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Anne Holmes NABBW’s “Boomer in Chief”

Anne L. Holmes, APRNABBW's "Boomer-in-Chief"
I was thrilled to take over the NABBW reins from founder Dotsie Bregel, and now my primary goal is to grow the membership in the association by offering more and better services. I believe that this will help take the NABBW to its next level. With such diversity among Boomer women, I recognize this as a serious challenge, but it is one I am totally prepared to embrace.
Born in the early 1950s, I am delighted to claim the title of "Boomer in Chief" for the National Association of Baby Boomer Women. I see this as proof that I am using my communications talent and training to the best of my ability – and I love that the work not only combines all the skills and talents I have acquired over a lifetime of working, but it also brings me back to my roots. Here's why:
As a student in the 70s, I took several courses in gerontology while pursuing a graduate degree in communication. I became interested in aging, and decided to do my thesis on how the media could best reach and market to "plus-50" women.
At that time, my interest in "seniors" was a bit radical, since most marketers only concerned themselves with promoting to those under 50. The 18-49 demographic – which then included Boomers -- was the most highly courted.
These days things have changed, and business owners and marketers are now starting to recognize that plus-50 women – especially Baby Boomer women -- control the nation's purse-strings. In fact, women as a whole control almost 60% of the nation's wealth and make most of the consumer purchasing decisions these days, including:
91% of homes
60% of automobiles
51% of consumer electronics
Not to mention that today women control will likely inherit and manage even more wealth in the future, given that women outlive men by an average of 5 years.
Steve and I have been married for almost 25 years and have actually worked together for the last 15 years. People always ask us how we manage to work and live together 24/7. It's easy: "We divide the responsibilities: he's the tech guy, while I'm the writer. He looks out for male Boomer interests, while I focus on things female… It works out very well."
"Perhaps one of my best credentials in taking over as "boomer in chief" at NABBW and Boomer Women Speak, is that I am a fairly typical Baby Boomer Woman, and thus know a lot about what we are all encountering these days. I have true empathy for what all of us are experiencing. Among my life experiences:
Downsized, job loss and the subsequent financial challenges
Chronic illness (Type 2 Diabetes and Sleep Apnea)
Caring for distant parents with health challenges
Married, divorced, working single mom, remarried
Empty nest
Boomerang kid
Midlife crisis
Life reinvention
Started my own business
Wrote a book
Spiritual awakening
"In other words, I know what makes us Boomers. And I not only champion us, I take offense at those who would call us "unrealized," or infer that we Baby Boomers have not lived up to our country's expectations. After all, we Boomers have always been about blazing new trails, and we're not done yet!! Having tackled civil rights, women's rights, gay rights, then reinvented what makes up a family, and what the work environment looks like, our current task, in my opinion, is to restructure retirement."

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Great News: It’s Possible to Successfully Downsize Your Life And Benefit Financially, While Simultaneously Launching a Great, New Lifestyle

By Anne L. Holmes, NABBW's Boomer in Chief Periodically, as we Boomers age through the various stages of our lives, there come times when we face a major crossroad and we have to make huge, lif…By Anne L. Holmes, N…By Anne L. Holmes, NABBW's Boomer in Chief Periodically, as we Boomers age through the various stages of our lives, there come times when we face a major crossroad and we have to make huge, life-altering decisions. These days, instead of those decisions being related to school, work, marriage or the birth of our children or grandchildren, many of our crossroads  experiences begin with the letter "D." As in "Disease," "Divorce," "Death" -- and that other one, much less less serious, but still daunting -- "Downsizing." Today, we're going to talk a bit about downsizing - and hopefully…

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Book Review: Brent Green’s ‘Noble Chaos: A Novel’ Offers Rare Opportunity to Relive the Collegiate Experience of the Turbulent Sixties and Seventies

Title: Noble Chaos: A Novel Author Brent Green Audiobook narrated by Jack de Golia Reviewed for the NABBW by Anne Holmes Let me begin my review with this disclaimer: Brent Green's Noble …Title: Noble Chaos: …Title: Noble Chaos: A Novel Author Brent Green Audiobook narrated by Jack de Golia Reviewed for the NABBW by Anne Holmes Let me begin my review with this disclaimer: Brent Green's Noble Chaos, is a book that powerfully resonates in my heart. It speaks deeply to me, as not only was I a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison during the early 1970s, but Madison is my hometown. Which means I was there during the 1960's, when that campus became a hotbed of student activism, with student protests mostly focused on the highly unpopular Viet Nam war. In high school, I had a pa…

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Looking for a FUN & UNIQUE Holiday Gift? We Highly Recommend the New Board Game, Boom Again!

Awesome Boomer-Focused Game Recommendation by Anne Holmes for the NABBW What do a roller skate key, a roach clip, dog tags, a plastic 45 RPM record insert and a Students for Kennedy campaign but…Awesome Boomer-Focus…Awesome Boomer-Focused Game Recommendation by Anne Holmes for the NABBW What do a roller skate key, a roach clip, dog tags, a plastic 45 RPM record insert and a Students for Kennedy campaign button have in common? Well, beyond being items you've hardly thought about lately, perhaps they are triggers that remind you of your youth. (And if you found them in a cigar box under your childhood bed, we're certain of that.)    But these days, they are also tokens in an awesome new board game called Boom Again. A game that comes neatly packaged in a cigar box which gives you and your friends…

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Book Review: “Pap Pap Goes To Paris” is a Fun Picture Book to Gift to That Specially Beloved Child in Your Life

Pap Pap goes to Paris By Janie Dempsey Watts, Illustrated by Lyn Martin Reviewed for the NABBW by Anne Holmes Snow globes and the winter holidays always seem to go together, so this is a …Pap Pap goes to Pari…Pap Pap goes to Paris By Janie Dempsey Watts, Illustrated by Lyn Martin Reviewed for the NABBW by Anne Holmes Snow globes and the winter holidays always seem to go together, so this is a wonderful time for me to share author and grandmother Janie Dempsey Watts's delightful picture book about Ricky, his parents and his grandfather, who are lucky enough to live together. The book, available in both paperback and Kindle, is beautifully illustrated by Lyn Martin, who has previously illustrated more than 35 children's books. Not quite 30 pages long, the book is a perfect length f…

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BabyBoomer.org Puts the ‘Boom’ Back Into Boomers’ Lives

HEADLINE: BabyBoomer.org Puts the ‘Boom’ Back Into Boomers' Lives SUMMARY: BabyBoomer.org is an online community created by and for the Baby Boomer Generation. For details, visit https://babybo…HEADLINE: BabyBoome…HEADLINE: BabyBoomer.org Puts the ‘Boom’ Back Into Boomers' Lives SUMMARY: BabyBoomer.org is an online community created by and for the Baby Boomer Generation. For details, visit https://babyboomer.org. TEXT: They won’t go away, those Boomers—that shock-wave of a generation that disrupted the post-WW2 time-line while living through the Cold War, cultural revolutions, as well as everything good, bad, and ugly about the last half of the 20th Century; but wait, there’s more, and it can be found at https://babyboomer.org. Organizers put it this way: “BabyBoomer.org is an informat…

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Strigberger’s Latest Book ‘Boomers, Zoomers and Other Oomers’ Will Have You Laughing Over the Dread “A Word:” Aging

Title: Boomers, Zoomers, and Other Oomers: A Boomer-biased Irreverent Perspective on Aging  Author: Marcel Strigberger ISBN-10#:0995950121 Reviewed for the NABBW by Anne Holmes Canadian author …Title: Boomers, Zoom…Title: Boomers, Zoomers, and Other Oomers: A Boomer-biased Irreverent Perspective on Aging  Author: Marcel Strigberger ISBN-10#:0995950121 Reviewed for the NABBW by Anne Holmes Canadian author Marcel Strigberger says he is a humorist trapped inside the body of a former litigation lawyer. You might think that is a unique resume starter, and you'd be correct. I'm pretty sure I don't know of any other retired attorneys who can say that they have also worked as a stand-up comedian, sharing the stage with big-name humorists like Howie Mandel, Bob Saget and Jim Carrey. Although (sidebar he…

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Wish You Could Improve Your Mobility Without Pain Or Injury? The Book ‘Stretching for 50+’ Shows You How to Succeed

Title: Stretching for 50+: A Customized Program for Increasing Flexibility, Avoiding Injury and Enjoying an Active Lifestyle, 2nd Edition Author: Dr. Karl Knopf ISBN-10#: 1612436714 Reviewed for …Title: Stretching fo…Title: Stretching for 50+: A Customized Program for Increasing Flexibility, Avoiding Injury and Enjoying an Active Lifestyle, 2nd Edition Author: Dr. Karl Knopf ISBN-10#: 1612436714 Reviewed for the NABBW by Anne Holmes This slim, 128-page book is designed for people who know that health and fitness  are only achieved by staying active and doing as many good things for themselves as they can, says its Introduction. Most of us Boomers were taught a number of outdated fitness rules that could actually cause us more hard than good, says the author, who explains that it is not so much …

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‘Core Strength for 50+’ Author Says Your Core is Critical to Mobility, But You Won’t Need a Gym Membership to Achieve It

Title: Core Strength for 50+: A Customized Program for Safely Toning Ab, Back, and Oblique Muscles Author: Dr. Karl Knopf ISBN-10#: 978-1-612-43101-7 Reviewed for the NABBW by Anne Holmes F…Title: Core Strength…Title: Core Strength for 50+: A Customized Program for Safely Toning Ab, Back, and Oblique Muscles Author: Dr. Karl Knopf ISBN-10#: 978-1-612-43101-7 Reviewed for the NABBW by Anne Holmes From swinging a pickle ball paddle to lifting and toting a grandchild, or even hauling a bag of groceries, your core strength is everything. Balance, agility and youthful stature are just a few of the benefits of a toned and powerful midsection. This handy paperback book, Core Strength for 50+,  has everything you need to: • Improve your posture • Enhance your athletic performance…

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Jan Cullinane’s Latest Edition of ‘The New Retirement’ Is Like Having a Sage Life Coach on Speed Dial

Title: The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life   Author: Jan Cullinane (Foreward by Kerry Hannon) ISBN-10: 978-1-119-83815-9  Reviewed for the NABBW by Anne Holmes …Title: The New Retir…Title: The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life   Author: Jan Cullinane (Foreward by Kerry Hannon) ISBN-10: 978-1-119-83815-9  Reviewed for the NABBW by Anne Holmes This the third edition of Jan Cullinane's seminal work, and as Kerry Hannon says in her foreword, "(This book) is a persuasive reminder that retirement is vastly different today than in previous generations, and (it) will continue to mutate." As I write this review, we are living in a time of rampant inflation, post-Covid, when everything - especially food and medical care - costs more, and wh…

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How Are You Feeling These Days? Worn Down From Trying to Protect Yourself Against Coronavirus? Join the Club!

By Anne L. Holmes, NABBW's Boomer in Chief How are you feeling? We need to talk about the current coronavirus situation, as the numbers of infected people have been climbing since this past Decem…By Anne L. Holmes, N…By Anne L. Holmes, NABBW's Boomer in Chief How are you feeling? We need to talk about the current coronavirus situation, as the numbers of infected people have been climbing since this past December. I haven't discussed it much here earlier, because mask-wearing has been such a politically charged situation. But since the numbers here in the US just keep going up, I'm going to say I hope everyone in your family has been vaccinated, had their boosters -- and is wearing masks when you're out of the house. (Personally, I have also recently switched to wearing the KN95 masks, instead …

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Join Us for NABBW’s November 2021 Financial Podcast Featuring Pamela J. Sams, CRPC: Year-End Financial Checklist: Thursday November 18th

I am happy to announce our November 2021 NABBW Financial Podcast featuring Pamela J. Sams, CRPC, MBA, BFA and Trusted Advisor to Professional Women, which takes place this coming Thursday, and YOU are…I am happy to announ…I am happy to announce our November 2021 NABBW Financial Podcast featuring Pamela J. Sams, CRPC, MBA, BFA and Trusted Advisor to Professional Women, which takes place this coming Thursday, and YOU are invited.   November's topic: Year-End Financial Checklist   You will access the presentation  via a Zoom meeting. Nov 18, 2021 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)   You will need to register in advance for this one-hour meeting:  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZArdu2pqjovHtZBOf0NhnVv2RTGKwda99l9   After registering, you will receive…

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Book Review: “I Don’t Want to Turn 3” Is A Fun Kid’s Picture Book – With a Subtle Lesson

I Don't Want to Turn 3  By Gramps Jeffrey Reviewed for the NABBW by Anne Holmes This sweet picture book is author Gramps Jeffrey's first. He wrote it after having the opportunity to spend more…I Don't Want to Turn…I Don't Want to Turn 3  By Gramps Jeffrey Reviewed for the NABBW by Anne Holmes This sweet picture book is author Gramps Jeffrey's first. He wrote it after having the opportunity to spend more time with his grandkids during the past year's pandemic. Gramps says, "I wrote this book to read to (my) grandkids. Their reaction has been invaluable. As you read aloud and watch them begin to understand Jordan’s discovery of right versus wrong, you can see the older kids recognition that they have gone through the same dilemma. While the younger kids don’t quite yet understand the concep…

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Tips for Adopting a Renter Lifestyle after Having Been a Homeowner

Many of us have plans to "retire in place," maintaining our family homestead, which is generally larger than we might currently need, because it allows us space for hosting holiday family get-together…Many of us have plan…Many of us have plans to "retire in place," maintaining our family homestead, which is generally larger than we might currently need, because it allows us space for hosting holiday family get-togethers and because we have built up a lifetime of precious memories around it. Retiring or Aging in Place is a popular concept for the Baby Boomer generation, because it means we can continue to enjoy all the things we have come to know and love about the lifestyle we have been living. No need to uproot ourselves and relocate, which is a fun concept until you start to figure out all the changes you'…

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‘Baby Boomer Investing in the Perilous Decade of the 2020s’: Ronald Surz Pens Timely Book Based on His Engaging Baby Boomer Investing Show

According to author Ronald Surz, most of us Baby Boomers are going to be spending much of this decade (the 2020's, which are still in early days) in what he calls the Risk Zone - his term for the ten …According to author …According to author Ronald Surz, most of us Baby Boomers are going to be spending much of this decade (the 2020's, which are still in early days) in what he calls the Risk Zone - his term for the ten years before and after retirement. Surz, who has been an investment consultant since 1974, and brings with him excellent credentials, uses his book's introduction to explain why he believes the decade of the 2020s is a challenging time to be in or considering retirement. And because he wants more of us Boomers to be able to afford to live a dignified retirement. He points to four key challe…

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Travel Wings Clipped by Pandemic, Adventure Travel Writer Linda Ballou Pens Historical Novel About Equestrian Explorer Lady Isabella Lucy Bird: Embrace of the Wild

I was not initially familiar with the story of Englishwoman Lady Isabella Lucy Bird, so I didn't know what to expect when I began reading Linda Ballou's newest book, Embrace of the Wild: Inspired by …I was not initially …I was not initially familiar with the story of Englishwoman Lady Isabella Lucy Bird, so I didn't know what to expect when I began reading Linda Ballou's newest book, Embrace of the Wild: Inspired by Equestrian Explorer Isabella Bird. However I was lucky enough to read it just days after publication, and am pleased to tell you a little bit about the book. Right up front, let me say I was gifted this copy because Linda Ballou, an adventure travel writer, is NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate, and writes a regular column about her travels for the National Association of Baby Boomer Women.…

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Whether or Not You’ve Been Diagnosed, It’s Important to Take A Closer Look At The Effects of Type 2 Diabetes On Us Boomer-Aged Women

Diabetes in us older women can have negative effects as we age and experience menopause, making it crucial for us to know the warning signs and steps we need to take to live with it comfortably. …Diabetes in us older…Diabetes in us older women can have negative effects as we age and experience menopause, making it crucial for us to know the warning signs and steps we need to take to live with it comfortably. The month of November flew by so fast I didn't get everything done! Perhaps, you've also noticed that even in these COVID times, when we are staying home as much as possible, it's very easy to get distracted from our best-laid plans due to having to focus so much on just simply coping with day-t0-day life as it unfolds. As your "Boomer in Chief" of the NABBW, I had intended to write this post…

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Heidi Herman’s Book ‘On With the Butter’ Advises How to Spread More Living Onto Everyday Life

Being originally from Wisconsin, which boasts being The Dairy State, I have alway loved cooking, baking and eating foods made with real butter. (I'm actually a butter snob, truth be told.) So when thi…Being originally fro…Being originally from Wisconsin, which boasts being The Dairy State, I have alway loved cooking, baking and eating foods made with real butter. (I'm actually a butter snob, truth be told.) So when this sunny looking, smallish paperback came across my desk, touting that life is better with butter, I just had to pick it up and start reading. Of her reasons for writing the book, author Heidi Herman says, "This book was inspired by my other, who lived her life to the fullest. After my mom's recovery from a stroke in 2016 at the age of 92, my mom began promoting the message of living life with …

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Art Barry’s Book “The Downsize Side Hustle,” Offers Seniors a Winning Way to “Bet the House”

If you're a home-owning Baby Boomer looking for a profitable side hustle, this book is for you. You'll be especially interested if, going forward, your personal housing preference is not to move to…If you're a home-own…If you're a home-owning Baby Boomer looking for a profitable side hustle, this book is for you. You'll be especially interested if, going forward, your personal housing preference is not to move to a retirement community, but to stay in the family homestead - or at lest the home you currently live in - and "age in place;" yet you've realized that the kids don't have time to come visit very often, which means the family homestead, as it currently stands, is really too big for your current needs. This situation not only describes the experience of Art Barry, author of "The Downsize Side Hu…

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