Today Is Your Day Boomer

Today is your day Boomer! I guess he is too old to be an official Baby Boomer....but at age 90, Willie Nelson sure has a lot of Boomer fans. He celebrated his birthday this week at the Hollywood Bowl and sang numerous old songs with his musical friends. Remember some of his big hits?...like "On The Road Again" and "Georgia On My Mind". But this is what I like about him; it was summed up perfectly by music writer Luis Viera: "The lesson of Willie is this: be who you are. If you are a long-haired cowboy in a pickup truck with mudflaps, have at it and God bless you. If you are that guy in the Baptist Deacon outfit – that is wonderful. If you are gay, or an evangelical, or a gay evangelical, great – go in peace. Do not be another sequel - Embrace that uniqueness you have among the 8 billion souls on earth." I think Willie is a role model for all of us Boomers. He continues to embrace his passion late into life, he is who he is, and he just loves music!

Today is your day Boomer! I don't get it.....I just don't get it. How can America continue year after year with such dumb and crazy gun laws? The latest focus is on neighbour disputes....5 cases in the past month where verbal confrontations have escalated into gun shootings and often deaths. The most recent one had an Illinois senior shooting his neighbour in the head over noise associated with a leaf blower! According to CTV News, Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said the neighbour was “senselessly murdered.” He was a father of four who “strived to create happy events and opportunities in life.” He enjoyed Kung Fu and spending time with his family, especially his granddaughter, Molly. Oh boy, what a shame. Another incident involved a woman in Texas who accidently turned her car into a wrong driveway...her neighbour shot her! She's gone. Boomers, I hope you think about these things when you cross the border for leisure or winter vacations. I certainly do. Simpl

Today is your day Boomer! I don't get it, but some people still like to smoke. And what's worse is the second-hand smoke that pollutes the air around them....and....the butts that they leave on the ground. They are unsightly, they stink, and they start forest fires! And the bush in our natural world is already very dry this spring, an easy victim of a still-smouldering butt. Okay, smokers, how about this? Check this picture for "reduce, save, and increase" ideas associated with a new invention: pocket ashtrays. Yes, you carry them with you.....to the beach, on a hike, in a campsite, and in your car...and the butts go in there in a safe spot to be disposed of later. It just make sense. I know the numbers; about 10% of Canadians still smoke despite warnings about cancer. That's an internal concern; the external influence on the rest of us is what scares me. Boomers, please do your part. For more info, click on www.braingarden.ca

Today is your day Boomer! You look at this "age" graph and you wonder what's it all about? Well, based on the Joe Biden announcement this week, I was curious about the history of US Presidents' age. Joe just hit his 80th year on Earth and, if elected, he will become the oldest president ever. Ronald Regean, in the 1980s, made it to 79. Meanwhile, good ol' Mr. Donald Trump is up there too....right now at age 76. So, what do Americans think about this? A recent NBC News poll shows 70 per cent of all Americans — including 51 per cent of Democrats — believe President Biden should not run for a second term with his age being the overarching factor. In that same poll, an astounding 70 per cent of Republican primary voters stand behind Trump, despite the many ongoing investigations and court cases he is facing. Yikes! Okay, back to age. Looks like the graph indicates most US presidents were in their 50's or 60's. Yup, good. They still had most of their ma

Today is your day Boomer! Another retired Boomer doing something incredible! He is Marcel Lussier of Quebec who has donated a big chunk of his recent lottery cheque to fund adult autism houses. Lussier is giving 10% of his 70 million dollar earnings and says "The need in the field of autism is so great. After turning 18, these big kids fall into an empty hole," referring to a lack of public services for adults with autism. And he is right. Kids with autism get special funding and services in our school system right up to graduation, then poof.....it is gone. Many end up fending for themselves in a very-difficult world. The money will go to The Véro & Louis Foundation which builds housing for adults with autism. It also offers educational programs for residents to "help them reach their full potential," according to their website. About 2% of young Canadians have autism; I could not find numbers for autistic Boomers, but it must be somewhat similar. Thank

Today is your day Boomer! Looking forward to your next hospital stay Boomers? This is a picture of a family member's dinner last night in a BC hospital. Honestly, I don't even know what it is...but I think it is potatoes and some kind of vegetable, ground-up of course. Yuk! No wonder people cringe when patients mention hospital food. So, I did some research....and all is not bad news. According the Richmond Sentinel Newspaper, "Often described as bland, boring and tasteless, hospital food doesn’t have the best reputation. But thankfully that’s changing. With an emphasis on putting locally-grown and produced B.C. foods on the menu, Lower Mainland health authorities—including Richmond Hospital—are feeding two desires: serving patients a more appealing fare and helping support local farmers, fishers, ranchers and food producers. "Having our loved ones able to enjoy more local and seasonal food while in hospital or living in long-term care is an important part of h

Today is your day Boomer! You know that TV show "This is Us" Boomers? Well, study this graph carefully, because it is us.....Baby Boomers born from 1946-64 and maybe the most influential generation in history! Where did our name come from? According to Investopedia, "Most historians say the baby boomer phenomenon most likely involved a combination of factors: people wanting to start the families that they put off during World War II and the Great Depression, and a sense of confidence that the coming era would be safe and prosperous. Indeed, the late 1940s and 1950s generally saw increases in wages, thriving businesses, and an increase in the variety and quantity of products for consumers." In other words, our parent had optimism and hope for a new, growing world after two global disasters. I also think our generational "name" is the best and most descriptive. How would you like to be called a "Zoomer" or a "Silent"?! But....we h

Today is your day Boomer! If you research the web, like I do, you find some pretty interesting stuff on Baby Boomers. Mostly American articles....but there is a lot out there, almost a fascination I would say with our generation. One of them is Harvard psychiatrist George E. Vaillant who spent 50 years studying aging Americans! This is what he found: the 4 common traits of happy Baby Boomers: (1)Empathy (relating to other people) (2)Engagement (continuing to remain curious about life) (3) Hope (optimism for the future) (4)Gratitude (appreciation for gifts and simple pleasures. And Vaillant is quite a positive guy when he adds: "The big finding is that you actually can teach mature people new tricks. That we can keep changing and improving and becoming happier throughout life. The bad doesn’t have to doom you, but the good can make you.” Okay...then I saw this list/diagram on social media(see picture) and it actually made more sense to me. You choose. Boomers, hopefully thi

Today is your day Boomer! It was something so small, so little....but it made me feel so good! It was a "pay it forward" free coffee at a gas station I received last week on a roadtrip to Vancouver. Some very-kind person left extra money in a jar for a free drink for the next person and that was me! So, what is this "pay it forward" philosophy? According to Dictionary.com, "Pay it forward is an expression for when the recipient of an act of kindness does something kind for someone else rather than simply accepting or repaying the original good deed." So, I did some more research and apparently this kindness concept dates way back to 1841 with the Greeks, and has been the focus of two novels and a movie! Since today is Earth Day, it should also be noted that April 28 is Pay It Forward Day and has been around since 2007. Nice! One other thing. Look at the picture diagram and realize that good deeds should be "three-fold" in action, so kindn

Today is your day Boomer! We all love a good bottle of wine Boomers....but, it looks like the price is going to go up again! Last month, we heard about a government inflationary price increase; today, we hear news that Okanagan grape production may be down as much as 50% this year. Yikes, that is a lot...and it's all related to extremely cold temperatures we had at the end of 2022, especially in December. The weather, apparently, had a negative effect on the grape vine buds....and this was especially bad news for me. As a red wine drinker, the best grapes come from the South Okanagan....and according to Wine Growers BC President Miles Prodan, "eighty per cent of grapes in the province are grown between Oliver and Osoyoos which makes it problematic because that’s where a lot of the red grapes are really located." Although it will take several weeks to know the full impact, Bordertown Vineyards and Estate Winery owner Mohan Gill says he hasn’t seen damage this bad, or

Today is your day Boomer! Do you mark Earth Day? Do you do anything special? Baby Boomers, in the past, have been accused of ignoring Earth Day.....every April 22....but, maybe, that criticism is unfounded. Research shows that Boomers do care about environmental issues — and they’re doing a lot more than talking about climate change. Mather Institute reveals that the majority of those age 55 and better believe that preserving the environment is a top priority, and they engage in a wide variety of environmentally friendly practices. “The Boomer generation has undoubtedly contributed to the longevity of Earth Day since it was introduced,” says Cate O’Brien, spokesperson for the Mather Institute. “Our recent study found that this age group is extremely concerned about issues including climate change and loss of biodiversity, and more than 90% of those surveyed say that they’re willing to make future changes in the way they live and work to help protect the environment." Nice....I

Today is your day Boomer! Yesterday I filled my vehicle with relatively-cheap gas at 1.59$ a litre. I thought that price was pretty good when I saw another station at 20 cents higher just a few blocks away; then I realized summer is coming. And....it seems gas always goes up in price for the hot weather. I have two vehicles and a boat, so this is a concern for me. But Boomers, how about a possible solution? Check out this picture and realize you can get free gas from Shell! Yes, I know it is not really "free".....but I am taking gas instead of collecting air miles for plane travel or merchandise. My wife and I rarely fly anywhere these days, but we are still driving a lot....so, it makes sense. If you don't like the high taxes and wacky restrictions associated with Air Miles travel, this might be a solution for you. Depending on how many Air Miles you have, you can choose up to $60 of free gas! So, on a purchase of 120$ for my truck, half the gas is free. I l

Today is your day Boomer! We all have habits....good habits, like regularly volunteering at a food bank, or bad habits like picking your nose. But what about forming a habit? I thought it was 11 straight days, but a more-common myth is 21 days. Well, a new study says all of that is wrong. Scientists at the California Institute of Technology studied two specific activities that can be habit forming in order to get a better idea of the mechanisms of training oneself to fall into that pattern: (1)medical workers and handwashing, and (2)going to a fitness gym. The study results? There is no set, automatic time period. It depends on the activity and the individual. Study professor Colin Camerer says “Our works supports the idea that the speed of habit formation differs according to the behaviour in question and a variety of other factors, and there is no magic number for habit formation." Great Boomers....just what we need. Basically, an inconclusive study. But make no mistak

Today is your day Boomer! Watch out Boomers, scams and frauds are up 40% in Canada. The latest statistics from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre are alarming, and maybe what is worse is that the main target is seniors....that means many of us Boomers! The total amount reported for 2022 was just over a half billion dollars and according to the Centre, "the top three types of fraud in 2022 were investment scams, including cryptocurrency fraud, romance scams, and 'spear phishing attacks'".....whatever that is. But it won't happen to you, right? Well, my friends, they came after me last week while I was attempting to sell a car. I was deluged with texts with tremendous buying interest, but each caller wanted me to buy a special car history report. Each report would be 30-40$ and I would have to provide my credit card info. Uh,uh....I didn't do it. I arranged a car-viewing day just in case any of the interested people were legitimate, and no one showed up.

Today is your day Boomer! Boomers will vividly remember "1.49 Day" at Woodwards stores in Canada. The old department store featured almost everything you could want to buy, including groceries....and almost every Tuesday from 1958-1993, it featured a very special sale day. Many Boomers were reminded of the sale with this catchy radio jingle: "$1.49 Day Woodward’s, $1.49 Day Tuesday." It was simple, yet very effective! And now, Woodwards is gone, but 1.49 is back at another grocery store, Save-On Foods, and I have no idea if it will catch-on like the old one. But the next day is April 18, so it might be worth a look-see at all Save-On stores in B.C.! By the way, the Save-On chain is owned by BC millionaire Jimmy Pattison who is always looking to make a buck....er, I mean a buck-forty-nine, so maybe we should give it a try. Just like "the good ol' days", right? Boomers seem to like that, and we all certainly want to save money in this inflation-f

Today is your day Boomer! Those of you that know me will remember vividly that I am a through-and-through Boston Bruins fan! I have followed my favourite NHL team since 1967 when it was the worst team in the league....then Bobby Orr came along, and the rest-as they say-is history. A ton of success including their most recent Stanley Cup against those dreaded Canucks in 2011. Well, if you follow hockey, the Bruins are backkkkkkkkkkk....again, in full glory. This week they became the best regular season team in NHL history with over 60 wins and 130+ points. My best friend, a Montreal Canadiens fan, is extremely jealous! So, what do I do to celebrate? How about a new car for my retirement?! I found one....see picture. I just need a little, I mean a lot....of financial support from my blog friends to buy this baby. Cheques, cash, and money orders are welcome, and a free ride with me in Summerland is part of the deal. And since it is still the fourth month of the year, April Foo

Today is your day Boomer! What do you do on your birthday? One Boomer in BC does something very special every year....something you or I likely wouldn't do. He does a marathon run to match his age, and this year....yup, at age 62, he ran 62km! Dave MacDowell says "I've always tried to celebrate my birthday by doing something outside, whether it's going for a long run, or climbing a mountain and skiing down, or riding my bike as far as I could go; It's just to start off my next year by achieving a goal, and it feels great." Dave often runs with his wife, Tracy, who is an internationally-recognized runner of ultra-marathons —  a race that is any distance over the standard marathon distance of 42.2 km — and takes inspiration from her partner in life and training. And Boomers, Dave has some advice for us; he says age doesn't matter: "I'd rather not quantify my years with a number that's just a random number — this is how old you are — because

Today is your day Boomer! Two different news stories today are kind of connected. A Boomer woman in the US got caught trying to rob a bank, and a recent survey in our country shows that over 50% of Canadians are not saving properly for retirement. What is the connection? Well, Boonie Gooch asked the teller for $13,000 in small bills.......meaning she is likely short of money and would want to spend it gradually. Meanwhile, Canadians-in general-must be short on cash as well if only 46 per cent say they feel good about their retirement strategies, despite the current economic uncertainty. And when it comes to tax-friendly saving plans, including RRSPs and TFSAs, only 56 per cent of Canadians report having an RRSP, while six per cent said they will set one up in the future. It seems our post-pandemic world is filled with cash-strapped people. Two good things about these stories though: 36% of Canadians expect to get what's called a "gig job" when they retire...a tempo

Today is your day Boomer! You know that Earth Day is coming up soon...on April 22, and Boomers, many of us have the time and money to do something positive. The United Nations suggests that climate change is not just the defining issue of our time, but we are also at a defining moment in history. Weather patterns are changing and will threaten food production, and sea levels are rising and could cause catastrophic flooding across the globe. Countries must take drastic actions, but so do individuals. Boomers, what can we do to pitch in and help save the Earth? Here are 10 things you can do every day to help reduce your carbon footprint.(1)Conserve water (2)Be car-conscious(3)Walk, Bike or Take Public Transit (4)Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (5)Give composting a try (6)Switch to LED's (7)Live Energy-wise (8)Eat Sustainable foods (9)Plant trees: according to howstuffworks.com, "Plants naturally absorb carbon from the air. One young tree can absorb CO2 at a rate of 13 pounds per tree.

Today is your day Boomer! Have you heard this travel statement Boomers? "60's mean go, 70's is slow, and 80's is no." Supposed advice for Boomers and older seniors thinking about travelling the world. Well, age 81 certainly didn't stop these two women from an around-the-world trip in only 80 days! These two amazing women are Ellie and Sandy from Texas, who started their incredible journey in Anarctica....and according to Ellie: "when we stepped foot on the ground on the Antarctic, you forgot the hard part of getting there; the beauty of the Antarctic is just unbelievable to see the penguins and the icebergs and the glaciers -- just, this was amazing." The duo had a travel blog filled with pictures and descriptions, and advice for anyone who travels with a language barrier....just smile a lot they say! Where else did they go? Over the past three months, the pair have ridden camels in Egypt, met elephants in Bali, danced in Nepal, and observed t

Today is your day Boomer! Spring is sprung and hiking and mountain biking season is upon us! Lots of neat places to explore as the flowers come out and the weather improves. But did you hear the news about Vernon? The North Okanagan city has recently been named "Trails Capital of BC" and apparently features hundreds of kilometres of scenic and exciting trails for outdoorsy people like Boomers. One example is Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park which has the largest concentration of North Okanagan Cycling Society (NOCS) supported bike trails in the Vernon area. From entry-level trails for beginners, like Gingerly, to the spectacular views from the Lookout trail, the park has something to suit all riders. The 3,700-hectare park is also home to several hiking trails of varying difficulties. Hike up to the Turtle’s Head for breathtaking viewpoints of the lake and surrounding areas. It’s also home to the oldest known living tree in the Okanagan, a twisted, gnarly old Juniper perc

Today is your day Boomer! With COVID apparently over, Canadians are ready to travel again! A new survey of 1200 people, shows that well over 50% of Canadians plan to hit the road, rails, and airports this year. 28 per cent will not be travelling. In addition, 16 per cent say they’re not sure. The survey findings also show that men are more likely to plan to travel this year than women, but travel intentions among people aged 55 and above decreased....that's us Boomers! I wonder why? Hmmmmmm. The two most favoured destinations: Trumpland (er, the US) and somewhere within Canada. That is good for tourism spending here in places like Victoria, Niagara Falls, and the Okanagan Valley. Fewer Canadians (20 per cent) said they have plans to go to Europe, while all other locations, such as East Asia, South America, and Central America, are mentioned by fewer than one in 10 each. At the very least, this shows we are getting back to some sense of normality. A big breath of fresh air af

Today is your day Boomer! We all have retirement dreams Boomers....travel trips to Italy or Greece, a safari in Africa, skiing in the Swiss Alps, but not me. My dreams are more sports oriented....a ball game at Fenway Park in Boston, a Bruins playoff game, and a round of golf at Augusta! I am reminded of this as I watch Tiger Woods tee-off this morning at the famous, and most-beautiful, Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. The Masters is one of the four "majors" in professional mens golf and attracts the best players in the world. For players like me, I cannot play at this golf course unless invited by a member. It is a "private" course and there is a huge waiting list to join as a member, and I don't know any members. It isn't going to happen, but I can still dream. By the way, the cost to play would be 525$US....so about 700$ Canadian! Yikes! But anything is possible right? I heard another dream story from a member at my home golf club in Summ

Today is your day Boomer! As an elected BC school trustee, it is very disturbing to me to see the newest survey on vaping rates in teens. The latest statistic is, frankly, alarming; in Canada, one in four teens has tried vaping in the past month....and many of those vapes contain nicotine. That is well above the national cigarette use rate of 10% and that number is for all Canadian adults. This means many young people are using vapes as a social outlet instead of a way to gradually quit smoking. It bothers me....bothers me alot because of my education background, but also because I am a father. Here's why. According to the website Lung.ca, "E-cigarette vapour contains a number of toxic chemicals. These same chemicals are found in lead paint, gasoline, embalming liquid, wildfire smoke, vehicle exhaust and cigarettes." So, vaping can't possibly be good for you! By the way, I tried to research vaping stats for Baby Boomers in Canada and all I could find was an Amer

Today is your day Boomer! We grew up in the time of rock 'n' roll Boomers, and quite often I celebrate the lives of those outstanding musicians! Today, I celebrate a man whose VOICE defined our spirit surrounding this incredible music era. His name was Red Robinson, a DJ born in Comox and who worked in Vancouver, during those formative years of performers like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Elvis Presley. Red passed away this week at the tender age of 86 and his was a voice of sweet, smooth, baritone. I was so jealous as I was a radio announcer for a time in my 20's, and men like Robinson and actor Sam Elliot, made listening to the radio or watching movies sooooooo enticing. I loved their deep voices and could only dream that, one day, my tinny voice would somehow transform into something better. It didn't. Red Robinson hosted Vancouver’s first rock ’n’ roll radio show in 1954, when he was 17 years old. He was MC of the first rock ’n’ roll concert in the c

Today is your day Boomer! I'm sure you realize I read the news everyday and incorporate key Boomer stories into my blog. It is part of my background as a long-time Social Studies teacher. But one headline today really caught my eye: "The US is the leader in weather catastrophes", and the article goes on to talk about America and all its "Tornadoes. Hurricanes. Flash floods. Droughts. Wildfires. Blizzards. Ice storms. Nor’easters. Lake-effect snow. Heat waves. Severe thunderstorms. Hail. Lightning. Atmospheric rivers. Derechos. Dust storms. Monsoons. Bomb cyclones. And the dreaded polar vortex." I read with interest and sympathized with all those Americans who suffered terrible storm damage recently. Then I read on and realized something else: in my opinion, the US is the leader, generally, in all catastrophes! Three of today's headlines emphasize this: (1) Former US President Trump to be arrested in New York (2)Teacher shot by 6-year-old student filing

Today is your day Boomer! We live in a "what-if society" Boomers....a "I will buy this, in case I need it one day!" Check out all the tools in your garage, like a special saw that cuts metal box corners; how often do you use it? Advertisements on social media like this one: "selling my powerboat-only used twice in past 2 years." A new study out of Quebec indicates that we have the same mentality about SUV's....those bigger vehicles that almost half of North America drives, including a whole lot of Boomers! For example, how often do you use the four-wheel drive option? Here are some survey numbers. 74 per cent of Quebec SUV owners said they had never used their towing hitch. 39 per cent of SUV owners said they used most of their seats at least once a week, compared to 31 per cent of sedan owners. 38 per cent of SUV owners said they use all of their cargo space at least once a week, compared to 32 per cent of sedan owners. Sporadic use...."just-

Today is your day Boomer! I feel like a game of ping pong....a "here we go again" moment as researchers tell us the LATEST medical effects of drinking alcohol! Boomers often enjoy a nice glass of wine, a cider on a hot day, a beer after a golf game, or possibly multiple drinks at once-in-a-while backyard party. But the so-called research experts are boggling our minds. Here are the results of the most recent study. According to CTV News, "a new Canadian study of 4.8 million people says a daily alcoholic drink isn't likely to send anyone to an early grave, nor will it offer any of the health benefits touted by previous studies, even if it is organic red wine." What? Didn't they just tell us last month that we should have no more than 2 drinks a week?! Oh boy, let's get this straight please. The new study sounds like good news, right? "On the other hand, women who enjoy more than one standard drink per day are at least 20 per cent likely to die