Many of us were called ‘Hippie’s ‘in our youth, and part of what identified us as such was our concern for our environment.  We saw the polluted rivers and littered landscapes and recognized the damage it was having on the environment.  Our voices prompted public service announcements such as the infamous Keep America Beautiful ad below.

Our collective voices prompted U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson to found Earth Day as an environmental teach-in on April 22, 1970 and our passion for preserving our environment has caused it to grow into a worldwide celebration.

And as a generation we’re still doing our part to make our world a better place.  Reports and studies show that baby boomers are more likely to recycle and do things to preserve natural resources than other generations.

Baby Boomers can be proud of the role that they have played and continue to play in ‘going green’.

• Yoga- I’ve actually done yoga in the past and I actually looked forward to the classes, but would it lose its luster if it were a long term daily activity?
• Dance class- I love to dance and think that those dance/exercise classes look like a lot of fun. But they also look like they are full of beautiful fit young people. That can be pretty intimidating for a middle aged chubby chick like me.
• Wii Fit- Ok, getting fit while playing a video game sure seems like it could be a fun way to get fit. But does it really work?
• Walking- It’s free, it’s easy and it doesn’t require any additional equipment.It’s one of the best exercises available. Unfortunately my best intentions for getting into a walking routine are easily sidelined.

Yes, I know, my biggest issue is doing something. Anything.  But I really would like to believe that it’s possible to have fun and get fit at the same time.  What do you think?  Do you have the perfect fun fitness routine?  Do you do any of the things on my list?  Do they work?

Are they fun?

Let me know by leaving a comment below or creating your own post in the Boomer Voices section.

Still, with so much snow on the ground, and school cancellations in effect, I couldn’t help but recall the memories of my own childhood snow days.

A snow day was better than a holiday because it came unexpectedly, perhaps negating that spelling test or math quiz that we all were dreading. Those of us that had to be dragged out of bed on normal school mornings could be found sitting by the television or radio well before our alarms went off, listening intently to the listing of school districts, practically holding our breath in anticipation. It was music to our ears when the DJ or news anchor called out our school. Fist pumping, happy dances and shouts of joy were performed in celebration before rushing to the kitchen to grab breakfast.

Ah yes, the advent of a snow day turned even the most reluctant riser into an early bird. A bowl of cereal was quickly devoured and then we began the process of getting ready to head out into the snow. Long johns and sweaters, snow pants, scarves, mittens, hats, heavy wool socks, bread wrappers on each foot to make sure the snow that got into the snow boots didn’t make it to our feet. Last but not least, the winter jacket, which was more like a parka.

Yes, we probably did resemble the Stay-Puft marshmallow man.

We were ready to head out into the snow to build snow forts guarded by snow men, go sledding on the nearest snow bank, and have massive snow ball fights. We took breaks only for lunch and a bathroom break and then we were back outside. And by the time it began to get dark and our parents called us inside, we were covered in snow.

Our cheeks were rosy from the cold, but underneath all of that protective gear we were sweating. We dug into our dinner, ravenously hungry from all the activity and by the time bedtime rolled around there wasn’t the normal battle for five more minutes because our eyes were already drooping with exhaustion.

Do kids still spend their snow days that way? Do you have winter weather memories? If so, please leave a comment or share your own story in the Boomer Voices section.

I remember the Mystery Date game. It was my aunt’s favorite game and I can remember playing it with her often. I also remember several gifts that I practically begged Santa to bring me for Christmas.

The first was the Barbie Camper Van. I was big into Barbie as a 7or 8 year old, and my own family had the neatest VW camper van, so it stood to reason I wanted my Barbies to have one too. I can remember not only sending a request on my letter to Santa, I also passed it along when I sat on Santa’s lap.

The second gift that I remember feeling was the most important thing in the world for me to have was a bicycle. But not just any bicycle, a pink bicycle with a banana seat. Remember those? I was on my very best behavior from October through December in the hopes that being good would convince Santa Claus that I should be the proud owner of that bike.

Luckily, I didn’t suffer the same fate as Laura and Neil in the movie, they didn’t get their special gifts and stopped believing in Santa. Santa came through for me. In fact, I can still remember the excitement of seeing that camper van, left unwrapped under the sparkling tree with a live action barbie to go with it. A few years later my banana seat bike stood reflecting the colored lights of the Christmas tree. That’s right, I still believe in Santa Claus.

How about you, can you remember a gift or gifts you just knew Santa would bring you?

Those Were the Days My Friend…

By Mary Ann Dore

I think I’m turning into an old and crotchety Boomer! I’m tired of watching yet another police squad use a battering ram to break down the door of suspected drug house. The Housewives of (fill in the blank) are not women with whom I’d want to associate. Watching the turmoil on another episode of John and Kate doesn’t make me feel good. Entertainment Tonight doesn’t entertain me.

When did reality TV and CSI become the standard fare of evening TV? When did hundreds of channels from which to choose help make my choice of the off button easier? Do the kids of today or even yesterday know what comedy without personal injury or off-color language is?

I want to escape from reality shows, I want to be entertained with rib-tickling, bellylaughing, side-splitting comedy. I want to be able to turn back time and let the pressures of my day dissolve in laughter.

I want to watch Vicki Lawrence and Harvey Korman make Carol’s shoulders shake as they veer from their rehearsed lines, to hear Goldie’s infectious giggle as she “Socks It To Me”. I want to hear Sonny and Cher’s banter and I’d even listen to Captain and Tennille sing “Muskrat Love” again.

I’d prefer to get the day’s news from Rosanne Rosannadanna, to hear Ernestine snort as she dials the phone and asks “is this the party to whom I am speaking?” I want to watch Flip as Geraldine exclaim “The Devil made me do it!” I want to hear Flo’s southern drawl exclaim “Kiss My Grits” again. I’d love to imagine sipping a beer at the bar and joining the other patrons as they yell “Norm!”

I want to see John Belushi’s antenna wiggle as he portrays a Killer Bee on SNL, or John Cleese lope up the stairs at Fawlty Towers. I’d love to laugh until it hurts at Tim Conway’s Siamese Elephants or Dentist’s sketches.

I’d venture to guess that with 90 million Baby Boomers in North America, I’m not alone in my longing for the return of the funny side of TV. The good news is that Hulu.com and YouTube provide the escape I’m seeking in short excerpts from some of the classic comedy shows.

What shows would you like to see return for your viewing pleasure? Inquiring minds want to know – voice your opinion in the comments section of this post or a post of your own through the Boomer Voices section.

Online and mobile technologies and practices that people use to share opinions, insights, experiences, and perspectives with each other.

In fact this blog is considered a form of social media, since it allows for sharing of information and the ability for you, the readers, to interact and add your own information and opinions.
For those of you that think all of the technological mumbo jumbo is best left to the ‘young folk’, think again.  In February and March of 2009, our age group was the fastest growing demographic on Facebook. Apparently, unlike our predecessors, we’re a generation who’s willing to not only face the computer age, but to embrace it.

But why join a social networking site like Facebook or Twitter?

One of the biggest reason Baby Boomers give for joining Facebook is to reconnect with people.  High school classmates, former co-workers, and family members can all congregate on the site.  It’s like a virtual class or family reunion.  With the ability to share pictures, we can see just how well the star football player and head cheerleader have done for themselves and stay in touch with children and grandchildren no matter where they may live.

As for Twitter, at first it may seem pretty pointless, but watch what happens when breaking news takes place.  Twitter has the story before the news channels do.

For example, when the USAir flight 1549 made its emergency landing in the Hudson River, the first reports and pictures were received by users of Twitter.  Those of us following along as the ‘tweets’ (the 140 word or less messages are called) came through from eye witnesses as all the people aboard were rescued.

And it’s not just the big stories. When I-40 was under construction this summer near my home, I got frequent updates as to the traffic congestion via Twitter, delivered straight to my cell phone.  This allowed me to choose an alternate route home and miss out on the frustration of being caught in traffic.
I’ve also made ‘Twitter friends’, other Twitter users in my local area whom I’ve gotten to meet with. Definitely a bonus for me, since I’m a newbie to the area.

And new uses for Twitter are coming to the forefront all the time, take for example @BoomerAuthority. @BoomerAuthority is  a free service on Twitter that advocates a change from one-way communication to one of listening and two-way conversation. Through Twitter, Boomer Authority connects you to qualified professionals who will first listen and then help you with your question.

So how about you? Are you a Social Media Boomer? Yes? No? Tell me why or why not by leaving a comment.

We’ve experienced the first man on the moon, Woodstock, female supreme court judges, the first black American president,personal computers, and so many technological advances I couldn’t begin to name them.  We’ve seen things come and go like 8 track tapes and BetaMax videos and we’ve ushered in things that were only imagined in science fiction novels.

So it shouldn’t surprise us that, as a generation, Baby Boomers face aging differently than any generation before us as well.

Thanks to advances in medicine, we’re more aware of the importance of nutrition and exercise in keeping ourselves healthy as we get older.  We also know that it’s important to exercise our minds as well as our bodies and video game manufacturer’s are now offering us games that will help keep our minds sharp too. Some of us have embraced things like plumping injections and plastic surgery to match our appearance with our youthful outlook.

But perhaps one of the most important differences in our generation is our understanding that we can age, without necessarily getting old.

We’re not afraid to learn new things and take on new experiences because we don’t let the number of candles on our most recent birthday cake dictate what we can and can’t do.  No longer do we see age as a hindrance to following our dreams.

Whether it’s learning to fly an airplane or paint a landscape, we tend to embrace lifelong learning and seek to truly experience life, not just live it.

Baby Boomer News is the magazine that will help us explore, learn and experience life to the fullest.  Be sure to head on over to the website and poke around. Click on the links; check out what the site and the magazine has to offer.  I think you’ll agree that it is as unique as our generation tends to be.

The woman in front of me smiled slightly, her eyes sparkling as she looked at me and said, “I loved him when I was a teenager.”

I smiled back,” Me too”, I admitted.

And suddenly an instant kinship was born with a perfect stranger. We giggled like school girls recounting our infatuation for a former teen heartthrob turned middle aged producer.  Then the cashier rang up my new friend’s sale and she was gone.

But the warm, fuzzy feeling of connection lingers with me even now, weeks later.

There’s just something about making connections with someone who shares your experiences that makes you feel good inside.

I want to welcome you to My Boomer Community, and the official blog for the new magazine, Baby Boomer News.

It’s a magazine for us, the Baby Boomer Generation, that will not only allow us to fondly reminisce about things like teen idols, television shows and fads (remember Pet Rocks?), but it will also address those things that are important in our lives now.

Many of us have struck out independently and started our own businesses. Our concerns range from our financial futures to caring for our children as well as our aging parents.  We’re trying to stay active and healthy and we enjoy things like travelling, eating out and getting involved in our communities.

Baby Boomers are looking to ‘go green’ and understand the need to preserve our local and global ecology. We’re a generation aware of how our actions will affect the generations to come.  We’re reading our news online instead from the paper over morning coffee and we’re more likely to be carrying a Blackberry and laptop than a briefcase these days.

And now we have a place to connect with one another about all of these things; a connection that won’t end when a cashier finishes the sale.

I encourage you to visit the Baby Boomer News website and look around, kick off your shoes and stay awhile.