Is there a Cholesterol Cover-Up?
May 14, 2013 by MJP
Filed under Boomer Health
I’ll bet there are tens of millions of baby boomers who take medication – e.g., statins – to control serum cholesterol levels. For several years I was one of them. Now I wonder if statins are the wrong solution for the wrong problem.
This Boomer is Barefootin’ for Good Health
May 11, 2013 by MJP
Filed under Boomer Health
One of the benefits of publicly writing about baby boomers and retirement is that I receive press releases and emails about new books, products and services that may of interest to those who read here. I read all of them and in a few cases, I request additional information about something that appeals to me. That was the case recently when I received a press release about BAREFOOTERS®, a radically different shoe. The manufacturer was kind enough to send me a sample pair. I have worn them now for almost two months. I really like them. You might also. I will tell you why.
Have You Had a Mental Health Tune-Up?
April 29, 2013 by MJP
Filed under Boomer Health
A short piece in the New York Times prompted me to follow-up with a brief “mental health” story about me. First, let me propose to you that almost everyone of us – boomers and elders included – could benefit from an occasional mental health check-up and tune-up.
How Much Trouble Can Six 62 Year Old Guys Get Into?
April 22, 2013 by MJP
Filed under Boomer Lifestyle
I am blessed to have high school friends who like to gather together on occasions that aren’t reunions. I am even more blessed that they are willing to include me in the gatherings. So how much trouble can we get into?
First Quarter Performance Review
April 8, 2013 by MJP
Filed under Investing for Retirement
The first quarter of 2013 is in the books and it’s time to look back and see what progress we made, if any. First up: net worth. Read more
At the Boomer Weight Loss Finish Line
April 1, 2013 by MJP
Filed under Boomer Health
When I weighed myself this morning, I was within the range of typical fluctuation around my high school weight of 165 pounds. This was the goal I established on January 2. I have lost 26 pounds in three months. I have also met another goal: I can now fit comfortably in pants having a 32″ waist, the size I wore all through high school, early adulthood, and again 18 months ago before I started all of my stress eating. (Again, not bragging here but trying to motivate others.) However, I am not stopping my weight loss plan just yet.
Is Longevity Insurance a Substitute for Long Term Care Insurance?
March 29, 2013 by MJP
Filed under Long Term Care
Most of the news I read about long term care insurance is bad. Insurers as a group did not properly analyze their risk. Consequently, they are imposing huge premium increases on policy holders and/or exiting the business altogether.
Retirement Saving Perceptions vs. Reality
March 21, 2013 by MJP
Filed under Retirement Planning
The 2013 Retirement Confidence Survey has been released by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. The findings expose severe problems among retirement savers.
Are You Meditating for Improved Health?
March 19, 2013 by MJP
Filed under Boomer Health
One key item on my personal transformation agenda over the past 14 months has been mindfulness meditation. I developed my personal meditation practice somewhat by accident. In February 2012 I met a psychotherapist who also happened to be a serious Zen practitioner. That encounter caused to me to begin reading about Zen Buddhism which, as you may know, places meditation at the center of its practice.
Upgrading My Boomer Music Collection
March 18, 2013 by MJP
Filed under Boomer Lifestyle
Over the past year I have made a deliberate effort to increase and expand my cultural activities. I have read (or listened to) 25 books, all non-fiction, most of which came from the library. I have taken an online course (free from Yale) in the Philosophy of Death. I have seen more movies in the past 12 months than I saw in the previous ten years combined. More recently, I have been listening to more music and in the process decided to expand my music horizons and collection.
