The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Baby boomers contemplate grief, quarantine, hoarding, and love

You never know what's going to happen next in life. One day, you could lose someone you love or you could be in the middle of a pandemic. So, enjoy every day to its fullest.

That's the recommendation of our boomer blogging group. This week's articles are as follows:

Over at A Healing Spirit, Carol Cassara wants to counteract the negativity in the world by doing her version of random acts of kindness. Cassara calls them "love bombs" and offers a variety of ideas you can easily use to make the world more loving in "How To Love Bomb Someone for Free."

For Laurie Stone of Musings, Rants & Scribbles, it’s hard to believe almost four years have passed since her dad died. Four winters, springs, summers, and falls have come and gone. He was a good father and they were close. She thought his death would become easier with time, but instead it gets harder. Numbness eventually turned to grief, but each time she thinks of him the sadness goes deeper, the loss is more real. Here are eight things she misses…

It has been a busy week with presidential primaries and a possible pandemic dominating the news. The prospect of being quarantined got Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting pondering whether, and how, to prepare. Baer remembers a past brief time spent at home while contemplating future confinement.

The snowbird season is over. At least it is for Tom at Sightings Over Sixty. March is here, and so in his post "Homeward Bound" he says goodbye to the southern beaches and turns his sights to the north . . . and to the season ahead.

When a hoarder passes away, his or her family is left to sort out the mess. Rebecca Olkowski, with BabyBoomster.com, has been spending time getting rid of stuff so she can move. It’s amazing what a person can collect who has trouble letting things go. 

This is the Best of Boomer Blogs #639. Click on the links to read these informative articles. And be sure to leave a comment. Boomer bloggers enjoy communicating with readers. 

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

Happy Presidents' Day 2020

Presidents’ Day is a good day to think about government and what you can do as a citizen to be involved and help it work as effectively as possible.

For decades, I’ve been a member of the League of Women Voters, an organization who’s purpose is to educate citizens so that they can become informed participants in government.

Friday, Feb. 14, 2020, was the 100^th anniversary of the founding of the National League of Women Voters. To celebrate, I went to a Gala 100th Birthday Party and High Tea sponsored by the Tacoma-Pierce County League of Women Voters in Tacoma, Washington. The photo of me at the left was taken at the tea.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year.

I spent most of yesterday working on an article about the top consumer stories of 2019. Today, I'll be working on the top consumer stories of the decade. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

The United States of America has such potential. It's a big, diverse country with tremendous resources. But, time and time again, we miss the mark. The opioid crisis. Mass shootings. Climate change inaction. Barriers for minorities and women. Ongoing wars. A lacking health care system.

But, as a consumer writer, the thing that bothers me the most is the continual favoring of corporate interests over the public interest. One of the biggest stories of the decade, in my opinion, is the increase in income inequality. I read about it on social media every day. Families struggling to get by, living paycheck to paycheck.

President Trump is impeached

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you know I’m not a fan of the Trump administration. As it works to dismantle our government institutions and slash consumer and environmental protections, consumers are put in a worse position every day.

In my opinion, it’s a good thing that the U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday to impeach President Donald Trump. The House centered it’s investigation on the Ukraine travesty of bribery and obstruction of Congress for withholding documents and witnesses during the investigations.

To me there could have been many more items on which Trump could be impeached. Abuses of power and putting personal interest above the public interest occur regularly in the Trump administration.

Be sure to vote today

It’s Election Day throughout the nation in most places, and states are having important local elections. Be sure to research carefully who to vote for in these races. The people who run your city, county, and schools are important to your life and the lives of your family.

In addition, governors will be elected in Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi. State legislative elections also will be held in Virginia, Louisiana, and Mississippi as well as for the General Assembly, the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Special elections are also being held to fill state legislative seats vacated due to retirement, death, resignation, or election to another office.

On ballot measures, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, voters will consider a ballot initiative to change how seats in the legislature are apportioned. In Washington state, voters will decide on Referendum 88, a measure that would allow affirmative action policies in public education, employment, and contracting, and Initiative 976, which would reduce car tabs to $30. In Pennsylvania, voters will consider a constitutional amendment to adopt Marsy’s Law protections for crime victims.

Trump brags about his administration’s environmental accomplishments while he repeals important safeguards

At White House event Monday, President Donald Trump touted his administration’s environmental record while at the same time repealing the Clean Power Plan, which had put the first national limits on carbon pollution from power plants.

Trump’s touting of his administration’s pristine environmental record is nothing short of nonsense, said Allison Fisher, outreach director for Public Citizen’s Energy Program.

“Trump has the worst environmental record of any president in history, which is hardly a surprise for an administration that has installed a coal lobbyist as head of the Environmental Protection Agency and an oil and gas lobbyist to run the Department of Interior,” said Fisher. “Trump’s repeal of the commonsense Clean Power Plan and Clean Car standards are proof of that.”

Let’s celebrate our democracy on July Fourth

Happy Fourth of July.

It’s a good day to celebrate our democracy and remember that it needs to be cherished and protected.

In America, we’re free to take part in government and make our voices heard, or not. We can write letters, join organizations that lobby, and protest, or not. We also can run for office, or not. We can vote, or not.

Although it often seems like things have changed in Washington, D.C., recently for the worse, we the people are the government. It’s ours. Rather than railing against it, as the right-wing media advocates, citizens need to participate and help to make government as strong and productive as possible.

Decide today on what action you can take to help make our democracy work well for everyone.

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

Baby boomers start the summer with thoughts of politics, health, and stuff

It’s summer at last with spring rains lessening and warm days turning into hot days in many parts of the country. Politics are heating up, too, with the debates for 20 Democratic presidential candidates drawing substantial interest.

For Tom Sightings from Sightings Over Sixty, the heat has finally come in full force – in both the weather and in politics. Dial in to “Summer Heat” to find out how he's slowed down and started doing summer activities for little or no money, including watching a couple of debatable programs on television.

It was difficult for Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting to avoid the hype for the great event of the past week – the two-night Democratic debate extravaganza. Baer settled onto her couch with comfort food – ice cream – and spent four hours of her precious time watching politicians talk…and talk…and talk. She commented on the spectacle in this week’s post “Democrats Debate, Discuss, and Dream.”

Other boomers are writing about health.

For Rebecca Olkowski with BabyBoomster.com the topic is emotional eating. Emotional eating is one of the main causes of weight gain in women over 50. Olkowski is trying out a weight loss program that’s an app on your smartphone. It holds you accountable to yourself and gives you support and education on how to deal with psychological issues that are packing on the pounds. 

On my blog, I wrote about a request by consumer and health groups to put a warning statement on alcoholic beverages labels to increase consumer awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer. Half of Americans aren’t aware of this link.

Then, there’s the topic of what to do with all your stuff. Organizing spaces is a topic covered by two other boomer blogger.

What happens to our stuff when we don't have children to leave it to? And what happens to our nostalgia? Those are questions Carol Cassara of Heart•Mind•Soul asks in her post about stuff and nostalgia.

Jennifer Koshak of Unfold and Begin wants to know if you have a soul loving space.  A place that nourishes you, calms you, and helps to soothe your soul? A space in which you feel creative? Or, a space in which you feel connected with your family? For details, see the article “How to Create a Soul Soothing Space.”

This is the Best of Boomer Blogs #603. Be sure to take a look at these great boomer articles. And, leave a message to join in the conversations.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Personal Finance Writer

Top 100 most frequently asked questions

Recently, when I visited Madrid, my granddaughter called her mom and asked her if the dishes in the dishwasher were clean or dirty. I laughed, but then I thought that the question must be one of the most popular questions ever that is asked over and over and over again.

We began brainstorming and came up with 99 additional questions that must be asked hundreds of times a day in America and throughout the world.

The most frequently asked questions are:

1. How are you?
2. How’s your family?
3. What’s new?
4. Do you know ____________?
5. Is this seat taken?
6. What would you like to drink?
7. Would you like cream or sugar (in your coffee)?
8. Who won the game?
9. Do you remember ________________ (a person from the past)?
10. Who will be there?
11. What do you do (for work)?
12. Are you dating anyone?
13. Where are you from?
14. Can I buy you a drink?
15. What’s your phone number?
16. Would you like to have coffee?
17. What’s your favorite song?
18. What’s your favorite movie?
19. Who’s your favorite star?
20. When’s your birthday?
21. What would you like to do?
22. Do you want to come in for coffee (after a date)?
23. Have you been tested for STDs?
24. Do you have a condom?
25. What are your hobbies?
26. Where did you go to school?
27. Will you marry me?
28. Where would you like to live?
29. Who was that?
30. Where are you going to go to college?
31. What are you going to major in?
32. What do you want to do (for a career)?
33. Have you read _______________ (a book)?
34. Who said __________(quote)?
35. Where are you going?
36. Can you come to the party?
37. Is she (or he) your friend?
38. Do you work here?
39. How much will I be paid for the job?
40. When's the meeting?
41. Where's the meeting?
42. Is the boss in a bad mood?
43. What's he (or she) like to work for?
44. How was work?
45. Will you take out the garbage?
46. Did you take out the garbage?
47. How was school?
48. When are you going to clean up your bedroom?
49. Where have you been?
50. Why were you late?
51. Do you know what time it is?
52. Are you ready?
53. What would you like for dinner?
54. What time is dinner?
55. Is a minute (or two minutes) in the microwave enough?
56. Would you like a sandwich?
57. Is this too old (to eat)?
58. Who’s coming to dinner?
59. When will the repairman be here?
60. Are we out of toilet paper?
61. Where are my _______________ (shorts, dress, shoes or other items)?
62. What’s on TV?
63. Did you let the dog (or cat) out?
64. Did you mow the lawn?
65. Do you remember when we _____________ (took a trip or did an activity)?
66. Is it broken (object or body part)?
67. Are we there yet?
68. How far is it to ______________ (place or town)?
69. Is that a _______________ (brand name)?
70. Where did you get that _____________ (shirt, dress, or shoes)?
71. How much does it cost?
72. Does this make me look fat?
73. Do you like this?
74. Does this look good on me?
75. Did you get a haircut?
76. Will you pick up my suit from the dry cleaners?
77. Can I speak to your supervisor?
78. Where are my keys?
79. Where are my glasses?
80. Where’s my cell phone?
81. Where did I park my car?
82. Is that a parking spot?
83. What’s the weather?
84. Do I need a coat?
85. Do I need an umbrella?
86. Have you voted?
87. Is the plane on time?
88. Can you recommend a restaurant?
89. Do you have any vacancies?
90. Do you mind if I smoke?
91. Have you met the new neighbors?
92. How are the schools (in that neighborhood or city)?
93. What’s that bulldozer doing down the street?
94. What’s the population of _______________ (city, town, or country)?
95. Why are you giving me a ticket, officer?
96. Can I see your new car?
97. Would you call me an Uber?
98. How many likes did I get?
99. Am I oversharing?

That’s my list. Did I miss any?

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Personal Finance Writer

Top 14 consumer stories of 2018

All in all, it’s been another bad year for consumers. President Trump and his administration’s generate so much chaos that they get all the media attention. Meanwhile in the background, federal agencies are moving forward on the administration’s conservative regulatory priorities, which are harmful to consumers. One bright spot is the Democrats taking control of the U.S. House of Representatives. That will help curb President Trump's excesses.

Here are the top 14 consumer stories for 2018:

1. The Trump administration continues decimated consumer protections.

President Trump appointed Mick Mulvaney, his budget director, as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Under Mulvaney's leadership, the bureau reversed prior actions and programs of the agency. It has delayed rules to protect consumers from payday lenders, dropped lawsuits, stripped enforcements of fair-lending protections, and reduced the number of fines issued.