What a Ride!
What’s Your Favorite Cedar Point Memory?
Cedar Point is celebrating its 150tth anniversary this year with new rides, a nightly parade and plenty of souvenirs. But there’s one thing that one of the nation’s oldest amusement parks is missing: your memories.
Here’s one: getting panic-stuck in the tube slide at the Fun House. A teen worker slid down and coaxed the young park-goer through. Her family still teases her about it. We’re omitting the name to protect the magazine editor’s identity.
Share your memories, photos and videos at cedarpoint.com
Boomers, We’re OK
…And We Prove It Every Day
“Just wait until you’re our age.”
That’s what you might want to say the next time a Millennial or another younger person dismisses your advice or mocks your opinion. The catchphrase, “OK, Boomer,” gained popularity last year as a rebuttal to Boomers who were perceived by Millennials, Gen Xers and others as being out of touch or judgmental.
Of course, every generation has people who are judgmental and out of touch; that’s not just reserved for Boomers. But OK, we can take a joke, even an ageist one. Let’s hope the term fades with the New Roaring ‘20s (that’s 2020 for you younger folks).
Fact Finders
Teams Kick Off Mind Challenge Competition
They’ve been sharpening their trivia skills and adjusting their thinking caps. Now it’s time to discover who knows what for the second annual Mind Challenge for the New Majority.
For the next four months, teams from rec and senior centers throughout Northeast Ohio will be competing weekly in the Mind Challenge trivia competitions. The six-member teams represent more than 20 communities.
The semi and final matches are set for May 6 at the JACK Thistledown Racino. The first-place team gets $3,500; second place $2,000; third $1,500 and fourth place $1,000.
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Boom!
Pop Culture Chronicles
Anniversaries
Been There, Celebrated It, And Now It’s Boring
By Mike Olszewski
A new year is upon us and we say goodbye to “the teens” and head into the last year of the second decade. (Keep in mind that there was no year “zero” so 2020 is the final year of decade number two for this century.) We hope your holiday season was memorable, and if there’s one thing boomers like to do is remember.
For the past 10 years, we’ve been commemorating everything that happened in the 1960s. Granted, there was a lot to commemorate from tragedies (the deaths of JFK, MLK, RFK, Malcolm X and so many others), historical events (Apollo 11, The Beatles on “The Ed Sullivan Show”) and entertainment events (the explosion of pop culture on TV, the so-called Summer of Love, the change from AM to FM radio, groundbreaking books like “The Feminine Mystique” and “Catch 22.” The list goes on and on.
Did You Know?
Sometimes it was a comparison of extremes. The 50th anniversary of Woodstock was celebrated in Bethel, New York. A friend of mine, writer/pop historian Martin Grams Jr., attended the anniversary show and said the promoters did a great job saluting that special moment in time. Oh, and the couple on the cover of the Woodstock soundtrack album was even on hand. They met at the festival and have been married since.
Then we have another anniversary just a few months after marking the ill-fated Altamont Raceway show by the Rolling Stones. A free show, lots of people hurt and the exact opposite of Woodstock. But that wasn’t the end of the 60s. We have another anniversary in just a few months. No one can pin down the date when the 60’s era started, because it was an event or series of events rather than January 1, 1960.
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In the New Year, many of us make resolutions. For some of us, it may have an emotional component, like “spending more time with our family.” For others, it may be of a physical nature, like trying to lose weight. But there may be other physical needs, like fixing your teeth.
When you get your teeth taken care of, it can improve your overall health, chewing function, oral musculature, nutrition, and appearance. The goals of losing weight are similar. Walking and exercise are easier, medical issues like high blood pressure and diabetes are better controlled and you look better as well. But while weight loss can be achieved by limiting your food/caloric intake, dental improvements often require the help of a dental professional – like a dental hygienist or general dentist.
What Happens at the Checkup
When you are in the chair getting your teeth cleaned, the hygienist removes hard deposits (tartar) as well as soft ones (plaque). Though the hard deposits are mostly annoying, the plaque involves bacteria which can be detrimental to your teeth and overall health.
It’s the bacteria that feed off many of our foods causing acid to attack our teeth and gums, causing cavities and tissue problems. You can resolve to do a better job at home brushing and flossing to remove debris, but a trip to the hygienist two or three times a year can ensure that you are doing it effectively, as well as eliminating the “hard to find” tartar and plaque.
Digital radiographs ( x-rays) and photos can be used to look for decay, bone abnormalities and periodontal diseases. The hygienist will also look for possible tissue problems or growths that may – or may not – be cancer-related.
And at your visit, the dentist plays a similar role, in both diagnosing and treating problems.
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For years, careers advanced through three stages: Learn, Earn, Retire.
During the first stage, the primary focus was on acquiring knowledge and skills as a foundation for a thriving career. The middle stage was all about work, with a keen eye on advancement and salary increases. Then came retirement, which for most, happened around age 65.
Today, this journey is far more fluid, with more employers involved from start to finish. Life-long learning has become the new career catalyst, as businesses strive to recruit talent to help them better compete in a rapidly changing world.
With people living longer, the work runway is extending well beyond age 65. For some, it’s a choice to stay engaged in work they enjoy. For others, it’s a necessity to bolster their retirement nest egg.
Whatever the motivation, digital is creating more ways for today’s older workers to stay engaged in meaningful jobs, but at a more leisurely pace.
Our Aging Population
In 1900, life expectancy in the United States was 46.3 years for men and 48.3 years for women. By 2000, we added about 30 more years to the life expectancy clock. Looking ahead, experts predict that by the mid-2030s, life expectancy will top 90 years.
The 2030s will usher in one more stunning demographic shift. Older people will outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s projections, by 2034, there will be 77 million people 65 years and older, compared to 76.5 million under 18.
Paying for a 30+ Year Retirement
We might be living longer, but our bank accounts haven’t caught up.
While nearly 80% of our parents could count on pension income, this retirement revenue stream is disappearing. Only 23% of younger Boomers (ages 56-61) expect to receive pension income and only 38% of older Boomers enjoy that benefit.
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It seems like yesterday that I was writing on how to keep the grandkids cool. Now, it’s already winter here in Northeast Ohio! For those of you that have not escaped to Florida for the season, we should find ways to embrace the snow and have fun outside with our grandchildren.
After bundling up as well as possible, yet allowing room to move, venture outside into the snow to play. The children love to just run and romp in the snow. Let them make snow angels and show them how to form and throw a snowball.
If possible and the conditions are right, you can help them to build a snowman. I’ve created smaller snowmen and built them on a back deck or near a window so that the kids can look at them easily from inside the house. They can decorate their snowmen with stones or acorns and find a special hat and scarf for Frosty to wear.
Bring the Outdoors In
If the weather is just too cold to venture outside, or if a child is sick and cannot join others, you can bring the snow inside to them. To absorb the melting snow, place a beach towel on top of your table. I also place a cookie sheet underneath their play area to collect the moisture. Find a large or small cupcake pan and place on top of the cookie sheet. Step outside and fill a few bowls with snow. Throw in some measuring cups and spoons, and they will love to make snow cupcakes, or even attempt to make a little snowman.
Sled riding is always a favorite winter activity. You can pull the grandkids around on their sleds on unshoveled driveways or, if you are feeling especially adventurous, you can take them for a ride around the neighborhood.
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