Feisty Side Of Fifty

With many of us sheltering in place and all of the bad news out there, life can feel more than a bit overwhelming. Yet all of this makes for just the right time to turn to a great read that will engage your imagination and lift your spirits.  Our guest, Tina Sloan, has created just such a book. You’ll recognize Tina from her 26 years playing nurse Lillian Raines on the daytime drama, Guiding Light.  And, in addition to her soap opera credentials, Tina has demonstrated her formidable acting skills by taking numerous additional roles on both the small and big screens.  This multi-talented woman, moreover, has authored one of my all-time favorite books, Changing Shoes: Getting Older – Not Old – with Style, Humor and Grace as well as a one-woman show of the same name. However, Tina is joining us today to share all about her latest creative endeavor. It’s called Chasing Cleopatra and I know you will love this one as much as I do.  So, if you want to chase the blues away and meet a former soap star at the same t

This conversation is aimed at baby boomer women who refuse to allow ageism to dash their dreams. And, to those ends, you can’t beat a great read that will brighten your mood, lift your spirits and inspire you to make the most of this special time of life.  Our guest, Barbara Rose Brooker, has penned just such a book. In fact her latest novel is the story of a gutsy 68-year-old who refuses to give up on her goals. Bette Roseman is a veteran writer who comes to terms with her past, stands up to the Hollywood bigwigs and searches for love—all in one super-charged tale of resilience and ultimate triumph. It’s called Love, Sometimes and, believe me, this engaging page-turner breaks the boundaries of ageism as it inspires you to do the same in your own life.  If “shelter in place” is getting you down, be sure to lift your spirits and take a listen to what our feisty guest has to say!

What could be better these days of shelter-in-place than curling up with a delightful read? Well, actually, curling up with a delightful read that you can share with everyone in your family--especially your older grandchildren--just might top the list. Our guest, Gene Luen Yang is an award-winning author of graphic novels including American Born Chinese, Boxers & Saints and the Secret Coders series. Although Gene has enjoyed great success with his work, he has received somewhat less acclaim as a sports player and enthusiast. This, however, is about to change with his latest graphic novel, Dragon Hoops.  The book shares a heartwarming story about a high school basketball team showing how “small steps can lead to great leaps.” (This also just might prove true for Gene’s own history as a less than star athlete in his own high school!) He joins us to share all about it. If you’re in the mood for an uplifting story, you’ll want to be sure to tune in for this one!

Our guest, Tracy Ross, is a licensed clinical social worker, organizational psychologist, certified discernment counselor, and collaborative divorce coach.  As a couples and family therapist in NYC, her practice specializes in  Redesigning Relationships. Tracy helps her clients to identify different events and personal triggers that can act to disrupt relationships. Then she guides them to “redesign” their relationships using tools to go from volatility to versatility, distance to connection, and avoidance to intimacy. Tracy is joining us today to share her thoughts on grey divorce: couples counseling, the various challenges of decoupling in later life and ways that these difficult issues can best be anticipated and addressed.  So, if you or anyone you care about is experiencing relationship difficulties, you won’t want to miss this one!

If you’re a grandparent, no doubt you know there’s no greater fun than sharing a lively, delightfully illustrated book with your grandchildren—especially one that engages them to want to learn about fascinating creatures and facts. Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera is just such a book! Writers/illustrator Candice Fleming and Eric Rohmann are both award-winning authors of numerous books for children. They’ve already collaborated to produce several books including Giant Squid, Strongheart: Wonder Dog of the Silver Screen as well as the popular Bulldozer series.  They are joining us today to share all about their latest book together. Honeybee is a beautifully illustrated guide to the surprising life of an insect we often take for granted. However, once you and your grandchildren dive into this treasure trove of facts, you will learn to love this underestimated treasure. So, if you are looking to share a special story with the little beings in your life, be sure to tune in for this one!

Our guest, Stacy Kaiser, is a media personality, author and relationship expert. She’s made hundreds of TV appearances on major networks including NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, HLN and FOX and has a reputation for bringing a unique mix of thoughtful and provocative insight to a wide range of topics.  Stacy is joining us today to talk about coping strategies when it comes to some of the issues of aging. So, if you care about aging well, staying healthy and keeping fit and feisty throughout the years, you won’t want to miss this one!

As long as there have been rational humans walking the earth, mankind’s greatest mystery has remained the same: what happens when we die? Moreover, as boomers, we know that one of the realities of age is the increasing awareness that life doesn’t go on forever. Whether it’s the loss of loved ones or the recognition of our own mortality, death becomes an ever-greater presence in our lives.                                                Therefore, it is with great appreciation that I host our guest on Feisty Side of Fifty Radio: Dr. Christopher Kerr. Dr. Kerr is the CEO and chief medical officer at Hospice Buffalo. By way of his work, Dr. Kerr has been documenting the dreams and visions of dying patients for years. And because of this research, Dr. Kerr has come to the realization that end of life can be—and usually is—a time of great spiritual and emotional awareness. He joins us to share accounts of these dreams and visions from his remarkable book, Death is But a Dream: Finding Hope and Meaning at Life's E

We boomers have to admit that our flower power is getting a wee bit long of tooth. The metaphor may be mixed but the message is the same—we are growing older. But, true to our revolutionary spirit, a number of our generation’s scientists are on an active quest to achieve immortality. And, according to our guest, they just might pull it off! Chip Walter is a science author, filmmaker, and former CNN bureau chief whose books include Last Ape Standing and Thumbs, Toes, and Tears. Among other notable publications his writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Scientific American and National Geographic magazine. Chip is joining us to share all about his latest collaboration with National Geographic. It’s his just released new book entitled: Immortality, Inc., Renegade Science, Silicon Valley Billions, and the Quest to Live Forever. Believe me, you are going to want to hear all about this one!

Age has gifted many of us boomers with the impetus to live lives of meaning, authenticity and connection. If this is the case for you, you will want to be sure to catch today’s show.  Our guest, Anne Devereux-Mills, is a former advertising agency CEO who underwent a major life change shortly before her 50th birthday. Not only was she diagnosed with cancer, her last child headed off to college and her job went away due to the recession of 2008. Feeling she had no identity, she set out to figure out who she really was and how to start again.  Thankfully, Anne’s personal life crisis resulted in her creating an amazing organization called Parlay House. Anne joins us to share more of her story, what Parlay House is all about and her just released book entitled The Parlay Effect: How Female Connection Can Change the World. Anne’s message is profoundly important, so give yourself the gift of inspiration and take the time to listen to what this remarkable woman has to say.

Now that the holidays are over, many of us may confess to imbibing a little more of the bubbly than we’d planned. Laura Willoughby, who gave up drinking 4 years ago, realized that there were few options out there for people wanting to modify their alcohol intake. So, she set up Club Soda - a healthy lifestyle brand supporting individuals to change their drinking, whether they want to cut down, stop for a bit, or quit.  Now, Laura has authored an extremely helpful guide entitled How to Be a Mindful Drinker: Cut Down, Take a Break, or Quit. She joins us to share all about it. If you would like to change your drinking habits and are looking for a common sense approach, you won’t want to miss this one!

Join Lea Lane, author of eight books and regular contributor about travel for forbes.com as she shares all about her latest beautifully written and illustrated new travel memoir, PLACES I REMEMBER: Tales, Truths, Delights from 100 Countries. This highly praised book covers over 50 years of writings and illustrated photos from a hundred countries. It’s a mix of travel memoir, travel almanac, personal journal and illustrated album and offers stories of the world and the life of an award-winning travel writer. So if you dream of packing your bags, exploring new places and creating your own special travel memories, you’ll want to hear what Lea has to say. Be sure to tune in for this one!

We boomers know that one of the best ways to keep thriving in our later years is to focus on the fun and creative aspects of life. And there’s no better way to do that than to explore the “happiest place on earth.”  That’s why this show is especially informative and inspiring. Our guest, Bruce Steele is a journalist and Disney fan who has produced one of the most beautiful and truly fascinating books I’ve ever seen. It’s called One Day At Disney: Meet the People Who Make the Magic Across the Globe. The book is the product of an incredible 24-hour journey focusing on the people and places that make the magic for our grandchildren and us to enjoy.  So give yourself a real gift and take 10 minutes to listen to what Bruce has to share about the incredible people who have brought us the world of Disney for over 50 years. Their work has enriched our lives and those of our grandchildren… it’s time to get to know them!

Which one of us boomers wouldn’t want to head into the holidays feeling our skin is revitalized and glowing? Even more, who wouldn’t want to great to get those results by way of chemical free products found in your fridge? If you are ready to refresh your skin in a healthful, natural way, you are going to want to hear what our guest has to share. Justin Krasner is a health, fitness, creativity expert and author of Make Your Own Beauty Masks: 38 Simple, All Natural Recipes for Healthy Skin.  And believe me, this guy is on to something.  Get ready to sparkle and shine for the holidays and well into the New Year by making sure you catch this show. After all, it’s high time we get glowing!

Age has gifted many of us boomers with the growing urge to live lives of meaning and authenticity. And, if this is the case for you, you’ll want to be sure to catch today’s show. Our guest has written a trilogy of books entitled, IS THIS SEAT TAKEN? Her collection of seemingly simple, yet profound, stories impart powerful lessons learned through the "seats" we sit in along the journey. Kristin Kaufman is a successful portfolio entrepreneur and a thought leader who founded Alignment, Inc., a company whose mission it is to serve individuals and corporations as they seek alignment within themselves and their organizations.  But Kristin, moreover, is also a prolific author. Her latest book is entitled, IS THIS SEAT TAKEN? No, I Saved It For You. In it, she shares how each of us faces challenges and unexpected encounters. Each event is life changing in both large and small ways. It’s how we respond to the event that makes all the difference.  If you hope to live your golden years with a sense of purpose and ful

Many of us boomer women find ourselves reflecting on our lives and the choices we’ve made over the years. In addition to dealing with the physical aspects of aging, there can be difficult challenges as well as more than a few regrets along the way. That's where today's guest comes in. Jane Goldman, is the former General Counsel/Vice President of Warner Bros. Distributing Corporation. Now, in her later years, she’s following her inner muse and become a debut author with a beautifully written collection of poetry and essays. Her book is entitled, With No Regrets, Getting Older: Face It, Live It, Love It, and you are certain to connect with her thoughts as she addresses the issues that affect us all. If you hope to live without regret, learn to embrace your golden years and create a life that is meaningful, you won’t want to miss this conversation. So give yourself the gift of inspiration and insights into celebrating your own age… and make sure you do it with no regrets!

Our generation has lived through some major markers over the years that each of us remembers…but perhaps few are as stunningly memorable as the Tate/LaBianca murders that took place back in 1969. And December 4th, 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the day Charles Manson was arrested. The world got its first look at this strange and, many consider, truly evil man. Our guest, Ivor Davis, is a legendary reporter and author who has covered some of the most heralded events of our lifetime. In fact, he was one of the very first reporters on the scene when Sharon Tate and her houseguests met their gruesome end. He wrote the first book about the shocking event and even got up close and personal with the Manson gang at Spahn ranch. Now he has come out with the definitive book on the shocking events. It's called Manson Exposed: A Reporter's 50-Year Journey into Madness and Murder and this one is a real page-turner! Ivor joins us once again to share more about the Manson murders and the man who mesmerized his followe

If you are a baby boomer, you will want to be sure to catch this show. Our guest, Daniel Forbes Hauser, has written the definitive book on our generation. Not only does he capture the times and the cultural revolution that impacted most every aspect of society, he writes from the vantage point of one who personally experienced much of what these years were all about.  Be sure you give yourself a real gift and make time to hear the author share all about his remarkable book, Revolution and Renaissance: 1965 to 1975. If you lived through the sixties, you will never forget those years. Daniel Forbes Houser has written and in-depth, fascinating look at our unique history that went on to forever change the world. 

There are currently more than 15 million U.S. children living below the federal poverty line. Moreover, 1 out of every 3 children lives in a family where neither parent has full-time, year-round employment.  Given these realities as well as the devastating impact of recent hurricanes and fires, millions of children risk disappointment on Christmas morning as their parents struggle to provide the basic essentials of food and shelter for their little ones. Fortunately, parents can turn to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation during this time of the year. Join us as Lieutenant General Pete Osman, USMC (Ret), President and Chief Executive Officer for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation shares all about how you can make the holidays truly festive for the deserving children in your area.

Growing older has many wonderful aspects to it. Many of us tend to be happier, more fulfilled and enjoy greater opportunities free time and travel. But, if we want to continue to enjoy life, we need to plan thoroughly and well for our future needs. And that’s where today’s guest comes in. Jill Vitale-Aussem is president and CEO of The Eden Alternative, and co-publisher, along with AARP, of a fabulous new book called A MINDSHIFT: Disrupting The Status Quo Of Senior Living. This much anticipated resource explores the real issues of aging—including ageism, ableism, senior service industries, retirement communities and senior living options.  If you’re a boomer, you won’t want to miss this great advice on the various resources and senior living options available to us as we age.  

Because of this book, there are now 43 new sexual allegations against President Donald Trump! The authors join us today to share all about the women who have crossed paths with our president. If you’re less than a fan of the current president, you will want to devour every juicy tidbit our guests, Barry Levine and Monique El-Faizy, have to say. These intrepid journalists have delivered one of the most amazing, jaw-dropping reads around. Their book is called, All The President’s Women: Donald Trump And The Making of a Predator. And, believe me, this book is addictive! So pull up a chair, grab your coffee and prepare to be astounded as these celebrated authors spill the inside scoop on one of the most famous (or, according to some, “infamous”) presidents our country has elected to date.