Tag: boomer books

Boomer Book Review: Stuck In The Passing Lane

This blog gets the interest from publishers of books that appeal to Baby Boomers, so I got the book “Stuck in the Passing Lane? by Jed Ringel to review.

I do love to read and fortunately for me this book is only 275 pages since I am not the fastest reader in the world. Also the book’s storyline moved right along because it was easy to read and interesting.

The book is story about a guy in his 50’s that is newly divorced after 23 years of marriage and his exploits with women which he finds on dating sites. But it is more than that as he explains how his life has changed so quickly and he has no one to keep him in check, so he does what he wants to.

He is retired so he has the time and he was a Wall Street lawyer so he has the money so he starts a life that quickly becomes out of control. He self corrects from time to time, joining AA to curb his problem with alcohol but the Internet dating goes into full swing and is what he is living for.

He explains each meeting with the woman he meets on the dating site and how he sizes them up and either cuts the meeting short and or continues with the date. The dating even includes a Russian date with a trip to Russian that does not turn out like he imagines.

Anyone, especially boomer men 50+ will get a kick out of reading of his dating escapades. The author has a humorous and self defecating attitude, seemingly knowing this may not be working out for him.

If you are happily married is this how your life would go if you find yourself unmarried for some reason? Will this be a dream life for Jed or a recipe for unhappiness? Read “Stuck In The Passing Lane” to find out the surprising conclusion.

Review by Robert Fowler

Book: Stuck In The Passing Lane
Author: Jed Ringel
Author website: jedringel.com
ISBN: 978-0-9862550-0-7

Originally posted 2015-07-06 16:36:21.

Rick Bava Interview – Baby Boomers

I just listened to my friend Rick Bava’s interview with Hollis Chapman on Blog Talk Radio. I encourage you to take a listen. Rick wrote the book In Search of The Baby Boomer Generation.

Here is my email to Rick about the interview: Rick, I got up early this morning and just enjoyed  listening to your interview with Hollis Chapman. I will start sharing on our social media so others can enjoy it also.  May do a blog post about it.

It was relevant and introspective which made it interesting.  You are a great speaker as well as writer. 

I like that it was comprehensive yet the best part for me was that you addressed  the current challenges of baby boomers and commented on our way forward,  because I believe that is  what we are mindful of currently and really what people want to hear more about.

Both you and Hollis made  good  points about boomers transitioning  to something they want to do to make  a little money and on their terms hopefully while giving back a little. This gives  their life a sense of purpose.  The importance of social security really hits home when you are in your 60’s as you pointed out and yes we started the working from home trend some  time ago.   I became self employed working from home  way back in 1992 and loved it after  working for the big corporations in office complexes.

I especially liked your emphasis on boomers family connections.  Many of us older boomers no longer have  living parents but we are,  as  you say, reconnecting with siblings  with family outings and holidays and either on  social media, texting and old fashioned phone calls. Many siblings  are  having some health problems and  that rallies the remaining  family  together. Past disputes  don’t seem to matter so much anymore.  Let bygones be bygones.

Finally the future of baby boomers section of the interview had me jotting down notes because it was spot on relevant.  Everything  you mentioned could be a topic of  it’s own. Preparing ourselves for  the future as you pointed out includes return to family  and taking care of living parents, spending time with grandchildren,  reconnecting with siblings as pointed out.  You mentioned connecting with college friends.  My college roommate from back  in 1969-70 called me out of the blue last week  and we had a great time sharing memories.

Also included in that category of preparing ourselves for the future would be getting our affairs  in order.  Updating or doing a  last will and living will is something I  see happening. Downsizing and getting rid of stuff you no longer need and getting your housing age friendly are something I  see us boomers have  been doing.

Thanks for much for doing this interview and sharing.  I am  also glad to learn of Hollis podcast  and will take a listen to some of his other shows.

We will be in touch.
Robert Fowler
Retirement Media Inc.
BoomerPlaces.com  

Originally posted 2020-10-22 07:28:11.

Quiet, Boomers Becoming Introverts

Just finished the best selling book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. The book gave some really good insights into introverts; many of which you probably already know but some new ones that gives introverts a little bit more respect.

The author says one third to one half of us are introverts.   The first chapter begins with the story of Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on a bus.  All she said was “no”.  That helped changed the world.   Other introverts are Bill Gates,  Eleanor Roosevelt,  and Warren Buffet.  In Asian cultures introversion is not looked down on, it is accepted and even highly respected and admired.

Americans hold up the ideal to be extroverts.  People who used to work in the fields in agriculture and did  not talk unless they had something to say; but starting with the movement to cities and  factory jobs people had to work closely to other people and to be sociable. .  Becoming an extrovert escalated  as the ideal with office jobs and then professionals selling themselves as well as their products.   Extroverts are the business model ideal.  Dale Carnegie taught us how to influence others with our talk and we all became salesmen.

Whatever you start out as, introvert or extrovert, you usually maintain your whole life as your natural state.  However many people do become extroverts in their jobs because they have to.  For short times in social situations introverts can rise to the occasion to become extroverts and fool everyone.  However then they need their down time to repair and restore their energy.

The author says introverts are just as creative, just as smart maybe smarter, just as motivated and just as accomplished as extroverts.  But many times introverts do not get the credit for their accomplishments; they do not like to blow their own horns so to speak and do not like attention on them.   Introverts are more sensitive and are more observant than others.  They can see things others cannot.

It is pointed out that we should not try to change kids who are introverts; but respect them for who they are and provide an environment where they can excel in their own way.

In retirement many natural introverts who spent much of their time as extroverts at their jobs, may revert back to their nature state as introverts.   It is still important to socialize they tell us but we can do that in our own way (finally!).

Originally posted 2012-04-02 09:58:55.