I got an email from Bart Simpson!

I opened up my email today (Sunday) and much to my surprise, there was an email from a former Ohio University classmate---Nancy Cartwright. Nancy, as you may or may not know, is the awesome voice behind the cartoon character Bart Simpson. Now if I have to tell you who Bart Simpson is, don't bother to read any further.

I had lost touch with Nancy over the years and decided to look her up. Well, I went through her "fan mail" website and was actually surprised that she responded because you know how a lot of celebrities are...they either send you an automated generic "Thank you for your letter..." or they don't even bother to respond at all. But not Nancy. She sent a personal response. She's still the same sweet, adorable person I remembered back then and more importantly, she hasn't let success go to her head.

She brought me up to date on her life (a member of the divorcee club, like me, and the mother of two teenaged children---I have one). She also reminded me of some of our wild and crazy college days! (The stuff books are written about!).

Now we're re-connected again. I guess I should ask her for a review of my book since we're both baby boomers, right? Wow! We're now baby boomers...hard to believe.

I guess here is where I should do some shameless promotion and ask you to buy a copy of my book on amazon.com

Seriously, I thank God for the friendships I've made over the years.

Peace & Blessings,
Beverly Mahone
Author, Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age
http://www.talk2bev.com

Dancing With The Stars--Baby Boomers "Represent!"

OK...I just finished watching Dancing with the Stars. Under normal circumstances, this would NOT---and I repeat---NOT be a program I would be interested in, but this season I'm particularly interested in the Baby Boomer celebrities who are representing the rest of us.

Vivica A. Fox, Harry Hamlin, Emmitt Smith and Jerry Springer are showing those young whippersnappers that they've still got a lotta pep in their step(s)! Who would've ever thought the all-time great Dallas Cowboys running back Smith was as graceful on a dance floor as he was on the football field? And then there's Harry Hamlin, who's still as sexy at 54 years old as he was when he was on L.A. Law several years earlier. Now all of America knows there's more to Jerry Springer than just being a raunchy talk show host whose guests come straight out of Trailer Parksville. The man had to have something going for himself to be elected the Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio. No, he's not the greatest dancer but he's entertaining and sometimes it's better to distract us that way than to try to COMPETE with the Mario's and Joey's of the world.

Oh...and then there's Ms. Vivica A. Fox who is a show stopper! Sistah girl knows she's got it going on and has no problem letting you know she knows how good she is! Her facial expressions tell it all. Vivica makes me honored to be a part of the "Over 40 Fabulous and Bodacious Club." You go girl!

Although I was disappointed that one of my fellow boomers (Hamlin) was cut from the competition, I am overjoyed that we are still very well represented. We are still a force to be reckoned with.

I'm going to end this here and go put on my dancing shoes because as Leo Sayer so eloquently sang it 20 years ago, "You make me feel like dancing...I wanna dance the night away."

Peace & Blessings,
Beverly Mahone
Author, Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age
http://www.talk2bev.com

You know what? Today is my husband's birthday! I'm so excited!! I'm so in love with this man. He brings joy to my life and loves me like no other man ever has!!!

We met on-line nearly five years ago and I thank God EVERYDAY for the "hook-up" We got married in June of this year and I can honestly say I love him more and more each day. He is the sunshine of my life even on dark, gloomy days. Through this relationship, I've learned that love is BETTER the second time around.

I have to admit, he wouldn’t have been someone I would’ve been attracted to 10 or 20 years ago, but that shows the growth in ME. I thank God for opening my eyes to see what is REAL vs. the imitation.

I dedicate this poem to my wonderful, sexy, handsome, God-fearing husband. You don’t mind if I share, do you?

"Thank you, honey, for your tender touch....for promises you keep...for being there day in and day out with love so smooth and deep. For following the inner light that's guided us this far---Thank you for becoming the AMAZING MAN you are!

If you're blessed and have a wonderful man in your life, do me a favor and let him know today---even if it ISN'T his birthday.

Peace & Blessings,
babyboomerbev

I talk about finding love for the second time in my book, "Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age." available at http://www.talk2bev.com or amazon.com

Mid-life Crisis...Whatever!!

Mid-life is when the growth of hair on our legs slows down, which gives us plenty of time to care for our newly acquired mustache and chest hair. In mid-life, we no longer have upper arms, we have wing spans. We are no longer women in sleeveless shirts, we are flying squirrels in drag.

Mid-life is when you can stand in front of a mirror and see your rear end without turning around. Mid-life is when you go for a mammogram and you realize that this is the only time someone will ask you to go topless. Mid-life is when you want to grab every firm young lovely in a tube top and scream, "Listen honey, even the Roman empire fell and those will too!"

Mid-life brings wisdom to know that life throws us curves and we're sitting on our biggest ones. Mid-life is when you look at your-know-it-all, beeper-wearing teenager and think: "For this I have stretch marks?" And to make matters worse, your memory starts to go. As a matter of fact, the only thing we do retain is WATER.

Mid-life means that you become more reflective...You start pondering the "big" questions. What is life? Why am I here? How much Healthy Choice ice cream can I eat before it's no longer a healthy choice?

But mid-life also brings with it an appreciation for what is important.
We realize that breasts sag, hips expand and chins double, but our loved ones make the journey worthwhile. Would any of you trade the knowledge that you have now, for the body you had way back when? (I don't know about you but on a day like today, I SAY YES!!!)

Maybe our bodies simply have to expand to hold all the wisdom and love we've acquired. That's my philosophy and I'm sticking to it!

Peace & Blessings,
babyboomerbev

You can read more of my middle age journey in "Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age

Success Begins in the Mind

Your mind always sets your limits.

If you believe that you can do something, you can do it. You must believe in it one hundred percent. What you believe yourself to be, you are. Your self image prescribes the limits for the accomplishment of your goals. It prescribes the "area of the possible" for you. Self-esteem is the strongest single factor in prosperity consciousness: believing you can do it, believing you deserve it, believing you will get it. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success. The feelings must come first from within you.

If you actually feel rich, if you have a deep inner conviction that you will always have all that you need, it will be so. It's all in your mind. What you see is what you get.

I know it's hard sometimes to stay focused. It's so much easier to give up than to persevere because of the pain and struggles that may come along with it but if you just remember there is a great power within you---I call it the Holy Spirit. That Great Power is your reassurance that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

Allow your "mind" to bring you abundant blessings today!

Who says you have to be a Size 6 to be considered fabulous? WHATEVER!

I’d like all of the Fabulous and Bodacious women of the world to stand up and be counted! I’m talking about baby boomer babes who are 40 years old (plus) and are sassy, classy and spiritually motivated. I’m talking about the women who aren’t afraid to step out on faith and pursue their God-given creativity. I’m talking about the women who can “give you a piece of their mind” in the nicest way and who can make a size 12 (and up) look stylish and sexy. I’m talking about all of the sophisticated ladies!

If you are someone you know falls into that category, why not nominate them for the F.A.B. Woman of the Month---FABULOUS & BODACIOUS. This is NOT a physical beauty contest. It’s about what you exuberate on the inside.

Just send in a picture (full body preferred), along with the nominee’s name, city/state, age and brief description as to why are nominating her. Be sure to also include your contact information.

Each monthly winner (and the nominee) will receive a special gift and next year, a grand prize winner will be selected and a SPECIAL GRAND PRIZE. (how does a trip to the Bahamas sound?). Men are also eligible to nominate their favorite baby boomer babe.

Please go my website to submit your nomination information. http://www.talk2bev.com/

You know, I just love it when the creative juices are flowing. But I guess that’s what being a writer and a baby boomer babe is all about!!!

Peace & Blessings,
Beverly

I've Turned Into A.....

Oh, my God! I never thought such a thing could happen to me!

I’ve turned into a computer geek! Lord knows, I don’t know how it happened because it wasn’t that long ago that I didn’t even want to turn the thing on. I only bought one because I figured my teenage daughter would have to use it for research, essay papers or Whatever!

I’m a member of the baby boomer generation. We didn’t grow up with computers. Besides, what would be exciting about sitting at a computer all day? That, to me, would be the equivalent of a “time-out” or punishment. As children, my friends and I entertained ourselves outdoors with fun “interactive” games like Hide and Seek, Tag, You’re It!, Kick the Can, Double Dutch jump rope, Red Light, Green Light and so on and so forth.

Homework was done using brain power. And if you didn’t have it, you worked and worked until you got it. I’m not ashamed to say I used my fingers to do math problems sometimes. That may be because we didn’t have calculators, but we did have the Abacus. Remember that, baby boomer buddies? Reading was fundamental back then but we did it by reading the ENTIRE book---not using cliff notes. I’ll never forget the time my 9th grade English teacher made us read “Moby Dick” as an assignment. I thought she must have been insane! But, in hindsight, I can now say I’m proud to have read one of the classics from cover to cover.

But now here I am, thirty-five years later, doing the unthinkable. I wake up and---even before I’ve brushed my teeth or had breakfast---I get on the computer and start checking emails and responding to messages and browsing for News I Can Use for my website. But it doesn’t stop there. I’m BLOGGING….(a word that wasn’t even in my third edition of the American Heritage Dictionary)… and I’m also networking with other folks who, for Whatever! reasons, are glued to their computers just like me. We exchange thoughts and ideas and sometimes even prayers. I do take periodic breaks to do less important things like exercise, cook meals and clean the house. But after that, it’s me and my computer until bedtime.

I’m also learning there’s lots of money to be made through this machine! I haven’t quite figured out how that all works yet, but you can best believe when I do, you won’t be hearing from me as much anymore. I’ll be off somewhere enjoying the fruits of my labor and giving my fingers a much needed rest!