I'm an American-Canadian

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.

Butter. Real Butter.

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!

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

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.

Very cool online interactive interview!

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!

I'm All Shook Up...

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.

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

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...

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!

What is Page Rank Anyway?

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.

Happy Birthday...to me!

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

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...

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.

A bit of brilliance for Online Shopping

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.

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

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.

If We Live to 150, then 80 is the new 50...?!

Last night I watched the Barbara Walters Special on ABC -- Live to 150. A few years ago, I'm sure I watched another show that talked about living to 125 so the advances in longevity research in just a few short years have had a quick impact on projections of lifespan. According to the program, the last year alone has brought incredible new information to the table and that follows the past 30 years of an increased pace of discovery through the marvels of scienctific research.

I've included a couple of links for readers who missed the show and would like a bit more info, but here were the talking points that completely jazzed me.

1) Aging is being looked at as a disease, with diabetes and alzheimers being the greatest enemies of aging. So rather than looking to prolong life with miracle remedies, scientists are looking at how to isolate and treat the aging genes, which in turn, will promote a longer, healthier life span.
2) There is a chemical in red wine that does, in fact, help prolong life. Don't start drinking the red stuff, though...you'd need to drink 1000 bottles a day to get enough resveratrol to prolong life. However, studies on lab rats are really promising. Even the obese rat lived 30% longer, with greater energy, than the healthy rat with no drug intervention.
3) Body parts are already being grown through stem cell cloning-- including hearts and other vital organs.
4) My child may find she lives a healthy several hundred years.
5) Extreme caloric reduction does help resist aging. I, however, would not enjoy life with extreme caloric reduction, so I'll have to hope for the red wine intervention.
6) 80 will become the new 50.

That is where I had to pause and take a big breath. If we live that much longer, that means that we will have to find a way to financially support ourselves throughout a longer life span. The ageism that we are now experiencing in job search, will advance about...30 years...and at 50 we'll only be at early-mid career. At 80 corporations will start weeding us out. If you stayed in one job for your lifetime, you could technically be with one employer for 60 years (oh lordy!), which would never fly...basic cost of living salary increases alone would have you earning far more than any job was worth by the time you'd be...I don't know...75ish?

Small business ownership would thrive, with the median owner age being...what...90? As a mom, I'd be able to give my child unsolicited advice for...130 odd years. Oh my.

The implications of just ONE of any of the many advances affecting our general population would mean a redefinition of career and jobs, employment environment, health care, marriage (yikes..being married to the same fella for 120 years? Doubtful.), child rearing, family living, world population, financial impact (would only the rich, rich be able to live a long life? What about a 120 year old blue collar worker? How would he/she make ends meet?), financial planning, pharmaceutical strategies, housing...even death planning. That is just touching the tip of the iceberg.

Divorce rates, for example, have increased over the decades, not (in my opinion) due to more lax divorce laws. No...I believe it is because people are living longer. If women don't die in childbirth in their 40's, or men in their 50's, then married folks have to live together for that many more years. What will happen when a couple marries in their twenties? Perhaps renewable marriage contracts every decade? Perhaps NO marriage? Who would commit for 130 years to ONE person? Call me flighty, if you must...but not me, that's for sure!

And if I changed jobs every 5 or so years, forget the one-page resume. I'd need about 10 pages by the time I was 85!

The advances are fascinating and actuaries are already sharpening their pencils in glee.

http://www.bizjournals.com/eastbay/stories/2008/03/31/daily20.html

http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-ettell5632893apr01,0,5189932.story

The Battle Within

In my twenties, I was fearless. There was no risk too great to take. I travelled to different countries, visited every nook and cranny in Canada and the US that I could afford to travel to. Took jobs for $150/week so that I could break into a new industry, stayed up all night, had lots of different boyfriends -- opened my arms wide to all new experiences. With no fear. Perhaps, in retrospect, there was a certain naivete that protected me, but nonetheless, I experienced a wide rainbow. As a result, my own career and life path were pretty rich.

I'll bet many of you can relate to that freedom to change, to risk, to fail. And we all did it without blinking.

Isnt' it so odd, that with so much experience under our belts, as we get to our late 40's, early 50's, and even well into our 60's and 70's, for some reason, the older we get, the more paralyzed we become. I know, for myself, life's responsibilities (child, home, dog) take front and center and as a sole breadwinner, I have to measure in the risk. But why, when in our twenties, we are so able to change, do we start to hesitate, falter and fear change as we age? We seek job security in a world where job security is no longer viable. We avoid change to stay secure in our own nests. Why? Is there some biological factor at play? Some holdover from the early days of mankind, when as a race, our lifespan only stretched into our late 40's or early 50's? Is there a pre-wired instinct to get ready to die?

Hold on. There it is again. That fear factor. We have it in job search -- as mature workers we are terrified that we won't find meaningful employment. There are services in cyberspace dedicated to helping us find work, but even that concept brings us more fear ("I need a career management service to break down a door?")

In this millenium, we can anticipate healthy, vibrant lives well into our 80's and even 90's. So at 40 and 50, we really are only at mid-life. That's a whole lot of living yet. So where does the fear come from? What a relief it would be -- to shed the nest, strike out for unknown territories and fearlessly reconquer the world. My recognition of my burning need for change started with my quest for a new car and realizing that the car of my dream did not fit into my current life needs. Did I still get a great car? Yes. Was it the car I would have purchased if I was free as a bird? Heck...no. But it underlined some major changes in my life that limited my personal freedoms. Do those constraints extend to all apsects of a mid-life?

You may have stayed in a job for a really long time and then left it. Do you remember the feeling of freedom when you made that choice? Even people who are downsized ultimately feel a great sense of relief and freedom to embrace personal change, even with an uncertain financial security.

What is the true emotion behind the "mid-life crisis"? An internal call of the wild? Maybe the mid-life crisis is mis-named. Maybe it is really just listening to ourselves for a minute or two and following our heart's desire.

Gen Y reshaping the employment game

An interesting article by CNN writer, Anthony Balderrama, which shares some insights into how Gen Y is affecting employment practices caught my eye today, particularly in light of my post earlier this week on multi-generational workspaces.

A significant number of employers are looking at ways to attract and retain the always-on-the-move Gen Yers demanding higher salaries, work/life balance, job flexibility and top tier technology. The overall technological savvy of this generation is too compelling for employers to ignore. According to a recent Careerbuilder survey:

Fifteen percent of employers reported modifying their policies in order to
appease their Gen Y employees. Of those employers who made changes, 57 percent
implemented more flexible work schedules and 33 percent created new recognition
programs.

From what I can see, we are still a good five years away from employers realizing that they have a lot of transient talent, but little longevity, and even less in dependability, general management or supervisory skill sets. I'm looking for a hint of another 15% of employers who decide to aggressively and proactively target 50 plussers specifically for those experience-heavy requirements.

World Changers

The other night, a few of us got into a deep discussion of world changers -- those who impact the world.

There are those who are visible world changers -- presidents, top CEO's, military presences, philanthropists, innovators, religious leaders -- highly influential, possibly visioneers, societal engineers. Of course, with elections ahead, we are being made very aware of how influential many of the candidates can be.

There are the regular every day folks...the you's, the me's, the child in Russia, the grandmother in England, the teacher in Argentina, the parent in Mississippi, the church secretary in France, the janitor in the middle school, the vagrant under the bridge. And, then, of course, there are those who choose to ignore moral codes...burglars, murderers, rapists, vandals, embezzlers, cheaters, liars.

All of them have an impact on everyone else they encounter in their lives. The burglar certainly an influence on parents, siblings, spouse, children, neighbors, teachers, friends, enemies, victims, police (if they got caught), lawyers, judges, possibly jury, and on and on. Positive influence, negative influence...regardless, every contact they ever had with any person will have subtly or not so subtly changed the world we live in.

At 50 plus, so many of us feel a sense of hopelessness, particularly when faced with life challenges -- being jobless at 50 plus, or single, or looking to combine households, or losing a home, caring for parents, becoming orphans. But how wonderful to take pause for a minute or two and think on the thousands upon thousands of positive human interactions we've have in our lives and know that something we might have said, or done, in passing or intentionally, in some small way changed someone else's life or pathway. We are world changers. Collectively (as the Boomer generation) and individually.

I can't help but think of one of my family's relatives, who died at the young age of 54, a lovely, lovely man, mentally slow, but with the heart of a king. When he died, over 200 people came to pay their respects. Many of them had no cars, and little money. They walked, they bussed, they came. Because this man had touched each of them in a life-impacting way. A man with very little who gave a whole lot to many, many people in his all too short life. Our discussion reminded me of just how powerful we each can be in our own changing of the world.

So as I head into my new year, I'm going to make a concerted effort to pay it forward, do my little "acts of kindness" every day, and hope to help with positive change in the world. Join me.

What reinventing is all about

Every morning and every evening I take my sweet rescue dog for a walk. I use the word "sweet" next to "rescue" with purpose. Off leash, my dog is a wonder of charm, wit and grace. On leash, she is a valiant protector, ready to lunge at a bird, squirrel, cat, or human being wearing a funny hat. So, it is a delight whenever we bump into a dog person who immediately bonds with my dog, rubbing her head, her ears, and if she really likes them, her tummy.

There is a man like that who lives a couple of blocks away from me. Always in his garage, playing music, puttering around. He and his wife love dogs....but he...he LIVES for dogs. And so, when my dog and I stop at his house, he and my pet play, bond and wiggle together for many minutes. That is how his wife and I have got to talking...as dog and man bond, the two gals chat. About the dog and the man.

Shirley shares with me that Ron suffered a massive heart attack several years ago and was forced into early retirement. He couldn't afford to retire, either financially or emotionally, and he didn't have a plan, either.

But he LOVED collecting old vinyl records. His hobby has now evolved into a homegrown business over the past few years. Operating out of his garage, he collects, trades and shows records. He heads out to various trade shows across the country and has become well-known for his collections. His hobby has given him love-based revenue.

There are so many 50 plussers that are discouraged. If you are one of them, you'll likely have applied to jobs, posted resumes, attempted to network, tried to start businesses and it may just not be working.

I started Gen Plus and this blog as a direct result of a close friend and business colleague being ousted from a prominent corporate sales position with no job prospects in sight. He went back to school to become a teacher...and that is what he does now. Teaches. He reinvented himself completely. Just like my neighbor, and just like many of you are being forced into.

What I love about Ron's story is that he followed his heart -- which was about his love of record collecting -- which jump-started a business venture. When I encourage you (relentlessly) to post your resumes on Gen Plus and on other job boards and to apply to thousands of jobs if necessary, it isn't because you will necessarily find a job that way at 50 plus. But when you open your mind to possibilities and to opportunity, when your eyes are watching, your ears are listening and your heart is open, then you might find your own bit of vinyl to spin into a direction for your future.

How a man who suffered a major heart attack can live each day with such a passion and a zest for life is inspiring. His passion for living is so obvious -- brimming over to his patting of my dog. His love of life pushed him to reinvent himself.

What passions do I dream of? What do you dream of? What would reinvention look like, or mean, to me? I'm working on it - for me it my passion for Gen Plus and the 50 plus demographic. What about your reinvention? Certainly worth a thought or two.

Introducing The Z-List to Gen Plussers!

Very off-topic tonight, but I think many of you will find this interesting. In the blog world, there is a concept, called a "meme", which is a viral marketing concept. Each meme is based on a theme. For example, there might be a meme on your top ten favorite cities of all time. The meme concept gets circulated to other bloggers and before you know it, you are aware of the top ten favorite cities of one hundred other bloggers. I have recently discovered a meme list, called the Z-list on Dosh Dosh, a great site for bloggers. Dosh Dosh credits Mack Collier from A Viral Garden with starting ‘The Z List‘ (the original list) in December 2006.

This is a list of "NOT A-list" bloggers, but rather a tongue-in-cheek reference to the wealth of fantastic, fascinating blogs that scoot around conventional popularity contests by producing great quality on the web. There are a lot of really interesting blogs here, although I've not had time to visit all of them, so I'm unable to personally endorse any particular blog that I'm not familiar with. However, I am familiar with quite a few of them. Many of these bloggers offer excellent, generous help about blogging, branding, and business in general.

These blogs are predemoninantly about blogging, business and marketing, but there are also quite a few that just offer great insight and info on specific subjects. If you are excited about hearing what other bloggers from around the world have to say, you might want to take a little trip through some of the links below. So, if you see a blog title that appeals to you, just head on over! I was very excited to see The Boomer Chronicles on the list as they are one of the very popular blogs on our Blogging Boomers Carnival. It is against protocol to put one's own blog as an addition to the Z-list. If you wish to add the list to your own blog, cut and paste the "source" code from the links below into your blog post and feel free to add my blog to your post. For more detailed instructions, head over to Dosh Dosh.

Make Money Online With Dosh Dosh

A Viral Garden

Connected Internet

Blog-Op

Can I Make Big Money Online

Blogtrepreneur

Blogging to Fame

Million Dollar Experiment heads Down Under

Kumiko’s Cash Quest

Calico Monkey

Internet Bazaar

Shotgun Marketing Blog

BrandSizzle

bizsolutionsplus

Customers Rock!

Being Peter Kim

Pow! Right Between The Eyes!

Billions With Zero Knowledge

Working at Home on the Internet

MapleLeaf 2.0

Two Hat Marketing

darrenbarefoot.com

The Emerging Brand

One Reader at a Time
One blogger’s experiment in building and engaging with online communities.

Ruminate this site
Reviews blogs and sites so that we don’t have to.

SMogger Social Media Blog
The ethical use of social media for bloggers and other web users.

SuccessCREEations
Blog Consultant bringing the twin passions of business and blogging together.

Successful Blog
The legendary Liz Strauss, blogger extraordinaire and creator of the SOB award.

Troy Worman's Blog
Focus on writing, ideas and connections

Copywriter's Crucible
The importance of copy in corporate blogging

Copywriting Tuneups
How to measure reading effectiveness and why it is important in the blogosphere

Dipping into the Blogpond
Blogging about starting an Internet company in the Sutherland Shire.

BrandSizzle
Broad and deep insight into the branding process.

Own Your Brand!
Blog to help businesses re-imagine their brands.

The Emerging Brand
Corporate branding blog focused on leadership.

The Engaging Brand
Using technology and marketing knowledge to improve business communications.

What is Brand?
Japanese readers/speakers? Anyone?

Presentation Zen
(Site in English) Tips for great presentations, marketing, and business communications.

Dummies Guide to Google Blogger Beta
Complete help on the new blogger. Blogger Hacks, Blogger templates. Adsense. Search engine Optimization.

Bob Sutton
Discussions of “jerks” in business.

Perspective
Health, wealth and the freedom to choose. Archived blog. New one is jugaad (http://www.nitibhan.com/jugaad).

Ramblings from a Glass Half Full
Views on business life.

Simplicity Mary’s Blog
Business development, marketing troubleshooting

Funny Business
Wide ranging discussion on business with a funny and pictorial approach.

Creative Think
Fun Ideas to stimulate your creativity.

The Copywriting Maven
Marketing and SEO copywriting tips.

Brain Based Biz
Tips for stirring creativity in business.

Experienceology
How to create great customer experiences on the web and in the “real” world.

Creating Passionate Users

raving lunacy

Anne 2.0

Emily Chang - eHub

Darren Barefoot - Vancouver Technologist, Writer, Raconteur, Miscellanist

Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas ...

ALLIED by Jeneane Sessum

Presentation Zen

good to know

Logic+Emotion

gillianic tendencies

Steve's 2 Cents

Listics - Frank Paynter's Voice and Vision

Escape from Cubicle Nation

Blog Sisters: Where men can link, but they can't touch

Designers who Blog

E-Commerce Blog by Solid Cactus

Brand Autopsy

Unconventional Thinking

The Boomer Chronicles

Renovate Your Life with Craig

I Dream of Kimchee

The Moronosphere

SYLVIA HUBBARD'S STORIES

Paula Mooney

Inspiration Lane

me,myself & me

A Gota de Ran Tan Plan

How Can I do That

Bonnie Writes

Flee the CubeStarting up a small business in web design.

Community Guy
Online and offline community building tips and tricks.

A Free and Decent Blog Host
Technology news focusing on blogs and blog software

Billions With Zero Knowledge
Changing the world with little bits of knowledge

Connected Internet
All things to do with technology, mobile phones and gaming.

darrenbarefoot.com
Tech news, writing and marketing

Deepak
Focuses on the technology of the Internet and loves Google.

MapleLeaf 2.0
Tech news stories relating to Canada

Scott Burkett's Pothole on the Infobahn
Musings on technology, IT management, and online community.

Small Surfaces
Interaction design, user interface design, user experience, usability and social trends related to mobile devices.

TechBuzz
Tech new and reviews written by 17 year old in India. Awesome.

Masey.com
Design and photography blog.

Through the Lenses
Travel/photography blog includes stunning shots and photography tips.

Travel And Vacation On Blog
Lightweight travel guide/destination information on selected cities. Needs more.

The Best Guides to eCommerce with Favor
Viral marketing tools, memes and SEO tips.

Web Metrics Guru
Web analytics, in particular for blogs

The Future of the Web
Use of new technologies for the web.

Social Media on the fly

The difference between Gen Y and Gen Plus. You Tube.

Gen Plussers, 50 plussers, Boomers, children of the 60's...whatever you want to call us...this group of 78 million strong...there is one thing we cherish and will reluctantly give up. Our privacy. I should know. I've been blogging for several years, now. Hundreds of you subscribe and many of you email me. Often. But how many of you feel comfortable or confident making a comment on a post? Very few of you.

Oh, sure, you try to reply to the subscription email that arrives in your inbox and hope that will work (kinda sorta). It doesn't, by the way. Others of you click onto the title or head to the blog site and decide that today is the day you will put your words in a comment. And then you stop. Because it is darn tootin' scary. For us. For the Boomers and 50 plussers who live by our shredders, who won't create a my space or blog.

Well, I cracked up last night listening to the news of a young Mass. man who gave out his cell phone number on You Tube (the video site, where anyone can download/upload their video for the world to see!!) and has received over 5000 phone calls and text messages from strangers who just want to chat. From ALL over the world. WE are afraid to anonymously blog and HE is giving his number, his name, his city and his face out to the world. Forever! If there ever was a clearer illustration of the differences between Gen Y and 50 Plus, this has to be it. My hat is off to Ryan Fitzgerald, the young man, and to his generosity of spirit and sense of adventure. Love it! Won't be doing it myself, mind you...but LOVE it! To see the You Tube broadcast and fall in love with Ryan yourself, just click on this link.