PUBLISH OR PERISH!
July 30, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Luckily, I’m not a university professor so I’m not in danger of losing my job if I don’t get a book, or a paper, published. What a pressure that must be for people who really just want to teach. But, I am a frustrated writer. It’s my own fault, however, because I’ve never seriously taken the bull by the horns and tried to get any of my prolific output into the public’s hands. I like to think that this was because of modesty but it could have been laziness. Always, that field seemed to be so far out of reach. It was so “New Yorkish” and I truly think, that in those days, the professional agents and publishers really did have a tight control over determining who broke into the writing market. So, for years, I wrote, wrote, wrote, and dreamed big dreams but never took it to the next level. Two worthy projects are good examples of this: Read more
AN ADVANCED STATE OF PREGNANCY
July 28, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
My twins will be born very soon. They are not at all identical, though their names both start with a “B”…..Blog and Book. Blog will appear some weeks before Book comes into the light of day. So, in the spirit of the purpose of this newly-born heybabyboomers.com blog, I’d like to describe my days as an expectant mother – before any of my current dreams have actually come true. By the time you read this, you’ll be looking at the reality of this first dream. Read more
DETERRENTS TO TRAVEL ARE IN THE QUESTION MARK OF LIFE
July 26, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Pop Psychology Question #3 – What shall become of me? This Ultimate Question never arises until things go wrong and then it’s the only one you hear. People who can’t board an airplane because they read about crashes are really trying to avoid that ultimate question. But, 99% of the time, that question will begin to plague you right in the comfort of your own home. You receive a dire diagnosis; your spouse dies; you lose your job; the market crashes; your home is foreclosed upon; a tornado strikes. Suddenly, questions 1 & 2 are no longer important and you want quick and comforting answers about your future. How will I survive this? In what shape will I be in when the tsunami rolls back out to sea? Read more
SOLO SENIOR
July 25, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Early in my sixties, I took short trips to Hungary and Romania, Croatia, and Central America, and the booklets about them are my Solo Senior Series, soon to be offered on this blogsite. I went out for only a few weeks, and, as the title implies, traveled alone, staying mostly in hostels and inexpensive hotels. These forays, as well as my Russian experience, became the learning lab for my long around the world bid. Here’s a short quote expressing my first impression of Dubrovnik, Croatia: Read more
DETERRENTS TO TRAVEL ARE IN THE HEART
July 24, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Pop Psychology Question #2 – “How will I fit into this social situation? No matter how suave and socially-practiced we are, our mind rehearses its own little worries just before entering a room filled with strangers. Often, it’s: “How do I look?” or “Am I dressed correctly?” and we will soon find out as we scope the crowd, sizing up the people in it. By adulthood, we’re pretty good at this business of relating to other humans who are, themselves, worrying about the very same things. But, in extreme cases, you might choose to stay home, rather than open that undefined door in a foreign travel situation. Ask yourself why you always like to have a buddy along, whenever you go anywhere: a spouse, a relative, a friend, a lover, anybody… who will buffer you from the appearance and the risks of being alone. Do you think you won’t have fun? Are you afraid of winding up alone among couples and cliques? Do you worry about being assigned a weird roommate? Are you unsure of yourself in other societies among people who speak a different language than your own? Do you simply hate to admit “that you don’t have a date” when you sit alone in a restaurant? Do you feel like people stare at you and talk behind your back? Why don’t you want to wing it and then, simply, see what happens? Read more
DETERRENTS TO TRAVEL ARE IN THE HEAD
July 23, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Simply because we are human beings, responsible for our own survival, we are constantly tracking at least three questions inside of our minds. Because travel makes the answers less certain, anxiety can arise and we often blame that on the travel rather than on our own mental processes. If you stay home instead of risking a little anxiety you might be cheating yourself without realizing that simply the recognition of the question can calm it down and put you back in charge. Read more
COUNSELOR TO THE BOOMERS
July 22, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Oh my gosh! A blog is a dangerous thing! How it grows in just a few entries…..or is it only my head? Do I aspire to be Ann Landers or Dear Abby to The Boomers? Or Heloise in the way of simple travel tips? Well, in a word, YES! And why not? There must be questions arising in your hearts about this whole grassroots, under the radar, on the cheap, world travel for the elderly just waiting to be asked. Well, I’m your gal! Just try me. Besides, questions provide such natural blog topics.
Obviously, one of the most necessary characteristics of anyone who would dast to take on the world absolutely alone is a complete willingness to be silly….to not get flapped at the unusual…..to rise to any occasion. How could I better demonstrate that, than to suggest such a thing? An advice column to the youthlorn! Well, let’s give it a shot. I can always retire from it if I don’t like it. Read more
THEY’RE ALREADY OUT THERE ….. THE BABY BOOMERS ….
July 21, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
TRAVELING THE WORLD ON SOCIAL SECURITY!
The big secret is that boomers are already chucking everything and taking off for parts unknown. The trouble is, that their voices haven’t been heard yet. Every now and then, I see a little article about….usually a couple…..who have sold everything and are now sailing, hiking, RVing, ex-patting….etc., somewhere else in the world. Usually, they retired early, maybe in their fifties, and have never looked back. Because it’s still ahead for them, they can’t, categorically state that it’s possible to do this only on their social security check, like I can, but it still seems like awfully good news that this sort of life might await you when you get your gold watch.
Tell you what! Let’s make this blogsite a forum for your stories! Are you already out there, doing this, in some form or another? Write in and tell us about it! Link up to this site! To be true to our Theme, you need to be traveling or living away from home, somehow, on a retirement budget….but, that can even be a big stash, if that’s all you’ve got. Or, are you planning something audacious along this line, once they cut you loose? Let’s hear from The Boomers themselves, on this subject!
Do you know that I’ve never heard anyone (till me) speak directly to this famous entity, known as the Baby Boomers? I’ve only heard things spoken about them. Plus, I’ve never heard the voice of The Boomers, either. Well, we can change all that. Let’s hear from you!
Disclaimer #1: I’m not a Baby Boomer! I’m too old. At 70.5, I was born eight years before the youngest of them. But, that’s the whole point. I’ve been drawing Social Security for five years now, going out there way more than once and testing this theory, again and again, in the quirky places of the world…..and I’m here to tell you that it can be done. Easily! And, I’m going to go around again at age seventy-one to prove it another time……and then, God-willing and the creek don’t rise…….again at 73, 75, ……ad infinitum!
Disclaimer #2: I do get a pretty fat Social Security check because it’s my deceased ex-husband’s, and he was a doctor. So, maybe it’s stretching it a little bit to claim that everyone can do this on their SS, but it’s an absolutely true statement for me, and a pretty good gimmick, don’t you think? But, others who really want to live this way might have stocks, houses, cars to sell; and I don’t. So, it comes out even in the end.
I plan to still be traveling around the world way into my eighties! So can you!
WHY BOOMERS? BECAUSE THEY ARE THE OLD HIPPY BACKPACKERS OF YESTERYEAR!
July 20, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Raise your hand if you’re a Baby Boomer! What’s this I see, all across the American Blogoland?: Seventy-six-million hands waving in the breeze in answer to my yell of “Hey Boomers!” Now, what author wouldn’t want that kind of response? But, I have more valid reasons than just the dream of all those commercial sales. The Boomers NEED me right now and I am rushing to their aid.
Well okay, maybe not all Boomers. My own kids, born in 1963 and 1964, are technically included in that gigantic bubble of humanity created right after the last global war, but they don’t identify with the real Leading Edge Boomers who are just this year, at age 62, tiptoeing across the line of qualification for Social Security early retirement. By 2012, millions of them will be full-fledged retirees, wondering what to do with the rest of their still-youthful-feeling lives.
There’s always comfort in Botox and Viagra, but within their hearts lingers the nervous fear that a nursing home lurks somewhere across the great chasm that’s leaped when one starts receiving those doggone government checks. Pastures are for pansies, they say……..but how do they really know for sure? Where are their role models for dancing blithely through the daisy patch of old age, with nothing but the dole to pay your way? Right here, on this blogsite! That’s where! Me!!!! Read more
My New Parallel Universe – A Senior Business Startup – Blogging & Book Publishing
July 19, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
STARTING A NEW BUSINESS AS A SENIOR CITIZEN – BLOGGING ABOUT SOLO WORLD TRAVEL
This is Takeoff Day and, as always, I’m a little nervous and am filled with wonder and suspense as to how the trip will turn out. Though this blog is to be, primarily, about around the world travel, I’m speaking right now about launching out into the Blogosphere and learning to fly right here in public. One good thing is that I didn’t need shots; I have no luggage; and no costly airline tickets leading to long waits in lines, crying babies and carry-on snacks. Plus, this blog flies me everywhere at once, while I sit here at home. Neat! Your living room is my parallel universe. So are your thoughts. Let’s explore each other’s lives!
