We baby boomers came of age in a time of radical social change, not the least of which was the sexual revolution. Women’s lib empowered young women to claim their rights in the bedroom. The Pill freed us from fear of unwanted pregnancy. “Free love” and “Make love, not war” were bywords of our generation. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
I admit it: I like bling as much as the next gal. But honestly, how many bracelets or pairs of earrings do you really need? (I know, I know – when it comes to jewelry, it’s rarely a question of need.) Seriously though, while being gifted with jewelry is nice, I’ve come to appreciate more […]
As I stood at the magnifying mirror one recent morning plucking rogue moustache hairs, it occurred to me that this was something I never had to do 20 years ago. Damned interlopers! I have two words for errant facial hairs: pluck ‘em! This got me thinking about all the other things I didn’t have to […]
Former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina—now campaigning to be the GOP’s presidential candidate—said a while back that she could improve the U.S. economy by cutting federal workers’ pay because they’re “watching porn all day long.” My first reaction was, “Seriously?” But evidently I’d completely missed the news about a May 2014 inspector general’s report on […]
If you’re a baby boomer like me, you first knew SPAM® as that canned meat product made mainly from ham. Since the dawn of the Internet, however, we’ve become all too well acquainted with the truly inedible spam that arrives via email. My email is served with a daily side of spam, most of it […]
An advertising executive recently called us baby boomers “brand-promiscuous.” It’s like being labeled a slut, but in a good way. Let me explain… According to an October 2014 article in the AARP Bulletin, most of Madison Avenue – that bastion of creativity in advertising – is ignoring us boomers in favor of a younger demographic. […]
