Dear Dotsie, "I shut my eyes in
order to see." ---Paul Gauguin
Greetings, The above quote reminds me of one of the ways I find clarity in the midst of a very busy life. Whether we shut our eyes, or simply stop and be still at different times during the day, we definitely need to set aside time for reflection. Hoping you find the time this summer to pause and consider the goodness in your life. Hang tight. Next week the updated version of NABBW will be revealed. It's a fresher look with new faces! I'll keep you posted. I'm excited to announce the www.BoomerWomenSpeak.com was chosen as one of the top 50 "most useful sites" on the internet for 50 plus adults by PreRetirementLife.com. It's a good thing I just turned 50. I may have felt left out. I might add that it's "useful" for boomers under 50 too. The NABBW is proud to have our new associate who can share her "going green" expertise. Diane MacEachern is the author of Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World. Diane urges women to use our consumer clout to protect the environment. Read more below. If you find yourself in the midst of caring for elderly loved ones (as I am) be sure to get the link to the audio from Barbara Friesner's teleseminar. You'll learn how to avoid the top 14 pitfalls of eldercare. Also be sure to listen in when author/speaker Jo Myers shares her tips for end of life planning. Sounds like a depressing topic, but it's essential to plan ahead for our parents and ourselves. Next month, we'll be touching on some writing issues. Whether you are interested in journaling or writing professionally, we'll have something for you. Then in August, we'll begin chatting about dating in the middle years. Fun, fun! The first three people to respond to the newsletter by telling what they like about NABBW or BWS will receive via snail mail, a copy of Things I Want My Daughters to Know, by bestselling author of The Reading Group, Elizabeth Noble - William Morrow publisher. Enjoy the issue and remember to share it with your friends. Onward with grace, Dotsie dots@nabbw.com What's the latest media news with the National Association of Baby Boomer Women and Boomer Women Speak? To read all about it, click Here! Testimonial! Connections lead to more connections. That's what happened to me recently. I was contacted by Me Magazine to be profiled for Second Time because of my connection with Boomer Women. Thanks NABBW! Nan Russell author of Hitting Your Stride www.nanrussell.com ***CLICK ABOVE for ADVERTISEMENT***
BOOMER WOMEN
FORUM NEWS FOR JUNE: The National Association of Baby Boomer Women is the only association devoted to addressing issues concerning 38 million of the healthiest, wealthiest, and best educated generation of women to ever hit midlife, baby boomer women. NABBW promises:
ADDED BENEFITS -
Offers!
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FEATURED ASSOCIATE Diane MacEachern, www.biggreenpurse.com Diane MacEachern, the author of Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World, is passionate about empowering women to use their marketplace clout to protect the environment. A best-selling author, successful entrepreneur, sought-after public speaker, and long-time conservationist, Diane encourages women to green the marketplace by choosing products whose use or manufacture offer the greatest environmental benefit. Through her new book, as well as her articles and speeches, she hopes to motivate women to take actions that will make a difference. She helps environmental organizations engage more women as members, activists, and donors. She also encourages companies to green their products to appeal to more women consumers. The BigGreenPurse.com website was named "2007 Best Green Website" by FutureNow. The site offers eco-lifestyle tips and shopping suggestions, as well as opportunities to join One in a Million, a campaign to encourage one million women to shift $1,000 of their household budgets to eco-friendly products and services. What's New? This summer, Diane and Big Green Purse are launching an initiative with Whole Foods in the North Atlantic region to put Big Green Purse eco tips in Whole Foods store aisles. The tips will highlight ways shoppers can shift their spending to earth-friendly products without breaking the bank. In fact, the ideas will feature changes that will actually save shoppers money (like buying whole fruit instead of pre-cut slices that are wrapped in throw-away packaging and can cost almost twice as much). What to do with the extra cash? Why, buy organic chocolate, of course! Diane is also embarking on an active public speaking tour. She hopes to reach thousands of women and invite them personally to join the One in a Million campaign (see more details on www.biggreenpurse.com). Among her scheduled presentations are the exciting BlogHer conference in San Francisco July 18 and the Bryant Park Library Book Signing in August in New York City.
FEATURED
MEMBER sponsored by the National Association of Baby Boomer Women and GRAND Magazine Here's the contest. You have 500 words to tell us your favorite grandparent memory. Knock yourself out. Take us back. Who was there, what were you doing, how old were you, why was the event so special? Submissions should be written in a Word document and sent as an attachment to contest@nabbw.com with FAVORITE GRANDPARENT MEMORY in the subject line. Deadline - July 1, 2008 PRIZE MONEY - $250.00 and F-R-E-E membership or renewal in the National Association of Baby Boomer Women. Plus your story will be published in the Our Voices section at www.boomerwomenspeak.com, and in the September-October issue of GRAND magazine. Please make sure to include your name, email address, and short (no more than 75 words) bio at the top of your entry. Men may also submit! (Should a man win, he can keep the $250.00 and give the free membership to NABBW to a boomer woman.) NABBW JUNE 2008 TELESEMINARS - Caring for Elderly Loved Ones
If you are unable to listen in on any of the seminars, or if you prefer to hear them at your leisure, visit the NABBW and sign in on the Member ONLY page which provides links to all our teleseminars. As a bonus, you can now choose the audio file or download the PDF (document) version and read the entire teleseminar. These are great to listen to while you are working or playing online. Just another benefit of NABBW! BOOMER BOOK REVIEWS We are happy to review member's books, products and services. This is a service that is FREE of CHARGE to NABBW members. Please email us if you are interested in seeing a review of your book, product, or service. NOTE: Once your book has been submitted, please allow ample time for the book to be read and reviewed. Books and products sent for reviews will not be returned. Kara D. Lane www.wakeuptopowerfulliving.com/ Reviewed by Melinda Cianos Buy this book! Author Kara Lane has worked as both a financial planner and CPA. Her careers have enabled her to work with a diverse group of people. Surveying their different backgrounds and motivations she was intrigued by the comparisons between those who make the most of any given situation and come out on top, and those who allow their efforts to be thwarted, consistently falling short of the mark. Her interest led her to look deeper. Through her prayers for increased purpose in her own life came the guidance to yield to the insights coming her way, given by those around her, and to put those insights into practice. In her book, Wake Up to Powerful Living, she promotes a clear and uncomplicated approach to issues that may be holding us back. Those who may be looking for a gentle nudging in the right direction, a possible explanation as to the reasons we may find ourselves repeating past mistakes, or ways to clear a path to new and exciting opportunities, find Lane provides alternative techniques that work. She offers twelve principles, among them are: Forgiveness, Take Care of Yourself and Be Honest. Her ideas are not new but they are refreshingly basic; and a return to those basics is often necessary and soothingly cathartic. The Cahill Factor: Turning Adversity into Advantage By Teena Cahill, Psy.D. www.teenacahill.com Reviewed by Melinda Cianos Buy this book! Teena Cahill wants you to turn "Adversity into Challenge." Dr. Cahill is a psychologist, counselor, and educator whose gift is the ability to help and heal. Her life's work has been helping people harness healthy lives. She puts her teachings to the test, however, when she finds her own life challenged. Facing a harrowing set of circumstances that change the structure of her life, she reaches out for understanding, hope, and health. With mastered skills and tenacity she moves with and through those circumstances. Chapters about change, humanity, power, opportunity and closure serve not to merely tell us about the way, but to show us. She quotes an anonymous author who wrote: "experience is a hard teacher; she gives the test first and the lesson later," but for those of us who become paralyzed by the test, the lesson may never be learned, and we have so much to lose if this happens. Cahill closes her story with a final chapter about authenticity accompanied by the simple but poignant words from George Elliott: "it is never too late to be what you might have been." She shares the methods for keeping growth and hope a part of your life, enabling you to claim that purposeful, authentic life . . . and to cherish it.
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MEMBER COLUMNS Vacation . . . Should You Take Mom? By Barbara E. Friesner Janice writes . . . My mother lives near me and my husband and demands my constant attention. No matter where I am or what I'm doing she drops in to my house or calls. Last summer my husband and I took my 2 daughters and 2 grandchildren to Disneyworld for a week. I really didn't think it would be something my mother would enjoy since she hates noise and crowds and is never too happy to be out of her recliner and frankly, I needed the vacation from her! But when I told her about our trip, she absolutely insisted on going. When I said no, she started in on my husband and my daughters. She even made comments to my grandchildren! Finally I gave in and we all headed off. Continue reading at this link: More from Barbara Pull Up to the Table By Donna Shepherd If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life. But a person who has no love is still dead. - I John 3:14 NLT tDo you have a favorite restaurant? What makes that particular eatery different from the rest? Each restaurant specializes, whether it's a hot dog stand or a fancy French restaurant. You won't get a fantastic piece of fresh salmon by going to a local pizza place, but you can probably order lasagna with homemade sauce or thick crust pizza piled high with the ingredients of your choice. Continue reading at this link: More from Donna Reassessing the Postponed Life By Wendy Reid Crisp for Editor in chief, GRAND Magazine A remote branch of the maternal side of my family recently compiled a genealogy and forwarded the report to my mother and me. The first thing I noticed were the errors: sons with names similar to fathers' and grandfathers' were confused; multiple marriages were tossed into bizarre salads of names and lineages. The second thing I noticed was that my grandmother was born in 1872. Two of her children, one of whom is my 94-year-old mother, are still living, as are my sisters and I, my sons and my grandsons. The math on this is what drew my attention: My grandsons have a great-great-grandmother who was born 136 years ago. Continue reading at this link: More from GRAND RETIREMENT-THE BEGINNING OR THE END By Karen V. Stephen, Ph.D. In what way is retirement an end phase of life? For women who are still working outside the home as the time for retirement approaches, retirement is an important transition signaling the end of a career. That career may have occupied all of their adult years or have been launched when they stepped out of the parenting role. It might have been part time to supplement or complement the family income or as the primary provider. For the majority of women, that career was juggled with responsibilities in the home and in the community. Continue reading at this link: More from Karen How To Organize for Tax Time By Sheri McConnell The words "simple" and "tax time" have probably never been uttered in the same sentence. Well, not until now at least. The key to a stress-free tax season is being organized all year-round. Trying to organize a week before or, even worse, the night before April 15th is setting yourself up for failure. Why You Should Organize for Tax Time Organizing for tax time helps you avoid misplacing important receipts and documents. Your stress level will be lower because you won't be rushing around at the last minute trying to get to the tax preparer and/or post office. Being organized for tax time also helps you save money because you are more likely to keep track of deductions if you have a system and you won't be charged a higher fee for having your tax preparer go through your piles of receipts. Continue reading at this link: More from Sheri Call a Friend - Empty Nesters By Natalie Caine "Over and over I am reminded that what gets us through painful times is a friend. We know that, but when we are hurting we isolate. We don't pick up the phone and ask a friend for help. We want to be the strong one. So I suggest you make a list of who you feel uplifted around? Who are you yourself with? Who is cheering for your happiness? Most of us play the role of supporter. We feel vulnerable when we reveal ourselves. Surprise is, we become closer to the friend who we speak our pain to. Being vulnerable and even sharing a "secret," bonds us. Continue reading at this link: More from Natalie Recovering from Romantic Fantasy By Judith Sherven, PhD Chances are you never thought you needed to be rescued from romance. In fact, you probably feel you need more romance in your life, not less. The truth is that most hearts are broken in the painful difference between the possibility of real romance, and the insistence on the fantasy of romance - with the real thing taking the loss. Recovering from romantic fantasy is based on your willingness to accept who you and your partner are - without deceit, without drama, without all of the false puffery so many of us put around our images of love, relationship and intimacy. Continue reading at this link: More from Judith The Laws of Unattraction! By Janice Taylor Chances are you've heard about the Laws of Attraction. The basic concept is that you attract into your life whatever you think about. Positive thoughts and beliefs create a positive life; negative thoughts and beliefs attract negativity. One sure way to get those positive vibes swirling out there is to be attracted to yourself, in a healthy and self-affirming way (not in a narcissistic, oh my goodness, I'm the greatest ever, where's the mirror - I need to look at myself again - kind of way). Truthfully, if you aren't attracted to you, if you don't fully recognize your qualities and embrace yourself, how attractive could you possibly be to the universe. Continue reading at this link: More from Janice Ready or Not: Is Your Community Prepared for an Aging Population? By Jan Cullinane Worldwide, "the number of older persons has tripled over the last 50 years; it will more than triple again over the next 50 years," according to the United Nations. In the United States, people over 65 already represent more than 12% of the population; this percentage will increase to 20% by 2030, according to the Administration on Aging. Below are more than a dozen suggestions that communities can implement (some already have) to be better equipped for a mature population: 1. Age-appropriate fitness and recreation centers 2. Walking trails and benches throughout community Continue reading at this link: More from Jan KEPT WAITING By Nan Russell "I don't like to be kept waiting," he responded when asked by the travel-study professor why he delayed the entire group for a third straight day. "Next time," the professor warned, "we won't hold the bus." The following day the bus left as scheduled, returning to the hotel late into the evening from a full day of learning and exploring. It also returned to an outraged man who was left behind when, once again, he was late for the designated departure time. Continue reading at this link: More from Nan Barbecue Tips By Diane MacEachern Does Memorial Day launch your summer barbecue season? Try these ideas for a barbecue Mother Nature herself would love. In the Market for a New Grill? Go solar. A solar stove cooks more slowly and won't get you the grilled flavor you expect from the barby. But it can't be beat for a clean-cooking cookout. (Models start at less than $200.) Choose gas or electric. Most grills use either natural gas, propane, charcoal, or electricity. Of these options, charcoal causes the most trouble, emitting more carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and soot than any of the others. Continue reading at this link: More from Diane Pursuit of Happiness -- It's Easier Than You Think By Joanie Winberg Most people are looking for happiness and long for that true feeling of success, peace and serenity. It's what we all strive for in our "fast-paced, get-stuff-done" type of lifestyle. Being happy is a choice you face every day of your life even if you are facing many challenges including divorce. Your life will always be filled with challenges. It is best to accept and admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway! The pursuit of happiness begins with learning to slow down and have fun. Taking just ten minutes a day to take care of you or self care can make a huge difference in your life. Continue reading at this link: More from Joanie
MEMBER NEWS
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RECENT READS Reading is one of my favorite pastimes. I enjoy sharing my reads with others. Here's what I read last month. Please email me if you can recommend any great books. Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion by Sara Miles Buy this Book Bringing Vincent Home by Madeleine Mysko Buy this Book Want to send flowers to a friend, or popcorn to a family or business? NABBW is now offering member discounts at www.1800flowers.com and www.thepopcornfactory.com
Click Below to View other Newsletters 5/01/2008 May Boomer Women's World
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Contact Information ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
email:
dots@nabbw.com
phone:
1-877-BBOOMER
web:
http://www.nabbw.com
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