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For many Baby Boomers, reaching the middle years marks a plateau in romance. The early light and fires of passion have died down Hopefully they still smolder just under the surface of your life. You may be alone due to a break up or death of a partner. Just because you are getting older does not mean your life has to be lived alone. Whether you are single seeking romance, or in a relationship that needs a new spark… guest author Della Cory has some advice for spicing up your love life.

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Keep the Romance Alive – How Living In Can Spice Up Your Life and Keep You Young at Heart

Guest Author: Della Cory

All love stories don’t necessarily have to end with the ‘getting married and living happily ever after’ tag. Yes of course, there are many people these days that find themselves left alone again after many years of being happily married or in a happy relationship either because of the passing away of their partner or due to a divorce. Most unattached seniors who are faced with the sudden shock of being single and lonely again are either devastated or traumatized for life. If you have experienced any of this, then you don’t have to punish yourself by being lonely all your life. These days, more and more unattached, mature, independent adults are looking out for partners, as they are not ready to live lonely lives. Remember, never give up on love! Just because you are not young in age doesn’t mean you don’t have to be young at heart! Yes, life is a roller coaster; you’ve got to ride it, and enjoy it!

Whoever said that ‘living in’ was only something that the young folks did? Nowadays, there is an increasing number of older, more mature and independent couples who have turned to ‘living in’ to add that extra spark and romance to their relationships. Yes, building and maintaining a relationship is definitely not an easy task. Even after years and years of living together, most couples are still struggling to deal with their differences that become more obvious since they are staying together. The key to keeping any relationship alive is patience.

For years now, people have looked down on this whole concept terming it as a sure shot way to kill the passion and romance in any relationship. Despite all the controversies surrounding this whole concept of living in, couples that have been in such relationships will tell you that living together can indeed keep the passion alive. Have you ever asked yourself if it is humanly possible to keep the romance alive in a cohabiting relationship? Although it can be quite challenging, it isn’t impossible. Like anything that is valuable and precious, it takes patience, time and loads of attention to create a magical relationship if you’re living in with the love of your life. But, like everything valuable, it doesn’t come easily. You have to work hard to create that magical effect.

Myths will have you believe that the day-to-day routine of living with your partner can be mundane and boring. On the contrary, these day-to-day routines can help build intimacy instead of destroying it. That is only if you make time to be caring and intimate with your partner on a daily basis. From dealing with your partners little quirks and idiosyncrasies to making these same idiosyncrasies endearing to you, a live in relationship can be very fulfilling and gratifying.

Here’s what a live in relationship can do to add that little spark to our lives:

When you think of it, life hands us joy in different shapes and forms. It is entirely up to us to appreciate and savor these little pleasures.

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Recently I posted some tips from the best selling book:

How Not to Look Old: Fast and Effortless Ways to Look 10 Years Younger, 10 Pounds Lighter, 10 Times Better
Author Charla Krupp handles everything from hairstyles (get rid of the “helmet head look” people!) to skin care to the right pair of jeans to wear. Great advice for a “wanna look younger” person like me.

The post received a lot of great comments and hinted that you wanted more of her great advice. Here’s a few more to consider.

From Chapter 12: UNMATCH Your Wardrobe.

Nothing ages you like
• Outfits that are too matchy-matchy
• Dressing head to toe in one designer
• Looking like you tried too hard
• Looking like you didn’t try at all
• Clothes that are too young

This last bullet point needs some explanation:
Too Young! Here’s a list of FORBIDDEN FASHION ITEMS for every woman past the age of 30 who wants to look effortlessly chic and classy:

Ankle bracelets, belly necklaces, body piercing,boy shorts, collegiate sweats, t-shirts and caps, colored cowboy boots, Crocs (unless you are in your garden), Daisy dukes, earmuffs, ear piercing in multiples, flip-flops in the city, Go-Go boots (are people still wearing these?), leg warmers, micro mini dresses, micro mini skirts, mittens, nameplate necklaces, newsboy caps, scrunchies, super-low-riding jeans, tattoos, tie-dye anything (sorry Woodstock), tights in neon colors, toe rings, tube tops

The book has great advice, I’m only scratching the surface. The book is now on sale at Amazon.com. How Not to Look Old: Fast and Effortless Ways to Look 10 Years Younger, 10 Pounds Lighter, 10 Times Better

Every Baby Boomer I know wants to stay healthy. But as we enter midlife and begin to feel those aches and pains, staying healthy becomes something that should not be taken for granted. I used to kid my grandmother when she would say, “If you’ve got your health, you’ve got everything.” I now realize she was right. If I can continue to maintain good health, I can do just about anything I want.

It’s not always easy to eat healthy, and choosing organic, can be very expensive. Lots of tempting fatty foods are “out there” just waiting to be devoured! Guest author Jamie Jefferson has a few ideas that might help you choose the right foods… and save money at the same time.

In the words of the famous Julia Child, “Bon Appetite!”

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Eat Healthy For Less – Tips For Saving Money While Eating Well

By Jamie Jefferson

Eating well and saving money don’t have to be mutually exclusive. If you’ve wanted to eat healthier but think you can’t afford it, think again. The key to eating healthfully on a budget is to plan your purchases, learn to cook from home, buy in bulk and take advantage of local produce. Here are some tips.

One of the biggest money wasters, and threats to good eating, is going to the grocery store without a plan. You can put yourself in an even worse position if you go to the store on an empty stomach.

The grocery store is full of temptations. Foods that are full of fat, calories and additives line the aisles in the stores. Make a list before you leave the house and be sure to have a healthy snack before you go. By preparing yourself before you go you can be sure that you’ll stave off temptation.

The second most important rule in eating healthfully on a budget is to cook at home. Packaged food costs a lot more money than the fresh ingredients that it takes to make them. If you haven’t made a habit of cooking at home before, start with a few simple recipes.

You can always expand your repertoire by taking a local healthy cooking class. When you cook at home, you can add lots of vegetables into recipes that normally don’t have them. Salads, soups and baked chicken meals can be prepared very inexpensively and healthfully at home.

You can save a lot of money at the grocery store by shopping around. Purchase products such as rice and vegetable stock in bulk. If you stock up on these basics you can save a lot of money in the long run.

Also, try to shop from more than just one store. You can often save a lot of money if you shop around and find the best prices. Make sure to arrange your cooking menu around the sales and you’ll always be able to save money. After a few weeks of comparing prices, you’ll know right off the bat where you can save the most on each item that you need.

Any healthy diet should be full of vegetables and fruits. For these, make sure you are looking at sources locally. Take advantage of farmer’s markets and fruit stands in your area. Even if the food is not organic, buying your fruits and vegetables from local farmers has benefits over buying food that is shipped across the state or across the country.

With a little time and dedication to saving money, you can find deals on healthy food. Apply these tips on your next shopping trip and you’ll be eating healthy for less.

Jamie Jefferson writes for Momscape.com and Susies-Coupons.com, where you’ll find wine discounts and coupons, as well as printable grocery coupons.

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As we age it is normal to have occasional memory lapses. We experience it in our friends and in ourselves, and many Baby Boomers deal with this in regard to aging parents as well. What is the difference between one of those minor moments we all have once in a while and a more severe loss of memory? What are the indicators you should look for? For guest author, Patty Okawa this issue has become a personal one as she shares in the following article.

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What You Should Know About Mild Memory Loss Versus Severe Memory Loss!

Guest Author: Patty Okawa

This article is very close to my heart. It is about memory loss, and how to understand what mild memory loss is, compared to severe memory loss. I dedicate this to a very special little lady, who is only 4 feet tall, and cute as a button, her name is Haruko (my mother-in-law), she is 97 years old. Her health is like that of a 75 year old.

About 9 months ago, she had a pace maker put in. This procedure required general anesthesia. Physically, she came out of the procedure, feeling healthy and strong, but mentally, there seemed to be a severe down turn with her memory. Before the pacemaker was put in, mom’s memory loss seemed mild. Now, she is unable to remember what happened 5 minutes ago, when asked what her daughter and son’s names are, she cannot remember. We found ourselves constantly repeating the same thing, it was like she heard it for the first time.

When asking her doctor about this, she just felt, it was due to old age, something very common according to her. She did say, that sometimes general anesthesia could cause minor memory loss. As the days went on, mom’s memory kept deteriorating, to the point that she could not understand what she was watching on the television anymore or what she had just ate for dinner, all her memory seemed to have faded away. At night, I would feel very sad, feeling like she has left us. Frustrated, I decided to do some extensive research on the subject. I wanted to understand, what the difference was between, mild memory loss, and severe memory loss. Is there anything we can do, to help one who is suffering from this.

Here are my findings:

What is mild memory loss?

What is a severe memory loss:

These are serious memory problems because they affect one’s safety and health.

Medical problems which may cause severe memory loss:

Things you can do if you are worried about your memory?

Ways to keep your memory strong:

Remember to Remember!

I would like to tell you a little about myself, hoping to bring you a more personal connection. Every article is written with sincerity, passion, caring, experience, and professionalism. My goal is to reach out to everyone and provide them with all the knowledge and experience I have to hopefully make a difference in their lives. I have helped hundreds of people in creating major changes toward a better and more fulfilling life.

Sincerely,

Patty Okawa

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Doing well in today’s economic climate is a challenge. Guest author, Jeanne Yocum of Tuscarora Communications, Ltd has some wise advice for the savvy boomer business owner.

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Writing Proposals That Win Business

By Jeanne Yocum

Tuscarora Communications, Ltd

Ratcheting up your organization to pursue new business as the economy recovers (hopefully!) is invigorating. The good news is that revenues finally may start growing again. The bad news is that bringing new business in the door may require writing proposals, a time-consuming activity that many business people would rather skip.

Increasingly, savvy business owners are requiring proposals to ensure that they get the best possible solution at an attractive price; learning how to write great proposals to increase your win rate is a must. Once you are confident in your ability to compete on paper, proposals will become less of a necessary evil and more of a sure-fire way to gain a competitive edge.

Here are tips for making sure your business proposals are winners:

•  Begin by demonstrating knowledge of your prospect. Establish from the get-go that you understand the prospect’s objectives and challenges as they relate to the product or service you wish to provide. This may seem like you’re telling them things they already know, but in reality prospects want to be certain you understand their situation and needs. Briefly state the problem before launching into your solution.

•  Clarity is essential. Simple, concise writing is a must. Avoid long-winded paragraphs and use bullet points wherever possible. Don’t be overly technical and steer away from jargon or catch phrases. You never know who might be on the decision-making team, so write for a general audience instead of assuming that only people with your level of technical expertise will read the proposal. Have someone else give your first draft a test read to make sure it is easily understood.

•  Beware of boilerplate. It’s tempting to keep recycling portions of previous proposals; the “copy and paste” functions are definitely time-savers! But be careful about relying too much on boilerplate material. The last impression you want to give a prospect is that your proposal is the same “off-the-shelf” response you give to everybody. Again, this is part of convincing the prospect that you understand his/her specific situation and are offering a tailored solution.

•  Avoid an 11^th hour sprint. Many of us made it through college by finishing every term paper an hour before it was due. Carrying that habit over to your business proposal writing can be dangerous. Rarely does anyone do his/her best writing when the clock is ticking down the final minutes before a deadline. Start writing as soon as you can and plan to finish at least a day ahead of time. This gives you time to sleep on what you’ve written and to read it thoroughly with “fresh eyes” on a new day.

•  Looks do matter. Great ideas and appropriate pricing are important but even those things won’t help your proposal rise to the top of the competitive pile if it looks sloppy. Choose a readable typeface, an appropriate page layout, and good quality paper. If you are submitting your document electronically, be sure to use formatting commands that will display well on different computers and screen sizes. If you’re unclear about what that means, check with someone who knows the ins and outs of word processing or use a PDF file. Check with the intended recipient to ensure software compatibility and whenever possible, follow up with a printed copy. Include graphics where feasible to break up the text and make the whole thing more readable. Your goal is a professional looking proposal that conveys your attention to detail.

•  Proofread. And then proofread again. All other things being equal, who would you hire–the company whose proposal was error free or the one whose proposal had typos or grammatical errors? Relying on spellcheckers is perilous. Also, it’s hard to do a great job proofreading something you’ve slaved over for several days, so recruit some fresh eyes for the job. And then proofread it one more time. Pay special attention to headlines, a spot where typos are often overlooked.

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Jeanne Yocum, president of Tuscarora Communications, Ltd., has over 20 years’ experience in planning and implementing corporate communications and public relations programs. She also writes book proposals and ghostwrites business books. Her Web site is

http://www.yourghostwriter.com and she can be reached at Jeanne@yourghostwriter.com.