A day in the Life of a Baby Boomer Diva (from the diary of the Baby Boomer Diva)

Dear Diary,

It's great to wake up with the sunshine beaming through my window! But even if there were no sunshine on the outside, there is plenty of radiance going on inside of me!!!

This time last year, I was miserable in a job that worked me like a slave. Everyone around me thought it was a glamour job because I was in TV-----whatever! Honey, when I write the book on the real, untold story of television news, you won't think it's so glamorous anymore. As a matter of fact, you might end of boycotting news all together for awhile.

But this year, I'm doing exactly what I love and I praise God for having the freedom to do it. After the successful launch of my book, Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey into Middle Age, I figured that since I have all of this knowledge and experience as a journalist, I might as well put it to good use with my own business. So here I am with my own company called Soul Solutions and I am what you would call a media coach/consultant. I train individuals on how to prepare themselves for media interviews and because I still have many wonderful friends in the business, I have teamed up with some of them to make sure that my clients get the media interviews they've been seeking.

I am an entrepreneur. I go to work when I want to and I can even work in my pajamas (or if my husband is home, I prefer a negligee). I really enjoy what I’m doing. You see, the one thing about a Diva is----we do everything with PASSION!

I invite you to join the club if you think you have what it wakes.

The Baby Boomer Diva Blog

In honor of my 50th birthday which is coming up in June, I have decided to form a special club. It's the Baby Boomer Diva Club and you are welcome to join if you are going to be 50 years old in 2007 like me.

Now, in order to be a member of this club you must meet certain standards. You must be DETERMINED, INTELLIGENT, VIVACIOUS and have plenty of ATTITUDE! This is definitely not a club for you if you're whining about growing older or sick to death about hot flashes. It's also not for you if you are a constant complainer. You know, you complain because you've picked up a few extra pounds or just for the mere fact that the sun is shining. No---no--no---this club is not for you.

What I'm looking for are women who are looking at their lives through rose colored glasses and grabbing the bulls by the horn and taking no prisoners. I want to associate with women who are proud to be where they are in life---despite the bumps in the road. Honey, we all have bumps in the road and raging storms that we go through but the key is we "go through" and move on.

Over the next several months, I hope to find other DIVAs like myself who are on the move and making a difference. If you fit the bill, WELCOME to the Baby Boomer Diva Club!


http://www.thebabyboomerdiva.com

Women's History Month Profile: Big Mama

I never knew why we called my grandmother "Big Mama" because, physically, she was one of the tiniest women I had ever known. But based on the stories my dad (her son) used to tell, she earned the name!

Big Mama was born Samantha McCaston in Macon County, Alabama on June 2, 1883. I don't know the exact birthplace, but she raised her six children in a town called Notasulga. She was 43 years old when she had her last child---my dad. The street they lived on was nothing more than a dirt road with a little white church at the top of the hill.

I used to hate going to visit there because Big Mama was very strict. I was never allowed to wear anything above the knee so shorts were definitely a no-no. Can you imagine being in Alabama on the hottest of days and only being allowed to wear dresses? And the dresses couldn't be sleeveless. She always said she didn't want to "no white man the wrong idea." Of course, as a child I had no clue as to what that meant so I just did what she said. I always remember her sitting on her porch in a white rocking chair with "Miss Anna" and a jar of snuff.

As I reflect back on my experience with Big Mama, I have to say I admired her for a number of reasons. She ended up having to raise six children by herself. My grandfather was already dead by the time I was born and no one really wanted to talk about what happened. I have reason to believe he was a part of the Tuskegee Experiment they did back in the 30's but I've never been able to prove it. In addition to raising her children alone, she tended her large farm land and was always very particular about her vegetables. Every Sunday she would walk to the little white church on the hill and get her praise on.

All of my aunts, my uncle and my dad were fabulous cooks. I believe if my dad had never married he would've done just fine on his own because he not only knew how to cook (better than my mother) but he also ironed, washed clothes and maintained a very clean home. He always said Big Mama told them she wanted them to be able to make it on their own and she taught them how. My dad even had a garden in our back yard for many years.

Although Big Mama wasn't born into slavery, I don't think she ever fully realized what it meant to live in a "free society." Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was established in 1863, the Jim Crow "Separate but Equal" laws were the norm---especially in the South so my Big Mama just stayed in her own little space.

Big Mama lived to be 101. She outlived three of her children including my dad, who died of heart failure two years earlier. The last time I went to visit her was right after I graduated from high school. By then she was pretty frail and didn't recognize anyone.

It's funny how when we are kids we don't see the relevance of talking to our seniors but they have so much history to share. Sometimes I wish I had spent more time with Big Mama to learn more about her struggles. I wish I had kept one of her handmade quilts she used to send us every Christmas. All I have now are memories. Memories of a woman who made a difference in my life in more ways than she will ever know.


***In honor of Women's History Month, I am sponsoring a contest. To enter, you must be a subscriber to my Newsletter. http://www.talk2bev.com

Also, Join women around the globe making history during Virtual Woman’s Day™
Thursday, March 15, 2007 – http://www.virtualwomansday.com ***

Women on the Move & Making History

One of the beautfiul things about growing into middle age is I have gained the benefit of wisdom. It's like a light bulb went off in my head around 40 and all of a sudden I was ready to stand up and take charge of my life and to make a difference.

I am proud to be a middle-aged woman because I've seen enough and done enough over the course of my life to now prepare to pave the way for future generations. We, as middle-aged women, have made quite an impact on the way our world is shaped today. We’ve come a long way, but there’s still a lot of ground to cover.

As you are aware, March is Women's History Month. I am dedicating the month by profiling women who have made a difference in my life. You're welcome to read my blogs starting Monday. I also invite you to post your own memorable women and you may add them to my blog---if you like. I'm actually starting with my grandmother--who lived to be 101.

In addition, I am sponsoring a "Women on the Move and Making History" Contest, where one lucky winner will receive $75 for guessing the correct answers. Another winner will receive $25. The questions won't be easy but I'll be offering a hint :)

THERE IS A CATCH......

You must be a subscriber to my Live to Be Drama Free Newsletter because only the subscribers will be eligible to enter this contest. You can subscribe by going to my website:

http://www.talk2bev.com

Thanks for your continued support!

Don't Make Menopause an Excuse for Being Fat

As women approach menopause, weight gain is one issue that becomes a primary concern for many. If you've had a weight problem before, you may find it harder to lose the additional weight. If you've been able to maintain your weight over the years, you many now find you have to work much harder to keep the pounds off. Therefore, menopause and nutrition go hand in hand, so don't make menopause an excuse for being overweight.

While there are some experts who claim that the fluctuation in a woman’s hormone level is the cause for weight gain, others believe it is due to an increase in age and the decrease in muscle mass and metabolism. Who can really say? The key to keeping the weight off, in any stage of a woman’s life, is through a combination of diet and exercise; and should commence during the perimenopausal stage.

It is important to consume foods low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol and it is also recommended that the fat intake should be less than 30 percent of your daily calorie intake. Eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grain cereal products, especially those high in vitamin C and beta carotene. Persons of all ages should consume 20 to 30 grams of fiber daily. Avoid foods and drinks with processed sugar, as many of these products contain empty calories and promote weight gain. Avoid salt-cured foods, which would eliminate pork from your diet. That means giving up ham, bacon, hot dogs, etc. These foods are high in sodium, which can lead to high blood pressure, which is a serious risk for aging women. White bread is also another no-no as it contains starch, which provides no nutritional value.

Regular exercise not only benefits the heart and bones and helps regulate weight, but can elevate one’s mood and create a sense of balance within. Conversely, women who are physically inactive are more likely to suffer from coronary heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and osteoporosis.

While dieting and good nutrition habits are important when we are young, it has become a vital component of good health when we reach menopause. Although it may seem the cycle never ends, maintaining a proper diet is necessary to enjoy this particular time in your life. If you have never had the desire to exercise before, now would be a good time to begin. If you incorporate a healthy diet and exercise into your daily life, there should never be a reason to blame menopause as an excuse for being fat.


Beverly Mahone is the author of "Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age." She recently appeared as a baby boomer expert on MSNBC-TV.

Breaking the Silence: It's not our Mother's Menopause

We drive the ones we love away from us because we are unwilling to share what’s going on with us mentally and physically. Why can’t we tell them when we hurt? Not in an angry tone but in a loving, “do you understand, please help me” tone?”

Some degree of menopause anxiety is to be expected given the dramatic changes a woman goes through during this significant life event. But for some women the symptoms are so severe that they affect their daily activities and relationships.

If you are beginning perimenopause or if you are actually going through menopause and dealing with an anxiety problem, there are things you can do to make menopause anxiety symptoms less troublesome.

Talk to your doctor about the menopause anxiety treatment methods that are best for you. Remember that you do not have to allow menopause anxiety to turn your life upside down. Get some professional advice and discover the joy of being yourself again.

Talk to your spouse and help him understand what is going on with your body as well as the emotional mood swings you experience. He can't help you if he doesn't know what's going on.

Remember, this is not our mother's menopause. There's no need to be silent anymore."

Dancing with Towels on our Heads

The other day I was driving home after picking up my daughter from her school bus stop and all of a sudden an "oldie but goodie" came on the radio.

"Ooh, baby, baby
Where did our love go?
Ooh, don't you want me
Don't you want me no more…"

If you're a baby boomer you know the song made famous by the Supremes. Immediately the song took me back to my childhood and the days when my next door neighbors and I would imitate Diana, Mary and Flo in the middle of our street. Of course, I was always Diana because I was the oldest and just knew I could sing and Loretta and Lynetta were my background vocals.

I don't know if this is an ethnic thing or not, but when we did our thing we had to have towels on our heads. That was to simulate our long flowing hair because you had to have long flowing hair as a singer. Our hair was always in braids and we wouldn't dare take those braids loose for fear of the pain of having them re-braided and the pain we would feel on our behinds for doing something we weren't supposed to.

As I continued to drive, I turned up the radio a little louder (the very thing I tell my daughter NOT to do) and I wailed my heart out—remembering a time and place where it was so much fun to be a little girl who dreamed of being a "Supreme."

I would imagine many little girls got together and imitated The Supremes.