If you could write a letter to the child you were and give some nuggets of wisdom, what would you say? Here\’s my letter. It\’s helped me tune into some insecurities and fears that have been hanging on for years. Getting in touch with these is the first step to letting them go. Advice to the Little Girl Who Would Be Me ———- Dear Little Karen — I am writing you from years in the future to let you know that I think of you often. I\’m in my fifties now. Yes, honey, that\’s a REALLY big number! And you are a special little girl with sparkling eyes and the... Read More

As you know, travel is often a high priority for those of us who are looking forward to retirement or who have already started this transition. SmarterTravel.com has a fun list of “The World\’s Worst Tourist Traps.” Feeling a big smug, and considering myself fairly well-traveled, I scanned the list and was mortified (elated?) to see I\’ve visited 9 out of the 10 places -and the 10th one is on my to-do list! So, here is the list from SmarterTravel.com. What “Tourist Traps” do you feel are missing? And, so you agree that these sights are tourist traps? (My own vote is for South... Read More

This is my first column here at NABBW and I\’m very excited to meet all of you. I believe that a great way to get to know someone is to share a little something. So here\’s a revelation about me: I love ruby slippers! Yes – the classic Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz kind, or my very own snazzy, red sequin Converse sneakers! Ruby slippers mean a lot to me, in part because I always wanted red shoes when I was a child and never got them. My mom believed in black patent leather, saddle oxfords and navy blue Keds – that was it! The slippers are also important to me because I believe... Read More

How does an all-inclusive (except airfare) ten-day trip to the Pacific Northwest for two adults for $2745 sound? Having lived most our lives on the East Coast and a decade or so in the Midwest, my husband, Roger, and I wanted to drive the glorious coast of Oregon and incorporate Crater Lake, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Mount Rainier National Park, and Redwood National Forest into our travels. So, I designed an itinerary that began and ended in Portland, Oregon (we drove 1,600 miles in total, but most of the scenery was breath-taking, so the journey was really an integral part... Read More

I love this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, and decided to make it one of my 2010 Resolutions. Although doing something out of my comfort zone every day is too ambitious for me, I am trying to incorporate that philosophy in little ways. For example: Shooting a gun. I\’ve never shot a gun in my life, but I made a reservation at a shooting range (through some neighbors) for April. Can\’t really see myself aiming at a target and using a pistol, but that\’s what I\’ll be doing. The Tyra Banks Show. I can speak backwards fluently, and I contacted the Tyra Show about my weird... Read More

First, let\’s start with some facts from Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever about women and negotiation: The Million Dollar Difference. “Women who consistently negotiate their salary increases earn at least $1 million more during their careers than women who don\’t.” Ouch! “Going to the dentist” is how women described the process of negotiation, while men picked “winning a ballgame.” We avoid negotiation four times as often as men. First salary. A woman who fails to negotiate at the very beginning of her career will be down by $500,000 in lifetime earnings by the time... Read More

Travel is frequently listed as one of the “must do” things on retirees\’ lists, and resort hotels that not only pamper but also include natural beauty, history, great food, and lots of recreational opportunities are very attractive. Here\’s the lowdown, in no particular order, on five of these resort destinations I\’ve visited recently; they are located in the eastern part of the country, and some are offering enticing incentives during these tougher economic times (golf, tennis, pools, and spas are part of each location unless indicated): The Greenbrier Resort, White Sulphur... Read More

Over the past several months, my husband and I visited the Oregon coast for ten days, Boston and Nantucket for six days, and Ohio for five days. We’ve learned two ways to save money when flying to your destination, and I’d like to share them with you. Our trip to Oregon entailed a very early morning departure from an airport that is over an hour away, and rather than wake up in the wee hours and drive, we decided we’d like to stay close to the airport the evening prior to our departure. We discovered two sites, ParkSleepFly.com and Stay123.com that allow you to book a hotel/motel for a reasonable... Read More

We\’ve heard the scary statistics about the expanding waistlines of the American public – a 2009 CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) study reports that a third of adults and 16% of children are obese. Proposed culprits include TV, the Internet, inactivity, viruses, lack of sleep, easy availability of fast food, heavy friends, genetics, side effects of medicine, hormonal issues, air conditioning (it\’s too comfortable inside to go outside), safety concerns that keep people within their homes, companies that manipulate fat, salt, and sugar in foods that make us crave high-calorie... Read More

Here are some words, gathered from various places, that you won\’t find on the SAT: SKIERs – parents who are spending their kids\’ inheritance FANBY – find a new backyard (serial relocators) HALF-BACKS – people who move from the northern parts of the country to the far southern parts (such as Florida), then move “half-back” because it was too hot for them RUPPIES – retired urban people JHOBBIES – turning a hobby into a job (e.g. taking yoga classes to teaching yoga; making jewelry for fun to making jewelry to sell) PLAYCHECK – working for money to spend on... Read More