Click the link below:
You really have to watch this…
Date Archives → April 2016
New Boomer TV Show!
http://babyboomersinamerica.com/
And now for the bad news…
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/were-going-broke-chasing-the-american-dream-2016-04-27
As everyone knows, life exacts its pound of flesh one way or the other, but money is one reliable carbon credit for all the attrition.
Of course, you have to have it to use it.
My generation grew up with the misguided notion that we had to find a career that truly fulfilled us in order to succeed in life. the idea was that we wouldn’t put for the effort necessary to succeed doing something we didn’t personally enjoy.
What we weren’t reminded of is that money runs the world, and that without it, there are no vacations! where we get to do what we love.
I was guilty of the same misguided notions until I got lucky. But that’s for another blog…or you can just read my last book, Urban Dystrophy available on Amazon.
The article focuses on one Neal Gabler, who has written acclaimed biographies of Walt Disney and Walter Winchell among many others.
Unfortunately, Gabler was, as he freely admits, “a financial illiterate, or worse — an ignoramus.”
“I don’t ask for or expect any sympathy,” he writes. “I am responsible for my quagmire — no one else.”
His situation is the product of some bad luck and many poor choices, many of them common to all of us.
In brief, here they are:
1. He chose to be a writer, not the most stable profession.
2. He chose to write books, which don’t produce income for years.
3. He chose to live in high-cost New York City.
4. He chose to have two children, whom he sent to private school early on and then to Stanford and Emory for college.
5. His wife quit her job as a film executive to spend more time with the kids when they moved to eastern Long Island.
The article suggests that perhaps it’s time for us to redefine the American Dream beyond the purely material goals of the postwar years, when our growth seemed unstoppable.
It concludes that life should be more about the freedom to succeed or fail on our own terms.
But, in my view, there is no more “our own terms” because none of us lives in a box, impervious to media and life on the outside.
And while encompassing things like pride in our own personal achievements, family, friends, and community service that leaves a legacy of which we can be proud, we can not all afford therapy at $250/50 minutes.
The Often Overlooked Differences Between Youth and Middle Age
Any one of these people could have rolled out of bed 10 minutes ago.
If any of these people rolled out of bed 10 minutes ago instead of several hours ago after hair and make-up for this photo shoot, they’d frighten children.
~~~
Last night we went attending the opening of a new art gallery in Houston.
No big deal, right?
Hardly.
But before I get into this, allow me to offer some perspective.
When I was 25, going out was a straight line between the thought and the front door: I put on some clothes and walked out knowing I looked presentable no matter what I looked like.
If I hadn’t combed my hair, it probably looked better than it would if I spent an hour in front of the mirror with sprays and gels.
My skin was, you know, young, my jawline sharp. Rarely did I see bloodshot eyes no matter what I did to myself the night before.
And by the way, there also wasn’t a single, solitary hair anyplace other than where it was from the time I was 14.
In short, I was ripe for breeding.
Then time passed…and I didn’t die.
Some say we linger no matter what we actually do, but to the point: I was no longer able to do what I didn’t have to do back in the day.
No, this is not what you want to hear, I get it. Believe me, I know. But we’re here and this is what we have to deal with if we want to, you know, linger.
Now lingering is also relative, so there’s some hope if you’re willing – and/or able – to read between the lines.
For example, people are not static images on a two-dimensional page, so there’s that.
In reality, there’s money and experience and a whole lot of other stuff that creates a composite that often acts as a carbon credit against physical attrition.
But no matter what an older adult has in their favor, they cannot escape an aging appearance, which requires propping up every step of the way in order to maintain some degree of objective attractiveness.
Some things are simply not subjective no matter how you spin the narrative.
So how does all of this translate?
1] Dentists handle our teeth, which, of course, involves regular cleanings – but also crowns, veneers, whitening, bonding…and root canals to name a few more.
2] Then there’s the hair-where-it-doesn’t-belong thing. We either visit a stylist [usually the case with women], or we do it ourselves, with often catastrophic results.
3] Did I mention diet? Yea, if you want to make it into your 50’s without type-2 diabetes and/or every other imaginable health problem, you have to eat clean, with the exception of one “cheat” meal per week.
4] You have to get plenty of sleep, and I mean 8 hours of sleep each and every night if you plan to remember your mother’s name.
5] You will be forced to conform to a certain set of standards required of adults in nice neighborhoods.
For example:
a] You cannot walk out of your home bare-chested, or in a wife beater, or in your underwear without being branded clinically insane and an imminent danger to neighborhood children.
b] You cannot punch out your neighbor for being noisy on a Sunday morning. Instead you will contact your HOA or local police and let them handle it for you.
c] You will abstain from contentious remarks or unnecessary cursing, lest you be excluded from HOA meetings that will now involve discussion about what to do about you.
6] You will stay in reasonable shape, which your personal trainer will help ensure.
7] If your wife or girlfriend is significantly younger than you, expect not to invited to social functions involving age-appropriate wives.
8] Nobody cares if you’re a member of the LGBT community as long as your home and lawn are well manicured.
9] If you own a vehicle not on the acceptable vehicle list, you will be labelled curious, and usually outright dismissed.
a] Acceptable adult vehicles include, Range Rover, Lexus, Porsche, Chevrolet Yukons and Suburbans, Mini, Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Maserati, Ferrari and classic muscle cars in pristine condition. I may have missed one or two, but you get my point. Lamborghini is considered white trash no matter how much money you have.
b] Vehicles on the kill list included any late model muscle car and Econoline vans.
10] Finally [for the moment] you must know the law. If not, you can and will be sued for anything and everything imaginable, including everything.
a] Understand that many affluent people are bored out of their minds, particularly if they’re in bad physical shape, hate their wives, or suffer clinical depression stemming from fading relevance, leaving them staring down the barrel of destiny. Thus, always be considerate of others, understand that you live in a neighborhood of which you are a member [not a king], and abide by the statutes set forth by your home owner’s association. While your kids can do pretty much anything they want, leveraging youth against bad behavior, the buck will always stop with you.
Yes, I know, getting older can be a friggin’ nightmare, but it’s not without its perks.
I’ll elaborate in my next installment.
If You Think Boomers Are Narcissistic, Check Out Their Kids!
Julia Stakhiva, originally from the Ukraine, spends over £200,000 per year on designer clothes for her wardrobe, which is estimated to be worth £1.5 million
“I believe everyone should start cosmetic surgery at a young age. It’s better to save up your money for beauty treatments instead of spending it on food.”
With this as a backdrop, I offer you 10 commandments of contemporary life that every young woman commit to memory:
1] Objectivity is not subjective.
2] Youth and beauty are life’s most sacred commodities.
3] If you don’t live well, you’re either taking your commodities for granted, or you missed the boat.
4] Extravagant wealth is life’s greatest reward.
5] Physical imperfections are synonymous with rabies in human populations.
7] The inability to recite the names of top apparel designers is considered a disability.
8] There is no level of depression that a trip to Chanel can’t cure.
9] Too much empathy is like dragging one’s feet.
10] Self-Obsession is the quintessential human quality.
The “Gala”
There was a time not long ago when I loved being the center of attention.
“Flatter flatter flatter!”
I was struggling through an endless series of speed bumps to nowhere that I medicated into oblivion through fleeting relationships and, still people clapped.
Of course, I was young and handsome and well spoken, and therefore, “in demand” as such things go.
These assets alone eclipsed whatever was absent everywhere else, as evidenced in the hostess-CEO paradigm.
So like others of my kind, I let the endorphin rushes fuel fantasies of where my new encounters might lead…night after night after night.
But as time passed and my career grew, I found that I needed more tangible affirmation in order to maintain self-esteem.
I was getting older and youth was no longer the hook. So what was?
It had to come from within, but how? as the need for external affirmation felt like an addiction to painkillers?
Where was that now lost screw that kept the joints rattling?
I was becoming unhinged.
Then, in my mid 50’s, I started coming out of it.
I was one of the lucky ones, as others around me lost everything to time, desperate moves and bad luck.
As cliché as it sounds, I began to find meaning in sharing my life with someone else, and everything else started to fade.
I started to find that going back to the social till bled a little more of me, leaving me empty and unfulfilled.
While I still appreciated public acknowledgement of my work, I saw it all very differently, as simple self-expression, a way of working through issues in my life, rather than a veiled quest for self-aggrandizement.
I know that for the most part, praise is just posturing, something people feel compelled to express in a particular social context.
But what really mattered to them was money and power.
Even when they are genuinely impressed with an artist’s work, their feelings are ephemeral, fleeting and largely meaningless.
They will move on to the next cocktail function, cherry-pick another item of interest, and on it will go, forever.
In the end, no one really cares unless they receive something of equal measure.
For most it’s the public acknowledgement that they are of powerful social standing, transcendent of art.
In their minds, they are the bedrock, the unassailable…oligarchs of an otherwise trivial world.
Of course, challenges do arise [to my great amusement], particularly when such people are in the company of the equally rich and very famous.
I love all the fraying at the edges of vanity as they maneuver themselves back into the ring.
We all find our niches in the world, places that affirm us, reflect our standings and values, that don’t obliterate our self-esteem.
I live in a neighborhood of my peers, and spend time socializing with people who, for the most part, share my values, beliefs and social standing.
I no longer need or want anything from anyone else.
I’m not here to take, but to share.
I have already paid my dues many times over and no longer walk into a situation with my hands out.
If people like what they see, if it has some meaning for them, great.
Either way, I am no longer willing to sell myself for anyone’s approval.
Socialites do what they do for personal gain.
Whether it’s Look at me, how wealthy I am, how extravagant my clothing, how elite my connections…or…How the hell do I get into this club so I can move out of my apartment, it’s a game I’m no longer willing to play.
For those of you who wish to gain access to the right parties, hosted by the right people with an eye on their bank accounts, you know where to go and what to do.
Bullet Points of Interest:
1] People tend to do what they do for personal gain, even when they are the ones “giving.”
2] Nothing is ever free, even when people are throwing something at you.
3] Life is about checks and balances, usually literally.
4] People you like are usually those you’ve vetted over time, not people you meet at cocktail functions.
5] Fund raisers are usually a subtle dance around who’s got the biggest “dick,” both men and women.
6] Hanger’s on are like sous-chefs waiting for the big dog to fall into a vat of boiling grease.
7] Art is worth nothing to most people unless Christie’s auctions it.
8] Opportunism is gaining access to something you can’t find within yourself.
9] Everyone uses everyone for everything on some level, even if it’s a good laugh. So it’s all about levels.
10] While socialites serve a useful purpose in society, nobody cares who they are if they’re not raining money.
Venting is cathartic. It’s why I write and shoot pictures.
No Signs of Slowing Down for Older Athletes
George Haywood, 63, took home the gold in the 300-meter hurdles at the World Masters Athletic Championships last summer in Lyon, France. (Katherine Frey / The Washington Post)
For you skeptics, naysayers and apologists out there…
Drug Testing
Drug testing will be conducted at Perth 2016, following the procedures outlined by World Masters Athletics.
If selected for drug testing Competitors must declare any/all medications being used by them on the doping control form. Any athlete using a prohibited substance as defined in the Regulations, must apply for an exemption (TUE) to the WMA Anti-Doping and Medical Committee. Athletes taking or requiring exemption for a prohibited substance must apply to the WMA Medical Officer (Dr. Martine Prévost) for a TUE exemption (17 rue Léon Roby FR-87000 LIMOGES: FRANCE. Tel: 0033 607 949 507, email: prevost.ma@wanadoo.fr ) If an exemption is refused, the prohibited substance(s) concerned must not be used and should you be selected for testing and the test proves positive this may result in a suspension. Please note that no other medical certificate(s) will be accepted in substitution for a TUE certificate. If you are granted a TUE exemption certificate, this must be with you at all times along with proof of identification, and must be produced at the Doping Control Centre if you are selected for a drug test. Details of prohibited substances and all Anti-Doping procedures are available on the IAAF (www.iaaf.org) website, the WMA (www.world-masters-athletics.org) website and your IAAF Affiliated Federation. The Competitor’s Handbook in Perth will also contain details of the Anti-Doping Procedures to be undertaken during the championships.
“Functional Fitness” is Boomer-Speak for Training for Life
Between 1980 and 2010, the number of 100-year-olds increased 66 percent. Baby boomers are now ages 52 to 70. By 2029, more than 20 percent of Americans will be over 65.
Visualize for a moment doing the kinds of things you did as a young man.
You threw footballs, caught Frisbees, climbed trees, jumped over things, rolled and tumbled and generally speaking, took it all for granted.
Fast-forward 40 years and you’re lucky to drag your butt out of bed without pulling your back out.
Enter functional training.
Dan Ritchie co-founded Functional Aging Institute, which teaches fitness professionals how to train mature clients. Functional fitness means movements that help you in everyday life. Think cross-body and full-body motions, bending or picking something up off the floor. The goal is to build a body capable of real-life activities.
When I look at older guys in my gym, most appear to be one hell of a lot older then they actually are.
This is because they are a hell of a lot older then they should be for their age.
Many have forgotten how to do the things they used to do, while the rest have resigned themselves to the misconception that life robbed them blind while they were working and raising families.
In a way this is true.
Life only gives back what you put in. It doesn’t care what you do or how you do it. It’s just a bystander.
If you don’t care, it doesn’t care. Cause and effect. Period.
So it’s up to you to make the most of what’s left of your life, which could very well be a lot longer than you think – or longer than you’re prepared to endure.
Get a grip and take control of your health.
Your self-esteem will thank you.
Fact:
1] The number of Americans 62 and older is growing, with most of the increase expected by 2030.
2] Americans ages 62-plus have a net worth 40 percent higher than that age group did 25 years ago.
3] They don’t want to get old and sit around to die, otherwise known as dying in slow motion. They want to go on adventures, live life to the fullest.
And since they can afford to — if they have the functional capacity – most guys I know are now adding functional training to their psychotherapy regimen.
Drugging America – One Advert At a Time
“Pharmaceutical companies have seized on the decline in testosterone levels as pathological and applicable to every man. They aim to convince men that common effects of aging like slowing down a bit and feeling less sexual actually constitute a new disease, and that they need a prescription to cure it. This is a seductive message for many men, who just want to feel better than they do, and want to give it a shot, literally.” From op-ed contributor [New York Times] John La Puma.
As I have written about exhaustively, “Low-T” as it is referred is has become a meme for institutionalized drug dealing in America.
~~~
This year alone, the FDA has issued a number of warnings to physicians and male patients regarding the use of testosterone drugs, which they say may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. They’re currently urging doctors and drug makers to warn patients about the potential life-threatening risks they pose. The FDA also wants doctors to prescribe testosterone only to men who are suffering from low testosterone caused by a medical condition confirmed by laboratory tests.
But these days are are no tests, just questions:
PHYSICIAN:
How can I help you?
PATIENT:
I’m feeling a little sluggish and my sex drive isn’t what it used to be.
PHYSICIAN:
Let’s start you off with 1 cc of testosterone a week and shoot me an email to let me know how you’re feeling.
PATIENT:
Thanks, Doc. It’s nice to finally meet someone who gets it.
~~~
With billions in profits on the line, the objective is to bring testosterone supplementation mainstream, like taking a daily multi-vitamin, or prescribing Adderall to people who can’t read the encyclopedia Britannica backwards without falling asleep.
For those who may be squeamish about needles, the industry has introduced a plethora of innovative drug delivery systems:
1. Transdermal Skin Patch: Androderm is a skin patch worn on the arm or upper body, applied once a day. This may cause severe itching and fluid-filled blisters.
2. Gels: AndroGel and Testim are most commonly used and come in individual packets of clear testosterone gel. It’s applied once a day and absorbed directly through the skin. AndroGel, Axiron and Fortesta also come in a pump that delivers the prescribed amount of testosterone. Natesto is a gel applied through the nose. These gels may leave skin red, irritated or itchy.
3. Testosterone Stick: Similar to an underarm deodorant, it’s applied directly to the skin.
4. Mouth Patch: Striant is a tablet that is applied to the upper gum twice per day. It continuously releases testosterone into the blood through the oral tissues. Men may experience an unpleasant or bitter taste in the mouth, difficulty tasting food, stinging or swelling of the lips, and gum pain, tenderness, swelling, and irritation in the mouth.
5. Injections and implants: Testosterone can also be injected directly into the muscles or implanted as pellets in the soft tissues. The body will slowly absorbed the testosterone into the blood stream. Side effects include inflammation and pain.
6. Testosterone pills: Two of the more common formulas are called methyltestosterone and testosterone undecanoate. Some evidence has shown that oral testosterone may cause damage to the liver.
You can’t beat that.
Of course, all testosterone therapy options have annoying side effects, including:
• Increased risk of heart attack and stroke
• Stimulation of prostate tissue
• Serious blood clots
• Hair loss
• Acne or oily skin
• Mild fluid retention
• Breast enlargement
• Increased risk of blood clots
• Worsening of sleep apnea
• Shrunken testicles
• Increased aggression and mood swings
• Decrease in sperm count
Then there’s the link between Testosterone and Prostate Cancer, but who’s counting?
~~~
The truth is testosterone injections should never be the first line of defense when it comes to treating low T.
What many men don’t realize is that testosterone is a lifelong therapy. Once you’re on these therapies, a physician monitors your levels every 6 months or even more frequently. It’s critical to explore all your options and look to natural methods, as opposed to jumping into replacement therapy.
But I’m wasting my breath here because I’m not a physician, and therefore, have no idea what the hell I’m talking about.
All I do know is that if you have an actual condition that could benefit from testosterone supplementation, by all means go for it.
But the point of this and other articles is that everyone is now taking testosterone to be bigger, badder, better than they were before. They do it for the edge it gives them over mortals. The allure is hard to dismiss.
They also have a battery excuses at their disposal to justify the drugs.
Here’s the biggest:
Testosterone decreases by 1 percent each year after.
Then there’s…
• Increase in belly fat
• Weight gain
• Low to no sex drive (we certainly can’t have that)
• Fatigue
• Risk of depression
• Irritability
• Mood Swings
• Low energy
• Bone density
• Increased risk of diabetes
Who wants any of those when a simple prescription can alleviate all of them?
Personally, I follow another regimen:
1. Limit alcohol intake: Even drinking moderate amounts of alcohol can cause testosterone levels to plummet.
2. Reduce stress: be mindful of factors in your life that create stress. Mental or physical stress can quickly depress your levels. The stress hormone cortisol suppresses the body’s ability to make testosterone.
3. Cardio: High-intensity exercise can cut stress in half but don’t overdo it. Injuries and fatigue are sure signs that your workout may lower testosterone.
4. Zinc: The mineral zinc is important for testosterone production. Look to protein-rich foods like meats and fish. If you decide to supplement zinc, stick to a dosage of less than 40mg per day.
5. Vitamin D: This is a big secret when it comes to healthy testosterone levels. Foods like shellfish, tuna, salmon, egg yolks, beans and others work great. You can also look into taking vitamin D supplements, 1,000-2,000 IU per day (that’s what I personally do) and monitor your levels after that. Vitamin D levels should be between 30-60.
6. Limit Sugar: When in doubt, say no to sugar. Testosterone levels decrease because sugar leads to a high insulin level.
7. Healthy fats: Foods like olive oil, raw nuts, coconut oil, grass-fed meats and avocados are essential for building testosterone — 50-70 percent of your diet should include healthy fats.
Having said this, i can personally attest to the fact that testosterone coupled with a whole new array of drug cocktails absolutely, positively provide a bigger, badder edge.
I could lift more weight, sleep less, have more energy, lose belly fat [like, all of it], get lean while building muscle…and on and on…
There’s a reason professional athletes look the way they do no matter how much they travel, how little they sleep and how hard they play.
But most people aren’t professional athletes, which is lost on everyone but professional athletes.
SUMMARY REMARKS
I’m sure that most people think the world I talk about is fiction, that I either have a vivid imagination, or I’m completely insane.
This simply cannot be in the real world.
Boys grow up to be men who get married have children and then retire and die long before they’re technically dead.
This is considered normal.
But in my world there is no such thing as growing up when you can afford not to.
The point is to age well.
Death itself s irrelevant because you don’t have to put up with the indignity of falling apart.
When you acculturated to think this way, drugs are a no-brainer.
Hey Big Spender: Affluent Boomers Rock Urbania
Though Baby Boomers are certainly the richest generation in U.S. history, few members of its cohort qualify as truly “elite,” according to a recent study.
Boomer Elites, according to Focalyst, a market research and consulting firm, are a select subgroup of Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) who are characterized by a household pretax annual income of $150,000 or $100,000 if retired.
Only 1 in 10 Baby Boomers can be classified as Elites.
Most Boomer Elites are married, 92% college educated [73% of non-Elite Boomers have college degrees], and live in homes valued at nearly twice that of the average Boomer. Boomer Elite’s home is $519,000, in contrast with the typical Boomer’s home valued at $282,000.
Okay, so now we know that 1 in 10 Boomer Elites can afford homes in the 500k range.
Is this supposed to impress anyone?
I’m being facetious, of course, but the honest to God truth is that most Boomers I know live in homes 4x that price – and much, much more –and there are lots of them.
For the most part, they are out of touch with reality for those even in the bottom end of the 1% equation.
But as fractionally small a this demographic may be, it’s positively massive to those who reside here.
And people wonder why politicians refer to people as numbers.
The Truth About Eating Healthy
There was a point in my life where I enjoyed eating. It was a long time age.
I’d workout, then devour a pizza – or bucket of Popeye’s friend chicken and french fries – and was no worse for wear.
My body would cycle through it and I’d be on to the next great meal within a few hours.
Now I can’t get within block of Popeye’s without suffering withdrawal symptoms.
I know that the days of eating like that are long gone no matter how much the cravings scrape away at my resolve.
At this writing food is fuel and nothing more. Sad, I know.
I get up in the mornings to write and completely forget about eating, until I start losing consciousness from low blood sugar and am then forced to head to the kitchen.
I consume 6 egg whites, a bowl of oatmeal with a banana in it, and a glass of water marinated in lemon juice.
Needless to say, the last place I want to be is in the kitchen.
If I could pop a pill and be done with it i wpould, but I can’t, so this is what I’m left with.
Lunch is the same: Salmon over greens and an iced tea.
Totally sucks. Horrible.
What I really want is a thin crust pizza with cheddar, ground beef and onions.
This vision sits in my head as I eat what I know is better for me, what will make me look and feel better … and maybe keep me alive longer – or better.
Now we come to dinner, and it’s usually sitting in glass Tupperware containers in the fridge: Pre-prepared foods from Sunday, when we cook things I hate for 5 hours.
But here’s a little secret: I still manage to cheat!
After dinner I get to enjoy a fruit Popsicle.
But it gets better!
Before bed, I prepare a bowl of frozen organic fruit with a small slice of low fat cheese and a few pita chips!!! Awesome!
This is what life is like for those of us who have had to convince ourselves that eating healthy is about how it makes one feel rather than how it tastes.
Hopefully, most come to a place of peace about this.
I haven’t.
~~~
I found this amusing in light of the above…