Retire in Style with Lolita

Mark Twain said: "Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been"; viewed this way, smiles are an indication of your overall character, which becomes more and more outwardly telling as you age! A smiling person almost always stands out. You feel drawn to the smiling person and withdraw from someone who is frowning. Smiling makes us attractive. When someone is smiling they lighten up the room, change the moods of others, and make things happier. A smiling person brings happiness with them. Smiling is contagious. Smiling helps the immune system to work better. When you smile, immune function improves possibly because you are more relaxed. Let’s say smiling and laughter are the best preventative medicine. Studies have shown that smiling (and laughter) releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and serotonin. Together they make us feel good. Let us call them the feel good factors. The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger. No ne...

I was following several websites / blog sites of ladies and gentlemen who are enjoying life and living it to the fullest because they are 65+ years young and not in spite of being 65+ years old ! I thought I would focus this time on “dressing up” or on fashion for my age group and older. I came across a certain Lynn Dell who believes living is a party to be enjoyed and she dresses every day as if she was invited to the biggest and best of them! There are Debra Rapoport and Tziporah Salamon who say dressing is an art form and form of creativity. These sophisticated, smart 70 somethings clearly enjoy getting dressed in the morning. I guess we would never hear them lamenting “ I don’t have anything to wear.” They wake up to closets of bright, beautiful outfits and accessories. I admire these ladies who are embracing their advanced age and I am more than happy to benefit from their advanced fashion style. Lynn Dell’s credo is : "Dress for the theatre of your life". ...

I was browsing around Urban Barn when I spotted this cushion. Actually the quote is what held my attention. The cushion is now an accent and a conversation piece in my home. I found the info on the author and the greeting card with this quote. Show me a day when the world wasn't new "The quote is from Sister Barbara Hance (1928-1993) Sister Barbara spent the last years of her life working for H.O.M.E. Inc., a cooperative in Orland, Maine dedicated to helping poor people work, sell crafts and vegetables and build their own homes. She headed efforts to establish a homeless shelter in a nearby town, when most of the town's government and business establishment were against it, with one local businessman-councillor (Mr. **) particularly opposed. The odds against the shelter were long, but in the idea's darkest moments Sister Barbara had one piece of advice to her colleagues: "After we win, we must make Mr. ** a supporter." They did. He was." The i...

I came across an interesting article about the two “basic requirements” of graceful aging: 1. Accepting the things we cannot change 2. and having the courage to change the things that we can. Actually these were “borrowed” from the “Serenity Prayer”. I mentioned in an earlier Blog that since aging cannot be stopped, I might as well enjoy it! And truly I find that this attitude towards aging is helping me enjoy my current lifestyle. One thing we absolutely cannot change is the fact that every day brings us closer to death. I have drawn on my spiritual resources to help me come to terms with this. My healthy lifestyle now includes “spiritual health”. Experts say that along with accepting changes successful aging includes finding meaningful activities. I am now amongst happy retirees involved in activities that we enjoy. Traveling, hobbies, spiritual pursuits, new social groups, learning new things or recapturing time with family. Every day is leisure day for me! Here is t...