Code Switching and Black Baby Boomers

Recently I came across an article regarding the slang words and phrases we, as baby boomers, used to say as young adults and the fact that these words are no longer spoken by the younger generations.  After reading the article, it occurred to me that many of my black friends and I have been code-switching practically all of our lives (that means at least 50 years).  Now for all of you "educated white folks" reading this post, code-switching is the practice of interacting in different ways depending on what environment we're in.  It's what we do when we are interacting OUTSIDE of our own communities. We change the way we talk when we switch from our world to yours.  Why?  One reason is because we would have no opportunities for growth or advancement in the business world since whiteness is the dominant culture.  Whites, on the other hand, do not see or feel the need to code switch because their way of speaking is considered natural, normal and legitimate.  I could certainly write a whole blog about code-switching but the purpose is to show how different the slang talk was for whites and blacks during my young adult years.

Here are some of the words my generation used:

THREADS--clothes 

GAS--something or someone is a lot of fun 

FLIP A WIG--to get very angry or upset 

GROOVY--cool  

SQUARE--uncool  

DROP A DIME--make a phone call 

DRAG--boring 

KICKS--doing something for fun 

SCRATCH--money 

Now I will admit I am familiar with all of these words, however, they weren't widely used in my circles.  THREADS was universal for clothes "Those are some nice threads you got on!" and while I heard many of my white friends use the terms SQUARE and DRAG, the only time I really used the word GROOVY was when I was singing lyrics to Groovy Situation by Gene Chandler:

Oh it's a groovy situation

A splendid combination

That we should meet

At a time like this...... 

DROP A DIME may have meant make a phone call but in the black community it meant (and still means) to tell on someone or betray them. (to rat them out)<another slang phrase. 

SCRATCH may have meant money to white baby boomers but we called money BREAD.

KICKS meant some nice shoes

Other words we used that white baby boomers didn't....

FLY--meant good looking or fine

THE MAN--the police (or someone in authority over you like your boss)

RAP--conversation

RIGHT ON!--to be in agreement with

BAD--good!

CRIB--your house

JIVIN' "Stop jivin' around man!" Stop lying or playing around. 

CAN YOU DIG IT?--Do you understand?

If you can dig it, that's outta sight!

Peace.

Scam Alert for Baby Boomers

 "Tis the season to be jolly...." Yes, and it's also the season when older adults need to be on high alert because scammers are lurking online to prevent us from having a holly, jolly Christmas this year.

Did you know that more than 500 million passwords have been exposed in data breaches.  Yours could have been one of them and you may not even know it unless you have some type of fraud identity protection.  For identity thieves, your passwords open doors to the kinds of things they're looking for---personal information and banking accounts.

Here are some tips on how to stay as financially secure as possible while you're engaging on social media during the holidays (or anytime for that matter).

1.  Now would be a good time to change your passwords, especially if you've had the same one for more than a year.  For some of us, that may mean coming up with several passwords but it's better to be inconvenienced a little bit than to be sorry later on.  And when you're creating a new password, be unique and creative. You should never use your name unless you have characters behind it that don't seem to make any sense.  For example:   It would be easy for someone to figure out Beverly57 because that's my first name and the year I was born.  BUT If I use Beverly577506&!$----that would be pretty hard to decode.  I am also an advocate for writing your password down and keeping it in a safe place.  I know there are many people who say you shouldn't do that but if you are only using your computer inside your home you shouldn't have to worry about someone trying to steal it.

Along those same lines, don't share your password(s) with anyone, especially your children or grandchildren.  There's no reason they should have it.  Let me give you an example:  Let's say you ask your grandchild to order something for you from the Amazon website and you give them the login information. Not only do they order what you asked but later on they decide to order something they want because they still have your password and the attitude is "Oh grandma (grandpa) won't mind because she/he loves me!"  WHATEVER! 

You are not too old that you can't navigate your own way online and if you think you are, then you shouldn't be online anyway.

2.  Do not log into public places with unsecured networks.  Some people love going to coffee shops with their laptops or smartphones and hopping onto some website.  Logging into an unsecured public wifi network gives hackers the opportunity to watch your activity.  Also, talking business on your cell phone in a public place leaves you at risk of someone eavesdropping on your conversation---especially if you are trying to make a purchase and using your credit card/bank account information.  

3. Do not throw away information that contains personal information in a public place.  You may think nothing about throwing that old utility bill that's been in your jacket pocket for months but that bill contains information that could become a good fortune for an identity thief.  The best thing to do with personal information is to shred it.

4.  Now if you get a phone call from someone claiming to represent one of your utility companies or a government agency, don't give them any information until you can verify, for sure, that they are who they say they are.  Ask to call them back via a number posted on their business or government agency website.

Finally, don't fall for the Fake IRS refund scams.  Scam artists have gotten pretty clever in disguising themselves as IRS representatives on the phone and online.  If you get an email from someone claiming to represent the IRS, disregard it and call the IRS directly to see if it is legitimate.  Also, don't wait until the last minute to file your taxes.  Did you know identity thieves will often file fake taxes with stolen information in order to capture tax refunds?  

If you suspect you have become a victim of a scam act quickly.  Contact your creditors and financial institutions about any unauthorized charges or debts and close any compromised accounts.  File a report with your local police and the Federal Trade Commission.  In order to avoid becoming the victim of a scam stay informed and research any communication that seems slightly questionable to you.

Returning to Work After 50

 When I left the news business, I was in my late forties. Now that I'm over 60  I see that so much has changed and I am having to learn how to adapt. I chose not to return to my chosen career of "established media" because, quite frankly, I no longer had the stomach for "breaking news" that starts out with A LOT of half-truths and stations always trying to out do the competition. Furthermore, I was no longer interested in going toe-to-toe with younger, less-talented journalists who always seem to have the advantage because of their "blondeness" and desire to work no matter how little the pay.

These days I'm working part-time as a Writing Tutor for college students.  While I absolutely LOVE what I do, the challenge is dealing with young people who come to the table thinking they know as much as you and don't particularly like being told their writing needs drastic improvement.   As I travel through this leg of my journey I am learning a lot about getting back in the game even on a part-time basis. 

Here are some things for you to consider if you are thinking about returning to the job market:

HAVE A CLEAR OBJECTIVE: Know why you are returning to the workforce. To make ends meet is one thing but you should also be thinking about what you would like to accomplish while in your position. Just going through the motions of working from 9 to 5 (or whenever) will ultimately make you unhappy and could lead to your untimely termination. 

Once I was hired for the position I'm in, I decided to set a goal and am now striving towards it. 

Understand this: THE JOB MARKET HAS CHANGED: Not only are many of the employees half our age, but some of them may end up being our supervisors. I've been in that situation.  Some of my previous managers were just a few years older than my 31-year-old daughter and, honestly, it was hard to appreciate and see them as my superiors but THEY WERE and if I was going to succeed I was going to have to accept that fact and act accordingly.

HAVE SOME MARKETABLE SKILLS!:  Just because you spent 20-30 years with one Company and worked your way up to middle-management doesn't mean you are qualified for any available job.  As I said before, the market has changed and you will have to learn to adapt to the times.  Since the pandemic, more employers are looking to hire remotely.  That means you will need to be up to speed on how to deal with technology and be able to troubleshoot any technical problems that may arise because, trust me, trouble will happen! 

ACQUIRE NEW SKILLS:  If you see a job that captures your interest and you know you don't have the necessary skill requirements, find a course at your local community college to help you obtain the skillset necessary.  If you have children or grandchildren who are tech savvy, don't be afraid to ask them.  I'm always my grandson how to do something because I know he knows and he gets a kick out of helping his grandma.

LEARN TO BE HUMBLE: I've always been a take charge person so it isn't easy for me to sit back in a subservient role as I am currently having to do. Quite frankly, humility as an employee is something I'm still working on but I do keep my devotional reading with me at all times to remind me of WHOSE I am so I don't get it twisted and end up saying things I will live to regret. 

If you have aspirations beyond the job, you will have to learn to swallow your pride, know-how and "I can do it better than you!" attitude sometimes for the greater good. 

BE WILLING TO ACCEPT LESS MONEY: The job market today is what I call an "employers' market." They can get away with paying less money for employees because the market is saturated with young, hungry professionals who just want to get a foot in the door so they can begin to navigate their way throughout the company. For many baby boomers, like myself, we have been accustomed to the nice, comfortable salaries that afforded us the opportunities to have beautiful homes, a sizable bank account and take fabulous vacations. That is no longer the case. You must be willing to accept the going rate but I would caution you to NEVER accept minimum wage because it devalues your skills and abilities---especially if you have 20 to 30 years of talent and skills to bring to the table. 

GET A SIDE HUSTLE:  This may not be for everyone but if you are thinking about retirement (and you definitely should be!), then you should look for a gig that can pay you some extra cash.  I recommend checking out Fiverr and see how you can put some of your "other skills" to use.  

HAVE A CLEAR EXIT PLAN: Going back to work is serious business for those of us who are more mature than the average employee. Know why you are returning and have a plan for an exit. Working indefinitely without a plan or purpose only leads to frustration.

Will You Outlast Your Retirement Savings?

It used to be when you retired you got a gold watch (or some other trinket), a send-off party, and a nice pension to rely on every month in addition to your social security check.  At one time nearly 90 percent of private sector workers had a pension as their workplace retirement plan which was FULLY FUNDED by the employer.  Today that number is down to 33 percent.

These days the idea of collecting a pension from your employer is practically non-existent. Unlike our parents, most baby boomers aren't likely to spend their entire working lives on one job to benefit from a pension.  In addition, more employers have opted to offer 401K retirement plans where you have to contribute a portion of your salary if you expect to get anything in return. 

According to a survey by the Insured Retirement Institute, only 24 percent of baby boomers were confident their savings would last throughout their retirement years.  That's a dismal thought considering the fact that we are retiring at a rate of 10,000 per day through at least 2030.  What's even more dismal is the survey also indicates approximately 35 million of us lack any retirement savings today.

Admit it.  If you knew then what you know now, you would've been saving like crazy.  Back in the 80's I had a retirement savings plan.  I had no real clue of its value so I used it as my personal spending account.  I FAILED to plan for my future life expectancy and even though I pride myself with being smart I was financially illiterate.  I had a lack of knowledge about what it meant to do retirement planning and saving and when you have a LACK OF KNOWLEDGE you have a lack of savings and investments.

 Financial Investment Advisor, Chris Gure says "Baby Boomers have spend the last 30 plus years in the workforce accumulating their savings in order to retire.  It should be imperative to them to have a trusted financial advisor to help alleviate their financial stress." And while the 401K may help jump start your retirement, Gure says it may not always be tailored for a retiree's changing investment needs, transitioning from accumulation to distribution isn't always easy and that's why it's important and helpful to have someone guiding you through the process.

There's an old Chinese proverb that says, The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now (or 40 years depending on how old you are).

Will Millennials Decide the 2020 Presidential Election?

Millennials may lean towards the Democratic party (59 percent versus 37 percent Republican) but less than half of them voted in the 2016 election.  Will that change this time around?

According to a new nationwide Zogby Poll® of Millennials voters (born 1980-1995), a majority (55 percent) say they support Joe Biden over Donald Trump (35 percent).  In addition, Biden also beats in various regions of the country:

East Coast:  (Biden led Trump 60 percent to 33 percent)
West Coast:  Biden led Trump 57 percent to 30 percent)
Central/Great Lakes Region:  (Biden 59 percent Trump 31 percent) 

Millennial Women vs. Men   
Biden beat Trump 59 to 27 percent (women) 
Biden led Trump 51 to 43 percent (men)

Education Level 
The education of surveyed voters did not impact the race, as the former vice president bested Trump with college educated voters (56 percent to 38 percent and non-college educated voters (54 percent to 32 percent). 

On the other hand, Trump did well with Millennial voters who earn at least $150K (58 percent to 37 percent) and Trump wins with Millennials who have at least $30K invested in the stock market (49 percent to 44 percent).

The Millennial votes in the South appear to be up for grabs with Biden leading by a slim margin of 46 to 43 percent.  

In 2016, according to Pew Research, Trump received roughly 28 percent of the Millennial vote, while 58 percent of registered Millennial voters voted Hillary Clinton.  But Trump's victory was, in part, because of his support by white men (62 percent) and non-college whites (64 percent).

No doubt the voting population is getting younger and now that we have Generation Z, they could also have a significant impact on the election outcome.

Parents are Raising Mean Kids

Nearly 80 percent of moms believe kids today are less kind than in past generations, according to a recent PARENTS 2020 Values Survey. So if that is, in fact, the case the question is why?  Perhaps it's because parents are not instilling the kind of values in their children to make them kind-hearted, grateful for the little things, respectful of others, etc. Or maybe it's because the parents raising today's generation of children never learned the true meaning of kindness from their own parents.  Ironically, in this same survey more than half of the moms rate their parenting abilities as either excellent (13 percent) or very good (38 percent), while just 1 percent say their parenting skills are poor or very poor.  Kudos to the one percent because I believe they were telling the truth!

Also noted in the survey was the fact that 65 percent of moms say that kids today are less happier than kids of previous generations and they blame it on technology, social media addiction, bullying and undefined parental issues. But then, the next question is what are parents doing about that?  How do you blame technology for your child's unhappiness if you're not spending any quality time with them?  Have any ground rules or limitations been established for social media time?  When it comes to my grandson, he knows his phone will be taken away at any given moment (for at least 24 hours) should be choose to misbehave or not get his schoolwork done.  As far as bullying goes, Bullying experts say kids who go out of their way to intimidate others are often neglected by their parents in the home so they lash out to get attention or, even worse, they learn first-hand what it means to be a bully from a parent who also has that reputation.  

Moms were asked to select the top three qualities they most hope to instill in their children:

1. Kindness (73 percent)

2. Love of family (68 percent)

3. Intelligence (51 percent)

4. Strong work ethic (51 percent)

5. Individuality (31 percent)

When those moms were asked what THEIR parents valued most for them, this is how they responded:

1. Having a family of my own (64 percent)

2. Having close family ties (63 percent)

3. Being better off financially than they were (57 percent)

4. Getting a college degree (49 percent)

I might point out that "kindness" isn't on the moms' list of values from their parents so that may explain a whole lot.  You can't teach what you've never learned.

My Connection to Helen Reddy

 

Fresh off the heels of the most disastrous Presidential debate in American History, I woke up the next day and learned that Australian-born singer/songwriter Helen Reddy had died.  As a young teenager in the 1970's I remember her song "I am Woman" and how it became a rallying cry for women EVERYWHERE. I became an instant fan of hers' and, to this day, still play my all-time favorite:  That Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady.

But my connection to Helen Reddy goes a little bit deeper.  Early in 2006, I started working on my first book, Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age.  In my final chapter, I wanted to include  lyrics from I am Woman --and create my own song called We are Baby Boomers.  But, in order to use her words verbatim, I had to get her permission since she was the songwriter.  

This is where I learned how good my journalism researching skills were because I had to dig and keep digging some more just to find out how to reach her.  I just assumed she was touring somewhere in the U.S. but, of course, as luck would have it, she would be in her native country without my ability to gain direct access.  So I kept researching until I was able to track down a man named Ray Burton, who I learned played a significant role in collaborating with Reddy on the song.  I also discovered that the original song was published by Irving Music so I found a telephone number for them, reached out and explained what I was trying to do.  I was advised to send a copy of my lyrics with a request of specifically what I wanted to do with them.  

At the time I think I expected they would respond right away, without knowing all that had to take place on their end.  After a month went by I was getting a little discouraged but I was determined not to publish without those lyrics because I felt they were essential to the overall theme of my book.  Well, about three months later, I received a reply giving me permission to use the lyrics and also a request for two autographed copies of my book. Also, in their response was a message saying Ms. Reddy and Mr. Burton both gave their approval.  And, what was even better, I didn't have to pay a royalty fee for the usage (thankfully, because I had just lost my job!)  I remember crying when I read the letter (over and over) and thinking about all that I had gone through and how that moment in time was really orchestrated by a Higher Power.  Not long after receiving permission, I self published my first book.

For those of you who haven't read it, let me share the lyrics I wrote in chapter 6:

We are baby boomers

Hear us roar

In numbers too big to ignore

And we know too much to go back and pretend

And one thing we know for sure

As we're passing through the door

We're never coming back this way again

Oh yes, we are wise

but it's wisdom born of pain

Yes, we've paid the price

But look how much we've gained.

If we have to, we can do anything

We are STRONG

We are INVINCIBLE

We are BABY BOOMERS! 

Thank you Helen Reddy for your contribution to my life and career.  R.I.P.