Gen Plus -- Reinventing 50 Plus

Hello Gen

2011-07-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

Gen hello are you doing good? I am inviting you to join me in this , I have came ahead quite a bit since I started a week ago! Just have a read http://bit.ly/oa852s

Style that shows is only decorating, not style. -- Sidney Lument

2009-04-23T07:10:00.001-07:00

Sending a post via text message from my mobile. Microblogging on the go!

Migration complete!

2008-12-15T14:05:00.000-08:00

Hello all. This blog has been moved over to the WordPress platform. All posts from this location are now available at www.GenPlusUSA.com. If you are a subscriber, there should be no interruption in your delivery, however, if you haven't been getting your daily dose of Gen Plus, just head on over to the new and improved site (www.GenPlusUSA.com) and sign up again. There is a subscription field on the upper right of the webpage. See you there!!

Transparency

2008-12-11T16:58:00.000-08:00

Listening to Barack Obama talk about transparency in this mornings news conference rang true with my own personal efforts at reinventing the Gen Plus website. Over the past few years I received so many questions about setting up a blog or a website and so I'm doing something a bit bizarre. I'm going to be transparent about how I build my new site. Rather than unveil the "finished" product with a grand launch, I'll invite you to watch the evolution of the site!

Although I blog on Blogger, I'll be setting up the website using WordPress and if you head over to www.genplususa.com, in fact, you'll see a blank WordPress template replacing the old site. Over the next few weeks and months, you'll hopefully learn as I build it. When I first started with my first website, the process was painful! There were no pre-built databases or shopping carts and my programmer, designer and I spent months on refining and building every aspect of the site. Now, of course, you can find most anything, so the learning curve is a lot less. If you have questions along the way, I'll answer them. If you want to try to build your own site, go for it!

But as a self-taught Boomer Blogger, if I can help you learn a thing or two along the way...why not? So, here is to transparency -- even if you don't understand what I'm doing right at this point.

BBC 96

2008-12-09T19:55:00.000-08:00

This week's BBC is up and running at So Baby Boomer, hosted by the always wonderful, John Agno. Enjoy.

Reinvention is....what?

2008-12-09T09:57:00.000-08:00

What a week. Unemployment numbers are up...way up (6.7%) some predictions see us heading up to as much as 8% unemployment. I'm sure the actual numbers are worse. There are so many 50 plus jobseekers who won't even show up on the actuarial studies -- people who have tried for so long to find work and may have even given up. Because I've been a steadfast advocate for the 50 plus jobseeker for almost 5 years now, I truly and honestly try to look at the trends and the news AND the forecasts to see how a Boomer or 50 plusser can try to get a leg up in the world of job search. And it is mighty hard.

Back in 2004 I decided to build a job board specifically for the 50 plus market (Gen Plus), which I did, and subsequently had thousands of 50 plus jobseekers searching my sight for 50 plus-friendly employers. I had several hundred (if not thousands) of jobs posted, mostly with national companies who had openings across the country. This was in the market of the past few years, where recruiting was becoming difficult as many of the Boomers started leaving the work force and a bit of a panic ensued, looking for qualified workers with some level of business or management skill. So, my job site catered to employers specifically looking for a Boomer/50 Plus jobseeker because of a need for those skills.

Fast forward to today. High unemployment, globally, companies are laying off thousands of workers, and those companies looking to staff up having the pick of the crop of unemployed talent. Which means that a job board search will give you very slim chances (in this climate) of getting a call to come in for an interview. On top of that, as an "expert" blogger (on AllExperts.com and at Eons.com), the through themes of unemployment challenges have become very specific -- i.e. finding a job is going to require going back to the basics of networking 101.

Because of that major shift (and one that I suspect will last for many years), I've decided to temporarily retire the Gen Plus job board and reinvent my site to reflect the current needs of jobseekers.

(That is NOT the same as this blog. THIS mouthpiece will continue to speak as long as you are interested in what I have to say!)

If you head over to www.genplususa.com as of next week, you'll see a placeholder while I get the new site up and running. I decided early on that if a plan was not going to benefit the Boomer/50 plus jobseeker, then I would not continue on that path. So, bear with me as I redirect my knowledge to be more helpful to the jobseeker. I'll let you know as soon as the new site is up and running.

If the climate changes again and there is a need to ressurrect the job bank, then I will, and gladly. To the thousands of jobseekers who have trusted their career search to me, thank you.

Gen Plus Nominated for Award

2008-12-04T01:43:00.001-08:00

It's always fun (and rewarding) to get a nomination in blogworld! So I'm very pleased to discover that my blog has been nominated on Divine Caroline! (See my new badge, visit Divine Caroline, and please vote for me! I'm very competitive and I appreciate the support.)

What the Stock Market and my Menopause may have in Common!

2008-12-02T05:23:00.000-08:00

If you are a male reader, don't be squeamish. Read on. For my female readers, especially those of you enduring never-ending hot flashes, you'll totally get it.

For some strange reason, I haven't found the stock market crash or the ensuing ups and downs of the exchanges, or even the imploding world economy, all that hard to relate to. None of it came as a surprise. Oddly, I have found that I relate to the volatile ups and downs that each new day brings. And last night (or through the night, shall we say), I finally figured out why.

Bear with me for another minute as I explain the menopausal process in MY skin. There are two major factors at play. One: my hormones are trying, with increasing fury, to force me to drop an egg in a last gasp at fertility. My hormones don't seem to realize that I've already had the child I'm going to have and have no plans on another. However, in this valiant attempt, every month, whether the menses arrives or not, my body puts me through torture as it tries to convince my tubes to produce and drop another egg. This creates hormonal surges which in turn reek havoc on my temperature regulators...meaning...hot flashes.

Two: Hand in hand with the hormonal fluctuations are mood swings, the likes of which I've never experienced in the past, and are absolutely, passionately horrific and have brought the worst out in me...actually worse than I could have thought possible. My general demeanor is calm, patient, infinitely kind and incredibly loving. This monster that strikes out from within is cranky, crabby, mean-spirited, angry and...yes...nasty. Just as the hot flashes surge, this nastiness, the other side of Janet, surfaces in full glory as my body tries to ovulate and then, crescendoes in a PMS (Pre-Menstrual Syndrome)worthy of Hollywood.

The minute I get my period, my hormones immediately (as in within minutes) go back to normal and my true nature (or let's just say the one I'm more used to) comes back for another couple of weeks until the entire vicious cycle starts again. And may I add that you don't just hot flash for a day...no...it goes on for one or two weeks at a time...from when you "should" have ovulated, all the way through to when you "should" have had a period.

What no one tells you is that regardless of whether or not you have your period, your hormones will still cause the uproar...and riot and storm...until you no longer have eggs to potentially drop.

Which brings me to last night. For the last couple of weeks, the flashes have flashed again. Just last week, sitting at a friend's home, in the space of 30 minutes I put on and took off my sweater at least 4 or 5 times, wiped sweat off my brow and kept asking, "Is it hot in here???" Worst of all, is that when your internal temperature regulator is shot, you can get alternately very cold and very hot within minutes of each other...for hours, days, weeks at a time. (Aha...are you starting to see where I'm going with this?)

Last night was a killer night. It was about 65 in my house and when I went to sleep I was freezing. I put on a sweatshirt and socks over my summer PJs (shorts and T) and cuddled up under my covers. That was at 10 pm. 11 pm threw my covers off. 11:15 was freezing again and grabbed as much of the comforter as I could to warm up. Midnight? Boiling. Threw left leg out of the covers and arms up over my head. 1:30 am: FREEZING. Covered up again. 2:30 am: Sweat dripping down my forehead, ripped off the covers, the sweatshirt, but kept socks on. 4:00 am. Freezing once again. Put sweatshirt around me and covered up. 4:22 am: BOILING. Threw everything off except the shorts and T. Decided to call it an early day and grabbed my computer.

Covered up again and as the heat of the laptop caused, yet again, another flash, I realized that my volatility was strangely similar to the ups and downs of the STOCK MARKET. "Our economy is in the throes of MENOPAUSE!" was the big thought at 4:22 am. Of course. All the useless credit just like the eggs no longer worth anything. The readjustment of the economy to no more credit eggs is like a broken temperature regulator and the market is suffering hot flashes and cold sweats until it will rebalance at the other end. Unable to produce more offspring, but at least to make use of lessons learned...maybe?

It's 5:52, I'm suddenly cold and quite tired -- this surge is done for now. I'd say I'll be 3% up at day's end.

I'm an American-Canadian

2008-11-30T13:12:00.001-08:00

It was an honor and a privilege to become an American citizen at the age of 45, in Los Angeles. I lived my first 36 Canadian years, in Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa. In my duality, I cherish the inherent sense of social responsibility that forms a fundamental part of the core of any Canadian, and do my best to spread that moral responsibility to others. My sister, a Canadian now living in Vancouver, British Columbia, sent this to me, today. A bit late, but an MSNBC report I hadn't seen on Canadian solidarity that was aired on Veteran's Day.

The people gathering on the bridges are not saluting their country in exactly the same way Americans do...they are saluting the individual soldiers, one by one, who lost their lives in Afghanistan and supporting, through their numbers, the remaining mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and children.

BBC 95 is here!

2008-11-24T10:26:00.000-08:00

I am the proud host of the Blogging Boomers Carnival this week. We are only 5 weeks away from our 100th posting of the weekly carnival and I'm wondering if that means we'll be going into syndication?? Hmmmm....

Without further ado (or posturing...hehe) here is this week's lineup:

From Wes, at Life Two, it’s Divorce Math, where no matter what the story problem, the answer always come out to one. That said, here’s a list of some of the ways to make sure one is not the loneliest number.

Ron at I Remember JFK reflects on Orson Bean: "Orson Bean was born Dallas Frederick Burrows on July 22, 1928 in Burlington, Vermont. He had a cousin you may have heard of, Calvin Coolidge. But speaking from my own perspective, he is renowned for his quick comedic style and demonstrated on various episodes of the Johnny Carson Show which I viewed as a child."

Rhea asks: "I like newspapers. Does that make me old?" Read more at The Boomer Chronicles.

From Laura Lee, Queen of The Midlife Crisis Queen: How do you keep hope alive that the partner of your dreams might be just around the corner? Music is a great solution! "Without music, life would be a mistake!" -Nietzsche

Cindy at Don't Gel Too Soon tells us that scary economic times can really - uh - scare a person.

Staying with the theme of economics, Andrea at The Baby Boomer Entrepreneur notes that Baby Boomers are closer to retirement than younger entrepreneurs. As a result, we should be planning our business exit strategy now. Here's what you need to consider in your succession plan in this two-part post Succession Planning: Do You Have An Exit Strategy For Your Business?

But what if you still need to find a job? With the U.S. jobless rate hitting 6.5% in October, and many economists thinking it could reach 8% by late 2009, many boomers are or will be looking for a mid-life career change. That is why John at SoBabyBoomer.com is offering a number of online career transition resources for the involuntary retired.

But if you are able to ignore economic woes, you might be looking for a way out of the winter weather. Heading south and wondering what to pack? Check out Fabulous after 40 for some up to date travel wardrobe tips to make you look Boomer Beautiful!

Here's one to get you thinking! Ann asks: "What do snowflakes, the lemon wedges you get in bar-bought drinks and flight attendants have in common?" Head over to Contemporary Retirement to find out.

As for me, I'd like to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving celebration if you are a US reader. And to those of you in other countries, I'll be making a virtual place for you at my table!

What a Turkey!

2008-11-22T15:31:00.000-08:00

Just when I breathed a sigh of relief that Sarah Palin had temporarily fallen off the media radar, I have been able to lose my appetite, once again, with her Turkey pardon interview. Good gosh. Sarah. Stop giving interviews. If you haven't seen it or heard about it yet, Palin pardons a turkey while a turkey slaughterer stands in the background grinning at the cameras while doing his job...slaughtering turkeys. Crikeys. Don't know how I'm going to eat my Thanksgiving dinner this year. Well, at least I can give thanks she didn't get into office.

It's disturbing to watch any animal get slaughtered, so if you have a weak stomach, don't watch the video (and DEFINITELY not for kids younger than about 17 or 18), but if you can handle it, the woman is more than just gaffe-prone...she's utterly clueless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-kjM1asH-8

Blogging Boomers Carnival #94

2008-11-19T22:24:00.000-08:00

It's that time...the Blogging Boomers Carnival is hosted this week at the "home" of one of our BBC founders...Wes Hein at Life Two! Head on over and see what Boomer bloggers have to say.

Soft music of the 50's, and 60's LIVE Stream at BroadwayandVocals.com

2008-11-15T13:20:00.000-08:00

Ken Noble, of Baton Rouge, LA sent a message the other day regarding their newly formed online radio broadcast. I checked it out and even though it isn't the music of MY generation, I found it wonderfully soothing in the midst of the wildfire destruction in Los Angeles. Hope it lifts your spirits.

"Soft music of the 50's, and 60's LIVE Stream at BroadwayandVocals.com

The popular standards format that ran for seven months on KDDK-FM in Baton Rouge, Louisiana was recently replaced with youth oriented programming. However, a live stream of that standards show can now be heard at www.BroadwayandVocals.com .

In addition to our core artists like Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis, Patsy Cline, Tony Bennett, Glen Campbell, Vikki Carr, Nat King Cole, Julie Andrews, Bobby Darin, Everly Brothers, and Elvis Presley, many of the significant instrumentals of the last 50 years are included in our playlist of 2,106 recordings by 660 different artists.

Fifty-one (51) Frank Sinatra recordings are in our playlist. During the first seven days of November we have had listeners from U.S.A., Great Britain, Canada, Philippines, Australia, Mexico, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Venezuela, Malaysia, Ireland, Croatia, Japan, Denmark, Belgium, Argentina, and Sweden. When you go to www.BroadwayandVocals.com , the music stream should start immediately."

Fires in Los Angeles

2008-11-15T13:13:00.000-08:00

What a disaster in LA. Less than 10 miles from my home a huge part of the San Fernando Valley is experiencing an inferno. The sky is filled with ash, friends of mine are being forced to evacuate and hundreds of families are being displaced as their homes burn. My thoughts and prayers are with all of them.

BBC 93

2008-11-11T07:45:00.000-08:00

Geez -- the Blogging Boomers Carnival is almost at 100 weekly posts! Amazing that this group would not only stick together, but find it interesting, exciting AND that we'd continue to attract new talent to our group (with a wait list!)

This week's host is a woman who is a changer in her own right. Cindy Samuels has refined the art of e-news conferences and e-media roundtables like no one else I've met in the industry. Just to give you an idea of what this unusual and creative venue is, image a press conference...but via an internet roundtable. Cindy typically invites bloggers only, as she is very attuned to the types of questions we're bound to ask, the honesty we expect from the interviewee, and the immediacy of the response to our blog posts on the interviews. It is a very powerful press conference, but relies heavily on the moderator (in this case Cindy) to keep tight virtual control while ensuring the best of the interviewee is highlighted. I've been invited to a few of her e-conferences that are Boomer related and they are always uniquely interesting.

So, head on over to Don't Gel Too Soon for this week's BBC roundtable! And take a few minutes to read some of Cindy's past blogs if you never have before. Very insightful and heartfelt.

Butter. Real Butter.

2008-11-11T07:28:00.000-08:00

As the economic disaster continue to unfold, I find myself turning to comfort foods. I had always loved a good baked potato with sour cream, but in my late 20's I became allergic to white potato starch and also VERY lactose intolerant.

As the years have progressed, my lactose intolerance has become less severe, so I can handle yogurt, butter and harder cheeses in reasonable quantities (and even a bit of ice cream), but not milk. But I never quite found a way to really substitute the glorious satisfaction of a bite of baked potato with sour cream...until now.

But first, I have to take you with me to last summer. When I was still a corporate exec, my company flew me to London, England to train the English (and some of the European) education team. While there I had the privilege of staying in a beautiful apartment in a small countryside town, just minutes walk from the local village shops. Fresh and Easy is a new concept of grocery store in the US, but it is the Trader Joe's of England. There I was able to pick up outstanding frozen Indian dinners, real farm fresh eggs and best of all... Irish butter. I thought I was just buying butter, as I'd gotten used to it in the US. But with my first piece of toast, with just a bit of butter, I was TRANSPORTED back to the breakfasts of my youth. It was the butter I remembered. Of course, everything I could get butter on after that was literally slathered. And so went my butter experience in England.

Last week, in the doldrums over the economy, but feeling a heck of a lot more optimistic over the outcome of the election, I decided to treat myself when I saw IRISH butter in the dairy section at Trader Joe's. Twice the price of US butter, but I thought...what the heck. I had the $3.69 in cash, so I went for it.

And when I got home, I baked up a sweet potato (not allergic to those) and slathered on the Irish butter and ladled on some 2% Greek style yogurt (ALMOST as good as sour cream) and found myself in a little bit of heaven. After a 20 year absence, I was able to capture, if not exactly, then almost, the glory of a baked potato with real butter and sour cream. Ah...blessed comfort!

That one is The One.

2008-11-05T06:43:00.000-08:00

America has spoken. Barack Obama, President -elect has broken racial barriers, voter turnout records, and shown the world that he, and his spectacular team, is capable of re-energerizing the nation. Tears in my eyes, my mother's eyes, and my daughter's eyes, as along with millions of Americans and countless viewers around the world, we witnessed history being made.

Congratulations Barack Obama. Looking forward to getting to know you.

And if you need a break after voting...BBC 92!

2008-11-04T05:49:00.000-08:00

This week's Blogging Boomers Carnival is hosted by the Glam Girls at the always fabulous Fabulous After 40. Check it out when you need to take a break from election coverage!

Today is the Election. Go Vote.

2008-11-04T05:30:00.000-08:00

I spent a few hours yesterday at the Obama/Biden campaign offices for the San Fernando Valley, volunteering my time and my cell phone minutes to join hundreds of other people in calling eligible voters to remind them to get out and vote. Never thought I'd take part in a political campaign in any way, and yet, there I was, going through training and making calls with other interested valley dwellers! Surprisingly, it was a lot of fun and whether those I reached were voting for McCain or Obama, they were mostly planning on exercising their right and getting out to vote.

So...forget the polls. Forget the pundits. Forget the past two years (if you can). Today is the day that counts. Exercise your right to vote and do so today. Will there be long lines? Possibly. Might you have to wait a bit? Possibly. I don't know about you, but I've waited in line for a popular movie, to get into an exclusive club, and to buy concert tickets. Today is a bit more important.

Projected numbers don't mean anything. What matters today is that your vote, the vote that belongs to you, gets cast and is counted. So, go on. Get out and vote.

BBC 91

2008-11-02T07:30:00.000-08:00

My apologies to the wonderful Ann Harrison at Contemporary Retirement, this week's host of our Blogging Boomers Carnival. In my malaise, this week, I also forgot to post her Carnival blog! Please head on over and enjoy this past week's Boomer Blogger views of the world!

Which is scarier? Halloween or Nov. 4th?

2008-11-02T06:48:00.000-08:00

What an odd Halloween this year. I've been planning on posting several times this week, but my heart was just not into blogging and I couldn't really figure out why. Well, now that Halloween has come and gone, I think I've got it. I'm a bit depressed. Just like the rest of you. No matter the outcome of the election on Tuesday (and I'm very pro-Barack, if you didn't know), we are in a mess in this country. All talk is swinging to the fears that college grads won't find work and my heart is, as always, all consumed with all the Boomers and 50 Plussers who, with the greatest of spirit and skills, will not be able to get a foot in any employers door.

This year, Halloween was odd. Very quiet on the streets, very subdued decorations. Pumpkins went moldy at the sellers because people didn't have the spirit to carve this year. Very few kids on the streets and lots of homes very dark. On the bright side, it seemed that many people pulled others into their homes with parties. (A psychological circling of the wagons?)

And parents meeting other parents on the street talked politics, the insanely high electric and water bill we all got in our 'hood, and the slowing of business all over. Not really about our kids, or holiday plans, or our own plans for the future.

On to Nov. 4th. A pivotal election. Obama is not the seasoned politician that McCain is, but Obama stirs hope AND can surround himself with an incredible pool of talent. After all I've seen, I'm convinced that he'll make solid decisions. I'm not worried about his support of Israel for one major reason. He is going to go full steam ahead on alternative energy sources. And who is the leading country able to turn desert into arable land? Who harvests water from the saltiest of seas? Who has had to rely on invention and the use of alternative energy sources and leads the exploration in that area? Israel. Nuff said there.

I have great respect for McCain, but I think he is better as a contrarian than the leader of the country. I could never trust his "on-the-fly" decision-making in light of his selection of Sarah Palin (and I was on the fence for awhile about McCain vs. Obama having been a true Hillary supporter). But our country needs his 'tude and I hope that if Obama wins he'll hold a pivotal role in that administration.

But the other thing that really got me this week, and that I've not quite been able to put into words, was my daughter's reaction to Obama's politi-mercial earlier this week. My 8-year old has been very interested in this election because my mother and I are tireless in our channel flipping between CNN, MSNBC and FOX to see as many perspectives as possible. And my child has been subjected to this for a very long time. She watched the CNN interview with John McCain with us and then the Obama infomercial.

She didn't understand all of the words, but she had a strong visceral reaction to both. The Obama infomercial was very well done. Slick, manipulative (ummm...not quite the right word...more like orchestrated and on point), and a very strong musical soundtrack. The music combined with Obama's review of his mom's situation struggling with cancer is what got to my child. She was sitting on the sofa, with our dog, Daisy, and started to cry. She asked me if I thought Daisy missed her mother. So the infomercial worked on an 8 year old.

After the two candidates were done, I asked her what she thought about each candidate. Her answer to me was based on two simple things -- the warmth of their eyes and their perceived caring for people. Of McCain she thought his eyes looked angry (he's a fighter, so that would be accurate) and that made her think he might not care as much for the people. Of Obama, she thought his eyes were warm and based on the infomercial, that he really cared for people and loved his mother.

So the polarization between the two camps isn't lost, even on an 8-year old. McCain is a fighter. And his style is to push past our borders and keep the strength of the US boldly fighting abroad. Obama is looking at the internal hurt in our country and believes we need to fix some problems at home, fast and furious, before we compromise our position as world leaders.

I take counsel from my child. I'm not against McCain. I'm just for Obama.

3 discoveries on a Saturday morning.

2008-10-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

Ronni Bennett, over at Time Goes By, one of the best elder blogs on the net (cutting commentary, says what others don't want to say, fantastic finds, elder gems), found this wonderful Google offering and shares it. A great way to figure out ways to save money and lessen your carbon footprint at the same time! Plus additional tips for the energy conscious.

In the theme of less is more, Rhea Becker, at The Boomer Chronicles, discovers the joys of barter. Back in the 1980's and 90's, there were barter clubs. My mother, who was talented and a bit on cash-strapped side, took part in barter clubs with great success. As well, one summer we traded houses with a Parisian family and enjoyed their beautiful home and car for 3 weeks while they explored Canada and the US with our home as their base and our station wagon! It was a great adventure, a smashing success and no money changed hands.

And my last discovery of the morning is that my very unscientific voting poll on my blog (with only 9 days left til the election) is giving Barack Obama 69% of the vote with 28% going to John McCain. Just a few days ago the numbers were MUCH closer together and now the spread is growing. Is it possible that many of my readers lean Democrat? Yup. Is it possible that many of you don't want to make your vote known? Yup. But I find it very interesting that the spread is increasingly so significantly the closer we get to the election.

A World of Opportunity to Reinvent Oneself

2008-10-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

In July 2006, I wrote an article on what it was like to start a new career at 50 plus. Today, I got a comment in the form of a request from a reader at that particular blog post. The request is compelling, so it becomes the subject for today's post.

From JC:

I need help figuring out what I am going to do with my life. My wife has taken a job in a different state. I am selling my business and going to join her. I am so excited about starting something new or doing something different. My problem is figuring out what to do. I have a very diverse background. I think I might like to start an internet business but I am not sure what to do. I have been the President of a High Tech electronics company. The business I am selling is a Screenprinting and Embroidery business. I have worked for Japanese and German owned businesses as well. I have traveled internationally for both companies.

I tell you this because I want to explain that even though I have a diverse background I would be willing to do anything. I have even considered lawn care or pressure washing decks and I have always considered opening a pub or restaurant. So please guide me, is there an aptitude test for not so new folks like me?

All of us out here know who George Plimpton is or was. If not he's the guy who tried many many pro sports. I kind of feel like the George Plimpton of the real world. Seriously though I am looking for guidance .

Thank you,

Dear JC,

I'm so impressed with the way you describe your dilemma. One thing that I love about what you are going through is that you have an opportunity to reinvent yourself. The experience you have sitting in your arsenal, will support the new direction...often in ways you can't imagine right now. You say you aren't sure about the direction you want to move into and that is fine. Sometimes you need quiet time for there to be space for an opportunity to present itself.

The important part of change is to allow the change to evolve. So as you move to your new home in your new state, unless you are really cash-strapped, then take the time to open your eyes and mind to your new situation. You indicate a desire to use your hands or to open a restaurant. What that means is that you want a real change from the situation you are now in and to move into something completely different. Since you aren't sure what you want to do, then you have an even bigger world of opportunity. Plan on taking one to two months to figure out a direction. There are a few steps that might be helpful.

1) You will find the direction by opening your mind to ALL opportunities. That means talking to people, everywhere, and being sincerely interested in what they are doing. It can be the person who owns the lunch truck, the handyman who comes to fix your sink, the manager at your local new favorite restaurant, the dry cleaner on the corner. After speaking with many, many people, something will hit a note with you. That is what you will explore next.

2) OK. For example, you find a spark in talking to someone like your gardener. You see that he loves managing a small team and building reliable relationships in the area. Find out more. What works for him. What doesn't. What is his business model (if he has one.)

3) Interview small business owners looking to sell their businesses and find out as much detail as you can about their business models. Eventually one will strike a chord with you. The best model is one that can be duplicated so that you increase your revenue potential by expanding your model. So, for example, a restaurant requires a lot of capital to get through the first two years. How much capital do you want to invest in a new venture? How will you live while you do that? Will your wife's income sustain the two of you? If not, you might prefer to look at options with very low capital investment.

4) Try it out. Maybe you've decided that since you are handy you are going to start a handyman service. You now need to get your first client. You'll get that client by marketing (using all the skills you used to build your other businesses, but at a very grass roots, field level). You'll get your first client, your second and your third. And you'll know very quickly if this is what you want. If not, you'll move to something else.

You don't need an aptitude test. All it will tell you is what you already know about yourself. But what you do need is to look at all opportunity and test it on yourself to see if you find a fit. All work is noble. Whether you are the president of a high tech company, or a small pub owner, or a lawn care specialist, if the fit is right, you'll know.

On-Star is Literally on the Money

2008-10-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

OK. Here's a bit of good news for our pocketbooks. How many of you drive less than 15,000 miles a year? Well, if you do, here is a great perk from OnStar, the comprehensive in-vehicle security, communications, and diagnostics system that I have personally fallen in love with. (Just to give a bit of background, my new car last year, a Buick Terraza, came with a free one-year subscription to OnStar. I thought I'd never renew, but I'm now a huge fan and can't imagine not having the service.) And, no, this is not an ad for OnStar, I'm not getting paid by them to write this and I'm not receiving any type of perk. This just happens to be a really good program linked to a very good vehicle concierge service.

The full kit and kaboodle program at OnStar is about $300/year and because I am constantly in need of directions, really have gotten fond of the turn-by-turn directions. With real people answering the phones ("Thank you for calling OnStar. How can we assist you today, Ms. Spiegel?"...gotta love it) this is one concierge service that is very handy for me. Can't find a restaurant? I can call up and they'll do a search for me. Forgot to bring the phone number of the business I'm heading to? Call up and they'll access it for me. Every month I get an email diagnostic of my car's maintenance needs. Plus, plus, plus. It isn't for everyone, but for me, it is a win-win.

Now, OnStar has added in a Low Mileage Program that is sure to make a lot of 50 plussers pretty happy. If you drive less than 15,000 miles a year, GMAC car insurance will discount your insurance rate. Other insurance companies are apparently coming on board soon, and not all states currently offer the GMAC plan (like MY state of California...) but if I had OnStar and lived in a state that did offer the discount, I'd definitely look into it.

Here is a link to the OnStar discount program. I'm just waiting for it to come to California and I'm planning on offsetting my cost of OnStar with lower insurance. Win-win!

BBC 90

2008-10-19T19:36:00.000-07:00

An excellent post this week from our Carnival host, The Baby Boomer Entrepreneur for Blogging Boomers Carnival #90. Blogger Andrea Stenberg gives a wonderful interpretation of what the blogosphere community is all about.

Joe the Plumber

2008-10-18T06:29:00.000-07:00

If you have been following the presidential debates then you'll know about "Joe the Plumber". If not, then here's the thumbnail. While stumping, Presidential candidate Barack Obama had a conversation with Joe Wurzelbacher (now dubbed "Joe the Plumber" by Obama and McCain), who objected to Obama's tax plan, given that he had hopes of purchasing his employer's plumbing business and would bring in over $250,000 annually in revenues (therefore subject to a higher tax under Obama's plan.)

Joe had no idea that he would become a central figure in the final debates and be used as an example of the middle American small business owner. Forget that Joe doesn't have his plumber's contractor license. (He works for a plumbing company under their license.) Or that he owes back taxes. (He probably doesn't earn enough money to make ends meet, much less pay taxes.) Or that he really doesn't have a solid plan in place to purchase a business. (But he can dream and plan, can't he?)

My point is that if I were Joe right now, I'd be ecstatic! Who doesn't need a good plumber? I'll bet his business is booming with millions of people who now know the name of a GOOD plumber! His business will likely explode with the millions of referrals from the debates alone. He'll be able to open Joe the Plumber franchises across the country. Then he won't mind paying a bit more in taxes at all! Listen, he brought up a good question and he seems like a good guy. If I lived in Ohio, I'd call him next time my faucets were leaking, my hot water heater was taking a tantrum, or my child innocently plugged up the toilet with half a roll of TP. When he sets up the California franchise, I'll be his first customer!

And I support Barack.

A little bit of CASH for hard times....

2008-10-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

If you are a Johnny Cash fan, then you'll love this! Sony BMG’s Legacy Recordings released Johnny Cash’s At Folsom Prison: Legacy Edition, this past Tuesday, October 14th. This 40th anniversary 2-CD and DVD box was recorded on January 13, 1968, when Cash played two shows at Folsom prison.

The box set presents the entire unvarnished 65-minute first show on disc one – expletives intact for the first time (that's a draw!), and with seven previously unissued tracks; and the entire 75-minute second show on disc two, with 24 previously unissued tracks (out of 26).

Make sure to check out the new documentary DVD – it features exclusive footage from inside Folsom, interviews with Merle Haggard, Rosanne Cash, Marty Stuart, and former inmates who witnessed the concert, and unpublished photography by Jim Marshall. Watch the incredible trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmve1IH7_bw. Or here:

Blogging Boomers Carnival #88

2008-10-13T07:13:00.001-07:00

Here is the link for this week's Blogging Boomers Carnival -- this week hosted at The Boomer Chronicles. If you aren't subscribed to Rhea's blog, give it some consideration. Her daily finds and musings are guaranteed to keep you amused all week long. If you are subscribed, then, like me, you travelled with her for a week-long RV trip that helped you forget about the economic direction of our company!

Time Goes By

2008-10-12T08:58:00.000-07:00

If you have not yet perused the pages of Ronni Bennet's blog (and award winning banner) "Time Goes By: what it's really like to get older", then you are missing out on a very sharp view from a brilliant elderblogger and more than that, the community of both like-minded and sometimes not-so-like-minded voices from the 50 plus demographic. With such a volatile economy and election ahead, on Sunday, Ronni aggregates submissions from different bloggers to showcase an assortment of views related to the election campaign and political battle for the Presidency. I'm honored to be among that group this week (many of you have already read my post on unemployment), but if you are not a subscriber, head on over and enter your email at TGB. It will open your eyes just a bit more. I include her in my group of pioneers "Who Changed the World at 50 Plus".

Takin' It Back with Barack Jack.

2008-10-11T21:32:00.000-07:00

A friend sent me this. Love it. I think you'll get a kick out of it, too.

$717.66...Just Pour the Salt STRAIGHT into the Wound.

2008-10-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

Let me tell you about this financial month in my family. $1300 for new car struts and new tires. Yesterday, I received my house tax bills. "Camera" red light ticket ($380.00), my medical insurance bill and additional coverages (won't tell you how much THAT is...), the car's back tires went (better...only $147.00), car fuel ($400.00) and then...the kicker. My electric and water bill floated in...for $717.66.

I can deal with the other financial outrages...the tires needed replacing, everyone gets a ticket now and then and I need my medical coverage (although I'm eagerly waiting for SOME sort of federal plan to help with this sick, sick medical system)...but I have never, ever gotten a water and electric bill this high. Ever.

I live in a teeny, tiny house (1650 sq ft) on a 6,000 sq. ft lot with double pane windows, good insulation and limited grass watering. Don't run the air conditioning at an excessive rate, don't take super-long showers or even keep the water running when I brush my teeth! I have low flow toilets, keep my shades drawn to keep out the hot Encino sun and didn't do much different this summer than last. I've just lost (like the rest of you) a hulking big amount of my retirement income, I can barely afford to fill up my tank with gas (although I'm finding myself relieved to be paying $3.45 for a gallon of gas), or buy a single bag of groceries for under $25 - $30. My heart is cut wide open with the turmoil that is going on in the US and the City of Los Angeles Municipal Services basically just poured a full 8 oz. of salt (my preference would be Kosher salt, but that's another story) on my bleeding wound.

Gotta pay it. Need my lights, my computer and my water. Can't just decide not to pay it. Not even in protest. But this IS what I'm going to do. I'm only going to shower every 4th day. And only wash my clothes after I wear them 4 times. Oh yes, I'm aware that I'll smell. I'm counting on it! And maybe I'll be able to cut my electric and water bill down to $650.00! I'll turn off all my electrical appliances and only plug them in when I absolutely need them. Except for the fridge. And the computer. And the phone charger.

And when people wrinkle their nose in disgust, I'll tell them to blame LA Municipal Services and the deregulated economy. OK...maybe I'll shower every 3rd day...but I'm telling you, I'm gonna stink. Now I understand why people in Europe save their water. I get it. At least this is still in American dollars and not Euros.

If you start to notice a lot more smelly people coming from Los Angeles, you'll know that I started a silent protest and that it may be working. We can call the movement something like "Smelling Together for a Newly Clean America" (STINCA) or something like that. I know the politicians really aren't hearing the American people...but maybe they'll notice us if they start smelling us.

Is this true? ABC refuses We Can Solve It ad?

2008-10-09T09:10:00.000-07:00

If you are a subscriber to We Can Solve It, the alternative energy organization dedicated to helping solve the fuel crisis, then you'll have received this message from CEO, Cathy Zoi:

Tell ABC to air the Repower America ad this Friday on 20/20.Take Action!

Dear Janet,

Did you notice the ads after last night's presidential debate? ABC had Chevron. CBS had Exxon. CNN had the coal lobby. But you know what happened last week? ABC refused to run our Repower America ad -- the ad that takes on this same oil and coal lobby.I sent a letter asking ABC to reconsider their decision and put our ad on the air, but still we haven't heard back more than a week later. I think they need to hear from all of us. Can you help? Please send a message to ABC and tell them to air the Repower America ad this Friday on 20/20.

Just click here:http://www.wecansolveit.org/page/m/6733ae33f7b715d6/EZUWl0/VEsD/ We're working to get 100,000 public comments to ABC before 20/20's next airing.Our Repower America ad has a clear and simple message -- that massive spending by oil and coal companies on advertising is a key reason our nation hasn't switched to clean and renewable sources for our energy.

Here's the script of the ad:

The solution to our climate crisis seems simple.Repower America with wind and solar.End our dependence on foreign oil. A stronger economy.So why are we still stuck with dirty and expensive energy?Because big oil spends hundreds of millions of dollars to block clean energy.Lobbyists, ads, even scandals.All to increase their profits, while America suffers.Breaking big oil's lock on our government ...Now that's change.We're the American people and we approve this message.

You can view the ad on the ABC petition page, here.As our country faces deep economic problems, we need to be able to have an honest debate about the root causes of our problems. As Al Gore has said, "We're borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Persian Gulf to burn it in ways that destroy the future of human civilization. And every bit of that has to change."

As oil and coal backed groups outspend even major party committees in this political year, it's outrageous that ABC would deny our ad. Let ABC know what you think. Just click here.

Thank you,Cathy Zoi, CEO

http://www.wecansolveit.org/page/m/6733ae33f7b715d6/lQVGuo/VEsO/

What can I possibly add?

2008-10-08T17:22:00.000-07:00

Please indulge me. Like you, I've got a lot on my mind.

Every pundit has made their comments on the state of the (now) world economic meltdown, the presidential candidates, their VP selections, and how Harvard and MIT graduates are afraid they might not find a job.

After 4 plus years blogging my little heart out on issues affecting the careers of boomers and 50 plussers, giving advice freely, and looking at creative ways to overcome career obstacles, I actually am not sure what I can possibly say right now. The elephant in the room was always the rampant age discrimination. But now...yikes...all of the next generation is going to be fiercely scrabbling for jobs and the out of work boomers and 50 plussers are really in a pickle.

I'm ALWAYS an optimist and even I'm having a tough time seeing past the next decade or so. What really made me laugh (that would be a sarcastic, cynical kind, not a haha kind) was listening to financial experts advising people to secure their next FIVE years of financial need by taking that money OUT of the stock market and putting it INTO the money market. I'm sorry...but are you laughing, too? Who HAS FIVE years of good, hard cash squirreled away anywhere?

There is SUCH a disconnect between those with oodles of money and the rest of us, that you don't even have to draw a line in the sand. There is a Grand Canyon between "them" and "us". I have literally received hundreds of emails over the past few years from people in their late 40's to their mid-70's who have used up their money reserves, have no health insurance, are losing their homes and with the best of intentions and incredible work ethics CANNOT find work. How will that play out now?

Some of you will remember living as a WWII baby, with rationing and little money for any extras. My mother had two skirts, 2 blouses and 1 sweater. She wore them through high school because her family had no money for clothing. When it was time for her to go to her first sorority ball and she had no dress, my grandmother used all the grocery money for the month to get my mother her first cocktail gown. My mom wore them with her aunt's shoes, too big for her, with newspaper stuffed in the toes so she wouldn't fall out of them. They had soup for a month.

Is that where we are headed once again? I mean TV is going digital in February and unless you have a converter or cable or satellite, you'll be out of luck. Well, I may be out of luck, because if I need the money, I'll be cancelling my satellite service. As will many, many others. The whole thought of needing cable because of HD signal just seems so...bizarre, given that I may end up wearing only sweater, 2 skirts and two blouses for the next 5 years.

I was always amused at the hoarding habits of my parents -- saving elastic bands and wire hangers, individual nails and screws, small amounts of leftovers, keeping old clothes from decades prior because they were "good quality" even though completely out of fashion. And now, here I am, using containers for my daughter's lunches instead of ziplocs, cleaning my own house instead of hiring someone to do it for me, planning my driving routes to conserve on fuel consumption, meeting friends for a coffee (at one of our homes) instead of a lunch out.

In my neck of the woods, just this past weekend, a father murdered his entire family and then killed himself due to the financial duress he was under. That child attended my daughter's school. And I can't get the story out of my head. People are generally very resiliant, so what is going on?

In my optimistic heart, maybe what will come out of this disastrous falling of an empire, will be better...closer families pooling resources, innovation and creativity as more and more 50 plussers start their own businesses (focusing on customer service more than product) because they can't get someone to hire them, more focus on limiting oneself to spending cash at hand than credit tendered.

Tonight is Yom Kippur -- the start of the day of atonement for all Jews. The next 24 hours will be a time of reflection, asking God for forgiveness, forgiving others and rejoicing in a clean slate for the year ahead. My day of fasting will be with a heavy heart, because the slate really can't be clean right now. We all know that we are heading into a tough, tough year ahead.

Blogging Boomers Carnival #88

2008-10-08T17:18:00.001-07:00

With all the hoopla and hollering going on this week (and then falling asleep during last night's presidential debates...but that's a whole OTHER story), I completely forgot to post a link to this week's Blogging Boomers Carnival hosted over at Vaboomer.com. If you are a Sarah Palin fan, don't head over there, but if, like me, you are in "shock and awe" over this VP candidate choice, then you'll get a kick out of this website (and the link to Caribou Barbie). Have fun! Don't say I didn't warn ya.

Town Hall Debate

2008-10-07T22:07:00.000-07:00

Well, I've now watched both Presidential debates and the VP debate. I've watched interviews, listened to the pundits, looked at the lawn signs and car magnets, read the papers, saw my retirement savings shrink by the second and, and....and.

Does McCain have incredible experience? Yes. Does Sarah Palin irritate the heck out of me? Yes. Does Obama have a commanding presence? Yes. Do I like Joe Biden? Heck, yes.

Although I am a declared Democrat, I was open to looking at what either party had to offer with a fresh slate of candidates. I was so bitterly disappointed that Hillary was not the Democratic nominee that it has taken me a lot of time to warm to Obama.

So, watching the debates, I was not too optimistic that the town hall venue of this evening's debate would add to my overall impression of either candidate. I was wrong. McCain, who should have excelled at this venue, came off like a career politician in touch with decision by committee and completely out of touch with the middle class. Obama came across as someone very in touch with the American middle class, small business owners and the rights of the people. I'm big on social responsibility so that appeals to me.

In the pundit aftermath, people are pouncing on McCain's "that one" faux-pas. I just thought it made him look petulant and cranky, but his overall inability to connect with the audience and his being so out of touch with the issues that are sitting at MY table, makes it impossible for me to see him in position of President.

But here's the deal. We have a mess on our hands in the US. Today the news broke that AIG spent over $400,000 mere days after the American people forked over close to a TRILLION dollars to free up the credit markets. 1 in every 200 homes is defaulting on mortgages. We don't just need a new President...we need a complete government overhaul. To go from a surplus to such a major economic catastrophe in less than a decade is unbelievable. If this level of mismanagement happened at a large corporation all the execs would be out. Fortunately, I should be able to weather this storm -- I have a close and caring family who pull together in crisis. But most of all, I'm very saddened that my daughter will still be paying for this government's major mistakes when she is my age and looking at her daughter sleeping beside her.

What a mess. 6.1% unemployment rate.

2008-10-03T08:41:00.000-07:00

If you are a Boomer or 50 plusser then I can guarantee that you have not been burying your head in the sand about our economic situation. Let's take a clear look at the financial landscape -- both in the US and Canada and internationally.

We are about to experience possibly a decade of severe recession, which will reshape the entire way the US economy, job marketplace, and family structure functions. This morning, the unemployment rate is at 6.1% and will likely climb to 7% in the next few months. How does that impact a mature worker? Badly. Very badly. Not only have the financial markets have been hit, but small business, traditionally the kindest and most open to hire a Boomer or 50 plusser, is in deep trouble with a staggering credit freeze threatening to shut many more business doors. That means that the already struggling 50 plusser is really going to have to think out of the box in order to secure employment. In the short term, assume your credit will be cut. It is time for personal austerity measures, if you haven't done so yet. That means, no extraneous travel. Dinners at home, cooking from scratch, cutting your cable TV, no buying of shoes, clothes and all those things you can live without. If you have received any type of foreclosure or late notice on your home mortgage, you must contact your lender immediately to apply for loan modification due to hardship.

The austerity measures will in turn affect the small businesses even more adversely than they already are and the economy will shrink. So where is the good news in all of this? Hard to find, but there is a bit there.

If people can take a bus instead of driving, they will. Walk or biking instead of fuel-run travel? They will. Parents and children will live together longer, fostering the all important values of multi-generational information sharing. No more Cable means more reading, more library visits, more outdoor exercise. Cooking, sewing and knitting will come back into vogue (again) and heck, there might even be a resurgence of darning.

If you are 50 plus and looking for work, it will be a long hard haul right now. So that means you'll have to connect with and network with as many people and their leads as you can. If you are relying solely on the internet, think back to when you were first breaking into the job market. How did you find work then? By finding friends of friends of friends, literally knocking on doors, and meeting people face to face.

Is this US election very important? Yes. Canada is having elections prior to the US elections in order to avoid a strong US election impact on the Canadian voter psyche. When we are talking about the need for change in the US, this is not change as most of us know it. I am not an economist or financial advisor by a long shot, but anyone can see that any major strategic and financial reform (which is necessary) will take 8 or 10 years to have a positive, long term result on the overall economy. For those of you who remember living through the austerity measures of the 2nd world war, you'll remember food rations, material rations (shorter skirts), lack of silk, fuel, metals...you name it. I was brought up to avoid credit and only to purchase something if I had money in the bank. I was shocked at the mounds of credit that is offered to Americans (including my 8 year old daughter.) The days of living beyond one's means has to end -- and is ending whether we like it or not. Just try to buy something that takes you over your limit. You'll find yourself quickly declined. Tough for the consumer living on their credit cards and virtually impossible for the small business who counts on credit for cash flow. We're almost as frozen as a mammoth in a glacier.

This time the war has spread to within the US and within the economies of most major markets, and that means serious economic reforms in order to keep this particular, and very young, empire from falling.

Can't wait for Thursday

2008-10-01T03:15:00.000-07:00

I've never been particularly excited by the presidential debates. The political rhetoric means nothing, really. It is when the leader is in the Oval office that his (can't even say his/her) true leadership style and philosophies really show. However, the body language and the words between the words always add a bit of spice. This year I must admit that I was actually looking forward to the debate. But nothing can surpass my anticipation of Thursday's debate between Palin and Biden. In fact, I can't think of ANYTHING I'd rather do (except, perhaps look at my dwindling bank accounts) than watch Sarah and Joe have at it.

I can't even imagine what might come up given the incredible and unbelievable campaigns so far. And I know I'll be glued listening to the pundits rip every word and nuance apart right after the debate ends. Gotta give her credit for something...Palin has certainly livened up this run for the white house.

Best wishes for the New Year!

2008-09-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

Shana Tova to those of you who celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the Jewish New Year. Wishing you all a sweet, healthy and loving year ahead.

It's Carnival! Check out BBC 87.

2008-09-28T21:27:00.000-07:00

A great week for us boomer bloggers...especially in the US. Midlife Crisis Queen is this week's host. Enjoy.

Less than $5?

2008-09-26T11:44:00.000-07:00

Wisebread recently asked for submissions on what a person could do in their city for under $5 a person, so given the crunch on ALL our finances and with the turn to autumn, I gave it a thought and decided I'd post a few things that I love to do for under $5 in my city. Feel free to add your own. This will get linked to the post on Wisebread.

Encino, CA (Los Angeles)

I happen to live in a lovely part of Los Angeles -- ungodly hot in the summer, but fantastic weather the rest of the year. That means I can pretty much count on decent weather for an outdoor excursion on the weekends.

Right around the corner from me is the stunning Balboa Park. From my house, I can hop on my bike, get onto a bike path and cycle for about 10 miles through and around the park and Balboa Lake. To spend my $5, I stop, with my daughter, at the ice cream trucks dotted around the park and for $1 we can each enjoy a Superfudge and a SnoCone. If we're starving, we can find a hotdog vendor, which will top us up to our $5!

Another great local place is "The Stand". Every Monday night, hotdogs are free (or $1), and every Thursday night is free jazz in their outdoor patio. For $4 or $5 we can have a hotdog or mac'n'cheese and listen to some jazz in the great outdoors.

Last one -- throughout the summer, the Skirball Center has free jazz concerts in their outdoor hall. You can bring your dinner with you and eat out while listening to the sweet sounds of the multinational talent that comes in to tantalize the audience with their music.

Preserving America's Economy

2008-09-25T02:03:00.000-07:00

"How did our economy reach this point?" That was the question President Bush asked for us tonight in his address to the nation.

Who remembers seeing the cookie jar up on the counter and, as a young child, not being able to reach it? Eventually, I figured out how to get a chair, climb up it, reach the cookie jar and reap the reward of chocolate chips melting in my mouth. My mom didn't put the cookie jar on the floor for me to crawl over and just stick my hand in the jar.

I've always been in awe at the number of credit card offers I received in the space of a week. This year, my 8 year old started receiving credit card offers, too. Wow. Free money. Pay no interest for 6 months, 12 months, 24 months. Refinance, spend, speculate. Fortunately, my dad always taught me to treat credit cards with a lot of trepidation. If I didn't have the money in the bank, I was not to put anything on the card. I still live by that rule. No money, no purchase. Do I have obligations? Yes. On a house. On a car. And in the past few years, the cookie jar was often and enticingly laid on the floor for me -- I could have refinanced my home 10 times over and redesigned my kitchen, my lawn, re-roofed, repainted, remodeled and even...re-chiminied. But I didn't. Taking on additional debt scared me after a lifetime of conservative spending. But I watched my friends buy into homes at no interest and inflated rates. And even with little debt, my cash flow is tight, as it is with many of us across the country. So I looked at all the junk in my garage, worth a whole lot at one time, and now, potential cash flow. Fall, back to school over...cooler weather coming...good time for a garage sale. And the influx of the $600 - $1000 I'll make on the items in my garage (which, when new, probably cost me $10,000), will help pay for my food, my gas, my electric bill and a magazine subscription from my daughter's school's magazine drive.

So now the US is having fantastic garage sale, too. $700 billion to buy all those overinflated mortgages at 10 cents on the dollar, but it will give some liquidity to the market. When the President says that we are experiencing a "serious economic crisis", it means we have no money. And the infusion of money into the market through purchase of unsaleable mortgages (and more) is really a massive garage sale. Depression era in the 21st century. Very bad. The money culture is over? I don't know...somehow the rich, rich seem to hang on.

Anyhoo....my garage sale is next Saturday, 8 a.m. Cash accepted. See you there.

Blogging Boomers Carnival #86 is up!

2008-09-23T18:03:00.000-07:00

A lively carnival this week -- stop by host blogger, This Marriage Thing, and see how the financial market, Sarah Palin, and political punditry are faring in blogger circles.

The Silent Rave

2008-09-17T21:18:00.000-07:00

Today I learned something new. I learned about the Silent Rave. Most of us know what a Rave is -- it is a big old warehouse party -- often all night and in the past 20 - 30 years very often associated with drug use (remember Ecstasy?) Raves blossomed from smaller warehouse venues to full scale events hosting thousands of party-goers. Lights, sound, action, techno-pop, drugs, technology. Also known as "mobile clubbing" and not uncommon in Europe and Canada, it is now taking hold in the US.

As I listened to the story on NPR about yesterday's Silent Rave in New York's Union Square, I was captivated by the concept of all these people, coming together, at a planned party with a synchronized start time, but listening to their music of choice on their mobile players. I was imagining them dancing and laughing, but with the music only in their heads. And I wondered...what would happen if we had a silent presidential campaign. Would that be possible? Everyone gaining a good understanding of the issues and party positions and then coming together, as a group, and not saying anything. Just being there, in their own silent rave, listening to whatever they wanted to that expressed their political hopes and beliefs. Red, Blue, Democrat, Republican, Independants...all together and no talking. It would sound like this:

Would it mean that the candidates would really be able to talk, one-on-one, and heart to heart with Americans? On the ground, at silent campaigns, with hand-written signs asking "what are your concerns today?" Would we elect a president, then, based on what WE felt and thought and not what we were being FED to think?

I wonder. Silently.

I'm going to have to earn money til I'm 95...

2008-09-15T17:27:00.001-07:00

I just had an epiphany as a result of today's Wall Street meltdown. I may have to change my focus. I've been spending years writing about Boomers and 50 Plussers to help express our voice and to creatively find ways for us to continue to secure meaningful employment as we hit the "50" benchmark for downsizing.

But, today, as Lehman Brothers went under and Merrill Lynch found new parents, and as 21st century, now under AIG and soon to be someone new, flounders....and as I'm just sitting here watching my portfolio plummet and wondering how many years until the rebound, I have to ask myself some obvious questions. How long will I really have to work until? My 70's? My 80's? My 90's?

I'm thinking (and let me know if you think I'm really wrong here), as I sit and watch 70-somethings working to make a few additional dollars, that I'll be working, whether I like it or not, into my late 70's, early 80's and possibly longer if anyone will have me.

So, I'm looking for a way to extend my writing career and may have to change the name of my blog to go along with it. How about "Gen Plus Plus -- Finding Work at 80 Plus". Has a nice ring to it, I think. And it ensures I'll have something to keep writing about for the next 30 years or so...wonder what Tina Fey would say?

Blogging Boomers Carnival #85

2008-09-15T17:05:00.000-07:00

Ahhh...what is Monday without another week's installment of Blogging Boomers Carnival. This week, our host is Ann Harrison over at Contemporary Retirement. Grab your java and join our Koffee Klatch for awhile. (If you are younger than a Boomer, I'll be impressed if you know what a Koffee Klatch is.)

Tina Fey Returns to SNL as Sarah Palin

2008-09-14T11:27:00.001-07:00

If you didn't get to see the skit last night, here it is. I think Fey does Palin, better than Palin does Palin!

Sarah Palin, Tina Fey and a great Sunday morning!

2008-09-14T11:04:00.001-07:00

Oh my! Such a great Sunday morning. Between the Saturday Night Live (Tina Fey vamps as Palin with Amy Poehler as Clinton) intro last night and an article on Sarah Palin by Michael Seitzman, I am just laughing!!! I'll also point you to a great article by Cynthia Samuels on what we should be looking at with regards to our candidates.

Ayay. Alienating 50 plus?

2008-09-14T07:31:00.000-07:00

I support Barack Obama's candidacy and I'm not a huge McCain/Palin fan, but as an advocate for 50 plussers, I have to make a comment about the new Obama ad. Bad move. In the ad, Obama's camp attacks McCain for his inability to use a computer or send email.

First of all, McCain can't. Type. Raise his arms to a comfortable position. Comb his hair. Tie his shoes. That is due to war injuries. Regardless, if he had NO injuries and had trouble with computers, that still makes no comment on his ability to run the country. And I think that Obama will have to make up for some lost ground with the 50 plus demographic. Take a look at today's LA Times article and more importantly, scroll through the comments. A lot of 50 plussers are a tad insulted.

I still do not support the McCain/Palin ticket. But alienating 50 plussers who aren't computer savvy is not the way for Obama to go. There's a lot of power in the 50 plus market and we are expecting our concerns to be a priority of the Democratic party -- especially in terms of healthcare and employment.

Tragedy in Chatsworth, California

2008-09-13T13:01:00.000-07:00

Today's post was going to be about employment. However, last night, as Ike was devastating Texas, we heard the San Fernando Valley fill with the sound of sirens as we experienced our own devastation in Chatworth, California -- a tragic commuter/freight train collision in Los Angeles, about 5 miles from my home. Please join me for a moment to extend thoughts and prayers to the families of the victims, the injured and the rescuers. At this time, there are 23 reported dead and 135 injured on a train of 220 commuters. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-traincrash14-2008sep14,0,3660884.story

Natalie Cole...Definitely Still Unforgettable.

2008-09-12T13:58:00.000-07:00

What could be better on a Friday night than slipping off my shoes, sipping a glass of rich red wine, munching on bits of cheese and chocolate and...listening to the newly released "Still Unforgettable", a just lovely album by Natalie Cole. The eight-time Grammy winner, who has recently revealed her battles with Hepatitis C, has come up with a wonderful showcase album for her timeless voice and incredible phrasing. This exploration of American Pop Standards includes a heartwarming interpretation of "Walking My Baby Back Home", once again, in a duet with her late father, Nat King Cole.

And to get your next few Fridays off to a great start, Rhino Records has sent me a give-away copy that I'm going to randomly select a winner from my subscriber list. If you want to be in the draw and you are not yet a subscriber, just add your email to the subscribe me box. If you don't want to subscribe to the email feed, then just shoot me an email and I'll add your name into the mix, too! I'll draw names and announce the winner next Friday for inclusion in the following week's Blogging Boomers Carnival.

For a preview, click on any of the Listening Party Links:

Quick Time
Windows Media Audio
Real Player

You can also purchase I-Tunes.

Official Site http://www.nataliecole.com/
Official MySpace – www.myspace.com/nataliecole

September 11, 2008

2008-09-11T18:45:00.000-07:00

On September 11, 2001, my daughter was 18 months old. I lived 35 miles from my place of work, which in Los Angeles translated to a 1 - 1 1/2 hour commute each way, each day. I had to pass Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) each day on the way to and from the office and I was sandwiched between LAX and the Port of Los Angeles.

I remember being transfixed watching the news, watching the towers fall and then, actually leaving...for work. Against my best instincts that told me to stay home with my child. At the office, I was filled with angst, worried that something would happen in LA in concert with the terror-filled day in New York. I remember leaving the office mid-day along with many other parents, and returning home on eerily empty highways, as many other Los Angelenos had elected to stay home that day, following their instinct and watching the ongoing telecasts.

This morning, my daughter was adding the date to an overlooked piece of homework as she sat in the back of my car on the way to school. I heard her talking to herself, trying to figure out the month and date to put down on the piece of paper. July, 7, August 8, September 9! 9...11...2008. She was too young to remember that day, but hearing her so innocently say 9...11... and it having no real meaning for her...brought tears to my eyes on the long, short drive to her school this morning.

My heart is with those who lost families and friends on September 11th. My heart is with New Yorkers who cannot go through this day without reliving their September 11th.

Blogging Boomers Carnival #84

2008-09-07T15:58:00.000-07:00

John Agno (So Baby Boomer) is this week's host of our Blogging Boomers Carnival. With such an exciting political week behind us, take a look at what our diverse group of boomer bloggers had to say!

What is McCain doing? Why, oh why Sarah Palin?

2008-09-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

As a 49 year old woman, who climbed the corporate ladder, bumped my head against the glass ceiling many times and ultimately found a happy and successful career managing an operation quite a bit larger than the city of Wasalia, I have a lot to say about McCain's choice of Sarah Palin and a bit about the Republican Party.

I won't say it all, because I can literally go on for hours, and, frankly, I find the whole thing pretty interesting and fun just in terms of entertainment value (see this Huffington Post article from earlier in the week). There are a couple of items I am compelled to point out, even though they have been talked about in other media circles. (Great article by Gloria Steinem that has engendered a big response, btw.)

1) Executive experience. 75% of small business owners have more experience running businesses than many, many of our country's politicians. Who wouldn't want someone with P&L, multi-million dollar budgeting and large staff management and maybe some international business activity to bring that experience to the table. Heck. I have that. 20 years of it. Oh...and I've travelled to many, many countries and experienced diverse cultures so far. I have had a passport since I was a little child. And I speak French, a smattering of Spanish, and horrible Italian. Guess I could run...I've got the portfolio for it. And I'm a woman.

2) Foreign and national policy. The US is the mightiest consumer force in the world (or at least will be until China overtakes us in the near future.) With that might comes a tremendous responsibility to know and understand the nuances of our national stand against foreign issues and to be able to handle the pressure of making decisions that will ultimately affect the entire world. Palin does NOT have that experience. And no common sense, maverick (??) spirit, or spunk can make up for that lack of experience. Joe Biden does. A lot of it. Enough to support Obama through the in's and out's of foreign decision-making.

3) Representative of women. Not of me. That is for sure. I do not support the NRA. I believe in a woman's right to control her decisions and her body. Women fought long and hard to take the steps forward that I see embodied in Hillary Clinton's policies and career choices. There is no question that Palin has followed a fantastic career path, but there are many, many fine women Republicans who would have made much better VP candidates in terms of what they would have brought to the table as a potential president. I would not have faith in Palin's decision-making abilities if she had to take over the Presidency. Up until now, I had believed that I would use my voting right to support a female candidate regardless of party affiliation, because it would further women's advancement through the old boy's network. I could not vote for her because what she believes in overall is counter to my general belief system and that does not promote what I believe are women's rights. That fills me with sadness over a lost opportunity.

4) Representative mix: Did you watch the Republican Convention? Did you see any people of color? I counted. I saw 2 black men and 1 black male security guard, 1 black woman, and one latino male. That's it. It was a very white convention and if I were a black or latino Republican I'd have been a bit worried and a lot insulted.

5) What are the real reasons for choosing Sarah Palin? That is really what everyone is talking about. I'd also like to share another terrific article from Cryo Kid that takes an interesting look at exactly that question. I'll give you a hint. Russia. Alaska.

Company Stability in an Uncertain Job Market

2008-09-03T10:06:00.000-07:00

I received an interesting question from All Experts (I answer questions about job challenges on their site) that is a good one to share. Often times the questions are very specific, but this one has come up a few times from different readers.

Subject: changing jobs

Question:

Hi Janet,

I am 52 yrs young and I am thinking about changing jobs to get closer to home. I am concerned about the "last hired, first fired" idea. What kinds of questions should I ask a potential employer to make sure they won't be letting people go after I start working or that the business isn't headed toward going out of business?

Thank you,
BJN

Answer:

Hi BJN,

You are right to be concerned, especially at 52 where ageism starts creeping into the job market. You can't really come right out and ask a potential employer what their hiring/firing practices are as that would raise a flag for them, however, there is nothing wrong with digging a bit into the stability of the company, it's 1 year and 5 year plan, and the general health of the business.

That way, you are asking about the business objectives and strategies and not specifically about your concerns for your own job stability.

Note: Make sure to do your own research on any company you apply to. You can use resources like www.Google.com , www.Yahoo.com , www.linkedin.com, www.indeed.com, www.zoominfo.com and sometimes www.wikipedia.com as a start.

President Hillary Clinton

2008-08-27T20:18:00.000-07:00

You know, I'm not a political pundit. I'm just your average American/Canadian, 49 year old single mother and former corporate executive now turned pet care entrepreneur who would have really liked to see Hillary become the first woman president of the United States.

Did you see and hear her speech at the Democratic Convention? That was a President of the United States, looking fantastic, fashionable, eloquent, clear of eye, voice and spirit, telling us that she was not going to be President of the United States.

If I were a political player, maybe I'd have been able to swing enough additional support for her from our Boomers and 50 Plussers. But I'm not and I didn't.

So who will be our first woman president? Did I see the light shining in Chelsea's eyes? I think I did. Will I have to wait THAT long for President Chelsea Clinton to take the spotlight?

I'm delighted that Barack Obama has the charisma to sway the country and may be able to use that momentum to create the movement that needs to take place. We need a change and there is no question in my mind that the Democratic agenda is a good one. But when Hillary asked if we had voted for her in the primaries or for the Democratic agenda I had to pause...for more than a moment. Because I voted for her.

It's HERE! Blogging Boomers Carnival #83...Hosted by Yours Truly.

2008-08-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

It is my pleasure to be this week's host of the Blogging Boomer's Carnival. Each week, some of the best Boomer Bloggers share their posts with each of our audience's through the carnival. So, without further ado, here is what has been going on this week in bloggerland....

From Don't Gel Too Soon... Cindy's memories of the 1968 Democratic Convention, on the eve of this one 40 (!!) years later.

Speaking of 40 years later...ever worn a V-neck top, looked in the mirror, and been disappointed to see a your once youthful décolleté is now a wrinkled mess? What’s a boomer gal to do? Check out a clever new product designed to solve this beauty dilemma at Fabulous after 40.

It's a pleasure to offer today's I Remember JFK memory as a currently available toy, and NOT as something that disappeared while you weren't looking! (like the once youthful décolleté, perhaps??) Indeed, Slinky, and its manufacturer, Poof-Slinky, Inc.(a company owned by the family of Slinky's inventor) stand tall as triumphant survivors which have weathered harsh economic times, changing public tastes, and the relocation of American manufacturing jobs to third world countries.

With different childhood experiences (except for Slinky!), Baby Boomer, Gen X and Gen Y (the Millennials) have one thing in common today---they're in your workforce and they have disparate skills. For the boomer's guide to communicating with Gen X and Y at work, check out SoBabyBoomer.

And from Baby Boomer Entrepreneur: What Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Michael Phelps

OK...we all have another thing in common. Moving on after divorce... literally. It can "cut right into your heart." See why over at Life Two.

And you'll love this post over at the Mid-Life Crisis Queen! Do women have midlife crises too, or do they just start doing inappropriate things with younger men who ride motorcycles, and blame it all on hormones or midlife? The Queen tackles this question today.

Which takes us back to aging...an article about the fact that fruit juices, such as grapefruit, orange and apple, can seriously reduce the effectiveness of heart, cancer and organ transplant rejection drugs, caught the eye of Ann at Contemporary Retirement this week.

Ummm...and if you wait too long...The Boomer Chronicles wants you to know about an amazingly easy and – dare I say it – fun way to plan your funeral.

Virginia Cornue of http://www.Vaboomer.com yearns for the simplicity (me too!) she found at the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Warm people and quiet beauty.

As for me? I was absorbed this week by the similarities between a new immigrant breaking into the workforce of a new country, and an aging baby boomer trying to break into that same market.

Have a great week!

How the heck can you break into the market? ANY market?

2008-08-21T15:40:00.000-07:00

One of the most frustrating aspects of being a mid-age jobseeker is trying to break into a new market...or actually...ANY market once you find yourself with a lack of experience, too much experience, the wrong experience, or...exactly the right experience, but the wrong age, wrong salary, wrong appearance, wrong connections, wrong smile...

The challenge is not only in the US, but in most of the aging countries -- those are all the countries that experienced a surge in population after the 2nd World War. We tend to think of the US as the only country to have to deal with the challenges of aging baby boomers, but most of the British Commonwealth countries, China, India, Japan amongst others. Because I provide support on many different websites, including Eons and AllExpertsi tend to get questions from jobseekers, not only in the US, but in other countries. The issues they bring to me are so similar to the ones boomers face that it is worth noting.

One reader, an immigrant to Canada, was having a lot of trouble finding employment as a new arrival to the country. The challenges he was facing echoed exactly the same challenges our demographic faces. He didn't have the connections to get a foot in the door. His past experience from his native country didn't hold any weight for Canadian employers. He couldn't get a recruiter to get him past the first stage of any job opening. He was running out of money.

Ayay! Sound familiar? I thought so. And the solutions to him finding employment were the same as the ones aging boomers need to employ to get a foot in the employment door in the US, in China, and in Australia! We've explored so many strategies over the past few years, but there are a few that bear repeating:

1) Connections -- who do you know? Doesn't matter how well you know someone, but all contacts know a potential employer. It means, smiling. Talking. Communicating. Asking. Telling. There is nothing to be ashamed about regarding needing work. So talk and ask and leave no stone unturned in trying to find someone who knows someone who knows someone at the company you want to target.

2) Groups -- Communities support community members. Find every community organization you "fit" into and make contacts there. There are physical groups (like religious organizations, community centers, neighborhood watch) and online groups (Facebook, LinkedIn, Eons) and it is in your interest to grow your networks by taking advantage of any group dynamic.

3) Repurpose. That's the big word for the first decade of the new millenium. You repurpose, retool, reshape, redefine your skill sets and experience into the newly desirable skills sets. If you have a tired, old resume, take some time and look at today's job descriptions. Last decade's business "drivers" are now measurable "metrics", so find out the catch phrases and make sure you include them in your descriptions. If you can't measure it, a company will be less interested than in your quantifiable results.

4) Know your competition. Who is your main competition? Is is the Gen Xer? Gen Yer? Or another boomer with a stronger skill set than yours. Do you know what each demographic's strengths and weaknesses are? If not, better brush up. In the information age, you'd better know how to text, IM and find just about anything on the internet. You also need to know who is interviewing you. If your point of entry is a Gen Yer, your age will absolutely be a barrier to entry. Focus on smaller companies who will value your experience bottled into one person.

Don't give up. Keep your eyes open to all opportunities because you never know what will tickle you or when. Opportunities don't always GRAB your attention...they might just set your spidey senses a'tingling and if you aren't listening, you might miss it.

BBC 82!

2008-08-18T12:15:00.000-07:00

Hi all. This week's Blogging Boomers Carnival host is one of our Carnival founders, Wesley Hein, blogger of Life Two! If you've never had the pleasure, head on over PLUS you'll get to read contributions from some of our newest Carnies!

Bend, Stretch, Yoga to the Stars!

2008-08-15T17:55:00.000-07:00

It's all about online...and I missed out on a fantastic bloggers only conference interview of Anne Cushman, Yoga teacher and author, Enlightenment for Idiots. Not only has this book been described as “A hilarious take on the quest for truth” by Publisher’s Weekly, honestly, how often does a novel cover travel, India, pregnancy, motherhood, Yoga and the search for enlightenment? I may have missed the interview session, but I have the link to it for your listening pleasure. And it is fantastic. I took up yoga a couple of years ago and after I was finally able to touch my toes...well...just enjoy and see why us blogger types love these types of media confabs, especially when moderated by blogger conference guru and fellow blogger, Cynthia Samuels.

Very cool online interactive interview!

2008-08-14T23:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of interviewing Gail Rentsch about her new book, "Smarter Women Don't Retire—They Break Free: From Working Full-Time to Living Full-Time through my Careers group on Eons.com.

It was a novel idea, lots of fun, and if you missed it, head over to the Q&A and get a feel for the concept of the online interview yourself!

Online Interview...the New Book Tour Concept

2008-08-10T22:59:00.000-07:00

Looking for something to do on Wednesday...around 11 PST or 2 EST? Then you might want to take part in the new form of online book touring -- the online interview. Yours truly will be interviewing Gail Rentsch, author of Smart Women Don't Retire—They Break Free: From Working Full-Time to Living Full-Time, live and online through my very popular and active group on Eons, Careers for Boomers and 50 Plus. To observe, simply head over to the group at: http://www.eons.com/groups/group/careers-for-boomers-and-50-plus

If you want to want to take part in the interactive component and ask a few of your own questions, make sure to head over to Eons in advance and sign up as a member (you can only post messages and replies, or to join groups if you are an Eons member.)

Gail's book take a candid, fact-filled look at the challenging transitions women face in their 50's and 60's and how that translates into real life. This promises to be a fun and lively exchange, so don't miss it.

So, how will it work online?

When you head over to the group on Wednesday., you'll see a message with the title "Janet (Gen Plus) interviews Gail (Smart Women) HERE!" You'll see my questions and Gail's responses within THAT message stream. At the same time, you can post your own question to Gail by starting a new message and she'll respond in real time, or if you are shy, just send me a "private message" and I'll ask your question for you through my message stream. We've only got a tight 30 minutes with Gail on her busy book tour schedule, but don't worry -- if you have questions that don't get answered in time, Gail will come back and answer them later that day.

What if I can't join you?

If you can't join us live, but have questions about your own transition that you'd like to have answered, feel free to send me your questions in advance (through private message on Eons or at wspiegel@genplususa.com ) and I'll do my best to get them included in our discussion.Should be fun! Looking forward to having you join us. Great book, great author, great group. Nuff said. Hope to see you on Wednesday at 11 PST, 2pm EST.

Blogging Boomers Carnival #80

2008-08-04T18:39:00.000-07:00

Every week a wacky bunch of boomers...who blog...about boomers and boomer issues...put together posts from the past week to share with our readers...a Carnival...Online. So if you've never joined us before, head over to Fabulous After 40 for links to some of the best boomer blogging you'll find anywhere! As for me, I'm breathing a SIGH of relief. My Blog got blocked earlier this week by Google bots. Google did a great job getting me back online within less than a day, but as a self-admitting addicted blogger, a day without my online fixes is like a day without sunshine. After about 15 hours of sheer panic, my blog was released and I'm back in the saddle! I always appreciate the spiders and robots, but when you are the subject of their scrutiny? Uh...not so much. Glad to be back!

Janet, "LA Carnie"

One Bank's Folly, Another Bank's Gain

2008-08-02T07:54:00.000-07:00

I hate...HATE bureaucracy. Nimble business is my thing. If I have a choice, I'll deal with a small business any day, unless a "big boy" decides to step up to the plate on the customer service end of things. So, needless to say, I'm not a big fan of banks, insurance companies, healthcare (in any form in THIS country), humongous chains, etc...unless their customer service is top notch.

Who do I like? Vonage (phenomenal customer service...necessary to handle the challenges of switching to relatively new digital phone technology), Walmart (yes, I do...they provide excellent customer service), Washington Mutual (top notch customer service), Gelson's (food chain), Nordstrom's (although even their famous customer service reputation is starting to fall), and American Express for Business. And that, my friends, is about it.

So it is with a sad giggle turning to a flat out guffaw, that I point you to a terrific post on Corinne Copnick's blog "Cryo Kid" to read about a sad (and very true) look at dealing with the banking world as you see your dollar shrinking.

I'm All Shook Up...

2008-07-29T21:37:00.000-07:00

Well, we had a 5.4 quake today in Southern California. I've only experienced a couple of smaller earthquakes before, so this one was pretty impressive. This was a more pleasant type of quake (if you can describe any quake as pleasant!) -- rolling, vs. shaking, so after the initial excitement, and the several hours of interrupted cell phone service, life quickly returned to normal...at least for me, in Encino.

A blogger friend sent me a concerned email asking how I was. I had ALREADY forgotten about the quake and sent her a cheery update on my personal and business life. My sister (a talented interior designer) got a call within minutes of the quake from a client asking about a current design they were working on together. My daughter (who is now sleeping curled next to me) was terrified and prepared her own emergency bag. Of course, that had me revisiting my own emergency bags...with 10 year old granola bars, a checkbook from a bank account I no longer have, and ID and credit cards that expired 7 years ago.

In California, those who have grown up here get used to earthquakes. I'm thinking that since I was barely bothered, I must be a true Californian. Wow. That's Narly. I hear there should be good surfin' tomorrow.

Blogging Boomers Carnival #79

2008-07-27T21:42:00.000-07:00

Take a trip down memory lane and head over to I Remember JFK for this week's installment of the Blogging Boomers Carnival! Whether you're looking for kilts, sex, or a trip down route 66, you'll find all your inquiring mind needs to know to keep you going for the week ahead.

No Stranger to Foreigner or... I Don't Want to Live Without You!!

2008-07-26T13:29:00.000-07:00

If, like me, you spent many of your youthful twilight hours falling in love and angsting over lost love while immersing yourself in Foreigner, here's a great treat. In case you didn't know, on July 15th, Foreigner and Rhino Records released NO END IN SIGHT: THE VERY BEST OF FOREIGNER, a comprehensive hits collection (32-song, two-disc set) that includes both live songs and a previously unreleased track called ‘Too Late’. And to make things even better, the band will be on a co-headlining summer tour with Bryan Adams that began in July and continues throughout the summer. (Just remember, no more Bic Flics...iconic stadium salutes are now made by holding up the illumited faces of cell phones! At least you won't burn your fingers in your 50's!)

A constant fixture on the radio and the charts throughout the '70s and '80s, Foreigner has sold more than 70 million albums worldwide. Described as a "fist-pumping romp through the band's music (1977-present), from hard rocking early hits ("Cold As Ice," "Double Vision," "Hot Blooded" "Feels Like The First Time") and classic cuts ("I Want To Know What Love Is", "Dirty White Boy," "Head Games," "Urgent") to later gems. In addition to the parade of hits, the collection is bolstered with a new recording, "Too Late," and a new acoustic version of "Say You Will," as well as recent in-concert recordings of "Starrider" and the medley "Juke Box Hero/Whole Lotta Love."

To bring the 80's to the new millenium, you can also join "listening parties" by following the links and getting to hear this great band online. Here are the listening party links:
Real http://rhino.edgeboss.net/real/rhino/listeningparties/512130/512130_apex.smi
QT http://rhino.edgeboss.net/qtime/rhino/listeningparties/512130/512130_apex.mov
WMA http://rhino.edgeboss.net/wmedia/rhino/listeningparties/512130/512130_apex.wax

And for you die-hard fans who want to introduce your echo-boomers to Foreigner, here are the tour dates and links to the official site http://www.foreigneronline.com/ AND official mySpace http://www.myspace.com/foreignermusic

NO END IN SIGHT: THE VERY BEST OF FOREIGNER
Disc 1
1. Feels Like The First Time
2. Long, Long Way From Home
3. Cold As Ice
4. Headknocker
5. Starrider
6. Double Vision
7. Blue Morning, Blue Day
8. Hot Blooded
9. Dirty White Boy
10. Head Games
11. Women
12. Night Life
13. Break It Up
14. Juke Box Hero
15. Urgent
16. Waiting For A Girl Like You

Disc 2
1. Too Late (New Recording) *
2. Say You Will (Acoustic) *
3. Starrider (Live) *
4. Juke Box Hero/Whole Lotta Love (Live) *
5. I Want To Know What Love Is
6. Down On Love
7. Reaction To Action
8. That Was Yesterday
9. Say You Will
10. I Don't Want To Live Without You
11. Can't Wait
12. Tooth And Nail
13. Heart Turns To Stone
14. Lowdown and Dirty
15. I'll Fight For You
16. Until The End Of Time
* New Recording

SUMMER TOUR DATES
JULY
On-going tour dates...
26 Dallas, TX**
29 Clearfield, PA
30 Glen Allen, VA
31 Myrtle Beach, SC
**With Bryan Adams

AUGUST
2 Los Angeles, CA
12 Missouri State Fair
16 Erie, PA
22 Detroit, MI
23 Baraboo, WI
24 Chicago, IL
28 Baltimore, MD
29 Woodstock, VA
30 Atlantic City, NJ
31 Jackson, NJ

Gotta find my Bic Flic....

A Good Question Regarding Page Rank...

2008-07-24T09:26:00.000-07:00

A very good question from my post on Page Rank, so here is the question and my answer. I'm sure there are more of you who would like to understand this subject a bit more!

MoneyEnergy said...

OK, I'm still new to blogging so I don't really understand where to check my page rank.Do I need a Google Toolbar to do this? How important is page rank if not everyone has a Google Toolbar and/or bothers to check the page rank of each website? I thought PR referred to where your site showed up in Google search listings when you typed in its main keywords.

Janet Wendy, founder, Gen Plus said...

Hi Moneyenergy. You do need a Google Toolbar to check your page rank, which is simple to download from Google. Because Google is such a powerful entity, their ranking of pages is kind of the "holy grail" of the tecchie world.

Page Rank is important to advertisers and for monetizing your site (Google Ads, for e.g.) because the higher your rank, the more interesting you are to companies who want to spend money tapping into your unique readership. It literally is how important Google thinks your page is. The other thing is that no one knows the top secret formula that Google uses to determine page rank.

There are many factors that are taken into consideration...traffic, content, search engine optimization (SEO), and relevence (and I'm sure many other factors.) On the other hand, where you show up through searches is based solely on the relevence of your content. If you search on Google or Yahoo "jobs for 50 Plus", Gen Plus will always show up in the top ten and often in the #1 or #2 spot solely due to the amount of content I've created over years of blogging on this particular subject.

When you show up in the top "sponsored" searches, that will be because you are paying for keywords...those are paid ads. Excellent question. There is a fantastic site filled with incredible information on blogging and monetization, written by a young writer and given freely. High marks for www.doshdosh.com.

Hope that helps...it's very challenging to understand this "other" blogging world at the outset!

Blogging Boomers Carnival #78

2008-07-22T22:57:00.001-07:00

This week's Carnival is hosted by the fantabulous Rhea Becker of The Boomer Chronicles. In addition to our usual assortment of fascinating posts from the prior week on all things boomer, this week we welcome two new members to our Blogging Boomers Carnival: The Baby Boomer Entrepreneur and Vaboomer.com. I hope you enjoy them!

What is Page Rank Anyway?

2008-07-15T09:25:00.001-07:00

You may hear about Page Rank from time to time and wonder what it is and if it is important. I decided to write about it today because many Boomers and 50 Plussers don't understand many of the technical benchmarks on the web, so it is always nice to learn something new!

As a blogger, Page Rank holds a level of importance. Page Rank is a system developed by Google to determine the importance or relevance of a page or website in terms of reader interest. What keywords the page attracts, subject matter, content interest, reader interaction...you name it. Basically it lets you know if what you are writing about is of interest to others. If your page rank is low, does that mean a site is bad? No. Not at all. It just means that that particular page, website or blog hasn't received as much traffic, interest or is deemed as content relevant as another page among the billions of pages on the web.

I got interested in Page Rank when I started getting more involved in the technical aspects of blogging. As most bloggers do, I began as a blogger...well...by writing. As my interests evolved and my blogging became more natural, my own curiousity drove me to find out more about this brave new world. And the two giants in the world of search are google and yahoo.

For bloggers, Page Rank became the holy grail. And once the really tech savvy webmasters figured out how page ranking worked, way back when (2 or 3 years ago), they would design their SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to maximize their page rankings. I, of course, as a non-tech blogger, knew none of this. However, I managed to gain a Page Rank of 7/10, which was phenomenal. And it was due solely to my content (I think!...because I didn't do anything to manipulate my placement.)

Then Google, irritated at being played by the SEO experts, changed their ranking algorithms. And their top secret formula threw many rankings topsy turvy. My Page Rank of 7 fell to a 5 overnight. The coveted rank that I'd never paid attention to before, now stunned me. So I gave up on trying to understand the ranking system and continued to do what mattered to me...writing about relevant issues affecting Boomers and 50 Plussers. My Page Rank is back up to a 6, although I don't know why (but that's pretty good and I'm happy about it.) If you go to my main webpage and have a google toolbar, you'll see page rank: http://genplus.blogspot.com/ (6 on this page), however individual pages, might have NO page rank at all (don't want to delve into too much technical mumbo-jumbo, but you can get page rank by setting up different landing pages for your keyword searches...stopping now, I know...TMI): http://genplus.blogspot.com/2006/11/so-much-to-do-and-so-little-time.html. In any case, if you want to assess the rank of a website, make sure to click on their main page to see their ranking, rather than an individual post page.

The value of the internet is in the communication reach, the free exchange of ideas and the freedom and accessibility of information right around the world. If Page Rank plays into it, fine. It is an important number for advertisers and the commercial strength of a website. But it doesn't change the heart of a blogger.

BBC 77

2008-07-14T19:17:00.000-07:00

This week's lucky (double 7's) blog host for our Blogging Boomers Carnival is Don't Gel Too Soon. It's a good one. Plus stop by and read a few more of Cindy's posts. You'll find her perspectives refreshing and eye-opening.

Gen Plus one of top 14 Boomer Blogs to Watch!

2008-07-10T02:31:00.000-07:00

It's always exciting to discover that someone new has picked up a tidbit of interest from what you have to say as a blogger. It's also a wonderful feeling when you hit a note of resonance with an individual, a group, or in the case of Boomers and 50 Plussers...a collective. So it was with great delight that I discovered Gen Plus has been listed by PSFK (a global trends and innovation company) as 1 of their top 14 boomer blogs to follow.

Very exciting to see how many of these great blogs I know and follow and I'll bet you'll know most of them:

Here they are (in no particular order, thank you very much!):

* 20plus30* Boomer* Aging Fabulous* Time Goes By* Libido & Health* Changing Aging* The Boomer Blog* The Boomer Chronicles* Older But No Wiser* Aging Maven* Always Question* Auxiliary Memory* GenPlus (that's ME!)* Aging Hipster

I'm a big fan of all these bloggers. If you haven't checked them out before, give them a try. If you particularly like a writer, subscribe to their blog for a daily (more or less) dose of inspired thought.

So Much to Share...So Little Time!

2008-07-09T19:03:00.000-07:00

I've got some book reviews coming your way, but in case you want to get a head start on your mid-summer line up, here's one for the boys...

Bob Morris' ASSISTED LOVING True Tales of Double Dating With My Dad (HarperCollins June 2008)

What would you do if your eighty-year-old father dragged you into his hell-bent hunt for new love? Bob Morris, a seriously single son, tells you all about it in this warm, witty, and wacky chronicle of a year of dating dangerously.

This father-son memoir has received some wonderful reviews:

"But it's the journey, not the destination, so the saying goes, and in pursuit of romance, this father and son get a second chance at finding each other; theirs is the resounding love affair at the center of the book... And by way of good manners, let me thank you, Bob Morris, for your heartfelt contribution to the canon of father-son memoir; an expression of civility, a grace note unto itself."- Dinah Lenney, for the LA Times

"Never losing sight of the complex relationship between aging parents and adult children… the inspirational memoir captures all the needed laughs and emotions that go with love and life in the waning years of parent-child bonding.."- Publishers Weekly

You can check out Bob's website at www.assistedloving.com for videos of him and his dad!

AND one for the gals...

How do women retire nowadays? Well according to this book, they don't!

What will you do when you retire? Wave that “red flag” question in front of a woman who fought for any scrap of work success she now claims, and then watch anticipation angst kick in as she thinks about the “what next” stage of her life – the one that comes after her kids are grown, her career has plateau-ed, her spouse is getting antsy, and her friends are primarily work-related.

The Transition Network (TTN), a nation-wide community of women who are re-imagining retirement, have written Smart Women Don't Retire—They Break Free: From Working Full-Time to Living Full-Time to help women deal with the "what next" question.

Smart Women Don't Retire—They Break Free is a blueprint for women redefining retirement. It's a practical guide showing how to choose what to do next, whether it's pursuing a new career, volunteering, or becoming an entrepreneur. This book shows you how to create your own whole new set of life choices.

Praise for Smart Women Don't Retire - They Break Free

"This book compiles concrete evidence that the angst of friends and colleagues is, in fact, part of a flood of concern across the nation. The good news is, we are not alone. The better news is, there are some answers here, or at least signposts that point the way to new possibilities." —Lynn Sherr, Correspondent, ABC TV

“In the next decade a huge number of women will be making a work-related transition from a lifetime career to whatever comes next . . . This book provides a valuable orientation to this process; it is rich in practical advice and inspiration.” —Jennie Chin Hansen, President, AARP
“Every woman 50+ should read this book . . . regardless of where they are on their retirement journey!” —Jeri Sedlar, coauthor of Don’t Retire, REWIRE! senior advisor to the Conference Board on the Mature Workforce

More Information: http://www.thetransitionnetwork.org/
http://www.smartwomendontretire.com/

The Bane of Adult Acne, or a Nit about my Zit

2008-07-09T15:07:00.000-07:00

After spending a blemish-free adolescence and young adulthood, I have been struck, in my 40's and now almost my 50's, with adult-onset acne. For the past 5 years I have struggled to reconcile my mental image of my zit-free face with the reality of an almost persistent blemish on the lower right or lower left of my jaw (depending upon where in my hormonal cycle I am at the moment).

For so many men and women, who were afflicted by acne in their teens, they experience renewed acne in their middle years. They relive the memories of their youth, of Clearasil, and face wipes and alcohol and hydrogen peroxide and plunge into the myriad of new products now available for adult acne.

For me...I'm just so disappointed. I guess I was really lucky to have had good skin as a young person and now I experience constant frustration. Stressful day? Zit at night. Painful ovulation? Immediate eruption. Paying a big bill? I feel that pustule forming under the skin as I'm worrying.

Gross talk? Probably. But, I'm sure at least SOME of you have experienced your body's betrayal, just when you thought you had just a wee bit of control. Never thought I'd look forward to menopause and the end of hormonal surges. Never.

The only GOOD thing is that my near vision has gotten very blurry and I now wear reading glasses...so when I look in the mirror first thing in the morning "sans lunettes", I actually look fantastic (to ME anyway!)...kind of soft-focus, hair-tousled, vaseline on the camera lens gorgeous.

Happy Birthday...to me!

2008-07-05T14:43:00.000-07:00

It is my birthday today and I couldn't be happier. I'm turning 49 today...so 1 year away from MY big FIVE OH. One friend reminded me that I have ONE year left as a youngster. He's a journalist, so I believe he might be right.

Growing up in Canada, my birthday always fell right after Canada Day (July 1st) and because everyone went away for holidays, it was a challenge to have anyone show up to my birthday parties. My Mom was creative and joined my birthday with my sisters, so we'd have a late summer blowout with tons of kids. But I resented Canada Day all the same.

Now that I'm an American, I typically share the limelight, now, with Independence Day. I choose to believe that the fireworks are there for me. And the quiet day after, July 5th, my day, is a perfect way to enjoy the summer blockbuster you can't easily get into or the restaurant that is always too full.

I live in a very suburban, cozy neighborhood, with flat streets, close community and basically very un-LA-like. A wonderful summer troupe holds dress rehearsals of their Shakespearen productions on the producers lawn around the corner from us, and last night, on our way to watch the fireworks, my daughter felt very strongly she's prefer to watch MacBeth (that Scottish play) rather than the fireworks. So we watched an almost private performance of that great play.

This morning, my daughter and mother made me a fantastic breakfast in bed (after which I had a flurry of new client meetings!) and then we took in a showing of Wall-E (liked it...lots of fun, good, simple message) and had a lunch out with my kid (at her favorite restaurant, of course).

If you'd asked me 10 years ago if this was what I'd call a GREAT birthday, I would not have agreed. But now, at 49, with one more year of my youth left before I land firmly in middle age, this is a wonderful birthday. In fact, I wouldn't change a second of it or the year ahead. The country just celebrated Independence, and so, too, do I.

Independence Day

2008-07-03T16:47:00.000-07:00

July 4th, 2008. OK. It's about independence, our freedom, what being an American is all about. But the art of pyrotechnics? Well, in 2008...it's all about the fireworks. Here's a fun site to find out who is showing what and where: http://www.fireworksguide.com/

Even if wildfires are dampening Northern California shows (there has been a ban due to the breadth of the current fires and the very dry, dangerous conditions), you can get the lowdown (and a slide show!) of the best fireworks around from MSNBC.

Happy ID!

Just another summer weekend in Los Angeles...

2008-06-29T11:51:00.001-07:00

Looking for something to do this weekend? Well, if you are looking to stave off aging or find out the latest in biomedical advances in the "disease" of aging, AND you live in Los Angeles, head over to UCLA and join in on the conference: AGINGThe Disease - The Cure - The Implications(Aging 2008)

If you prefer a bit of theater to avoid all thoughts of aging and spend some time reconoitering with your own life path, then you might be interested in the short run in Los Angeles of Birth Story (if you like DefWest, you'll love this...). For a moving preview, click here. There is one show tonight and one more show has been added July 5th.

Who's driving the Postal Trucks?

2008-06-24T21:34:00.001-07:00

Take a good look at who is driving US Postal Service trucks these days and you'll be pleasantly surprised. When push comes to shove you can always count on Boomers and 50 Plussers to deliver your mail..."Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these courageous couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

Blogging Boomers Carnival #75

2008-06-21T21:21:00.000-07:00

Life Two is this week's host of our weekly carnival and I'm posting early, so you can get a head start...because it is a really good one (at least WE think so!) Remember Penny Candy?? I do.

A bit of brilliance for Online Shopping

2008-06-19T09:52:00.001-07:00

If you have never had your own virtual online model to "try" clothes on for you at an online retailer, then you cannot miss this. My Virtual Model brings you a fun, easy way to create, not only a fairly realistic personal model, but allows you to try on clothes from a good spectrum of online retailers (H&M, Land's End, Gap, Adidas, etc.)

A gentle way to discover that...uh...nope...that bathing suit? Not such a good choice. Or WOW, would I look fantastic in THAT! Guaranteed to lower online returns, and at the same time, lets you see yourself in 360 degree format without having to sweat it up in a changing room. Can you lie to yourself? Sure you can...but what for? Might as well see what you really look like in that tankini.

Where has my head been? Walking (wafting?) around in 110 degrees!

2008-06-18T20:46:00.000-07:00

It's been a scorcher week in Los Angeles. For those of you who don't know, I run a pet care service called Pooch Buddies...that means I'm out walking (like the post office) in rain or shine, wind or hail. And this week the temperatures have been in the triple digits. Makes for some very unhappy dogs and some very sweaty dog walkers. All that to say, in my state of dehydration, I completely missed the boat on promoting Blogging Boomers Carnivals #73 AND #74. 74 is hosted over at The Midlife Crisis Queen. And #73 was hosted at This Marriage Thing! Both hosts celebrated their FIRST time as Carnival Hosts...and they did us proud!

2008-06-07T15:47:00.000-07:00

If you missed it, here is the transcript of Hillary's speech today -- ending her campaign and throwing her formidable support behind Barack. A great woman and I'm proud to have supported her in her bid for the White House.

"Thank you so much. Thank you all. Well, this isn’t exactly the party I’d planned, but I sure like the company. I want to start today by saying how grateful I am to all of you – to everyone who poured your hearts and your hopes into this campaign, who drove for miles and lined the streets waving homemade signs, who scrimped and saved to raise money, who knocked on doors and made calls, who talked and sometimes argued with your friends and neighbors, who emailed and contributed online, who invested so much in our common enterprise, to the moms and dads who came to our events, who lifted their little girls and little boys on their shoulders and whispered in their ears, “See, you can be anything you want to be.”

To the young people like 13 year-old Ann Riddle from Mayfield, Ohio who had been saving for two years to go to Disney World, and decided to use her savings instead to travel to Pennsylvania with her Mom and volunteer there as well. To the veterans and the childhood friends, to New Yorkers and Arkansans who traveled across the country and telling anyone who would listen why you supported me.

To all those women in their 80s and their 90s born before women could vote who cast their votes for our campaign. I’ve told you before about Florence Steen of South Dakota, who was 88 years old, and insisted that her daughter bring an absentee ballot to her hospice bedside. Her daughter and a friend put an American flag behind her bed and helped her fill out the ballot. She passed away soon after, and under state law, her ballot didn’t count. But her daughter later told a reporter, “My dad’s an ornery old cowboy, and he didn’t like it when he heard mom’s vote wouldn’t be counted. I don’t think he had voted in 20 years. But he voted in place of my mom.”

To all those who voted for me, and to whom I pledged my utmost, my commitment to you and to the progress we seek is unyielding. You have inspired and touched me with the stories of the joys and sorrows that make up the fabric of our lives and you have humbled me with your commitment to our country. 18 million of you from all walks of life – women and men, young and old, Latino and Asian, African-American and Caucasian, rich, poor and middle class, gay and straight – you have stood strong with me. And I will continue to stand strong with you, every time, every place, and every way that I can. The dreams we share are worth fighting for.

Remember - we fought for the single mom with a young daughter, juggling work and school, who told me, “I’m doing it all to better myself for her.” We fought for the woman who grabbed my hand, and asked me, “What are you going to do to make sure I have health care?” and began to cry because even though she works three jobs, she can’t afford insurance.

We fought for the young man in the Marine Corps t-shirt who waited months for medical care and said, “Take care of my buddies over there and then, will you please help take care of me?” We fought for all those who’ve lost jobs and health care, who can’t afford gas or groceries or college, who have felt invisible to their president these last seven years. I entered this race because I have an old-fashioned conviction: that public service is about helping people solve their problems and live their dreams. I’ve had every opportunity and blessing in my own life – and I want the same for all Americans. Until that day comes, you will always find me on the front lines of democracy – fighting for the future.

The way to continue our fight now – to accomplish the goals for which we stand – is to take our energy, our passion, our strength and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama the next President of the United States.

Today, as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the victory he has won and the extraordinary race he has run. I endorse him, and throw my full support behind him. And I ask all of you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me. I have served in the Senate with him for four years. I have been in this campaign with him for 16 months. I have stood on the stage and gone toe-to-toe with him in 22 debates. I have had a front row seat to his candidacy, and I have seen his strength and determination, his grace and his grit.

In his own life, Barack Obama has lived the American Dream. As a community organizer, in the state senate, as a United States Senator - he has dedicated himself to ensuring the dream is realized. And in this campaign, he has inspired so many to become involved in the democratic process and invested in our common future. Now when I started this race, I intended to win back the White House, and make sure we have a president who puts our country back on the path to peace, prosperity, and progress. And that's exactly what we're going to do by ensuring that Barack Obama walks through the doors of the Oval Office on January 20, 2009.

I understand that we all know this has been a tough fight. The Democratic Party is a family, and it’s now time to restore the ties that bind us together and to come together around the ideals we share, the values we cherish, and the country we love. We may have started on separate journeys – but today, our paths have merged. And we are all heading toward the same destination, united and more ready than ever to win in November and to turn our country around because so much is at stake.

We all want an economy that sustains the American Dream, the opportunity to work hard and have that work rewarded, to save for college, a home and retirement, to afford that gas and those groceries and still have a little left over at the end of the month. An economy that lifts all of our people and ensures that our prosperity is broadly distributed and shared. We all want a health care system that is universal, high quality, and affordable so that parents no longer have to choose between care for themselves or their children or be stuck in dead end jobs simply to keep their insurance. This isn’t just an issue for me – it is a passion and a cause – and it is a fight I will continue until every single American is insured – no exceptions, no excuses.

We all want an America defined by deep and meaningful equality – from civil rights to labor rights, from women’s rights to gay rights, from ending discrimination to promoting unionization to providing help for the most important job there is: caring for our families. We all want to restore America’s standing in the world, to end the war in Iraq and once again lead by the power of our values, and to join with our allies to confront our shared challenges from poverty and genocide to terrorism and global warming. You know, I’ve been involved in politics and public life in one way or another for four decades. During those forty years, our country has voted ten times for President. Democrats won only three of those times. And the man who won two of those elections is with us today.

We made tremendous progress during the 90s under a Democratic President, with a flourishing economy, and our leadership for peace and security respected around the world. Just think how much more progress we could have made over the past 40 years if we had a Democratic president. Think about the lost opportunities of these past seven years – on the environment and the economy, on health care and civil rights, on education, foreign policy and the Supreme Court. Imagine how far we could’ve come, how much we could’ve achieved if we had just had a Democrat in the White House. We cannot let this moment slip away. We have come too far and accomplished too much.

Now the journey ahead will not be easy. Some will say we can’t do it. That it’s too hard. That we’re just not up to the task. But for as long as America has existed, it has been the American way to reject “can’t do” claims, and to choose instead to stretch the boundaries of the possible through hard work, determination, and a pioneering spirit. It is this belief, this optimism, that Senator Obama and I share, and that has inspired so many millions of our supporters to make their voices heard. So today, I am standing with Senator Obama to say: Yes we can. Together we will work. We’ll have to work hard to get universal health care. But on the day we live in an America where no child, no man, and no woman is without health insurance, we will live in a stronger America. That’s why we need to help elect Barack Obama our President. We’ll have to work hard to get back to fiscal responsibility and a strong middle class. But on the day we live in an America whose middle class is thriving and growing again, where all Americans, no matter where they live or where their ancestors came from, can earn a decent living, we will live in a stronger America and that is why we must elect Barack Obama our President. We’ll have to work hard to foster the innovation that makes us energy independent and lift the threat of global warming from our children’s future. But on the day we live in an America fueled by renewable energy, we will live in a stronger America. That’s why we have to help elect Barack Obama our President. We’ll have to work hard to bring our troops home from Iraq, and get them the support they’ve earned by their service. But on the day we live in an America that’s as loyal to our troops as they have been to us, we will live in a stronger America and that is why we must help elect Barack Obama our President.

This election is a turning point election and it is critical that we all understand what our choice really is. Will we go forward together or will we stall and slip backwards. Think how much progress we have already made.

When we first started, people everywhere asked the same questions: Could a woman really serve as Commander-in-Chief? Well, I think we answered that one.

And could an African American really be our President? Senator Obama has answered that one.

Together Senator Obama and I achieved milestones essential to our progress as a nation, part of our perpetual duty to form a more perfect union. Now, on a personal note – when I was asked what it means to be a woman running for President, I always gave the same answer: that I was proud to be running as a woman but I was running because I thought I’d be the best President. But I am a woman, and like millions of women, I know there are still barriers and biases out there, often unconscious. I want to build an America that respects and embraces the potential of every last one of us. I ran as a daughter who benefited from opportunities my mother never dreamed of. I ran as a mother who worries about my daughter’s future and a mother who wants to lead all children to brighter tomorrows. To build that future I see, we must make sure that women and men alike understand the struggles of their grandmothers and mothers, and that women enjoy equal opportunities, equal pay, and equal respect.

Let us resolve and work toward achieving some very simple propositions: There are no acceptable limits and there are no acceptable prejudices in the twenty-first century. You can be so proud that, from now on, it will be unremarkable for a woman to win primary state victories, unremarkable to have a woman in a close race to be our nominee, unremarkable to think that a woman can be the President of the United States. And that is truly remarkable.

To those who are disappointed that we couldn’t go all the way – especially the young people who put so much into this campaign – it would break my heart if, in falling short of my goal, I in any way discouraged any of you from pursuing yours. Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in. When you stumble, keep faith. When you’re knocked down, get right back up. And never listen to anyone who says you can’t or shouldn’t go on.

As we gather here today in this historic magnificent building, the 50th woman to leave this Earth is orbiting overhead. If we can blast 50 women into space, we will someday launch a woman into the White House. Although we weren’t able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it’s got about 18 million cracks in it. And the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time.

That has always been the history of progress in America. Think of the suffragists who gathered at Seneca Falls in 1848 and those who kept fighting until women could cast their votes. Think of the abolitionists who struggled and died to see the end of slavery. Think of the civil rights heroes and foot-soldiers who marched, protested and risked their lives to bring about the end to segregation and Jim Crow.

Because of them, I grew up taking for granted that women could vote. Because of them, my daughter grew up taking for granted that children of all colors could go to school together.

Because of them, Barack Obama and I could wage a hard fought campaign for the Democratic nomination.

Because of them, and because of you, children today will grow up taking for granted that an African American or a woman can yes, become President of the United States.

When that day arrives and a woman takes the oath of office as our President, we will all stand taller, proud of the values of our nation, proud that every little girl can dream and that her dreams can come true in America. And all of you will know that because of your passion and hard work you helped pave the way for that day.

So I want to say to my supporters, when you hear people saying – or think to yourself – “if only” or “what if,” I say, “please don’t go there.” Every moment wasted looking back keeps us from moving forward. Life is too short, time is too precious, and the stakes are too high to dwell on what might have been. We have to work together for what still can be. And that is why I will work my heart out to make sure that Senator Obama is our next President and I hope and pray that all of you will join me in that effort.

To my supporters and colleagues in Congress, to the governors and mayors, elected officials who stood with me, in good times and in bad, thank you for your strength and leadership. To my friends in our labor unions who stood strong every step of the way – I thank you and pledge my support to you. To my friends, from every stage of my life – your love and ongoing commitments sustain me every single day. To my family – especially Bill and Chelsea and my mother, you mean the world to me and I thank you for all you have done. And to my extraordinary staff, volunteers and supporters, thank you for working those long, hard hours. Thank you for dropping everything – leaving work or school – traveling to places you’d never been, sometimes for months on end. And thanks to your families as well because your sacrifice was theirs too. All of you were there for me every step of the way. Being human, we are imperfect. That’s why we need each other. To catch each other when we falter. To encourage each other when we lose heart. Some may lead; others may follow; but none of us can go it alone.

The changes we’re working for are changes that we can only accomplish together. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are rights that belong to each of us as individuals. But our lives, our freedom, our happiness, are best enjoyed, best protected, and best advanced when we do work together. That is what we will do now as we join forces with Senator Obama and his campaign. We will make history together as we write the next chapter in America’s story. We will stand united for the values we hold dear, for the vision of progress we share, and for the country we love. There is nothing more American than that.

And looking out at you today, I have never felt so blessed. The challenges that I have faced in this campaign are nothing compared to those that millions of Americans face every day in their own lives. So today, I’m going to count my blessings and keep on going. I’m going to keep doing what I was doing long before the cameras ever showed up and what I’ll be doing long after they’re gone: Working to give every American the same opportunities I had, and working to ensure that every child has the chance to grow up and achieve his or her God-given potential.

I will do it with a heart filled with gratitude, with a deep and abiding love for our country– and with nothing but optimism and confidence for the days ahead. This is now our time to do all that we can to make sure that in this election we add another Democratic president to that very small list of the last 40 years and that we take back our country and once again move with progress and commitment to the future. Thank you all and God bless you and God bless America."

A Lean, Green, Driving Machine?

2008-06-05T21:33:00.000-07:00

I had a great chuckle the other day. As I was driving back from an appointment with a client, I saw a Prius decked out in a very sharp skin. It was a car that belonged to Drivers Ed Direct. I'd never noticed the company before, so I took a good look and it appeared that this was the newest iteration of driving school. They are touting their "green-ness" which is great, and their safety standards, which is awesome. However, the entire left back bumper of the Prius was...well...badly dented.

Aside from the fact that the Prius is one of the most battered cars I've ever seen (knocked off side mirrors, dented bumpers, smashed trunks, etc.) it was just so funny to me to see a drivers "ed"-gy green car where a driving lesson had obviously gone so very wrong. I don't know...maybe it is just me.

Blogging Boomers Carnival #72

2008-06-03T21:52:00.000-07:00

My mom is 72. And so is this week's Blogging Boomers Carnival, hosted over at I Remember JFK. Once again, a stellar read!

Book Expo of America...an example of the changing times.

2008-06-01T21:49:00.000-07:00

In any big industry, there is always a big picture. The clearer the picture the clearer the vision of the forward momentum of the industry. Well, this past weekend was eye-opening. I went with my mother (Corinne Copnick, whose book Cryo Kid is doing very well at an early stage) to explore what literary agents, rights agents, publishers and distributors were bringing to the table in this new era of new media.

My big picture is not necessarily their big picture, but there is no denying the publishing industry is in a quandry and facing a dilemma -- how to sell books to a public that is opting out of buying books? Sure, we all pick up books, there are book clubs galore, and, of course, Oprah's book club has made a positive impact on reading across the US, but have you talked to a Millenium lately? Kids are going to the internet for information...so travel books, information sources, even dictionaries and thesauruses are in big trouble. They get their fix on what's new and trendy from both the internet and magazines...but they aren't curling up in bed with a book...they are more likely to curl up with their warm laptop for company. And you could see by the show demographic...it is an aging industry. Were there some GREAT professionals there? Yes. Absolutely. And the greatest of them were opening their minds to look for future trends in an uncertain future.

My thoughts were somewhat different. I walked around, lugging pounds upon pounds of advance copies, signed author copies, catalogues and promo items from literally hundreds of book reps and I kept wondering why there weren't docking stations where I could either download the advance copies to my iPod or to a flash drive, rather than shuttle the weight the length of the convention center. Many of the publishers look down their noses at books on demand that self-publishers choose (a book is printed as it is ordered) and I thought...wow...what an opportunity. Heck, if I could go to my local Barnes and Noble and while sitting enjoying my soy chai latte, the book I ordered was being printed up for me to take with me in 10 minutes....I'd be sold. Very curious to see what advances will come up over the next few years. There will always be a market for books, but how that market will reposition itself is the story.

An interesting dilemma -- how to make a career switch?

2008-06-01T07:44:00.000-07:00

One of the many hats I wear includes answering career questions as an expert on AllExperts.com. I recently got a very interesting query on making a total switch which brings up a whole world of possibility.

Question:

Hello Janet,

I have been working in IT industry since last 3 and half years. However, now I don't feel anymore interested in this field. Can you please suggest if there are any other non-IT field jobs which I can get qualified for and still use my 3 years of experience. I know this is very little information for you to answer my question but please feel free if you need any more information about my job profile? Please help... M.

My answer:

Hi M,

It is always challenging to switch tracks because employers have trouble seeing how your skill sets can translate to new areas. However, employers are having trouble themselves with staffing and recruiting, so figuring out how to reposition yourself will be critical in making the switch. There is a world of opportunity, so to get started, you need to identify what types of jobs seem appealing to you and then it becomes easier to figure out the crossover. For example, a background in IT might help you get into an entry level position in recruiting, where the company uses a complicated job/applicant tracker program. Or you might find a smaller company with a chain of 5-10 retail outlets that have transitioned over to a POS program (Point of Sale)and would like to have someone on board who can make use of all the bells and whistles that come with the system (like pulling customer lists for marketing campaigns, analyzing customer quarterly purchases, inventory management, etc.) Feel free to send me more info on what appeals to you and I'll bet we can come up with a slew of ideas for you to get cracking on!

Best regards,
Janet Wendy Spiegel
www.genplususa.com
http://genplus.blogspot.com

If you have other thoughts, feel free to share. I'm curious what your perspective might be!

Clinical Research Study for Men 60 years or Older

2008-05-29T23:55:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting FYI -- EDAP Technomed, Inc., a company that is actively seeking male volunteers who are 60 years old or older for a clinical research study.

The request and info follows:

"Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer, excluding skin cancers, in American men. Men who are older, are of African-American descent, and those with a family history of the disease are at a greater risk for developing prostate cancer. In fact, as men mature, the likelihood of developing the disease increases exponentially. More than 65 percent of disease occurrence is in men older than age 65.

Researchers currently are conducting a study to compare the effectiveness of two procedures in treating low-risk, localized prostate cancer. One of the procedures being tested is cryotherapy (freeze therapy), a commonly used minimally invasive treatment for localized prostate cancer that already is approved for treatment by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In the study, cryotherapy will be compared with an investigational procedure called high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). This procedure is not approved by the FDA. This comparison will help researchers understand if HIFU is as safe and effective as cryotherapy.

Both of the procedures being studied are less invasive than other options. In the last several years, minimally invasive treatment options, of which cryotherapy is one, have been examined closer to determine what benefits they may offer over other standard therapies. The goal of minimally invasive options is to reduce the impact of the treatment on the patient, resulting in quicker recovery and fewer side effects, while maintaining the effectiveness of standard treatments. "

If you are interested in learning more about the study and prescreen, call toll-free at 1-888-707-3737 or visit www.PCaResearch.com.

Blogging Boomers Carnival #71

2008-05-27T14:47:00.000-07:00

So Baby Boomer is this week's BBC host. A delightful roundup for post (sic) - Memorial day.

Gen Plus welcomes...Gen Plus!

2008-05-24T19:53:00.000-07:00

I recently started a dog walking/pet sitting service in Los Angeles (www.poochbuddies.com) and the business is rapidly expanding. When I started this new line of business, I decided that when I started hiring, in support of all the Boomers and 50 plussers who can't find work, I would specifically look to hire...Boomers and 50+ers!

Now I'm looking for dog walkers and I'd love to be able to help OUR demographic! So, if you are interested in finding out about becoming a dog walker in the San Fernando Valley (from Thousand Oaks to Studio City), sign up for free at Gen Plus (www.genplususa.com), search for Pooch Buddies in the job listings and apply online, or send me an email indicating your interest, along with your resume (info@poochbuddies.com) and your experience with animals.

If you are interested in starting a Pooch Buddies affiliate program in your neighborhood, let me know!

Smart Car Move Over...Axon is Here.

2008-05-23T07:01:00.000-07:00

What would you say to 80 mpg when oil is over $130/barrel? That is what Axon Automotive is bringing to the table. If you like what you see, head over and read about the racing car technology that promises to lighten up the load and reduce gas consumption.

It's ShowTime! Blogging Boomers Carnival #70 Hits a Home Run!

2008-05-18T22:53:00.000-07:00

Now, why would I say that? Because there is nothing I can think of that is more fun than to start off a week as the Blogging Boomers Carnival Host! So, today, it gives me great pleasure to tease you, prod you, and encourage you to visit our carnival bloggers and get their perspective on the world in Boomerland. If you don't know what a carnival is, it is a collection of posts from a group of bloggers, gathered together every week and posted on different host sites. Usually fascinating and always something for everyone! Just like a real....Carnival.

Ever wonder if your childhood elementary school was still standing (mine was Glencoe Elementary in my little neighborhood of Nouveau Bordeau in Montreal, Quebec)? The Boomer Chronicles wants to know: "What institutions from your past are gone forever -- your elementary school? church? synagogue? childhood home?"

Some thoughts on a 60th birthday celebration the value of friends, both grown up and very small, and of the wonder that is the Jersey shore at Don't Gel Too Soon. If you haven't yet visited Cindy's blog, it is definitely worth the trip.

And then...ayay! LifeTwo notes that chronic pain is yet another thing to not like about middle age.

How's this for some serious carpel tunnel? With the news that someone in Australia has translated all 31,173 verses of the bible into text speak, Ann at Contemporary Retirement asks, 'Is text just a passing fad or will it be around in 20 years' time?' <;O

One of our new Carnival members, the MidLife Crisis Queen (love the blog!) talks about becoming the elders of our tribe. Really, it's about how we all may struggle with becoming the elders, in a tribe that does not respect it's elders.

So Baby Boomer gives us a bite of reality (and, yup, sometimes reality CAN bite!) The middle Baby Boomers are 52 or 53, with 13 to 15 years of work left. Some get the fact that their lifestyle will be a heck of a lot better if they forgo some consumption in the next 10 to 15 years. Many do not. (Oh crikeys...I'm going to have to give up the spinach/parmesan artichoke dip at Trader Joe's. I bought TWO bags of groceries today for just shy of $50.00! And spent $90 filling up my tank. And that was before lunch.)

Have you been struggling to define your style since you’ve reached midlife? (Yes, I have...always! I'm a whiz on the keyboard, but a disaster at the mall...) Then check out a cool new tool at Fabulous after 40 that helps make clothes shopping a breeze, and simplifies your entire life.

And another welcome to one of our new carnival members over at This Marriage Thing. Many would say that compromise is the key to a happy marriage, but is that entirely true?

For my special contribution of the week, I saw a couple of my friends get laid off in their late 50's and that prompted a bit of speculation, observation, and, of course, a few comments.

Enjoy the reads and make sure to make comments whenever you feel like it...it always makes a blogger feel that much more special.

56 and laid off...what do I do now?

2008-05-14T23:46:00.000-07:00

Bad news this week for two of my friends...both in their mid-50's. One of them has been told to find another source of income...not enough money coming into the small business where he works to keep him paid up to date. Another one was laid off for large company downsizing, although the fact that he is 56 does, without a doubt, play into it.

Also, on an even more interesting note, they are both men. Although I get many emails from women, right now, men are going to feel the brunt of loss of job security more than
women. The sectors that are booming right now, education and healthcare, are predominantly staffed by women (77%) . Manufacturing and construction, for example, which are feeling the turndown very sharply, are predominantly staffed by men (88%).

Like so many of us, caught in that bizarre twilight zone of 50-ish to 60-ish, their biggest question is "So, what do I do now?" They are not naive enough to think that someone will snatch them up. They are both overqualified for anything they will be offered. They are going to have to get creative.For a detailed look at how the economy is affecting both men (high numbers of jobs lost) and women (stay more stagnant in their positions) this article on MSNBC has some interesting stats.

Need a lift? Check out this week's Blogging Boomers Carnival #69

2008-05-12T23:04:00.000-07:00

The always inspiring Ann Harrison, of Contemporary Retirement is this week's host of our Blogging Boomers Carnival.

We didn't have an intentional theme, but you'll find this week we move from birth, to motherhood and parenthood, to death...and beyond. Enjoy.

Hours for Workers Cut

2008-05-07T06:52:00.000-07:00

If you've noticed that employees are seeming a bit more harried lately, that might be because employee hours have been cut and productivity is up by 2.2%. That means employers are expecting their workers to produce just as much, in less time.

Just the other day I was in an Office Depot near me and the woman staffing the copy center was trying to be so helpful (and she was)...yet at the same time, I overheard her tell another worker that she had been the only staff for the entire day and hadn't had lunch (it was 6:30 pm).

A great employee and I'm pretty sure she'll have moved on to somewhere else more reasonable by the next time I head over there. More productivity? Sure. But at what cost?

Oh. And oil just hit $122/barrel.

Mid-Life Loves Dogs...Watch for Pooch Buddies

2008-05-05T14:13:00.000-07:00

I am about to reveal some interesting insights into my personal life which will likely give you some perspective into the topics I've been delving into over the past few months...and particularly into my love of career-chunking or multi-channeling.

A few months ago, I left the corporate world after a very long run (about 15 years) and since I was able to, decided to take the time...really take the time...and think. (Some might say I've been influenced by Eckhart Tolle, but that wouldn't be correct.)

Since the age of 20, I have never had more than a few weeks of time to gather myself, my thoughts really, together, and take a deep look at my life. So the past two months have been astoundingly fantastic. I've discovered that I love being home to take my daughter to school in the morning and to pick her up at the end of the day. I love business and I've also discovered just how much I love hanging out with my dog. And so I started a dog-walking/boarding service to see just how much I do, in fact, love hanging out with dogs...as a business. And I do. Love it.

So, if you live in the San Fernando Valley, in Los Angeles, California, and you see a woman walking by with a dog or two on leash and a T-shirt or baseball cap that says "Pooch Buddies", it will be me or someone who works for me! If you see my car with the window decal that says "Pooch Buddies" that is definitely me, so honk and wave hello.

If you live in the Valley (from Thousand Oaks to Studio City) or Westside, or know someone who does and need help with your dog care, please visit my other website: www.poochbuddies.com (some dog products are already being sold there) and I'd love to help you out. But here is the best thing of all. Who will I be hiring as I grow? You got it...Gen Plussers. So, if you are a boomer or 50 plusser and want to potentially be a dog walker/sitter for me (that means getting paid to exercise and enjoy being with a dog), just let me know. And if you want to start up Pooch Buddies in your neck of the woods, let me know and we'll sort that out, too. I won't be talking about Pooch Buddies on this website as it isn't in the scope of topics I cover here, but I will let you know how my career-chunking goes and also when I need more of you to apply for a job as a Pooch Buddy!

Woof.

Blogging Boomers Carnival #66

2008-05-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

It's #68 and it is here. Your Monday pick-me-up is hosted this week at The Boomer Chronicles.

How is business going to be hit? How are jobs going to be affected in 2008?

2008-05-04T12:00:00.000-07:00

The economy (as evidenced by the news over the past several months) is doing more than slowing down. It is roaring to a screeching halt...and right where it will hurt the middle class. If you think of who really supports the economy, it is the small business. Although the mega-conglommerates take in so much of the money up for grabs, small business is the army of ants that build, work, and continue, to support the country.

This year is going to hit small business really hard because of trickle down effect. With so many super-companies shutting so many doors (see my article on retail closures) let's look, for a second at a detail on impact. Let's take Ann Taylor. They are closing 117 stores. That is 117 store managers and assistant managers that fit into the definition of the middle class. In one store, the one manager will now be unemployed for, let's say 4 - 6 months which is a reasonable average in today's market. She (most Ann Taylor store managers will likely be female) has to support herself and there is a 50% chance that she is divorced and may also be a single mother. If she had a health plan, she'll now have to pay COBRA in order to keep her plan, but let's assume, she can't come up with the $500-$900/month it may cost to keep the plan. She'll let it lapse and will join the ranks of the uninsured. Her focus will be on paying the rent, for her car (or not), food, and the care of her children.

Will she go to her dentist for her routine cleaning? Likely not. Will she switch from her hair stylist to a less expensive walk-in chain? Or grow her hair long? Likely. Make her own meals rather than dine out? Yup. Avoid paying for expensive movies in the theaters? Yup. Cut off her cable? Possibly. Switch off the cell or landline and only have one phone? Probably.

And that is just the start. Now let's move on to the dentist. The dentist relies on teeth cleaning for business retention so that when a cavity or cracked tooth crops up, you go to the dentist who has been cleaning your teeth for years. Out of the 117 Ann Taylor stores, with only 2 managers at each, that is about 234 teeth cleanings that will likely not happen. If a woman gets her hair cut every six weeks, then over 6 months, that would be just under 1200 haircuts lost. The dentists will lose over $20,000 just from those 117 stores. And the stylists...about $280,000. (If you are an economist, you'll likely argue my figures...but this is just for illustration purposes.)

So what am I going to keep my eyes on in the next six months? The dental industry, and the beauty industry. How will dental hygenists do in terms of finding work upon graduation in 6 months? What about cosmetologists (hair stylists)? Will more dental offices open or close? How many new hair salons will open? How many will close their doors?

If I were looking for a job right now, where would I look? In recession proof areas -- services and products that people cannot live without. And I wouldn't be looking at the market today, but trying to project what that trickle-down affect will impact 6 months or a year from today.

I never intended to be a political or economic commentator....but 7000 retail outlets going bye-bye? I gotta say something!

2008-05-03T10:23:00.000-07:00

A very long headline for a lot of economic downturn. Egad. Waking up yesterday to NPR again depressed the bejeebies out of me. I think I'm going to have to change back to ocean sounds. Here's the deal. Last year, that terrible economic year (the one where most of us lost 10% of our investment portfolios) over 4500 retail outlets closed up. This coming year, the projection is for 7000 retail outlets to do the same. That's a heck of a big number. Who is being hit? An article in the NY Times in mid-April gave a prelimary look at just a few who are going to (or already have) shut down.

Bombay
Levitz
Sharper Image
Linens'n'things
Footlocker
Ann Taylor
Zales
Wickes

It isn't the shift in consumer spending alone that is to blame for such a devastating scope of closures. If you consider that most of these retailers accumulate staggering amounts of debt and use credit as their means of cash flow, many of them are unable to handle the tightened purse strings and higher rates of interest that lenders are enforcing. Combined with lessened consumer spending (who is going to buy that new sofa when you need the money for your increased mortgage/credit card/fuel costs), they have little choice but to close doors. Up to 7000 closed doors projected for 2008. Mind-boggling.

Other experts believe that this is a simple economic readjustment...that there are, in fact, too many retail operations per capita. I do like this theory, because as a consumer, I often feel that there are too many choices...so many that I can't make a decision on what to buy. As a result, I'm likely to delay my purchase...deadly for retailers, who rely on quick consumer decisions to close a sale. Survival of the fittest. We've got a tough year ahead on the economic front.

PS. Cost me $90 to fill my tank yesterday. Which meant only one pair of Old Navy jeans for my daughter instead of the two pair I'd been planning to buy. And dinner at home instead of out at a restaurant. And a DirecTV movie instead of Blockbuster rental. And...and...and.

Who Cares What it is Called? Recession or Not...$4 a gallon?

2008-04-29T22:28:00.000-07:00

Just a few short years ago, $40 would fill my tank and get me a cuppa coffee. $100 would buy me so many bags of groceries that I would need to get the bags into my car. A soya chai latte...well...I didn't buy any of those back then.

My day ended yesterday listening to former President Jimmy Carter talk absolute drivel to Charlie Rose (who was getting a little irritated himself, I might add) on theoretical nonsense about how the next president could change the world perception of the US by a 10 minute inauguration speech. Today my day started by listening to George Bush talk absolute drivel for ten minutes on how good people were finding it tough to make ends meet. Yes. George. Thanks for overstating the obvious. Two polar opposites as presidents and enough drivel to fertilize my lawn for a decade.

Then I went to Trader Joe's, where I used to buy $50 - $60 and fill my house with food for a week. Today I spent over $100 to feed our family of three (and a dog) and I'll be lucky to make it to Friday. And then, I filled my car with gas...or let's just say I put in $40 to fill my tank less than 1/2 way. I came home and started going through my bills, deciding in what order I should drain my bank account. Now I'm going to sleep. Got some food in the house, some gas in the car, less money in the bank and I'm pretty sure we're in a recession.

I'm not listening to Charlie Rose tonight, as I need to wait for my drivel bucket levels to go down. At least I'll save $0.25 on the electricity.

Blogging Boomers Carnival #67

2008-04-28T18:31:00.000-07:00

Cindy Samuels at Don't Gel is this week's Blogging Boomer Carnival host. Enjoy!

Charles Darwin Gets Cyber and Online

2008-04-25T10:04:00.000-07:00

Some people wake up to the sound of an alarm clock. Others to music, ocean sounds or the dog licking their face. I wake up to National Public Radio. As I break my way into consciousness, my mind gets a bit more stretched with information and stories that I would otherwise never have learned about.

This morning, the first thing I heard was that on the first day Cambridge University launched their new site dedicated to Charles Darwin, they had over 7 MILLION hits, crashed their smokin' servers several times and had over 14,000 downloads of the pdf version of the Origin of Species. The documents (over 20,000 of them) had previously only been available in person at Cambridge. Documents range from handwritten recipes, to theory rewrites, to the pros and cons of marriage. Who wouldn't want a peek into the mind of the very real man whose observations of variety of birds sparked a revolution of insight into the science of evolution?