Writers Over 50

Posts Tagged ‘writers over 50’

Cars and Their Parts

Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013

Annice

I was dreading buying tires yesterday (don’t most baby boomer women feel the same way?) despite the fact that my two front tires were practically bald and my car was due to pass inspection. And yes, I know, the safety issue is critical. The problem is, it’s overwhelming and I hate anything to do with cars or their parts. In fact, if you remember I posted back in 2009 about buying my first brand new car ever when I traded in my 1989 Dodge Dakota pick-up with almost 200,000 miles. Loved that truck, but I ditched it for my new Honda Fit – thank you Mr. Obama for that cash for clunker deal.

As it turns out, Honda is very clever. While the Fit is a cheap mass market

Honda Fit

car, Honda has tried very hard to make sure you buy the tires from them. In other words, OEM (tires), or original equipment manufactured products or components that are purchased by another company and retailed under that purchasing company’s brand name, i.e. Honda. How do I know this? The Honda Fit chat room, of course. I ventured there one late night looking for advice and a bargain. One smart guy had this to say. “Most stock OEM tires are garbage, and I suggest replacing them with something in a more common size. 185 55 16 is an odd ball tire size that will offer limited choices. Tirerack shows only 2 choices. Honda probably figures that most people will get frustrated and go back to their dealers for tire replacement at inflated prices. I suggest changing the OEM’s out with either 195 60 16 or 195 50 16. The 60 series tire will offer a softer ride with good handling and traction while the 50 series, though V and Z rated, offers a similar ride as the OEM’s but more affordable tires and brand choices.”

So you see, I need to change them out to 195 60 16 …and I set out to do just that. I started by calling all my local tire stores to see if they had two said tires for my Honda Fit. No one had them in stock but all could order them and have them in a day. All were more expensive than the Honda dealer, so Honda it had to be. Then, while doing errands yesterday, I saw a store called Discount Tires.

I parked the car, and as soon as I got out, a young smiling guy in a uniform came up to meet me in the parking lot, and asked if he could help. He ushered me inside, educated me on tires and basically shared the same info the Honda Fit forum did. He had the tires in stock, and they were almost $40 less than Honda and the local tire guys.

Twenty minutes later and a cup of gourmet decaf coffee (it was 5:30 p.m.) and I had my new tires. I wish I could have given my business to the local guys but $80 is a big savings. Guess I’ll have to spend it in a local restaurant this week-end.

Tags: babyboomerwomen, feeling overwhelmed, post50, women over fifty, women's journeys, writers over 50
Posted in Main, Products, Products, Shopping, Technology | 3 Comments »

Why A Nice Jewish Girl From Brooklyn Joined a Gospel Choir

Monday, May 14th, 2012

Annice

Meet my friend Marjorie. I met her in Washington, D.C. back in 1982 or 1983 at our local gym on M St. We were sitting in the steam room, and she remarked how she hadn’t see me with my friend lately and wondered what happened. I told her she moved to Boston to go to back to school, and how much I missed her. She immediately reached out, and we became best friends after that. Neither Marjorie nor I are in D.C. anymore, and I wish we were closer. She has always inspired me to look for joy wherever it is. Here she is singing in a gospel choir, and here is her story.

Marjorie

I have always wanted to sing in a gospel choir. The energy and music is so uplifting. You can be in the biggest funk…tired, depressed, or overwhelmed with your day and your life, but when you start singing it’s as though you’ve been totally transported to another place and time.

When I lived in San Francisco I sang in two choruses. I never had a great voice, but good enough to be part of the choral group. One of my “gigs” was in the San Francisco Gay Men and Women’s Chorus. My next door neighbor at the time knocked on my door one evening and asked me if I liked to sing. Well, “yes” I said, but I’m not good. He said not to worry that it was just a fun group and they sang show tunes. It turned out to be a little more professional than I was, but I still enjoyed it, and realized what a high I got from singing. Then my “voice” went downhill (literally). I was really distressed over it, but the ENT guy I went to said it “wasn’t cancer,” but I would have to give up my operatic career. I fell over laughing.

So years went by without a song in my heart and last December, right before Christmas, my friend Nancy and I went to a local cafe here in Petaluma, (CA) for breakfast and the Wings of Glory was singing. I checked it out and low and behold they are here practically right in my backyard! The best things about this group are 1) you don’t have to audition 2) you don’t have to have a great voice and 3) there is no commitment to show up for rehearsals every week or attend the performances.

Wings of Glory

I haven’t missed a rehearsal yet! The members are some of the most welcoming people I’ve ever met. Last weekend we sang with the Oakland Interfaith Choir. You want to hear great voices….that’s the ticket. Any one of them could go on American Idol and win! There was also a Jewish A Capella group there called Vocolat and they were singing Hebrew and Yiddish songs…I felt more at home.

We are the token white gospel choir, but we have the spirit and the “moves.” We are invited to perform at a number of different venues. Churches, of course, but also wineries and other events around the area.

So, how is it, you ask, to be singing about Jesus for a nice Jewish girl from Brooklyn? Well after all, Jesus was a nice Jewish boy from Bethlehem. And at least they both start with a “B”, right!? And, if you’re ever in my neck of the woods please come and hear us sing. You will be looking for a gospel choir in your area instead of a therapist!

Tags: beautifulwomenover50, feeling overwhelmed, midlife journey, music, women's journeys, womenwriters, writers over 50
Posted in Friends, Journey, Main, Music, Other Voices, Relationships, Retirement, Spirituality | 2 Comments »

Senior Cohousing for Baby Boomers!

Monday, September 26th, 2011

Sue Counts

My friend, Sue Counts, retired three years ago as the Director of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension in Watauga County after more than 40 years in government. During her tenure, Sue initiated educational programs in the areas of sustainable tourism, sustainable energy, Hispanic outreach, and women in agriculture. Sue says, “At this point in my life, I’m seeking a better life for the Baby Boomers who are entering that stage of their lives known as ‘the senior years’.” So, when Dene Peterson, the founder of ElderSpirit Community came to Boone a few weeks ago to talk about her life’s work, Sue was there attending meetings about the possibility of creating such a community in Watauga County, NC. She graciously shares important information on “Retirement Housing.”

IT’S OFFICIAL! We are now in the “ERA OF THE GOLDEN BOOMERS!”. On January 1, 2011 the very first Baby Boomer turned 65, and 10,000 boomers will turn 65 every day for the next 19 years. This gigantic generation has transformed America as they have passed through every stage of life…..and housing for the elderly will not be any exception.

It's Official

Co-housing communities if you will! These communities bring together the value of private homes with the benefits of more sustainable living. That means common facilities and good connections with neighbors. All in all, they stand as innovative answers to today’s environmental and social problems.

According to Charles Durrett, author of Senior Cohousing Handbook — 2nd Edition, A Community Approach to Independent Living, “No matter how rich life is in youth and middle age, the elder years can bring on increasing isolation and loneliness as social connections lessen, especially if friends and family members move away. Senior co-housing fills a niche for this demographic — the healthy, educated and proactive adults who want to live in a social and environmentally vibrant community. These seniors are already wanting to ward off the aging process, so they are unlikely to want to live in assisted housing. Senior co-housing revolves around custom-built neighborhoods organized by the seniors themselves in order to fit in with their real needs, wants, and aspirations for health, longevity and quality of life.”

Elderspirit Community

The ElderSpirit Community at Trailview in Abingdon, Virginia is the living example of a community of mutual support and late life spirituality. It is the first mixed-income, mixed ownership Elder Co-Housing Community in the United States and in this capacity it is making its way as it “walks the talk.” The founder of ElderSpirit Community is Geraldine “Dene” Peterson, a “spry” woman in her 80’s who recently received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” at the 2011 National Cohousing Conference in Washington, DC.

Dene Peterson

At eighteen, Dene Peterson left her parents and ten siblings to join a convent. She ultimately chose to leave the religious order, but her spirituality remained deeply rooted. In 1995, at age 65, she created the ElderSpirit Community in Abingdon, Virginia. Inspired by a Danish model, Peterson wanted to form a co-housing retirement community that would allow friends to live together in a collaborative and supportive setting while also offering some of the autonomy of private dwellings. Peterson also envisioned an alternative to institutional long-term care, a place where community members would have the emotional support of their peers as well as the necessary medical assistance to live out their lives at home. Using a creative patchwork of funding from public and private resources, Peterson raised $3.5 million, and her vision materialized. Construction of the 29 residences, common community building, and a prayer room was completed in late spring of 2006 and houses both the moderate and low-income. The model has gained national attention, and an ElderSpirit outreach extension program in now helping to plan similar communities in Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Kansas, and Virginia.

The ElderSpirit Community is dedicated to making possible new opportunities for Elders in the 21st Century. The ElderSpirit Community values are: To live in a community of diverse spiritual paths; To give and receive support in relationship with neighbors in community; To belong to a community who make the decisions on how they will live together; and To encourage each other to live simply and care for the earth.

Tags: aging, aging gracefully, baby boomers, cohousingforboomers, elderspiritcohousing, elderspiritcommunity, Retirement, seniorcohousinghandbook, women over fifty, women's journeys, womenbabyboomers, writers over 50
Posted in Aging, Alternative Health, Books, Environment, Family, Friends, Health Tips, Home, Journey, Living, Main, Other Voices, Relationships, Retirement, Spirituality, The Environment | 7 Comments »

My High School Reunion

Monday, August 22nd, 2011

Annice

I’ve heard from some baby boomers that high school reunions are nothing but a terrifying rite of passage, but for me, four decades after graduation, it was a blast.

It started with the preparation and anticipation of going back. I think I received the first announcement (at least 6 months before the event) from our uber organizer and former majorette, Lynn. Preparation for the Reunion would not be without challenges for me. After all, there was pressure in high school and it didn’t have to do with grades. Grades? That was the easy part. My anxiety came from the lack of dates and boyfriends. I scored a big zero in that department so why wouldn’t I feel a tiny bit of pressure? I’m not perfect, you know. Then, there was the issue of what to wear. I prayed I would find the most flattering outfit I could fit this 50 something body into short of liposuction in time for the Reunion. Thank you very much J. Jill.

40 years later

So why would I go to my 40^th reunion? Simple, I wanted to reconnect with people I shared my youth with – after all, I spent the most formidable years of my life with these 480 kids with raging hormones. You see, I grew up in Mayfield Hts., Ohio, attended Mayfield Rd. Elementary School, Mayfield Jr. High and Mayfield Senior High school as did my two sisters, my brother, and my five cousins. Oh yeah, I must also confess, I love stories and the Reunion was filled with them – stories of former cheerleaders, majorettes, football heroes, wrestling champions, thespians, and merit scholars. There were stories about divorce, ex-husbands and their girlfriends, children, step-kids, ageing parents, dead parents, and even dogs (yes, baby boomers love their dogs).

The first night we all met at a bar which I thought was a brilliant idea. It facilitated the initial shock of seeing each other grown up. Understand, I hadn’t seen or in most cases, thought about my classmates in 40 years. Well, that’s not exactly true because many of us have been reconnecting on facebook in anticipation of the Reunion. Another brilliant idea was posting our graduation picture on our nametags. Purposely, I kept reading glasses in my pocket so I wouldn’t have to squint all night to read the nametags and distinguish the photos.

my reading glasses

The first night, all I could think of was who were all these people hugging, and saying hello with huge smiles across their faces, and why didn’t I recognize them right away? Too fat, too skinny, too gray, too many wrinkles? And of course, they were thinking the same things about me.

Saturday night was the banquet and so much dancing and gabbing and I must’ve been having a great time because I didn’t get home until 3:00 a.m. – just like old times. And memories, so many memories and laughs that made it all worth it My advice, if you get a chance to go to your Reunion – don’t miss it. Life is short.

Tags: aging gracefully, baby boomers, oops50, oops50 humor, women's journeys, womenbabyboomers, writers over 50
Posted in Aging, Journey, Main, Pets, Relationships, Travel | 5 Comments »

I’m Addicted to My iPhone

Monday, July 11th, 2011

Minda

Our guest blogger this week is, Minda Brown Jaramillo, from Cleveland, Ohio. She recently moved back there after spending 10 years in the Southwest. She has been employed as a Licensed Independent Social Worker for the past 26 years and is currently managing programs for Women in Recovery. She enjoys reading, traveling, listening to music, and movies. She has been married for 15 years and has two dogs.

I think I’m addicted to my iPhone. After 2 Droids (the original and its upgrade), I was really tired of spending money on something I wasn’t satisfied with. I’m amazed by my iPhone’s speed, accuracy, and how the touch screen for texting is so right on. I also love the general easiness of its functionality.

Using my iPhone

How do I know I may be addicted? I am a licensed clinical social worker and work with addicts on a daily basis. In order to be diagnosed, there is a little book called the DSM IV Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders that provides clues as to whether you meet criteria for this. Although I don’t believe in labeling people, it does give one a good point of departure to work from. Here’s a sample of some of the questions the book asks regarding addiction: “A maladaptive pattern of use leading to significant impairment or distress manifested by three of the following in a 12 year period:

1. Have you gone through withdrawal? Wow…I don’t know yet because I’m never without my phone. I can only surmise that I would go through withdrawal or, at the very least, panic if I did not have it.

2. Have you build up a tolerance? Hmmm….well, I guess since a phone is nothing I can ingest orally or through injection to determine if I’ve built up a tolerance; I can determine that I use it more than I used to, not to mention others have told me the same thing.

3. Have I given up important activities or relationships that I would normally participate in or a failure to fulfill normal obligations? Well, I think I’m safe with this one. I wouldn’t stay home to be with my iPhone. I’d just take it with me.

4. Have I suffered any consequences, legal or otherwise due to using my phone? I don’t think so, although again, I am conscious to not text while driving. However, I will look to see if I’ve received any emails. I do have to be careful while in business meetings to not focus on my iPhone.

5. Is there a great amount of time spent trying to get to my phone? Well again, I’m really never without it.

6. Have I suffered a physical or psychological disturbance that is exacerbated by its use? No, I can honestly say I have not.

7. So the good news for me is (according to the DSM IV book) since I haven’t had my iPhone for a 12 month period, I’m in the clear – at least until the new iPhone comes out in September which is supposed to rival all other phones on the market.

Check with me a year from now and it may be an entirely different story.

No Signs of Recovery!

Tags: beautifulwomenover50, feeling overwhelmed, iPhone, women and technology, women over 50, women's humor, womenwritersover50, writers over 50
Posted in Beautiful Women >50, Health, Living, Main, Money, Other Voices, Products, Products, Products, Products, Shopping, World | 5 Comments »