Several months ago, Oprah did a show about 60 being the new 40 and 50 being the new 30. Women who came from good "aging gracefully" genes flaunted themselves on stage and in the audience to let the rest of America know they weren't taking growing older lying down. They were determined to do whatever it took to keep up a youthful appearance.
A few weeks ago a report come out indicating baby boomers aren't as healthy as our parents from the previous generation. So what really gives here? Yes, we baby boomers are probably not as healthy as our parents were because we've bought into a concept that our parents didn't. We have been driven to believe everything we read and see and read in the media. We've been brainwashed and some of us have gotten downright lazy with our physical activity.
Baby boomers are overweight because some "expert" keeps telling us what we should or should not eat and then in the next breath, some other "expert" comes out and says we've been eating the wrong things all along.
We are unhappy with the way we look because we live in a society where it's all about a youthful appearance. There's no such thing as aging gracefully according to the media. Just look at Hollywood. And don't even get me started on the plastic surgery option.
Who told us 60 was the new 40? Why have we bought into that theory?
I like looking good. I love feeling healthy and just like my mother and grandmother, I'm doing it my way---instead of being brainwashed into believing I have to look a certain way, be a certain size to enjoy who I am.
Beverly Mahone
Author
Whatever! A Baby Boomer’s Journey Into Middle Age
http://www.thebabyboomerdiva.com
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Cruisin' with the Top Down
It was such a beautiful day here in North Carolina on Friday so this baby boomer diva decided to go cruisin’. First I had to wash the car because you can't style and profile in a 2006 Sebring LXI if it's dirty. It just isn't cool. The sports car belongs to my baby boomer hunk of a husband. Since we're in a commuter marriage, he decided to leave HIS CAR with me and take my little reliable, good on gas mileage, Ford Focus back with him to Maryland for the week.
I was going to take it to the car wash but I figured I needed to burn off some calories since I didn't go to the gym or the trail all this week. I sat my grandson in his stroller while I washed the car. He was actually enjoying watching me spray the car with the hose. I was thinking one day he'll be doing this and I'll be sitting in his stroller :)
When I finished it was spotless! The tires needed a good touch up but I figured I'd leave that to the professionals at another time. I then buckled up my grandson in his car seat in the back, dropped the top, put on my shades and put the pedal to the metal. All the while I kept thinking of that opening clip on "Full House" where the guys are driving in a convertible with little Michelle in the back seat.
It felt good to be cruisin’ with the top down and being in the company of my second favorite (little) man!
I was going to take it to the car wash but I figured I needed to burn off some calories since I didn't go to the gym or the trail all this week. I sat my grandson in his stroller while I washed the car. He was actually enjoying watching me spray the car with the hose. I was thinking one day he'll be doing this and I'll be sitting in his stroller :)
When I finished it was spotless! The tires needed a good touch up but I figured I'd leave that to the professionals at another time. I then buckled up my grandson in his car seat in the back, dropped the top, put on my shades and put the pedal to the metal. All the while I kept thinking of that opening clip on "Full House" where the guys are driving in a convertible with little Michelle in the back seat.
It felt good to be cruisin’ with the top down and being in the company of my second favorite (little) man!
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Baby Boomers on Welfare?
An interesting study released today by Scottsrade has me thinking very seriously about my future as a member of the "retirement community." The study makes me question whether or not I can afford to retire or will I have to keep working well into my 70s--maybe even 80s--just to be able to survive from paycheck to paycheck.
According to the study: Forty-two percent of American Baby Boomers (1), those between the ages of 45 and 64, say they will not have enough money to do the things they want to do when they retire and nearly one-third (31 percent) say they will have to cut back on their current lifestyle in retirement, according to the 2007 American Retirement Study by Scottrade, the leading branch-supported online investment firm. With over 78.2 million Baby Boomers, this aging population may soon find itself in dire straits.
According to Scottrade’s 2007 American Retirement Study: * 65 percent believe they have not saved enough for retirement * 29 percent have saved less than $25,000 for retirement * 23 percent of Boomers say they will never be able to retire and not need to earn an income * 41 percent will have to keep working during retirement “There’s a disparity here in that while most Boomers feel very unprepared financially for retirement, this demographic remains keenly aware of the problem but is not addressing it properly,” said Chris X. Moloney, Scottrade’s chief marketing officer. “This may be a case of doing too little, too late. Three in ten have saved under $25,000, which is concerning.”
According to the study, the biggest financial concern among Boomers (62 percent) was having enough money for retirement. Boomers also expressed other general financial concerns, including: * Having enough money to cover healthcare related costs (50 percent) * Paying for unexpected, major expenses (50 percent) * Protecting family in case of premature death/disability (43 percent) * Getting a good return on investment (44 percent) * Protecting wealth (38 percent) * Having too much debt (36 percent) * Caring for elderly parents/relatives (35 percent) With 51 percent of Boomers relying on 401(k) plans to provide the necessary resources in retirement, 37 percent also have IRAs, SEPs or similar retirement plans, according to Scottrade.
Aren't we supposed to be the generation who's making enough money to be able to save for a rainy day? Or are we the ones who have the attitude, "Since I can't take it with me I might as well spend it!"
If this study is accurate, I'd say there's going to be a whole lot of baby boomers living on welfare in the not too distant future.
What a mess, huh?
According to the study: Forty-two percent of American Baby Boomers (1), those between the ages of 45 and 64, say they will not have enough money to do the things they want to do when they retire and nearly one-third (31 percent) say they will have to cut back on their current lifestyle in retirement, according to the 2007 American Retirement Study by Scottrade, the leading branch-supported online investment firm. With over 78.2 million Baby Boomers, this aging population may soon find itself in dire straits.
According to Scottrade’s 2007 American Retirement Study: * 65 percent believe they have not saved enough for retirement * 29 percent have saved less than $25,000 for retirement * 23 percent of Boomers say they will never be able to retire and not need to earn an income * 41 percent will have to keep working during retirement “There’s a disparity here in that while most Boomers feel very unprepared financially for retirement, this demographic remains keenly aware of the problem but is not addressing it properly,” said Chris X. Moloney, Scottrade’s chief marketing officer. “This may be a case of doing too little, too late. Three in ten have saved under $25,000, which is concerning.”
According to the study, the biggest financial concern among Boomers (62 percent) was having enough money for retirement. Boomers also expressed other general financial concerns, including: * Having enough money to cover healthcare related costs (50 percent) * Paying for unexpected, major expenses (50 percent) * Protecting family in case of premature death/disability (43 percent) * Getting a good return on investment (44 percent) * Protecting wealth (38 percent) * Having too much debt (36 percent) * Caring for elderly parents/relatives (35 percent) With 51 percent of Boomers relying on 401(k) plans to provide the necessary resources in retirement, 37 percent also have IRAs, SEPs or similar retirement plans, according to Scottrade.
Aren't we supposed to be the generation who's making enough money to be able to save for a rainy day? Or are we the ones who have the attitude, "Since I can't take it with me I might as well spend it!"
If this study is accurate, I'd say there's going to be a whole lot of baby boomers living on welfare in the not too distant future.
What a mess, huh?
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