Today Is Your Day Boomer

Today is your day Boomer! I play pickleball with a group of men who hit the ball very hard...in fact, most of them are tennis players too. Only one is wearing protective glasses. This news release just came in from Pickleball B.C: "Starting January 1st 2025, your PBC Board of Directors has mandated that all of our tournaments, such as the BC Provincials will require participants and referees to wear protective eyewear. Also we highly recommend the same for all of our clubs and players across BC. Many of our Associated and Affiliated Clubs have instituted similar guidelines or mandate that we believe are now required given the growth of our sport and the higher level of play, even in recreational play. Too many eye injuries could have been avoided and many of which happen unexpectedly with a deflection that can't be “foreseen”. We recommend “sports certified” protective eyewear, but there are many effective means of protecting your eyes and each club, court facility and pl...

Today is your day Boomer ! How much is too much? Check out this picture and get real Boomer pickleballers. I know you like...er...love the sport, but how much do you play? My club sent out a memo last week imploring members to NOT play more than 4 times per week....that is basically every second day. And there are good reasons for this: (1)your joints and muscles need a break for recovery (2)it opens-up times for other players, many of whom are not retired (3)it helps expand your activity base during the cold months (4)it saves you money (5)maybe you can expand into pickleball refereeing or organization...which is seemingly needed by many clubs. (6)go to the gym instead and do an all-body workout...including weights! Boomer pickleballers: just like anything else, don't get addicted! Cheers.

Today is your day Boomer! I say to Pierre Poilievre....call it what it really is! That's right: don't call your plan for the CBC a "defund"....it is simply a huge CUT! The Conservative leader says he wants to save a billion dollars per year from the 1.4 billion government subsidy to the Canadian media giant. The problem is....he's forgetting a few important things: the CBC is very "Canadian" like hockey and poutine. It has been promoting Canadian art, culture and our performers for 90 years and is simply this: "We're talking about the very existence of the CBC; for many people, it’s as Canadian as maple syrup and as the beaver. It's fundamental to our identity."(Sarah Andrews-Friends of Canadian Media) Just ask Boomer musicians like Gordon Lightfoot and Anne Murray. Where did they get their start....their first chance in the music biz? CBC!! Boomers, do you access news and sports on CBC, do you listen to Cross Country Checkup on ...

Today is your day Boomer! Greenland, Panama, Mexico or Canada? Which one will Donald Trump invade with the might of the US Military force? He's making BIG waves, especially for Greenland....but actually Canada is a better target: closer, peaceful, friendly, and mostly anti-war. This picture tells the truth....this is how we would do in a war versus mighty America. (1) USA: 1.3 million active-duty troops-3rd most in the world, 820 billion$ spent per year-most in world at about 40%, 1295 high-tech fighter jets, 3748 nukes, 345 million population, unpredictable leader! (2) Canada: 41 billion spent per year, 68,000 active troops, 63 outdated fighter jets, 0 nukes, 41 million population, lameduck prime minister! By the way, the Americans have tried this many times before; remember their "Manifest Destiny" philosophy....their supposed God-given right to take over all of North America?! And they tried a few times: War of 1812 and just after the Civil War when Canada confeder...

Today is your day Boomer! Can you imagine if Elvis was still alive? He would have turned 90 this week and likely would have looked something like this AI-generated picture. Too bad...the king of rock n'roll certainly would have benefitted from all the modern practices and technologies of medicine and maybe would not have died 47 years ago. All those incredible songs....like Hound Dog, In the Ghetto, Jailhouse Rock, Suspicious Minds or Don’t be Cruel, are still constantly played by Elvis fans and don't forget about all the Elvis festivals filled with music and impersonators! A big question though: would he still be publically singing at age 90? Why not? There are a number of old-time rockers that still go on tour...performers like Paul McCartney at age 83! But imagine this: Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009 at the age of 50, so he would be 66 years old today if he were alive! A Boomer just like us....same age as me, and likely still on stage. What a "Thriller" ...

Today is your day Boomer! I know you have a Doobie Brothers album in that pile some where! The band rose to stardom in the 1970s and is still a favourite of Boomers....and, of course, is filled with Boomer musicians like Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons. And....they are back! A new album release this summer after a respite of 40 years. According to a band statement: “We had a lot of fun recording it and we feel very proud of the results. We are so fortunate to have your continued support and thankful for the opportunity you’ve given us to play the music we love and work so hard to create. It’s such a privilege to share the songs that connect us with you, hopefully rekindling happy memories and creating new ones together." The album's name is "Walk This Road" and will be released this summer! Boomers, I envision a rock n'roll "road trippppppppp" coming on. Welcome back boys....cheers!

Today is your day Boomer! You read biographies because you want to dig deeper into the lives of people you find interesting. And so I did over the holidays by reading this new 2023 biography of Beatle George Harrison. Author/researcher Philip Norman calls George the "reluctant Beatle" in contrast to band-creator John, pushy Paul, and under-appreciated Ringo. But when you read accounts, be ready for the good and the bad: GOOD: George's parents had the same first names as mine; in their early days, the band would earn 3-4 pounds for a five-hour performance;the boys, still in their teens, acted like typical teenagers....stealing drinks and gawking at girls; George loved the small, simple ukelele more than his prized guitar; they all hated strict schools, George's father punched out the teacher when he strapped young George; and most of their songs were based on life experiences like love, loss, and fame. BAD: The Fab Four all fooled around on their wives leading to m...

Today is your day Boomer ! Yesterday, this blog encouraged you to take an alcohol test to see if your drinking habits will reduce your life expectancy. Hmmmm....probably. Today, we learn from another study that smoking cigarettes also gives you a shorter life. Here it is: as much as 10 years shorter if you are a life-long smoker! What about for that cig you have once in awhile? 20 minutes per smokestick is the research; if you smoke one pack per day, it means 7 hours of life lost per pack! But there is some good news Boomers. 58% of American Boomers say they have smoked at least 100 cigs in their lives, but quitting has huge benefits. Researcher Dr. Sarah Jackson says "Stopping smoking is, without a doubt, the best thing you can do for your health, and the sooner you stop smoking, the longer you’ll live.” And remember, smoking contributes mightly to other medical issues like cancer and heart disease. In the words of that famous TV show detective from the 1960s, "Get Smart...

Today is your day Boomer! As we slide into 2025, many Boomers are recovering from too much booze over the holidays. So much so, that many of us are talking New Years resolutions and jumping into "Dry January" promises to drink less. But does less alcohol consumption really mean better health? Afterall, we still hear about the heart benefits of drinking red wine. Well, a new tool-developed by the University of Victoria-can help you! Try it! It is on knowalcohol.ca....I did, and it really showed me the daily benefits of less booze. "Using the personalized inputs, the tool returns a variety of data, including the increased risk of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and injury."(Globalnews.ca)"The tool’s primary goal is to help boost the message that drinking less alcohol is better for a person’s health while providing trustworthy information to help people make informed decisions." By the way Boomers, one strong recommendation is...