This alert is for all Boomers who are currently dating, or have a friend who is dating, and believe that finding someone online is for fools if not downright dangerous.  Balderdash!  I tracked down some excellent advice from dating expert Dr. Gail Saltz, who wrote on the top 5 myths about find dates online, specifically for us:

Myth: "Most single people are much younger than me – it's much harder to find people my age."  
Truth: The truth is that there are many more age-appropriate potential mates out there than people think. According to 2010 U.S. Census data, almost 30 percent of the 78 million Baby Boomers are single. Every day, thousands of those single Boomers venture online to find companionship.

Myth: "I should wait to join a dating site until I'm ready to get married again."
Truth: The 50-plus singles polled in a recent national survey tend to be less interested in marriage than they are in companionship and long-term relationships. Their main objective is simply to live life to the fullest, and find someone to share the good times.

Myth: "Online dating is risky."
Truth: Dr. Saltz tells singles that meeting online is no less or more dangerous than meeting someone for the first time in the real world; and either way, keeping a few simple tips in mind will ensure a safe and positive experience: 1). always meet in public and drive yourself to and from the first few meetings; 2). tell a friend about your plans; 3). Google your date's name in advance to see what comes up; 4). don't do anything that would impair your judgment like too much drinking; and finally, listen to your instincts; if something doesn't feel right, move on; the right person for you is out there somewhere.

Myth: "Online dating is expensive and takes a lot of time and energy."
Truth: Some of its main advantages are that online dating is efficient, convenient and cost-effective. You can take things at your own pace, from the comfort of your home, at any hour of the day or night. This allows you to expand your pool of potential matches and be in control of when, where and how you meet other singles.

Myth: "People will judge me if they know I am dating online."
Truth: These days, everyone knows someone who met their mate online. And the results are often extremely positive: one in five new relationships and one in six new marriages began with an Internet date. In the last year, the number of dating site users 50 years of age or older has grown twice as rapidly as any other age group. And, bottom line, friends and family will be thrilled to learn that you are actively seeking companionship, in a new way that works for you.

You have been officially alerted.

A group of 4-10 year old’s were asked the question “what does love mean?” – in their answers are the real meaning of Valentine’s Day. 
Here’s a few:

_ From Rebecca - age 8
"When my grandma got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandpa does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."
From Billy - age 7
"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."
From Karl - age 5
"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."
From Chrissie - age 6
"Love is sharing even if you think you don't have enough."
From Keisha - age 8
"Love is like medicine, and hate is like poison. If everybody knew that, we'd all be happy."
From Danny - age 7
"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."
From Noelle - age 7
"Love is when you tell a boy you like his shirt, and then he wears it everyday."
From Mary Ann - age 6
“Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."
From Jessica - age 8
"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People might forget."
And finally, this from a four year old whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, really. I just helped him cry."

You have been officially alerted.

_Last week I attempted to put all the annoying things people do into a top 5 list; I say attempted, because…well…there was overflow… I couldn’t keep it to just 5 things.
So, as promised, here is my continued list: the next top 5 most annoying things people do:

_ 5. Since companies are now people….what companies call “customer service” by phone… ...automated systems that try to resolve your issue without letting you talk to an actual person. But, here’s the work-around…don’t use your keypad if they give you the option to respond by voice; the voice option allows you to bypass the system by consistently repeating “agent” or “customer service” - whereas once you use the keypad, you’re stuck listening to all those options and pressing four more extensions before they finally give you the secret extension number for reaching a live agent…a number they change regularly, by the way, so don’t write it down for future reference…
4. People who sit at the machine at the gym, texting...
completely oblivious to the line of people, there to actually work out, waiting to use the machine…
3.  Becoming a member of Congress…
2.  Use junk contacts as a form of marketing...
...this includes junk mail, pop-ups and other unwanted banner ads online, unsolicited telemarketing and/or “vote for our candidate” calls, and junk emails like the latest one I’ve been getting about “100% free vouchers for SW Airlines!!!”; this does not, however, include emails from Nigeria about that lottery they’ve been running…I still hope to win that one!
1.  And the other number one most annoying thing people do:
Allow their children or grandchildren to run amok in stores and places of business like they’re on Old MacDonald’s farm, their idea of controlling the little monsters being something along the line of “now little Joey, you stop stabbing that woman’s leg with that sharp object that I’ve inexplicably given you to play with, and  ripping all the items off the shelf while screaming about the bag of candy you want, or I’ll give you a stern look before I go back to comparison shopping….”

If you have an annoying thing people do to add to my list, send it to terri@boomerradioshow.com.
You have been officially alerted…

_This alert may sound more like a rant – OK, it is more like a rant – but it is an alert, too, because what I’m about to share is really annoying behavior that is either exhibited far too often by my fellow Boomers (so we’re setting a poor example), or impacts us more than younger generations.
Here is my list of the top 5 most annoying things people do:

_ ....Gleaned from The Boomer Project, run by bestselling authors and Boomer Marketing Experts Matt Thornhill & John Martin. They believe, as do I, that Boomers have been and will continue to be a major society-transforming force.  In that light, these are their predictions, with some thoughts of my own mixed in, for how the changes we are making for our own well-being, will change the meaning and activities of aging, throughout the coming year, and well into the future:

1.  Remaining At The Head of the Table much longer
Boomers head more households than any other generation. So for 2012 and beyond, Boomers will remain the epicenter of most household decisions, unlike the generations before them at this age.
2.  Embracing City Living In Retirement
An increasing number of Boomers are attracted to the variety of activities, energy, and hassle-free lifestyle advantages offered by the center city and new urban villages, like walkability to all needed stores/services, and lots of public transport.
3.  More Boomers Will Get Religion
This prediction comes from the fact that the median age in America increases every year as Boomers grow older, and older people are more likely to attend church than younger folks.
4.  Becoming Ever More Wired as We Grow Older
Almost half of Internet users aged 50-64 use social media now, an 88 percent growth from 2009.
In 2012, as more Boomers experience the value of social networking, use of these tools will start to permeate every aspect of life, changing forever the notion that aging means being out of touch with the use of technology.
5.  Health and Well-care Will Be Everywhere
Boomers' spending on health, wellness, fitness, and physical appearance will increase in 2012, and continue to increase in the years to come. So look for health systems rather than shopping malls, becoming the center of communities; exercise services will thrive; and pharmacies and food markets will become more wellness oriented.
6. Boomers Will Make Volunteering Cool Again
Over the next ten years, Boomers are projected to swell the ranks of volunteering by almost 50%. Our deep-seated motivation and available time will benefit all organizations that rely on volunteers.
7. Boomers Will Drive Green Innovations That Matter
In our research, 80% of all consumers told us they think or act "green," or in an "environmentally responsible" fashion.  Leading the way are Boomers who rate themselves greener than the other generations, no surprise to me since we Boomers started the environmental movement!
8. Boomers Will Lead the Age of Responsible Consumerism
Mass consumerism fueled by Boomers has peaked. The Great Recession, timed with the green movement, volatility of retirement accounts, and anticipated governmental cuts ahead, has helped usher in Responsible Consumerism.
9. Boomers Will Create the "Longevity Economy"
We are not only living longer, we are living more active, productive lives well into our seventies and beyond. As a by-product, a growing portion of our economy will be based on the behaviors, needs and desires of the 50+ market.
10. Boomers Will Support a Thoughtful Plan for America's Future
Boomers are transformational. Throughout their lives, Boomers have led or supported many societal shifts – from civil rights to women's rights.  We believe Boomers, the cohort with a lifetime of rejecting the status quo, will ultimately support a thoughtful path forward.

For more detail and to see the full list, go to The Boomer Project.

You have been officially alerted…

_(re-air of an earlier show)
Ageism is alive and well in product manufacturing circles.  I’ll explain.

If we believe what we see in their advertisements, we Boomers barely exist. Which is absurd even on its face: the mere size of our generation alone makes us hard to ignore.  But when it comes to major advertisers, ignore us they do unless they’re marketing any item for the aged. 

Why is this a problem, you may be thinking?  Because if marketers think we don’t count, that means the product and service sectors they represent also think we don’t count…which is why you see most products geared to young people…not us.

And you know, given the statistics, you’d think every product on the planet would be trying to get our business…after all:

• Boomers spend a whopping $2.3 trillion annually on goods and services; that’s $400 Billion more than any other age group
• We hold 65% of all disposable income

Sadly, however, the vast majority of products & services are glorifying youth while peripheralizing us….in fact, according to most product manufacturers and the 30 y.o. marketing geniuses they hire, we Boomers’ lives boil down to the following three things…

1. Taking Lots of Pills: …apparently the main things we need or use in life are medications…. Don’t get me wrong… I too want to see the complete eradication of erectile dysfunction in our lifetime – and keeping our arteries unclogged is a noble calling!  But our sperm and cholesterol counts are not all that make up our lives…  Oh, and if your idea of relaxation is sitting in two separate bathtubs on a mountainside, what a waste of a good dose of Cialis…
2. Sitting around all day thinking about Life Insurance: Apparently we’re all about to die, so we better get that insurance policy really soon or our offspring will disown us…
3. Slathering on wrinkle reducers & gray hair cover-ups: First of all, I like my laugh lines, and don’t want to eradicate them likes rats in the subway…and who knew that a few gray hairs would put even the most famous of football stars in the old-age home (remember that one???)  But, you know what’s really pathetic?  Even the wrinkle reducing creams, although clearly meant for us, are not marketed to us! The majority of models used in these commercials look to be the ripe old age of 22…How silly is that?

And, what’s not marketed to us?  What products are advertised directly to, and therefore designed to meet the needs of those ages 18-39?

• Most cars (other than the Toyota Venza)
• Most clothing (other than Ann Taylor)
• Almost all cosmetics
• Vacation destinations
• Fitness Clubs
• Electronics
• Jewelry

My fellow Boomers, you are being given the shaft by the very products we need and use…which as a result are being designed to meet the needs of a younger consumer, from packaging print that requires a microscope to read, to hotels designed to look quite hip at the expense of comfort – great for kids, bad for us…  Ageism.

Here’s what to do about it; it’s simple and easy.  Use your considerable purchasing power to buy the products, and use the services of those companies smart enough to market directly to us – because by doing so they have proven their dedication to us and our specific needs, and deserve our dollars.

A good place to start is with these four businesses that have on-going campaigns targeted directly to us: Dove, Hardrock Hotel & Casino, and the aforementioned Toyota & Ann Taylor.

You have been officially alerted.

_Last week, I ended the 9/11 10th anniversary show with my alert, leaving you with my call to action for us – that we as a generation, start and lead a movement to reignite the cooperation and respect for each other, regardless of race, religion, or political party, that we displayed in the weeks and months following that day.

This hit a cord, because I received a number of responses, most, unfortunately, sounding not too hopeful.   Comments like “You say we’re so powerful, but we’re not” and “I agree, and I’ll try, but I don’t believe it will do much good….” 

To these, and all my fellow Boomers who still don’t believe that we can, once again, influence major change, I say this: I’ll start with the most obvious – you are as powerful as you believe you are – if you think of yourself as powerless, you render yourself so – but it doesn’t mean you don’t have the capacity to be a powerful influence if you choose to exert it.  Which we did in our youth, so we have the experience.  We fought for, and won, significant gains in women’s rights and improvements in water and air quality (remember the river in Cleveland that was so polluted it actually caught fire in 1969?), enactment of laws that prohibit discrimination, and hey, if you and your spouse lived together before you got married, that’s thanks to our generational determination to make it socially acceptable. 

We have a proven track record for making big changes in this country – in fact, we have had the greatest societal impact of any other generation in the nation’s history, period.  But, OK, if that doesn’t convince you, how’s this.  It took only 56 men to get this country started (the number in the Second Provincial Congress, better known as the Continental Congress); and if they had felt as you do…that we’re not capable of getting something important done, there would be no United States of America. 

So, Boomers, if you believe that being respectful of each other is just the right thing to do, that the loss of civility is the rot that is causing our national house to crumble, then join the movement. 

I promise, example is the best way to make important things happen.

_How vividly do you remember those days and weeks immediately following 9/11?  Did you make sure your flags were prominently displayed?  Did you feel both angry, and humbled?  Most importantly, did you feel a deep sense of connectedness to your fellow Americans, regardless of race, religion, or political party?

For quite a while, months in fact, after we were attacked, unity through a heightened civility with each other, was our way of showing just how great a nation we are – we chose to show the world that we the people of the United States would come together, be good to each other, respond to our crisis by strengthening our bond to our fellow citizens.

It went beyond letting the car into your lane rather than cutting off your fellow driver; it was a profound understanding that if we didn’t stick together, we were allowing those who wanted to destroy us – succeed. 
Because, after all, just as President Lincoln implored his fellow Americans during our civil war, so we seemed to intuitively comprehend in those days after 9/11/2001: a house divided against itself cannot stand.

Ten years later, we’ve not just lost that sense of unity, that determination to work together to make things whole again – we’ve gone to the opposite extreme.  We’ve become mean, our political discourse reduced to name calling and demonizing people with ideas or positions other than our own; we have become a house divided.

So today, on the 10th anniversary of the day we were viciously and shockingly attacked by people who hate us, I ask you, my fellow Boomers, to start yet another social movement – something we do so well.  I’m asking that we start a conscious and concerted movement to reignite mutual respect whether or not we may agree, replace venom with virtue, in essence, make civility cool.

We Boomers still run this nation; with our vast number as well as our wallets, as heads of corporations, as the majority in both houses of Congress.  We can make this happen.  Remember how you felt after 9/11/2001 – how we all treated each other – and make it so once again.