Category Archives: Work

How better is your phone?

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Well, it’s happened. I force-lumped myself into a heap of people who love to brag and compare their cell phones. A little obnoxious, I know, but lately, it seems everyone else’s phone is better than everyone else’s, and I’ve let it get the best of me.
Truth is, it’s their “choice” of phone that is the awesome part and real key point. None of us actually built the iPhone, Galaxy or Droid, it’s our selection of said equipment that we protect like a mama bear. So, if we didn’t ‘make‘ them, then why are we such authorities on them and unable to shut up about how good they are vs. all the other phones? (Self included.)


Case in point, recently I caught myself doing an impromptu blathering about my phone for no reason other than wanting it known that mine was better, for which I do not know as factual – I’ve never done a comparison or even dialed a number on the other phones. But for one moment, I swore (in my mind) I knew every single feature of the iPhone as though I wrote the blueprints – back when they were inked on a napkin at a juice bar in the 90s up in Silicon Valley next to a guy named Steve. How could anything trump the iPhone I ask? It’s Apple, geez.

Honestly, I don’t know the inner workings of any cell phone. I do get by, that’s for sure. I have trained Siri well and I sometimes show her off, or hide her, depending on how she performs.  It’s egotistical, yes – but I’ve done it.

Yesterday, my neighbor friend was showing off her brand new oversized Galaxy phone. She pulled it out to brag about her gadget to anyone that would listen. It was starting to bug me! She was running up and down the street with it. It’s just a phone for God’s sake – and know that the people are gullible!
I held back saying “they all do the same thing” because she was too excited to hear my nonsense. Meanwhile, the GIANT Galaxy was getting ooohs and ahhhs from the other neighbors. Me and my iPhone put our heads down and walked home – screw it, I can’t watch people naively go nuts over a johnny-come-lately that is so large it doesn’t even have its own case yet.

I don’t want to be a sad cell phone user, or a jealous one either. But I am caught up in the hoopla of the most awesome-est cell phones now that the new iPhone is coming out and everyone is dissing and hissing over our cell phone choices. Can’t I just be happy with the one I have and have fun with Siri without needing more? I dunno… jus’ hope there is hope for me yet. : )

The big daddy of blogging.

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I heard one lady whisper to another lady… “what’s a blog?”

Hearing that, I knew I had to listen to every word of the discussion. I slid my hair behind my ear, looked busy, and kept quiet. I love, love hearing people mess up words and conversations over things they don’t know. Yes, I know, it’s mean…but still, I get a kick. With confidence and poise, the lady stated that blogs were online diaries where someone writes about their husband and kids and then sticks it up on a website. The other lady smiled and nodded, letting out an agreeing “oooooooh”.

While the ladies had it half-right, It did make me pause and wonder how long we have been inventorying this crazy life around us – meticulously documenting and blogging our personal rantings for total strangers, all-the-while allowing, and inviting, a diverse assortment of opinions and comments regarding our work (ouch!).
Then I started thinking about where it all started – the daddy of all bloggers, yes…the caveman!
Back in the day the caveman had it good…out all day then home to scribe the business of the day on the cave walls. And content he had! In the name of supper, he was busy fighting off swooping birds who pecked at his head and hairy beasts who stormed after him. He courageously climbed trees and ran for his life for ten hours straight. Now, his evening winds down with a deserved fire crackling in the background and a little time to let off a little caveman steam with a long, sharp stone, and a healthy dose of creative blogging artistry. He’s not concerned about the amount of comments he gets, or SEO ranking, he knows that one day somebody out there will value all he has written on his “wall”. He needs no more than that.

Caveman to do list:

  • Hunt for food – check!
  • Blog before bed – check!

Blogging is a popular method to express your know-how or your thoughts on current topics, or just to provide some crazy talk to readers in the hopes that they will actually read your blog… just like the caveman hoped.  If you think you can motivate, entertain, convince, influence, teach, or make people laugh, then put your fingers to your keyboard and start talking! You probably won’t get rich, but you’ll have a great outlet for creative fun.

How guilty are thy pleasures….

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Oh Lordy… guilty pleasures...such sinful words. But yet a perfect description for some of our most secret likes! There is a sense of guilt around pleasures you know, hence the name. Maybe it’s the word itself, perhaps it screams too “private” or too embarrassing or too sexy. Maybe we have completely misunderstood the true simplicity.
But here, anything goes!  Guilty pleasures ain’t nothin’ to be embarrassed about and are always worthy of being shared! lol

Here’s a few of my guilties:
Gambling at a casino: I am in love with the sights and sounds of slot machines and endless Black Jack and roulette tables. It’s worth throwing away a hundred bucks for the intensity of playing a couple of hours of Black Jack. I know, that’s why it’s a guilty pleasure! If I am up a few – even better, I plug my winnings into the dollar slot machines, drop in the max, and hope for the mother lode.
Social media time waster:
So guilty!! Nothing says lazy Sunday mornings like coffee, Facebook and my MacBook Air. I catch up, I read what the family is up to, type “cute” all over my friends’ grandkid photos and play some Scrabble. It’s fun and it’s awesomely pleasurable! Yeah, I’m super hooked. (Ha ha)
Television: Yes, I like it and I watch it… especially Charlie Sheen in 2 1/2 Men. Charlie with his call girls, maid, and goofy jingles leave me completely content. Even in reruns, “Men” is very funny and makes me laugh out loud. American Idol — my once-a-year musical escape! I pick my early favs, feverishly root for them and watch them develop. In the end, it’s a musical variety extravaganza. I love it. The Bachelorette Show. I like what I like, and I love, love this two hours of crazy-ass antics set  in far-away places. A plethora of love-fueled drama at it’s best!
Buttered popcorn at the movies: Nothing is more fabulous than watching a pimply-face youngster fill up a cardboard bucket with fresh, hot, fake-buttery popcorn. The sounds, the scents, the anticipation…I feel like I am seven years old, clinging to my brother and sister about to take in big screen Disney. Awesome stuff.

Shopping for new make-up, new lingerie, and new high heels: Uh, acquiring this particular trio is the ultimate of all shopping trips. Hormones are flowin’ for days knowing these items are in my grasp. The more expensive, the higher the adrenaline. New dark MAC eyeliner and shadow, sexy summer white, lacy lingerie and the steamiest summer high heels is all it takes to elevate a girl’s mood.
Giving out a few bucks to a homeless person: There is no tax advantage and no one to pat you on the back. But who cares. I am guilty to giving out a few bucks or buying fast food for a sign-holding homeless person, without judgment or questions. Just load them up with a full-fledged super-sized Jack in the Box burger deal, hand it over, and the smile on their face will turn your entire body into jello. The few minutes it takes to do this, lasts the rest of your day, and then some. It’s is the best feeling of all.

Guilty pleasures come in all forms, but one thing is for sure, they definitely breathe energy into our lives. So what are your favorite pleasures? You have them – and you should talk and share about them, and you can do it here!

Greens and veggies, what the heck.

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Wow, it’s such a great time to eat. We have discovered so many healthy foods to shine up our hair and skin and make our arteries squeaky clean. Good for us…it’s easier than ever to become fresh-faced and gorgeous all over again, reversing the years with a new colorful bounty of organic veggies. We can just sit back and watch DVR’d episodes of Dr. Oz, learning and lunching guilt-free!
But wait. While this may be awesome news for normal people, it’s only so-so news for the rest of the world that struggles with monster-sized appetites for, well… that other kind of food, you know, the overly-delish stuff which can be found just about EVERYWHERE. And the temptations for such un-healthiness have proven nearly impossible to resist!

Sadly, there are tons of us hungry and snacky-types around. We lurk, we lie, we do everything we can do not to let on that we have a bottomless pit that wants and needs a hit of food most hours of our day (and it ain’t peas and carrots).

Of course we love the veggies, we learn about the veggies and we try the veggies, but endless salads and juicing can only suffice for so long before we slink into the darkness and eat our hearts out with Cheetos. Sad, but true. We love to play games with our addiction, telling ourselves that calories do not count on birthdays, on Tuesdays, and on that oddball leap year day. We – them – or any one else who relates to this – is no more than a good ‘ol American compulsive overeater with no resolve in sight…living in the shadows of our healthy-minded cousins who eat veggies 4x a day with ease. For the rest of us, a bad day at the office, a break-up, or even a couple glasses of wine can cause a whirlwind date with a super-duper-sized bowl of bad carbs . We want to sip on greenish drinks and munch on quinoa, but we have a little bug inside of us that won’t let us do it, leaving us to go rogue, all the while whispering in our ear that we can go back to eating clean first thing in the morning. We’d like to kill the bug, but we don’t know how. And God forbid we tell anyone about our problem or that pesky little bug we have. We just aren’t ready to ‘out’ ourselves to the world yet, ha ha.

So, what about you? Do you have this sucky problem? Do you have that little nasty bug in your body, creeping around telling you what to do and how to do it? Do you have expensive juicers on your counter kicking back on hiatus? Are you in love with Cheetos? Do you convince yourself that low-fat frozen yogurt piled with a half a pound of nuts and crunched up Reese’s peanut butter cups are healthy? (Ha ha, I’ve done that!) If so, you have company. So, please share your story! Tell the others that they we NOT alone. lol

– Make overeating stop for good!
– Tips to stop a binge
– The “be positive blog” regarding food 

 

So many reasons to fall in love…

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Far be it from me to cause a stir, but sometimes the truth has to be spoken, and it should be out loud without fear of repercussion. After all, we live in America, no one should shake in their boots afraid to speak out, right? I’m talking about a very serious and controversial topic….our personal computer choices. To be more specific, PC versus Mac and the sensitivities over which one is better, which company makes the baddest unit, the fastest, coolest, etc. This isn’t a commercial, or a dog/versus cat person thing, it’s just that we all use them, and in all honesty there is truly a clear winner and it cannot be denied. Mac, the only real front runner is leaps ahead of anything we have out there…far more magnificent, quieter, sleeker, more chic and simply flat out better than any other computer technology we have going.
Maybe it’s the hip design or super stunning interface or maybe because it’s easy to use with all those cool icons and sensible organization (Delete A-B-C-D-drive mindset). Perhaps its the way the keyboard gives you all those wild little shortcuts and making you say “I get it”. The emotional effect cannot be denied either. Run your fingers across the keyboard and you will see how good it makes you feel!  It’s an Apple, and somehow Apple gets you to feel proud to own one of their crazy-ass incredible products, even the opening of the product boxes have been reported to deliver a rush! Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, the PC overpowers all, there’s more of them around, it lets you play more games, make more spreadsheets, wah, wah, way, who cares. And Macs are for drawing pictures and PCs are for important business, like running the world. Muwaaaah. Oh how fun it is not to believe any of that nonsense!

I am just a really proud and happy Mac user. Mac, Mac, Mac, oh, and iPod, and iPhone, and iPad. Yes, I have drunk the cool-aid, I am now high and certainly cannot help myself!
And today I celebrate a major milestone. I just got the treat of my life, my own kid bought me a new MacBook Air, seriously contributing to this Mac drug-fest addiction thing I’ve got. He may have skipped me a Mother’s Day card, but he walked into the Apple Store all on his own, bought a case and a bag to put everything in, and got it all rung up right there on the clerk’s iPhone. I have had a lot of computers over the years, but THIS is the sweetest, coolest gift, AND piece of machinery I have ever laid my eyes on.
Sadly, I cannot say the same about my awkward PC desktop that takes up tons of space under my desk where my legs and high heels go. I know that there are sleek little PCs out there, pleeze, I get it, but they continue to be stuck in yesteryear, and a little boring, and a little tinny and a bit old school.

If you are not of the Apple Store browsing ilk, if you have not dipped your toe into the delicious waters of seamless technology perfection, and if you have not experienced falling in love with a machine, then I urge you to go there. And why shouldn’t we love the way our devices look and feel? I think we’re owed this as picky-butt consumers – so go ahead, touch it, feel it, breathe in its scent, and sense a touch of nirvana.
>> PC users… lower your guard, wash away the nonsense, and be prepared to be amazed!  : )

Movin’ on is OK

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You’ve considered it for a while, your mind, body, and soul have collectively said, ‘we’re ready’. And God knows you’ve pondered it long enough…and now the time has come to say seee-yaaaaa to someone in your life! Maybe permanently, maybe just for now, but damn something’s gotta give.

If only it was just sticking a tongue out

The circle of people in your life can be profound, so full, and seemingly endless at times. So many of them we love – some of them dearly and deeply. We adore them and need them, but deep within the circle of humans that make up our world there is that one person that has been delivering an unhealthy dose of toxicity directly into our veins… and sometimes doing it with glee! Your little pain in the neck may be the ex-turned-friend (a little more into the benefits than the friendship), a pesky neighbor, your best buddy, or maybe a former boss turned friend that just can’t relinquish her bossy behavior. No matter who it is –  we’re done being a slave for them, allowing it, inviting it, massaging it, developing it and providing a comfy home for all of their crapola! So yes! It just may be time to give them the boot.

For many of us, we go crazy trying to figure out what’s up with us – wondering why we would go on and on easily accepting that which is dished out crassly and unfairly, going meek and not taking a stand for what we know to be right for us! Beat yourself up as you may, but I’m here to tell you that its ok to strategically remove people that place toxicity into your world. Be careful, be honest, and be strategic, and don’t be a hothead. Make a pros and cons list like you learned in college – but take some action so you can learn to live without them starting today. Unchain yourself from the junk they bring to your life: jealousies, moods, their depressive nature, their non-stop relationship stuff, selfishness, and their failure of bringing anything to the table that resembles joy, peace, and love.
Do take action....experts say that you shouldn’t just turn your head and let it fade on it’s own – that won’t fix it, you need to step up and put the relationship kabash in writing. Say goodbye, for now, for ever, you choose, but just do it.

Most of all, feel proud of yourself for stepping up and discarding that lingering poison from your cabinet, whether it’s strategically removed for a period of time for regrouping or flat-out wiping them for ever. You’ll be happy for taking some action today!

Feel free!

 

 


Christmas cards are so yesterday.

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Hello, where have all the Christmas cards gone? Was it the switch from Christmas to Holiday that did them in? Did this cause us to pause or say forget it altogether?

Or did we just take all the fun out of it – changing things that work into things over-complicated. We went from store-bought Hallmark to fancy must-have photo cards. We’re now a bit compelled to arrange a photo shoot, match white shirts with faded jeans, and pay for pedicures all around. We drag everyone to the beach and bring in a Photoshop expert for holiday photo perfection! It’s just too much.

Expensive endeavor but I still like getting photo cards.

Nonetheless, I love getting and giving Christmas cards. I love going to the mailbox and grabbing a stack of hand-written envelopes covered with Christmas stickers and fancy gold writing. It’s fun and exciting to sit down and pour through cards, photo cards and even corny family letters written in teeny tiny type barely legible. Call me old-fashioned, I also love setting aside a full day to write out all my cards to friends and family. Unfortunately, Christmas cards are drying up and are no longer flooding our mailboxes.

However…amongst the Christmas melodies of Shaggy, Elvis and Lady GaGa, walnut-fudge, and twinkling lights – Christmas 2011 will still connect us to our loved ones. Maybe not so much with the traditional Christmas card, but in full supply you’ll find a link to the family holiday blog (w/ Amazon ads) – a tweet – a text – a Facebook wall greeting – or a Holiday Greeting email with crazy clip art.

While oh so cool, I vote to let Christmas cards flow again… reinvigorate this simple old-school, worn-out, yester-year tradition in all its personal hand-written glory – preserved and cherished in its original form – just like the Christmas tree – and just like Santa Claus.

Because some things don’t need to change.

Use your charming personality to get the job!

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“Boring, dull, bland, quiet, crazy, loud, rambling, and just a bit strange.”

She took a call and lost the job.

If you’ve ever been in a hiring role, you’ve probably found yourself muttering at least one of the above words immediately following an interview! Over the years I have had the opportunity to interview many candidates. I have observed outlandish make-up, twitches, spacey stare-offs, red faces, odd-ball body noises — and atrocious attire.  A woman once took a call from her mother on her cell phone smack in the middle of an interview.
Truth is, there are very distinct behaviors that job-seekers do that ruin their chances, regardless if their resume glows or shoots out fireworks. Of course there are a lot of great tips out there, but they don’t hit home enough! Most articles ignore some of the most vital parts of the process.

If you are looking for a job today – in this pathetic market, please take note – every detail matters.
Phone screens – Each day you respond to online job ads sending out several resumes a day. The phone rings and you are hoping it’s one of them, calling you to interview on the phone.  Never-ever answer this call! Let it go to voicemail,  you need a few minutes to prepare and gather information. I have made these initial calls to applicants and they answer their phone confused and disheveled, as if to say “who are you?”.  So don’t make this mistake! Take the time to gather up your thoughts and your info – have the company website up and the job description front and center. You are now prepared to call back with your best foot forward.
In-person interviews – If they call you back and set up an interview you must prepare to win them over. Your expertise, education, creativity, and pulsating personality can help achieve this. You might want to underline “personality” as flawless performances put you at the top of the “awesome” list or “bring back” pile.

Remember, your resume and phone screen got you there––
who you are will help you to stay there.

Interview experts say decisions about YOU are made in a matter of seconds. The meter kicks in with your appearance, first and foremost. Aim to win the team over with your look.  You must dress your best, especially in a professional environment.

Excellent body language speaks volumes.

Women: Wear a suit — pants/jacket / pants/skirt — or jacket over a conservative dress (you get the gist).
Don’t wear a suit that makes you look masculine. Add touches of creativity, and/or femininity, i.e., colorful scarf tucked inside the lapel, or a single piece of jewelry. Your bag (purse) should rock and not scream bling-bling.  Choose one that is tailored, conservative, perhaps expensive looking — if possible. No wild colors to incite a riot!
Ladies should never-ever wear low-cut clothing or a short dress or skirt without nylons. Remember, this isn’t the club — never wear stilettos.

For the guys — dark suit and shoes that match is a must. Make sure your shirt is clean, sharp and current. No dated clothing!
Next –– always turn off the phone! Never-ever fiddle around with your iPhone, iPad, or computer of any kind – it does not make you look cool or important. Have a padfolio with you, a nice leather booklet thingy with paper inside where you can write and take notes.

More than likely his crummy disposition with ruin his chances for the job.

Personality style – Now that your look and style is nailed down, your
 personality is what’s really going to matter when interviewing in-person. Hiring managers expect your best foot forward. Be the first to put your hand out for a shake — on the way in and out. Keep a smile on your face and stay TUNED IN to the interviewer. If you have a tendency to drift, come back and stay connected. Listen to all that he/she says, and respond when you can.  Never-ever interrupt and give creative examples of how you would be a great fit for the job and company. Be lively, friendly, make eye-contact and TAKE NOTES. Have questions ready to go! Never stare off, try to ignore outside noises.
Finally, close with tight, relevant questions and ask what the next steps are. Leave with them reflecting on your manners, your appearance, your originality and your sparkling personality. Good luck with your job search.

Can YOU stop sweating the small stuff?

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Ever notice that some people around you are fussy and controlling? Of course you have, and it might even you! 

Her body language screams "something's not going my way"

Well, I have just committed myself no longer sweating the small stuff. Yes, it’s true…I gave it up mostly because I discovered it’s a fruitless, ridiculous endeavor. Not to mention it’s a very negative topic, but I think it is turning epidemic.
While acting fussy may get you what you want, or give you extra attention, there is no denying –– it is annoying. It won’t fix anything, it won’t solve anything , and it’s not a very attractive attribute for a forward-thinking, smart woman, no matter the age. Being fussy and controlling is for babies and old ladies — both of which I am not!  lol

While you may be doubting that you fit into this category (i.e., you are NOT a fusser), you may have control-freak friends that you may be able to help.  So, I have come up with a couple common fussy behaviors that may get some of us thinking.

Restaurants: a playground for fussy ones. Not hot enough; not cold enough; it doesn’t taste right; it’s cooked wrong – right, you know this.  Annoying the servers a little or a lot each time you visit a restaurant reveals more about you than the food.

The claim: “I’m a perfectionist”: You’ve heard this one before! It’s a common catch-all phrase that controllers/fussers use when they are in the midst of sweating the small stuff. They try to convince us that it’s their passion for perfectness that drives their compulsive behavior! A true perfectionist does not have to announce or convince us of their perfectionism. The saying also implies you are perfect, and you are not. I’d like to think that perfectionism is in the eye of the beholder!

Effects of sweating small stuff.

The need to barge in with our opinions: We all share guilt over this, including thy self. How about sitting still, giving someone the floor — listening to a friend or family member express their thoughts or opinion (sans yours). Doing this is very respectable and stress free! (Perhaps not at first, but you will soon experience a strong sense of freedom.)

 ”If speaking is silver, then listening is gold.”   Turkish Proverb

Changing everybody: This is the probably the worst trait of a fusser control-freak. You hate that there are Republicans, you don’t like Hooters or WalMart superstores and you especially don’t like people that tell you what to do – and quite frankly you just don’t agree with people that do things different than yourself!
Whatever your grievance you have a compulsive need to be vocal about it at every turn, making sure everyone knows all your “positions” and all your gripes.  For the hard-core fusser, it’s hard to grasp that your way (which you view as the proper and correct way) is not what people subscribe to.  But no matter how much you want to change everyone around you, it’s a senseless and ridiculous effort on your part.

Trying to change other people's opinions to YOURS can make you crazy!

I know from personal experience that complaining about things I can’t control, griping about stuff that can easily slide by, and forcing my opinions on others, is tiring. It’s living life sweating the small stuff. After you stop this chalkboard-scratching, crazy behavior, you will wonder how and why you ever participated in it in the first place!!
So, I am going to do my part and s-t-o-p fussing!
How ’bout you? Can you give it up? Are your days as a control-freak fusser over? lol

Rise up, wake up and let’s protest

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Wow!
It’s a beautiful fall day in San Diego. Living a few miles away from the coast I know what a few of us are doing today. Jogging along the beach, kayaking in the harbor, picnicking with the family, and mostly just enjoying life in this great town. But something else is going on.

Twenty-five miles south of me there are protesters covering the streets, camping out near City Hall acting out their 1st Amendment rights with a full-on protest. You know the one, they call it “Occupy Wall Street”, a grass-roots movement formed in New York several weeks ago.

Up until now I hadn’t paid close attention to this particular uprising against corporate greed and corruption, so I forced myself to tune in to understand the latest developments, I admit, I was a bit amused over one of the signs carried by an “occupation” protester. It read, “Where is my bailout?”

I don’t know if this is just one part of the theme, but it seems everyone everywhere wants a bailout. I know I do. If they are passing them out, I’ll take one. I was thinking about who really needs a bailout today. Seniors come to mind, but they are too old to fight the system. By no fault of their own they are still alive and too old to protest. Handicapped people had tons of cuts in 2011 by the government regarding their care, they could use a few bailout bucks.

Even though their focus is a bit cloudy, I think I get it. They are fired up, pissed off about a dragging economy, and to express their frustration they created a bottom up, organic, peaceful movement to have a voice. Ya gotta give that to them.

So what is the main theme? It boils down to general discontent with lawmakers and monster bonuses for those that work on Wall Street. They have also been very clear they they would like student loans forgiven, tax the hell out of the rich (voiced in the sinage), and they clearly detest the new extra bank fees (i.e., B of A).  Yep.

If I was to say something to you guys involved with national Occupy movement, I would urge you to clearly define your demands, or what you want as a solution to some of the concerns. I am not a protest expert, but I am a member of your audience. Glancing at your posters and signs – seems the issues are all over the board. Also, what’s with the 60s grubby look? Not at all powerful or authoritative. How do I know? Because the protester look has lingered on for decades, and now it’s just an outdated uniform that’s trying to represent the “oppressed”.

I happen to believe you guys are smarter than this – so please…step up, clean up, and speak up, if you do– you will be heard by decision-makers and respectfully so. Dragging your butts around the streets looking like a pot-smoking bums from the 60s and 70s who refuse to grow up, not cool, and not influential.

I like the power and  momentum of OCCUPY, but asking the government to fix all of our problems, nah.
Before I become a complete believer/supporter, I would like to hear something more succinct. Their quasi leaders say it’s not political but you would not know that from the signs held high in major cities across the US.
For now, the overall message reeks a little of anti-capitalism, but I admit, it’s probably too early to know.

Ode to X-ers, Y-ers, and Boomers

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She loves being a boomer.

Oh geez, I just found out today I might be a Baby Boomer. It sounds very senior. I decided to take an up close look into “boomer living” to see if my concept of boomerhood is accurate.
What exactly is a boomer? There are wildly differing opinions on the qualifications. Of course, no woman wants to be labeled as such, sounds a little like an ol’ post-war lady! But that’s not exactly the case.

According to the experts, baby boomers are babies that grew up between the years 1960 and 1970s. There are approximately 79 million boomers in the US (according to babyboomersguide.org), and 29% of our population are boomers. That’s a big number! Boomers are a special generation (according to the census bureau) born post WWII where there was a significant birth boom (i.e., war over, I’m home, let’s have a lot of sex.) Boomers are still making decisions about things that matter in this country (remember this number, 29% of our population are boomers). We have not gone to the glue factory yet!

If you are not sure where you stand, you should identify your boomer-ness:

  • You vividly remember JFK’s assassination
  • Grew up in the years 1960 through 1970
  • You still love and listen to that great boomer music (i.e., The Beatles, Doors)
  • You know if the castaways were rescued from Gilligan’s Island

Once established that you are a boomer, here’s what you should make sure you know in 2011:

  • How to send an email & how to download/upload an image
  • How to make a Facebook page
  • How to run a 5k
  • How to look young, sexy, up-to-date and fabulous during boomer-dom

Boomer resources:
boomer411.com
boomj.com
maturesinglesclick.com
aginghispters.com
tbd.com
Seniorfriendfinder.com

Lie down meetings and self-awareness

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Yay for me… I work in the corporate environment in my 50s with no end in site.  Not a bad deal, but lately I think I have become severely two-faced on the job.  On one hand, I fully enjoy the ritual of a paycheck showing up twice a month, right? But it’s the strings that get me. Such as doing the right thing repeatedly, being the ultimate corporate citizen

Livin' the office life

exemplifying a necessary “business persona”.  Like a soldier going off to war, I persevere regardless of my mood or the toughness of the task ahead. I wear business clothes and high heels, carry around a notepad to look prepared, and take part in non-stop meetings about the best ways to test pee (yes, pee). I keep my calm, listen to others, study up, nod my head at the right times and avoid arguments.
Unfortunately, the other part of me just wants to be me. I want to come in barefoot on casual Fridays, forget stuff, and talk crazy if I feel inclined. I want to be funny, make sarcastic remarks all day long, with everybody, including the President of the company where we might sit around inappropriately talking about employees. Net-net, I really just want to goof off all damn day without consequences or judgments and continue getting my paycheck. Gee.

There are some other things would have to change as well. In with new, modern stuff that makes sense. Take meetings… I would change them. Admit it, we are pretty much brain-dead by 3:00 pm. If your head is on overload the last thing anyone wants is a late-day meeting.  But if there has to be one, I would like to institute “lie down” meetings. The person holding the meeting simply speaks over those who have the balls to lie down. Because the attendees become relaxed, they can listen andretain information much better.

Relaxing through a late day meeting.

Truly, personal freedoms are essential and should be expressed at least every once in a while in the office in order to be efficient. I believe casual Fridays should turn into “F-ing Fridays” – one day of the week where you get to unleash bad language, a license to use the f-word all f-ing day. In fact, it’s f-ing mandatory. Just once a week… Hoo-yah!

How would you mix it up? Admit it, all business and no play, is too old school.

 

Friends and words

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I have recently noticed an influx of new ‘sayings’. I don’t know who starts them, but I certainly love interjecting one into the system. When my word finally gets used, I get very full of myself. YES! I say — someone is testing it out.
“Bugaboo” is one of my words. I heard it several years ago from a guy who was presenting on stage at a sales meeting and I stole it. He only used it once in his speech (very smart), but still, I got very excited. I know most of you have stolen a word and made it your own. It’s very much okay because no one can verify where the hell it came from. Just make sure you roll it out with little fanfare, and own it!
With each new circle of people I get to know, I unleash bugaboo. “There’s just one bugaboo in that process…” I say. When I see an eyebrow go up I know they want to grab it, and damn it if they don’t. Finally when they do test it out –– guaranteed their friends will think, oh, how cool!

I’ve also noticed a weird migration regarding some of the words I’ve always used. You may relate. Example, the other day I heard myself say, “What’s that gal’s name?” Gal. When in the hell did I start using gal? What happened to chick? Chick may have grown up to be gal, I don’t know, but thank God I am smart enough to know that in a business meeting its imperative I use gal. “The new gal is sharp – but her spreadsheet has a few bugaboos”.

I do love the way the youngins’ at my workplace remind us in subtle, yet somewhat passive-aggressive ways that they are young and we are older. “Have you ever seen the I Love Lucy show, I asked with a smile?” To which the young gal replied (and I mouthed), “Oh, that’s before my time”. Ha, ha… before your time? Then obviously you don’t know who the hell George Washington is! Actually, the bubble over my head said that. My mouth is much nicer and so I explain the iconic show to the dummy. Ooohhhh, she says, it sounds like a good show. My bad, I should have asked her about The Twilight series or Harry Potter (my mouth, not my bubble).

New words and sayings pop up all the time and it is critical that we learn them, despite the bigger and more intelligent words we got from college. “Old school, URL, bio-identicals, Match.com, Dr. Scholl’s”… you will need to keep these on-hand when you attend smart dinner parties or simply want to look like you know what the hell you are talking about.

You are here.

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Lately, I have found a major shift in how we think, and in a good way. Everything from how and where we spend, what we’re cooking dinner  – to new ways of marketing our home businesses; the tools for communication are red hot, and talking about it has never been easier. Facebook, Twitter, and blog posts have given us incredible jumping boards to more information.
So — yes, you are here! And, thanks for joining me. I have come to realize that there is expert in all of us, and we are ready and happy to share that with our peers. Regardless of how old you are or what your background is, we can learn from each other in ways that are simple and straightforward. 50sFab is part satire, part how-to, but more importantly it will grow into vital discussions about life as a 50-something and above. My goal is to share with you things of interest, topics that affect those within my age group including health and wellness, humor, fashion, work, family, and most importantly, how to see the brighter side when dealing with life’s angsts.

As a working woman in corporate America, I am obsessed with people and people watching. I take what I need, and leave the rest.
Each and every day I experience bloggable craziness from the moment I enter the slow lane on the 15 freeway early in the AM, until I call it quits at the end of the day, and then some.
I think you will relate to some of the madness of which I write — so I say, let’s blog! And come together to share our fabulous life in the 50s.