Monthly Archives: October 2015

Medical upselling: Would you like fries with that?

When you buy a car, you can count on the salesperson to try and upsell you, whether it’s for a more expensive option package or rustproofing the undercarriage. And you can’t buy any type of electronics or appliance these days without being offered an extended warranty. I get it—that’s how folks in retail make more […]

Dating and the art of social intercourse

I saw this saying on Facebook the other day: The older you get, the sexier it is when someone can carry on an intelligent conversation. I agree. In my twenties and thirties, the barrier to entry, so to speak, was relatively low. Physical attraction (aka lust), too often fueled by alcohol, invariably trumped intelligent conversation […]

7 ways to boomer-proof your home

Anyone who’s raised children or has grandchildren understands the concept of baby-proofing a home. Well, given certain risks and limitations we face as we get older, I think we should give some thought to boomer-proofing our homes. Now, I’m not talking about the usual advice that experts dispense to help folks remain safe in their […]

Tales of parental caregiving: Cat on a plane

As crazy-making as it can be to care for aging parents sometimes, there also can be moments of snort-stuff-out-your-nose hilarity. Sometimes we only see the humor in retrospect – since we’re so aggravated or mortified at the time it’s happening. Here’s a case in point: My then-72-year-old mother is on a plane with her obese […]

Girl Scout badges for baby boomers

If you were a Girl Scout in the fifties or sixties, remember the badges we earned (or didn’t, depending on our proclivities)? Most of them focused on traditional stuff like homemaking, sewing and cooking. Well, we’ve come a long way, baby. So it occurred to me that we should be awarded an entirely different set […]