The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Baby boomers figuring out how to cope during these difficult times

It’s so upsetting that coronavirus cases are spiking in about 20 states in the USA. I’ve been staying home since early March, and am prepared to stay home more because I’m in the high-risk group.

But many people, including President Trump, aren’t wearing face masks. Trump even organized a huge rally Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma. What is he thinking? Eight of his staff members who worked on the event tested positive for coronavirus. Two of them attended the event. We’ll just have to wait and see how many Trump supporters will get covid-19 and how many will be superspreaders.

I am going to go out this weekend to my nieces memorial service, which is in Bellingham, Washington, a couple of hours from my home. Before I go, I’ll need to cut my hair. I was going to hire an online stylist, but my daughter said since my hairdo is so simple, I might be able to do it myself. I checked out a couple of YouTube videos, so it looks doable. I’ll report later on how it goes.

Tips for Father’s Day 2020

My dad was really good at guessing what was in his presents. One time, to fool him, I bought him a magazine subscription and I put it in a toy jack-in-the-box. When he turned the handle, boom. The clown delivered a note about the present. He was really surprised.

This year, in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic, a lot of the activities we’d usually do with our dads, wouldn’t be a good choice for this year. For example, getting on an airplane to visit your dad is risky. Also, going to a restaurant with a large group of people isn’t advisable. Nor or hugs, unless you’ve been staying at home together.

But, you can order a present and make plans for a get together later.

Some gift ideas include:

• Tech gadgets. Apple iPad, Kindle or Nook, digital camera.
• Tools. Drills, rakes, hoes.
• Clothing. Shirts, ties, t-shirts, jackets. (For some dads, but not others.)
• Sporting goods. Book on sports, sports paraphernalia, new gear.
• Books. Check AARP’s list of summer reads.
• Music. Smart speaker, Apple AirPods.
• Photos. Favorite family photos, digital photo frame, photo book.
• Gift basket. Golf, fishing, grilling, baseball, brewing, coffee, beer, wine.
• Gift card. O.K. if you’re out of ideas.
• Limited funds. Small pocket knife, coffee mug with your photo, framed photo of you and your dad.

Baby boomers thinking about venturing out, but should they?

Photo: Lawrence Purce

It’s so upsetting to see millions of people out protesting in the streets of America in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. Should people be protesting the murder of George Floyd by a police officer? Yes, it’s needed. Should they be protesting in the middle of the pandemic? No.

In Washington state as of June 12, 2020, the 14-day average of covid-19 deaths was seven.

Seven people a day are dying, yet the state is opening up. The public policy is that it’s O.K. for seven people to die a day of covid-19.

In the United States on Sunday, 317 people died.

In this state, people age 65 and older are considered to be in the high-risk category, as are people with underlying health conditions. About half of baby boomers are in this age category. However, baby boomers are going out to dinner, getting their hair cut, and planning vacations.

Don’t be one of those who die. Stay home if you’re in the high-risk group. Health officials are predicting a second wave of covid-19.

Baby boomers ponder these times

Photo: .RGB.

America is in turmoil. Millions of Americans are pouring out into the streets to protest the death of George Floyd, a black man who was murdered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, when a police office pressed his knee on his neck until he died. All this in the middle of the covid-19 pandemic. 

I'm stressed. I don't know what's going to happen next. Police reform? I hope so. Millions more getting the coronavirus and thousands more dying of it? I hope not. 

I've decided what I'm going to do in these challenging times is make a large contribution on an organization that works to improve my community, including working on homeless issues.

Our boomer bloggers are writing about what's going on in America and what's going on in their lives:

Black Lives Matter

The Black Lives Matter protests are swelling throughout the nation. As she reached out to her friends of color, Carol Cassara of Heart·Mind·Soul has learned more about what it means to be an effective ally. In "How Much Do Black Lives Matter to You?" she relates an impactful dialogue she had with a female friend; one that made even more vivid what people of color face every day of their lives. 

Jennifer Koshak of Unfold and Begin has been struggling with a lot of emotions lately; sadness, anger, and outrage, to name just a few. She was sickened by the casual way in which a cop murdered George Floyd, and while she doesn't know exactly what to say, she does have something to say.

Something that happened to Laurie Stone of Musing, Rants & Scribbles five years ago seems as relevant today as it did back then. She was in her neighborhood grocery store when she encountered a tall, middle-aged African-American man stocking shelves. He had a cart full of product and part of it blocked her way. She looked at him, smiling, saying, “Excuse me.” He turned and gazed at her, his eyes hard, face tight and unsmiling. And that’s when she saw it.

Travel

Rebecca Olkowski with BabyBoomster.com attended the American Travel Trends Forum online with guest speakers Peter Greenberg, Samantha Brown, Andrew McCarthy, and others. The tourism industry has been heavily impacted by the pandemic with over 100 million out of work. What does it need to do to come back? Rebecca reports on some of their thoughts and findings.

Bathing suits

Quarantine, recession, protest marches. It has been a long week. But it is also summer and time to relax a bit and enjoy the season, the weather, the warmth. Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting obliges with an upbeat post about swim suits. Summer’s here and that means bathing suits.

Social Security

Tom Sightings at Sightings Over Sixty had occasion to check on his Social Security benefits – which we all know can often be complicated and sometimes confusing. So he turned to financial guru Jeremy Kisner to find some important Social Security FAQ's ... which will answer (almost) any question you ever had about Social Security, including if and when it will go bankrupt.

These articles make up the Best of Boomer Blogs #653. Be sure to check out the articles and leave a comment. Boomer bloggers love to hear from readers.

Copyright 2020, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

Baby boomers try to keep going in these trying times

Photo: Fibonacci Blue

We’re living the life of the coronavirus pandemic. We’re staying home and picking up groceries or having them delivered. Then, George Floyd is murdered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, when a police officer pressed his knee on his neck for 9 minutes.

Despite stay-at-home orders, thousands of people burst out of their homes to protest in cities throughout the nation, some not wearing face masks. Then, the riots and looting begin.

It’s upsetting in so many ways. Another black person killed by police, needlessly. Local officials slow to take the right action. Black and brown people continuing to face police brutality and lack of job opportunities, housing, health care, and more.

I hope, at last, elected officials, working with citizens, can bring about reforms in policing and to correct the disparities that have been ravaging black communities for decades. Every citizen needs to figure out what he or she can do to move public policy on these issues forward. See this listing of anti-racism groups you can join and anti-racism resources.

For this week’s Best of Boomer Blogs, boomer bloggers are writing about:

Boomers have a low-key beginning of summer this year

On Friday, I advised readers to have a barbecue with people in their household for Memorial Day and skip going out to a restaurant or to the beach.

I took my own advice and had a quiet holiday. Since I’m home so much and didn’t get to go to Madrid and visit my daughter and her family in Madrid for the month of May, I’ve spend a lot of time in my yard. I’ve arranged dozens of bouquets, a first. See my Memorial Day arrangement on the above.

I have 40 rhododendrons and about 10 azaleas in my yard. When I moved into my house, they were small bushes. Now, they’re huge. Thank goodness I met a forester who is helping me prune them. I can’t imagine why the previous owners bought 50 plants. I wonder if there was a big sale.

Meanwhile, boomer bloggers are writing about:

Baby boomers coping during weeks of staying at home due to the pandemic

Things are going well for me as I stay home under Washington state’s stay home order. I’m willing to do it for a long time more. I don’t think it’s worth it to get my hair cut or eat in a restaurant and get the coronavirus.

It’s so upsetting that protesters are risking the lives of others by coming out to state capitals, crowding together, and in some states, even carrying guns.

My yard is beautiful this time of year. I have 40 rhododendrons in many colors of pink plus red, yellow, orangey, and purple. I’m making a bouquet a day because the beautiful blossoms will soon be gone. Since my main interest in my yard is growing vegetables, I rely on all the rhododendrons, and about a dozen azaleas, planted by previous owners.

But the main thing I’m doing is working on the book about my journalism career called “Follow the Money: My Life as a Financial Journalist.” It’s a lot of work to go through the hundreds of print articles I’ve written, but it makes the time fly by. I’m almost finished with the print articles. Next, I’ll need to figure out a way to write about more than 6,000 blog articles.

Meanwhile, baby boomer bloggers are writing about:

Baby boomers share stories of staying at home during these coronavirus pandemic times

Mother’s Day was different this year. Instead of celebrating with my daughter and her family in Spain like I often do, I was at home in the Seattle area following Washington state’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order.

I enjoyed a video call with my daughters and pizza and chocolate cake. I got the idea for the pizza and cake from my birthday request made earlier in May. It was so good, I repeated it for Mother’s Day.

While staying home gets tiring at times, it’s giving me a lot of time to work on my book “Follow the Money: My Life as a Financial Journalist.”

Meanwhile, boomer bloggers are writing about how they’re doing during the pandemic:

Baby boomers struggling like most Americans to get through these covid-19 days

Today is my birthday. It’s so different to be home alone celebrating. I usually go to Madrid to spend the month of May with my daughter, who also has a birthday in May. Then, of course, in May, there’s also American Mother’s Day and Spanish Mother’s Day to celebrate.

That makes many occasions to drink cava, Spain’s amazing sparkling wine. It’s aged in underground caves for a year in a second fermentation.

I talked with my daughters today over WhatsApp, then enjoyed pizza and chocolate cake with my cava.

Spring 2020 is so different – no travel, no family events, no movies or theater performances, no eating out, no face-to-face classes, no crowds, and no long lines.

Let’s hope enough states will continue social distancing so that we don’t have a second wave of the covid-19 pandemic with thousands of deaths.

Here’s what the other boomer bloggers in our group are writing about:

• Future travel for baby boomers, which includes taking small trips before venturing too far from home.
• Good quotes and life lessons scattered among the various displays of goods and wares in tourist shops on a shopping trip before the pandemic.
• A survey that shows Americans are much more concerned about the coronavirus pandemic in April than they were in March, with Hispanic and black adults having higher concerns.
• A Bob Marley quote that points out we never really know how strong we are until it matters.
• How to prepare for walking into the unknown during pandemic times.

Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting writes about these articles for the Best of Boomer Blogs #648. Click here to get the links to the articles. And be sure to leave a comment. Boomer bloggers love to converse with readers.

Copyright 2020, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

Funeral guidelines in New York show the need for consumers to be aware of their rights during coronavirus pandemic times

If you lose a loved one and need to arrange for funeral services in the coronavirus pandemic era, be sure to find out your rights as well as to compare prices. For example, rules may be changing for cremation and burial.

In New York, Attorney General Letitia James issued guidelines Saturday to protect New Yorkers using funeral homes and reminded funeral homes that the office will take action against any business that violates consumer rights.

Those arranging funerals should be aware of requirements and recent executive orders and emergency regulations that impact funerals and funeral arrangements in the following ways: