Baby Boomers Needed for Migraine Study

If you're one of those people who suffer from migrane headaches, you may be interested in participating in an online study that may (or may not) give you some relief.

Quincy Bioscience is now enrolling participants in a migraine trial to evaluate a safe and natural supplement. There is no cost to participate and no travel is required. All participation is completed online.

Call 877 359-6197 to learn more.

The Online Migraine Trial is a double-blind, placebo-controlled study that is conducted online using migraine assessment surveys. All study supplies are shipped directly to participants. The trial will last 90 days. HOPE Trials is the research arm of Quincy Bioscience and has pioneered a form of trial research called ‘patient reported outcomes’ testing. You can read about their work here: http://www.centerwatch.com/news-online/article/917/site-less-pi-less-trials.

Baby Boomer Men Are Just Happier People

· If Laura, Kate and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah.
· If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla and Four-eyes.

EATING OUT·
When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it’s only for 32.50.
None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back.
· When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

MONEY
· A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.
· A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn’t need but it’s on sale.

BATHROOMS
· A man has six items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel ..
· The average number of items in the typical woman’s bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify more than 20 of these items.

ARGUMENTS·
A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

FUTURE·
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
· A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

SUCCESS
· A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
· A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

MARRIAGE
· A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn’t.
· A man marries a woman expecting that she won’t change, but she does.

DRESSING UP
· A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail.
· A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

NATURAL
· Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.
· Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

OFFSPRING
· Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favourite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.
· A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
A married man should forget his mistakes. There’s no use in two people remembering the same thing!

~Author Unknown…but I found it via BabyBoomerTalkOnline.com

Baby Boomers Don't Read Blogs

I'm a baby boomer and I write blogs. As a matter of fact, I have more than one active blog. I also read blogs written by fellow boomers but, according to the latest research, I am in the MINORITY because the majority of baby boomers don't read blogs. The study claims the number of blog reader/writers is below 10%. Although 49% of boomers use online reviews and recommendations on a retailer’s site to make their purchase, only 9% looked to other blogs or communities for recommendations.

Another interesting statistic involves Twitter. The study also showed that Twitter is not very popular with us boomers either---only 10 percent of us are "tweeting."

Meanwhile, Lisa E. Phillips, eMarketer senior analyst and author of the new report, “Boomers and Social Media” says about 47% of online boomers maintain a profile on at least one social network, and Facebook was, by far, the most popular with 73 percent of boomers maintaining a profile.

So what do you think of this study? Is it pretty much on the money or totally off base? Also, if you are a baby boomer with a blog, please post it here.

Baby Boomers, Need a Tax Write off for 2009?

I stumbled across an interesting article recently called the 10 Wackiest Tax Write Offs of 2008. The author called them wacky--but upon reading the list, I thought some of the write-offs had some merit. Take the lawyer, for example, who wrote off a $50,000 deduction for a party he gave in which many of his former and present clients were invited. Certainly they were talking business while sipping on the finest champagne and eating filet mignon.

After careful thought I decided to create my own list to give my fellow baby boomers some ideas on how to stick it to Uncle Sam this year:

Single Boomer Business Owners: Here's your chance to claim a huge deduction as well as a happily ever after. Get re-married---preferably to another business owner--invite every customer you've ever dealt with (including those who got on your last nerve), talk a little shop at the reception and then write it off as a business meeting. The key here is to make sure you come in contact with each and every client you ever dealt with and say something about your business dealings with them. This would also be a grand opportunity to make more deals.

If you get more than one speeding ticket in the year, write it off as a donation to the Highway Patrol Benevolence Fund.

You've got a dog--which is technically your dependant. Your dog just had a little of pups and they all live with you. Wah-la!

Prostitution: For all of you Cougers out there: Your body is considered business property so why not claim a deduction for depreciation of value.

Got any more suggestions to add to this list? Please share, and be sure to click on the title of this blog post to read the Ten Wackiest Write-Offs of 2008.

Baby Boomers Need to Beware of Spam

Just like me, I'm sure you get your share of unwanted or unwelcome emails. It's called SPAM. Spam is flooding the Internet with many copies of the same message, in an attempt to force the message on people who would not otherwise choose to receive it.

Did you get the email about winning the Euro Sweepstakes for millions of dollars---only to discover you had to send a couple thousand dollars of your hard earned money to get NOTHING in return?

Or what about the fake check sent--with instructions to go to the bank and cash it and then send the a portion of the proceeds back to a fictitious address? I can't believe the number of people who fell for that one.

But the email I received today caught my attention because I recognized the name of the sender. It came from a fellow baby boomer who lives in my area. We're not good friends but I know her and would try to help her if she needed it. The email read:

This had to come in haste, and it left me in a catastrophic state. I am in a terrible situation and I'm really in need of your help urgently. Yesterday, suddenly, I went to Africa for a program ...

That was my first red flag. The fact that she went to Africa SUDDENLY. Who takes a trip half-way around the world on a moment's notice?

Then the email went on to say:

Just wanted to seek your help on something very important, you are the only person I could reach at this point and I hope you come to my aid. Because something terrible is happening to me now, I need a favor from you. Right now,I am stranded in Nigeria because I forgot my little bag in a taxi where my money and passports were kept on my way to the Hotel were i stay, I have no money with me. I lost almost everything I have with me (which included my cash, diaries and credit cards). I am now owning a hotel bill of $550 and they wanted me to pay the bills soon else they will have to seize my bag and hand me over to the Hotel Management,I do not want to make a scene of this which is why I did not call the office or my house, this is embarrassing enough.please I need some help from you urgently to help me back home,and I need you to help me with the hotel bill and i will also need $950 to feed and help myself back home so please can you help me with a sum of $1500 to sort out this problems here. I need this help so much and on time because i am in a terrible and tight situation here,please understand how urgent i need your help.

At the end of the email, she promised to pay me back upon her return home.

In addition to the poor spelling and grammatical errors, I also noticed a few very important things. The email was not personally addressed to me and it wasn't signed by her. The closing said:

Thanks and get back to me soon.

Regards.

Don't allow yourself to get bamboozled and hoodwinked by a scam like this.

Some Interesting Baby Boomer Facts

MetLife has been keeping a pulse on us baby boomers and have come up with another set of interesting facts. The first report was back in November 2008 called: Boomers: The Next 20 Years, Ecologies of Risk. In this report, I learned that I may nor recognize myself or my surroundings by the year 2028 as a result of an evolving global environment and marketplace. This is provided I'll still be alive at age 70. You can read that report here: Boomers in 20 years

Now there's a new report out that gives insight into the oldest and youngest boomers.

The youngest boomers: those born in the 1960s don't like being called "baby boomers." They prefer to be referred to as Generation X. The youngest boomers say 71 is considered OLD while older boomers say the old age begins at 78.

The oldest boomers--those born from 1946 to early 1950s--have 2.1 children, 2.6 grandchildren and many are also empty nesters.

The average income of boomers is $71,300 with a net worth of $236,000.

Sixty-seven percent don't have a living parent while one-third still has at least one parent living.

1 in 7 baby boomers are providing care to a parent or other family member.

The make-up of those involed in the study:

84% white
9% Black
7% Asian

Interesting that no Latinos were included.

Why are Baby Boomers Hated?

I came across a rather interesting but disturbing blog post this evening from a person who identified him (her) self as edbreley. This is what they wrote:

I am 17 and I hate the Baby Boomer generation with a burning passion. My father is a member of the Baby Boomer generation, and when he complains about my generation, I ask him who has nearly bankrupted America, destroyed our reputation around the world, and destroyed the great morals we once had. The Baby Boomers are the idiots who started experimenting with drugs in the 60's and the ones who have nearly made our economy totally collapse.

I work at a grocery store, and Baby Boomers are some of the most rude people I come across. Its like they know their generation sucks and that they have successfully ****** up America, but they want to take their bitterness out on my generation, which is smarter than theirs and will do more things. They act like I owe them something, and I don't. They owe me an apology, if anything, for ******* up my country and then blaming my generation for everything that goes wrong and telling us how bad we are.

I wonder if this is how we are viewed by the majority of the younger generations. I am a baby boomer but I have often said baby boomers are responsible for a lot of the mess we've gotten ourselves economically and even socially. We have been a generation of contradictions. We grew up on drugs, sex and rock and roll. Some of us were staunch civil rights activists. Then some of us us became greedy, controlling, bigots and sexists who didn't give a damn about really trying to help others.

But I can honestly say, for me personally, I have connected with a group of boomers who are on the move and making a difference and we're doing it because we genuinely care about how we leave this world before we depart.


So what will be the baby boomer legacy?

In the Minority---AGAIN!

If you've been following my blog, you know I talked about bras yesterday. Apparently there are women in several states who are suing Victoria Secret claiming their bras cause rashes and permanent bruises.

Today I'm talking about bras again. No, I'm not having a bra fettish but, as a journalist, I like to stay informed and it just so happens that bras are in the news again today.

One of America's largest bra makers, Wacoal, is predicting that 36DD will be the size more women purchase than any other in 2009. WHAT?!

It appears obesity in women is a contributing factor. According to a study of adult women by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity has increased to more than 35 percent. Another contributing factor to the increase in breast size is breast implants. Everybody still wants to look like Pamela Anderson.

Age and hormones are also playing havoc with baby boomers' bust sizes. But wait a minute. I'm a baby boomer---but the only fatty tissue I've seen an increase in is in the lower--not upper half of my body.

I guess that means I'm in the minority again. But I do remember someone once telling me "more than a handful is wasted."

Baby Boomers are Flocking to Raleigh, North Carolina

I guess I don't have to pack up my bags and find a place to retire because, according to the latest research, I'm right where I need to be. That's right. I'm a baby boomer living in the Raleigh, NC area and according to research by the Urban Institute, this is the area predicted to have the greatest boom in baby boomer seniors.

The UI report says the senior population is poised to grow by 36 percent from 2010 to 2020. Another interesting note is the fact that the black population continues its move toward large Southern metro areas like Atlanta, Houston, and Washington, D.C., and Hispanic populations are growing most rapidly in the Southeast.

So what makes the Raleigh area so attractive for boomers? I don't really know but you can see for yourself: Raleigh

I can tell you what I don't like about the area. Many of the communities have no sidewalks and the educational system for K-12 needs serious improvement. I dread the thought of sending my grandson to public school here. The neighborhoods also lacks true diversity---but I think that's an issue everywhere.

Areas That Will Experience Senior Growth Due to the Aging of Baby Boomers

1. Raleigh-Cary,
2. Austin-Round Rock, Texas
3. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Ga.
4. Boise City-Nampa, Idaho
5. Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev.
6. Orlando-Kissimmee, Fla.
7. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, Texas
8. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
9. Colorado Springs, Colo.
10. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas
11. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz.
12. Charleston-North Charleston, S.C.

Gray Today Gone Tomorrow?

According to medical statistics, 50 percent of us are at least 50 percent gray by the age of 50. Some of us go to great lengths to get rid of the gray strands but that may not be necessary in the future thanks to a new discovery.

A team of European Scientists in England say they may have figured out why hair turns gray, and their finding may open the door to new anti-graying strategies.

Going gray is caused by a massive build up of hydrogen peroxide due to wear and tear of our hair follicles. The peroxide winds up blocking the normal synthesis of melanin, our hair's natural pigment.

The process starts when there is a dip in levels of an enzyme called catalase. That catalase shortfall means that the hydrogen peroxide that naturally occurs in hair can't be broken down. So hydrogen peroxide builds up in the hair, and because other enzymes that would repair hydrogen peroxide's damage are also in short supply, the hair goes gray.

Researchers say if they can stop the chemical chain reaction, our natural hair color might not ever change.

But come on. Let's get real. How many baby boomers do you know who still have your "natural" hair color?

More Baby Boomers Going Childless

Fifty years ago, having a big family might have been considered more of the norm than unusual. But for the baby boomer generation today, the trend is changing. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of families with their own child living at home decreased to 46 percent in 2008, from 52 percent in 1950, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The data gathered by the Census Bureau indicates the aging of the population and changing fertility patterns are the reasons for the decreases in the percentage of families with their own child under 18 at home.

In 1950, 52 percent of family households had their own child under 18. During the years when the baby boomers were young, this percentage increased, reaching 57 percent in the early 1960s. In 2008, however, when the baby boomers were about ages 44 to 62, and likely to be householders themselves, the percentage of families with a child had declined to 46 percent.

Among the factors that contributed to the decrease in the percentage of family households with children under 18:

• As adults live longer, a larger proportion of married couple households will be those who are older and either childless, or whose adult children live elsewhere. In 1968, 29 percent of married men were age 55 and over, as were 22 percent of married women. In 2008, 38 percent of married men were 55 and over, as were 33 percent of married women.

• Increases in childlessness — The percentage of women age 40 to 44 who were childless increased from 10 percent in 1976 to 20 percent in 2006.

Dogs and Cars

When I was a little girl, more than 40 years ago, I recall seeing dogs chase vehicles down the street. When I see that same scenario today, I don’t think much of it.

But when I see dogs sitting in their owner’s lap while the owner is trying to drive down the street or highway, I have to wonder: What in the world is wrong with this person?

On my way to Virginia this past weekend, I saw a number of dogs sitting in the laps of their owners while they were driving. Some dogs had their heads hanging out the window---while others were peering over or through the steering wheel as if they were helping to navigate the vehicle on the road.

What was even more disturbing is the people behind the wheel were baby boomers and older. I was trying to figure out what would possess someone, who needs to mindful of the road and conditions, to allow a dog to literally obstruct his and her view while driving down a busy highway.

Dogs are not meant for driving cars.

Maybe I’ve missed something but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a doggie seatbelt. Have you? As a matter of fact, I don’t think there’s a place for them inside a vehicle at all---unless they’re in a cage.

Now don’t get me wrong. I am not an animal hater but I’m just trying to understand why drivers allow dogs to sit in their laps.

Oh, maybe I get it. It’s their “Guide Dog”. After all, some of us don’t see as good as we used to.

Are You a Baby Boomer Pursuing Your Passion?

Somebody has FINALLY gotten the memo that the media needs to stand up and take notice of the baby boomers.

Last week, I received an email from Lexi Shoemaker inviting me to participate in a new online series that will feature inspiring stories about people who have made the leap from dreaming about a change to making their passion a reality.

Initially, I dismissed the email because, frankly, I wasn't sure it was on the up and up. But today my inner voice told me to look into it to see if it was legit and you know, the journalist in me went to work. Sure enough, it appears Lexi Shoemaker has some casting credentials. She is apparently working on behalf of MSN and Reveille – producers of “The Office,” “Ugly Betty,” and “The Biggest Loser” –to help them cast this new online series.

They're looking for boomers who have ditched their inactive, corporate nine to five job to follow their real passions in life. Does this sound like you?

1) Are you pursuing the active lifestyle that you finally realized you are so passionate about?

2) Did you decide to shake the dust off your life and are now starting your “second act” by actively embracing the sort of new experiences you would never have considered, even when you were younger?

3) Have you made your dreams of getting the most out of your life a reality? If you are a healthy and active “Baby Boomer” (45-65) individual/couple who has recently made a conscious decision to take positive steps towards reinventing your life, then Lexi is looking for you!

Please send a short summary of your experience along with a recent photo to:
lexishoemaker@aol.com

I took the plunge--let me know if you decide to.

Baby Boomer Happiness

Despite what some may think, money cannot buy you happiness. It may help ease some of the burdens associated with growing older and retirement, but money is not the end all---be all---of the rest of your life.

Believe it or not, age, genetics and a sense of purpose are significant factors in happiness according to some happiness research.

Here are some of the highlights of that research:

Midlife crisis: This plunge is real, no matter where you live or what your circumstances. According to a study of about 2 million people in nearly 80 countries, mental distress peaks at midlife. In the United States, this typically happens for women at around age 40 and for men at around age 50.

Golden years glow: Contentment swings up later in life. People in their 60s and 70s tend to be as satisfied as younger people. No one knows for sure what causes the upswing. It could be acceptance of weakness, more maturity or more appreciation for life as friends and loved ones die. And, happier people may live longer, affecting the data.

Genetics: Numerous studies have shown that genetics accounts for up to half of individual differences in both well-being and positive personality traits, which are closely linked. And women tend to be slightly happier than men.

Life circumstances: Regardless of genetics, people respond to life events, and long-term levels of happiness may change after major life events such as marriage, divorce or the death of a loved one.

Higher levels of education boost happiness. Social connectedness also increases happiness. This factor may explain why women are happier (and commit suicide less) than men, who are more likely to be socially isolated, especially after they retire.

Health: People in excellent health are almost twice as likely to be happier than those in merely good health. Poor health makes 70 percent less likely to be happy, compared with those in good health. And, a sense of well-being is linked to greater longevity and less risk of disease.

A happiness boost: Some researchers suggest focusing on intentional activities, the ones you choose to engage in mindfully and actively, as a good way to boost long-term happiness.

Marcia, Marcia, Marcia...How Could You?

If you're a baby boomer like me, you probably grew up watching the Brady Bunch on TV This was the story of a lovely lady who was raising three small girls. She met a man named Brady who had three small boys. They got married and became one great big happy family known as the Brady Bunch--along with their housekeeper Alice and dog Spike.

In real life, the actors were far different than the roles they portrayed. Robert Reed, who played all-American dad, Mike Brady, was a homosexual who eventually died of Aids. Florence Henderson, who played goody two shoes wife, Carol, was having an affair with her TV son, Greg--played by Barry Williams.

Now we have Maureen McCormick, who played the prissy, yet sweet Marcia Brady. In a newly released tell-all memoir, she talks about being a cocaine addict who traded her body for a sniff on many occasions. "Here's the Story" reveals how the 52-year-old boomer babe got deeper and deeper into Hollywood's drug scene. She says she sought refuge in seemingly glamorous cocaine dens above Hollywood and spiraled down a path of self-destruction that took away her acting career and very nearly hr life.

Over the years she battled drug addiction and bulimia and was even treated in a psych ward and went in and out of rehab.

McCormick says she traded sex for drugs with a Hollywood cocaine dealer who later went to jail, and once allowed an older man she met at the Playboy Mansion to videotape her naked in exchange for drugs.

After several visits to a drug rehab, Maureen now lives a Brady-like life in the Westlake suburb of Los Angeles with her husband and their 19-year-old daughter. She says she has finally made peace with her past as a Brady.

Marcia, Marcia, Marcia....shame on you!

A Baby Boomer's Life in Corporate America

My girlfriend sent me this email today, along with a note asking me if I would be a character witness if she had to stand trial for murder.

That told me she was having a ROUGH day on the job with her thirty-something "know-it-all" boss. I've been there---done that---and even wrote a book about it so I can feel her pain. What's a poor baby boomer to do when they have to put up with a boss who knows less but gets paid more?

In the meantime, here's the email she sent me:

PRISON
You spend most of your time in a 10X10 cell

WORK
You spend most of your time in a 6X6 cubicle

PRISON
You get three fully paid for meals a day

WORK
You get a break for one meal,and you have to pay for it

PRISON
For good behavior, you get time off

WORK
For good behavior, you get more work

PRISON
The guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you

WORK
You must carry a security card and open all the doors yourself

PRISON
You can watch TV and play games

WORK
You could get fired for watching TV and playing games

PRISON
You get your own toilet

WORK
You have to share the toilet with people who pee on the seat

PRISON
They allow your family and friends to visit

WORK
You aren't even supposed to make personal calls on the phone. And don't even think about sending an email!

PRISON
All expenses are paid by the taxpayers with no work required on your part

WORK
You must pay all your expenses to go to work, and they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for prisoners

PRISON
You spend most of your life inside bars wanting to get out

WORK
You spend most of your time wanting to get out and go inside bars

PRISON
You must deal with sadistic wardens

WORK
They are called 'managers'

Boomers: Pack Your Bags and Head to Hawaii

Today, Eons.com announced the results of its second annual “State of Longevity Report,” which ranks states according to boomer life expectancy. Colorado and Hawaii top the list this year with the highest average calculated age of 92.15. The results are based on data collected from more than 650,000 Eons.com members from May 2007 to May 2008 who completed its proprietary Longevity Calculator at www.eons.com/calculator.

Thomas Perls, M.D., M.P.H., is creator of the Eons.com Longevity Calculator and founder and director of the New England Centenarian Study, the largest study of centenarians and their families in the world.

“Both online and offline relationships are one of the keys to longevity,” said Dr. Thomas Perls. “As boomers go through life changing events like retiring, moving, downsizing, or relocating – they need to create new networks. Boomers are not as accustomed to building social groups online, so they’re going to have to get creative about meeting new people and staying in touch with family and friends. Eons.com is a great place for them to connect with interesting people who share similar life experiences.”

If you can't make it to Hawaii or Colorado, the survey also lists: California, Utah, New Hampshire, Alaska, Montana, Oregon, Connecticut and Arizona as states where you're life expectancy is at least 91 years.

It's interesting to note that not one southern state made the Top 10.

Richmond: Not a Romantic Place for Baby Boomers

In celebration of my 51st birthday, my husband and I decided to re-visit Richmond, VA. That's one of those "in-between" places we used to meet up when we were dating. Mind you, we hadn't been back in about five years so we know that things do change.

As we walked along the Canal Street area this time, the atmosphere seemed different. There were plenty of people but not many friendly, smiling faces. I didn't get a "Welcome" feeling. I'm a firm believer you can tell a lot about a place or business by the people who represent it.

Even when we went back to our favorite restaurant, Sine Irish Pub & Restaurant, I didn't have a sense of "we're glad you're here!" like I did the last time. The last time we were there the female bartender was warm and friendly. This bartender seemed to care less if we were there or not.

I guess I just expected more. After all, it was my birthday and I wanted to spend it with my hubby in a place that brought back some fond memories. But not this time. Richmond, VA is definitely NOT a place I would recommend for baby boomers who want to re-kindle flames.