Today Is Your Day Boomer

Today is your day Boomer! One of my most recent blogs promoted the concept of "social democracy"...the ideology that Canada follows. What is a definition of the term? According to annenbergclassroom.org, "Social democracy is a system of political thought and action that calls upon the government to provide certain social and economic rights or entitlements necessary to the well-being of all members of the community." In other words, the sense of community, sharing, working together, and collective ideals drive society. So....for those of you that believe in the words in this picture...HIGH TAXES are everywhere, on everything and they are killing us, you just don't get it. Governments tax to provide benefits for the collective good, for all people....especially the unfortunate. Imagine if you got cancer and had to pay out of your own pocket for health care. The price of private cancer treatment could be hundreds of thousands of dollars....or very expensive...

Today is your day Boomer! Is this guy nuts? Does he think he is above the law....which applies to ALL citizens in democratic nations like Canada and the United States. Everyone, this is called "rule of law"....it is in the American constitution, which is a big book of rules that "everyone" in the U.S. must follow. Trump's court case involving him trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election results is going before the U.S. Supreme Court very soon, and guess what Donald...it is a very BIG uphill battle for you! Here is what two of the justices have already stated in the recent past:(1) "Stated simply, the primary takeaway from the past 250 years of recorded American history is that Presidents are not kings.” (2)"The law applies equally to all persons, including a person who happens for a period of time to occupy the Presidency." But Trump has an argument of course. According to The Associated Press, here it is: "Trump’s lawyers arg...

Today is your day Boomer! Yesterday, I blogged about the importance of Earth Day and citizens(like us, Boomers!) who need to do more individually to help save our planet. More practicing of things like the 3R's: reduce, reuse, and recycle. More other stuff too like biking, electric scooters, and walking to reduce our dependency on oil. And then my own community announced this week a new, great idea that could get more and more people out of their gas-guzzling cars. According to the Summerland Review, "A free transit fare program for Summerland residents has become permanent, following a one-year pilot project. While other B.C. communities have offered low-cost fares or select free ridership on certain days or for specific age groups, Summerland is the first community in the province to offer ongoing free fares for residents of all ages." I really like this concept, and it is whole heartedly supported by local mayor Doug Holmes: "It reinforces the principle that mo...

Today is your day Boomer! It is Earth Week Boomers....and yesterday was officially our world's 54th Earth Day! Did you get outside and do something "earthy" in celebration? I think there are two schools of thought here:(1)you remain quite negative and fatalistic about your planet and the effects of humans and climate change.....or,(2)you remain optmistic about the future of our home globe and are committed to doing everything you can to help. The latest poll states that "young men" are the most negative: "A third of Millennial and Gen Z men say it is too late to do anything about climate change, compared to less than one in five Baby Boomer men and women."(ipsos.com) Many people don't know what to do....but the same website has this advice: "People do want to help in limiting the effects of climate change. In all countries people are more likely to say if everyone made small changes in their everyday lives this could have a big impact. They...

Today is your day Boomer! Say it isn't so Tim's?! You are now doing pizza....four types of flatbread pizza to make more money? I drink Tim's coffee every morning at home and visit Tim's regularly with my Boomer friends in colder weather for coffee and doughnuts. That is what you are good at....don't ruin it please, all in the chase for the mighty buck. So, how good is this pizza? One reviewer says it is like something you would make quickly in a toaster at home, and another says this: "It tasted like college food. There was a lot more bread than toppings, except for the one with jalapenos. They’re doing too much. It’s a doughnut shop that sells doughnuts. That’s what you gotta do.” I agree. Remember, McDonalds' pizza? It wasn't very good and didn't last long. Good advice; stick with your specialty. I'll buy quality pizza from a pizza place....thank you very much.

Today is your day Boomer! I spent two hours at the doctor's office yesterday, discussing my arthritic hip. Yes, he approved my hip replacement surgery....and I immediately thought of that old song from Huey Lewis and The News. Huey...give me the news about it's "hip to be square"! Quotes from the surgeon: Dave, "your hip looks like a square trying to fit into a round hole." Dave, "your hip is catching during movement because there is no lubrication." Dave, "have you always limped like that?" Yes doc....Dave, "it is elective surgery, so it is your choice on whether or not we do it soon." Dave, "on the hip personal survey we did, you scored only 17/48....that is a severe problem." Dave, "it will be a routine surgical procedure for me." And yes Dave, "we can lengthen your bad leg at the same time." Boomers, I'm sure Huey Lewis meant something else when he sang that song in 1986....but it rings...

Today is your day Boomer! Many golfers are Boomers....especially men, like me! We enjoy the game, the socializing, the competition, the tournaments, and the 19th hole. Also...many Boomers are over age 65, so they are officially "seniors".....so maybe, just maybe, there should be some special rules that just apply to them (see picture!). I, especially, like the first one that has a focus on a so-called missing ball! However, the one thing I can't figure out is why there are no "senior discounts" on golf courses. We are their number one customers....by far....we spend the most time and money there, we volunteer the most, and we run for elected jobs like "board of directors", and yet we pay the same as any other age group! What about senior discounts at movie theatres? At grocery stores and drug stores? They appreciate us...our business, and our dedication. Come on golf world; step up to the tee box and get your priorities straight! Go Boomer Seni...

Today is your day Boomer! What do Boomers do on holidays? Yes...all the usual activities like walking, hiking, biking, kayaking, sightseeing etc. But also visiting antique and so-called "vintage" shops! Yup, I am currently visiting an American resort on the ocean with my wife and friends, and we spent over an hour in "Nate's Vintage" store today looking at old fridge magnets, bobblehead dolls, vinyl records, beer mugs, and faded Hawaiin shirts. Who was in the shop? The owner, a Boomer guy, us four Boomer friends, and two other Boomers quietly scrutinizing the shelves for "treasures". My friend left with a cracked Star Trek mug, our wives found nothing, and I found these funky glasses(see picture!) on the ground in the parking lot. Maybe....a lost treasure?! It was fun, I liked it, but I sure am glad my wife doesn't smoke and love old-fashioned turquoise glass ashtrays from 1962! Cheers to us Boomers....holidays with friends, and all our s...

Today is your day Boomer! I know, I know...I just had heart valve surgery...and yesterday, I started the long process toward hip surgery. Yup, hip replacement surgery as my compromised joint (discovered when I was only 5 and in hospital for my grade one year!) is now deteriorating to the point where it affects my every-day life. Sharp, regular pain...compromising me from activities like tennis. I saw my GP yesterday, an X-Ray is next, and then a recommendation to a specialist. I am looking at likely 1 and 1/2 years before surgery! How many of these surgeries in Canada every year? Over 50,000. In BC, over 5000...mostly Boomers. Average age, 65....which is my current age. After surgery, lots of physio with 3-6 months recovery. Surgery these days is called anterior, which means on the front of the leg. In and out of hospital in one day. Good luck Dave....here we go again.

Today is your day Boomer! My Mom's birthday is today....she would have been 94, but passed away from cancer 30 years ago. I miss her so much, and here are some things I remember most about her:(1)her always-loving personality and passion in raising six kids (2)her patience as I clutched her leg constantly as a little boy (3)her hugs even when I got into trouble (4)her mixing-up her four sons on telephone calls (5)her incredible love of babies, including grandchildren (6)her dedication to huge, productive gardens (6)her "always-open" invitation to family at her summer cabin (7)the tremendous aroma of her weekly baking sessions (7)her long, slender swimming strokes-she was a competitive long-distance athlete (8)her devotion and love of pets(like Cody!) (9)her love of flowers and nature walks (10)her love of ocean-side strolls and annual trips to Maui (11)her regular Sunday family dinners....and finally, (11)her constant giving, selfless nature. Boomers, my Mom was a treas...

Today is your day Boomer! Is it possible that one of the two remaining Beatles is now 83 years old, is going on tour, and is releasing a new album? With all the focus on the eclipse and skywatching this week, I think it is appropriate that Starr's new single is entitled "February Sky"....even though it is April. The darkness associated with the solar eclipse can be depressing for some people...and apparently so are the lyrics of his new song. Here is a sample: “Gonna stand up, rise above the rain. Start a revolution, in these brighter days. Found the missing pieces. That were vacant to the eye. Well, I had enough of February sky.” Ringo didn't write the songs on his new album "Crooked Boy"....Linda Perry did, in fact, all four tracks were written by the renowned songwriter and producer, who has done other work for artists like Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Pink and Adele. Ringo did the drums, naturally, and the vocals(not his strength!) and the firs...

Today is your day Boomer! It is solar eclipse day Boomers....and this could be our last chance to witness this amazing phenomenon! Next one? 2044! All of this reminds me of "the odds"....that expression that has a focus on our rare chances to experience or achieve certain things. Here is a definition from the Cambridge Dictionary: "the probability (= how likely it is) that a particular thing will or will not happen." So with this in mind, here are some numerical odds that may blow your mind:(1) chances of getting a hole-in-one in golf, 1 in 12,500 (2) odds of winning Lotto 649, 1 in 14 million (3) odds of being hit by bus, 1 in 495,000 (4) chances of getting cancer, an estimated 2 in 5 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and about 1 in 4 will die from cancer (5) odds of becoming an astronaut, 1 in 100,000 (6) odds of becoming US president, 1 in 300 million (7) chances of making it to the NHL, 1 in 4000 and finally....odds of getting PAID t...

Today is your day Boomer! It is Kelowna's official flower and "flower of the week"....so declared by the U.S. Forest Service! It is the Arrowleaf balsamroot and it is certainly something we have in common with America. According to the usda website, "Asteraceae is fairly common in cold, dry areas of the West from Colorado, west to the Sierra Nevada, and into Canada. It may be found most abundant in mountain fields, but can also be a common plant in the understory of conifer forests." In the Okanagan, it is just starting (check out Drought Hill near Peachland) and will soon be everywhere. This "sunflower" species is great to look at, but according to Indigenous sources, has many food qualities: "The roots may be baked or steamed and eaten, as well as the young shoots. The immature flower stems could be peeled and eaten; the flowers themselves are good browse for wildlife. Balsamroot seeds are nutritious and oil-rich, another good source of food. T...

Today is your day Boomer! April is underway....warmer days are here, and for many Boomers, that means RV time! Time to summerize that Class A-C, 5th wheel, trailer, hybrid, or tent trailer and hit the open road. If you are looking to buy, here is the good news this spring: (1) RV sales went down 30% in 2023 after huge sales during COVID (2)Dealer supplies are back to normal, so some prices have dropped (3)More people are opting to reserve a campsite and have the owner of the rental trailer set it up on the site for them, complete with everything they need. (4)Book very early for campsites; provincial sites in BC can be booked 4 months ahead....and don't forget Boomer seniors, from now until mid-June, you get BC park camping rates at half price! Cheers and have fun!

Today is your day Boomer! I know, I know...another Taylor Swift blog. But this one is not about her love life, money, or music....it is about her massive influence, and what she does with it. You may have had heard that Ms Swift is up for a major Webby Award as best internet creator or influencer. This dates back to the 2020 US presidential election when she, on Instagram, encouraged her 283 million followers to get out and vote. Maybe this is one reason why her preffered candidate Joe Biden won, but the point is, more than 35,000 people registered to vote right away! Hope she wins the Webby. Of course, other famous musical artists are activists as well. Bono, lead singer of U2, "was a leader in Jubilee 2000’s Drop the Debt campaign, and next took on the fight against HIV/AIDS and extreme poverty, co-founding sister organisations ONE and (RED). With ONE, Bono has lobbied heads of state and legislatures all around the world, helping to ensure the passage of global health and d...

Today is your day Boomer! The warmer spring weather is bringing out a glut of motorcyclists to our roads....including many Boomers who love to hit the open highway. It also brings more accidents as we, the other drivers, struggle to see motorcycles and avoid them. Some accident facts for you: (1)Over 200 motorcycle and moped riders die every year in Canada (2)Left-turn accidents are some of the most common types of motorcycle accidents, usually at intersections. (3)While motorcycles only represent about three per cent of registered vehicles, Transport Canada reports they're involved in 10 per cent of road fatalities. (4)The risk of a fatal crash is almost six times higher among motorcycle riders.(5)The average speed of impact for motorcycle accidents is about 30km/hour; high speed crashes are less common. Boomers, freedom of the road is ours....but we all must be vigilant, alert, careful drivers. And look for those bikes; they are smaller and harder to see. Cheers.

Today is your day Boomer! Yesterday's blog had a focus on the cost of living going up. Today, I look at salaries of politicians. Elected officials in Ottawa got a 4% raise as of April 1; this includes the Prime Minister at over 400,000$, MPs at 203,000$, and the opposition leader at 300,000$, BC's premier sits at 227,000$ and MLAs at 120,000$. The highest mayor salary in BC is 183,000$ and highest councillor pay was 96,000$. These, of course, are all taxpayers' dollars...so the Canadian Taxpayers Association states that a recent survey found that 80% of Canadians believe politicians are overpaid. Now I will give you one comparison in the private sector....the lowest "entry level" contract in the NHL for a young player is about 800,000$...double the salary of Mr. Trudeau, a man who often works 70-80 hour weeks, a man who must deal daily with all levels of high-stress situations like COVID, the Ukraine War, the Carbon Tax, the huge debt, growing immigration an...

Today is your day Boomer! Up, up and away....that is the theme of this spring, starting In April. It means this: gas up 18% on the carbon tax, BC hydro up 2.3%, natural gas up 2%, BC Ferries 3.2%, beer and alcohol 2%, propane 2%....and many more! That's a lot of increases all at once Boomers. Have you got this in your budget? It means travelling, camping, home heating, drinking is going to cost you more. And then there is the rebound effect. Think about one thing only: groceries. Don't you think food prices will rise again because trucking company rates will go up again with the increased cost of gas and diesel? Sure...Okay, so how do we deal with all this Boomers? Well, we will possibly have to access more savings to pay our bills. We will have to cut back on certain luxury items that we had before: less dining out, fewer bottles of expensive wine, fewer weekend getaways, and maybe camping locally instead of far away. We have to adjust....it is a new, more expensive w...