plans: How Not to Get Lost in Amsterdam
24 Jan 2012 | 5:20 amEven with a map you can get lost! Yesterday I got a refresher course in how to deal with being lost again. Ageing (that is how they spell it in Europe) boomers spend a lot of time trying to ensure they have not forgotten anything or the specifics of how they are going to implement their plan. Have you noticed that aging (American English) includes more planning and there is less openness to spontaneity. I decides what I am going to do, then I plan how I will go about it. But I do not want to be “lost” this morning. I have 3 or 4 things to do, then I am heading back to work… -
Two Snaps and a Twist for “The Underside of Joy”
18 Jan 2012 | 5:08 pmBook review I know something about “The Underside of Joy.” So I was anxious to read Sere Prince Halverson‘s take in her new book with the same title. You see I raised an only child. Our nuclear family consisted of my son, me, his father and his stepmother— in that order of importance. To this day I can remember mostly imagined threats that their coupling/commitment to each other presented in my mind. When I was living in this odd formation, my perception that I coexisted with threats was my reality. Not until my son was more than 25 years old did I ever have a… -
2012 Baby Boomer
1 Jan 2012 | 12:12 amI am awake, alive and happy to have the opportunity to do a better job of being of service in 2012. I am working on a new and improved presentation but most importantly, a ‘focused’ approach to my many interests. I hope you will hang in there with me. Happy New Everything in 2012. What will you do differently next year? Tweet -
Some Boomer Realness on Caretaking
11 Dec 2011 | 1:06 pmA real moment thanks to Decide,Create, Share This past week has been one where the subject of caregiving or caretaking has figured prominently. I didn’t start off thinking about this. My yoga teacher invited me to volunteer at Mary’s Place by the Sea. This is a place for women either recovering from and/or enduring cancer. Guests can receive healing treatments, spend time alone, take meals, sleep over, get advice and enjoy a healing atmosphere. It is also always a place where I take my best self. My ego remains in the shadows. “Does my hair look good” or…
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Baby Boomers Retiring: Boomer Generation
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Retirement Home Purchase And A Tree Fetish
26 Jan 2012 | 7:58 pmIf you are considering purchasing your retirement home, make sure you check out the trees that are in the yard. Here's why. Continue reading → -
Priorities For My Baby Boomer Retirement
21 Jan 2012 | 10:00 pmNow forty years later, my retirement dream, at age sixty-three is still about not doing but the not doing has changed. My priorities in life are different as they are with many of us in the boomer generation. Here is my not doing list as it is for today. Continue reading → -
Baby Boomers Retiring to Tastiest Towns
14 Jan 2012 | 9:52 pmRetiring to one of the 10 tastiest towns in the South according to Southern Living Magazine. Continue reading → -
Baby Boomer Generation Retirement
11 Jan 2012 | 8:19 pmBaby boomers are not all the same and we do not all fit in one box. We have different needs and wants. Continue reading →
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Aging Parents
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The “Cadillac of Care” For Dad
24 Jan 2012 | 7:31 pmFinancial success is no protection against dementia. Neither is status in society. Remember that President Ronald Reagan developed dementia. What looks different for people who have means is the kind of care they get, as compared with the average person. Take Oscar. He’s 80 years of age, and has had a good life. Success in a brilliant career. Comforts of every kind at his disposal. Now, he’s no longer capable of making decisions for himself, but his wife Joanie is looking out for him. She is trying to plan out how to care for him, as he gradually loses the ability to care… -
The Case of the Missing Cash
13 Jan 2012 | 11:16 amThis really happened. George is 90 and is generally doing well, but has a few memory problems. His wife, Gloria worries about him keeping track of things. He has a full time caregiver from a qualified agency. He goes to the gym for an hour every day. The caregiver drives him there and to the bank, to his errands and to lunch. He keeps cash on hand for his own use. The last time George went to the bank, Gloria wanted to know what had happened to the $300 he withdrew. He couldn’t find it. The next time, he said he had put $1000 in his “secret stash” drawer in his… -
Wake-Up Call: Mom’s Trip To The Emergency Room
29 Dec 2011 | 4:53 pmIt can be extremely dangerous for aging parents to rely only on memory when it comes to taking medication. So many aging folks have memory loss issues. A large percentage of those with memory problems go on to develop dementia. The reliance on memory to keep all the pills straight is a recipe for disaster. Take Thomas’s case. He’s a loving son. He lives near his parents. He checks in on them, but they’re doing pretty well and he really doesn’t worry about them. Dad is 87 and Mom is 82. They’re independent. They still drive. They take care of themselves. -
Fear Factor: The CEO Is Losing His Marbles
21 Dec 2011 | 12:03 amEveryone is afraid to say anything. It’s been evident for a long time that Jack, founder of the company, is no longer competent. Yet, he still goes to work every day. His caregiver, posing as a “personal assistant” takes him. Jack spends the time wandering around and upsetting the workers there. He scribbles meaninglessly. He forgets where he is going. He says inappropriate things. This is a real scenario, probably played out in many other family-owned businesses and successful companies across our country. Men and women who were once sharp, and formed or ran… -
Home Care Workers and the Minimum Wage Controversy
15 Dec 2011 | 11:30 pmOver 1.7 million paid workers provide home care for an elder or disabled person. Maybe it’s your own parent or grandparent who receives this kind of help. When I was a student nurse, I worked summers as a home care worker. I bathed, dressed, toileted, walked, fed exercised and entertained my frail older patient five days a week. For me, it was a good job, with competitive pay, five days a week. That was the unusual aspect. I helped this older woman’s daughter, who was the primary caregiver in the daughter’s home. The older lady got a nursing student with…
