My new media penpal

Last night I had a great privilege.  I got to meet a fellow blogger.  For many of you who are 100% time-committed to blogging, you may attend blogger symposiums and conferences, meet niche bloggers at niche events, like BlogHer, or spend time with other writers, journalists or techies who spend the majority of their time in the new media medium.

 

But, for me, a single mom, corporate executive by day and super-blogger and champion of Boomer and 50 plus by night, most of my interaction is, necessarily, online.  I’ve had the wonderful good fortune to make many new cyberfriends and develop business associations with like-minded bloggers.  We see each other’s pictures online, have rapid-fire exchanges of ideas, and meet up through online vehicles.

 

So when I have the chance to meet a fellow writer, blogger, advocate, in person…I am beside myself.  Occasionally a blogger will head to LA and because I do travel in my daytime world, I am in many cities across the US, so I tend to meet up with kindred spirits on the road.  Imagine my excitement when I got an email from a fellow blogger who, at the last minute, was coming to LA. 

 

And so, of course, we met up last evening.  Although it was the first time we had met in person, we were like little girls, curled up on an outdoor sofa at a Beverly Hills hotel, exchanging our thoughts, ideas, sharing links and diet Coke with Mac on lap!  Cynthia Samuels is a wonderful writer, free spirit and a breath of fresh air. Her blog travels from  Costco to Vietnam and on to Randy Newman!  The few hours flew by and I felt just the way I had when as a young child, I had the opportunity to meet one of my penpals (except I was much younger and really had nothing to talk about at the time.)

 

Lately, I’ve been hearing from other bloggers who are looking to meet up if we end up in the same cities…and for me…what a wonderful way to mesh the daily world and the online world.  Two communities really converging in a new century way.

Blogging Boomers Carnival #48 is up!

The always fascinating Baby Boomer Chronicles is this week's host to the Blogging Boomers Carnival -- chock full of interesting, insightful and sometimes insufferable boomer insights of the week!

And on a side note spaces are filling for the Gen Plus Town Hall in LA on January 22nd -- if you aren't working, looking to change your job/career, or just looking for a meaningful strategy for the next decade, we'd love to have you join us. Click on the link for more info on this free event.

Late to the gate on the Kindle?

What is this thing? Reading my daily subscription from The Boomer Chronicles, I discovered something that I had not yet seen. The Kindle! An electronic reader that approximates the experience of reading a book - -but digitally. Kind of the iPod for the literati. So I headed over to read about Kindle and there are already almost 1000 reader reviews of the item...some great, some not so great...but wow. A great concept. Right now, they are running at $400 a pop...which means that like the Shuffle, the Mini, etc., within a couple of years we'll be seeing the Mini versions going for $50 - $99.

But if I had $400 to spend right now? I'd head right over. Step aside i-Phone. Reading is back in vogue.

Gloomy national forecast may not be so gloomy for boomers and 50 plussers after all!

Despite the slightly gloomy US national economic forecast that came out today (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16748091) not all the news is bad.  Unemployment is still under 5% and is anticipated to hold at about 4.9% next year.  So, even though you may be having trouble finding work, the good news is that there is, in fact, work to be had. 

The trick is in the finding it.  Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing some very solid and exciting information with you on the fields that are specifically starting to focus on the Boomer and 50 plus worker.  Another trend that is going to pick up steam over the next few years are multiple tracks in careering.  So you might be a virtual worker for one company, building a home-based business and at the same time, reporting for work 32 hours a week at a brick and mortar location.

If I look at this prime demographic, there are many people who, in addition to their daytime jobs, are building small businesses outside of work hours and even consulting in addition to that.  Our age group is looking to reshape and redefine what constitutes work as we move into the next third of our lives.  More to come.

Recession-proofing

It's that time of year -- time to buy gifts, time to make winter holiday plans, times to check out the old bank account. For a lot of us, this is a tough time. If you are a 50 plus jobseeker, out of work for awhile, it's a harsh time of year.

With words like "recession" hanging in the air, people tend to get scared. On one hand, prices are rising (gas, mortgages) and on the other home sales are falling. But depending upon who you listen to, things are about to get dire...or things are really going to stay pretty much the same. There is no way of knowing, until the economic climate settles in. One thing I do know is that there are some strong numbers that will indicate health in certain industries regardless of the economy.

We are an aging population, so everything to do with us (yes, Gen Plussers), will remain a fairly stable and powerful market. For example, we may not always be able to afford healthcare, but healthcare workers will remain in high demand. Teachers are retiring and there are not enough educators to take their place. Retail is having trouble finding Gen Yers to stick around a couple of months at a time. Customer service is in deep trouble...more often via phone, but where retail traffic is high and there are not enough staff on hand, I'm hearing customers complaining more and more.

But to allow for my flight of fancy in recession era thinking, I was chatting with someone the other day about what people really, really need to survive. In this consumer society, we want a lot, but how much do we really need? We need shelter, food, clothing, a means to afford the shelter and food, contact with other human beings. I can't help with shelter (other than emotional support), and I'm a mean cook, but can't send a plate of pasta through cyberspace, but there are jobs on Gen Plus for you to peruse, and a way to find some love in the right demographic .

From many of your emails, I know that a lot of people are finding money a bit tight right now. It makes me ask the question: what do I really need?

I took a close look at what I think I need and could certainly live without. I've embarassed myself with what I don't really need and so I thought I could share that with you (and I'm pretty stingy with myself...or so I think...and keep in mind that I'm still on turkey cloud nine, so not thinking that clearly yet...)

To start:

• landline phone, a cell phone and a blackberry.
• cable-connected internet (I believe that I can't live without my cable) a PC and a laptop and DirecTV High Definition (may daughter believes that she cannot live without the Disney channel)
• spend money on my child and my dog
• take trips at winter holiday, spring break and in the summer.
• send my daughter to summer camp
• have a van -- it's really old and I love it. My dad told me to sell it last year and I didn't heed his advice. Now it needs about $3K in repairs. I have to buy a new car.
• shop at Target too often for my own good -- never, ever able to leave there without dropping $100
• eat sushi too often
• get home paper delivery
• have magazine subscriptions for Bon Apetit, National Geographic and a few others
• buy books often instead of taking out books at the library
• pay a woman to clean my home once a week
• pay a gardener to mow my lawn once a week
• get a massage once a month
• have season subscription to a local theater

Where do I try to save money?

• dye my own hair and do my own nails
• buy really nice clothes, but always on sale
• ditto for shoes/purses
• drive a really old van (stop laughing)
• ummm....

So, honestly, how much money am I technically wasting here? Shocking, isn't it?

If you look at your own expenditures, what are you wasting money on? Might help you to find the extra bit of cash for the gifts you wanted to get. Or the "interview" suit you need to buy at the holiday sales!

Bye-bye Thanksgiving, Hello Chanukah and Christmas!

In order that my holiday shopping remains fun and festive, I search relentlessy for the new, the interesting, and the downright inventive every year. From atomic clocks to keychain tools to dancing dreidels, I search for them all -- and particularly if they are made by a 50 plusser.


The first item worth mentioning this year is the inventive AND preventive MenorahMate, an ingenious addition to the Chanukah celebration. For any of you who celebrate Chanukah, or who have been to celebrations at the homes of Jewish friends, you'll remember seeing the beautiful menorahs...with streams of hot wax...dripping down on the table...or as in many homes, on a sheet of aluminum foil!


Hello MenorahMate:


“We knew that there simply had to be a better way of protecting the table. And even more importantly, we wanted to create a renewed connection to the three traditional blessings, to encourage everyone at the table to participate,” comments the product’s creator Debra Wurzel (a Gen Plusser, of course) of Los Angeles.

What is MenorahMate? A smart concept -- a protective, décor-enhancing mat with a soft, non-skid backing, designed for use under the menorah combined with the Chanukah blesssing imprinted right on the surface in Hebrew, English, and transliteration.


In addition to protecting the tabletop, “This product is unique because it places the blessings right in the center of the holiday, where they belong,” says Wurzel.


I find it a great product and in addition to the contemporary design, I particularly like the fact that the wax just pops off the mat after a bit of time in the freezer.


Launched just in time for Chanukah 2007, MenorahMate already has generated excitement within the Jewish community and has popped up in stores across the US. Best of all, this product is manufactured in the US... in Los Angeles, California. For more information, a list of retailers or to order MenorahMate, visit www.menorahmate.com.


Lots of fun, not too expensive, great for a family or friend gift and also wonderful for office acquaintances and friends. I'll let you know about any other great finds as I continue on my merry shopping jaunts.

Feedblitz newsletter service

I'm giving some Thanks to technology! If you are a subscriber, you've been receiving double posts for the past month. When I changed the way in which I use my newsletter distribution service, somehow all my posts started getting sent as doubles. I think (believe, hope) the double email dilemma has been resolved.

If you are still receiving double newsletters, please shoot me a quick email at wspiegel@genplususa.com so I can continue to investigate.

Hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving feasts. I'm triptophaned (sp?) and blissed out.