Thursday, January 29, 2015

Perception                                                      

As the years pile on, it is difficult not to become conscious that the business world sees the older segment of society as a group which is best forgotten because it is less important than the coveted 20 to 49 demographic. The reason might be that in the market place what is offered doesn’t always fit our needs. For example, few women over the age of 50 buy pointed-toe shoes with stiletto heels, yet the choice of stylish comfortable shoes in attractive colors with a sensible heel is in my view quite limited. So we forego buying new shoes.

For its part, the advertising world sees us as one mass in need of a cure. They cater to us with ad after ad of bladder-control solutions or cholesterol remedies. While some of us do need and use these products, it is a mistake to stereotype the whole group. Today’s over-50 crowd is the healthiest ever and, like every other segment of the population, it is made up of people with varied interests. Because their children are out in the world carving their own lives, boomers have time for many pursuits:  they write, they travel, they teach, they volunteer, they go back to college, they renovate their homes, they take in movies, they eat in restaurants, etcetera.

As a group, boomers have a lot of clout. For the most part, we have money to spend on ourselves and on our children and grandchildren, so are we really the demographic that is best forgotten? Decision makers should consider, for example, that the person shopping for the latest computer or other device today may not necessarily be of an age the business world targets. Yet, I suspect that unlike younger consumers, boomers tend to be more loyal to a brand or to a store.

Since the number of boomers is the fastest growing segment of the population, let’s not be shy about our age. Let us tell the world we are definitely alive and well and a big part of the reason the world is going round and round.

 

 

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Information Overload

Like me, I’m sure you remember there was life before we all got connected electronically. In those days, when we had a problem whether it be a sore arm or a pimple on the nose, we did not panic. We waited to see if it would go away by itself before making a medical appointment.

            Now that we live in a world of information overload, when people have some sort of problem, they “consult” the Internet because, after all, that’s where they can find the answers they seek. A pimple at the end of your nose? Search deep enough into the bowels of the Internet and you might be told it’s a sign of leprosy or the plague. And what can you do about it? Well, you will learn that certain herbal mixtures can miraculously make that pimple disappear. And you simply cannot afford not to order those herbs gathered on the top of some far-away mountain because they are the newest medical revolution doctors don’t want you to know.

            I jest, of course, but there is some measure of truth in my comments. I don’t know about your doctor, but my doctor gets a little irritated when I tell him that I went on the Internet to get information about a particular problem. He wants to know exactly what sites I read. And well he should, because today’s information overload means more work for him to debunk much of the self-diagnoses of his patients.

            And for those of us who always fear the worse when faced with a medical problem, and for those of us who are only borderline hypochondriacs, reading about medical problems on the Internet can, simply put, drive us bonkers. There are many dire medical problems in the world, but that doesn’t mean that you have them all, no matter if you feel you have all the symptoms as you read the list.

            I admit that my computer is a source of information when it comes to certain medical problems, but I confine myself to reputable sites and stay away from those who try to sell all sorts of “miraculous” cures for all sorts of ailments. 

            Living in an era of information is great because we are all better informed than we were just a couple of decades ago. We touch a screen and we can read all about what is of interest at a particular moment. The idea is to not get bogged down in a pit of information overload.

 

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Names We Remember
We get use to names. As Shakespeare says: ... a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Of course it would. Our collective mind would simply have gotten used to that other name, and whether it be skunk or carrot, it would nevertheless bring a sweet-smelling flower to mind.
We accept the names given to things and people, and go about our lives without giving them much thought. But, whether we are conscious of it or not, the names of people we have known bring to mind a flood of experiences and memories. If, when we were growing up, the class bully was named George, we may react negatively any time we meet a person by that name. If, on the other hand, George was the name of a dear childhood friend, we may immediately take kindly to people with that name, whatever their background or intentions. It has nothing to do with the name, but rather with the memories it evokes.
            A case in point. Someone came up to me at a recent social function and shook my hand. You don’t recognize me, do you? he asked. I stood there dumbfounded for a moment. He was a man about my age, with bright eyes and an infectious smile. A grey cell long buried in a far crevice of my mind told me it was someone from the distant past. We went to school together, he said, adding that his name was Joe. I sat behind you. Don’t you remember? The grey cell kicked into action and remember I did as the horror of THE day when I was in the sixth grade came into focus: during class Joe had slowly and quietly cut off some of my long braids. My mind quickly replaced the pleasant face in front of me with that of a brat of a boy who delighted in tormenting girls.
            Now as adults, we exchanged a few pleasantries, neither of us mentioning the incident of long ago (he probably didn’t remember). But I knew I still could not forgive him, and saw no reason to renew the acquaintance at this stage in our lives. I quickly found a reason to move on.
            A couple of weeks ago when a sudden leak appeared under my kitchen sink, I was unable to reach the man who takes care of my building, so a neighbor offered to call a plumber. The man came and introduced himself. Call me Joe, he offered amiably. He went to work, but I couldn’t wait for him finish and leave. After all, his name was Joe, in my mind’s eye a name not to be trusted. He must have sensed something because he kept reassuring me he was almost through.
            After he had gone, I went to check the back of my head in the mirror. Just to make sure!

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Butterflies

 

A variety of colorful butterflies decorate the walls in my home office. Butterflies have always fascinated me. They have a short life full of change as they morph from crawling caterpillars to gloriously colorful and graceful flyers. They remind me to accept whatever change comes into my life. Like butterflies, none of us is the same today as we were in the past. On our journey we constantly morph into renewed beings transformed by life experiences, and the older we get the more at ease we are with our changing roles in the world and, like butterflies, we fly with ease. With the right attitude.

            Of course, aging is not always easy, but along the way we learn to adapt to new realities, to renew ourselves. As Betty White puts it: I’m 92, so what? I’m still hot!

            In December, like most people, I attended a variety of social events. I was amazed to see the number of people who were focusing on the bad things they saw and experienced over the past months instead of looking at all the good things in their lives and around them. That’s when I made my resolution to avoid negative and self-centered people in the New Year. Such people weigh you down and make soaring more difficult. A waste of energy all around.

            Research into the body/mind connection is ever increasing. We now know that the way we think influences the body. While it does not necessarily mean that positive thoughts will cure whatever ails us, it is nevertheless more and more clear that they do affect how we relate to the world. Some years ago, I visited a favorite uncle in hospital after he suffered a heart attack. Instead of bemoaning the fact that his life was forever changed, he looked out the window and said that he was lucky he could look out at the birds in the trees outside. His smile was always easy and he lived into old age. He made a conscious decision to soar even if his wings were not perfect.

            Isn’t it a good thought? To continue to soar despite problems. That is certainly my aim as a new year starts.  While we may be tempted at times to think that we are the only ones with issues, health or otherwise, we know that everyone faces unwelcomed realities in their lives. The reason we may think others don’t have problems is because they, like my uncle, have chosen to soar instead of crying over a less-than-perfect world.

            May 2015 bring all of you love to share and health to spare.