Hiya Club 39ers! We're still kickin' ...

If you were following this site, my apology for the apparent lapse. Actually, I just moved everything to one place ... the official 39 and Holding Club. Please feel free to meander through these archives, dating back to our 2012 beginning - then pop over to the new site where we're still thinking young! 
Remember: It isn't your age ... it's your attitude that counts!TM Cheers!

My 39er Pet Peeve - Fashion Frustration

Originally posted on 39AndHoldingClub site July 19, 2014 - please enjoy again!

Most of the time as a “retiree” (excuse me while I laugh into my coffee), I have no need to wear anything other than the sloppiest of casual clothes.

However, I’m not (yet) a hermit and there are those times when I must face the public. I would like to do so in something other than my 20-year-old halfway decent fashions.

But shopping for clothes is no longer the fun past time that once showed off my bargain finds, demonstrating fashion sense for mere cents.

I have … ahem … “matured.” While I enjoy the added wisdom of my mental maturity, I do not appreciate my body’s insistence on keeping up with my bulging brain.

I will not soon again, however, don a mini-skirt (stop laughing! I once rocked 'em ... and yes, young’uns, you are simply regurgitating our '60s-revolutionary style) … yet nearly all of the current fashions fit me like one! I would like to find something “in my size” in our department stores. 

Does it truly escape the attention of designers and retailers that the FIRST sizes to sell out in a popular style are the AVERAGE and PLUS sizes?? Do you not recognize that “average” sizes in reality, are 12 – 18, NOT sizes 6 – 10?

Have the clothing manufacturers adopted the same stick-it-to-the-consumer ploy as grocery suppliers? 

Do they REALLY believe we don’t notice that we’re paying the same price for a loaf of bread – in which the slices are SMALLER than they were five years ago?!

A Dose of Life with my Morning Cuppa Joe - Pass it On ...

You know, most mornings I power up the laptop and dive into the day without a serious thought. Some days it’s just business – others are a rambling of the mind, wherever it may take me.

My early routine involves quick meditation, lots of coffee, and a hop on the well-traveled global highway.

I make an early pit stop at Words With Friends, to ensure my Pennsylvania friend, JohnHarnish, is up-and-at-‘em today, as usual. It’s our way, at 65+, to make sure the Universe hasn’t done something stupid with us, overnight.

I play the Facebook version of WWF on the laptop. Ugh. I much prefer the tablet edition. Hate Facebook and all the social networking required for business – and some pleasure.

Of course, I enjoy the interaction with friends and sometimes, mere acquaintances. But often, I “hide” many of the posts that are inane and/or inflammatory – that’s my choice – and consider the policing of my feed a time-wasting chore. It does though, shorten the distance between us.

Once in a while, a real nugget crosses my FB path and stops me in my tracks. Today, one comes from PeterShankman’s obviously heartfelt and poignant post flowing from his perch above us. Yes, he is a member of New York’s elite business crowd, but this personal prose emanated from the seat of a plane.

When Webhosting Goes Wrong - Sites Go Offline!

FYI - ALL of my websites are temporarily offline. That includes:
39AndHoldingClub.com
PenchantForPenning.com
BlastFromYourPast.net
WomenWritersWorldwide.com

There are minimal holding sites at 39 and Holding Club and LRochelle.com ... where you'll also find periodic updates. Look for the others to be following suit asap. WHY the sudden termination of my sites? Well ...

Sometimes, life just doesn't want to cooperate. I have plans ... but the Universe has its own scheme for me ... and it's always a surprise.

Not necessarily a welcome surprise.

Case in point ... I recently wrote on my Penchant for Penning blog about the trials and tribulations with my webhost's server(s) five-day crash. And the angst continues ...

Are You Where You Want to Be?

And … Will You Leave a Personal Legacy? 

[Note: You will have an opportunity to answer these questions in an essay. Everyone who enters will receive a free Lifetime Membership in the 39 and Holding Club! If already a member, designate a gift recipient. Read below for entry details.]

It’s been said many times, “we are not our parents’ grandparents.” Style, relevance, and most of all, ATTITUDE, define the current older generation – which is setting a Rock & Roll precedent for the future of society.

Moving into an unparalleled aging demographic, it’s the refusal to acknowledge sedentary “old age” that is also unique to this era of 40+ people.

If you are over forty and agree with those statements, take a moment to consider where you are in life. Introspection is frequent for those “of a certain age.” Lately I’ve been scratching my head, wondering what the hell was I thinking twenty, thirty years ago … how about you?

Not all people close to or already in retirement … OK, fewer than you might think … prepared for those once-called Golden Years. Even in a perfect scenario, it’s a daunting time as our lifestyles, minds and bodies undergo intense alterations. Add the Great Recession and it’s been pure, tarnished hell.

Are Fruits and Veggies a Natural Time Machine?

Take me back to 39 … take me back to 39 … take me back to 39 … no, silly, not the year, the AGE.

If I say it three times and munch a couple blackberries, will I be 39 years old again?! Slim, tennis-worthy, shiny hair (without L’Oreal’s auburn color)? Hmmmm … nope. Didn’t work.

Ah, well. However, I still believe aging is as much attitude as it is an unstoppable physical progression.

This doesn’t stop us from trying every miracle drug or food combination the next anti-aging guru puts forth. Bottom line (and I do mean the bottom pun) is our overall health and slowed aging benefits from offerings of the garden.

“… while many foods from chocolate to popcorn promise these health benefits, your best bet for a long, vibrant future begins with produce,” says Oprah.com on Yahoo!’s Shine.

Do I eat tons of fruit and vegetables? Sadly, no. As a kid, I consumed the standard veggies when forced to, and many basic fruits. But for some reason, they never became a standard in my diet. 

Although I’m told I look young “for my age” (appreciate and loathe that statement), and I’m relatively healthy, it’s possible my “extra” stubborn weight hangs on likely because I do not eat the good-for-you foods at an age when it truly matters.

How about you? Have your eating habits changed as an adult? For the better or worse? Or like me, have you tried to eat better, to no avail?

Fruits and veggies won’t turn back time, but …

Life … Half-Full … Half-Empty … Half-A_ _ ed!

 Wow – three months to the day – sorry for such a delay in posts, but sometimes life is NOT “just a bowl of cherries.” [Anyone under 39 won’t know the significance of that statement. :-) ]

Yep, I’m wrestling with the pits. So this is going to be a short one.

I’m experiencing one of life’s many speed bumps and it’s a doozie. You know how the older we get the less we like change? And moving? Well that’s right up there with the taste of sour grapes. Or a twist of lemon. Or that over-ripe lime slice … hmmmmm, wonder if I have any Corona in the fridge?

Ummm, anyway … I’m packing my life away once again for another turning-me-on-my-head move. At my age, moving isn’t just a short interruption, it’s a back-breaking, joint-crunching, headache increasing, pain in the a _ _.

I know in a few weeks I’ll be settled “somewhere,” and I always find a measure of joy wherever I am. But THIS is the furthest from any vision I had of myself oh, so long ago, when stretching my 39-year-old mind to consider beyond middle age. How did I get here?!

Choices … we must live with the consequences of them, as well as those with exciting results. But much of my current angst is also thanks to our country’s misrepresented financial state of affairs, coupled with the debilitating recession/depression (my own interpretation).

New beginnings … I used that topic once for my most successful essay contest (I ran several in the ‘90s while heading a Southwest writers’ group). For most, the phrase elicits visions of hope … not necessarily true when facing (or surviving) drastic, life-changing events.

So wish me luck … through a veil of emotional and physical pain, I’m trying to view it optimistically and hope that the new life which awaits can be cheered, not with a glass half-empty, but one half-full that I can enjoy filling to the brim again. (Pass the Guinness!)

 

It isn’t an age … it’s an attitude!

Rock On!

Think and Drink with Club 39 Nifty Gifts!

Quick Note: 39AHC’s 1^st radio interview on Barb Beach’s Longevity show this morning, at 11:30A/PT! http://www.gabradio.com/shows/longevity If you miss it, listen to the archive in 24-48 hours.

So, you may think that all I do is drink … and make silly rhymes. Some days, maybe so. After a bad week when my brain is fried and a cold beer or fruity cocktail helps numb the effects.

But I realize there are many 39ers out there who have chosen the “virgin” route with a cuppa tea or a Latte perhaps, as their consolation or celebratory libation. And chocolate’s good for anyone, right?

With this in mind, I need to create a 39AHC/Club 39 secondary logo that reflects you, too. Any ideas?

I ask because it’s an important part of the Club 39 branding process … I opened a Club 39 Nifty Gifts online retail shop on the auspicious day of my twins’ birthday, last Sunday (Sept. 30^th – and before you go awwww, they’re old enough to be in the 39AHC too!).

Yep – I did it – actually, I have two CafePress shops. One for Club 39 and one for my book/website, Blast from Your Past. Though I only have one design in each (for the moment) there are LOTS of products to choose from; and more designs should be up by this weekend.

But I need to snap on that thinking cap and conjure up a few wild and wacky images to give you a plethora of fun styles and products to buy, for yourselves or as gifts for your friends.

With the click of a button, I uploaded the new (and improved?) Club 39 logo, along with my trademark tagline, “It isn’t an age … it’s an attitude!” It’s available in soooo many cool products from the ubiquitous t-shirts and sweats, to beer glasses, tote bags, travel mugs, iPhone cases, hats, even a doggie t-shirt and a cute little teddy bear!

It isn’t difficult to do – CafePress makes it relatively painless. It’s amazing what we can do with our keyboards these days, huh? And I thought my long-ago typing class was only for flirting with the only guy in the class. J

If you’re bored during a meeting, or need to find a fun birthday gift for a friend, check it out. And if you purchase, email a copy of your purchase receipt, and I’ll automatically enroll you in the 39 and Holding Club, at no cost! (OK, granted, you’re only saving $3.39, but hey … it’s the thought that counts.)

And please, let me know what you think!

Cheers to your day,

Martinis - Shaken or Stirred? The Controversy Continues ...

Debate has raged since the dapper 007 insisted martinis should be shaken, not stirred, in Ian Fleming’s novel, Dr. No (1958). The book however, did not stir the controversy as much as James Bond’s villainous adversary, Dr. No himself, who first uttered the fluid phrase in the 1962 same-titled movie.

The tepidly received film didn’t mix up much trouble though, and the dispute was still just a mild gentlemen’s disagreement. Until the smooth Sean Connery claimed the iconic phrase in 1964’s uber-popular Goldfinger. Gin-based Martinis were the sophisticated cocktail of the 1950s, but the mid-‘60s cocktail world was shaken by the declaration as Mr. Bond ushered in a new era of vodka Martini drinkers.

Win the coveted "00039" Lifetime Membership!

The 39 and Holding Club is official! We have a website, a blog, a Twitter account, and finally a Facebook page! Phew ... are my fingers tired ... 

But hey, nothing stops me from having fun (well, OK, enough work to keep things running, but that's it). And today's fun was all about making a contest to give away the one and ONLY Lifetime Membership #00039.

Enter here ...
Will YOU win it? You will if you submit the best tip or technique in our 39 Ways to Stay Young contest! Like the 39 and Holding Club, it's all in fun--not much seriousness to be had, but there are a few other cool prizes I hope you'll like. Deadline, Saturday, June 23, 2012 (not long, so hurry!).

Even if you're already a 39AHC member, you can win--we'll simply retire your old number and issue the coveted 00039 membership card. How cool is that?

Your membership in the 39 and Holding Club makes you officially, forever young! It's cheap and easy--tell your friends--or better yet, buy them a gift membership for their next birthday!

Check out the contest rules and prizes--Club 39 contest--and join today!


So tell me--what's your secret to staying young? :-)

Here a Link, there a Link, everywhere a Link, Link

In roaming around the ‘Net looking for interesting links for active 39ers, I found many “health,” “fitness,” and “how-to-do-practically-anything,” sites, blogs, and organizations—all wonderful topics, with some wonderful and many not-so-terrific representatives.

What didn’t I find? Ways to maintain our fun and active lifestyles after we’ve been deemed “old” by society.

Most of the information I’ve uncovered so far pertains to our physical and physically mental aging process and how to cope or in some claims, slow/stop/reverse the effects. That’s all well and good—so long as you disseminate between what is true for you, and what is not, or simply what is purely bogus.

But my whole premise for the 39 and Holding Club is to treat your ethereal state of mind … that spirit which is the essence of you … not how to oil your creaky hips, or remember everything on the grocery list you “forgot” on the kitchen table.