Best Boomer Towns Columns

Super Bowl Presents The Who, Class and Classic Sound

It's not a secret why The Who was selected to be this year's Super Bowl Half Time entertainment, is it? There are 78 million baby boomer sin the United States that spend $7 trillion annually, buy 7 of the 13 cars after age 50 and purchase 80% of the luxury vacations.

The Boomers grew up with The Who, Rolling Stones and The Beatles. Boomer bands.  The Who sounded great, looked great and proves once again that the boomers are the healthiest  demographic the U.S. has ever seen. Great energy. And no wardrobe malfunctions. Just class and classic great sound.

Baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1964, this large demographic gave birth to the era we know today as the Knowledge Age. The number of colleges increased dramatically to fill the need for the boomers entering college. New highways were built during this time connecting them to cities around the U.S. encouraging adventure. It's no wonder boomers love to travel, its what they grew up with.

I recently read that the boomer grandparent (average age 55) doesn't take their grandchild to Sarasota, they take them to Sarajevo! Boomers are smart, adventurous, healthy and wealthy. Brands should be talking to Boomers more than ever. Somebody did their homework at the NFL, they know their average age of their ticket buyer - I suspect of boomer age (between the ages of 46 and 64) and have enough money to buy a Super Bowl Ticket and trip to Miami, oh and like The Who! Rock on Boomers. Navigate Boomer Media an online digital ad network - reach the boomers, they are buying.

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www.fraudsol.com

 

VoiceAmerica.com the Official Internet Broadcasting Company for the Player Networking Event at Super

Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) February 4, 2010 -- World Talk Radio, LLC (DBA VoiceAmerica.com), home of the VoiceAmerica and WorldTalk Radio Networks has confirmed they will be the Official Internet Broadcasting Company for the Player Networking Event at Super Bowl XLIV. This event will include streaming live audio from 2pm-6pm EST/11am-3pm PST on Saturday February 6, 2010 through VoiceAmerica's Sports Channel (www.VoiceAmericaSports.com).

VoiceAmerica.com, the world leader in live internet talk radio broadcasting, will be providing a live stream including interviews with current and former NFL players. They will have an opportunity to discuss their current interests as well as share their perspective on the Super Bowl. This will be the second consecutive year that VoiceAmerica will be hosting a live event from PNE. VoiceAmerica is also one of three companies that the Player Networking Event has chosen to feature.

In attendance will be World Talk Radio President Jeff Spenard, VP of Broadcast Operations Ryan Treasure, VoiceAmerica Sports Channel Director and former Philadelphia Eagle Ray Ellis; along with our featured VoiceAmerica Sports Hosts including: former Baltimore Raven Nick Murphy (host of Murphy's Law), former Arizona Cardinal Kwamie Lassiter (host of Kwamie Lassiter's Sports Talk), former Minnesota Vikings Chuck Foreman (host of Spin It) former Arizona Cardinal Damien Anderson (host of Planet Gridiron) and former Chicago Bears and Super Bowl Champion Dave Duerson (host of Double Time with Double D).

In addition, Lemont Williams former Redskin's linebacker and host of "Outside the Huddle" on VoiceAmerica Sports will be live on location at Media Day. Lemont will be joining the live broadcast on Saturday discussing his exclusive interviews with players from the Colts and Saints.

The Player Networking Event (PNE), a sanctioned NFL Super Bowl event, helps active and former NFL players with their transition from football to their business careers. Each year active and former players attend the PNE to network with business executives and corporations. Working collaboratively with the NFL and its member clubs, their goal is to help players explore and identify post-football opportunities that are realistic and meaningful.

PNE will be held this Saturday, February 6, 2010 from 2pm-6pm EST at the Hyatt Regency Miami (James L Knight Center) in the Riverfront central Ballroom in conjunction with Super Bowl XLIV.

VoiceAmerica's Sports Channel will air live from the PNE event from 2pm-6pm EST/11am-3pm PST. To access the event, log on at http://www.VoiceAmericaSports.com.

VoiceAmerica.com offers the latest conversations in a talk radio format, providing education, interaction, and advice on key issues live, on demand as well as through pod cast download. If interested in hosting a talk radio show on VoiceAmerica Network or WorldTalk Radio Network, contact Jeff Spenard, President and CEO at 480-294-6417 or at jeff.spenard(at)voiceamerica(dot)com.

Contact Director of Marketing, Melissa Schmitz, at 480-294-6410 for advertising / sponsorship information or other Network details.

ABOUT VoiceAmerica.com:
VoiceAmerica.com, is a technology centric media group and the largest producer and distributor of live internet based talk radio, delivering over 1,000 hours of programming weekly on its VoiceAmerica^TM Network (http://www.voiceamerica.com) and WorldTalk Radio Network (http://www.worldtalkradio.com). Featuring more than 200 hosts broadcasting to eight niche community based channels: its flagship VoiceAmerica^TM Variety Channel, VoiceAmerica^TM Health & Wellness Channel, VoiceAmerica^TM Business Channel, VoiceAmerica Sports, 7th Wave Network, The Green Talk Network, Power Up Motorsports Channel and WorldTalk Radio Variety Channel. VoiceAmerica.com is one of the pioneers in internet broadcasting, producing and syndicating online audio and video, offering an innovative, effective and comprehensive digital broadcast platform. Digital Publishing through its 10 years of broadcast and media experience along with our seasoned staff of Executive Producers, Production and Host Service Group, VoiceAmerica.com provides an internet radio platform for new, emerging and veteran media personalities to expand and monetize their business and brand in an online digital medium.

 

Powerful Guests on The Authentic Living Show

Starting on Wednesday, February 3, with a return visit from Neale Donald Walsch, most renowned for his "Conversations with God" series; the show revs up with a visit from Bruce Lipton, author of "The Biology of Belief;" and another return visit from Byron Katie, most famous for "The Work," her teachings aimed at ending suffering found in several books, most recently, the children's book "Tiger, Tiger Is It True;" and the host's first interview with Dr. Judith Orloff, famous for "Second Sight" and recent author of "Emotional Freedom."

The Authentic Living show, hosted by Andrea Mathews, is dedicated to getting the best speakers in the world to help Mathews pass on the message that authenticity is the reason we are alive. Mathews is the author of the book Restoring My Soul: A Workbook for Finding and Living the Authentic Self and the Home Study for Licensed Counselor's, based on the same book, called The Soul of Therapy. "The most difficult aspect of finding and living the authentic self," says Mathews, "is getting ourselves to believe that it is not only possible, but provides us the peace and essential sense of ‘aliveness' for which all of us are longing." Mathews adds, "These guests help me not only deliver that message, but make it more believable. I'm so fortunate to have been able to attract these wonderful guests to the show. They help me talk about the hard stuff and the enlightening stuff in a gentle conversation that answers some of life's deepest, most desperate questions."

The list of previous guests on Mathews' show also includes such thought-leaders, as: Gary Zukav, Joan Borysenko, Thomas Moore, Dr. Bernie Siegel, Lama Surya Das, John Holland, Dr. Larry Dossey, Julia Cameron, Dan Millman and many more. Listeners can hear these shows anytime by going directly to http://www.modavox.com/voiceamerica/vshow.aspx?sid=1304, the show's website. The show can also be heard on iTunes as a podcast, and even downloaded from either site to copy to CD, so that listeners can have, as Mathews puts it, "a dialog with themselves" in the car on the way to work. The show is sponsored by the American Institute of Holistic Theology and can be heard on their site as well.

Voice America^TM, the pioneering Internet Talk Radio Network owned and operated by World Talk Radio, LLC, is the producer of Authentic Living. If interested in hosting a talk radio show on VoiceAmerica, contact Jeff Spenard, President of Internet Radio at 480-294-6417 or at jeff.spenard @ modavox.com.

 

Baby Boomers, Clearing Blocks For Weight Loss Results

When your mind entertains the thought of losing weight, what thoughts pop into your head?

Knowing if your thinking is helping or sabotaging your progress is crucial for success.

Maybe you think, "I've tried so many times and I've failed, it's no use", or "I don't have energy to exercise" or "I'm ready to make a change because I want to feel good in my body and have more confidence." Whatever you think you shall be.

A simple but powerful exercise to do is to get a notebook and write at the top of a clean page your goal. Now just write whatever pops into your mind under that goal. You will be surprised how many mental blocks may pop up but let them because this is the first step to clearing them out of your consciousness and sub consciousness. Any thought that negates your goal is a mental block and we will need to clear it.

On another sheet of paper, write all the mental blocks on the left and the opposite of what that would be on the right of the page. Fold down the middle so there are two columns.

For example, if your first thought was, I can't lose weight because I have no discipline with my eating; write on the opposite side " I am leaning out because I'm now making healthier choices with food and exercising portion control.

Always write your affirmation in the now. When you say I will exercise or I will lose that last 10 pounds, you put it off mentally. State everything in the now as if it's already the way things are. An example would be "I love to walk first thing in the morning and I'm losing weight and feel much more energetic." The mind responds to this and will help you to attract favorable situations to support your thinking.

After you have written all the mental blocks and the affirmations on the opposite side of the page, cut the paper in two columns so they are separated. Take the mental blocks and over a trash can rip them into small pieces while saying " These thoughts don't serve me, I let them go. Now take the affirmations and put them on a wall or mirror where you can see them everyday. When you read them, read out loud and picture in your mind your ideal scenario for that goal. For example, see yourself fit and healthy and loving your body and your life. Believe that this is your truth. Do this daily. It takes a few minutes a day, but the investment of time will pay off greatly. Many athletes have declared that using affirmations and visualizing their goals being accomplished, have brought them victories. You can do the same. You have nothing to lose, except some cruddy thoughts that hold you back, and everything to gain.

Website - Strong Body for Life

10 Ways and Reasons You Can Start Over

Starting Over

Instead of making a resolution, which most of us aren't all that great at keeping, why not look for some areas in your life where you'd like to begin anew? Here are some tools to make starting over a little easier and your new year a little more emotionally fit.

1. Starting over is not the same as recouping from a failure. It is a new beginning. This mindset is helpful because it keeps you from wasting your time being too hard on yourself.

2. Moving through life is like climbing stairs. You go up a level and then you level off. Nothing is ever a straight shot. Have some patience with yourself and with your newfound direction.

3. This new year is also a new decade. It could also be a new life if you approach it in the right way. Sometimes little ideas can turn into big things. Try writing that letter to the editor or, if you need to, make the choice to drink a little less alcohol.

4. Endings are not necessarily bad things. Even if the past year was your best so far, the one ahead might just leave it in the dust. This is also true if it's been your worst year so far, and you've suddenly found yourself unemployed or unattached.

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5. Starting over may feel scary, but it's really a cause for celebration. Think of it as exciting, and many of your anxious feelings will begin to fade.

6. Remember that your future is not governed by your past. No matter what has happened in your life, you can find a way to make things a little better for yourself, and hopefully for those around you as well.

7. Having to start over is different from choosing to start over. For those whose lives are still in chaos because of manmade and natural disasters, starting over is not a choice. Giving support to those in need and being able to accept it when necessary are great qualities.

8. Healthy alternatives to negative lifestyle patterns abound. Take baby steps if you don't feel comfortable making all your changes on January 1. If you can't stop a bad habit, start by cutting back. It's okay to give yourself a little time to moderate or stop something that's hurting you.

9. It's not all about joining a gym to get fit. What about taking a dance class to get in shape and have fun at the same time? Starting over can mean chasing your dreams. We're happiest when we're moving toward a goal.

10. Starting over is about giving yourself a chance at real happiness. You will have to be brave and get good at learning new things, but how bad can that be? At the very worst, you will acquire the skills you need to start on the next project.

The new year is a great time to start over. Remember that once you honestly commit to the changes, you have already begun the process.

Self Exam:  Proactive Approach to Skin Cancer Detection

Taking a proactive approach in monitoring your skin for potential skin cancers - especially if you are in a high risk group - is an essential step in complete sun safety habits. Descriptions of how to conduct a self-examination are readily available on the web, however, we thought we would post this essential information as a New Year's reminder to routinely check your skin.

Thanks to website SkinCancerNet for the following images.
Conducting the Skin Examination
To conduct a skin examination you will need: a full-length mirror, a hand-held mirror, privacy, pen or pencil and a mole map available for downloading at SkinCancerNet. Then follow these five easy steps.

Five Step Self Examination
• Stand in front of the mirror. Examine your body front and back, then on the right and left sides with your arms raised. Women should look under their breasts. (It helps to have a partner assist with the self-examination.)
•Next, bend your elbows and examine forearms, upper underarms and palms.
•Next, look at the back of your legs and feet. Look at the spaces between your toes and the soles of your feet. Remember, it's important to examine your whole body, not just the areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun. Skin cancer can occur anywhere.
•Examine the back of your neck and scalp with a hand-held mirror. Part your hair to examine the entire scalp.
•Check your back and buttocks with the hand-held mirror.

The mole map helps you keep a record of current moles, blemishes and other marks for reference in future self-examinations. Fill it out and keep it with important documents.

What to Look For
Becoming familiar with the moles, blemishes and birthmarks on your skin will enable you to detect changes in them. Look for changes in size, color, shape and texture.

Specific warning signs include:
•A mole that is different from the rest. A mole that itches or bleeds or that changes in any way.
•A sore that never fully heals.
•Translucent growth with rolled edges.
•A brown or black streak beneath a nail.
•Cluster of slow-growing shiny pink or red lesions.
•Waxy feeling scar.
•Depressed lesion that feels hard to the touch.

If you find any suspicious lesions, immediately call your dermatologist and TELL him or her why you are calling. In some areas of the country, it takes months to get an appointment. Communicate your urgency. In most cases, skin cancer can be successfully treated, but left too long, they can result in death.

Finally, dermatologists have developed a simple set of rules describing suspicious lesions they call the ABCDEs of melanoma. The Skin Cancer Foundation posts these on their website along with pictures describing the skin condition.

Be proactive in your skin care. Routinely examine your skin. Be SunAWARE and Be Safe!

 

 

Younger Men vs. Older Men. Is There Really a Contest?

elizabeth: I hate, despise and resent the term "cougar." Hate it with a passion. I Googled to find out who came up with this asinine label, and this was their answer: Late 80's in the dressing room of the Vancouver Canucks Hockeyteam, they called older single women that came to their games cougars. Okay, now I have to boycott Vancouver. I wasn't going to go there any time soon but I am taking a stand.

Laurie: It's starting to get cold up there anyway. Just don't go boycotting an island.

elizabeth: Why do women have to be labeled by whom they date? I rarely dated older men when I was single and I blame that on Harrison Ford (he kinda smoldered and had that earring thing happening), Robert DeNiro (too many gangster flicks - I was always afraid he'd off me if I disagreed but he was sexy) and Cary Grant (I think he was dead by the time I thought he was way too fine to ignore). They didn't make themselves available to date. Me. I know. How unfair. But young guys did and I was just as happy to return the favor. But did I think I was gutting them and ripping out their innards when I was feeling a little naughty? Please.

Laurie: Wow, I don't know what kind of dates you went on (I did once date a guy who caught muskrats and I believe there was some gutting involved in that)! I like to think I was adding to the worldly experience of these young studs. Showing them the finer pleasures that would assist them with pleasing their future women (or men - who knew? Who cared?) and saving them many hard-earned, heartbreaking experiences - yeah, that's the story and I'm sticking to it.

elizabeth: I did date some guy who was 15 years younger than me. Let me tell you this - it was not because he had his pulse on world affairs or knew the difference between a Monet or a Manet. Nor did I really expect him to speak. Why ruin a good thing? My husband is six years younger than me and I did not marry him because he made me feel young. I was quite capable of making myself feel young and vital and sassy. Plus I never think about the age difference. I am more concerned that he doesn't think that The Beatles were the best band in the world. Oh, yeah, John Lennon never called either.

Laurie: I feel your pain, girlfriend. I got tired of waiting for Elvis to discover me in my small town and finally took down the many photos and posters that plastered my purple bedroom wall. I think I finally realized I was on the edge of robbing the proverbial cradle when while watching a recap of JFK's assassination, my Date of the Day said something that made me realize he wasn't even born in the 60's. Yikes! As soon as that date was finished, I bid him a fond farewell. No sense in wasting a perfectly good evening.

© 2010, Coaches on the Edge ^TM

 

 

 

Envision the Next Chapter

Monica's adult son finally got a job and moved out last September. Then she was forced into retirement when her company downsized. At first, she was grateful for the peace and quiet, but she's now having trouble getting into motion: "I just feel like giving up and hiding in a hole for the next 10 years."

Monica is in the midst of a transition. They often happen as we age, but they can also be brought about by an unasked-for change. One chapter of our lives has closed and a new one hasn't begun. The uncomfortable gap in between, when we may feel malaise, or even panic, is what it means to be in transition.

I learned this perspective from Candice Carpenter in her book Chapters. Because we're all living longer and change is accelerating, we will go through many chapters, each with its own dramas, excitement, requirements, and difficulties. Just like with a great novel, we may not be sure where the story will take us and can feel lost or confused. Article continues http://silverplanet.com/silver-planet-aging/envision-next-chapter/55356

 

2010 Baby Boomer Resolutions

It's the holiday season and as we all know a time where overindulgence is hard to avoid. The key of course is moderation. I advise you to snack on healthy, low fat foods before going to a party or gathering where the temptations are high. Also, consume water to feel more full. By doing this, you won't over do it and consume a lot of unwanted calories, sugar and fat. Some examples of healthy snacks to nibble on before leaving the house are hard -boiled eggs, turkey slices on one slice of high fiber bread, raw veggies and fruit. Protein and fiber helps you to feel satiated, so these would be optimal choices.

So now let's get to those resolutions. If they are not overwhelming to you, they are more attainable. For example, instead of saying I want to go from a size 16 to a size 4, try a resolution/goal that will put you into action. Put it into an affirmation such as the following:

I am losing weight and feeling so much better about myself because I walk for 30 minutes every other day.

I love the way my body feels when I stretch and do yoga exercises. I do 10 minutes each morning before getting dressed and it gives my day a great start.

I strengthen my body with weights and my muscles are stronger and my body looks and feels much younger and more vibrant.

I eat small healthy meals throughout the day and I'm losing weight and have more energy.

These are some examples to try out. You can create your own and always state it in the now. If you say, "I need to get more active", you put it off. By stating it in the now, your subconscious mind will work to keep this in focus and you will have a much greater success rate.

Make the resolution to be healthier. Resolve to treat others the way you want to be treated. Make a conscious effort to look for the good in all people and situations. This will create more happiness for you and all those around you. Happy Holidays and a Healthy New Year!

 

If Shopping Is Wrong, Coaches on the Edge Don’t Wanna Be Right

Laurie: Why oh why can't I turn down a bargain? My mentality is exactly what advertisers speak to, and it works every time. My closets are full of enough "only-$10!" items to pay my full rent for a month. And in New York City, that is no small feat. Speaks well to the size of my closets though. Do I wear these practically-free pieces of clothing? Some times, but most likely not. I have the phone number for Dress for Success committed to memory, and once every three months or so I drag over a big bag of never-before-worn clothes. Jackets are another thing that can't be resisted. I've got them in every color and style. The opportunity to wear jackets in my area of the United States, where spring and autumn are almost mere memories, is about five days tops. So right now I have a jacket supply that would enable me to change every eight hours and still not duplicate. Shoes I'm much smarter on. Don't get me wrong. I still buy them, but I get rid of them at the first sign of toe crunch, blister building, and arch pain. My sister hasn't bought a pair of sneakers in decades.

elizabeth: I have fallen in love with shoes and felt heart-pounding palpitations that were stronger than what I have felt for men that I was dating or even sleeping with. And if I found them on sale (the shoes not the men), I would let them move in with me and I would not forsaken them until the next pair seduced with me with a simple, "I do come in 9 ½." I was such a shoe whore. And clothes on sale. I think I took care of every "emotional band-aid" in my life with shopping bags that were filled with designer threads that I got for a steal. Moving from a one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan to a 3 bedroom house was an opportunity to take home even more orphans that needed a good closet.

Laurie: It's not like the salesperson takes me into a secret room and says "Here are the specials we're offering today just for you." These delectable bargains are right out there in the middle of the floor under screaming banners beckoning to all shoppers who pass by. Why do I feel the need to answer the call? I think it may be a superiority thing. Suddenly I have a chance to trick the retail system. You were selling that jacket for $75, and now I can get it for $10? Obvious, it's so obvious. It's my duty to universal justice to buy it at a $65 savings. President Bush and I didn't agree on much, but when he said it was our patriotic duty to shop, me and the Pres became kindred souls. It was a brief liaison, but it was rewarding. At least to Dress for Success.

elizabeth: I do feel good when I can donate clothing and (insert loud gasp here) shoes to an organization that will help empower women. I feel like I was just babysitting for them until the time was right for each woman to go out and strike it on her own. Can I make a little confession? And promise you won't deem me shallow? The shoes and clothes that I have had a long and deep relationship with will not be leaving me unless you pull them out of my cold dead hands. Sometimes Dress for Success will just have to wait. I didn't say I was a saint. Just a well dressed woman who loves her shoes.

© 2009, Coaches on the Edge ^TM

If you would like to learn more about Laurie, please go to her site: Empowered Life Journeys.

Stop by at elizabeth's site at: Branching Out Life Coaching
Please visit our new site at Coaches on the Edge

 

 

Who Buys Sun Protective Clothes?

Sun protection clothing originated in Australia as a result of that nation's awareness of its epidemic of skin cancer and its determination to fight it. In Australia, the anti-skin cancer campaign was originally focused on prevention (by targeting messages at children) and on early detection (by targeting seniors).

As a result the market for sun protection clothing for children grew dramatically. Now, most children in Australia wear sun protective swimwear or beachwear. Most also wear protective sportswear and have sun protection garments included in school uniforms.

In the United States, despite an epidemic in skin cancers, these trends are almost exactly opposite. The main buyers of sun protective clothing in the US are people forty or over, especially people who have experience health problems from sun exposure, want to prevent a recurrence, and have received medical advice from their doctors.

We suspect that the main reason for the difference is that in the United States, there is no on-going national skin cancer campaign focused on the prevention and detection of skin cancer. Although sun safe curricula is available through the EPA and various sun safe organizations, they are optional. And, they're not backed-up by an on-going national message. Despite the efforts of so many well-meaning organizations and individuals, the overall message is ad hoc.

With recent media attention directed at protecting children from sun exposure, we hope to see a change in these trends. That is, we hope to see more and more parents buying sun protective clothing for their children (and for themselves before a medical event pushes them in that direction). Unfortunately, however, most advice on protecting children seems to focus on sunscreen with sun protection clothing coming in a distinct second. For all age groups, sun protective clothing is the first and best line of defense against skin cancer.

 

When the One You Love Gets a Serious Illness

The diagnosis of a serious illness hits you and your loved ones like a fist to your heart. Shock and denial are a common initial response. Then the reality sinks in. There are going to be more tests, many more. Surgery could be part of the process as well.

For some, the doctor is reassuring: "You will be just fine." For others, the prognosis is much scarier. To have to deal with serious illness when you are all alone is extremely difficult. If you have loving people around you, they are a blessing to be counted.

The first few months are the most frightening; with new doctors, procedures, and words you've never heard before. Hopefully, medical insurance will cover the bulk of the costs, but it's still a strain. With bills piling up and reimbursements taking months, the financial stress can be daunting, and it doesn't help the healing process. Not being strong enough to go to work or to care for your family also takes its toll.

By this time you're immersed in the process with your loved one, emotionally sharing all of the lows and looking, waiting, and praying for the highs. All you really want right now is a little good news. Sometimes the best you can do is to just get through the day without additional problems.

Being the support person is a role that you may not have ever considered signing up for. The emotional fallout can affect a loving mate almost as much as the patient. Some take to it easily. Others find it difficult to adapt to this new role. It can be helpful to remind yourself that, at this time, you are needed more than ever.

There will be moments when the person you care for will not be able to do much for him- or herself and other "good days" when it's almost as though life were back to normal. It's a roller coaster, but you may well find that you become closer than you have ever been. You can also experience that your conversations get deeper and your love grows. It is amazing how serious illness can make our connections stronger. It may be the only good part of this difficult journey.

Additional help is available from the American Cancer Society (http://www.cancer.org) and the American Heart Association (http://www.americanheart.org). Both have tons of information for your family as well as many other groups for almost every ailment. Organizations such as The Wellness Community (http://www.thewellnesscommunity.org) also have research and computer libraries, where you can get many of your questions answered as well as find counselors and support.

Research shows that having a loved one by your side may not make it all better, but it can give you the strength you need to truly heal.

 

When the One You Love Gets a Serious Illness

The diagnosis of a serious illness hits you and your loved ones like a fist to your heart. Shock and denial are a common initial response. Then the reality sinks in. There are going to be more tests, many more. Surgery could be part of the process as well.

For some, the doctor is reassuring: "You will be just fine." For others, the prognosis is much scarier. To have to deal with serious illness when you are all alone is extremely difficult. If you have loving people around you, they are a blessing to be counted.

The first few months are the most frightening; with new doctors, procedures, and words you've never heard before. Hopefully, medical insurance will cover the bulk of the costs, but it's still a strain. With bills piling up and reimbursements taking months, the financial stress can be daunting, and it doesn't help the healing process. Not being strong enough to go to work or to care for your family also takes its toll.

By this time you're immersed in the process with your loved one, emotionally sharing all of the lows and looking, waiting, and praying for the highs. All you really want right now is a little good news. Sometimes the best you can do is to just get through the day without additional problems.

Being the support person is a role that you may not have ever considered signing up for. The emotional fallout can affect a loving mate almost as much as the patient. Some take to it easily. Others find it difficult to adapt to this new role. It can be helpful to remind yourself that, at this time, you are needed more than ever.

There will be moments when the person you care for will not be able to do much for him- or herself and other "good days" when it's almost as though life were back to normal. It's a roller coaster, but you may well find that you become closer than you have ever been. You can also experience that your conversations get deeper and your love grows. It is amazing how serious illness can make our connections stronger. It may be the only good part of this difficult journey.

Additional help is available from the American Cancer Society (http://www.cancer.org) and the American Heart Association (http://www.americanheart.org). Both have tons of information for your family as well as many other groups for almost every ailment. Organizations such as The Wellness Community (http://www.thewellnesscommunity.org) also have research and computer libraries, where you can get many of your questions answered as well as find counselors and support.

Research shows that having a loved one by your side may not make it all better, but it can give you the strength you need to truly heal.

 

Coaches on the Edge say you can’t take it with you. You can try…

elizabeth: Andy Warhol, who was one the leading figures in pop art period until his death in 1987, left over 600 boxes and a shipping (should be called a shopping ) container of stuff that archivists have six years to sift through and catalogue. I was flabbergasted (haven't use that word in a couple decades and for good reason) and it got me thinking - what do I need to get rid of before my remains are thrown in the faces of people who have pissed me off royally during my life. First stop: Crawford TX.

All my journals are the first thing that comes to mind. Oprah wants hers burnt when she dies. I will petition Oprah's estate to throw mine in the funeral pyre also. I don't want anyone to read how pathetic life was at times. Okay, I, being a drama queen in waiting, took overreacting and turned it into an art form. No need to read about that...right?

Laurie: Well, I would be mortified if the items in my "regifting" stash ever came to the light of day. I'm as appreciative as the next gal, but c'mon...an AARP calculator? Slippers that clean the floor while you wear them? A worm ball (don't even ask!)? These things are crying out somebody's name but it's not mine. I'm going to find them a nice home somewhere but I would prefer that the donors not know about it. Thus, I would also request that the neatly-categorized list accompanying these treasures be destroyed. Who gave me what (so I don't give it back to them), when I got it, and the next lucky recipient. Don't let them fool ya...thoughtful regifting is not easy.

elizabeth: I would also toss without remorse all the different sizes I have in underwear, bras, trousers and shirts. Since I don't wear dresses, no one will be able to hold them up and in a mocking voice declare that "I wouldn't have been caught dead in shoulder pads even in the 1980s." Well, sister, all I can say is that I never had big hair in my life. Shall we compare pictures? No, I think I will go out and buy all new clothes in a very respectable size - Two. People for miles around will be impressed about how none of my clothes had tomato stains, not one elastic waist in the bunch (and just for the record - I own not a one of them) and in the end some nice tween will have herself a fabulous new wardrobe.

Laurie: How about some of the over-the-counter stuff in the medicine cabinet? Preparation H which doesn't remove the bags under your eyes by the way, a left-over bottle of Fleet from my colonoscopy five years ago (when do I think I'll be needing that?), Band Aids so old that any pretense of adhesiveness has long left the medicine cabinet, an eye patch (?), a vibrating razor (it sounded like a good idea when I bought it), a tube of Vagisil that is so dry it needs its own tube of Vagisil, and the list goes on. And don't even get me started on stuff in the refrigerator!

elizabeth: And then there all those pictures of me during my awkward period - from seventh grade to...

Laurie: Hey, elizabeth, how would you like a purple suede photo album with a big peace sign on the front? The first page says "Happy Birthday, Laurie. Fill ‘er up!" but you can cut that out.

© 2009, Coaches on the Edge ^TM

If you would like to learn more about Laurie, please go to her site: www.eljny.com.
Stop by at elizabeth's site at: www.BranchingOutLifeCoaching.com

 

 

New Self Help Book, “The Holy Spirit Said See the Light”

You Are Never Too Old to Write a Book, David E. Hagberg's story is a True Inspiration, Reviews from Amazon.com:

"I picked up a copy of Hagberg's "The Holy Spirit Said See The Light" expecting just another person's take on their personal religious views. Instead I was pleasantly surprised a couple chapters in when I discovered that it was more than that. In fact, I began to view it on a more personal level. I'm not a deeply religious person; however, I am always interested in ways I can better myself to be a better person for my family, friends, and those that surround me. Throughout the book I found myself relating Hagberg's obviously religious scenarios with my own personal experiences. Each chapter giving me insight while relating it to my own life. You may be surprised with what you discover through this book...I know I was." Matt

"Interesting read! Throughout the book the author inspired me with his acts of generosity and kindness. When a book sparks an interest in me to want to improve my relationship with God and those around me, I feel the need to spread the word. Even if you don't have a religious background, his recounts of healing so many people from all over the world, will touch you. We could use more people with his passion for healing others in our world these days. A story that inspires, strengthens, and heals the soul!" Crystal

Praise for the Author and his New Book -

David is a wonderful alumnus and friend of the University of Vermont. His commitment to UVM in establishing the David E. Hagberg Scholarship for students with financial need, and his continuing support of the University overall, speak volumes about his kind and nurturing way. David's pleasure, and his life's purpose, are in helping others. Through his philanthropy and his involvement with students at the University, he honors those who lent him a hand in finding his own peace, happiness, and success. It has been my privilege to know and work with David as he reaches out daily in fulfilling his mission.

Becky Arnold
Planned Giving Officer, University of Vermont

I have known David from college well into his business career. It is evident to me that he has achieved his life goals despite an inordinate number of obstacles. He has not only regained control of his life but he has strived to pass on to others his faith and financial success. This has brought him to the fulfillment of his objectives. I commend David on his strength and perseverance.

Fred Dickerman
UVM Alumni

http://amazon.com

Ten Things to Be Thankful For

As Thanksgiving approaches, I think it's important to take a gratitude inventory. A number of things in life can make us uncomfortable or even a little miffed. But sometimes they are gifts in disguise. With that in mind, here are my top ten things to be thankful for.

1. Be thankful for growing older. Not everyone gets this opportunity. Aging with health and grace is a rare and beautiful gift.

2. Be thankful that you can read these words. It is a very sad thing that many people do not have the ability to read.

3. If you have to wait in line at the supermarket for your Thanksgiving dinner, be thankful that you can afford what you want to eat and have a convenient place to buy it. We are all aware of the many people waiting in line to have a meal at the local homeless shelter.

4. Be thankful for the ability to pay your bills, even if it means that you have to give up some things that you want. Remember that having basic needs met is a luxury for many people.

5. If you have to get up before dawn to get to work, be thankful that you get to see another sunrise and have a job to go to. Think about what it would be like if you slept everyday until noon and spent the rest of your waking hours wondering what to do with your life.

6. When you're stuck in traffic, be thankful you have a car to get where you need to go and money to buy gas. Standing in the rain while waiting for a bus is, at the very least, uncomfortable.

7. When the kids are screaming at each other, be thankful that you have children to love and who love you, and remember that at least some of the time, they do get along. There will always be bumps in the road, but they are usually followed by easier times.

8. When your mate is acting grumpy or giving you a hard time, be thankful for having love in your life and someone to grow old with. A life partner is something that less than half the population has. Having your partner is a blessing that needs to be counted several times.

9. When your parents are telling you how to run your life, be thankful that you still have them around. If they are no longer with you, take a moment to be thankful for the time you had with them.

10. When you sit down with your loved ones for your Thanksgiving dinner, be thankful for everyone and everything that makes it possible. Look your family and friends in the eye and express to them your gratitude for sharing this wonderful time together.

Thanksgiving is a very special holiday. Embrace those around you and your ability to give thanks to those you love.

 

 

Hey Baby Boomers, Check Your Skin!

If you are a baby boomer, you may have already experienced some form of skin cancer or know someone who has. If not, you may be thinking, what's the point? I've already fried my skin, so why worry about it now? It's never too late to protect your skin, and by doing so, you may still avoid getting a skin cancer.

Think of it this way. Over the years, you may have harmed your skin's ability to repair cell damage, and cells may be more vulnerable - meaning that the slight burn/glow you allow yourself to get because you're thinking it can't do any more harm, could be the very one that triggers a cancer. Therefore, now is the time you should be even more careful to use sun protection and give yourself routine body checks. If you take care of your skin now, further damage may be averted.

Remember too that skin cancer, when diagnosed early, is almost always curable. Don't hesitate to contact your doctor if you find a suspicious change to a mole, a new mole, or changes to skin. Baby boomers are the most likely age group to be diagnosed with skin cancer.

Here are four easy rules for baby boomers

• Watch for any suspicious changes to your skin (learn how to perform body checks by going to the Melanoma International Foundation website)
• Accept that damage has been done but further damage can be averted
• Use the sun protection methods in SunAWARE to avoid adding to potential problems, and
• Educate your children and grandchildren.

A national SunAWARE media campaign about skin cancers - including ads specifically targeted to baby boomers and older adults- could boost the use of prevention methods and could help lower mortality rates by providing information about detection.

Be SunAWARE and be Safe!

 

Busy Baby Boomers - Make Time for Exercise

Baby Boomers, I know how hard it can be to fit exercise into a busy lifestyle. Most people work a long day and by the end of the day are too pooped to move. The people that are in shape are the ones that make a date with himself or herself. Another way to insure that they will keep their commitment is to hire a personal trainer that will help them to stay on track and be consistent. It's important to exercise at a set time marked in your calendar. This is one way to make sure it is part of your day, not some afterthought.

If you're a morning person, the best time to workout for you is when you rise and shine.

Have your workout clothes where you can see them. Put them on as soon as you wake up.

Have a protein drink and you're ready to make your health and well being a way of life. What a great investment of your time. Not only will you look and feel great, you'll spend a lot less money on doctor visits and medicine when you make taking care of your health a priority.

If your not a morning person, then afternoon lunch hour or after work will be the best time for you to schedule your workouts. Bring your exercise clothes in a bag and leave it in the car with a bottle of water and a towel. Now you're ready to go the minute you have your lunch hour or when you leave work. If you do it during your lunch break, bring a healthy meal to work to eat while you're working since that hour will be devoted to exercise.

So now that you've determined which time slot works best for you, get your calendar out and schedule it in ink. I suggest doing a cardiovascular workout 3 to 4 times a week for about 30 to 45 minutes if weight loss is a goal. Weight training 2-3 times a week is so beneficial to baby boomers because as we approach our mid to late 40's and 50's, our metabolism slows down substantially. Building muscle will help us to burn fat so that we can drop excess weight and prevent weight from accumulating on our bodies. Also as we age, our bone density decreases. The key is to use our muscles, bones, joints and ligaments and keep them healthy and strong.

Always start with a warm-up such as brisk walking or bicycling to get the muscles warm. After about 5 minutes, stretch out your upper and lower body, your back and gently stretch your neck. Now you are ready to get busy with the weight training. If you do your weight training first, it will use your glycogen for energy. When that energy reserve is used up, it will go to your fat reserve for energy. This is why it is best to do the cardio afterwards.

If you begin with cardio, it takes 20 minutes before your body uses the fat for energy.

Okay, now you know what to do. Get your calendar and mark in pen your workouts every day of the week for the month. Each month, do this again. This habit will make you prioritize your fitness commitment. Try to be consistent and do it the same time each day. These appointments will make your time to exercise a scheduled event and your success will be greater when you plan ahead this way. . . .

 

Holidays in Columbia

With the leaves now starting to change colors and fall off the trees, Columbia turns its attention to the fast approaching holiday season. The celebratory spirit runs through town and is personified both in special holiday events and a cheerful winter atmosphere.

Each year, Columbia plays host to a few traditional holiday events. The season kicks off on the first Friday of December with the Living Windows Festival, when shopkeepers clear out their front windows to make way for live performers. That night, The District features open houses, strolling carolers, holiday treats and visits with Santa all against a backdrop of holiday lights. This family-friendly event is a Columbia tradition that grows more extravagant each year.

Overall, The District is also the perfect place to get in the spirit all season long. Storefronts as well as interiors are decorated to the hilt for the season. Some shops even shut down for a few days to decorate, resulting in grand holiday open houses to unveil their new look. Throughout the season, you may also spot carolers and horse drawn carriages in The District, making it a charming spot to find unique gifts for everyone on your list.

The holidays are also a time for musical performances. Both the University Concert Series and the Missouri United Methodist Church Concert Series provide world-class holiday entertainment. The University Concert Series (http://www.concertseries.org) will feature St. Louis Ballet's The Nutcracker as well as Wynonna Judd: A Christmas Classic at Jesse Hall this December. The MUMC Concert Series (http://www.moumc.org) includes the local tradition of Handel's Messiah sing-along as well as a special program entitled, ‘Holiday Organ Music You Won't Hear in Church.'

Columbia also knows how the ring in 2010! First Night Columbia is a family-friendly celebration in The District and the adjoining Stephens College campus. The night focuses on music, art and celebration and concludes with a countdown and fireworks display at midnight. With something fun for everyone of every age, First Night Columbia is the perfect way to start the New Year off right in a big way.

 

Education - It is for Everyone

A couple of weeks ago Ellen Griffin, Dean of Continuing Education at Southern New Hampshire University, was a guest on my radio show. The discussion was the increase in baby boomers returning to the classroom, the reasons and the opportunities.

Many are returning to school to increase opportunities in their profession, graduate program enrollees have increased as well as certificate programs. Another group returning to school are those preparing for a career change; layoffs, and weak economies tend to send people back to school to retool themselves. People are expecting to stay in the workforce longer, whether it is at their current job or a new career. Ongoing education within your industry allows you to strengthen your position, increase your value and remain competitive.

The availability of learning formats are also contributing to the rise in boomer enrollment. Satellite campuses, workplace classrooms and online courses make it easier to participate and complete study programs. It is possible to complete a degree program online without leaving your house or setting foot in a classroom.

Boomers who attend a live classroom bring something to the table their younger classmate's lack, real life experience with the subject matter. This can be a plus to someone learning the theoretical workings of an issue, to have the opportunity to hear firsthand the actual application of the theory.

One area in particular that has attracted the attention of baby boomers is community service. This generation has a "give back" attitude and they are interested in bringing their management and leadership skills to the non-profit area.

A Boston Globe article on September 13, 2009 referred to the fact that people are expecting to stay in the workforce longer and fifty year olds consider themselves mid-career. The number of Americans over 65 is expected to grow to 20% of the population by 2030 and to continue to increase meanwhile the younger generations will grow at a slower pace. This will open up opportunities for older workers to continue to stay in the workforce.

According to Ellen, not all boomers are returning to school with career advancement in mind, many are taking the time to pursue lifelong passions. The Culinary program, for those looking to become the next Emeril or Julia, has seen an increase in enrollment. The Fine Arts department especially the areas of fiction and non-fiction writing, is another program that has attracted a number of students. Language classes are popular, certificate courses and audited courses attract those looking for the education without pursuing a degree.

Those concerned about entering a classroom after many years can relax, many schools have counselors who can help you with course selection and scheduling. Boomer students should also be aware they may qualify for student aid to help pay for courses also, check with your employer to see if reimbursement is available.

The key, according to Ellen, is to start slowly, limit yourself to one or two classes the first semester. Once you get a feel for the time requirements and your comfort with the workload you can add classes as you feel able.

 

Fighting for the Spoils

You're in line at the DMV, and decide to pass the time by watching all the clerks. Gradually, you come to realize that one of them appears to be handing out $10 bills from the till.

Do you: a) report him to his boss, or b) maneuver your way into his line when it's your turn?

The past year of economic hardship - coupled with selective government bailouts and selective economic stimuli from both Republican and Democratic administrations - have helped turn us into a nation of individuals and interest groups clamoring not for a fairer system, but for our share of the handouts.

What has set me off is the president's recent proposal, to which leaders of both parties appear to have agreed, to give 57 million Social Security recipients an extra $250 next year to compensate them for the fact that there will be no upward cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in 2010.

The proposal has been endorsed by AARP and by the current Social Security Commissioner, and appears headed for passage. Just to make sure, three other bills (so far) are pending in the House of Representatives providing for a one-time "fix" to the lack of a COLA in 2010.

It's not the amount of the benefit that riles me. What's $250 in the face of the clunker rebates, new home tax credits, and multi-billion dollar financial institution bailouts?

And it's certainly not the recipient group that offends me. I'm a long-time advocate for government programs that assist older Americans living on fixed (or declining) incomes.

It's the expressed rationale for the payment (and its unexpressed subtext) that stick in my craw.

First, why will there be no cost-of-living increase in Social Security checks next year?

The Social Security COLA is determined by a Consumer Price Index (CPI) formula that has never been an accurate indicator of seniors' real cost of living. It is based on the varying cost of a "basket of goods" that the typical working American is believed to buy each year.

Not the typical retiree, mind you, so it includes things like clothing for and transportation to work, and doesn't account for the significantly higher medical and drug costs older adults typically incur.

Then, the cost of this somewhat unrealistic basket is compared from the third quarter of one year to the third quarter of the next, and the increase, if any, is added to the following year's Social Security checks.

This year, that formula added a whopping 5.8 percent to Social Security checks - the largest COLA increase since the early 1980's, when annual inflation exceeded 10 percent a year.

Why? In fall 2008, the cost for that basket (heavily influenced by gasoline prices, which were above $4/gallon that summer) was 5.8 percent higher than its cost in fall 2007. So that percent was added to Social Security checks starting this past January.

No one argued the increase was unwarranted at the time, though it certainly seemed out of place at the height of the recession, when millions of Americans were losing their jobs and few received raises of any sort.

For 2010, the same formula produced another unrealistic and out-of-date result, but in the opposite way. When the basket from overpriced 2008 was compared to the basket this fall (with gasoline prices down nearly a third from last year), the formula found its cost had actually declined 2.1 percent. Since Social Security payments cannot be cut by law, there is simply no increase next year.

I will agree it's herky-jerky to lavish a large COLA on people one year and none the next. It doesn't truly reflect the reality of rising costs and makes it difficult to budget.

I might even argue that we should consider substituting a version of the CPI that would produce a more accurate and timely measure of seniors' true living costs. (Such a version exists: Because it's higher than the regular CPI, Congress has never seen fit to adopt it.)

But we are not hearing calls to improve the system (or, for that matter, to address the serious long-term problems facing Social Security).

Instead, we are being offered a one-time $250 "fix" - one that is expected, by the way, to add at least $13 billion to next year's federal deficit.

What exactly are we fixing here? The COLA formula isn't perfect, but applied in the same fashion year after year, its inequities average out.

Offering people extra money when the formula doesn't justify it - in fact, when the formula would call for reducing payments if it could - strikes me as undermining the whole rationale.

Perhaps what we're fixing is a political problem. A majority of seniors feel their future medical care will be adversely affected by the plan to partially pay for national healthcare reform by cutting $500 billion from the anticipated growth in the Medicare budget over the coming decade.

In particular, there are the 25 percent or so of seniors who currently enjoy the added benefits of Medicare Advantage programs, which are targeted to bear the brunt of these reductions.

Could the recent proposal to use federal funds for an across-the-board handout be meant to pacify these disgruntled voters? And if cutting Social Security is the "third rail" of politics, then offering extra money to seniors is something no politician of any stripe can refuse to support.

While I would understand such a political motivation, crass though it is, it does not strike me as responsible government. Nor does our society's eagerness for a handout strike me as responsible citizenship.

If some seniors with limited income and assets need additional relief from higher costs, let's say so and help them. If the COLA system needs reform, let's improve it.

But let's not send one-time checks to all Social Security recipients when the formula says not to and call it a "fix." Of course, it looks like the fix is already in, so checks are likely to be on their way shortly after the start of the year.

I certainly wouldn't tell you to send yours back. Wanting one's fair share is a natural response to all the stimuli.
But it's a cycle I wish we, as a nation, could stop.
I look forward to hearing your comments. Please e-mail me at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), or write Letters to the Editor, The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227.

 

 

Travel Fitness Tips for Baby Boomers

I'm writing this article on a bus in Mexico. For those of you who don't already know this, I've been singing since I was 4 years old and have been blessed with an opportunity to do a short tour of Mexico singing with the Glen Miller Big Band this month.

My fellow musicians know I've been a fitness professional for many years and have been seeking my advice about what to eat while on the road and how to keep fit. I thought what a great idea for an article to help others who travel.

First thing I can tell you is to eat light meals throughout the day opposed to 3 big meals. This will keep your metabolism fueled to burn fat and keep your blood sugar levels even to keep your energy consistent. The best choices for breakfast are fresh fruit and vegetables, egg whites, slow cooked oatmeal or whole grain breads and cereals. Portion control is key for weight control. A good choice could be a few scrambled egg whites, a cup of fresh fruit and a slice of whole grain toast or half a cup of oatmeal. 3 hours later have a piece of cheese and a handful of dried fruit. Now note that you can pack some string cheese, dried fruits and nuts in your bag in case you don't have access to these items.

Now of course enjoy yourself while you're on vacation, just eat healthy and light and you will feel good about yourself and have a lot of energy. For lunch and dinner, choose grilled and broiled lean fish, turkey, chicken or beef. Vegetarians can eat tofu for protein if available or legumes, eggs or nuts. Have plenty of fresh vegetables and have sauces on the side for dipping instead of saturating your food. Salads are great but once again be careful of dressings because they are usually loaded with fat. If you are in a non-familiar place and the water is questionable, ask if they have filtered water and make sure the salad and ice cubes are prepared with the purified water. Don't take a chance with your health by having unfamiliar water in your system. I'm sure you've heard stories of those effects. Drink at least 8 glasses of bottled water a day. Dehydration can make you very fatigued and craving sugar and carbohydrates. It also dries out your lips and skin.

Now the fitness part of my journey has been an adventure. I was told not to venture out and take walks around because the drivers here can be quite reckless and don't give pedestrians the right of way. Also, some of the areas we have been traveling to are not exactly the safest places to be. So I walk on the treadmill in the gym or swim laps in the pool and if the equipment is lacking, I do push ups, and sit ups,
squats and lunges, and floor work on a mat or a few towels for my lower body and abdominals. A good thing to bring is an exercise band that has two handles and a piece that you attach to a door. It's a great portable resistance gym that is so easy to pack. Most of them have a chart included demonstrating the right way to do different exercises. Most sporting good stores sell these bands.

Of course if you're on vacation and it's sunny, please use a strong sunscreen and apply often. Have fun, have a dessert and enjoy yourself. Just remember to stay active and make healthy food choices. Email me with your questions and comments. I'd love to hear from you. (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

 

Happy Tails! Capen Dog Park in Columbia, MO

Capen Dog Park
1600 Capen Park Dr.
Columbia, MO 65201

Capen Dog Park
Fenced in: No
Leash Required: No
Night Lighting: No
Benches: No
Trash Cans: Yes
Disposal Bags: No
Water Fountain: No

Surface type: Woods, fields, stream, rocks, bike/jog path.

Great trails, trees and dogs to greet!

 

5 Common Myths of Winter Sun Protection

This fall, as people head outside for their favorite activities or start planning a sunny vacation getaway, Coolibar, the nation's leading sun protective clothing manufacturer, offers health-conscious boomers a guide to winter sun protection myths.

There are many misconceptions about what is healthy behavior when it comes to sun protection. We want people to have access to all of the information necessary to protect their skin year-round and to make educated, healthy decisions for themselves and their families. In that vein, I want to clarify a number of common myths about winter sun protection, a time of year when many people leave their sun protective guards down.

Myth #1 - I don't need sun protection in the winter.

FALSE. The intensity of UV rays varies with the changing seasons and is strongest during the summer months. However, indirect or reflected rays add to the amount of UV exposure received. These rays "bounce" from surfaces such as snow, sand, water, concrete and buildings and can still cause burns-especially during winter activities like skiing.

Myth #2 - I need to tan to ensure healthy amounts of Vitamin D.

FALSE. Tanning is not necessary to achieve vitamin D requirements. Studies show that a few minutes of exposure to the sun, two or three times a week is sufficient. Vitamin D supplements are available and as always, speak to a doctor if you are concerned.

Myth #3 - Getting a "base tan" before heading out on a sunny winter vacation, will minimize the risk of sunburn or sun damage.

FALSE. All tans are damage to the skin. What is called a "base" tan would equal an SPF of about 2, which is so low it is counterproductive. You may prevent burning, but you have increased your chances of getting skin cancer.

Myth #4 - You can't get a sunburn on a cloudy winter day.

FALSE. Cloud cover reduces UV radiation levels, but not completely. Even on a winter day with full cloud cover, exposed skin can burn.

Myth #5 - SPF ratings measure sun protective clothing.

FALSE. UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) is the correct rating for clothing. UPF is a similar concept to SPF for sunscreens. UPF is the ratio of how much UV radiation passes through a fabric. If a garment isn't UPF rated, then it isn't guaranteed sun protection.

No matter what the season, Be SunAWARE and Be Safe!

“HOT PROPERTUNITIES” WHAT IS A PROPERTUNITY?  IT IS A PROPERTY THAT IS SO HOT, IT WILL NOT LAST…

Lowest priced single family home in Manhattan Beach!!!

$699,000 Darling Manhattan Beach Home: 3 Bedroom 1 Bath, plus Bonus Room. This home will not be released to the public until this Wednesday 10/14/09. This home is absolutely charming. Hardwood floors, Freshly Painted inside and out. Contempoary landscaping. Manhattan Beach schools. Must be verified with school district. Please contact me if you or someone you know may be interested in this special opportunity.
Jennifer 310-293-9947

$499.000 Redondo Beach Single Family Residence: 3 Bedroom 1 Bath. Hardwood floors. Students may be able to go to Mira Costa. Must be verified with City and School district. Jennifer Jestin: 310-293-9947

 

Las Cruces, NM a Lovely Place for Boomer Golfers

LAS CRUCES, N.M - Boomers seeking second or retirement homes in areas that are warm and dry with plenty of golf to choose from should check out Las Cruces, N.M.

Located in the Mesilla Valley with 350 days of sunshine each year, the state's second-largest city has been ranked by Money magazine as one of the "best college towns to retire," AARP as one of their "dream towns" to retire, and Best Boomer Towns as one of its 21 top U.S. communities.

Surrounded by desert and the jagged Organ Mountains, Las Cruces sits along the banks of the Rio Grande River less than an hour from El Paso International Airport.

It is home to 21,000-student New Mexico State University, (NMSU) and the 46-year-old University Golf Course, one of the area's top public courses and a great practice facility with a large driving range, contoured putting greens and new short game practice area that opened in 2007. All 18 holes are visible from the clubhouse. The club hosted the 1968 NCAA men and 1988 NCAA women championships.

Other Las Cruces-area public-access courses of note include:Photo of goler and golf cart in Las Cruces

• Las Cruces Country Club. Located in the city, the semi-private club was originally built in 1928. The facility prides itself on staying affordable, has active men and women associations and a busy program schedule.

• Dos Lagos Golf Course in Anthony. Built on the site of an abandoned silica mine, it blends well with the natural surroundings of the old quarry site.

• Oasis Golf Resort in Elephant Butte. Located within a retirement community, the Dick Phelps design has a 200 feet of elevation change from one area to another, affording magnificent views of the surrounding countryside. It expanded from nine to 18 holes about 10 years ago.

• Rio Mimbres Country Club in Deming about 50 miles west of Las Cruces. Opened in 1950, Rio Mimbres is well maintained and provides outstanding views of surrounding mountains such as Cooke's Peak to the north and the Floridas to the southeast.

• Santa Teresa Country Club. Located 40 miles from Las Cruces toward El Paso, the club has two 18-hole courses designed by Lee Trevino. The Spanish Dagger Course is the tighter design and features more undulating greens than the Yucca Course.

Photo of Sonoma Ranch flag for BoomerVisitors can choose from 37 hotels, motels, bed and breakfast inns, or RV parks in the Las Cruces area.

Home ownership is very affordable in Las Cruces and neighboring Mesilla. According to Best Boomer Towns, the tax rate is $26.985 per $1,000 of assessed value; in Mesilla, it is $22.937 per $1000 of assessed value. Homes are assessed at 33.3 percent of market value. Tax on a $195,000 home, minus the $2,000 homestead exemption, would be about $1700 in Las Cruces and about $1445 in Mesilla.

Residential communities are available within and near Las Cruces golf courses. Two of the most popular are Sonoma Ranch and Picacho Hills.

Sonoma Ranch allows buyers to accessorize homes with everything imaginable from pools to palm trees and boasts a Cal Olson-designed course that was a Golf Digest "Best New Course" nominee. Opened in 2000, the 18-hole layout sits among rolling hills dotted with bunkers and undulating bentgrass greens. Photo of Sonoma Ranch logo for Boomer

Within Sonoma Ranch, the Del Prado community won a 2008 Gold Achievement Award for The best of 50+ housing. Del Prado offers everything from the low-maintenance condominiums of The Villages to the single-family homes of The Collection. The master-planned community features a mix of residential neighborhoods, fine homes, golf course estates, and specialty multi-family dwellings. The National Association of Home Builders recently awarded it five Silver Medal Awards for Master Planned Community of the Year.

Photo of Picachio Hills GC for BoomerThe private par-72 Picacho Hills Golf Course stretches to 6,950 yards and is rarely crowded. Originally started in 1978, Picacho Hills is reportedly the first development in the area to be built around a golf course setting. The course has been consistently rated by Golf Digest as one of the top two country club courses in New Mexico. Residents do not have to be members of the club, but it boasts a 70 percent membership of homeowners.

Located three miles west of the City of Las Cruces in Dona Ana County, property taxes are reportedly 30 percent lower than for comparable property within the city limits. Housing in Picacho Hills offers expansive views of the Organ Mountains, valley and city lights. Within this master-planned community are a number of different residential subdivisions, with 600 home sites and 1,200 residents at present. Home prices and styles vary among the subdivisions ranging from condominiums to garden homes to single-family homes of various sizes and styles both on and off the golf course. Home prices range from $130,000 to more than $500,000.

Other communities in Las Cruces located near golf courses include Mission Bell Estates, Las Alturas and Shadow Run.

Helpful Web sites regarding Las Cruces include the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce, Las Cruces Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Best Boomer Towns.

 

Keep Those Marriages Alive After Retirement!

Most baby boomers are planning to retire at some point in their life. So what are you going to do after the full work-a-day week is over? Many have plans to travel to those distant far away places always dreamed of yet never time to go with their beloved ones, some swear they will sit and do nothing for awhile, some say more time alone and then there are those that just want to get out of the rut of their schedule. Some are looking to relocate and yet not sure where.

If you are retiring, your schedule will no doubt be drastically different and you will find you and your spouse will have a lot more time to pick and choose your schedule and where to live etc. At this same time you will find you do not have the "time and space" you had from another as before. You both may have a lot of free time, the kids are gone and what is there to do? What is fresh and new to talk about? Where is the excitement?

Divorce statistics for the over 50's continue to rise steadily. It has been speculated that the most common triggers for this are children leaving home or retirement. Couples start to feel they have nothing in common any more and marriages that have lasted for 30 years or more are coming to an end. Don't become another statistic, take charge and make your marriage better than ever!

For a successful plan of retirement, it is always good to have a plan of action set individually as well as together. After all, you have spent a number of years working hard, raising kids and this is YOUR time to enjoy and look back at all you did and move forward in time, with a bigger and more exciting plan.

For a good plan of action, each person in the relationship needs to have his and her own goals set as well as some mutual interests that are truly dear to you both. This can be any number of things and the best part of this is that the world is open to your imagination of wonderful ideas. Sit down together and help one another look at what each of you individually may not have yet done that you want to do individually as well as together, where you both desire to relocate or travel to. This is a terrific way to plan another chapter of your life with your spouse and to keep the sparks really flying.

The last half of our lives together is one which will be only as exciting as we each make it and continue to be a team. The excitement will also come from respect and admiration to one another, care and consideration and helping one another to acquire that new skill, helping your spouse attend a class he/she gave up years ago, or whatever it may be.

More important than anything will be communication. There will be issues which may come up which you never vented or voiced before. There is more time together now and you both may find yourself wanting to open up about these points. By all means, to have a relationship with some spark, you will most benefit from an open and honest communication but at the same time you need to be a sincere friend and maintain "all ears", while some topics may not be to your liking. Be a true friend and let one another grow in this new era of your lives, as the last half of our lives can be tremendously exciting as well as a learning experience for us all.

Many Baby Boomers state they would never trade what they know now for those young and wild years. These experiences we have is what makes up "maturity", has many benefits and one key point in being a successful Baby Boomer is being there for your partner in all of life's stages and going through the rest of your lives, hand in hand kicking up your heels.

Life is limitless, so enjoy this incredible stage-you deserve it!

 

JP Morgan Hails Dominican Republic Economy

SANTO DOMINGO, September 16, 2009.- The JP Morgan Bank's vice president for emergent markets yesterday affirmed that Dominican Republic excels in economic stability, that next year's perspective is favorable, although a doubt persists that the government can maintain governance if it loses the congressional majority in the 2010 elections.

Franco Uccelli, the third most important executive of the bank based in the United States and the world's oldest, with US$1.3 billion in assets, forecasts the Dominican economy will grow 2% this year and 4.5% in 2010, well below the 9.5% average from 2005 to 2007.

Speaking before business leaders, Uccelli said more money is spent in national elections than what's budgeted, a waste he said may affect the fiscal cost in the coming year.

The economist is in favor of an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and noted that it may increase the levels of confidence on the Government in the international markets.

He said with the currency the agreement may produce would make it unnecessary to issue sovereign bonds in the billions of dollars.

 

Austin, Big City with Small Town Charm

Austin is known as the Live Music Capital of the World! Offering a vibrant downtown with over 200 venues from jazz, country, rock and reggae! The Austin City Limits is coming up October 2 - 4. Discount packages available from the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau, http://austintexas.org or http://aclfestival.com

Stay at the Hotel San Jose starting at just $95 http://sanjosthotel.com or Barton Creek Resort & Spa, a AAA Four Diamond property) offers packages that include golf as well, starting at $170 http://bartoncreek.com

Get around by Dillo Trolley, running every 5 minutes Monday through Friday from Congress Avenue and 5th and 6th Streets from only 50 cents.

Be sure and eat at the County Line BBQ, all you can eat meals starting at $19.99 http://countrylinebbq.com

 

Tail Wagging Pet Airlines in the Air!

Pet Airways is a new company devoted to us four legged furry, lovable best friends. Finally no more cargo rides for us! It gets hot down there. There is room for 50 of my friends and the flight attendant checks on us every 15 minutes. We can fly out of Washington, New York, Denver, Chicago and Los Angles. Pet Airways plans to be in 25 cities in the next two years. One way fares from $149 to $399 depending on our size and destination. For more de "tails" check out their website http://petairways.com

Baby Boomer Back Stretch

Let's look at the common causes of lower back pain. There are two main reasons, which are a lack of strength in muscles that support the spine and a lack of flexibility. First let us discuss lack of strength. Muscles are the spine's main defense against gravity. Strengthening the core muscles that support the spine with exercises, can prevent, reduce and even eliminate back pain. The core muscles are primarily the abdominals (both deep and external), the back, and the buttocks, which covers the trunk of the human body.

There are other muscles that must be strong as well to support us when we do every day functional activities such as lifting a grocery bag or getting in and out of a car. It is imperative that our leg muscles are strong to support our movement during daily activities. The front of the leg (called the quadriceps muscles) support us when lifting, sitting and standing. If these muscles are weak, you may end up using your back. Also the muscles of the back of the leg called the hamstrings must be strong to support the spine when doing functional activities. The transversus abdominis (the deep abs underlying the top layer of abs) must be strong to support the lower back. These are strengthened by core training exercises such as the plank, a popular one used in yoga and Pilates training.

Now before we get to some exercises to do to get you on your way to a healthier back, let's discuss the flexibility component of this plan. Shortened muscles can throw the spine out of alignment and cause back pain. Stretching exercises
lengthen shortened muscles and relieve back pain. Tight back muscles, tight buttocks muscles, and even tight hamstrings (back of thigh muscles) or quadriceps (front of thigh muscles), can affect the alignment of the spine. Stretching the back with stretching exercises also increases mobility of the joints of the spine.

Always warm up before stretching exercises. Five minutes of walking, or exercise bike, elliptical trainer, or even marching on the spot is enough. Not warming up before stretching leaves your back susceptible to injuries causing back pain. Warm muscles are more flexible than cold muscles and are less likely to tear.

Now before you begin this or any program, ask your doctor if the following exercises are appropriate for you to do. Check with your physician before doing exercises that involve twisting or arching the back if you have a back condition

Stretching exercises may be done daily. Strengthening exercises should be done three or four times per week - the days off give your body a chance to recover. It may take 6 week to 8 weeks to notice results. If at any time you feel pain or discomfort, stop the exercise.
.
Here are some stretches you can do for increased flexibility.
(Start with five repetitions of each exercise. If you can handle five repetitions without post exercise pain, then slowly add a couple of repetitions each week until you reach 15 repetitions).

If at any time you feel discomfort or pain, stop the exercise. Usually shortening the range of motion is a good way to correct that, but if you don't feel comfortable with it after modifying the stretch, stop doing it.

Pelvic Tilt: lower back stretching exercise (also strengthens abs)
Lie on back, knees bent, feet flat on floor. Tighten buttocks and abdomen, flattening small of back against the floor. Hold for a count of five. Slowly relax. Repeat five - fifteen times.

Knee to Chest: Gluteal stretching exercise

Lie on back, knees bent, feet flat on floor. Grasp left leg behind the knee/back of thigh and pull knee towards left shoulder. Hold for a count of five. Switch sides. Repeat 5 times.

Piriformis Stretch: (Stretches Muscles that lie beneath gluteal muscles)

Lie on your back
Place your left ankle over your right leg, just above the knee and pull both legs toward your chest. Push the bent knee away from you and pull the opposite leg in toward you.
Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on other side.

Basic Twist: lower back stretching exercise.

Lie on back, arms stretched out to the sides.
Bend knees and bring knees up close to your chest
Take a deep breath
Exhale as you slowly lower knees (keep knees together) to floor to the right or as close to the floor as is comfortable.
Pause.
Inhale as you slowly return your knees to chest.
Exhale as you slowly lower knees to left side
Inhale as you return your knees to chest.
Repeat about 5 times.

The Cat: back stretching exercise

Begin on all fours, hands directly under your shoulders and knees directly under your hips.
Inhale as you drop tummy towards the floor and look up over your head.
Exhale as you bring your tummy back up, rounding your back as you tuck your chin in and tuck your tailbone in.
Move slowly back and forth between these two positions pausing on each pose.
Repeat about 5 times.

The Cobra: back and chest stretching exercise

Lay flat on stomach, forehead to ground, with arms bent and palms down on the ground under the shoulders.
Push downward with arms as you raise your upper torso and arch your back.
Hold for 3 full breaths before slowly bringing the upper torso back down to the ground.

Shoulder, Back, Arms Stretch:
Stand with knees slightly bent. Interlace fingers, extend arms forward at shoulder level. Turn palms out and reach your arms further until you feel a stretch. Hold 10 - 20 seconds. Repeat.
Chest Stretch:
Stand with knees slightly bent. Hands behind the back, fingers interlaced. Turn palms up extend arms backward. Do not arch the back. Hold 10 - 20 seconds.

Sides, Waist Stretch:
Stand with knees slightly flexed. (Can also be done sitting down) Place your right hand behind your head. Grab your right elbow with your left hand and pull gently. Bend slowly to the left until you feel a gentle stretch. Hold 10 - 20 seconds. Switch sides. Repeat.

Shortened hamstrings can contribute to sway back

Hamstring (back of thigh) Stretch:
Sitting on floor, extend right leg, place left foot against right knee. Lean forward (keeping back straight), reaching for foot until you feel a slight pull on you hamstring. Hold for 10 - 20 seconds. Switch sides. Repeat

Hamstring (back of thigh) Stretch:
Lying flat on back. Raise left leg up. Grab leg and pull up further until you feel a gentle pull in the hamstring Hold for 10 - 20 seconds. Switch sides. Repeat.

Shortened quadriceps can contribute to sway back

Quadriceps (front of thigh) Stretch:
Stand up. Bend your knee behind you, grab your ankle and gently pull your heel toward you buttocks until you feel a gentle pull on the front of your thigh. Hold for 10 - 20 seconds. Switch sides. Repeat.

Wall Back Stretch: back / neck stretching exercise

Stand up with your back against the wall. Try to press the small of your back and the back of your neck toward the wall. Hold for 10 - 30 seconds. Do not overstretch!

Neck Roll:
To loosen up the neck, where many people carry their stress: Stand or sit up straight with the bottom of your spine turned under. (Do not arch your back) Let your head fall forward, keeping the neck and shoulders relaxed. Slowly roll your head to one side, then let it drop and roll to the other side. Be careful not to overstretch. Do not roll the neck backwards.

Strengthening Exercises
If at any time you feel discomfort or pain, stop the exercise. Usually shortening the range of motion is a good way to correct that, but if you don't feel comfortable with it after modifying the exercise, stop doing it.

Now that you are warmed up and well stretched, here are some back strengthening exercises. Start with a few and build up to more exercises when you begin to feel stronger. Don't overdo it.

*Activate the Abs First.
To activate your deep abdominal muscles, cough once (or pull in and tense your stomach). Hold this contraction during the following exercises to give the deep abs and other core muscles a simultaneous workout. Do not overdo the abdominal tensing. It should not be difficult. Do not hold your breath. This is what "tighten abs" in the following exercises refers to.

The Bridge: Strengthens several core muscle groups - buttocks, abs, back

Lie flat on back; bend knees at 90-degree angle, feet flat on floor. Tighten abs. Raise buttocks off floor, keeping abs tight. Shoulder to knees should be in straight line. Hold for a count of five. Slowly lower buttocks to floor. Repeat five times.

The plank exercises are advanced, so approach with caution once the other exercises have become easy and your strength has significantly increased. If at any time you feel pain or discomfort, stop the exercise.

The Plank: Strengthening exercise for back, abs and neck (also strengthens arms and legs)

Lay on stomach, place elbows and forearms on floor. In a push-up position, balance on your toes and elbows. Keep your back straight and legs straight. (Like a plank) Tighten abs. Hold position for 10 seconds. Relax. Repeat five to ten times. If this exercise is too difficult, balance on your knees instead of your toes.

The Side Plank: Strengthens the obliques (side abdominal muscles)

Lie on right side. Place right elbow and forearm on floor. Tighten abs. Push up until shoulder is over elbow. Keep your body in a straight line - feet, knees, hips, shoulders, head aligned. Only forearm and side of right foot are on floor (feet are stacked). Hold position for 10 seconds. Relax. Repeat five to ten times. Repeat on left side. If this exercise is too difficult, balance on stacked knees (bend knees and keep feet off floor) instead of feet.

The Wall Squat: Strengthening exercise for back, hips and quads.

Stand with your back against a wall, heels about 18 inches from the wall, feet shoulder-width apart. Tighten abs. Slide slowly down the wall into a crouch with knees bent to about 90 degrees. If this is too difficult, bend knees to 45 degrees and gradually build up from there. Count to five and slide back up the wall. Repeat 5 times.

Leg and arm raises: Strengthening exercise for back and hip muscles.

Lie on stomach, arms reached out past your head with palms and forehead on floor. Tighten abs. Lift one arm (as you raise your head and shoulders) and the opposite leg at the same time, stretching them away from each other. Hold for 10 - 20 seconds. Switch sides.

Leg lifts: Quad Strengthening Exercise

Lie flat on back. Bend left knee at 90-degree angle, keeping foot flat on floor. Tighten abs. Keeping the right leg straight, slowly lift it to the height of the left knee. Hold for a count of 3. Repeat 10 times. Switch sides.

*Safety Tip for Leg lifts:
Lifting both legs at the same time causes excessive stress on your lower back so only lift one leg at a time; the opposite leg should be kept slightly bent with foot on floor.

Basic Crunches: upper abdominal exercise

Lie on back, knees bent. Do not anchor feet. (Anchoring the feet or keeping the legs straight along the floor can strain the lower back). Arms may be folded over chest or kept at sides or hands can be held beside ears with elbows out. Tighten abs. Keep the lower back flat on the floor and neck straight. Keep chin tucked - looking at ceiling helps prevent tilting head up or down. Exhale when raising your torso off the floor and inhale when lowering. Just raise your head and shoulder off the floor - three to six inches is enough. Sitting up all the way is hard on your lower back. Do ten repetitions.

Neck muscles may tire out before the abs. You can use your hands to help support your neck - but be very careful not to pull on your neck or you could overstretch a neck muscle. Keep elbows out to the side to help avoid pulling neck forward. Don't start out doing too many crunches - the number of crunches performed should be increased slowly.

Move slowly when performing crunches- do not rely on momentum.

Rotational Crunch: obliques exercise (sides of the abdomen)

Rotational crunch is a slight variation of the regular crunch. (The variation - the direction you raise your head and shoulders off floor is diagonal). Lie flat on back, knees bent, feet flat on floor. Do not anchor feet. Tighten abs. Keep the lower back flat on the floor and neck straight. Rotate your body so that the weight rests on left shoulder. Then, keeping chin tucked, bring your head and shoulders upward and raise your right shoulder higher than the left. Move slowly.

Reverse Crunch: lower abdominal exercise
Lie flat on back, feet in the air. Bend knees 90 degrees. Place hands under buttocks for support and make sure your lower back remains flat on the floor. Tightening your lower abdomen, lift your buttocks a few inches off your hands. Hold for a moment and lower back down. Do 5 to 15 repetitions.

Leg Lifts: lower abdominal exercise
Lie flat on back. Bend one knee and keep foot flat on floor. Tighten abs. Lift opposite leg about 45 degrees. Hold for a count of 3. Repeat 10 times. Switch sides.

Backward Leg Swing: Gluteal exercise (The muscles of the buttocks help support the spine)

Stand, holding onto the back of a chair for support. Tighten abs. Swing leg back at a diagonal until you feel your buttocks tighten. Tense muscles as much as you can and swing leg back a couple more inches. Return leg to floor. Repeat 10 times. Switch sides.

Remember to start slowly and gradually add exercises and repetitions as you get stronger. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. It would be a smart idea to have a certified professional work with you for a while to get your form correct and make sure you are doing your stretching and exercising in the safest and most effective way.

 

What is Sun Protective Clothing?

You may have heard the term "sun protective clothing" and thought, isn't all clothing sun protective? Simply, the answer to this question is no. All clothing is not created equal when it comes to sun protection.

There are a number of factors that affect the level of ultraviolet protection provided by a fabric. In order of importance these are: weave (tighter is better), color (darker is better), weight (also called mass or cover factor - heavier is better), stretch (less is better) and wetness (dry is better). Recently, the addition of chemicals such as UV absorbers or UV diffusers during the manufacturing process has become another important way to create UV protection in summer fabrics.

Regular summer clothing does not always provide sun protection. In fact, most regular summer clothing provides poor protection against ultraviolet radiation. Many open-weave, light-weight summer fabrics, like those used for t-shirts, provide less UV protection than an SPF 15 sunscreen. In addition, summer clothing - sleeveless blouses, backless sun-dresses, shorts, bikinis, t-shirts are clearly not designed for sun protection. A major goal for sun protective clothing designs is to cover as much skin as possible while still making the garment cool, comfortable and fashionable. Regular summer clothing styles are typically designed to expose skin - arms, neck, shoulders - rather than cover it.

The most comfortable sun protective fabrics are typically sophisticated, technical fabrics that are lightweight, cool and easy to wear. Coolibar, the most recommended and tested sun protective clothing company, has embedded zinc oxide (ZnO), a natural mineral compound with well-established sun protection properties, into the fibers of natural cotton and bamboo to create ZnO SUNTECT® fabric. Coolibar also developed lite SUNTECT® fabric which is light-weight and highly protective because it contains a UV diffuser - titanium dioxide - embedded in the microfibers. Coolibar's aqua SUNTECT® fabric is a knit swim fabric that stretches but contains no lycra so holes do not appear in the fabric as it ages in salt and chlorinated water. The entire portfolio of Coolibar SUNTECT® fabrics provide sophisticated sun protection and is rated to block 98% of harmful UV rays for maximum protection.

Sun protective clothing is economical, environmentally friendly and the most effective way to protect your skin from the harm caused by UVR. Sun protective clothing is also recommended first by both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Dermatology as the most effective means of sun protection. Be sure to use broad spectrum sun screen on any skin left exposed and wear a hat and sunglasses.

It's never too late to protect your skin, and by doing so, you may help prevent skin cancer.

 

 

Top 10 Simple Rules to Reduce Anxiety

Everyone has moments, which create anxiety. This particular feeling can be detrimental to your work, life and relationships because it may stop you from living normally. Here are my top ten tips to deal effectively with this uncomfortable emotion.

1. If you are prone to anxiety you have two choices. Give in to it or learn to live with it. Giving into it also means that your partner will suffer the burden of your fears so, to make your lives a better place to be, find ways to eliminate or at least limit this feeling by taking responsibility for your emotions and knowing you have a choice.

2. When you wake up tomorrow start doing something right away, and keep busy all day. Taking action by doing something, almost anything, will help you work through your anxiety. Sometimes it's doing the dishes or working in your garden. Other times it's reading or meditating. Just sitting around and thinking about your worries won't make them go away.

3. Try Feeling Focusing. Focus your attention on where the feeling of anxiousness is in your body and keep your attention there until the feeling moves or dissolves. For example the tension could be in your abdomen or your neck. Whenever your attention wanders, bring it back to the place in your body where the physical feeling is. Doing this for five or ten minutes can reduce, if not eliminate, the anxiety.

4. Anxiety will grow if it's not directed into some positive action. Find someone who needs you and lend him or her a helping hand. It will almost always take your mind off your problems and fears. Helping others is actually a way of taking action and responsibility for your own healing.

5. Talking to someone is one of the best ways to overcome your anxiety. Getting together with your family and friends, even your fellow patrons at Starbucks, and talking about what you are feeling can be helpful. If you can't talk to someone, try writing a letter or visiting an appropriate Internet chat room.

6. Exercise is another good way to keep from letting your fears overwhelm you. Sometimes gentle forms of exercise like walking and yoga can be better than a hard workout at the gym. Do what works best for you at the moment and don't worry about breaking your normal routine, that change may actually help reduce your anxiety.

7. Start a gratitude journal; write down three to five things that you are grateful for. Do this every night for a least two weeks, it works and it's very easy. Become aware of all the good that surrounds you. You can also have a releasing journal where you write about your anxiety and the actions that you can take to overcome those fears.

8. Remember that the opposite of fear is faith. When you are anxious, a great way to get out of it is to find some faith. Believing that things will get better is sometimes all it takes to make it better. It also helps to never underestimate the power of positive prayer or visualization, if it can cure cancer it can also reduce your anxiety.

9. If watching the news fills you with anxiety - turn off the TV! The world will continue to revolve even if you're not watching it on CNN. Limit yourself to one hour a day of news and don't watch anything that may upset you before you go to bed.

10. Courage is not the absence of fear, but taking action in spite of fear. Doing something new or confronting a fear by taking some baby steps is much more positive than doing nothing. If you need a better reason pick an action that will be helpful to someone else.

If you find that none of the tips above work, then you should take a serious look at consulting with a qualified therapist and/or physician. Choose to take control of your life and your emotions and don't let them run you or your relationships.

 

 

Social Security When and Why You Should Start

As you get closer to retirement, it is important to realize that there are decisions you have to make regarding certain benefits that will become available to you. One decision that affects all but a few groups is when to begin your Social Security benefit.

Three milestones require consideration when choosing your benefit, age 62, full retirement age (between 65 and 67) and age 70. At each of these ages your benefit amount changes and it is important to understand which age and amount is most advantageous to your needs and situation.

Age 62, the age where Social Security first becomes available, offers you a benefit amount approximately 75% of the amount you would receive at full retirement age. The common thought for many people is to begin benefits at this time, the idea being, "the longer I take the benefit the more lifetime benefit I will receive".

Starting benefits at age 62 made more sense when life expectancies were shorter; the "break-even" age for taking benefits at 62 versus your full retirement age is between 78 and 80 years old.

Another factor in your decision is whether you will continue to work between age 62 and your full retirement age. Earnings from employment may reduce your benefits if they exceed certain amounts. In 2008 if you have not reached full retirement age and earned over $13,560.00 your benefit reduction is $1 for every $2 earned. If you will reach full retirement age during 2008, your earning limit is $36,120.00 and benefits are reduced $1 for every $3 earned.

The month you reach full retirement age you can relax, from that point on you are able to earn as much as you want with no reduction in benefit. One important note is that these limits are on income earned from employment, not pensions, annuities, IRA's, or 401k withdrawals.

A third consideration is delaying you benefit. Social Security provides delayed retirement credits up to 8% per year to age 70 for those who can wait to take their benefit.

These options will determine the benefit you receive during your lifetime. An often, overlooked part of the decision process is what affect will my choice have on my surviving spouse? Your surviving spouse at full retirement age will receive a benefit equal to yours if it is higher than his or her own.

If you chose to delay your benefit beyond your full retirement age, your surviving spouse will receive your benefit plus the additional delayed retirement credits.

It is important to realize that decisions like these should not be automatic or determined by the "if it works for him it should work for me" process. You need to determine the pros and cons of each option and understand how it satisfies your needs in your unique situation.

Pinehurst to Host Men and Women Golf U.S. Opens in 2014

PINEHURST, N.C. - The USGA and Pinehurst No. 2 will make history in 2014 by staging the U.S. Open and U.S. Womens Open, the two premier national championships in the United States, on the No. 2 course at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C.

This is the first time in history that the U.S. Open and U.S. Womens Open will be contested on the same course in back-to-back weeks.

The 2014 U.S. Open will be conducted June 12-15, followed by the U.S. Womens Open, June 19-22.

This unprecedented U.S. Open "double-header," staged at one of the most storied golf courses in the world, promises to be two weeks of championship golf unlike anything seen before, according to USGA Executive Director David Fay. The USGA hopes to stimulate interest and exposure for the U.S. Womens Open, while adding a compelling element to the U.S. Open. Photo of boy putting statue at Pinehurst

Two physical characteristics of Pinehurst No. 2 make it ideal for hosting these two championships in consecutive weeks: the course sand base, which minimizes the damage that comes from play, and the lack of rough around the greens.

The concept is novel, but Fay said in a letter to USGA members that he has great confidence in the ability of the USGA operations team, the people at Pinehurst and the whole golf community to make both championships an unquestionable success.

Pinehurst No. 2 has previously hosted nine USGA national championships, including the 2008 U.S. Amateur; the U.S. Open in 1999 and 2005; the 1994 U.S. Senior Open; the 1989 U.S. Womens Amateur; and the 1962 U.S. Amateur.

The 2014 U.S. Womens Open will be the first conducted on the Donald Ross masterpiece in the sandhills of North Carolina.

"The USGA is particularly indebted to the Pinehurst Resort, and especially its owner Bob Dedman, the Village of Pinehurst and the State of North Carolina for their wholehearted support of our plan for the 2014 U.S. Open and U.S. Womens Open," wrote Fay.

 

Propositions 60 and 90

Question: Am I eligible to transfer my Tax base?
Answer: Yes, if you fit the requirements below

Propositions 60 and 90
In most cases, these constitutional tax
initiatives allow senior citizens to transfer
the trended base value from their
current home to a replacement property
if certain requirements are met.
This may result in substantial tax savings.

Who Qualifies?
If you or your spouse who resides with you is age 55 or
older, you may buy or construct a new home of equal
or lesser value than your existing home and transfer
the trended base value to your new property.
This is a one-time only benefit. You must buy or complete
construction of your replacement home within two
years of the sale of the original property.

Both the original home and the new home must be your principalplace of residence. A claim must be filed within three years of purchasing or completing new construction
of the replacement property. If a claim is filed
after the three-year period, relief will be granted
beginning with the calendar year in which the claim
was filed.

Once you have filed and received this tax relief, neither
you nor your spouse who resides with you can ever file
again. Source: Los Angeles County Assessors Office.

You must consult with a CPA to determine any and all tax issues. All information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. Follow me on Twitter Southbabyhomesjj

 

Boomer Research, Did You Know?

Every 7 Seconds someone in America
turns 50.

50+ age group:

Is the fastest growing population 
segment.

Is the most affluent consumer 
group that exists.

or healthiest, wealthiest group that
is active and educated,

Account for over 40% of total 
consumer demand.

Average $24,000 in annual disposable 
income.

Control over 48% of all discretionary 
purchases that occur.

Own over 80% of all money in 
savings accounts.

Own 79% of America's financial 
assets.

Spend almost $2 Trillion on goods 
& services each year.

Own 62% of all large Wall Street 
investment accounts.

Visit malls more often than 
any other age group.

Dine out 4-5 times per week.

74% use the Internet to find 
health information.

78% make online purchases.

Over 70% are willing to try new 
brands.

Spend over $29 Billion yearly on 
grandchildren's gifts.

Women over 50 spend $21 Billion
on clothes annually

Healthy Thoughts Create Radiant Health

Have you ever seen a friend you haven’t seen in a while and noticed that this person looked exceptionally radiant?  I bet if you asked this person what the secret is the reply would be “I’m happy.”  So you ask them what are they happy about and the reason is simple.  Your friend has attained inner peace through self-acceptance and gratitude.

I can tell you quite simply that this is easy to achieve.  Start with your own personal gratitude list.  Write down every thing you are grateful for.  Think of each thing on the list and feel how blessed you are for this gift in your life. On another piece of paper write down a self-acceptance list.  Jot down all the positive things about yourself that you like.  The time you take to do this can create big shifts in your consciousness that will bring about feelings of joy within you.  The energy that this creates is magnetic and attracts more things to be grateful about.  If you listen to any self help teachers (and there are many legitimate ones that speak great wisdom), they all will say that our thoughts create our circumstances.  Change your thoughts to feelings of gratitude and self-acceptance and you can change your life.

Wouldn’t you prefer to be around a person who is enthusiastic about life, enjoys people and who has a great positive spirit?  Well if you pay attention, you’ll see that these people are usually quite successful, have healthy relationships and seem to attract good things into their lives.  When you become like this, you will see that the more you are grateful, the more you have to be grateful about.  The more you give to others, the more is given to you.  It’s interesting how this works, but it does and has been talked about for many years in many languages, cultures and best selling publications. 

So how can we create an environment that will encourage this healthy way of being?  Start with the gratitude list and self-acceptance list.  Keep them where you can review and add to them.  Read them often.  Create a space in your home that makes you feel nurtured and peaceful.  Maybe a place you can light a candle and incense.  Relaxing music is also a great thing to have in this space.  You can take time to relax here and recharge yourself.  Another thing to do is surround yourself with positive people.  Find activities that make you feel alive and spark the spirit of play and adventure.  Hike in new places.  Take a road trip somewhere beautiful. Explore a new beach.  Being in nature is good for the soul.  Live life with joy and everyone around you will be inspired and uplifted. 

Revisiting Your Cash Flow Before You Retire

Reviewing and understanding your cash flow, income streams versus expenses, is an important part of retirement planning that is frequently overlooked. The lifestyle you have created based on your income during employment may require some modification when you leave your current position.

Let’s start with understanding income; I define income as a consistent, scheduled, reliable stream of payment, for a determined amount of time.  Social Security is an example of income; you receive your check at the same time each month, for the same amount, for life. If you have a Defined Benefit Pension with your employer, you can choose an option that will provide income to you based on your life expectancy or one that will continue to provide an amount to your surviving spouse.

Bond and CD interest fit the definition of income however; an issue may present itself at maturity. These products have a shelf life and at maturity and renewal, there is no guarantee the same opportunities will exist. Annuities can also provide a lifetime stream of income.

The key to these sources is in the definition, consistent, scheduled, and reliable for a determined period.  If you receive a check on January 2 and you run out of money on February 1 you know there is another check coming on the third. Your income sources will not run out, they may stop after a pre-determined date, but not run out.

Drawing down on savings to supplement your income is a strategy to offset a shortfall but does not provide income. One reason is that savings can run out; if you spend it too quickly, it will be gone. Unless you are able to add to savings or, receive a high enough return to replace your withdrawal, you will eventually run out. As a strategy this requires careful consideration, drawing down on savings too early can have a negative impact in later years.

Once you have determined your income flow the next step is to list your outflow, expenses. Expenses fall into one of two categories, necessary or lifestyle.

Necessary expenses are those you need to survive, shelter, food, medical, insurance utilities, transportation.  These are bills that if not paid will have a direct negative effect on your ability to live, or function day-to-day.

Lifestyle expenses are not necessary for us to live but, they are the ones that we like best, these expenses are fun and make us feel good. They can be impulse or emotional purchases, planned or unplanned, practical or not, but expenses that are not needed for survival.  They include your daily out-of-pocket expenses that add up each time you swipe your debit or credit card.

Tracking lifestyle expenses on a daily basis can be key factor in understanding where your money goes and where spending habits need to be changed.

Understanding your income and expenses will become critical when you decide to leave your current job and paycheck. You no longer will have the regular paycheck you have grown accustomed to, and your lifestyle may require some modifications. Reviewing your situation and preparing for these changes will make the adjustments easier when the time comes.

 

 

Job Hunting Tips Part Four in a Series

GET UNCOMFORTABLE.

If you are over 40 this is a great time to get out of your "comfort zone." At this stage in life you are probably getting a bit too settled in some areas of your life, a little too rigid about your beliefs and less open to new experiences. Well, being out of work is a perfect opportunity to examine your beliefs and attitudes and try on some new experiences. It might even help you avoid a mid-life crisis.

Try exposing yourself to things you ordinarily would not do. Take pottery classes. Go on an adventure vacation. Attend a gay rights meeting (if you're straight). Volunteer to save the wetlands. Take your spouse to a sexy resort. Go to a service at a different religious denomination. Do anything that you wouldn't ordinarily do (that is legal, of course). You will be amazed at how it changes your outlook on life. And it may even open up opportunities you never knew existed. Creative brainstorming sessions often utilize forced exposure to different points of view to stimulate new thinking.
Doing this will be harder for "left brainers" than "right brainers" and for conservatives and the religious right than for liberals and less hard-line religious people. But they are the very people who could benefit the most from taking off the blinders, opening up to something new and learning to be more fearless.

GET COZY WITH TECHNOLOGY.
If you don't know them already, learn the major tech food groups: Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, Photoshop, Project Manager and Windows (or the Mac equivalents). The more you know the more you grow---and the more you are capable of doing work required in the Web 2.0 era. Include your technological proficiency on your resume to drive home that you are staying current with technology.

THE RESUME. THE NEW BUSINESS CARD.
Your resume's job is to get an interview, where you have a real chance of getting a job. Your resume alone will not get you a job.

The calling card for all job-hunters is the resume. This too has evolved in recent years and requires attention and management. Like I said before, it's a whole new world in job-hunting.

Resumes can use many different formats successfully. What's important is the content and how it's presented. The bottom-line is that your resume must show clearly what you can do for the company to solve its challenges.
An effective resume emphasizes accomplishments and results, not how many years experience or how many impressive titles you've held. After a certain number of years even your education becomes secondary to the results you've created. "What can you do for me today" is the mantra of business in the 21st century. Keep this in mind as you position the key elements of your resume.
Avoid the functional approach advocated so often today. This format often takes on such an unnatural style it could easily be mistaken for fiction (and often is---one in six resumes contain false information). Lead by highlighting your latest and greatest achievements, going back no more than 10 to 15 years and listing only those that are pertinent to the job you are pursuing.
You shouldn't fear listing dates but you also shouldn't feel compelled to include your entire career history going back to the Viet Nam war. Dates for education aren't necessary either. Including them may bring up distracting questions such as why it took you six years to get your degree, why you got your MBA a decade later and, of course, how old you really are.

Don't expound upon your vast experience. These days it can be interpreted as being, well, "old." Yes, I know, you worked long and hard to gain that experience, and it was once considered a strong attribute for a job seeker. That was then and this is now. In these more enlightened times you are likely to be seen as "over qualified." At what point in American business history being too capable became a liability isn't clear (perhaps during the Bush administration), but you can't do anything about the craziness that exists in the world today. You can only adapt to it.

Capabilities count more than experience. Your experience should only support your capabilities. Employers read your resume from a strictly "what's in it for me" viewpoint. Of course, if you are a doctor or pilot or any profession that still values experience, this approach does not apply.

For most of us, experience more than 10 - 15 years old is irrelevant. As important as this experience was to your career success, unless there's a compelling reason remove it from your resume. At the same time, as an over 40 job seeker, you need to deftly "allude" to your experience and position it in a positive way. Unless you were in prison or stayed at home until your parents kicked you out at 35, the people interviewing you know you have experience. They also see you have two legs and assume you can walk too but you don't need to go on about hiking and running and dancing. Get the point?

FORMAT YOUR RESUME FOR THE COMPUTERS AS WELL AS THE HUMANS.
Make sure your resume is formatted to ping all the keywords that resume review software is set up to catch. You can learn more about this on job sites such as monster.com, Ladders.com and Careerbuilder.com.
Create both an online version of your resume and a hard copy version. When sending your resume online be sure to include it as both an attachment and pasted into the body of your email. Email a pasted copy to yourself first as a test to make sure it hasn't been inadvertently "reformatted" by your email provider. By sending two email versions and a hard copy you'll be sure to get the attention of the hiring reviewer. The hard copy will be so unusual these days that it's sure to get attention. Plus, they look nicer than email copies.

DON'T BE A BLIND JOB SEEKER.
Sending out resumes blindly to hundreds of potential employers is a fools' game, no matter what the job sites say. The shotgun approach will waste a lot of time and effort. The targeted "rifle" approach yields much better results. Go after jobs you want, can do well, and have researched thoroughly. Then tailor your approach to each one for best results.

Too many people hide behind online job hunting. Fewer than 5% of all jobs are secured entirely through online efforts. You need to put yourself out there personally. Get on the phone. Go to networking events. Network. Meet people face to face.

THE COVER LETTER.
Keep it short and sweet. Don't make it a recap of your resume though. Also, don't use the word "I" too often, especially to begin your sentences. Make your opening as strong as possible---it's the headline in your personal job ad. Don't say "It was a pleasure meeting you and blah, blah, blah." Instead say, "Your firm's need for a widget designer is an excellent match with my five-years of creating award-winning widgets that helped increase business for my clients by 200% or more in their first year."

Don't make your cover letter too long. No one these days seems to have an attention span longer than that of a fruit fly's sex life, so you need to cut to the chase. Three paragraphs or two and a couple bullet points max. Try to be specific and avoid being vague.

Don't forget to direct your letter at the company you are interviewing at---even if you have a standard "form" letter prepared. End your cover letter with a call to action, something like "I will follow up with you in a few days to answer any questions you may have. In the meantime you can reach me at (your phone number). Oh, and be sure to sign it. You won't believe how many letters go out unsigned (which is not a good sign to potential employers).

FOLLOW-UP.
After you've sent your resume to a company for consideration of a job opening, if they don't call back within two weeks leave a phone message and/or email once a week for the next five weeks---until you get a call back or a restraining order (just kidding). Never be discourteous and always sound upbeat and positive, even if you are suicidally depressed about your job hunting.

THE INTERVIEW.

Here is your list of interview tips.

1.Rehearse your interview. Ask a friend to role play the interviewer by asking questions, including some tough ones (like how much you think the company should pay you). Write out answers to these questions. Get one of the books available on job interviewing and study it. Winning Job Interviews or Job Interviews for Dummies are good interviewing guides.

2.Before the interview, ask the person you are meeting to tell you about the interviews. Who will you be meeting with? Are you meeting individually or as a group? What should you bring?

3.Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the job. What is expected? Who will you report to or who will report to you? What are the challenges the company is facing. How can you contribute in the future? Focus the interview on how you can meet their needs, not on how wonderful your career has been at other companies.

4.Research the company and know their needs. Check out their website. Google the company to get a historical perspective. Research their competitors. Older workers aren't as savvy about doing this as most young job seekers are. In the interview, you'll be more impressive if you can talk knowledgeably about the company, its products and its competitors.

5.Show up on time. Make sure beforehand you have the date, time and especially the place correct. If you can't get this right do you think they'll seriously consider hiring you? You may even want to reconnoiter the business beforehand to feel more comfortable with the setting (outside, not inside).

6.Your first 10 seconds are crucial. According to research, first impressions really do count. More candidates were made job offers when they smiled, shook hands confidently and looked the interviewer in the eyes than those who did not. Candidates who trembled uncontrollably while sweat dripped down their face received no offers.

7.Find a common ground, if possible, with the interviewer. Perhaps you both went to Harvard or live in the same neighborhood or enjoy free jumping off cliffs. Don't obsess over attempting to find something though.

8.Present yourself as the solution to their needs---the ideal combination of what you are and what the employer is looking for in their new hire. Presumably this will also be true. Link your skills and capabilities to specific job functions.

9.If you can talk about how some recent project, preferably utilizing some high tech knowledge, led to a product breakthrough or huge increases in sales or the discovery of the Holy Grail, you will demonstrate your relevancy. Then steer the discussion to what this success could mean to your potential employer. Always be forward-looking in your job speak.

10.Never speak disparagingly of past employers or bosses, even if you worked for Vlad the Impaler at the Soylent Green factory.

11.Don't fidget or slouch or show up drunk and disorderly. Be confident---again, think Barack Obama or Johnny Carson. Avoid the Mickey O'Rourke style. Show some energy. Animate your face and use your hands to drive home a point. Look the interviewer in the eye (an unblinking stare however is not cool).

12.Avoid discussing money. To get an idea of what you might be offered you can go to salary.com to find out what the job likely pays in the market you would be working in. Remember, if they want you badly enough they will pay the going rate or more. You've first got to make them want you and that usually takes some time. If you are forced to shout out your salary expectations, go high. As they say, you can always go down.

13.Dress like you already have the job. Or your potential boss's job. If you're a surgeon though, don't wear your scrubs to the interview. Dress like the wealthy person you are.

14.Mind your hygiene. Bad breath or body odor can be a deal killer. And pop for a manicure (guys too). Oh, and trim any nose hairs that are trying to escape.

15.Always be polite and thank the interviewer afterwards, even if you feel as if you just spent the day being water-boarded at Guantanamo.

16.Ask the interviewer for a business card.

THANK YOU NOTES.

If you really want to get noticed, send a written thank you note as a follow-up to the interview. While it skirts the possibility of making you seem old-fashioned, it's so little done anymore than you may just stand out from the thousands of other candidates. In the thank you note, say that you are "very interested" in the position, and if all goes well, you would like to join the firm. A good salesperson will tell you that half the sale is just asking for it. The same goes for jobs. Very few people come right out and say they want the job.

If you don't get a response within a few days, call and politely say you are following up on the interview and ask if they would like you to answer any further questions. Ask directly if you are still being considered for the job. It shows you're not a namby pamby.

 

 

A Baby Boomer’s Balanced Approach to Life

Wouldn't it be great to have enough time for everything that is important to you?

If you drew a circle on a piece of paper, how would you divide it up? Try this for fun.

Cut the circle in 4 pieces as if you were slicing a pie. Now label one slice family. Label one work; label another play/recreation and then the final slice self-improvement. Under the family category jot down what you'd like to spend more time doing with your family. For the work category write your aspirations to improve your business. Next write down your goals for play and recreation. When you get to self-improvement, write down what you would like to accomplish in this area.

Now look at your pie. Where are you putting most of your time and where are you putting the least?

When we are out of balance in any area, this affects everything in our lives. Now take a new piece of paper and write down more specific sub categories. For example write under Family a) more communication with loved ones b) more get together and fun plans such as a beach day together or a trip somewhere new. You can do the same with the other categories. This gives you a chance to introspect and see what is truly important to you. Work is important of course. We all need to make a living.

A truly happy person knows how to balance work with play and family time with time for oneself to feed the body, mind and soul.

So now that we are speaking of body, mind and soul, let's discuss the self-improvement category for a moment. When we use our bodies and exercise our muscles, the body stays strong and is our vehicle to do and be and live in this world. When we abuse it, we don't have the cooperation of our body and it can make everyday functional things a burden. So that being said, take care of your body. This is especially true for baby boomers because as we get older, we need to keep our body vibrant and strong to slow down the aging process, keep healthy, and to have a better quality of life.

The mind also needs to be exercised or this too w ill get weaker and slow down. I have a 96 year old grandmother, Dorothy who is a smart, sassy woman with a great mind. She remembers things from way back in the day when she was a small girl to the stories of all of her 5 children growing up in Harlem, NY. Her secret is that she does cross word puzzles, which keep her mind sharp. Learning an instrument or a language can be a fun way to use your mind and work those thinking muscles.

Last but certainly not least is the exercise for your soul. Regardless of what religious beliefs you may have, the fact is that we are souls living in these bodies, which are our temples for the soul. It helps so many people to read inspirational books or listen to relaxation/meditation tapes to quiet the mind and go within. There is a way to contact your peaceful side and feel oneness with all of nature. One sure way is meditation. Once you connect with this peaceful side of your soul you will bring that peace everywhere you go and your life experience as well as the experience others will have in your presence will be a positive one. Less stress creates a better world for everyone. Find your balance. Find your peace.

 

Who Says You Have to Retire at 65?

Do you want your retirement years to be lively? Is your current job, or career, fulfilling for you? If so, then maybe you are going to be joining the happy, busy ranks of those more than 70%, according to a recent AARP survey, who are planning a "working retirement." If working past your retirement date seems grim, then cheer up. There is a silver lining if you know where to look.

1) Continuing at your current job has its positives - you know the job. There are no learning curves, or the awkwardness of being the new kid.

2) If you have personal debt or you are close to paying off your mortgage, working a few more years at your current income can go a long way to eliminating expenses.

3) Continuing to draw a paycheck will allow you to delay Social Security, for a higher benefit in the near future. Your benefit will continue to increase up to age 70. Keeping that weekly paycheck coming will also prevent you from drawing down your savings too early.

4) Chances are if you are near retirement, you may be close to peak earning and benefit levels. Perhaps you want to boost your 401k levels by maxing out your contribution and taking advantage of the over 50 catch-up contribution. Your employer may even contribute to your account adding to your total. Health benefits will probably continue and can provide continued coverage for you, your spouse and possibly other family members. It can also provide as a bridge to Medicare or act as a supplement.

5) You might not be ready to quit working. You may need income, require some benefits, or just like to work. There are many people out there, who enjoy the challenges work brings and going out there each day to meet them. For you "retirement" may the beginning of a new career!
You may be feeling like "George." His wife Linda says, "George is in his sixties and while all our friends are talking about retiring, he doesn't want to quit. George likes his job, he has the option to continue full-time, or work in a per diem arrangement, as long as he wants. He's the kind of person that needs to be busy.

The income and flexibility in his job will allow us plenty of opportunity to enjoy ourselves without worrying about money. I have already stopped working, but this doesn't mean that my husband will. As long as we can enjoy more time together, then I am satisfied with his decision to stay in the workforce, for now." Linda and George have different dreams about retirement, but they have created a plan that works for them. Where do your dreams fit into your plans for retirement?

Mike Bonacorsi is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM professional, public speaker and award-winning author of Retirement Readiness: A Guide to Creating Your Vision, Knowing Your Position, and Preparing for Your Future. You can listen to his radio show, The Mike Bonacorsi Show, at WSMN, 1590AM or on your computer at http://wsmnradio.com on Tuesdays from noon - 1:00 PM. For additional information, visit http://mikebonacorsi.com/. Reprinted with permission of the author. 2009© Mike Bonacorsi CFP® All Rights Reserved.

 

Barton Creek, Plum Creek, Twin Creek Golf Clubs and More in Austin!

Austin has a lot going for it when it comes to Boomers looking for a place to relocate. Located three hours from Houston and Dallas and an hour north of San Antonio, Austin is home to a number of first-rate golf communities, resorts, daily-fee facilities and private clubs.

The best-known golf complex is the Barton Creek Resort & Spa. The 72-hole facility boasts two Tom Fazio designs (ranked the top two resort courses in Texas by Golf week) and one each by native son Ben Crenshaw and the legendary Arnold Palmer. The resort spans 4,000 acres and comes complete with breathtaking Hill Country views. The hotel and resort offers 312 guest rooms and suites to go along with a luxurious spa, full-service fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, miniature golf course, fully supervised children program, four restaurants and award-winning conference/meeting facilities.Photo of Barton Creek Resort guest room for Boomer

Within Barton Creek are roughly 20 residential neighborhoods with homes ranging from roughly $600,000 on up. A fractional ownership option is the Owners Club at Barton Creek, which includes access to the above amenities plus a number of 2,600-square-foot, three-bedroom Owners Club homes.

Plum Creek is a 2,200-acre mixed-use, master-planned community with a 7,100-yard course located in the town of Kyle, 15 minutes south of downtown Austin. Incorporating the principles of New Urbanism, Plum Creek is designed for the people who live, work and play there. Commercial and residential amenities include shared parks, walking and biking trails. The Plum Creek commercial sections, which include the Uptown District, surround a proposed Austin-San Antonio commuter rail stop.

"Plum Creek was designed to appeal to Central Texans who desire the charm and personality of a walk-able, family-friendly old Austin neighborhood but are unable to afford the Austin housing market," said developer Terry Mitchell of Momark Development.

Photo of Twin Creeks GC for BoomerTwin Creeks is a 760-acre residential community in Cedar Park, just outside Austin. It features a 7,000-yard Fred Couples signature design with 100-year-old pecan and oak trees and 22 bridge crossings. First-phase homes range from $200,000 to $1 million. Homeowners have access to an 8,000-square-foot Family Activities Center, which offers two tennis courts, sports lounge, teen center, children center and water park featuring a junior Olympic-sized pool and zero-entry resort-style pool.

Located 45 minutes northwest of Austin along the shores of LBJ Lake is the Horseshoe Bay Resort. This 7,000-acre community includes threePhoto of Horseshoe Bay Apple Creek for Boomer championship Robert Trent Jones, Sr. golf courses, a made-to-scale, 18-hole par-72 bermudagrass putting course, seven dining facilities, 16 adult tennis courts, three USTA-sponsored Andy Roddick Kids Tennis Courts and two fitness facilities, plus a private airport and jet center with a 6,000-foot runway and private charter jet service via Air Horseshoe.

Existing golf course homes run from $300,000 to $900,000 with lakefront residences ranging from $1 million to as much as $8 million. Course lots are available for $20,000 to $140,000, according to Horseshoe Bay Resort Realty agent Mike Gordon, who notes the area is particularly popular with Houston and Dallas residents looking to escape the summer heat and native West Texans seeking to return to their roots.

Photo of balcony at Horseshoe Bay overlooking lake for BoomerAdjacent to Horseshoe Bay Resort is the master-planned community of Skywater, which will feature a Jack Nicklaus course set to start construction later this summer. Plans are underway for 1,000 homes with a number of environmental friendly initiatives such as passive solar energy, the use of indigenous materials and rainwater harvesting systems. Lots list for $200,000 to $400,000, Gordon said.

Also near Horseshoe Bay is Escondido with its championship Tom Fazio layout (rated 2007 Best Course in Texas by The Dallas Morning News), party pavilion on Lake LBJ, state-of-the-art La Hacienda golf practice facility, clubhouse and spa. The 550-acre community offers Hill Country homes, villa and casita home sites as well as lakefront and lake-view homes.

Lest we forget, Austin is also the home of legendary golf teacher Harvey Penick who worked at Riverside and Hancock golf courses for many years and whose name is affixed to the GolfSmith Harvey Penick Academy and First Tee Program Harvey Penick Golf Campus.

 

Austin has a lot going for it when it comes to Boomers looking for a place to relocate: its moniker as the "Live Music Capital of the World;" the rolling Hill Country; the lakes, creeks and swimming holes for recreation; the culture, arts and laid-back attitude; year-round golf weather; business-friendly climate; and a reputation as one of the mAustin has a lot going for it when it comes to Boomers looking for a place to relocate. Located three hours from Houston and Dallas and an hour north of San Antonio, Austin is home to a number of first-rate golf communities, resorts, daily-fee facilities and private clubs.

The best-known golf complex is the Barton Creek Resort & Spa. The 72-hole facility boasts two Tom Fazio designs (ranked the top two resort courses in Texas by Golf week) and one each by native son Ben Crenshaw and the legendary Arnold Palmer. The resort spans 4,000 acres and comes complete with breathtaking Hill Country views. The hotel and resort offers 312 guest rooms and suites to go along with a luxurious spa, full-service fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, miniature golf course, fully supervised children program, four restaurants and award-winning conference/meeting facilities.Photo of Barton Creek Resort guest room for Boomer

Within Barton Creek are roughly 20 residential neighborhoods with homes ranging from roughly $600,000 on up. A fractional ownership option is the Owners Club at Barton Creek, which includes access to the above amenities plus a number of 2,600-square-foot, three-bedroom Owners Club homes.

Plum Creek is a 2,200-acre mixed-use, master-planned community with a 7,100-yard course located in the town of Kyle, 15 minutes south of downtown Austin. Incorporating the principles of New Urbanism, Plum Creek is designed for the people who live, work and play there. Commercial and residential amenities include shared parks, walking and biking trails. The Plum Creek commercial sections, which include the Uptown District, surround a proposed Austin-San Antonio commuter rail stop.

"Plum Creek was designed to appeal to Central Texans who desire the charm and personality of a walk-able, family-friendly old Austin neighborhood but are unable to afford the Austin housing market," said developer Terry Mitchell of Momark Development.

Photo of Twin Creeks GC for BoomerTwin Creeks is a 760-acre residential community in Cedar Park, just outside Austin. It features a 7,000-yard Fred Couples signature design with 100-year-old pecan and oak trees and 22 bridge crossings. First-phase homes range from $200,000 to $1 million. Homeowners have access to an 8,000-square-foot Family Activities Center, which offers two tennis courts, sports lounge, teen center, children center and water park featuring a junior Olympic-sized pool and zero-entry resort-style pool.

Located 45 minutes northwest of Austin along the shores of LBJ Lake is the Horseshoe Bay Resort. This 7,000-acre community includes threePhoto of Horseshoe Bay Apple Creek for Boomer championship Robert Trent Jones, Sr. golf courses, a made-to-scale, 18-hole par-72 bermudagrass putting course, seven dining facilities, 16 adult tennis courts, three USTA-sponsored Andy Roddick Kids Tennis Courts and two fitness facilities, plus a private airport and jet center with a 6,000-foot runway and private charter jet service via Air Horseshoe.

Existing golf course homes run from $300,000 to $900,000 with lakefront residences ranging from $1 million to as much as $8 million. Course lots are available for $20,000 to $140,000, according to Horseshoe Bay Resort Realty agent Mike Gordon, who notes the area is particularly popular with Houston and Dallas residents looking to escape the summer heat and native West Texans seeking to return to their roots.

Photo of balcony at Horseshoe Bay overlooking lake for BoomerAdjacent to Horseshoe Bay Resort is the master-planned community of Skywater, which will feature a Jack Nicklaus course set to start construction later this summer. Plans are underway for 1,000 homes with a number of environmental friendly initiatives such as passive solar energy, the use of indigenous materials and rainwater harvesting systems. Lots list for $200,000 to $400,000, Gordon said.

Also near Horseshoe Bay is Escondido with its championship Tom Fazio layout (rated 2007 Best Course in Texas by The Dallas Morning News), party pavilion on Lake LBJ, state-of-the-art La Hacienda golf practice facility, clubhouse and spa. The 550-acre community offers Hill Country homes, villa and casita home sites as well as lakefront and lake-view homes.

Lest we forget, Austin is also the home of legendary golf teacher Harvey Penick who worked at Riverside and Hancock golf courses for many years and whose name is affixed to the GolfSmith Harvey Penick Academy and First Tee Program Harvey Penick Golf Campus.

ost educated populations in the land. You can also throw the quality of the golf on top of that pile of positives. In fact, Golf.com named the Lone Star State capital the top golf city in America in 2007.

Located three hours from Houston and Dallas and an hour north of San Antonio, Austin is home to a number of first-rate golf communities, resorts, daily-fee facilities and private clubs.

The best-known golf complex is the Barton Creek Resort & Spa. The 72-hole facility boasts two Tom Fazio designs (ranked the top two resort courses in Texas by Golf week) and one each by native son Ben Crenshaw and the legendary Arnold Palmer. The resort spans 4,000 acres and comes complete with breathtaking Hill Country views. The hotel and resort offers 312 guest rooms and suites to go along with a luxurious spa, full-service fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, miniature golf course, fully supervised children program, four restaurants and award-winning conference/meeting facilities.Photo of Barton Creek Resort guest room for Boomer

Within Barton Creek are roughly 20 residential neighborhoods with homes ranging from roughly $600,000 on up. A fractional ownership option is the Owners Club at Barton Creek, which includes access to the above amenities plus a number of 2,600-square-foot, three-bedroom Owners Club homes.

Plum Creek is a 2,200-acre mixed-use, master-planned community with a 7,100-yard course located in the town of Kyle, 15 minutes south of downtown Austin. Incorporating the principles of New Urbanism, Plum Creek is designed for the people who live, work and play there. Commercial and residential amenities include shared parks, walking and biking trails. The Plum Creek commercial sections, which include the Uptown District, surround a proposed Austin-San Antonio commuter rail stop.

"Plum Creek was designed to appeal to Central Texans who desire the charm and personality of a walk-able, family-friendly old Austin neighborhood but are unable to afford the Austin housing market," said developer Terry Mitchell of Momark Development.

Photo of Twin Creeks GC for BoomerTwin Creeks is a 760-acre residential community in Cedar Park, just outside Austin. It features a 7,000-yard Fred Couples signature design with 100-year-old pecan and oak trees and 22 bridge crossings. First-phase homes range from $200,000 to $1 million. Homeowners have access to an 8,000-square-foot Family Activities Center, which offers two tennis courts, sports lounge, teen center, children center and water park featuring a junior Olympic-sized pool and zero-entry resort-style pool.

Located 45 minutes northwest of Austin along the shores of LBJ Lake is the Horseshoe Bay Resort. This 7,000-acre community includes threePhoto of Horseshoe Bay Apple Creek for Boomer championship Robert Trent Jones, Sr. golf courses, a made-to-scale, 18-hole par-72 bermudagrass putting course, seven dining facilities, 16 adult tennis courts, three USTA-sponsored Andy Roddick Kids Tennis Courts and two fitness facilities, plus a private airport and jet center with a 6,000-foot runway and private charter jet service via Air Horseshoe.

Existing golf course homes run from $300,000 to $900,000 with lakefront residences ranging from $1 million to as much as $8 million. Course lots are available for $20,000 to $140,000, according to Horseshoe Bay Resort Realty agent Mike Gordon, who notes the area is particularly popular with Houston and Dallas residents looking to escape the summer heat and native West Texans seeking to return to their roots.

Photo of balcony at Horseshoe Bay overlooking lake for BoomerAdjacent to Horseshoe Bay Resort is the master-planned community of Skywater, which will feature a Jack Nicklaus course set to start construction later this summer. Plans are underway for 1,000 homes with a number of environmental friendly initiatives such as passive solar energy, the use of indigenous materials and rainwater harvesting systems. Lots list for $200,000 to $400,000, Gordon said.

Also near Horseshoe Bay is Escondido with its championship Tom Fazio layout (rated 2007 Best Course in Texas by The Dallas Morning News), party pavilion on Lake LBJ, state-of-the-art La Hacienda golf practice facility, clubhouse and spa. The 550-acre community offers Hill Country homes, villa and casita home sites as well as lakefront and lake-view homes.

Lest we forget, Austin is also the home of legendary golf teacher Harvey Penick who worked at Riverside and Hancock golf courses for many years and whose name is affixed to the GolfSmith Harvey Penick Academy and First Tee Program Harvey Penick Golf Campus.

 

When Driving a Car is a Perilous Proposition for Your Parents

The Signs to Look for and What You Should Do for impaired vision, diminished flexibility and reduced reaction time-a deadly recipe for many Elderly Drivers.

I floored the gas pedal. My head whiplashed. How fast the car was going I'm uncertain, but it must have been at least 50 MPH in less than 10 seconds. It required a bit of effort, but I took my foot off the gas, momentarily coasted, then jammed on the brake pedal as hard as I could and swerved hard to the right attempting to avoid an oncoming car. A pretty harrowing experience!

If only my reaction time had been a split-second quicker. And, if only my neck, legs and arms had the range of motion they once had when I was younger. Not to mention my eyesight. I couldn't see the traffic signal very well.

Fortunately, I was driving on a closed-course track at Rentschler Field in East Hartford CT and, at all times, was in the comforting presence of a professional defensive driver from Liberty Mutual and was following his instructions.

But the scenario I just described is not unlike what many elderly drivers may experience when they are operating a motor vehicle. Impaired vision, diminished flexibility and reduced reaction time is a deadly recipe for any driver no matter what age he or she may be.

My ordeal that day at the closed-course track opened my eyes, literally, to the perils of driving that many seniors may experience. I was a fitted with a specially-designed "senior simulator" suit and special vision-impairing glasses to help simulate the effects of aging on my driving ability.

At 61, I am in reasonably good health. My range of motion is average for my age. My reaction time, although slowed from what it used to be when I was 28 years old, remains good. And my eyesight is 20-20 with glasses. The notion that someday I might have to surrender permanently the driver seat for the passenger seat is not on my radar screen.

The issue of when a person should stop driving can be filled with emotion and, if not handled properly, can lead to a dispute among family members that can unravel a relationship to its very core.

My father-in-law was in his late seventies when it became abundantly evident that driving a car would not only place him in peril, but other nearby drivers and pedestrians. We think he sensed it himself that the days of tooling around town were nearing an end. It was only after my wife and her brother sat down and talked with him that he agreed to give up the car keys. Interestingly, though, he refused to give up the car. For two years the car remained in the garage before it was finally sold.

My uncle was 83 at the time when he was not longer able to safely drive a car. Despite pleadings from his adult children, he strongly resisted turning over the keys. Finally, he relented, but only when his wife refused to be a passenger anymore if he was behind the wheel. Tough lady, my aunt. Good for her.

Friends in Michigan are, right now, dealing with the same issue with their 80-year-old father. I know the man. He's a terrific guy, although more stubborn than a mule when it comes to heeding the warning signs about driving. Here's a guy who routinely falls, had a hip replacement, and has the range of motion of a stale pretzel.

These three examples can be repeated unfortunately thousands of times across the nation.

For example, I received this email from Marie (last name omited for privacy), who faced a very similar, yet familiar, situation. Marie writes:

"Yes this can be a very difficult step to take with your elderly parents. I am one of five children; our mother turned 79 in January of 09. About 5 years ago she was diagnosed with "pre-Alzheimer's." She was having mishaps with driving just prior to this time, knocking off the side mirrors, running into things taking a corner into a driveway to sharp, etc.

So she fought long and hard to keep the freedom to drive, especially since she was mostly self sufficient and lived alone. Other family drama and circumstances occurred to create the need to finally take the keys for good. Then, we worked in coordination as a family, with her primary care doctor, and, at that time, part-time care givers, to encourage her to not drive. We only allowed her to drive with one of us in the car. This was oftentimes a nerve racking experience. Then, unbeknownst to her, because we notified the Dept. of Motor Vehicles, in our state, and sent a letter from her doctor which stated she should no longer drive, they revoked her license, but it stated she could get it back upon passing a driving test. Well, that was over 6 months ago and she no longer talks about re-taking her test, much less studying for it.

My suggestion is that the family members, as well as close friends, must work together and continue to communicate to the person the safety of the situation, AND work out other options, public transportation, care givers, friends to take them to church, etc. It is a tough thing to take away this "right," but I feel that the responsibility lies with those closest to the elderly driver, (even if this means close friends), as in our experience, the elderly person themselves is usually NOT willing to stop driving. You have to be willing to create a bad effect on them in order to save their life and the lives of others on the road."

The Warning Signs
If you have noticed any of these warning signs in your parents driving, perhaps it's time to start the conversation with them about driving safety:

> Running red lights or stop signs
> Performing jerky stops or starts
> Problems seeing road signs or traffic signals
> Hitting curbs
> Straying into other lanes
> Reacting slowly Riding the brake
> Easily distracted while driving

The purpose of the event I attended in CT was for the introduction of the Driver Seat Game by Liberty Mutual.

The Driver Seat Game is a comprehensive program to provide families with resources that address the emotionally charged issue of determining when it's time for elder parents to transition from driver's seat to passenger seat.

The web-based game is an innovative digital approach to tackling the highly sensitive subject of senior driving. A series of mini-games actively portray the challenges many senior drivers face by dramatizing visual decline, reduced mobility and poor reaction time in three impairment stages that act as the game's difficulty settings. Players must navigate different driving scenarios: busy traffic, going to the grocery store, finding parking in crowded lots, and even evading wildlife on winding country roads. Additionally, trivia challenges throughout the game educate the player and reinforce the underlying campaign goals of awareness and empathy in the active game experience. The Driver Seat Game will empower adult children to work with their parents to find a transportation solution that makes sense for their family.

I played the game and really think it is the best way for Baby Boomers - and, frankly, people from all age groups - to understand the problems faced by older drivers.

While presented as an online game, it is compellingly realistic for the aging population and addresses some very serious issues. Most importantly, it sensitizes adult children to the very emotional changing needs of their parents.

A what a Conversation Starter!
The Driver Seat Game is a great conversation starter, too. Most families are simply not addressing the very important issue of senior mobility, perhaps because they feel ill-equipped on how to approach it.

According to a recent national survey of Baby Boomers and senior drivers by Liberty Mutual, the vast majority (75 percent) of adult children say neither they nor anyone to their knowledge has ever spoken to their parents about driving safety issues. An even greater percentage of seniors (88 percent) say no one has had these conversations with them.

The survey sheds light on a possible reason why Boomers and their aging parents don't discuss driving safety. More than half of Boomers (58 percent) think their parents would find a conversation about changing their driving habits "uncomfortable," and more than one in three (38 percent) believe their parents would "be angered" by such a discussion.

Encouragingly, revealed the Liberty Mutual report, this isn't the case. Only one-quarter (24 percent) say they would find the conversation "uncomfortable," and 9 percent say they would "be angered." Further, 92 percent of seniors say their adult children "have a right" to raise this issue with them.

The Driver Seat Game and other comprehensive online resources can be found HERE at the Liberty Mutual senior driving resource center.

Note:

If you would like to share a story about how you handled this issue with your parents, join the dialogue. Comment? Email me at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

 

Job Hunting Over 40 Series Part 3

NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS.

While you are looking for a job take a break from the news.  The news is often depressing and adds nothing of benefit to your life.  Instead of watching CSI Miami or Desperate Housewives, take the time you save---about 14 hours a week if you only watch two hours a day---and do something useful.  Enroll in a class to learn PowerPoint, read motivational books, study up on your industry or set up a Facebook page.  Make every minute of your time productive in some way, either personally or professionally.

YOUR OWN EXTREME MAKEOVER. 

Look at some magazines that feature “makeovers” to see just how much you can change your life with diet, exercise, fashionable clothes, better makeup, a new haircut and a positive mental attitude.  Oprah and More magazines run makeovers of regular people all the time.  Men’s Health, and occasionally GQ, do the same for men.  Seeing how dramatically regular people can change their looks is encouraging.

When you look at the “before” and “after” photos of people who have lost weight and toned up, the first thing almost everyone notices is how much younger the person looks.  It changes your entire appearance from tired and worn out to youthful and vigorous.  Doing your own makeover can be a life-changing act that will not only help get your career back on track but will open up opportunities you can only dream of happening. 

When Marie Osmond and Valeri Bertinelli lost weight and got fit their entire careers were revitalized.  It’s a story you hear over and over again from people who have found the will and done the work to make themselves over into the beautiful people they are inside.

YOUR SMILE IS YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION.

Now is a good time to go to the dentist for a good cleaning and checkup.  A bright smile helps project youth and vitality.  Teeth whiteners may be necessary if you drink coffee or wine.  Age tends to dull teeth as well.  During a first meeting, your smile and handshake are your two most powerful “calling cards.”

HAIR---OR NOT.

Re-evaluate your hair style too.  Is it contemporary?  Long hair, sometimes favored by Baby Boomers, is viewed more negatively than not in most professions.  Ironically, if your hair is thinning keeping it short gives the illusion of having more hair.  If you’re a guy with male pattern baldness, or very thin hair, you may want to go the Bruce Willis route.  Very short hair or none at all is “hip” now among guys of all ages.

If your hair is grey you may as well shout “old” from the rooftops.  Grey hair may look sophisticated or elegant but it does not say “young.”  Consider getting it colored or use a product like Just For Men to reduce the amount of grey.

Facial hair is also viewed negatively by a sizeable portion of people.  Now is not the time to have any negatives on your side.  Consider ditching the moustache and/or beard.  You’ll look younger with a clean-shaven face.  Women too.

NIP AND TUCK.

While some people might object, being out of work is an excellent time to have a “little work done” too.  If those sagging jowls, tired eyelids or wrinkled skin make you look old (of course it ---does), perhaps now is the time to engage a good cosmetic surgeon to take a few years off your looks.  Keep it conservative though; you don’t want to pull a Michael Jackson.

LOOKS COUNT---AS IN THE NUMBER OF YEARS PEOPLE THINK YOU’VE BEEN ALIVE.

It’s sad to say, but dozens of studies have proven that people who look better are considered more intelligent, capable and personable.  So, you should do what you can to improve your looks.  First impressions are made within 10 seconds in most cases.  Be sure your first impression is a good one.

On the other hand, don’t obsess about how you look.  You don’t need to look like Brad Pitt or Scarlett Johannsen---just the best version of yourself.  In fact, extreme good looks can be as big a detriment as extremely bad looks.

BAD HABITS.

While you’re making yourself over, drop some bad habits as well.  If you are one of the four adults who still have not gotten the message about the harm of smoking, now is the time to give it up.  Smoking decreases your stamina, wrinkles your face, and seriously degrades your health---not what employers are looking for these days.  Signing up for a good smoking cessation program will reap a lifetime (literally) of benefits.

GET RID OF WHAT’S HOLDING YOU BACK.

Likewise, if you have anger management, gambling, drinking or drug problems, now you have the time to rid yourself of these bad habits.  It can only help your career---and your life.

BUILD A PLATFORM FOR SUCCESS.

These days it’s important to create a “platform” that contributes to your “personal brand” in order to stand out from the masses of job seekers.   What sets you apart?  What skill have you developed that no one (or few) others possess?  What “style” reflects your personality best? 

Apple Computer’s Steve Jobs has a clearly defined “brand” image.  He’s a Baby Boomer who dresses in jeans and turtlenecks, wears stylish glasses and has trimmed his balding head into a “hip” short haircut.  He is a bold and dynamic leader and has learned to be an effective communicator.  He neatly reflects the same image as he wants his products to project.  He’s older but he’s not “old.”  His “brand” is drastically different from that of other contemporaries like Bill Gates and Michael Dell.

Your “platform” drives your “brand.”  Decide how you want to be perceived and then add the building blocks to create your personal style, skill-set, personality and charisma.  Branding yourself based upon a platform of truth, unique skills and personal style is a key ingredient to becoming successful.  In a job interview it will set you apart from dozens of other candidates who have no brand identity.  You want to do everything possible to give yourself an “edge” over your competitors and a clearly defined “brand image” will do that.

President Obama has a clearly defined branded personality.  He is a charismatic speaker, dresses professionally, almost never reacts emotionally or in anger, is a best-selling author, is confident, has a good sense of humor, is gracious, thoughtful and highly educated.  His “brand” beat out the other candidate (whose “brand” wasn’t as defined or as strong) for the job as president. 

How Misinformation is Unintentionally Spread Over the Internet

We all receive emails alerting us about a computer virus spreading across the Internet, or a 'can't miss' stock market tip, or scandalous information about a political candidate running for high office, or, most of the time, information about a deal that seems just too good to be true.

Your inclination, of course, is to immediately share the information with your family and friends. You select the names and hit the forward button-off the message goes to help others. You're feeling pretty good about yourself knowing that you're helping family and friends by sharing this nugget of vital information.Good intentions aside, however, more often than not the information you just sent is erroneous and, on more occasions then you might think, is outright and deliberately false.

Here's an example:
Recently, I received from a very level-headed friend an email containing urgent information about, of all things, "baby carrots." The email's subject line pronounced "Baby Carrots: Beware" dealt with a stern warning by an unnamed farmer against eating baby carrots.

The following is information from this unidentified farmer, who grows and packages carrots for IGA, METRO, LOBLAWS, and similar food outlets.

The warning, says my friend, appeared on Snoopes.com. She assumed the information was accurate and forwarded the email to her friends and family.The email asserts "once the carrots are cut and shaped into cocktail carrots they are dipped in a solution of water and chlorine in order to preserve them (this is the same chlorine used your pool) since they do not have their skin or natural protective covering, they give them a higher dose of chlorine."

The warning went on to say "You will notice that once you keep these carrots in your refrigerator for a few days, a white covering will form on the carrots, this is the chlorine which resurfaces. At what cost do we put our health at risk to have esthetically pleasing vegetables which are practically plastic?"

The email urged me to pass on the information to as many people as possible in the hopes of informing them as to where the carrots came from and how they are processed. "Chlorine is a very well known carcinogen," it warned.

A bit leery of the allegation, I opted not to forward the message.

The very next day a second email arrived from my friend. But this time to recant her assertion about the dangers of baby carrots and offered a genuine apology to the people she had sent the message."Sorry about this," she said ruefully. "My cousin [name intentionally omitted] checked this out on Snoops and it turns out this story is not true. I don't want to hurt [somebody's] business with false claims."

The lesson to be learned: Never forward an email about information than can not be verified by a reputable source, preferably one that is nationally recognized.

I still have great respect for my well-intentioned friend. And I know she learned a very valuable lesson.

 

 

Use It or Lose It

Okay my baby boomer friends, let me fill you in on some important facts.  If you want to age gracefully and have energy, stamina and good health then start working out.  Now I don’t mean just a casual walk around the block.  Although I encourage you to get out and walk, the main thing to be concerned about is a decrease in bone density and muscle loss.  Now the fact is that as we age we will have these things happen if we don’t do anything about it.  But you have the ability to gain muscle and keep your bone density from decreasing.  The key is to lift weights.  Take care of your body and your body will take care of you.  Neglect your body and the opposite will be the outcome.

 

So now that I’ve got your attention, let me tell you a simple way to get started.  You can do this at home or at a gym.  Do whatever will motivate you and will make it easiest for you to stick to this plan.  Do a brisk walk or a stationery bike for about 5 minutes to get the blood and oxygen flowing to the muscles to prepare them for movement. A warm up is extremely important to prevent injury.  Next stretch the areas you start working on.  So if you decide you will start with arms, stretch them first.

 

You can use barbells, dumbbells, or weight machines, although some people start with rubber bands. Body weight exercises, or calisthenics, can be good, but the main thing is to ask your muscles to do more than they are used to. Start out with light weights until you learn the exercise and have the proper form.  Work up to a weight that tires your muscles after 10 or 12 repetitions, Don’t go so light that you don’t challenge your muscles or too heavy that you can’t maintain good technique. The rule-of-thumb is under 6 reps for maximum strength, 8-12 for building muscle and some strength, and over 15 for muscular endurance Women will use less weight and more reps to achieve a leaner, toned physique. 

 

. . Yes, you do want to build muscle. Remember that most of your arm that isn't muscle is fat. The reality is that you can't get strong without sufficient muscle. Do it gradually.  Write out a plan to follow and write down the progress of weight as you go along. You can do a few exercises for each muscle group.

 

For example, 2 separate exercises for, chest, back, legs, abdominals, shoulders, biceps and triceps.  I strongly recommend that you do your research and find a good instructional DVD or hire a personal trainer to teach you proper form and how to perform each exercise in the safest and most efficient way.

 

When you begin to feel the results of a weight-training program, you will love the way you feel and look. Make sure you get a doctor’s approval before starting any exercise program.  He or She can tell you what exercises you may need to avoid or what they feel would benefit you most to incorporate into your routine. The program you choose depends on your level of fitness, time schedule and level of enthusiasm.  Join a group or ask a friend to join you for support.  Live healthy. http://strongbodyforlife.com

 

 

 

Prescott, Arizona is Boomer Friendly

An active lifestyle is important to Prescott, Ariz., Boomers. Just ask the The City of Prescott Parks and Recreation Department and Prescott Senior Olympic Games Steering Committee, which are preparing for the 2009 Prescott Senior Olympic Summer Games scheduled for July 10 through July 26. Not surprisingly, golf is an important component of the event in this Boomer-friendly area, which boasts numerous residential golf communities and stand-alone golf courses.

"You'll find that many of the homes for sale in Prescott seem to be only one stroke away from this engaging sport," writes real-estate agent Tim Anderson on his website. "If you love to bring out the irons for a few rounds then you'll certainly have your fair share of golf courses in Prescott to choose."Photo of people on Talking Rock clubhouse patio for Boomer

Talking Rock Golf Club is one of the most respected golf communities in the area. Talking Rock has been named one of Arizona's Top 25 Courses by Golf Digest magazine for the second consecutive time, checking in at No. 19 on the 2009-2010 "Best in State" list.

A private home community northwest of Prescott, Ariz., Talking Rock is home to a Jay Morrish-designed 7,350-yard championship course winding through more than 1,000 acres of preserved open space. The environmentally friendly layout is a high-country master-planned community minutes from downtown Prescott. The community consists of Ranch Cottages, Ranch Homes and Custom Homes on homesites affording mountain or golf course views.

Hassayampa Golf Club and Community is a 550-acre master-planned affair located two miles outside Prescott. Desert Troon, which also built Troon Village in Scottsdale, developed the community on the site of historic Hassayampa Golf and Country Club, one of Arizona's oldest golf courses, operating operated from 1919 to 1969. The new Tom Weiskopf-designed layout measures 6,800 yards with significant elevation changes throughout. The community offers mountain views, boulder outcroppings, ponderosa pines, mature oak trees, and two natural streams.

Prescott Lakes GC for BoomerHassayampa Golf Club is a member-owned equity club. The community includes several gated tracts with condominiums and as well as single-family custom homes. It is located in the Ponderosa pine forest with sections overlooking downtown Prescott. Residency is not required for golf club membership. The social scene centers on the 30,000-square-foot, lodge-style clubhouse with log beams, stone fireplaces rustic décor and both fine and casual dining. In addition to golf, the community offers a fitness facility, tennis, swimming, sport court and hiking trails adjacent to 2.5 million acres of Prescott National Forest.

Prescott Lakes Golf & Country Club is a master-planned community stretching across nearly 1150 acres. The centerpiece is the Hale Irwin Signature Golf Course that meanders through 12 acres of lakes and grasslands. Other amenities include miles of hiking and biking trails as well asseven petroglyph parks that preserve Native American symbols found on rock formations along the golf course. Fishing, sailing and swimming are a mile away at Watson Lake and Willow Lake.Photo of Prescott Lakes GC house for Boomer

A wide variety of residential offerings in both gated and non-gated areas are available at Prescott Lakes with custom homes, production homes, townhouses, condominiums, golf villas and building lots of various sizes. Also part of the community are commercial spaces for sale or lease and business parks.

Other master-planned golf communities in the area include:

• The Rim Golf Club in Payson boasts a Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish 18-hole layout rated the No. 1 residential golf course in the Southwest three years in a row in Golfweek magazine's list of "America's Best Residential Golf Courses.

• Seven Canyons is a Weiskopf masterpiece in Sedona that opened about three years ago and has been rated one of America's 50 Greatest Golf Retreats by Golf Digest Index.

• Forest Highlands Golf Club has two courses, Meadow and Canyoyon, perched at a 7,000-foot altitude among pines, oaks and aspens within an 1,100-acre community in Flagstaff.

• Pine Canyon is another Flagstaff standard bearer with broad fairways, open entryways to greens and trout-stocked lakes along its 18 Morrish-crafted holes. to name a few.

 Antelope Hills GC for BoomerPrescott-area golfers can also choose from a seemiongly endless supply of public courses including city-owned Antelope Hills. The 36-hole facility first was founded in 1956 with the opening of the North Course, a traditional tree-lined layout with speedy bentgrass greens designed by Lawrence Hughes. The South Course designed by Gary Panks opened in 1992 featuring open fairways, generous mounding, large undulating greens and panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and granite rock formations. For those wanting to fly in, Antelope Hills is located next to Prescott Municipal Airport (Ernest A. Love Field).

Prescott enjoys more than 300 days of sunshine, is generally 10 to 15 degrees cooler than Phoenix and is home to more than 500 buildings named on the National Register of Historic Places. It is listed among the top 21 communities for Boomers to retire by BestBoomerTowns.com.

 

Eric’s Job Hunting Over 40 Series Continued

DRESS FOR SUCCESS.

For executive careers, choosing the right clothing can be confusing.  While most office environments have now skewed toward “business casual” clothes, dressing for an interview is usually a bit more formal.  

For men and women, a good quality tailored suit in dark blue, black or grey is the most appropriate choice.  A white or blue shirt or blouse projects businesslike seriousness.

Shoes should be good quality and polished.  Socks look best when they are darker than pants and match in color.  Over-the-calf socks prevent distracting displays of bare leg for men.  For women, bare legs are more the norm now than not.

Accessories too should be selected with an eye toward understated elegance.  Men should avoid wearing a plastic sports watch with a suit.  Women should steer away from gaudy jewelry and oversized earrings.   This being said, choose something that will make you stand out from the others interviewing for the job---a cool tie or a scarf that adds a splash of color.

There are dozens of fashion magazines that offer guidance on dressing appropriately for business.  Take some time to review the latest styles and, if you can afford it, make the investment in one or two new outfits.

GET BACK IN SHAPE.

During the time you’re out of work---now lasting on average more than 90 days---take this opportunity to develop a new fitness and nutrition plan.  For every five pounds you are overweight (and most people over 40 are overweight) you look about a year older---not good when you are already over 40.

Being out of work is an ideal time to get back into shape and become more competitive in the job market as well.  Being fit will give you more energy, improve your mental acuity, give you more confidence, help you sleep better and, of course, improve your looks.  Not a bad payoff for something you should have been doing all along anyway.

Take time to remove all the fake, processed junk foods from your home.  Plan a diet rich in fruits and vegetables for the fastest weight loss.   Amazingly, fewer than 4% of all adults eat the recommended 3 ½ cups to five cups of fruits and vegetables every day for optimum health.  Add some fish, poultry and lean meat to your diet but treat it as a garnish rather than a main meal.   Drink a minimum of five glasses of water every day; your skin will look younger.  If you have the will and discipline to stick to this diet you will almost immediately notice an increase in energy, alertness and overall well-being.

EXERCISE.

Next, add some exercise to your plan.  Exercise is the other half of the good health equation.  Start by walking two or three miles a day.  If your physician says it’s OK, start jogging or running.  Take up a sport like swimming or tennis for its aerobic benefits.  The pounds will begin melting away.

To really look good, add some resistance exercise to your health and fitness plan.  Join a health club or the YMCA and pump some iron.  It won’t take long before you see results.  The combination of diet, aerobic exercise and resistance exercise will not only make you look much better, your energy and attitude will vastly improve as well.  And your improved looks and confidence will help you find a job.

In 90 days you can radically transform yourself.  Now is the best time ever to do it.

Taking action will also help improve your mental outlook.  Being unemployed is one of life’s top ten most stressful events.  Job seekers with positive energy will be more successful in their job hunt, because people are drawn to optimistic, energetic, positive people.

Your mood during the job search is something you’ll have to manage carefully.   Do whatever it takes.  Join a support group, take up yoga or meditation, get counseling and don’t withdraw from your family or friends.  You need to be engaged with others more than ever now.

As soon as you get a negative thought, forcefully banish it from your mind.  The experts all say that with practice it’s possible to replace negativity with positive thinking.  After awhile it becomes a habit.  It’s a habit with positive results too---positive thinkers make more money, have fewer illnesses and even live longer.  They also enjoy more successful careers.

SLEEP ON IT.

Getting enough sleep is important to your health, alertness and attitude.  Worries over a job loss or finances can be a cause of insomnia.  But losing sleep will only make it harder to get back on your feet.  Again, the exercise and diet will help, but take further action to insure you’re getting enough rest.

A few tips to a better nights’ sleep:  Don’t watch TV before bedtime.  Read or meditate or make love (a personal favorite).  Don’t snack.  Make your bedroom and bed as inviting as you can.  Keep the room temperature between 65 and 68 degrees.  And go to sleep at the same time every night.  Stay away from sleep medications; they often do more harm than good in the long run.

7 Steps for Staging Your Home

You want to create a welcoming atmosphere and ambience as well as an emotional connection with your prospective buyers. Here are 7 Helpful Steps to increase your bottom line and expedite your sale.

1. Curb Appeal, fresh paint, manicured yard and bright flowers are warm and welcoming.

2. Have windows sparkling clean.

3. Fresh paint on interior walls. Using neutral colors are always best when selling.

4. Minimalism, be sure to pack away anything you will not be using.

5. Stage with furniture, if you have already moved out, its highly recommended to warm it up with furniture and accessories.

6. Create a welcome atmosphere with fresh cut flowers, scented candles, fresh baked cookies or bread.

7. Hide all hints of pets.

Jennifer Jestin is a Certified Home Staging Consultant.

 

Surviving Job Loss

There are many people who are now suddenly unemployed. Here are ten tips to help you deal with the turmoil and pain of losing a job you need and may love. My wish for you is that you never have to use them. 

1.     Don't let fear control you. Many people get frozen because they don't know what to do, so they opt to do nothing and instead just worry. It's appropriate to be concerned, but you also have to start making the necessary moves to insure your comfort and survival.

2.     Never underestimate the power of networking. Talk with people who can help you and follow any leads that come your way. Connect with others everyday to help you get another job. Send out resumes, and keep your contacts alive.

 3.     Find emotional support. There are numerous groups for the newly unemployed, many with counselors and job coaching. You don't need to tough it out, go it alone, or reinvent the wheel.

4.     Go on practice interviews. Even if it's a job for which you are way over qualified, or even under qualified, go on the interview. The more interviews you do, the more comfortable you will be with them, and when the right one comes alone, you'll nail it.

 5.     Apply for unemployment. It may not feel too good, but the real truth is that your previous employer paid for the insurance, and it is perfectly acceptable to use it. Also make sure you have some health insurance as well.

 6.     Don't try to mask your pain by substance use. Yes, a nice glass of wine can definitely take the edge off. But if you start having more than one drink or using drugs on a daily basis, pull yourself out of the pattern before it becomes an addiction.

7.     Don't spend too much time alone. You will need some time to grieve in order to move on, but you can't find a gig if you isolate, so get out there and investigate who is hiring. Remember that an in person meeting is always better than an e-mail.

 8.     Create a routine and stick to it. It is very easy to get out of the rhythm of going to work (or looking for work) every day. Make looking for a job your new job for right now.

9.     Beware of the desire to make big changes. Don't move to another town (or into your parent's house) right away. If you are financially strapped, having to move may be a necessity, but don't do it out of panic.

 10.  Research. Find out what others did who have not just survived but thrived after their jobs ended. There are also some great books on job hunting and creating home-based and Internet businesses.

 Dr. Goldsmith's new book "Emotional Fitness at Work" (Career Press) will be released this fall.

Boom or Bust Tips for 40+ Job Hunters

So, you’re out of a job and over 40 and you think you’ll never work again.  During particularly cloudy days you may begin thinking your working life is over.  Actually, you’ve just been given the chance of a lifetime.  From every chaotic upheaval there comes tremendous opportunity.  Make the right choices now and you can create the life you’ve always dreamed of having. 

A recent survey found that more than 1 in 4 Boomers say they never expect to retire.  This is both by choice and by necessity (retirement savings took a $2 trillion dollar hit in 2008).  So Boomers, let’s start brushing up on your job-hunting skills.  You’ll need it.

IT’S A WHOLE NEW WORLD

If you haven’t been looking for a job recently (as in the past three years) it’s, well, changed.  A lot. 

Some of the basics remain.  Networking is more important than ever but has changed in style and technique.  Resumes are vital, but these have also evolved to meet new requirements.  Of course, interviews are critical.  However, the interview process today is much different than just a few years ago.  Change is happening now faster than ever before.

The world of work is in chaos.  The economic meltdown has created tectonic upheaval in the world of work.  Entire industries are disintegrating and reforming in often unrecognizable structures.  Who would have ever thought that the American auto industry would vaporize before our eyes?  If the old saying, “What’s good for General Motors is good for America.” is still valid, we are in a heap of trouble.

Who could have imagined just two years ago that century old Wall Street stalwarts like Merrill-Lynch and Lehman Brothers could so quickly disappear from the business scene?

Often, through no fault of their own, highly capable and effective people find themselves without a job.  At last count the number of people in this condition numbered more than 6 million.

THE INTERNET CHANGED EVERYTHING.

Ten years ago (it sometimes seems like a century) the Internet played almost no role in job hunting.  Online job sites like Monster.com were in the planning stages.  Social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn were yet to be developed.  Job blogs didn’t exist (in fact, blogs didn’t exist until 2001). 

Few, if any, employers conducted internet searches to review job candidates’ online “brand” even five years ago.    Advanced ATS (applicant tracking systems) resume processing algorithms, job sites, personal websites and blogs---almost the entire career management process---did not yet exist.  Now it’s hard to imagine job-hunting without the Internet.

Instead of the time and work savings promised by the computer revolution, it has only made life much more complicated.  For example, a recent survey of workers found that 36% believed they got more done before the era of email.  Now you’ve got to set aside an hour or two a day just to manage your email, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.  Life didn’t get simpler, it got more complex.  So too with job hunting---or career management, as it’s called now.  But, unless the Luddites gain significant influence, our new world of work is here to stay.  And it’s likely to get even more sophisticated and challenging. 

THE NEW RULES.

So, if you haven’t been job hunting recently, it’s important to learn the new rules.  There’s a lot of stuff you probably don’t know that you need to know to stay competitive.  Being over 40 in an increasingly youth centered world also poses special obstacles that must be overcome.  Ironically, experience is often viewed negatively---you’re not wise and capable anymore---you are expensive and “out of touch” to many hiring managers.  Younger workers---despite having little real world experience, undeveloped business skills and a culture where loyalty is looked upon with disdain---are seen as less expensive and more ”relevant” to our brave new world.

And when there are more job seekers than jobs, the over 40 worker must adapt or see their career die.  That means reinventing yourself and learning to be highly proactive in managing the direction of your career.  However, today represents the best opportunity in a generation to vastly improve your life.   It all depends on how you experience it.

START WITH YOU.

Before you do anything directly related to finding a new job or creating a new career, start with creating a new you.  Take stock of yourself honestly and chart out the improvements you need to make in order to be competitive in today’s job market.

You want to find the fine line between the benefits of your age and the negatives.  Projecting “old” is not good.  Take a look at what you wear.  Do your clothes make you “frumpy” looking?  Even if you own stylish clothes, if you haven’t purchased anything new in five years your clothes are probably worn and dated.  Regardless, new clothes will help you feel confident---and confidence is essential to career success.

Continued Next Week

Golf Threatens The World

Take Boomer Baby Steps for Weight Loss That Lasts

I hear people talking about the frustrations of losing weight and keeping it off almost daily. The key is to look at your lifestyle and see where you can make little changes to empower your goals and sustain the body weight you desire. Baby boomers can take charge of their lives with baby steps toward healthier food and exercise choices. Let’s look at a few tools that can help.

The first thing I suggest is to buy a notebook that will be your own personal health journal. Take a day to record what you consider to be your successes and your challenges. Buy some star stickers and put a star near the successes to reward yourself for them. They can be drinking more water, or a 10 minute walk to start getting your body moving. Maybe you switched from your usual mashed potatoes to a small portion of brown rice. If you drink a lot of caffeine, maybe you’ve decided to drink decaffeinated tea or coffee. These are baby steps that will take you far if you acknowledge them and let them give you confidence to make more small changes.

Now let’s look at the challenges. If you wrote down that you ate 4 cookies in the office kitchen or you drank a big soda at lunch, don’t give yourself grief. Look at this as discovery and a way to make change. So in your health journal, write each challenge on the left side of the page and on the right side put down what you consider to be a healthier option. So for example, if you wrote down 4 cookies, an example of a healthier option you can write is a red delicious apple or 1/2 of a granola bar with a tall glass of water with fruit slices in it. If you wrote down that you sat on a couch and watched television while eating chips, a healthier choice you could write is a 10 minute walk around the neighborhood breathing in fresh air and enjoying the time to think about people you love.

It’s all about making healthy choices. Before you grab something to eat or drink that will bring you pleasure for about 5 or 10 minutes, think about how you’ll feel afterwards. Now before you eat or drink that item, think of a substitute for that which will taste good but make you feel good about yourself for a much longer period of time. It’s all about decisions. If you don’t make a good decision, learn from it. Remember how you felt when you did it and let it be a helper for you to make a better choice next time. Give yourself credit for the successes. Write them in your journal each night and go to sleep with that feeling of victory. This will permeate your subconscious mind with success thoughts that will breed more success.

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Boomer or Bust? Job Hunting in the New Millennia

Since a lot of Baby Boomers have found themselves unexpectedly on the job market for the first time in years, I thought it might be a good idea to provide a primer on how to get hired by people who used to be your kids.  If you’ve been out job hunting you know that at some point in recent years every business in America was taken over by 22 year olds.

These people aren’t dumb, on the contrary.  They are smart---and wired from birth to operate any techy piece of machinery without having to read the Owner’s Manual.  But it’s hard to have any real working knowledge with only months of experience on the job.

Still, we are now working for them.

First you’ll need to spruce up your resume.  Rule number one.  Never use the word “Senior” in your resume.  In the minds of the young it conjures up images of toothless shriveled cronies doddering around waving their canes at, well, the young.  Don’t use “highly experienced” as a substitute.  Remember, you’ll be working for inexperienced folks and these people don’t like being reminded of it, especially by someone who may be older than their own parents. 

“Mature” is a fairly safe word to use.  The people you will be working for and with like to be thought of as mature, even as they attend meetings in jeans, tee-shirts and baseball hats turned backwards after just coming from a heated game of foozball with a colleague. 

Rule number two---lie on your resume.  I know it’s frowned upon by those stick-in-the-mud job sites, HR types and the criminal courts, but do you want a job or do you want to live in a cardboard box?  Enough said.  Make up stuff that sounds hip and cool and obtuse.  Titles like Chief Existential Eco Guru work well.  Nobody knows what it means but it sounds so au courant. 

Drop a bunch of words and phrases into your resume like “optimized the SEO applet widget” or “Installed social networking microsite phalangic morphisms into the mainframe downline cloud.”  It’s total gibberish but none of the 20-somethings you’ll be working for will admit they have no idea what it means.  It sounds cool.  Maybe even innovative.  Who knows?  Do you know?  I don’t know.

Avoid historical references of any kind beyond the year 2000.  Very little of it is acknowledged as existing by these people.  If you served in the war in Viet Nam, drop it from your resume.  To these people it’s one and the same as the Civil War, maybe even around the same time.  History isn’t their strong suit.

Don’t talk about what you can do for the company but what you can do for the children, I mean employees, working there.  Remember, this is the instant gratification generation we Boomers created.  They want what they want when they want it and they’re used to getting it when they want it.  Which is now.

That’s why the Executive VP hiring you (maybe, but probably not) is only 23.  No waiting around for some inconvenient obstacle like experience to get where they want to go for these people.  Don’t forget, we created these little monsters and like Dr. Frankenstein we have to live with the results.

If you put Other Interests in your resume be sure to include “active” stuff like rock climbing, windsurfing, playing Grand Theft Auto, all night binges and twittering so they have some basis for identifying with you.  Speaking of Twittering, be sure to also have a Facebook page, Plaxo account and LinkedIn.  Learn a few social networking buzz words so you seem relevant (if that’s even possible).

Get an iPhone and some cool apps.  I like Turrets, the app you secretly download on the iPhones of people you don’t like.  They’ll be in a meeting or at a party and suddenly their iPhone shouts “Shit!!!” or “Butt hole!!” or “Crap Face!!!”  If you see a position at a company you like that someone else unfortunately already holds, send the Turrets app to their iPhone and maybe it will be available soon.

Never ever say your interests include restoring antique cars (antique subliminally translates as old) or reading books (Books? What the…?) or, god forbid, spending time with your wife and six kids.  Marriage = bad too.  And old.  Remember these people just “hook up.”

Remember when our generation couldn’t trust anyone over thirty.  Well, now they don’t hire anyone over thirty.  The only old wise person acknowledged by these people is the Dalai Lama.  But they would never invite him to go binge drinking.  Or hire him as a junior account executive.

One “Hail Mary” shot at getting hired when you’re a Boomer is to mention how hiring you will help the firm avoid any Age Discrimination suits in the future.  You’ll have to finesse how you word this or it could seem like a threat, which it is.  Your chance of this ploy working is infinitesimal, but then so are your chances of getting hired.  So consider giving it a shot.

Never wear a suit to an interview.  These people have seen photos of men wearing them but have never actually owned a suit themselves.  Avoid the Gordon Gecko look we all loved so much in the ancient 80s.  If you have the body for it (or a body at all) you might consider wearing an unlaundered tee-shirt that says “F*%K You” on it or some other Gen X witticism.  Just avoid the “Dad” look at all costs (although they may slip up and call you that now and then).  Go for the deranged older brother look instead.  It will confuse them.  Or rather confuse them more.

It’s more than OK to wear a baseball hat.  These people all wear them, male or female.  You can wear it any old way you want too---straight on, sideways or the ever-popular backwards.  It can say Google or Clonetec or even SF Giants on it---but if it says John Deere you will be buried up to your neck and stoned to death by IT nerds.  It’s also OK to wear your baseball hat 24/7, which is Web 2.0 talk for “always.”

By the way, be prepared to work 24/7.  It’s what these people do when they aren’t binge drinking.  It’s not hard work but more like playing office.

Bald is not good either.  If you’ve got that genetic male pattern Dick Cheney look going on you may as well just shoot yourself.  Your career is over.  Now that the Republicans are out of favor you won’t even be able to fall back on a government job, where looks and even ability have never mattered much.

Your only hope is to go the Bruce Willis route.  You may look like Mr. Clean but at least this is acceptably cool to these people.  Avoid tattoos or any metal objects inserted under your skin as this will be frowned upon as over-reaching, despite its ubiquitous usage by these people.  You could grow a mustache and goatee.  Depends upon what kind of face you have whether this will make you look hip or just old.  Old is not good.  However, facial hair does have the advantage of covering up those unsightly wrinkles.  Not recommended for Boomer ladies though.  They’ll want to get rid of any post menopausal facial hair.

If you weigh more than 145 pounds (100 for women) you’ll need to call Jenny Craig or spring for some major liposuction.  You cannot be fat with these people. The men all have 28 inch waists and the women look as if a strong wind would blow them away.  Remember, they haven’t fully matured yet---as you unfortunately have.

Oh, and get your teeth whitened.  These people all have teeth as white as a 125 rated sheet of copy paper.  You also may want to pop for some orthodontist to straighten out your teeth in order to be competitive (remember the tens of thousands of dollars you spent so these kids all had movies star perfect smiles?).  Or you could adopt a sullen attitude and just never smile.

After you’ve figured out what to wear, lost a bunch of weight, shaved your head, and spent the equivalent of a new Aston-Martin on your teeth, go look in the mirror.  Ask yourself if you can imagine these people, your potential co-workers, inviting you along to their favorite watering hole to binge drink with them.  You may have to stretch your imagination some. 

If you are so lucky as to get an interview (likely because on your resume you dropped your first six jobs, didn’t put dates on anything and made up new titles that didn’t sound as important as the real ones), and you are now waiting in the lobby for the HR gal, here’s a tip---NEVER eye the cute young receptionist with that soulful look that worked so well for you back in the days of the Bee Gees.  She won’t like you for that. 

You could easily get slapped with a sexual harassment suit before you even get the job.  Despite their own profligate ways and scores of sex partners of both sexes, these people are touchy (or more accurately, not touchy) about minor politically incorrect stuff.  And if later at an office party the young just-out-of-grad school Executive VP, in a drunken haze, wants to “do you” the response is to flee.  Just flee.  Even if you’ve fantasized about it, trust me, it won’t be a pretty scene in real life.  Especially when she sobers up later in the month and recalls that it was the “old guy” she did.

Now, if you do miraculously get hired, because you’re just so good or they made a big mistake in judgment, never never NEVER show how smart you are with these people.  Just like you probably dumbed down your resume to get hired, now you have to actually be dumb to fit in with these people.

Keep in mind always that their prefrontal cortex is still developing.   They are not fully realized human beings yet.  It will help explain why the decision to paint the company slogan on herds of goats and release them downtown during rush hour was unanimously adopted as the firm’s ad campaign.  Or why the Marketing Director glued all his furniture to the ceiling so his office would be upside down, thereby providing a “new perspective” on things.  Or why everyone suddenly decided en masse to take a week off to go binge drinking.  Don’t panic.  Being dumb takes a lot of pressure off you.

This being dumb all the time also makes employment a bit tricky, since they presumably hired you to do something.  Here’s a few ways to massage this situation so you can be dumb and not appear dumb. 

When it’s suggested that everyone attend the funeral of a stranger as a “bonding” exercise just say, “Got your back there Jason.”  Big smile.  I don’t know what it means either.

Or when one of the VPs recommends putting Red Bull in the water cooler say “Brittany, what a great idea---as usual.”  Say this like you mean it.

Or “Fantastic plan there Kelly.  A baseball hat for every man, woman and child in the United States with our company logo on it.  Now we know why they made you President at 28.” 

Or “Sure, I think poisoning the water coolers at our competitors makes a LOT of sense Jennifer.”

DON’T say, “Gosh Robbie that’s the bestest idea ever since Gallileo invented the telescope.”  I’m not sure saying this is a good idea even if your boss is another Boomer, but these people don’t know who Gallileo is, or was. They think it’s a brand of salami.  Remember, nothing important existed before these people were 12.  Some are downright disbelieving if you are so stupid as to tell them what it was like in the era of Selectric typewriters, mimeograph machines, phone booths and reel-to-reel tape recorders.  “You mean, like, computers didn’t even exist?  Omigod!!”

You’ll quickly notice that businesses are pretty quiet places these days.  What with all the twittering and texting and emailing and downloading useful stuff from porn sites and the like, no one really talks much anymore.  Don’t be surprised at a meeting if no one talks at all but just texts each other.  These people aren’t into face to-face-socializing (except when they’re binge drinking).

Low-key is the key to success here.  Always credit your company-saving ideas to Emily or Jacob or one of the Jennifers.  They have no clue if anything they did actually contributed to the success of the company but won’t mind taking the credit for it anyway.  That constant self-esteem building praise we gave them when they were in grade school a couple years ago is coming back to haunt us now. 

Well, I hope I helped make it easier for you to find a job.  It’s tough out there for us Boomers.  We’re fighting a scorched earth battle against the age thing and usually we think we’re winning, or at least not losing so fast.  Then you go apply for a job that sounds as if it was written just for you and a couple weeks later get a form letter saying they found someone more “suitable” for the job.  How can someone be more suitable for a job that is in perfect alignment with your skills, education, experience and knowledge?  What’s more perfect than perfect? 

Do you think it might be because they figured out you’re 52, not 22?

We’re not really ready to become Wal-Mart greeters and we didn’t save enough to buy a McDonald’s Happy Meal, much less retire comfortably, and our bodies aren’t behaving as they should and it’s all happening at a time when the world needs us again to get back on its feet.  We can create another bubble, I know we can.  We have two under our belts already this decade. 

If you can’t get a job you can always start a business or invent something useful for us Boomers.  Motorized walkers by BMW equipped with GPS, Hi Def TV and an iPhone could be a big idea.  Face transplants are all the rage now.  Maybe we can have a face and body transplant---and be 22 again!

Baby Boomer Barbie Turned 50 This Year

Baby Boomer Barbie turned 50 this year and she is looking pretty hot.

Mattel rolled out the the pink carpet to celebrate at a Barbie human sized "Malibu Dream House" in Malibu designed by Jonathan Adler.

Try this cocktail recipe in honor of Barbie's 50th

The Barbie Doll

Ingredients

2 oz. Pineapple Juice
2 oz. Sprite
1 oz. Malibu Rum
1 oz. Raspberry Sourpuss

How are you celebrating your 50th? Prefer low key?

Have a Wine (not whine) and Cheese Party

TIPS FOR GREAT WINE AND CHEESE PAIRINGS

When cheese and wine is perfectly matched the experience is wonderful. Both the cheese and wine flavors will be enhanced almost jumping out at you. There are so many choices and combinations for cheese and wine pairings. However, below are 4 popular wines and general descriptions for cheese selections from Artisanal Premium Cheese.

Pairing Cheese with Cabernet Sauvignon - The Cabernet Sauvignon grape generally favors cow's milk cheeses and generally works well with washed rind variety of cow's milk cheeses, from young to well-aged. Cabernets also tolerate many milder blues. The prominent cedar, lead pencil, and tobacco flavors associated with this varietal often clash with the acids that are typical of most goat's milk cheeses. When paired with sheep milk cheeses the grape blends fairly well at the start but the finish is usually less rewarding.

Pairing Cheese with Pinot Noir - Pinot Noirs with their red berry flavors and floral aromas meld well with natural rinded cow's milk cheeses, and many of the sheep milk cheeses, including the Iberian thistle-renneted cheeses. Pinots are rarely successful with blue cheeses, washed rind cheeses, or goat milk cheeses. The acids in these cheese types can ruin a fine Pinot Noir. One exception to the rule is with mixed milk cheeses that have goat's milk, these have the potential to pair well with Pinot Noir.

Pairing Cheese with Chardonnay - Chardonnays work well with washed rind cow's milk cheeses as well as many cow's milk blues. The apple, pear and citrus flavors of the grape generally meld with the acids found in goat's milk cheeses as well. Even the super-aged cow or goat's milk cheeses can dissolve well into this varietal. 100% sheep's milk cheeses are usually much less successful, especially the Iberian thistle-renneted cheeses.

Pairing Cheese with Champagne - The success Champagnes enjoy with cheese can be largely attributed to their effervescence - the bubbles have a wonderful "lift" and help break down the acids and butterfats. Champagnes also have a degree of acidity and sweetness that gives them special affinities

Shopping Tip: Rule of thumb is one-half bottle of wine and 4 ounces o cheese person.

Serving Tips: Serve the cheeses at room temperature. Offer a minimum of 6 cheese from soft, semi-hard to hard. Present the cheese in blocks or wedges and have a cheese plane, slicer or cheese knives handy so guests can cut their own. Offer thinly sliced or cubed baguettes and plain crackers in a basket.

 

 

Best Boomer Towns Talk Show Guest, Glenn Lyons, CEO of Downtown Tucson Partnership

My name is Glenn Lyons.  I am 55 years old.  I was born in Detroit.  I attended university in Canada and spent the last 30 years in Calgary, Alberta.  Two years ago, I decided to return to the United States, in part, so that my 86 year-old mother could live near me. 

After so many bitter winters on the Northern Prairies, I was looking for a more temperate climate to live in.  I also had a preference for living in a university town, which had both an intellectual and a multi-cultural complexion.

My partner, Marilyn, and I, had the pleasure of visiting Tucson two years ago in January.  It was warm, very welcoming, and an incredibly eclectic place.  Tucson is one of the oldest communities in America.  It has a very large Hispanic community and a rich Sonoran history.  The University of Arizona is a strong influence here, both in terms of science and technology – as well as arts and culture

Tucson, a city of one million people, has a professional symphony, opera, ballet, Theatre Company, Broadway plays, a major art museum, and a wonderful desert museum. It is a great musical location, with strong local sounds and countless traveling road shows. 

About two months after we arrived, we realized just what a jewel we had found.  We promptly cut our travel budget in half and quadrupled our entertainment budget.  Tucson has just about everything a local culture can offer.

The desert is also very compelling, with its mountains, basins, statuesque Saguaro Cacti, and majestic sunsets.  Life is tenuous on the desert and we are reminded that our existence on the earth is fleeting.

I can’t think of anywhere that I would rather be than here in Tucson.

 

You’re Not Getting Older. You’re Getting Better!

“You’re not getting older. You’re getting better.”

Kenny Perry was 11 years old when Loving Care hit the airwaves with that slick advertising campaign in 1971. And it applies just as much to the Kentucky –born Boomer’s 2009 season as it did to the women who graced the television screens of his childhood.

Perry came within a hair – sorry, couldn’t resist – of winning last week’s Master’s at Augusta National, where he was tied for the lead after 72 holes of regulation play before falling just short on the second playoff hole to Argentina’s Angel Cabrera.

For the 48-year-old Perry, it was another masterful performance for a man that has taken the stage away from Vijay Singh of late as the darling of Boomers who enjoy seeing one of their own kick butt on a PGA Tour golfing stage usually headlined by Gen X’ers and Gen Y’ers.

Perry’s run to the top of the Boomerboard began with three regular-season wins last year as part of his concerted effort to make the 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup squad. Not only did he qualify for the game’s premier event, held at Louisville’s Valhalla Golf Club in his home state, he put together one of the most clutch performances ever by a U.S. player.

Competing before friends and family, including 84-year-old father Ken dressed in his traditional overalls, Perry beat Henrik Stenson 3 and 2 in singles, giving him a 2-1-1 record and hero status among U.S. fans.

“I said this was going to define my career, but you know what, it made my career,” Perry said at the time.

But what he has made since the Ryder Cup isn’t exactly chopped liver.

Perry is No. 3 on the PGA Tour money list having earned more than $2.6 million in 2009. He has won one event this year, February’s FBR Open at the TPC Scottsdale. Combined with his three victories in 2008, that means 40 percent of his 10 career victories have come in a little over a year. And he has six top 10 finishes this season.

Doesn’t sound like a Boomer who is ready to slow down.

In a CBSSports.com article published during Masters week, Perry and his father discussed parenting methods and health practices that could send those two disciplines back to the days of Loving Care commercials.

Senior writer Steve Elling noted that when Perry was a youngster, his father “habitually whipped his boy in card games, board games, shooting baskets, playing golf and just about any other competition they could conjure up. Pops talked a slew of Kentucky trash while he was winning, too. ‘I am going to beat you until I die,’ Ken Perry told his son with a cackle.”

Won’t hear that philosophy on many feel-good, morning talk shows these days. Hard to argue with the results, though, the Master’s runner-up notes of his dad’s parenting style.

“He beat me so bad, [I] cried all the time, because he just beat on me,” the younger Perry told Elling. “Then he would laugh in my face as he was doing it. You know, he was a smart man. He taught me a lot.”

And how about all those fitness trailers, personal trainers and nutritionists tagging along after today’s PGA Tour stars? Perry seems to run against the tide in the seas of contemporary advice regarding diet and exercise.

“Physically, I’ve always been real good,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve lost anything from my mid-20s to now. You know, I don’t really work out. I can’t really say I’m working out or anything like that. And I don’t really watch what I eat, but yet, it’s working.”

“I feel like I’m just as strong and I feel like I hit it just as far. I think we have got more experience on the young guys. In the long run, I’d take a guy with more experience and know-how.”

Perry’s know-how seems to extend beyond the borders of the golf course and into how Boomers might want to live their lives.

“You know what, everything is a bonus now, it really is,” Perry told Elling. “I’m just going through each and every day enjoying life a little bit.”

And just to show the Titleist doesn’t fall far from the golf bag, the younger Perry says something that sounds like it might have also been spoken by his dad.

“I think I can win. You know, I’m not going out there very casually. I’m burning inside, wanting to kick everybody’s butt.”

The Number of Americans and Canadians Living Abroad

The number of Americans and Canadians living abroad, by today's count approximately 7 million (according to The Washington Post), is twice the population of Chicago and greater than that of 33 U.S. States. A number that has grown steadily over the past decade, and it is expected to more than double within ten years. In the next 20 years, 100 million baby boomers, from the USA and Canada, are going to retire. Five million baby boomers turn age 60 each year, Ten Thousand per day, Eight per minute, and scores of them are purchasing property abroad as vacation homes or investment homes. Naturally, many of them are auditioning these homes for potential primary retirement residences.

There is also a strong upward trend in the number of North Americans traveling abroad for healthcare. According to the Medical Tourism Association, demand among U.S. residents for medical treatment (including elective surgery) in other countries will quadruple from 1.5 million patients in 2008 to 6 million in 2010.

http://BoomersAbroad.com was born in direct response to hundreds of conversations with baby boomers from the USA and Canada who were seeking a new life, and to better understand how they might live abroad, travel abroad, relocate abroad, retire abroad and/or invest abroad.

"Using the online community model, our goal is to provide the necessary information, education, guidance, resources, tools and alternatives to start boomers down the path of discovering and understanding all that living, retiring and investing abroad has to offer. Everybody learns from everybody. We understand the proven power of collaboration. It is collective wisdom." said Luis Miranda, CEO of Boomers Abroad.

Leading industry experts and many of those who have journeyed ahead will share their personal experiences and knowledge in a great variety of areas, such as: top destinations, community highlights, attractions, real estate, mortgages, using IRAs, finance and lending, healthcare and insurance, language issues, taxation, immigration, legal matters, title insurance, relocation process, lifestyle, things to do, etc.

At http://BoomersAbroad.com online community members can ask experts their questions, create their own profiles, join groups of those who share their particular interests, create their own groups, make friends, upload photos, and have their own blogs, among other features

Wellness Boomer Style

I’ve had the privilege of coaching mother and daughters, husbands and wives and best friends.  The success rate is much higher when you partner up for exercise, for healthier eating and for an overall healthy lifestyle.

First, let’s throw out the word diet.  It has negative connotations and people associate it right away with deprivation.  So let’s instead use the phrase healthy eating.  We need to change how we look at food and it all starts with families, says former FDA commissioner David A. Kessler, MD, author of The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite.  As children, if we are rewarded with treats in an effort to pacify us or get us to eat something healthy like brussel sprout, it sets off reward centers in the brain, says Kessler, creating a sense of pleasure and a desire to overeat.  Using food to brighten a child’s mood can jump-start emotional eating that carries on into adulthood.  Also if you give a child ice cream as a reward to eat brussel sprouts, it send the signal to the brain that ice cream is good and brussel sprouts are bad.  So it’s important for us to get to the root of these beliefs and toss them to the wind. We can then replace them with thoughts that serve and support us.

One good thought to use is  “I am what I eat.  I eat healthy therefore I am healthy.” This isn’t something we can change overnight.  The awareness of the beliefs we were taught and the desire to change them will take some effort, but it’s worth the life transformation that comes with reprogramming our thoughts to live healthier.

So with that being said, let me explain why having a partner makes all the difference in sticking to a healthy lifestyle.   When you live with someone and you’re both determined to eat healthy or lose some unwanted pounds together, you have a built in support system from the start.  You can shop together, cook together, find great new recipes together and enjoy eating together.  You can also make it fun and a way to share an important aspect of your lives together, being healthy and staying healthy.  Along with that, you can find outdoor activities that are fun to do and give your bodies a workout. Maybe you can join the gym together.  

Baby boomers need to keep their bodies strong to enjoy life and have energy to do all that they want to do.

If you don’t have a willing partner, join an exercise class or a walking group.  There are many groups you can find on the internet.  This can be a fun way to exercise and meet other people that will understand and appreciate what you’re doing because they’re doing it too.

So in closing, I’d like to say, if you have a partner, child or friend that you can get on this healthy living program with, by all means, recruit them.  If you choose to do it by means of a class, go for it and pat yourself on the back for making the effort. Remember, it’s your body; take care of it and it will take care of you.

Five Books to Help Baby Boomers Better Understand Social Media

Baby Boomers Investment in Fitness

People arrive at middle age and become consumed with their financial investments and retirement funds.  This is all good because you need to set your nest egg up for your future and make sure you will have money saved for your golden years.  I’m going to suggest an investment that won’t cost much - except maybe a good supportive pair of work out shoes.  Exercise is an investment of your time and energy and the payoff is tremendous. Engaging in regular exercise increases an individual’s chances of staying well. According to the National Institute on Aging, people 65 and over become sick or disabled more often from not exercising than from exercising.

You start off easy and build your way up to a more challenging routine.  Even 10 minutes of walking, 5 minutes of stretching, and 5 minutes of light weight training a day will do you wonders. That’s a mere 20 minutes of your time.  The rewards are less stress, better sleep, increased energy and self-esteem and greater health. The good news is that this means less money shelled out for doctor visits and medication.

Of course, before starting any exercise program, get a doctors approval.  If you have special needs or limitations, it is wise to hire a knowledgeable personal trainer to get you started in the right direction.  If you can’t afford it, do a few sessions and have him or her write down a few different routines you can follow on your own. A good trainer will get your medical history and ask you if you have any areas that are causing you any discomfort before starting a routine for you.

Making your health a priority is the best investment you can make.  Think about that. You can have wealth and luxury but what good is it if your health prevents you from enjoying it?  Eat healthy low fat meals.  Make sure you get enough fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein in your diet.  Spend at least 5 minutes a day just relaxing your mind and breathing deeply and slowly.  And by all means get out there and move your body. Find ways to be active with a friend or spouse. You’ll feel younger and more limber. You’ll look and feel so much better. Others will be inspired by your healthy lifestyle and will want to know your secret.

Dr. G’s Success Principles

Lately much has been written about success – what it really is, how to get it, and what to do with it once you’ve gotten it. Rather than have you wade through 300 pages, I thought I’d narrow it down to ten tools that I’ve seen the “best of the best” use. Here they are:

1.The seeds of greatness are already inside you. Focus on one great thing that you do and remember that greatness in one area spills over into other areas.

2. Listen to your intuition. Trusting your instincts is what the Warren Buffets and Jack Welches do on a daily basis. Sure, you might not be right every time, but each success makes your skill set stronger.

3. Learning makes for great leaders. Continue to educate yourself and learn as much as you can about what you are currently doing and what you want to do in the future. Make sure that the people around you do the same.

4. The ultimate success is having the ability to live life on your own terms. If you’re doing what feels right, trust it. If you want something more or different, declare it for yourself and create an achievable plan to get there.

5. Realize that women and men to tend to measure their worth differently. Think about how you would view yourself if you were the opposite gender. Stop trying to “have it all,” because somewhere along the line you will accidentally drop something very important. In addition, the stress can kill you or at least make your work and/or life a living hell.

6. Money isn’t the root of all evil; people (rich or poor) are. Wealth only corrupts the corruptible. Money makes you more of what you already are. If you don’t like what you’ve become, remember that you have the power to change. By the way, negative thoughts about money can stop you from making it.

7. Know when to stop telling and start asking. The best leaders ask a lot of clarifying questions and offer brilliant solutions. There’s power in knowing how to ask the right questions, and there’s a lot more power when your clients and coworkers know you care.

8. Multitask. Most leaders know how to do several things at the same time and still be very effective. Delegation, concentration, and imagination will all serve you well. Focus on the task at hand, but when a team member requires your attention, be 100 percent there.

9. The heart weighs more than the wallet. Value people more than money. It’s about being able to help people with your success, not about how many toys you can buy.

10. Never stop reading. Make the effort to read material that is outside your normal field of interest. Integrating what you know with new information is where great ideas come from. The people I know who are truly successful are some of the most gracious and generous individuals on the planet. When people are truly feeling as if they are sharing their talents with the world, it gives them a good reason to help others by mentoring them and helping improve their lives by being a good example of how living successfully makes you, your company, and the world better.

Coming Soon, Baby Boomers Back in Demand!

By the sheer size of the Baby Boomer generation it impacts everything it encounters.  Now that Baby Boomers are entering their retirement years we’ll never likely think of “retirement” again in quite the same way.  Baby Boomers don’t retire—-they rewire themselves.  Expect this generation to reinvent itself yet again.

The majority of retired American who work now are retail salespersons.  However, Baby Boomers aren’t about to allow their considerable talents to lie fallow.  So don’t expect them to be rushing out for jobs at the hardware store or (god forbid) to be WalMart greeters.  They will find other things to do.

Still, let’s be real.  The people who hire are often younger than the kids Boomers have.  Not a good dynamic.  The saving grace is the considerable talent and experience Boomers bring to the job at a time when it is sorely needed.  Yes!  The kids will need us again!

You’ll be happy to know that a new study by the Urban Institute projects many exciting career opportunities for “seniors” (ouch) in the years to come—-and retail jobs were nowhere to be seen.  Also, these aren’t just pie-in-the-sky projections, most of these jobs already employ large numbers of 55+ age workers. 

They include fields as diverse as veterinarians (there are more than 80 million cats and dogs in the U.S.), financial advisors (we sure need these), and registered nurses (despite their best efforts Boomers will get sick as they age).  The country will need nearly 5 million teachers and nurses alone in the next ten years.  About a million of these will be Baby Boomers.

Of the top-rated industries for Boomers identified by the Urban Institute, all are expected to grow by at least 20% or more by 2016—-twice the rate for the country’s labor force as a whole.  Also, once the current economic crisis passes and things return to normal it’s projected that a labor shortage will occur.  Boomers will find themselves more in demand than any previous “retired” generation.

The traditional concept of retirement is fast changing.  No longer do most retirement- age Americans expect (or want) to sit idle, play endless rounds of golf or lounge around the pool at the local Leisure World.  Boomers like to work.  They want to make a difference.  And they will. The jobs Boomers will fill in the future require experience, education, skills and the ability to work well with people.  Many of the jobs fit Boomers’ new realities and are less physically challenging and available part-time. 

It’s also vital to American economic growth that millions of the most talented and experienced citizens stay involved.  Employed Boomers now comprise almost one-fifth of the work force.  That figure is sure to grow—and help fuel the engine of the world’s greatest economy.  To paraphrase an old saying, what’s good for Boomers is good for the nation.

Listed below in order of projected growth are the 20 Jobs for older workers that the Urban Institute projects will be the “hottest” occupations for Boomers.

                    2007         Projected %           Workers 55+
Employment           10-Year Growth

Personal/home-care aides           794,846           50.7%       23.4%

Personal financial advisors       343,170       40.9%                   18.8%

Veterinarians           66,824   35.5%         22.4%

Social/Community service         340,736     24.6%         24.4%
Managers

Entertainment attendants     163,717 23.8%     21.1%

Surveyors, cartographers,           42,128       23.6%     16.9%
Photogrammetrists

Environmental scientists     102,766       23.6%       20.2%

Registered nurses       2,608,762       23.4%       17.9%

Animal trainers         45,072     23.3%       23.0%

Instructional coordinators   24,165     23.3%           32.0%

Locksmiths (and safe repair)        25,047     23.1%           25.4%

Teachers (post-secondary)         1,357,642     22.8%           27.0%

Archivists, curators and museum     56,396     22.2%           24.7%
technicians

Social workers       728,481     22.2%           17.5%

Management analysts     622,978   22.0%           26.5%

Pharmacists       229,830   21.8%           21.4%

Counselors       707,527   21.4%           18.2%

Business operations specialists 100,367   20.9%         18.8%

Brokerage clerks         3,831   20.5%             29.5%

Religious workers 109,127   20.5%             32.5%

Now is a good time to begin preparing, through additional education or retraining, for some of these jobs.  With life expectancies increasing, you probably have another 20 to 30 working years left—-more time than it took Bill Gates and Steve Jobs to become multi-billionaires.

Eric Wentworth has more than three decades experience in the marketing communications industry.  He is the winner of more than 50 top awards for creativity in advertising and public relations.  Eric is the former owner of three small businesses.  His newest book, “A Plan for Life:  The 10 Decisions That Determine Your Success and Happiness in Life,” will be published during the summer, 2009.  He lives in Northern California and can be reached at 415-516-9342

Curbing Those Late Night Cravings

Many of my clients ask me how to stop their late night binging?  Well there are a number of things to do to change this habit, which is detrimental to maintaining your weight and makes it harder to lose those extra pounds if that is your goal.

It is better for you to eat small meals every 3 hours opposed to 3 big meals during the day. This will make your metabolism increase and burn more fat. Also, eating small meals more often will keep you from having your blood sugar levels drop. When this happens you will feel low energy, and crave comfort foods that are loaded with ingredients containing sugar and carbohydrates, which turn to sugar and store in your body as fat. What you need to realize is that waiting too long between meals makes your blood sugar levels drop and makes you feel so hungry that you’ll overeat.

Another thing to remember is to have meals that contain protein such as hard-boiled or scrambled egg whites; tofu, legumes, nuts and if you’re not a vegetarian include low sodium, lean beef, chicken, turkey or fish.  This will keep you feeling satisfied by keeping the hormone Ghrelin under control.  Ghrelin is the hormone that fuels hunger and when levels are high you can say hello to munchies.  Protein rich foods keep it under control.

Healthy fats in the diet should be included for a number of reasons. They make up part of all body cells, help us maintain body temperature, and even delay hunger pangs. Fats in the form of monounsaturated fat help raise levels of protective HDL cholesterol. Some of the foods that are a good source for monounsaturated fat are the almond and the avocado. Eat them in small portions. . A good example would be a 1/4 of a medium size avocado or 5 almonds. Carbohydrates are best in the earlier part of the day and necessary for energy.  Good choices are slow cooked oatmeal and yams.

So with that said, what can be done if at night we are hungry and need something to satisfy our needs?  One thing to do is to immediately drink a glass of water or a cup of herbal tea.  Then have something available for crunching that is low fat and still satisfying.  One thing that seems to work is raw vegetables and fat free ranch dressing. Add a hardboiled egg white for protein.  The key is to fill up a bit on the water or herbal tea and then eat a healthy choice such as this in moderation.  Another choice would be a small fat free yogurt with a tablespoon of slivered almonds, a tablespoon of protein powder and a handful of fresh berries.  When choosing fruits and vegetables, remember that they can add up in calories too.  This is why portion control is the key factor in managing your weight.  Another alternative can be 2 rice cakes (about 35 calories each) and a dab of peanut butter and jam on each one.  This will satisfy both the crunchy and the sweet cravings.

Alcohol and caffeine can make you crave sugar and carbohydrates when their effects wear off.  Avoid them as much as possible.  Limit yourself to one cup of coffee a day and consuming it earlier in the day is a better choice.  You can always opt for decaffeinated coffee or tea or herbal tea. I’ve seen the frustration that some of my clients go through when they are eating their small meals every 3 hours, working out at least 3 times a week and can’t give up their cocktails.  So all the hard work they’re doing is sabotaged by the calories consumed by the wine and liquor.  I’m not saying don’t have anything, just be aware of moderation.  One or two drinks a week is fine as long as you don’t have a problem with alcohol. A good choice can be a white wine spritzer which is club soda mixed with the wine.  If you do 50% wine and 50% club soda, you can have 2 of these and it equals one glass of wine in calories and alcohol consumption.

So be smart and have healthy snacks available when your cravings hit.  Drink water before having the snack and brush your teeth afterwards to clean your palate.

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10 Tips to Balance Work and Life

10 Tips to Balance Work and Life

Many people put work before family and relationships. At times, doing this may be a necessity. If the wolf is at the door, it’s understandable. But if you find that work has become your entire life, here are some tips to help you find your balance again.

1. If work occupies most of your thoughts, you’ve got your priorities messed up. Start by telling yourself that family comes first. Then do something to start making things up to them. It can be as simple as coming home early one night a week.

2. Write important dates (birthdays, anniversary, and so on) in your calendar and transfer them at the end of the year when you get a new one. If you use an electronic device, keep a hard copy backup.

3. There are times when you need to focus on yourself. If it’s not a terrorist attack, you owe yourself at least ten minutes of peace every day. Just meditate or stare out the window.

4. When you come home, leave your Blackberry in your car, so you can keep your attention where it belongs. If this creates too much anxiety for you, it’s a sign you’re life is not in balance.

5. Leave your work at the office, and unless it’s a true emergency, don’t take business calls at home. At the very least, turn off the ringer when you retire for the evening.

6. The Internet can be addictive and will eat up precious minutes if you let it. Spend the free time you have with real people who love you, not with some online stranger who might help you make some more money.

7. Make sure you dedicate as much time to your relationship as you do to your job. This can be done over time. If you travel a lot, try taking your mate along whenever possible.

8. Your loved ones know where your priorities are. Do everything you can to let them see that they are your first choice. Whenever you take a day off to be with family, it will pay you back tenfold.

9. Talking about your relationship is the most important tool you have to keep it on a positive track. Make sure you check in with the one you love at least once a week and talk about how your life together is going.

10. If you have the luxury of a paid vacation, use it this year. Things change quickly, and you need to make the most of what you’ve earned. The average American worker doesn’t use all of their vacation time.

You owe it to yourself and your family to create a balance between what you do and whom you love.

Strength Training For People 50 and over

The reality is that our bodies change as we get older and the risk of falls and injury increase. That’s why it is so important to do something as a preventative measure. Now I’m not asking you to become Superman or Wonder Woman and lift ridiculous amounts of weight. Consider a light weight training exercise program that will make you feel stronger, more energetic and have an abundance of health benefits.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) as we age, we need to do strength training (also called weight training or resistance training). This will substantially
slow down and reverse the declines in muscle mass, bone density, and strength. As people grow older, their muscle fibers shrink in number and in size (atrophy) and become less sensitive to messages from the central nervous system. This contributes to a decrease in strength, balance, and coordination. Inactivity is responsible for the majority of age associated muscle loss, but other factors include diet, smoking, alcohol usage and genetics.

The good news is that strength training can reverse much of this decline by increasing the size of atrophied muscle fibers. Free weights or machines provide resistance, but individuals can also get stronger by exercising in water. Aquatics are offered in many gyms and is a fun way to exercise using the resistance of water.

(ACSM) now has fitness guidelines specific to weight training for people over 50. The advice: perform such exercises 2 to 3 times a week to condition all of the major muscle groups—arms, legs, shoulders, and trunk.(the muscles of your abs and back).  The goal is to lift a weight that’s heavy enough to achieve 10 to 15 repetitions per session before the muscles become fatigued. For injury prevention it is recommended to do this for 3-4 weeks to build strength before walking long distances or engaging in other aerobic exercises.

Because aerobic activity and strength training are each important for health, the ACSM recommends that able adults do both on a regular basis; 20 to 60 minutes of aerobic activity is advised 3 to 5 days a week and weight training should be done for 20 to 30 minutes 2 to 3 times a week. The guidelines also suggest that people perform stretching exercises—which increase the range of motion, or amount of movement, of joints—a minimum of 2 to 3 times a week. 

The benefits of starting and maintaining an exercise program are countless.  Increasing bone mass lowers the risk of developing osteoporosis and fractures.  Strength training adds more weight to the skeleton by building muscle; this stimulates the bones to strengthen and grow to bear the heavier load on the muscles. Rheumatologists often recommend proper strength training because it doesn’t apply stress directly to joints so it is ideal for people with arthritis.  Although it cannot reverse arthritic changes, lifting weights helps alleviate symptoms by strengthening the muscles, tendons and ligaments that surround the joints. Additional benefits include independence and strength to do every day tasks, improving mood of mildly to moderately depressed individuals and better sleeping patterns. 

Learning proper techniques and form is important to get the most out of the exercise and to insure that the exercises are done safely and accurately. You shouldn’t experience pain while exercising.  When you begin, a little soreness the next day is normal.  As you become more consistent in your exercise program, the soreness will become milder and less frequent.  Stretching is important because as you work the muscles they shorten temporarily.  They must be stretched out to get back to their natural state. By doing this, it will minimize the amount of soreness. The more flexible you become by proper stretching (slow and gentle, never bouncing) the healthier and more energetic you’ll feel performing every day activities.

We Can Work It Out

The Beatles were still in their twenties when they wrote “We Can Work It Out,” but somehow they understood that even though resolving issues can be hard, it is better than trashing a relationship, a job or a deal. Here are ten tips to help you work things out.

1. When you’re having a difficult discussion, put your angry emotions aside. You can’t be logical when you’re mad. If you can’t contain your ire, it may be best to put talking on hold until after you calm down.

2. It’s not about who’s right or wrong. If you try to blame your co-worker/client or make him or her wrong, you won’t find an answer. You both have to take responsibility for getting things back on a positive track.

3. Look for the high road and discuss what’s best for everyone concerned. Don’t settle for anything less than equality and the knowledge that you are doing the right thing for yourself, your team mates and your clients.

4. Be humble and don’t rub a nose in a misstep. If you share your feelings with a dash of kindness, whoever is the offending party will learn from his or her mistake much easier.

5. You can agree to disagree, but don’t settle for less than a complete acceptance of each other’s point of view. If you walk away disappointed, you have not resolved your issue. For a business or personal relationship to work, you both have to feel like you have each other’s support.

6. Always have difficult conversations in private. You don’t want other’s to pick up the negativity; it can make them feel insecure about your performance ability. Remember that you can be heard behind closed doors, so keep the volume low and the vibe as calm as possible.

7. Before making a decision about how to handle a problem, make sure you consider all of your options. This requires some brainstorming and working together to create a positive solution. If done correctly, this process alone can heal the difficulty.

8. Don’t rush to judgment. You may not be able to come up with the best answers in the moment, so sleep on it before you decide on a course of action. If you still cannot reach a meeting of the minds, put the issue aside and look at it again in a few days.

9. Trust that you can find an answer that will work for everyone. Going into the discussion with an optimistic heart and mind will make working it out much easier.

10. Consolidate the gains of your discussion. Review out loud what you agreed upon, put it in writing, and then move on.

Most people avoid difficult conversations because they fear having an uncomfortable moment. I think a bad few minutes is better than an uncomfortable work-life. Truth is that those who are able to work things out have more successful lives and careers. Period.

After 55

Stretching Your Way To Wellness

When done properly, stretching feels good. The more you make the effort to stretch, the easier it gets and the more flexible you become. It’s that simple.

As an exercise specialist, I’ve encountered clients that say their muscles are tight and they wish they weren’t so achy. After we stretch for 5 minutes, the results are always the same. They feel relieved and more relaxed, they have more energy and they realize that it’s pretty simple to do.

To get started, it’s important to warm up the muscles and get the blood pumping first. A brisk walk for a few minutes is one way to do this. Any exercise equipment that you have handy such as a stationery bike or treadmill will suffice.

After you’ve warmed up, start with gentle stretching on a mat on the floor. Sit with you legs straight out in front of you. Make sure your knees are not locked and are slightly bent. Take a deep breath from your diaphragm (just below your navel) and as you exhale reach your hands to your knees. Now hold that position and take another breath. As you exhale, reach a little closer to your ankles. Don’t bounce while stretching. Hold these static stretches. Using your breathing will help you to exhale and relax into the stretch. Take your time with the stretch and let it be at your pace. This is a process that will get easier the more that you do it. Be consistent and you’ll be able to stretch with more range of motion each time. Doing it a little each day will gain better results and be safer than trying to over do it. Slow and gentle works best.

Another popular exercise that works wonders on stretching out the back is the cat stretch. On your knees and hands (on your elbows if your wrists aren’t up for it) make your back flat like a table and inhale. As you exhale round your back up like a giant C shape and stretch. Do this 5 times slowly then gently sit back on your feet and stretch your arms long. Come up slowly to your knees and then holding on to something stable gently stand up. For better balance, it’s always better to have something stable like a wall to lean against while getting in and out of exercise positions.

The more you stretch and exercise the more flexible you’ll feel and the more youthful and energetic you will be. Once you’ve attained greater flexibility, it’s important to maintain it and continue to stretch and exercise in ways that you find enjoyable.

If you want to try something fun, try a beginner dance class or yoga. This will focus on flexibility and get you out having fun and moving your body. Life is meant to be enjoyed at every age! Have fun with it!!

Money Matters

Millions of people in the business world are going through overwhelming and uncomfortable emotions due to the financial meltdown our nation is currently facing.

According to The American Psychological Association, the high level of stress associated with money problems is creating increased anxiety, depression, and tragically, even suicide. A recent Gallup poll states that worry about the economy is tied for first (along with healthcare) as the issue Americans are most concerned about, and therapists are saying they are counseling more business professionals on the emotions surrounding finances.

When things start to go wrong, many people find themselves dwelling on the worst possible outcome. It’s not abnormal, but there are a few steps you can take to help you regain your balance.

Instead of just thinking about the worst that could happen, you need to think about what the best scenario could be. This will help you see that your financial future may have some bright spots. It’s just an exercise, but play fair and let your mind find reasonable positive outcomes and it will help you release your anxiety.

The next step is to examine what it is that’s most likely to happen. There’s your real situation, and you need to grab hold of it.  You may find that you need to change your budget, work longer hours, or hire/fire to get the most bang for your buck. But you may also need to take steps on a different level.

Being financially insecure can permeate our lives and the fallout can be felt everywhere. You may be frightened our angry about the situation, and when you walk around in fear and anger, it leaks into all of your actions and effects your team. Like having a headache, you just aren’t your best self, and your co-workers will see it.

If what’s going on with the economy is causing you sleepless nights, or if you just can’t stop worrying, you need to actually do something deeper about it. There are hundreds of books and many consultants and counselors, financial, as well as emotional, who can at least answer some of your questions, and knowledge is power. Sticking your head in the sand won’t let you see a solution, and there always is one if you look hard enough.

A wise man once said, “If all your problems can be solved with money, then you haven’t got any real problems.” I’m sure most of us could find exceptions to this rule, but he makes a good point. Money can’t buy you health, love, or even happiness. It can buy you security, and that’s a lot, but it isn’t a replacement for physical wellbeing or for people who truly care for you.

So take stock of your emotional savings account, your mutual interest fund, and how fortunate you are to have great people around you. Now that’s hedging your bets.