2 Boomer Broads Podcast

Coming to you from the women’s lounge of the Love Boat.

We absolutely loved this interview by the way. Make sure to tune in.

In this episode, we talk to Holli Rovenger about travel trips for Baby Boomer women. Holli puts together trips of a lifetime that you simply have to check out.

She says, “Just because something is listed as the finest resort, doesn’t mean it’s going to feel homey or first class to you.” Sometimes it’s can end up feeling cold and austere like a hotel that was recommended to her in Lake Como, Italy.

Small and quaint hotels are usually much nicer. She realized that you have to investigate places. The same goes for restaurants. It’s a good idea to speak to the locals to find out what they recommend rather than depend on reviews.

Holli brings together groups of women over 50 for an experiential travel experience. Her trips immerse them in the culture of the area they are visiting. They learn about the people, their food, and have experiences that they would normally not have on their own.

She also found that hiring private guides enhances a trip. The right guide can take you to the front of the line and into places many tourists are unable to see.

“They’re definitely not cookie cutter vacations.”

Holli’s background

A dietician by trade, she never loved the clinical side. Her focus is on weight management and wellness. Methods include behavior modification and empowering her clients to take responsibility.

She’s been divorced for six years. Eight years ago she found out her ex had spent every penny they had. This led her to write a book about financial empowerment for women. Since then, she has became an “expert” empowering women. She took everything she learned and now combines it with travel.

Her business philosophy

Traveling with groups of women you see things differently than in a mixed group. Her initial plan was to only include single Boomer women but she found there were women whose husbands either could not or did not want to travel.

“When women are together, magic happens.”

It’s important to have women friends. As we all know, women outlast their spouses by 83% and need female friends for support. Some have no idea how to manage their finances or even write a check. Occasionally it’s the opposite. There are men who don’t know how to manage their money or write checks.

The perfect itinerary for an “Exclusive Luxury Experience”

Holli’s trips include cultural events and foodie experiences. She tries to book a cooking class for every trip. Her group takes time to talk to locals to see what their lives are like, the political climate, daily routine, etc.

Her upcoming Italy trip in May will include cooking classes, olive oil -cheese and wine tastings, hiking, and a spa day. The group will stay exclusively in Tuscany at a converted farm house. (upscale bed and breakfast) They will visit Florence, Siena, Cinque Terra, and other nearby towns. Each night they’ll have dinner and wine at the farm house because she says the owner cooks better than any restaurant in the area.

Holli also includes a strategic infusion of personal development on every trip, although it will be subtle.

In the fall, she will be leading a trip to Santa Fe where she will spend three hours teaching wellness techniques to her group. They will experience it as well by taking a dip in the hot springs.

Holli’s excursions never feel rushed like you are on a cruise ship expedition where you are just “seeing” things but not immersing yourself in the experience.

She will be publishing a travel journal soon called “The Ultimate Travel Journal.” It will be a planner and journal all in one and will include travel tips on how to get the most of any journey you take.

Traveling on the off season, to Italy for example, can be much nicer than during the busy summer.

Recorded from Stepford, Vermont

The 2 Boomer Broads interview Stacey James Wheeler, author of Stepdad 101: What to Know Before You Marry a Single Mom.

We wanted to know how Stacey could speak to us as Boomers on the subject of being a step dad. Most of us are grandparents if we had children at all.  Stacey says he’s darn near a Boomer, having been born in 1966. He was just off by a couple years.

We tested him by giving him names of people who defined the Baby Boomer generation and asked what they were known for. With the exception of one miss, he did pretty well.

His older siblings have been his Boomer influence. We decided to call him a Step Boomer.

Stacey says that the title of his book has received some push back from both males and females, however, he says it’s ultimately about the kids.

He works as a family dynamics researcher, couples coach, and family integration coach. His goal is to help step families learn to work together. Previous to becoming an author he worked in communications and with the film and TV industry.

Stacey says there’s a huge divorce rate in step families as well as other stressors. Men need to realize this and be ready. Some guys have no problem, but others, who are not prepared, find they can’t cope with the situation. A mom who wants the best for her kids will want a guy who is able to step up to the plate and work through the challenges.

Boomers are affected when a step parent is introduced to parent their grandchildren. They can help the family ease the transition to a new parent by working with the family to  make sure they succeed. Grandparents generally hold a lot of sway over grandchildren.

Stacey’s book helps step parents work with the stresses that come with being a step parent such as dealing with the ex, etc. Often when a person becomes a step parent, the role isn’t specifically defined making it hard for the step parent to bond with the children. They have to sit down and be specific on what that means and how it will work with the marriage.

His advice varies depending on the age of the children. It’s usually easier to deal with very small children, but after they reach the age of 9 or 10 it usually becomes harder. The mom needs to have her new husband’s back  to make this work.

Decide what you’re going to say when a kid pulls out the “You’re not my dad (mom)” thing. He suggests knowing specifically what to say and even suggests practicing it in front of a mirror.

Stacey went through many struggles as a step parent and learned from his mistakes. His wife didn’t support him because they didn’t have the conversations that they should have had at the beginning.  The issues weren’t necessarily about the children. They included other factors.

Communication is huge in any relationship.

The idea for the book came after Stacey had a major fight with his wife. He refused to give up though. It lead him to starting his website www.stepdadding.com  and writing.

The majority of step dads (81%) have never been fathers making it even harder to fit in. They are joining a family in progress with all their rules in place. The older the kids are the more embedded those rules are.

In Stacey’s case, he is no longer with his wife, but has created such a great relationship with his “kids” that his son is going to celebrate his 21st birthday in Las Vegas and both Stacey and the biological father will attend together.

Stacey is a big proponent of single moms because his mom raised her children as a single woman.

The kid’s interests always have to come first. Watching celebrities change relationships over and ove...

We (the 2 Boomer Broads) have just come back from a short hiatus. Life happened. What can we say? Were glad to be back and missed you terribly as well as each other. Hope you missed us too.

Sharone had a routine colonoscopy and Rebecca went along for the ride, so guess what this episode is about?  That’s right! It’s all about having a colonoscopy. Aren’t you excited? Most people over 50 have one at one time or another, so it’s important to talk about. Of course, we keep it super funny.

Highlights from the show

Recording from the waiting room at St. Elsewhere.

Sharone says her colonoscopy wasn’t anything like Katie Couric’s experience. Katie must have had a spinal block when she did it. Sharone’s was AHHHHHHHH! (At this point in the podcast hold your ears, because Sharone blows out the mic)

She expected to be put under but wasn’t. Even though she’s a medical geek, she says she didn’t appreciate the sight of her bright pink colon at that time.

The result: Sharone had two tiny polyps which were, fortunately, benign. However, polyps that go unchecked can turn cancerous, so it’s important to have the procedure if you need it.

A friend of both of us was recently diagnosed with colon cancer and is now doing well. Thank goodness! If she’d have had a colonoscopy two years earlier, she wouldn’t have gone  through the agony she endured. At the time of the surgery, her tumor was the size of a baby’s head. We’re glad she kicked cancer’s butt!

Sharone recommends that if you have a colonoscopy, make sure to tell the doctor you want to be knocked out.

Rebecca was the escort for two colonoscopies that month. (Sharone’s and her boyfriend Doug’s) She’s wondering if she should start a colonoscopy escort service.

In a nutshell, we talked about the following:

Note: It’s much funnier if you listen in. Click on the player at the top of this post or subscribe to our show on Itunes so you can listen in on your phone or IPAD.

* The glup you have to take before the procedure and fasting.

* Different ways to enjoy Jell-O

* Diverticulitis –vs diverticulosis and why you may not have to worry so much about eating seeds and nuts.

* Hemorrhoids

* Hemoccult test and what they look for in the test that may determine if you need a colonoscopy.

* How to increase your fiber intake without having to take yucky slimy stuff.

* Diet to avoid constipation (yes we go there)

* Comparing an endoscopy to a colonoscopy

* Reflux and why Sharone’s throat was feeling weird. Plus what they did to her nose.

* The throats of Sharone, Donny Osmond and Julie Andrews

* Rebecca tells a story about when she worked with Julie Andrews on a movie.

* What Sharone and Rebecca ate after the colonoscopy.

* How cleanses can make your colon look like a black hole.

* Colonics/enemas – or eating right instead.

* Make sure to drink your water – Just do it.

* Vodka enemas – Don’t do it.

* Old style enemas vs modern enemas

* What’s the best toilet paper? We would love it if you left a comment below because we are confused on what brand to buy.

* Going to the bathroom in Mexico

* Sharone wants you to know she has baby wipes if you need them.

* How Sharone got in trouble with a relative when she mentioned her father’s poop on Facebook.

* Dog poop – We were running out of things to talk about.

* Rebecca aces her cardio tests (stress and echo) and getting out of breath at high altitudes.

* Making sure your doctor gives you tests you need and doesn’t give you tests you don’t need.

* Rant – About a guy in a 60 minutes story that was jacking up prescription drug prices.

* Why you should visit an ophthalmologist or even a chiropractor to check your eyes.

Coming from you from the Mind Meld Mental Gym at Mensa Headquarters.

The 2 Boomer Broads interview Ruth Curran, author of the book “Being Brain Healthy and How it Can Change Your Life.” Her website is at www.craniumcrunches.com

Ruth is a brain health specialist. She was in a car accident almost 11 years ago and had a traumatic brain injury. She recovered and through her recovery discovered some important skills on brain health. Ruth is a Baby Boomer who has been watching all her contemporaries lose their keys, cell phones, etc. What drives her every single day is being brain healthy.

Many Baby Boomers are scared to death that they have Alzheimer’s but in most instances that’s not the case. There are so many things that we can do to keep our brains healthy but fear often drives us in the wrong direction.

Compare yourself to a 20 year old person. Can you think your way around a problem the way you did back then? It’s most likely that you can solve a problem much easier now.

Younger people forget other people’s names as much as older people do. The difference is, when we were younger we didn’t care as much about it as we do now.

It’s the connections in the brain that cause us to forget things. If we’re as connected, it’s easier for us to forget. Nowadays we are so over stimulated by the Internet, TV, and our lives that it’s easy to forget things.

Ruth’s website Cranium Crunches includes photo based games that lets you solve puzzles in the context of your life. She started Cranium Crunches because her dad developed Parkinson’s disease and Parkinson’s dementia. She was working as a cognitive rehabilitation specialist at the time so she was the perfect person to help him.

She started her dad off by having him look at pictures in Life Magazine that showed various changes. Later she went with her son to a bar and played a photo hunt game. Her brain health business originated in thatbar. There are 8 different games on the site. Ruth’s brain games help you pay attention and focus on expanding your working memory.

It’s helpful to occasionally change your perspective on what you’re looking at. Switch out the route you go to work, change the direction that your toilet paper is hung, or sit in a different seat in a classroom. If are in a stressful situation, you can deflect that stress by taking your attention away from what’s causing it.

Ruth suggests that when you’re working on your computer, take your menu bar and move it to the side. Brush your teeth with your left hand. Work on problem solving and challenge your brain.

Work on your senses. The sense of smell, for example, triggers emotions.

Rebecca says,

“When a woman is in love, you usually love the way your partners underarms smell and want to stick your nose in it. When you fall out of love, he starts to stink.

Think about the rhythm of your breathing and the temperature of your body. Figure about what normal feels like so you know what you’re returning to.

Music can take you to different places and changes your brain waves as well.

For creativity, Ruth uses sensory activities to stimulate her brain. She has a jar that has ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and ground dark chocolate. She opens it up, takes a big whiff and it gives her a calm feeling, putting her brain where it needs to be. It helps her to create better. Lavender, vanilla, lemongrass and warm spices work like that as well. So does aromatherapy.

If you want to remember something important, give it an emotional value.

All of the games on Ruth’s website are free. You wants you to be able to go to the website and play.

Crossword puzzles, bridge, playing games and being social is great. Doing them all is even better. Reading is great but reading out loud is better. Listening to music is wonderful but singing is even better. Go to YouTube. Type in a song that you like and then add the word “lyrics.

Broadcasting from the Polish Tea Room just off Broadway.

Show Notes

In this episode the 2 Boomer Broads interview Peter Danish, who is a media marketing strategist, author, Emmy Award winner, classical music critic and playwright. Peter worked as an Senior Media Marketing Executive at NBC for many years and is the author of the book, “I’ll Give You Exactly Five Minutes.” It’s a professional guide to the O.R.S.O.N. system of presentation skills. Peter says he was a lifer in the TV industry working ever since he was out of college.

About 10 years ago, he decided on a lark to take 2 weeks off and to go to Bosnia. A friend of his in Nyack, NY, where he lives, mentioned that she was going with a group called the Fellowship of Reconciliation. (similar to Amnesty International)  He was burning out at NBC and on the verge of a nervous breakdown from working too much.

His family was originally from Dubrovnik, Croatia. Peter says that Croatia is stunning if you ever want to visit. Game of Thrones is filmed there.

Peter’s boss was upset that he was taking off for 2 weeks because the network was in the middle of the Upfront. That’s when television network executives wine and dine advertisers and press and take them to shows. Right after the Upfront, Peter took off for 2 weeks to Bosnia where he worked in an orphanage.

It was a life changing experience.

It was several years after the war in Bosnia but the children at the orphanage had been abandoned, were victims of rape and incest and were victims of other sad situations. The first day he was there he couldn’t stop crying.

The supervisor at the orphanage made it clear that Peter was not to drop a single tear while he was there. She said the kids didn’t need tears, they needed strength. On the day he left, he was distraught that none of the kids came down to say goodbye. The interpreter said it was harder for the kids than it was for him. They didn’t want the kids to be in the situation where someone says they’ll come back but they never do.

Peter ran up the stairs and told the kids he was going to come back leaving the staff infuriated. He made a promised to return and ended up coming back 8 more times.

When Peter returned to work he was aglow. He started to tell his boss about the trip. His boss didn’t want to hear about it and berated Peter for going. He said that his work was piled high and to never ask for 2 weeks off again. Peter walked into his office and made the decision to quit working there. He went home and booked his trip back to Bosnia.

After that he worked as a freelancer. He found that all the people he’d worked with, after 25 years of writing speeches and sales presentations, wanted Peter to keep writing for them.  He ended up working for all the networks including many of the cable networks.

5 years ago a mentor of Peter’s, who was the general manager and head of sales at the Telemundo Network encouraged him to write down his formula for creating presentations. Peter studied the speeches he had worked on with clients and boiled down the components of what made them successful. Many of his clients complained that they had a hard time remembering what they were supposed to say. This inspired Peter to come up with his O.R.S.O.N. System. Overview – Research – Solution – Opportunity – Next Steps.

The logic is that you don’t need notes. Don’t read prepared speeches. If you remember the word O.R.S.O.N., you will never lose your place in your speech again.

Broadcast from the Self Realization Center in Malibu

This is a podcast you really have to listen to, but below are some of the highlights.

The Broads talk about “How Hippie Are You?” Have you seen those quizzes on Facebook? According to the test, Sharone is 34% hippie and Rebecca 62%. Sharone was flabbergasted that she didn’t receive a higher score. She thinks she lost points because she wasn’t a follower of the Grateful Dead.

How active were you in the 60’s and 70’s in the world of politics? Did you attend Peace Rallies? Were you born yet?

When Woodstock came out both Broads (born in 1953) were in the 9th grade. Sharone went to Culver City High School in West LA. She says Culver City was like Mayberry. It had its own mayor and a small town feel, back then.

Rebecca was in the OC. (that’s short for Orange County about 1 hour from LA) She went to Costa Mesa High School. Even though the OC is known to be right winged, Rebecca’s high school was pretty outrageous. It was near the beach so it had classes like Beach Sports and Writing about Fantasy and Science Fiction. Kids smoked pot in the fields and hung all over each other.

Sharone was involved in politics but when there was a peace rally she was the usher. She didn’t think anyone she knew had ever smoked pot or LSD. (the poor thing was naïve)

Rebecca’s high school had a junior college right across the street so they could walk over and join their peace rallies.

Both Broads did Modern Dance in high school. Sharone also learned folk dancing.

Does “How Hippie You Are” have to do with your mindset?

Rebecca dressed more like a mod wearing mini-dresses 10 inches above her knee. Her mother made all her clothes. Girls had to wear dresses to school, although with mini-skirts so short, their schools relaxed their policies and let them wear pants. (they wanted them to be covered up) Both Broads were allowed to wear pants in 10th grade.

Sharone preferred comfortable clothes. (no bra, sandals, pants, etc.)

Rebecca and Sharone hung out with the drama crowd when they were in school. At Rebecca’s school there were the popular kids (cheerleaders, etc.), the drama freaks, and the Parlor – (the artsy more hippie types.) Some went on to work at the Renaissance Faire and worked there for most of their lives.

Sharone’s hippie experience wasn’t about turn on, tune in, drop out, it was more about social activism.  Rebecca didn’t get wild until college. (she tells a story about a clothing optional place she went to in the desert. (LISTEN IN!)

Both Rebecca and Sharone avoided drugs. Some of Rebecca’s friends were into it though. Sharone hung out with more “straight laced hippie types.”  Rebecca tells stories about “trying” some drugs. (LISTEN IN) Sharone says she and her friends didn’t do drugs, they did hors d’oeuvres.

Did you ever get drunk on Boone’s Farm Apple Wine?

Rebecca and her friends made Felliniesque home movies. Some were a bit risqué.

Sharone got into doing macramé.

Rebecca used to go to South Coast Plaza, now one of the biggest malls in America to visit the Indian Store (Raj of India) where they had madras fabrics, glow in the dark posters, and incense.

Sharone didn’t wear makeup.

 

Rebecca had a Sassoon haircut in 9th grade and when she graduated.

 

Rebecca eventually grew out her hair.  Just FYI, her hair is exactly like that now.

What makes you a hippie?

Sharone says its being a free spirit. She feels she’s somewhat of a humanist and wants other people’s lives to be better. Equal rights for people who need them.

Sharone talks about why we protested the war and Rebecca discusses treatment of Vets. (LISTEN IN)

In the 60’s there were daisy stickers on everything. They were called Ricky Ticky Stickies.

Broadcasting from picturesque Fallbrook Falls.

The Broads interview Tami Peavy from www.practicaltherapy4u.com, who is a renowned physical therapist. She helps people over 50 avoid falls.

Both Broads reveal that they’ve fallen in the past.

According to Tami, Boomers who are 60 have a 1 in 3 chance of falling each year with half of those falls ending up in the hospital. Every 30 minutes someone actually dies from a fall in the U.S.

Even people who are fairly active may still fall, so it’s important to learn how to avoid falling.

What is the reason so many people are falling?

Even though many of us in the Baby Boomer generation have gym memberships and grew up on Jane Fonda workouts, most of those programs don’t focus on the main muscle group that will prevent falls and correct the poor posture habits that we’ve developed over the years.

We also sit too much behind a desk, in cars, and on the sofa.

Your balance and independence is dependent on the strength of your “muscle of balance.”  That muscle is your gluteus Maximus. (Your butt) You are sitting on the very thing that keeps you independent in life. Virtually everything you do requires strength in your butt muscles.

We’re often told to work on squats to strengthen our butts but Tami doesn’t believe squats are appropriate for anyone over 30. They take a toll on your knees and back and weaken the very muscle that you need to keep from falling.

Extensions that take your arms and legs behind your body are much more effective exercises.

Tami’s DVD’s, available on her website, take you through the proper exercises one day at a time.

Balance and other Cool Tips

Focus on walking with your feet under your hips as you move through your day to avoid the risk of fracture from falls. (Don’t keep your legs close together like we were taught in charm school – think more of walking like a cowboy)

Many falls happen when people get off of the toilet because their legs are too close together. When you get out of a chair, or the car, keep your legs slightly apart to give yourself a stronger base.

Crossing your legs all the time is a bad practice. It keeps your legs together and weakens your base of support.

Standing and texting can be dangerous because your chin is down, your head is forward, and it can throw you off balance.

If you work on a computer all the time, adjust the screen so that the bottom of the screen is in line with your chin when it’s held level.  Your head is heavy and if you let it drop down, you’re carrying a lot of weight that puts pressure on your neck.

If you experience back problems sitting in a desk chair, ditch the chair and sit on a therapy ball instead. It forces you to move your body and is much healthier for you than a chair.

90 % of brain stimulation comes from spinal movement.

How can you prevent falls?

Do extensions to strengthen your muscle of balance. This can also be accomplished by lying on your stomach.

Most gyms don’t provide equipment that will strengthen your butt muscles. The majority of gym equipment is built with the boot camp mentality in mind and doesn’t focus so much on balance.

Doing “Core” exercises are good but it will not prevent you from falling.

Stand in a doorway with your hands on both sides of the door. Then, do every movement with your legs behind you, pointed, without lifting your foot off the ground. If you lift your foot off the ground you will engage your lower back muscles.

Babies learn to walk by falling forward. At the end of our lives, with weaknesses developed over time, we start walking that way. Instead we need to concentrate on staying erect.

Tami works mostly with those who are Baby Boomers and older. Some are in their 90’s.  She has a few patients in their 80’s who are active, and still play tennis,

Broadcasting from the parking lot behind the Whiskey A Go Go.

The Broads welcome Rick Bava as their guest. He is the author of “In Search of the Baby Boomer Generation.”

Rick was born in Chicago in 1955, so he’s an official Baby Boomer. (born between 1946 – 1964) His book centers on his formative years, values, family, and the Midwest experience. He went to the University of Wisconsin on a tennis scholarship which paid for his education.

Rick segued into the corporate world and worked for Boeing.  He later founded the Bava Group, a communications firm for Fortune 500 companies.

Sharone asks, “After all that amazing success, what stimulated you to look for us? (meaning the Baby Boomers)

Rick says he went through caring for his parents, eventually losing them as well as a dear brother.

It spurred him to go on a search. He was looking for something that he would be passionate about and that would make an impact. With the help of his friend, a marketing expert, he began working on the book. He traveled the country for 2 years talking to and interviewing Baby Boomers of all socio-economic classes in different locations.

Many Baby Boomers around the country will relate to the commentary that Rick engaged in during his travels.

Primary and Secondary Audience for the Book

The primary audience is Baby Boomers. The second audience is people who want to learn about the Baby Boomer generation. (children or grandchildren of Baby Boomers and others)  The idea came to Rick after reading Tom Brokaw’s book “The Greatest Generation.”

55% of the Baby Boomers Rick talked to were women. They discussed their experiences going to college, conversations they had with their mothers about the role they should have in the future, becoming part of the workforce, breaking the glass ceiling, raising families, relationships, and also what their role is today.

Both men and women are dealing with caring for elderly parents, what they want to do at this stage of their life, health and wellness.

“You know, they told us we could have it all. I think that’s partly true. But the way I would put it is, we could have it all, just at all different stages of our life.” – A woman Rick interviewed in San Francisco.

Rick met all of his interviewees randomly and informally. (no clipboard with survey questions) He talked to people at baseball stadiums, libraries, coffee shops and lived in some of their homes.

Rick talks about the importance for women of having girlfriends who act as support systems as they go through life transitions. He compliments the 2 Boomer Broads on the impact their podcast show has on Baby Boomer women.

Baby Boomer’s lives tend to be complex.

Rick gives an example of a woman who is dealing with people at work, taking care of grandchildren, trying to work out, improve herself, take care of parents, etc.

How the Baby Boomer Generation is viewed

Many people see the Baby Boomer generation as being selfish, feels that isn’t true. In the course of his travels he’s seen Baby Boomers stepping up to the plate and caring for elderly parents, as well as giving back to the community. Baby Boomers have come full circle. They had causes as young people,

Coming to you from the point where Venus and Jupiter align.

The Broads welcome Doug Sandler as their guest. He has published a book called “Nice Guys Finish First.”  The Broads love nice guys and were excited to talk to him. Doug’s a professional speaker, blogger, Huffington Post writer, author and podcaster.  He says he’s an exhibitionist and loves to be out in front of people. He also loves to drink Cosmos.

Sharone asks, “I like nice guys, but they don’t like me back, so I end up going out with bad boys. What’s a girl to do?” Doug answers that “Us nice guys that are out there sometimes want to put on the persona of being a bad boy so that the nice girls, or the ones who are attracted to the bad boys would actually like us but it doesn’t really work very well and I end up just going back to that normal guy, that nice guy that I am. Really, nice guys do finish first.”  He likes to rescue women who are whispering “Help!” when bad boys try to pick them up.

Doug’s getting married soon so, unfortunately another good one will be off the market.

Can you be a nice guy and a bad boy at the same time?

You can fake it. Doug rides a Harley but is still a nice guy.

What is a bad boy?

A bad boy is someone who treats you like you’re not special.

Some “good boys” turn out to be “bad boys.”

Guys that need to be in control all the time (bad boys) are insecure and become “dicks.”

Nathan would be perfect . . . if only he was different.  ~ Guys and Dolls

Why you want a good guy

Doug believes good guys make good lovers. Good guys want to make sure their partner is taken care of. They’re pleasers.

When it comes down to it, you should just have a dog.

Doug and Danielle

After being divorced, Doug met “Miss Nice Girl.”  She’s a lot younger than him. LOL Her name is Danielle.

How are men and women different in the way they approach business?

Danielle works in the events industry which is dominated by women. She’s beautiful. On the weekends, she dresses for other women. Doug feels that women don’t really dress for men. They dress for other women. (Men would rather you didn’t dress at all.)

Sharone says she likes to dress so her clothes look easily removable. She says the guys she’s been out with think that if an outfit is too difficult to get off, it’s too much trouble. (buttons, zippers, etc.)

Danielle uses to her advantage those things that work for her in business. (details, way she dresses, makeup) If she dresses better than her competition, she comes out ahead. If she were doing it just a façade, it would collapse. She always follows up with amazing customer service.

Doug has a signature look that brands him. Purple tie, vest, etc. He wears it all the time and doesn’t have a lot of outfits.

Doug’s definition of success is:

“If I can get up every day and not have the pains. . . ”If I can do what I want to do, feel happy about it, enjoy my life, not get worried throughout the course of my day, and love what I do.” “Success is when you are doing what you love to do passionately, and actually being able to make a good living at it. Money can’t buy you happiness. You need to be happy because you’re a happy guy. (gal) You have to make yourself get that way.”

Sharone says she walks around with a pleasant look on her face all the time. When you do this, you become more happy, because your brain tricks itself into being happy and it makes others around you happier.

Doug says the art of self-talk in huge.

“If we were to talk to ourselves, or if other people were to talk to ourselves the way that we speak to our ourselves, we’d end up walking around with a black eye our enti...