The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Baby boomers seeking inner peace and keeping active

Baby boomers are writing about what keeps them steady – not only in this crazy world – but also during this, at times, challenging stage of life.

Articles include:

• Four easy relaxation ideas.
• A new mantra for meditation
• How an inspirational blogger found her purpose on vacation.
• How being retired can make you wonder, “What’s Next?”
• Why the TV program “Law and Order” popped up in thoughts during the latest presidential debates.

Laurie Stone of Musings, Rants & Scribbles writes about these articles on the Best of Boomer Blogs #614. Click here to get the links to the articles. And be sure to let the bloggers know your opinions. They enjoy hearing from interesting readers.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

Baby boomers focus on change

The leaves are already beginning to change here in the Seattle area, so change and fall are in the air. Fall is definitely just around the corner.

Laurie Stone from Musings, Rants & Scribbles is happy. Yes, spring is lovely and summer’s fun. Even old man winter has his icy grandeur. But nothing compares to fall’s beauty and poignancy. And though this season comes at a price, Stone still loves it for leaves, crisper air, school supplies, the good shows that come back on TV, and candy apples.

Other boomer bloggers are writing about:

Baby boomers get ready for fall

Summer is an amazing thing. I love it every year when it so nicely appears here in the Seattle area. However, shorter days and cooler nights remind us that it’s time to prepare for a new season’s activities and learn something new. 

This week, baby boomer bloggers have some ideas to help jump-start your autumn. 

They’re writing about:

What are baby boomers doing these days?

Baby boomers are living much longer than their great-grandparents or even their grandparents. The average 65-year-old American today can expect to survive well past 80. So the question is: are boomers using the additional time constructively?

That’s one of the topics our boomer blogging group is writing about this week. Other topics include:

• House sharing when you’re single.
• Ways to make a transition work for you.
• A mother’s sayings make warm memories after she’s gone.
• A rightsized way to travel.
• The joy in finding a lost car key.
• The arguments couples have over and over.
• How to reduce the amount of plastic you eat.
• What you need to set your air conditioner at in the summer.

Tom Sightings of Sightings Over Sixty writes about these articles on the Best of Boomer Blogs #611. Click here to get the links to the blog posts. And be sure to leave a comment on the articles you like or find thought provoking. Boomer bloggers love to hear from readers.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

Baby boomers contemplate life’s problems

It’s still beautiful summer, but hints are beginning to appear that fall and winter will come again as they always do.

Meanwhile, baby boomer bloggers are continuing to write helpful, insightful articles:

Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting spent the past week recovering from her two-week trip to Scotland. As Baer laments, years ago she would have bounced back the next day. Nowadays it takes longer to rejuvenate. Meanwhile, she reviews the cuisine and a bit of culture experienced in the land of kilts, Celts, clans, and literary greats.

When you’re thinking about an exercise program and you’re age 50 and older, you may want to incorporate functional fitness. On Rebecca Olkowski’s blog, BabyBoomster.com, Candi Randolph, a guest blogger, explains why this is so important.

If you’re thinking of starting a blog or are already a blogger, Jennifer Koshak of Unfold and Begin has some tips for you. Koshak has compiled a lot of her knowledge into her current blog post, “My Go-To Blog Resources.”

Tom Sightings of Sightings Over Sixty recently sat down with a couple who is considering where they're going to live, now that they are retired and their kids are grown and out of the house. They have their eye on a smaller home in a nice vacation area. But as Tom discusses in “Should This Couple Downsize?”  there are still lots of issues to consider and questions to ask.  

Laurie Stone of Musings, Rants & Scribbles gets a cold chill when she hears these words. Like someone with post-traumatic stress syndrome, her pulse increases. Her stomach tightens. She starts feeling light-headed. Did she hear that right? Maybe she got it wrong. But yes, her husband Randy just uttered that most dreaded of sentences: “I’m Going Food Shopping.”

On my blog, I write about the 50^th anniversary of Woodstock and what the Countercultural Movement of the 1960s and 1970s meant to me.

This is the Best of Boomer Blogs #610. Be sure to read these thoughtful articles and join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers look forward to hearing from readers.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

Woodstock, a three-day event, began 50 years ago today

Woodstock, Aug. 15-18, 1969, the famous music festival drawing more than 500,000 people, was billed as an Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace and Music. It was held on a 600-acre dairy farm in Bethel, New York, 43 miles southwest of Woodstock.

Thirty-two acts performed outdoors even though it rained and the fields became muddy. Among the performers were Joan Baez, Janice Joplin, The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Arlo Guthrie, Joe Cocker, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Sly and the Family Stone, and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.

I remember the era well, although I didn’t attend Woodstock. It’s often called the Counterculture Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. To me it was an exciting time of change with gains in civil rights, women’s rights, consumer rights, and environmental protection; innovations in food, clothing, and music; alternative lifestyles; and opposition to the Vietnam War.

Baby boomers bloggers go on vacation, but keep writing

The glory of summer, in addition to better weather, is being able to get together with friends and family. I was able to visit with my daughter and her two children who live in Madrid, and we went to Sacramento to visit my oldest daughter and her family in Sacramento.

I’m so sad the fun is over, but writing always cheers me up. I’m joining with my boomer blogger friends to continue to bring amazing content to our readers. Our topics include:

• A way to figure out the next chapter in your life.
• The beauty of summer vacations and returning home refreshed.
• A listing of the worst chain restaurant meals for this year.
• The wonders of Edinburgh, Scotland.
• The importance of asking for help if you have a problem.
• A theatrical company that provides material and support for seniors who want to act, write a play, or be part of a theatrical production.

Jennifer Koshak of Unfold and Begin writes about these articles on the Best of Boomer Blogs #609. Click here to get the links to the articles. And be sure to join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers love to hear from readers.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

Baby boomers keep writing despite the devastation of mass killings

Rebecca Olkowski of Baby Boomster says she’s been paralyzed by the horrifying things that have been happening with four mass shootings in the United States in one week – Brooklyn, Gilroy, El Paso, and Dayton.

Myself, I find the inaction on responsible gun laws appalling. I just can’t understand why Congress won’t do something. I applaud states and local government who have taken action in recent years.

But, it’s not enough. In Washington where I live, the Washington State Legislature passed open carry laws. It’s terrible. One day I went to the state capitol to take photos, and a gun group was having a rally. Guns were everywhere. I asked men at the edge of the group what they were doing. They said they were “protecting the perimeter.” Appalling, just appalling. And Washington is supposed to be a progressive state.

I took photos because I’m a photojournalist and I have a right to take photos in public places. Above is one of the photos I took at the rally. Fortunately, no one shot me.

Baby boomer bloggers are keeping at it, despite upsets, and are writing about:

• The gift of being there for our friends.
• Whether you should tell your age.
• The characteristics of your favorite restaurant.
• How the fear of flying abates for the wonders of Scotland.
• Information on what to do about the Equifax data breach payment for consumers.
• Medicare updates.
• Ethical fashion brands.

This is the Best of Boomer Blogs #608. Click here to get the links to the articles. And be sure to leave comments. It’s fun to hear from our readers.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

Baby boomers offer wonderful, wise, and witty words

It’s summer and despite the heat in many areas baby boomers are offering words of wisdom.

They’re writing about:

• Why you should do what makes you happy today.
• A summer day at the beach.
• Why you need to keep practicing if you want to get better.
• The cons of moving to Florida.
• Techniques that marketers, politicians, and others use to manipulate people to pad their bank accounts.
• Facebook's $5 billion settlement for consumer privacy lapses and Expedia's $570 million settlement for negligence that led to a massive data breach.

Laurie Stone of Musings, Rants & Scribbles reports on these articles in the Best of Boomer Blogs #607. Click here to get the links to the articles. And be sure to join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers love to hear from readers.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

Baby boomers enjoy the richness of summer

It’s summer and I’m beginning to get produce from my garden – strawberries, raspberries, lettuce, spinach, and a couple of summer squashes. I’m looking forward to cucumbers and green beans soon.

As baby boomers power through the summer, they’re writing about:

• Whether you’re over spoiling or over training your dog.
• How to brainstorm content.
• Decision to enjoy an urban lake for a festival turned out well, despite the heat.
• How upsetting it is when you don’t get the hotel deal promised.
• A scam where callers claiming to be from Medicare are asking people for their Medicare numbers, Social Security numbers, and other personal information in exchange for free DNA test kits.
• Why things are better than they seem.

Carol Cassara of A Healing Spirit writes about these articles in the Best of Boomer Blogs #606. Click here to get the links to this week’s posts.

Enjoy our boomer blogger articles. And, be sure to tune in next week for more great content.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist