By Kerry Baker for the NABBW Learning a second language has the same benefits to the brain as programs for purchase, such as Lumosity. New, often free tools make learning a new language easier and much more fun. Last year, in pursuit of re-invention and to preserve my next egg, I decided to move to Mazatlan, Mexico. While Spanish is not required to live here, I love the language and began its study in earnest after being away from it for 30 years. In addition to the greater ease in navigating my new environment, I was delighted to read evidence that learning a second language  protects your brain... Read More

By Claude Forthomme (Nougat) for the NABBW Starting in 2014, there was a rash of Baby Boomer celebrations, from the Beatles appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show to President Kennedy’s assassination. Possibly because 2014 was a milestone of sorts, that was the year that all boomers, even the youngest ones born in 1964, passed their 50th year. As a result, most boomers are now facing the “second act” in their lives. And celebrating. Right or wrong, it’s all about Baby Boomers! The time has come to consider what it means for our generation, and, in passing, dispelling some serious... Read More

Emerging With Wings: A True Story of Lies, Pain, And the LOVE That Heals Danielle Bernock http://emergingwithwings.com/ Reviewed by: Anne Holmes for the NABBW No doubt each and every person reading this review experienced some sort of hurtful statements or emotional pain growing up. Perhaps someone in your family – maybe a grandparent – told you that you were a “mistake?” That is, you were an unwanted child, an accident? Others of you were raised by parent who overzealously believed in the principle: “spare the rod and spoil the child.” To the point that you were physically abused. And... Read More

By Sandra Colony for the NABBW When a co-worker first told me in 2000 that he was traveling to Namibia, I admit it was not on my radar. In fact I didn’t know how to pronounce it. But upon his return, listening to him rave about the marvels of the landscape, the abundance of wildlife and the friendliness of the people, I got intrigued. It took me 8 years to get there – I had to get to the top countries on my existing bucket list such as Papua New Guinea, Ethiopia, Ghana, and, just in time, Syria – before I booked a flight to Namibia. Now, having now been there on multiple trips and heading... Read More

By Sandra Colony for the NABBW I think it’s safe to say that many American women obsess about their hair. No matter our hair type, we spend much of our time, trying to change it. We wash it too frequently, blow dry it regularly, dye it, curl it, straighten it and put all kinds of chemicals in it. We actually label some weather according to how it will affect our hairdo – as in “bad hair’ days. But we aren’t the only culture devoted to our hair. The hairstyles of the semi-nomadic Himba people living in remote Namibian communities are not only complex– they reflect the individual’s... Read More

By Sandra Colony for the NABBW Ethiopia: Chances are you haven’t been there – but you might change your mind when you learn more about this frequently misunderstood nation, one that can trace its roots to the 2nd millennium. Located on the horn of Africa, Ethiopia is a country that many baby boomers associate with famine and Civil War. Believe me; things have changed dramatically since those times. Today, it is a welcoming, prosperous and safe nation with archeological wonders that rival Angkor Wat and Petra; indigenous tribes still living the way they have for centuries, and ancient holy... Read More

by Mel Currier for the NABBW When I was seventeen, I moved to New York City to attend secretarial school and lived at The Barbizon Hotel for Women. Men weren’t allowed past the lobby, so that provided some security and sanity for my parents. But what happened outside the walls of The Barbizon was another story. The time was the 60s and Malachy’s, the first-ever singles bar, was just around the corner from The Barbizon. In an exclusive upper East side neighborhood, it was a dingy, hole-in-the-wall bar, but it was the place to be. Even though I was underage, I had my first drink, a Seven Seven,... Read More

By Linda Campanella For the NABBW Today I brought two yellow roses to my father. Two days from now, my late mother would be turning 80. Yellow roses were “their” roses ever since their romance began in 1956. Mom lived just long enough to celebrate their 52nd anniversary before succumbing to cancer in the fall of 2009, one year and a day from her terminal diagnosis. The flower shop is less than a mile away from my dad’s house. While driving the short distance, en route to one of my more or less weekly “lunch and laundry” dates with him, I realized I had started to cry. It still surprises... Read More

By Bonnie Michaels For the NABBW Are you lacking excitement and passion in your life? Do you feel stuck in your career plan and want to reinvent it? Boomers who are in transition looking for a way to” kick start” their lives might consider taking some risks and have an adventure. After years of helping corporations and individuals with work and family issues, I took a break and went off with my husband to explore and volunteer around the world for a year. Sound crazy? It was one of best decisions I made about jump-starting my life. With one suitcase each and a round-the-world ticket, we each... Read More

By Meryl Ain For the NABBW The weeklong celebration of Hoda Kotb’s 50th birthday on the Today Show culminated with a congratulatory video message from First Lady Michelle Obama to a surprised and delighted Hoda. Throughout the week, 50 was celebrated as glamorous, sexy and a time for reinvention. This is all true, and I wish Hoda a happy birthday and many years of good health and fulfillment. But I have to think that it would have been nice when those of us in the leading edge of Baby Boomers turned 50 and then 60 to have had validation of how glamorous, sexy, and “young” we were. First,... Read More