Have a Great Weekend!
Boomer Gigs
Apparently, for some, retirement is not all that it's cracked up to be. Some report missing the sense of purpose a job provides. Others find themselves bored or they miss the social aspects of their former life. A few report miscalculating the money they'll need to enjoy all their free time or worry about the effects of inflation on their nest egg.
Not everyone retires- at least not at a prescribed age. My 86 years old father-in-law still turns the lights on every week morning at his insurance office. Then on weekends, he plays golf and goes fishing. He is not bored nor does he need the money.
Some find part-time things to do. A friend finds enjoyment and a few extra bucks in checking on the condition of empty vacation homes making sure they are in good shape for when the owner returns. He also is not bored. A brother is not bored either- he sends option trading signals to clients all over the world.
I think it's fair to say that most retirees enjoy not having a regular grind. We enjoy the freedom of some spontaneity and, if we enjoy good health, the ability to do a bit of roaming. But if washing and waxing the car again, or vacuuming the house a third time today, or taking a nap appears the only thing to do, you might be feeling a bit bored. If so, consider entering the 'gig' economy.
As you'll discover when reading this article, being a 'gig' worker is about as close to having a job and maintaining your freedom as you'll find. Like baking your cake and eating it too! Read Here’s how gig work provides an outlet and income for retirees.
Boomer Research
Are Baby Boomers the Greatest 'Tight-Wad' Generation? If what boomers spend on owning a dog is any indication, the answer is a bow-wow 'yes!' I had the privilege of talking with a professional dog walker the other week (a great 'gig' job BTW). She noted that most of her clients were Millennials and GenX'ers. Curious about her observation, I dug up a little data on which generation spends the most money on their pet dogs. It is true- boomers spend the least on the pooches. But we might just have the time to walk our own dog.
Boomer Culture
Our grandchildren are growing up in a very interesting era. From the strong addictive lure of video games to wishing to become noticed on social media, the young are having to navigate our changing world best they can. Unfortunately, many are struggling.
The Wall Street Journal discovered that even Facebook, the owner of Instagram, has studied the effect Instagram has on many young girls. The human tendency to compare and contrast, especially when at a tender age, can prove too much- especially if you believe you come up short. The studies, which Facebook did not intend to be made public, paints a damning picture of Instagram's effect on young girls. Have a granddaughter? Might be worth a read. Read here...
Boomer History
A commonly asked question today is 'what were you doing when you first heard about the events of 9/11?' Something about bringing back that precise moment makes the event real again. If old enough, we recall the day of President Kennedy's assassination. A grainy black and white video of the funeral procession led by Mrs. Kennedy and the president's two young children. Mr. Cronkhite never looked or sounded so somber.
9/11 was all in brilliant color. The severity filled our homes as we were transfixed by the gravity. Some recall a heavy sense that something big would come from this. As was the assassination of a president, 9/11 changed the world. CBSNews provides a picture collage here.
Boomer Faith
A blood brother of mine has a passion for communicating. He has a degree in it. He's practiced it all his life with many writings and several books. He is also blessed with a spirited intellect and a bold curiosity of both science and faith believing they intersect. He has taken to challenging those who believe the revelation of science is incompatible with God's revelation. Gerald is a prolific writer, a serious thinker, and a wonderful grandfather. I think you'll enjoy his musings. Read here...
...gossiping the Gospel. The story of the early spread of the Gospel is crazy interesting. From town to town, country to country, continent to continent, the Word spread outward and organically. Without digital communications, the story of Christ was told the old school way- by word of mouth. Of course, the world is different today- yet humanity's needs are much the same.
David Jeremiah wrote an interesting article titled 'The Great Commission Begins at your Doorstep.' Read here...
The Intersection of Synecdoche and Racism
Last summer, a simple image changed the world. The image of a cop with a knee to a dying man's neck would unleash all sorts of mayhem. That image now stands at the Intersection of our great social upheaval.
In July of 2020, I wrote an essay I titled 'The Intersection of Synecdoche and Racism.'
The headlines dominated the entire front page of the daily newspaper. ‘Seattle Wins Championship.’
Actually, Seattle didn’t win anything. A Seattle professional sports team won the championship. The team players and coaches were responsible for the win, but they did so, representing the owners, supporters everywhere, and the citizens of the city. The headline is actually a figure of speech called a ‘synecdoche.’
It is pronounced ‘səˈnekdəkē,’ and it is a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa.
Another example might be when someone says they work for the ‘Pentagon.’ The Pentagon has come to mean folks that work for a defense-related entity headquartered in a building called the Pentagon. There is no actual department or entity called the Pentagon, and it is impossible to work for a building. Continue here...