I am walking in one of the saddest and most peaceful places I know. Before me are the grave markers of fallen American servicemen and women … white marble markers of 9,387 who died during the D-Day invasion and the ensuing battles. The place is the Normandy American Cemetery, above Omaha Beach.

While I am not related to any of the fallen who are resting here, the place has a spiritual draw. I have visited several times over three decades. I believe it is holy ground because of what it stands for.

Couples, families, and individuals walk quietly, respectfully among the graves and along walkways lined with pine trees. Steven Spielberg captured the majesty of this place so well in the reflective opening of scene of “Saving Private Ryan.”

My wife remarks that while their earthly remains are here, their souls long ago left this soil and were welcomed by God and all the angels. I think she’s right.

There are flowers at the foot of the cross for Pvt. Anthony J. Chiappinelli from Rhode Island, who died July 27, 1944. And, a note that tells a story. It reads, “Until we meet Daddy. Love, Anne.”

The fallen lying in rest here were of our parents’ generation. And, America was a very different place then … largely rural and isolated from the rest of the world until the war came along. It was a simpler time.

The invasion at Normandy had very clear purpose – good versus evil – and that purpose galvanized the country. Hitler and his Nazis were evil in every imaginable way. The objective of the invasion was to put an end to the evil, and that was accomplished less than a year later with victory in Europe.

But, has our generation … a baby boomer-led country … learned any lessons? I can’t help but reflect on such things when I visit this place where the world was changed in 1944.

In World War II, America defeated Hitler and the Nazis. Conflicts today are more complex, intentions murky, and agenda-driven initiatives labeled “war on terror.” We invade countries without clear purpose or objectives. We remain in far-off places for years, trying to figure out what we are doing between fighting elusive enemies that always seem to change and helping people who often want us to go home.

A pressing and dangerous threat metastasizes below our border, in Mexico, where drug gangs run rampant. Thousands have been murdered.

At the same time, we run our country to the verge of bankruptcy trying to pay for wars and tax cuts to make rich people happy while bridges rust, the country’s infrastructure ages, politicians play for votes and money and a former standup comedian stands on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and urges his followers to “restore America,” code words for its own kind of extremism.

I stand, looking out over Omaha Beach and think about how those honored souls in this cemetery inspired not only a nation but the world for years to come. And, they brought peace, at least for a while. Have we baby boomers done as well?

John McKinney

When it comes to joining hiking clubs, taking hiking vacations, and even volunteering to maintain park trails, Baby Boomers lead the way. Of course we do. It’s in our generational DNA to get back to the land, eat trail mix, and search for meaning in the natural world.

Even Oprah hikes. The talk show queen regularly hits the trail (on one of my favorite footpaths) in the hills above Santa Barbara, California. Thanks to the passion and participation of Boomer hikers, an activity once mostly associated with Boy Scouts and Sierra Clubbers is now more widely embraced. Celebs mention hiking all the time; advertisers from Wheat Thins to Claritin use hiking motifs; half the Boomers seeking romance, it seems, list hiking as a favorite activity in their online outreach.

In fact, according to the American Hiking Society and outdoor industry statistics, hiking has long been—and still is—the most popular form of outdoor recreation for the Boomer generation.

And today, it’s more important than it’s ever been. Because these days, for many of us, times are tough, the going is rough, and the trail ahead uncertain. Who better than an experienced hiker with hiker values to lead the way across rugged terrain to safety?

What are those values? A good hiker has a keen sense of direction, the ability to travel solo or with trusted companions, and the experience to face adversity and rapidly changing conditions. We Boomers, with our experience on the trail, are the ones to show the way—the hiker’s way.

I wrote my book in the Year of the Ox. Those born this year, or during one of the 12-year cycles of animals highlighted by the Chinese Zodiac/Calendar, are said to be able to endure almost any hardship without complaint. Other ox-like qualities include fortitude, patience, hard work, common sense, calm dependability, and modesty. This is the year for people with their feet firmly planted on the ground.

And this is a year, indeed a century, when we need these qualities because we are living at a time when following in the footprints of the mammal ahead of us and plowing the same fields of endeavor is not enough. As we Boomers have learned over the years, we cannot get to a new place by following the same trail.

This year is the Year of the Tiger. Those born in this cycle of the Chinese calendar are said to be dramatic, quick, intense, and have a love for travel. Sierra Club outings groups describe their fastest hikers as “tigers.”

We need the ox, to progress slowly with measured steps. And we need tigers, brave hearts who encourage us to pick up the pace—and those with bold spirits, curiosity and strength of character.

This is the time in our history to share with the many who hike—and the many more who do not—what it means to be a hiker. And what better way to do this than by taking a friend or family member, a child, or a co-worker on a hike?

Share with your trail companions the health and wellness benefits of hiking. Help them achieve that wonderful perspective on the natural world gained by walking through it at two or three miles an hour. Be a good listener and know that hearing somebody out in the great outdoors is one of the greatest gifts one hiker can give another.

Now is the time to step up and share the best pathways, to advocate for the environment, to offer trail-tested advice, and to inspire our companions with our words and example. It’s a time to pare down and pack light, taking with us only what we need for the journey ahead.

Now is the time to share the hiker’s way, on this great pathway we call life.

Follow John McKinney online … click here.

A newly released study found that 42% of all individuals filing for bankruptcy were between the ages of 45 and 64 in 2007 and that older Americas are filing for protection from creditors at a much faster rate than younger adults.

Bankruptcy filings are increasing fastest among individuals between the ages of 55 and 64, the study found. From 2002 to 2007, the percentage of filers in that category grew 65%.

Read the full story … click here.

Born between 1945 and 1955, they are busy ignoring the biblical calculus that a man’s span is three score years and 10. Having enjoyed a life of free love, free school meals, free universities, defined benefit pensions, mainly full employment and a 40-year-long housing boom, they are bequeathing their children sky-high house prices, debts and shrivelled pensions. A 60-year-old in 2010 is a very privileged and lucky human being – an object of resentment as much as admiration.

I’m at the heart of all of it – guilty as charged. Born 21 May 1950, I’m the quintessential baby boomer. And for the last three months, while most of the rest of the world has been getting on with their lives, I’ve been wrestling with the implications of my new seniority. Sixty may or may not be the new 50, but it is a significant milestone; I’ve been on the planet for an awfully long time. What sense can I make of the decades I have lived through? To what extent am I and my generation unfairly lucky? What is the best way to live my life from now on?

Read more … click here.

Larry Lefkowitz

As my birthday is mere days away, it is time for me to reflect on my journey through life that has gotten me to my fifty-eighth year in one piece … more or less.

The last couple of years have been trying, bringing about change that I anticipated but thought would come later on.

Just 18 months ago, I had triple-bypass surgery because my pipes were clogged. Not that I had lived a careless lifestyle when it comes to diet and exercise, but I was fighting genes that I did not request.

I couldn’t know that there was plaque I could not floss away. However, as a result, I now eat better and exercise as though exercise were religion. These, I figure, are good things. I look no different, but I feel better. And so at this point, it occurs to me that there are several things that deserve to be noted.

• Cleveland is a great name for a dog, but not so good for a city. The city of Cleveland has gotten the same rap as the Ford Edsel. It is synonymous with failure.
• Raising kids is a crapshoot. People who do everything right sometimes have kids who turn out all wrong, and vice versa. Unconditional love or tough love? Most of us love our offspring unconditionally, and I will bet that works out for the best in most cases. Having kids who love you back is the best thing in life.
• Cars are irrational elixirs for some of us. For me, a new or even a different car is as good as a new relationship with a woman. Well, almost.
• Music has greater meaning and impact as we get older, and older music that ages with us becomes a greater part of our makeup than we realize. My attachment and affection for Beatles music is as strong now as it was 20 years ago.
• Pizza is a necessity. I know, it is not good for you, but you can learn to make your own from healthy ingredients and it is still delicious. What yummier food is there?
• Politics are to be taken with a grain of salt. Many of the things people get worked up about today were also happening a hundred years ago. It’s true. It’s in books. You could look it up.
• There are more women in the world now than men. Now would be a good time to be on your best behavior, guys.

There are things you will never have, places you will never see, and things you will never know. Even if you live to be a hundred. Even if you live to two-hundred. So don’t worry and don’t lament.

It is senseless to wince over bad memories. So why do I do that? I don’t know, but somehow I think that is a good thing. If I didn’t care about the stupid stuff I have done, I wouldn’t even remember it, I think.

Near-death experiences are not all they are cracked up to be. Given a choice, I recommend avoiding them.

Shoes are neat to have. Putting on a new pair of shoes is the equivalent of putting on a new hat seventy years ago. Except, there are more shoe styles than there were hat styles.

You cannot live without worry. However, trying to is a good thing. So much damage can be done by stressing, and it is so hard not to stress in our world and at our age, but actively trying to reduce it is a worthwhile endeavor. Have a slice of pizza.

“Early” baby boomers, aged 56 to 62, have a 47 percent chance of not having enough money to pay basic retirement costs, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute. “Late” boomers, aged 46 to 55, as well as workers currently aged 29 to 45, have about a 45 percent chance of running short, the study noted.

Baby boomers, who make up around 78 million or 25 percent of the total spenders in the U.S., are among the Americans who have had their nest eggs slashed by 18 percent or an average of $171,000 per person since the end of 2007, according to the WSJ.

A study released earlier this month by the Century Foundation showed that declining housing values, weak investment markets and scarce opportunities for employment will all force baby boomers to tighten their belts in their old age. “In 2008 alone, housing prices dropped an average of 33 percent, greatly depleting the wealth of the majority of baby boomers, who have relatively little savings beyond what they have invested in their home. Concurrently, the 40 percent drop in equity markets in 2008 had a devastating affect on higher net worth baby boomers, for whom stock ownership is the predominant form of wealth,” the report noted.

The cutbacks would put an additional drag on retirees’ already weak consumer spending — people aged 65 to 74 spent 12.3 percent less in 2008 than they did ten years earlier, says the WSJ. In 2007, the consulting firm McKinsey estimated that baby boomers control nearly 40 percent of U.S. consumer spending.

Source: Huffington Post

What’s your number?

You know the one: the magic number we need to save for our retirements. We’ve read the articles and heard the experts’ advice that a comfortable retirement requires a million dollar portfolio, maybe more. The numbers are so big that many Boomers feel hopeless. How can we ever get where we need to be?

The good news is that maybe the real number isn’t quite that high. According to a 2008 study by Georgia State University, men need to save 4 to 6.8 times their annual salary from the years just before retirement. For women, 4.5 to 7.5 times earnings should provide a comfortable retirement to address the disparity in life expectancies between men and women.

For an example, let’s use 5.4 times salary for men and 6 times salary for women (the average between the high and the low estimates in the study). We will assume that each of our sample Boomers can live without hardship on an annual salary of $75,000 during the years closest to retirement. In this example, men would need $405,000 in savings while women would need $450,000.

The Employee Benefit Research Institute reports that the average fifty-year-old with a 401K account has saved just under $125,000. If you have saved that amount and are around that age, you could still reach your magic number by working and contributing the maximum each year until you reach your “normal” retirement age.

What is the maximum? You can contribute up to $16,500 each year unless your employer has put a limit on your 401K plan (i.e. a ten-percent limit on a salary of $50,000 limits your annual contribution to $5,000). After age fifty you can add an additional amount ($5,500 for 2010) in “catch up” contributions. The maximum contribution and the “catch up” contribution levels may increase from year to year. If your employer adds matching funds, it doesn’t alter the amount you can still contribute.

An aggressive savings plan from age fifty until normal retirement age will be necessary to reach your number, but it is possible. If you can make maximum 401K contributions each year until you retire, you will save at least an additional $352,000. Add that to the average of $125,000 already saved by many Boomers, mix in a modest number of increases to the allowed contributions, stir it all up with average earnings and the magic of years of compounding, and it’s easy to see that you can still get to your magic number.

Maybe you won’t get all the way to the high end of the estimate or even to the middle. But even if you only make it to the low end of the estimate of 4 to 4.5 times annual salary, you will have a good chance of having enough money to last during retirement. Of course there are many, many variables, and estimates may not prove to be an accurate barometer for the future. But now that you know what a realistic number looks like, don’t you feel just a little bit better? I know I do.

Marcia Barhydt

This is, without a doubt, the best part of my life yet! But sometimes I have to wonder if we’re all trying too hard.

Are some of us boomers showing a false bravado about how hale and hearty we still are, about how we can do anything that we did 20, 30, 40 years ago and do it with a lot more panache now, about how un-different we are from younger people? Was William Shakespeare talking about us when he said, “I think he doth protest too much?”

The epitome of my thinking recently appeared with a new reality TV show called Sunset Daze, set in Sun City, a seniors’ (grr, such an ageist term) residence in Arizona. The show received a sad review from Brooks Barnes at The New York Times on April 26th. One of the real-life actors is quoted declaring, “I didn’t want to come off as a lunatic senior.” To which the Times reviewer replies, “Too late. Sunset Daze pushes just that button as it tries to hold its own in the boozy, oversexed reality TV genre.”

Barnes gives us what may be a valid perspective when he quotes one participant saying, “I was out with the Ho’s” — her term for her female posse. Oh come on lady! I’ll bet many of us have a group of female friends and I’m pretty sure we don’t call them Ho’s because I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t consider a word so demeaning in a truly sad effort to capture the lingo of younger people, just to look hip, cool, YOUNG?

And is it also cool that the first episode has a commentary on vibrators and going commando? Or that the participants use nicknames such as “Hot Legs,” or “Mr. Romeo?” I’ve watched the granddaddy of all reality shows, Survivor, and I sure don’t recall hearing a lot of talk about vibrators.

I’m vocal about us not adopting what I call a Rocking Chair Mentality, meaning, we need to keep refreshing ourselves in as many ways as we can imagine to stay out of the void of the rocking chair. But my kind of refreshing doesn’t include setting myself up to look sad because I’m trying way too hard to be something I’m not.

One of the things I’ve learned by now, by my boomer time, is the importance of dignity, the importance of grace, and the importance of self esteem. And I know that for the most part, my fellow boomers feel the same way. I also know that we’re good at enjoying little jokes about ourselves and we’re good at having the poise to laugh at ourselves too.

But stop with this ridiculous, blatant, in-your-face, demeaning denial of our age. How about if we focus instead on what we do well now, how much we contribute to others, how many new horizons we have yet to explore? Being this age, at this stage, is such a miraculous part of my life that I’m not protesting one bit!

© Marcia Barhydt 2010

My 27-year-old son David, his girlfriend Katie, and their labradoodle Rusty have been living with my husband and me this summer. If you don’t know, a labradoodle is a dog. He’s content to run around and sleep a lot, but my son and his girlfriend are enrolled in Ph.D. Programs. However, they don’t have classes or teaching assistant positions during the summer months.

That’s why, life has virtually stood still for me this summer. I have been so absorbed, focused, and fulfilled by the presence of these two people I adore. They are delightful adults and fun playmates. We celebrated Memorial Day weekend and the 4th of July at our beach place under a summer sky sparkling with color and sound from fireworks displays.

Dining out is a favorite activity. Who knew we raised our kids to be such delightful dinner companions? My prospective daughter-in-law has worked with me in my summer arts enrichment program for at-risk middle school students. As a marriage and family therapist, Katie has been a wonderful addition to our project and it has been so fun sharing this experience with her. And, my husband and I have fallen in love with Rusty.

Rusty and Jozy

This little threesome is about to embark on their journey back to Phoenix for the Fall semester. It feels like I’m facing Empty Nest, Round 2, as my flock vacates my nest to pursue their own lives and dreams. I confess I’m a little afraid of the all-too-quiet house, facing empty rooms formerly filled with animated tales and wagging tails. So, to make the transition more palatable, we just bought our own labradoodle puppy. I had not given a moment’s thought to buying a high priced pedigreed pooch. We already have a slightly crazy Bichon Frise. Why would I need a second dog? But then we spent time with Rusty, and had no choice.

After a weekend of removing shoes, computer cords, and newspapers from needle-sharp canine teeth and non-stop talk about puppy-pooping, I’m hopelessly in love with ours: Jozy. She is proving to be an excellent recipient of my over-stimulated maternal instincts which need a place to be housed when my kids leave. I confess to an ulterior motive or two in buying Jozy. Who can resist a puppy? Especially a junior version of Rusty.

And, sure enough, the kids couldn’t. Jozy pranced her paws right into their hearts. They loved her so much they considered buying her sister litter-mate. Maybe this means they might come visit more often. Maybe David and Katie will entertain the idea of moving back here some day. Als, a Mom’s wishful thinking. Oh well, if the puppy helps sweeten the deal, so be it.

BC: When did you realize that you wanted to be a writer? And more important, when did you realize that you could be funny?

Bill Scheft

I knew I was funny when I realized I could make my mother laugh. Once that happens, if you’re any kind of self-hating Jew, making others laugh as you made your mother laugh becomes your life’s work. I don’t know who said this, but someone said a person becomes a humorist the same way a woman becomes a hooker. You start doing it for one person, then a couple of friends, then you realize you’re good enough to get paid.

BC: You were a writer for Sports Illustrated for several years with your column, “The Show.” Is there any difference at this point in writing about sports figures and comedy?

BILL: No. It was and is just like writing monologue jokes for Dave (Letterman). Sports is no longer just games and athletes. There’s economic items, there’s crime, there’s gossip, and there’s politics.

BC: What is your favorite story from writing your column for Sports Illustrated?

BILL: My favorite single joke was about the Raiders kicker, Sebastian Janikowski, being arrested for DUI. Typical drunken Raider. He was blacked out locally. If you write a joke under ten words, you get a check from God.

BC: Your novel “Everything Hurts” is now out in paperback, and was just featured as an AARP hot pick. What are three tips you would give anyone who wants to write literary humor novels?

BILL: One, write what you know. Two, make your characters’ lives complicated. Three, even though it’s funny, avoid the word “rectum.”

BC: Do you believe in writer’s block?

BILL: No. I believe in good days and bad days. But any time you attempt to write, you’re a writer. So, where is the block?

BC: What is the hardest thing about being funny in fiction?

BILL: Hands down, it’s answering the question, “What’s the hardest thing about being funny in fiction?”

BC: Richard Russo said of your book, Everything Hurts, “How rare it is for a novel to be both hilarious and profoundly moving.” What do you think is key to creating characters that are both poignant and comic at the same time?

BILL: Well, who am I to disagree with Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Russo? I think a character can be poignant and comic if the reader can be entertained by the behavior and relate to the humanity. Somebody once told me, “We always worry about the wrong thing.” I think it was Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Russo.

The point is, if you can read about someone’s denial and find yourself laughing and shaking your head in identification, how can you not be moved when the same person learns?

BC: What writers had the most influence on you and how you write your novels?

BILL: Phillip Roth, Richard Yates, early Richard Price, JD Salinger, the Latin poet Catullus. Catullus taught me the value of the word, Salinger and Price the notion of a fearless voice, Yates the idea of broken people trying to put each other back together and Roth the excitement of wit, the irrevocableness of aging, and the inevitability of being Jewish.

BC: How did you get to write for Letterman? What has your career path been like up to working for the show?

BILL: I was a sportswriter for two years after I graduated from Harvard. I moved to New York in 1980 and became a stand-up comic. I made a living at that for twelve years until I was fortunate enough to get hired by then Late Night with David Letterman in 1991. Note to those who think I had it knocked: I was rejected FIVE previous times for writing jobs on the Letterman show over seven years before I got hired.

I started writing novels in 1995. The best advice I ever got I pass along freely: WRITERS WRITE.

BC: What kinds of humor traditions do you belong to and how are you trying to advance the field?

BILL: I am a monologue joke writer for Letterman and I write novels that ideally have plenty of comic subtext. So, right there, those are two long-standing traditions. And when I appear at an event or on TV, I try to tell funny stories, which would be the earliest humor tradition. In terms of trying to advance the field, I just try to do good work, get better, and develop a singular voice.

BC: Where is humor going and what’s bending it in that direction?

BILL: When I was a stand-up, there were two things you didn’t joke about: abortion and the Holocaust. That’s gone. I think like any art form, society will keep erecting taboos or righteous boundaries, and the art form will keep trying to subtly chip away at them, or deftly knock them down.

BC: Johnny Carson routinely used the daily news to get most of his material. Do you find that’s the freshest and safest formula for success?

BILL: Absolutely, when you’re doing a daily show, you have to rely on that day’s news. Not exclusively, though. Some news has a longer shelf life than others. I’m sure they’ll be making Bill Clinton birddog jokes long after I’m in assisted living.

BC: Since you don’t have an Improv type of setting to try things out in, how do you test to see if a bit will come off as funny as you thought it was when you first wrote it?

BILL: There is no guarantee, but you do have the experience or reference of what type of thing has worked in the past. Sometimes stuff fails, and I think people enjoy seeing that as much as material that scores. I mean, how great was it when Johnny’s monologue would start bombing and he’d do the soft-shoe?!?

When you do a show every night, there’s an urgency. You don’t have the time to run down the halls trying out jokes on your co-workers. Although, don’t get me wrong, I have….

BC: Do you employ a scoring system to rate the acceptance of the humor by the audience? Is it based on the amount of laughter generated or some other metric?

BILL: We use the “Spectacular 7” scoring system employed by Jai-Alai. Two points for the first round, one point for each additional round. First one to 7 wins….

You just know if something works. We can’t see if the people at home are laughing, but we can tell if we’ve executed the premise well. The results are the results.

If the studio audience laughs, it works. If Dave laughs and the audience doesn’t, it still works. Because, at the end of the show, the audience leaves. I see Dave every day.

BC: Because of the timing, many actors have said that a successful comedy role is the hardest to perform well. Can you relate to the same complexity when it comes to writing comedy? Do you think it is also harder in some ways than writing the “straight” stuff?

BILL: Woody Allen said it best about writing comedy, “If you can do it, there’s nothing to it.” Actors say that about comedy being hard to perform because to do it well, you have to not take yourself so seriously. Try asking an actor to not take himself seriously.