Today's Boomer Vol.4 No.1 January/February 2015

s ’ y a d o T Vol.4 No.1

5 Ways to Simplify Your Finances This Year

Gearing Up Guide for 2015

Boomer Travel: Top 15 to Go in ‘15

The New Baby Boom: Millennials to Overtake Baby Boomers

Lifestyle Trendz: Boomers Focused on Weight than Wallets

Boomer Healthy Eating:

Coffee Curation

F– Being Old Rx for Living in 2015: Create Your BoomeR Bucket List Today’s BoomeR Featuring The Only B2B -Business 2 BoomeR Marketplace!

Up Coming CruisesBook Now! Tropical Caribbean Exploration Credit Union Leadership Development Conference June 13-June20, 2015 Romantic Rhine River Journey Credit Union Growth Forum June 25-July 6, 2015 Deep Amazon River Exploration Credit Union Competitive Edge Forum August 7-August 16, 2015 Spanish Mediterranean Odyssey Credit Union Volunteers Symposium August 16-August 27, 2015

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This Issue January / February 2015 Volume 4, Number 1

Boomer Travel

5

Top 15 Places to Go in 2015

5 Ways to Simplify Your Finances in 2015

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15 Things to Buy at the Dollar Store

2015 New Baby Boom 12 Millennials to Overtake Boomers 16

Boomers Focus on Weight more than Wallets in 2015

Social Security

Advertising: Team For Letters to the Editor, articles and feedback as well as advertising inquiries email Alexandra@TheAmericanBoomeR.com

The American BoomeR.com

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Alexandra Maragha Founder & Editor-In-Chief Today’s BoomeR Alexandra@TheAmericanBoomeR.com

Create Your Own Boomer “Bucket List”

B2B Marketplace

Bob Trotter: Social Security Chef Eben Atwater: Healthy Eating

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Coffee Curation

New Blog: F-Being Old

Contributing Writers :

John Vardallas CEO/Founder Professional Speaker Business/Lifestyle Strategist Boomer Sage and Blogger JohnVardallas@TheAmericanBoomeR.com (608) 577-8707

Crossword Challenge

Boomer Healthy Eating

Founders: John Vardallas & Alexandra Maragha Editor-In-Chief: Alexandra Maragha

Boomer Consumer Watch 10

Lifestyle Trendz

’s y a d To

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Business 2 Boomers Marketplace

Today’s BoomeR Vol.4 No.1 Today’s BoomeR is published six times (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/ June, July/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec) a year by The American BoomeR.com 769 North Star Drive (Suite 207) Madison, WI 53718 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

The American Boomer @American_Boomer Today’s BoomeR 3

EDITOR’S LETTER

’s

Today

Take the Open Road The way to find and navigate to get to your destination can sometimes be very confusing. Driving along and the GPS is instructing that you take a “right turn in 500 ft” when the road is closed due to construction, can be nothing less than irritating, confusing, and even discouraging to arrive to your destination on time and not being flustered.

This issue is brought with the focus of being only a guide for 2015, for Boomers to their way with the outlook of always looking up and (feature) p. navigate 10 ahead.

We have provided great suggestions and tips for finances, top 15 places to travel to in 2015, and how the social and economic status could now once again change as Millennials overtake Baby Boomers in a generational shift for the first time in the U.S. Boomer trends are reflecting a rise in Boomers staying healthy and fit conscious, shifting spending to fulfill these goals. Likewise, we found from Boomer Chef Eben Atwater, a rise and care placed in the “mojo” of a “cup of Joe” that p. instilled 4 Boomers have forever enjoyed and a part of the continued culture and legacy behind a Boomer driven workforce for many years.

We encourage you to let 2015 be your open road to a successful year and no matter the twists, turns and road blocks that seem to rise, make each choice to your destination be an experience to count and be all worth the while. Enjoy the ride! p. 12 Alexandra Maragha Editor-In-Chief Send Letters and Feedback to: Alexandra@theamericanboomer.com

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Top 15 Places To Go in 2015

By CNT Editors www.cntraveler.com

BOOMER TRAVEL

Holiday planning starts with a bit of inspiration, beyond the well-trodden territory of tropical beaches and European cities. Looking for a different kind of vacation in 2015? It’s the year to hike the Southern Alps of New Zealand, head to the Bahamas, or visit Cuba for the first time.

Here are Condé Nast Traveler editors’ top 15 picks for where to go in 2015.

Cartagena, Colombia Cartagena, a perfectly preserved 17th-century port city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, has had a rough ride over the centuries. From pirates to prostitutes (aren't they synonymous?) the city has weathered its fair share of drama—thanks to everything from Gabriel García Márquez's remarkable novels of "magical realism" to the less-than-palatable shenanigans of U.S. Secret Service agents in 2012. Tips: Don't take a carriage ride through town, and avoid very late night stumbles through San Diego and Centro. Do, however, explore the up-and-coming Getsemaní neighborhood for its raucous Wednesday-night parties and interesting graffiti art. The chic Viceroy hotel group may deliver a new bolt-hole soon in a converted convent.—David Jefferys

Santa Teresa, Costa Rica New direct flights into Liberia, in Guanacaste (like JetBlue’s route from Boston), slash the drive time to this resort town, which has attracted the likes of Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady. In Playa Hermosa, Koji’s serves the best sushi and Japanese food in Costa Rica at wooden tables under strings of fairy lights. The ginger pork and superfresh sushi rolls are a light alterna- tive to plantains and gallo pinto in the heat (506-2640- 0815; entrées from5 $20).

Today’s BoomeR —Alice Newell-Hanson*

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania The furnaces are long gone, but this city’s on fire. Pittsburgh reinvigorates my love of art every time I visit. The Carnegie Museum of Art, The Warhol, Mattress Factory, and Wood Street Galleries have been on a curatorial tear in recent years. The restaurant scene is also alight, led by Cure and Bar Marco, but hit the old school Primanti Brothers for the best sandwich of your life.—Brent Burket

Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City has had a hard time divesting itself of a reputation for being crime-ridden, traffic congested, and highly polluted. And though traffic and air quality are ongoing problems, this sprawling metropolis of over 20 million inhabitants has successfully transformed itself into a vibrant and relatively safe place to visit with a great restaurant scene, world-class museums, and a sophistication befitting its position as one of the world's top cities. —Stephen Orr

most identified with this country in the mind of Americans. Instead, it should be more known for its beautiful high-altitude forests, its lakes, and Kigali, its capital city. Paul Kagame, Rwanda's highly effective if controversially autocratic president, is credited with putting the country's economy on the rise. And most of all, I want to see the mountain gorillas in their home in the Virunga Mountains.—SO

Myanmar Myanmar is like Southeast Asia's last frontier, where almost everything still feels undiscovered and off the beaten path after decades of military rule. But go now—luxury hotels are springing up in Yangon (the capital), and it probably won't be long before tourist hordes descend on temple-studded Bagan, making it feel (unfortunately) like another Angkor Wat in terms of the insane crowds. —John Wogan

Nassau, The Bahamas

The islands’ busiest airport, Lynden Pindling International, in Nassau, completed a $410 million expansion last year, and the 988-acre Baha I'm very interested in going to Rwanda. The horrific inter-tribal geno- Mar resort opens on Nassau’s Cable Beach in 2015, just in time for spring break. Of the four hotels within the complex, we’re most cide of the 1990s is a thing of the past but still remains the event

Rwanda

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excited about the Rosewood (1 Baha Mar Blvd.; 242-677- 9750; bahamar.com; doubles from $800). Play croquet on is U.S.– regulation lawns, then head to the hotel’s Riva Bar for a Dark ’n’ Stormy made with Bahamian rum. —ANH

(pictured) to the Rock Church and the Seurasaari Open-Air Museum, there's no shortage of striking design. Start the day with Karelian rye pastries stuffed with hearty rice pudding and end it with long drink, a gin-and-grapefruit-soda cocktail invented specifically for the 1952 Summer Olympics and so beloved by locals that it stayed well past its temporary run.—Lilit Marcus

Berlin, Germany The Berlin Wall came down 25 years ago, but you can still see hints of the former East and West cities as you walk through the German capital. There are tasteful, well-thought-out museums about the Stasi, the Holocaust, and the city itself, but there's also plenty of light amid the darkness. By day, have coffee and cake in a cool, design-focused coffee shop like Westberlin; by night, check out a band or DJ set at iconic live music venue Lido and dance til the wee hours at Berghain, which is so cutting-edge that there are no phones allowed.—LM

Belgrade, Serbia The former capital of Yugoslavia has a tough reputation that belies a vibrant culture that seems both ancient and modern. Visit the Palace of Serbia and the Hotel Jugoslavija (pristine examples of mid-century modernism), check out the Nikola Tesla Museum, walk the old-town neighborhood of Skadarlija, or explore St. Sava—the world’s largest Orthodox church. The nightlife scene is also one of Europe’s most underrated. —Calder Quinn

Cape Town, South Africa Industry insiders are abuzz about this vibrant South African city, where striking mountainous scenery, gorgeous beaches, and the chance to get up close to amazing marine and wildlife now competes for travelers’ attention with an elevated shopping, dining, and nightlife scene. The V&A Waterfront is a must for exploring and taking a boat ride to visit Robben Island’s rich history; adventurers shouldn’t miss taking a cable car ride up the spectacular Table Mountain or driving a rented sidecar—our favorite way to view Cape Town.

Houston, Texas

Helsinki, Finland Helsinki always gets outshined by Scandinavian siblings Stockholm and Copenhagen, but the Finnish capital is an underrated (and more reasonably priced) joy. From the gorgeous Helsinki Cathedral

Don't get us wrong: Traveler enjoys a long weekend in Austin as much as the next guy. But if Austin is the hipster-cool college party of Texas, Houston is the adult dinner party where we prefer to be wined and dined. Is Houston the new "it" city?, we asked in September—it seems that way, with plenty of hip places to eat, stay, and play in the bustling Texas city. —Katherine Shilcutt

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Cuba

Guangzhou, China

Under Obama, traveling to Cuba legally from the U.S. has gotten much easier—whether on a group tour or a"people-to-people" trip.

Beyond the embargo, the art scene in Cuba thrives—it's full of exciting and experimental work, and much of it is largely affordable.

You can even bring artwork back with you to the States without much hassle. —Liz Dosta

China Southern Airlines has launched direct flights between JFK and the trading port of Guangzhou—a blessing for business travelers.

Plus, Guangzhou’s arts scene is growing almost as quickly as its economy. Check out the Rem Koolhaas–designed Times Museum, then fill up on dim sum in the buzzy Taojin Lu neighborhood. —Alice Newell-Hanson

Milford Sound, New Zealand Thirteen years and six films later, Peter Jackson’s re-imagining of Tolkien’s tomes is complete. (We think.) As the stand-in for Middleearth, New Zealand may never be the same again—but now that filming is over, the hobbit-seeking hordes might go elsewhere.

Now’s the time to plan a trip to the Milford Sound area in the South Island, outside adventure travel capital Queenstown. Go "tramping" (hiking) along mountain faces, through dense, electric green forests, and past waterfalls (the Routeburn Track is highly recommended)—many of these locations appeared in the Lord of the Rings films. (Milford Sound, for example, stood in for Fangorn Forest.) —Laura Dannen Redman

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5 Ways to Simplify Your Finances in 2015

By Sophia Bera, Daily Finance Most people have a tendency to believe that simple things can't be the best way to achieve big goals. The simple way can sometimes feel too easy and leave us thinking, "what did I miss?"

But with personal finances, simple often really is better. Very simple advice will get you to financial success –- if you follow it consistently. That's the part that trips up many -- sticking with the simple stuff long enough to let it work for you.

groceries, eating out, shopping, kids' stuff, etc.) Divide this number by four to determine your weekly spending amount: $250.

?

This is where the magic happens: the only number you need to track is your new weekly spending amount.

Because the new year often means new resolutions and goals, I You take out $250 cash every Friday (or transfer this into a differwanted to share my thoughts on simplifying your finances in the ent checking account), and when it's gone, it's gone. No more new year: worrying about spending less on groceries but more on clothes.

1. Get Organized No more beating yourself up for past purchases. You have one number to focus on. This is how you budget forward instead of Many of us have a ton of financial paperwork lying around without budgeting backward. a clear system. If you like paper, have folders for tax documents, bank accounts, retirement accounts and insurance documents. If This system also allows you to do this: if it's Thursday and you have $75 left for the week, you can go out to dinner and a movie. you're anti-paper (like me), then start gathering, scanning and You did a great job budgeting that week, so you can reward yourshredding. Use an online filing system. self.

2. Streamline Your Accounts

Did you recently open a checking account but have yet to close your old one? Do you have an old 401(k) from a job change but you haven't done a rollover yet? It's time to cut back on the number of accounts you have. Ask yourself: which accounts can I close, combine with another account or roll over?

While I enjoy having multiple savings accounts at the same bank for different goals –- to keep the emergency savings separate from the vacation fund -– I think that simplifying your finances starts with being able to track your money.

3. Simplify Your Budget Look back at your yearly spending. List all your recurring monthly expenses. Is there anything you can cut? Can you switch to a less expensive service? I imagine that you'll find a few.

Do you have any big purchases on the horizon that you need to start saving for now? Work that into your budget. Add up the amount of the recently slashed expenses and set up a monthly transfer to your savings account for emergencies.

4. Automate Your Savings It's time to get in the habit of saving every month, but don't let yourself ruin your savings goals. Instead, it's time to make your savings automatic. You can do this by setting up a monthly transfer, or by changing your direct deposit so that you have a portion of your paycheck sent directly to your savings account.

5. Increase Your Retirement Contributions Use this system with your retirement accounts as well. Start a Roth IRA and set up monthly contributions. The new year is a great time to bump up your 401(k) contributions by 1 percent.

This change is so small you'll probably hardly notice the difference in your paychecks. And if you received a pay bump, why not give your future self the raise and increase your 401(k) contributions Put It Into Action

Now it's time to put it all together: start the new year right and find a system to organize your financial documents that works for you! Next, it's time to streamline your accounts, simplify your budget, automate your savings and increase your retirement conAfter adding up your recurring monthly costs and your savings tributions. By setting aside some time in January to do each of goals, how much money is left? Let's say your net pay is $4,000.

Your recurring costs are $2,000 and your savings goals are $1,000. these tasks, you'll simplify your finances for the rest of the year.

This means you have $1,000 left for all other living expenses (gas, May 2015 be a prosperous year for you.

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BoomeR ConsumeR Watch: 15 Things You Should Definitely Buy at the Dollar Store You may be amazed at the variety of tremendous bargains you'll find at the dollar store. Yes, even pregnancy tests.

By Maryalene LaPonsie, Money Talks News Dollar stores lure us in with rock-bottom prices. Sometimes you get what you pay for, but often the things they sell are good products at a tremendous discount -- a real bargain.

Money Talks News founder Stacy Johnson talked to a savings expert to find out what types of items you should definitely buy at a dollar store. Watch the video, and then keep reading for more dollar store deals.

1. Greeting cards There is no reason to spend $4 to $5 or more on a greeting card when dollar stores typically have a wide selection available for a buck or less. You might not get textured paper or fancy extras such as ribbon, but the heartfelt message you write will be the same regardless of how expensive the card looks.

2. Party Supplies By some estimates, you can save up to 70 percent by using party supplies from a dollar store. Get plastic tablecloths, paper plates and cups, streamers and favors from the dollar store and save a bundle. Don't forget to look for Mylar/foil balloons, too. These are an absolute bargain and can easily sell for five times as much elsewhere.

3. Gift Bags, Boxes and Wrapping Paper

wrapping paper can be a steal. You might not get the same thickness of expensive paper, but for something that's going to end up in the trash, why pay more?

4. Seasonal DĂŠcor From extra ornaments for your Christmas tree to a scarecrow to stake in your front yard for the fall, dollar stores can have a surprisingly robust selection of seasonal decor. Pick up some bargain-priced items to decorate your house for less. But stay away from holiday lights; they have a poor track record of safety at discount stores.

5. Reading Glasses As we age, we often lose elasticity in our eyes and that makes it more difficult to focus on close objects. In many cases, a simple pair of reading glasses is all you need, and the reading glasses at dollar stores are as good as those found in other stores. However, if you have trouble seeing at a distance, it may be time to schedule an eye exam and see about getting a prescription pair.

6. Hair Accessories From elastic bands to bobby pins to headbands, you can find hair accessories at a fraction of the price at dollar stores.

Combs and brushes can be a bargain, too.

7. Pregnancy Tests Grocery store pregnancy tests will set you back $10 to $15, but you can find them at some dollar stores for only a buck. You might be wondering whether a $1 pregnancy test is going to be accurate. That's a good question and, according to this news report, the answer is yes.

While you're getting your party supplies, look for gift bags and 8. Vases and Decorative Bowls wrapping paper, too. You could end up paying two or three Don't bother with other stores for vases and decorative bowls. times more for gift bags and boxes at other stores. In addition, The dollar store probably carries a number of styles at a price 10 Today’s BoomeR

that can't be beat. You can use vases to skip the florist and make your own, much cheaper arrangements. Or spruce up decorative glass bowls to make inexpensive gifts for family or friends.

9. Mugs and Glasses Like vases and bowls, mugs and glasses are also a good buy at dollar stores. The quality is comparable to what you might get at Walmart or other mass merchandisers. As a bonus, you can typically buy only the items you need rather than being forced to purchase a set.

10. Dishware Dollar stores also often have a nice selection of open-stock dishware. This isn't going to be top-of-the-line quality, but they're perfectly serviceable pieces. For those with little kids, dollar store dishes can be just what you need to get you through that phase of life when something seems to get broken in the kitchen on a weekly basis.

11. Storage Containers Plastic storage containers also get a thumbs up when it comes to great dollar store buys. In the grocery store, you can easily pay up to $5 for disposable containers. Get them for a buck at the dollar store instead. You can also find some great deals on storage bags, but be wary of off-brands that may not seal correctly.

be a bargain at the dollar store. Next Halloween, head there for your treats rather than paying supermarket prices.

14. Socks Much of the clothing you find at dollar stores is of an inferior quality and not worth the money. One exception may be socks.

Dollar store socks can be as good as department store varieties if you buy the right type. Look for ones made with acrylic or spandex for a comfy fit.

15. Washcloths and Dish Towels Finally, the price of washcloths and dishtowels at the dollar store can't be beat. You need to be careful with some towels that won't be absorbent enough to dry dishes. However, even those work great as cleaning rags.

12. Picture Frames If you're crafty, dollar store picture frames are an excellent buy. With a little paint or other decoration, bargain frames can look as nice on your walls as their more expensive counterparts. However, quality can vary widely. Check the joints to make sure they are secure and look for stray glue that may be difficult to remove.

13. Bagged or Boxed Candy Checkout lane candy will likely be just as cheap, if not cheaper, at the grocery store, but movie theater-style boxed candy and bagged candy can Today’s BoomeR 11

2015 Brings a New Baby Boom This year, Millennials will overtake Baby Boomers

By Richard Fry, Pew Research Center

This year, the “Millennial” generation is projected to surpass the outsized Baby Boom generation as the nation’s largest living generation, according to the population projections released by the U.S. Census Bureau last month.

Millennials (whom we define as between ages 18 to 34 in 2015) are projected to number 75.3 million, surpassing the projected 74.9 million Boomers (ages 51 to 69).

The Gen X population (ages 35 to 50 in 2015) is projected to outnumber the Boomers by 2028.

The Millennial generation continues to grow as young immigrants expand their ranks. Boomers – a generation defined by the boom in U.S. births following World War II — 12 Today’s BoomeR

are older and shrinking in size as the number of deaths exceed the number of older immigrants arriving in the country.

Generations are analytical constructs and it takes time for popular and expert consensus to develop as to the precise boundaries demarcating one generation from another. The Pew Research Center has established that the oldest “Millennial” was born in 1981. The Center continues to assess demographic, attitudinal and other evidence on habits and culture that will help to establish when the youngest “Millennial” was born or even when a new generation begins. To distill the implications of the census numbers for generational heft, this analysis assumes that the youngest “Millennial” was born in 1997.

Here’s a look at some generational projections:

Millennials The Census Bureau projects that the Millennial population was 74.8 million in 2014. By 2015 Millennials will increase in size to 75.3 million and become the biggest group.

With immigration adding more numbers to its group than any other, the Millennial population is projected to peak in 2036 at 81.1 million. Thereafter the oldest Millennial will be at least 56 years of age and mortality is projected to outweigh net immigration. By 2050 there will be a projected 79.2 million Millennials.

Generation X For a few more years, Gen Xers are projected to remain the “middle child” of generations – caught between two larger generations of the Millennials and the Boomers. They are smaller than Millennials because the generational span of Gen X (16 years) is shorter than the Millennials (17 years). Also, the Gen Xers were born during a period when Americans were having fewer children than later decades. When Gen Xers were born, births averaged around 3.4 million per year, compared with the 3.9 million annual Today’s BoomeR 13

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rate during the 1980s and 1990s when Millennials were born.

Though the oldest Gen Xer is now 50, the Gen X population will still grow for a few more years. The Gen X population is projected to outnumber the Boomers in 2028 when there will be 64.6 million Gen Xers and 63.7 million Boomers. The Census Bureau projects that the Gen X population will peak at 65.8 million in 2018.

Baby Boomers Baby Boomers have always had an outsized presence compared with other generations. They were the largest generation and peaked at 78.8 million in 1999.

There were a projected 75.4 million Boomers in 2014. By midcentury, the Boomer population will dwindle to 16.6 million.

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they need professional assistance to help with finances.

Baby Boomers Focused More on Weight than Wallets in 2015 From MoneyTips.com Each New Year’s Day brings a fresh crop of New Year’s resolutions. For the last six years, Allianz Life Insurance has conducted a survey to gain insight into these resolutions, and therefore into our concerns for the upcoming year.

The 2015 results were no surprise. Health and wellness concerns topped the respondent’s list, with 49% citing fitness issues as the primary focus for the year. All across America, gyms and health clubs count on this result to provide a surge of memberships that subsidize those who keep working out beyond mid-January.

Could it be different this year? History says otherwise. Given that 43% cited fitness issues as their biggest concern in last year’s survey, it is a safe bet that many did not fulfill their resolution goals and are included in this year’s 49% number.

In that case, why is financial planning not part of their resolutions? The survey showed 28% of the respondents believe they “don’t make enough to worry about it” – exactly the people who could benefit the most from financial planning to extend their limited resources.

Financial habits have not improved much based on other survey results that mimicked those from 2013. When asked what was holding respondents back from achieving financial goals, the top three responses were not saving any money (28%), unnecessary spending (27%), and not saving enough money (24%). Meanwhile, 19% chose paying off credit cards as the single thing they could do to most improve their finances.

In summary, we realize we have financial problems but tend not to make our resolutions about those concerns. We tend to make our resolutions about weight control and fitness, thinking that these are goals we can achieve and deal with on our own. We can correctly identify our financial problems, but we have less willpower to address them.

It seems likely that as baby boomers age, Meanwhile, fewer people are concerned about their finances.

Only 30% of respondents considered financial stability as their top financial New area of concern, and a scant 15% of respondents include financial Year’s resolutions will continplanning in their resolutions at all. ue to rise up the The financial planning number is down from 33% in the original list. Boomers 2009 survey, understandable given the economic situation back know what then. However, financial concerns that were overwhelming in past needs to be years have been joined by other anxieties. done, and as The survey reported that 40% of respondents felt more stressed more boomers than in 2013, with top stressors being data breaches/identity near retirement theft, terrorism/ISIS-related threats, stagnant wages, and market and assess the uncertainty. Only 21% of respondents reported feeling less options, finanstressed overall. cial planning concerns will Older Americans (baby boomers in particular) seem to be tilting reach a tipping more toward fitness concerns than finances, with 61% citing point. health and wellness as their primary concern and only 30% listing better money management as a resolution they would make and We hope that it keep. is not too late by then. After all, Yet older Americans feel the pressure of financial retirement you do not have needs. When given the choice of free professional help in various to worry about areas, 44% chose financial professionals over health professionals being oversuch as nutritionists (35%) or personal trainers (17%). weight if you Perhaps older Americans feel more confident that they can make cannot afford fitness-related resolutions and keep them without help, but that food.

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Social Security: Social Security to Expand Field Office Hours Nationwide

By Bob Trotter, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist

Budget for Fiscal Year 2015 Allows Agency to Restore Some Service Hours Social Security announces as a result of Congress’ approval of the fiscal year 2015 budget, the agency will expand its hours nationwide and offices will be open to the public for an additional hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, effective March 16, 2015. A field office that is usually open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. will remain open until 4:00 p.m. Offices will continue to close to the public at noon every Wednesday so employees have time to complete current work and reduce backlogs.

“This expansion of office hours reaffirms our commitment to providing the people we serve the option of top-notch, face-toface assistance in field offices even as we work to expand online services for those who prefer that flexibility,” said Carolyn W. Colvin, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “The public expects and deserves world-class customer service and

Social Security Celebrates 101 Years of Crossword Puzzles in 2015

thanks to approved funding, I am pleased we will continue our tradition of exceptional service.”

In recent years, Social Security reduced public office hours due to congressional budget cuts, growing backlogs and staffing losses. The agency began recovery in fiscal year 2014 by replacing some field office staffing losses and providing overtime support to process critical work. With the commitment of resources in fiscal year 2015, the agency is able to restore some service hours to the public.

Most Social Security business does not require a visit to a local field office. Many services, including applying for retirement, disability and Medicare benefits, creating a my Social Security account, replacing a Medicare card, or reporting a change of address or telephone number are conveniently available anytime at www.socialsecurity.gov. Social Security also offers assistance via a toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213 (Voice) and 1800-325-0778 (TTY). Representatives are available from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday.

ACROSS 4– About 47 percent of _______ persons rely on Social Security for 90 percent or more of their income.

8– The average age of disabled-worker beneficiaries in current-payment status has _______ substantially since 1960 .

9– 67 years old is the _____ retirement age of a person born after 1960.

10– There were 63 million Social Security ___________ in 2013.

11– 9 out of ten individuals age 65 and older receive Social Security _______ .

DOWN 1– 55 percent of Social Security beneficiaries were _______ in 2013.

2– 165 million _______ are covered under Social Security.

3 – One 5th of all beneficiaries in 2013 were _______ or the spouses and children of retired or disabled workers .

5– Social Security benefits represent about 38 percent of the income of the ________ .

6– Supplemental Security __________ (SSI) .

7– Benefits to retired workers has ________in the past 40 years.

Answers: ACCROSS: 4)Unmarried; 8)Declined; 9)Full; 10)Beneficiaries; 11)Benefits DOWN: 1)Women; 2)Workers; 3)Survivors; 5)Elderly; 6)Income; 7)Increased

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BOOMER HEALTHY EATING: Coffee Curation

Recipes and Photos from Chef Eben Atwater

www.urbanmonique.com

Are you a coffee snob? Would you know it if you were? I live in the northwest corner of Washington State, an area rife with perceived snobbery; fact is, few really are and here's why. They don't roast, store, grind, or brew coffee properly.

Today, we're going to wade through all that, so grab a hot cup, and have a sit.

In our home town, there are four roasters that I know of, supplying locals and many restaurants with great, fresh beans. That's good, and a First Degree Coffee Snob is buying those local beans on a regular basis, which is as it should be. I would too if I didn't love roasting my own, for that is the hallmark of a Second Degree Coffee Snob; one who knows from first hand experience that 'fresh' coffee means coffee roasted within the last 3 or 4 days, tops. If you're going to be a snob, be all you can be.

Back before WWII, almost everybody roasted their own coffee at home. The drive to keep GIs in coffee needed something to do after the war ended, so the industry turned its jaded eye on the American public. A couple decades later, very few folks knew how to roast at home, and that's a sad thing. It's high time to reverse that trend.

Coffee 101 First, a bit of back story. Coffee derives from the roasted or baked seeds of an evergreen shrub found within the genus coffea, the most prominent variants being coffeas arabica and robusta. The plant is native to parts of Africa and the Middle East, where documented cultivation stretches back to

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the Sixteenth Century. Nowadays, it's cultivated in some seventy countries worldwide, and is arguably the world's most popular beverage. Of those two most common variants, Arabica is generally recognized as producing better coffee, that is, coffee with unique aroma, taste, and mouth feel. Robusta is used, frankly, because it's somewhat more disease resistant and produces higher yields. That said, just as jug wine is not often the best option on the shelf, neither is robusta coffee.

After picking, green coffee is processed to remove the berry and other plant materials from the beans, (seeds). This is done either by various styles of air and sun drying, or via a 'wet method', wherein fermentation is employed, which some believe to yield a milder coffee. While arguably the preferred process for certain kinds of beans, wet fermentation also happens to be the cheapest, most profitable process. As high-end coffee has gained traction, more producers are employing dry processing, resulting in less wasted water; this is a good thing, FYI. Shade grown, hand picked, dry processed coffees can be found via reputable sellers, and you should seek them out. The end result of drying coffee beans is the reduction of moisture content to a level viable for storage and transport; from roughly 50% when picked to somewhere around 10% fully dried.

Now we have green coffee beans ready to be graded and sorted.

Back when, this is the form that most coffee traveled in, a green bean ready for roasting. The advent of coffee 'ready to brew' has largely changed that, and today the majority of beans are roasted before they're shipped. Fortunately for us, a resurgence in home roasting is underway, and green beans of admirable quality are abundant. Additionally, social conscience has reached the coffee world, and you can find not only green beans, but fair trade beans, which assures that growers receive a much needed reasonable share of the pie. Buying from a reputable dealer like Sweet Maria's assures high quality, fresh beans, and a wealth of information about the growers, processing, and best roasts for a given bean: I

am not, by the way, paid by or endorsing Sweet Maria's as The Source for green beans, etc. they are who I use and like. You're welcome to try them or find others as you see fit.

The Art of Roasting Roasting isn't hard, but there is certainly some trial and error for rookies. Success requires one to use multiple senses; smell, sound and sight all come in to play in a process that takes somewhere around 20-30 minutes.

each type and batch of beans. Some varieties just don't do well above a Full City roast, so care must be taken with your choices.

Second Crack is more violent and faster than First Crack. The sound is more like the snap of burning twigs than the pop of corn popping, and that adage is not misplaced. Carmelization, carbonization, oil migration and the last moisture turning to steam can literally blow beans apart. Steam is overtaken by smoke. Bean structure itself becomes relatively brittle. A few snaps of Second Crack yields a Full City Plus roast. Thirty seconds or so more leads to Vienna, another 30 seconds, Italian. Working right up to the end of second crack yields the glistening, unctuous glory of a perfect French Roast, the stuff that M and I dearly love. Go too far past second crack and you'll end up with charred, tasteless beans, so close attention to sound, smell and appearance is critical when working a roast this dark.

Cool Your Beans Roasting at home occurs when the chosen roasting vessel is heated over a medium flame to between 350° F and 400° F, (It helps to have a thermometer integrated into whatever set up you use). Green beans exposed to roasting temperatures first begin to turn yellow, which occurs over the first several minutes of the process and is accompanied by a delightful, grainy scent.

The beans will begin to emit steam as their internal water content starts to vaporizes. Now, somewhere around 7-10 minutes into the process, beans are turning light brown as their sugars begin to caramelize. You'll now see and smell a bit of smoke mixed with the steam, and the scent becomes more complex, with some hot cereal and baking bread notes. I'm not being a snob here, one really does smell these things… At this point, 10-13 minutes into the roast, you'll hear what is known as the First Crack. It sounds somewhat like popcorn popping. This is where the real roasting begins. Bean structure is changing as moisture is driven out and oils begin to move to the surface.

First crack typically lasts several minutes. When it is done, (and if you're a light roast lover), your roasting is done. This is what is known as a City Roast. Continuing for another three to five minutes or so results in darker beans as sugars continue to caramelize. The beans expand and their density drops. Now notably darker than a City Roast, this is a Full City roast.

These lighter roasts are considered more esoteric and flavorful than their darker cousins, as oils are present here that may be driven out or overshadowed by further roasting. With the advent of Second Crack, we enter the realm of the dark roasts, (which sounds rather Hobbitish), where sugar content is highly caramelized and the presence and flavor of essential oils becomes more pronounced. Full City Plus, Vienna, Italian, and French roasts are all characterized thus. The differences are subtle, and vary for

Cooling is as critical a step as the roast itself. Like roasted meats or fowl, coffee beans will continue to roast after removed from heat.

You can clearly hear the continuation of first or second crack while your beans are cooling in an aluminum colander or baking sheet, (Aluminum is preferred over steel, as it dissipates heat quickly, while steel tends to store it.) Tossing your beans in a colander allows you to have a good look at your roast. Stop a bit shy of your goal, go to the colander, and you have pinpoint control to allow or curtail roasting right in front of your eyes, nose and ears.

All roasts generate chaff from the skin left on the beans after processing. Chaff will not impart flavor to a brew, and it is easily blown off during cooling. Spread the beans evenly on an aluminum baking sheet to cool quickly and voila, fresh roasted coffee is yours.

Store for More On to proper storage, the test of a Third Degree Coffee Snob.

Freshly roasted beans off-gas CO2 for somewhere in the range of 12 to 24 hours; darker roasts tend to take longer. They must be allowed to undergo this process in order to reach their prime.

Roasted beans also abhor oxygen, which begins to rob them of their flavor in a matter of hours. An airtight glass, ceramic, or steel container is the solution. Allow your beans to sit in a open mason jar for 24 hours, then seal it tightly.

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Bump and Grind...Your Coffee Grinding seems simple, but considering that good, fresh coffee will begin to go stale within ten minutes of grinding, having something that works specifically for your preferred style of brewing is critical. Will you use a hand grinder or an electric version? What kind of electric; spinning blade, conical mill, or espresso? If like most of us, you drink drip or pressed coffee, a decent blade electric or a good old fashioned manual grinder will work just fine. If you drink espresso and plan to roast your own, you'll need a high quality grinder that can achieve a fine, even grind; there are both power and manual models that will get the job done.

Brewed to Perfection Brewing is no less of a battlefield: Do you drip, vacuum, or press?

Whatever your preferred method, from a chemistry perspective, we're all after the same end; using hot water as a solvent to wash soluble solids out of the ground coffee and into a uniform solution. From a simple drip rig like a Melitta, to techno-marvels costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars, the choices can be somewhat dizzying. Brewing method certainly impacts final product, but the centering truth is that any of these variants will get the job done; brewing correctly is more important than the manner in which it is achieved. If, as we do, you brew with some form of water drip through a paper filter, what you end up with is that desired cup of soluble solids. If you prefer the French press, vacuum, or espresso, you're opting for the addition of some insoluble solids into your cuppa as well. This is why a pressed cup often tastes a bit thicker towards the bottom, and may actually be a bit gritty at last sip. That's not a bad thing, as it can add body or mouth feel, although too much can make a cup bitter. It's a matter of personal taste, as it should be. Regardless of method, there are some basic brewing tenets that must be adhered to.

The ratio of coffee to water matters. Like all things professional in cooking, professionals weigh their coffee and even their water at least once to determine proper baseline, so that proper ratio can be duplicated. For most of us, 20% soluble solids extracted from the ground coffee is what we're after. Play with your go-to method and see where you stand.

Grind matters, somewhat. If you use a drip system, there's a fairly wide margin of error for the best grind, so it is worth experimenting with your rig to determine the sweet spot. While it stands to reason that a finer grind exposes more bean to water, that's not always what we're after, so again, some experimentation is called for. Most coffee drinkers know by trial and error about using the right amount of ground coffee; too little yields a 20 Today’s BoomeR

notable insipid result, and too much does not mean better. In all variations on the theme, a uniform grind is desirable. Finally, if you use an electric grinder, do not simply stuff beans in there and let 'er rip. Several sources agreed that a high speed, whirling blade left on for the time required to achieve a viable grind can heat things up and impact flavor, (Remember, be all you can be…). For best results, pulse steadily until you get where you need to be.

Water temperature absolutely matters; 195° F to 205° F is the prime range because, chemically speaking, water is most efficient as a solvent therein.

Contact time matters. Got a Mr. Coffee that flushes that water through your ground in under a minute? If so, you're getting ripped off. 2:30 is the ideal hot water to grounds contact time for almost all drip variants, while French presses want right around 5 minutes. Try this, and see if you don't get a better brew. And you paper filter users, pre-wet your filter in clean, hot water before your next brew; you'll lose less coffee to the filter by doing so.

Agitation counts. That said, if you have a drip system with an enclosed filter basket, pouring hot water over grounds effectively counts as stirring. Stirring does increase the rate of extraction of soluble solids, so if you use an open filter, pour-through rig, try a little stirring and see what it does for you.

Heat under your brewed coffee is an absolute no no. Frankly, anything with a hot plate is not the best thing for your brew. If you brew pots rather than cups, transferring freshly brewed to a thermal carafe is the trick. Coffee over heat is degrading in flavor and quality by the minute, so…

In addition to these basics, obviously the quality of your water, coffee, filters, and the condition of your brewing rig also matters.

Use good quality, including your water, and keep everything faultlessly clean. Coffee isn't cheap, so it makes sense to do it right.

Good to the Last Drop Last but not least, there's drinking. Frankly, if you're really a snob, a Fifth Degree Snob, you don't put anything in your coffee; nada, ever. A quad caramel macchiato isn't coffee, it's a dessert-like abomination with coffee in it. Pouring cream or sugar into a cup of carefully roasted, ground, and brewed single-origin coffee is akin to mixing Mountain Dew with a 42 year old single malt scotch; it's just not done. If you need that stuff, one of two things is going on; either you don't really like coffee, or you're drinking bad coffee. Drink your good, carefully prepared coffee neat, right after it's brewed.

Make small batches and enjoy them.

You don't need to genuflect before the offering, slurp loudly, spit into a bucket, or use terms such as 'brightly floral' or 'evanescent'. Just brew a great cup and enjoy it.

F– Being Old Rx for Living in 2015:

Create Your BoomeR Bucket List

By John A. Vardallas Founder/CEO, TheAmericanBoomeR.com As we Boomers get older, we know that life gets shorter so its important to prioritize your life's desires and to do's. Since this is the Chinese "Year of the Sheep", I suggest you don’t follow the herd, but break away and use the Nike philosophy of “Just Do It!" Before your ready to go for it, I encourage you to make a “Bucket List”—a list of all of the dreams, goals, activities and experiences you want to fulfill before you die.

Take the time to write down and itemize all that will motivate you to pursue your real passions before its too late. Anything and everything you have ever wanted to do or try. And don’t be afraid to dream, and make them big and audacious- At our stage of life we should stay away from playing the regret game!

You may be saying to yourself, why think about all this now? Because as we age time becomes our most precious commodity and how we spend it is crucial. We live in a staccato of day to day activities that most of us accomplish in a rote fashion. Many Boomers live by ToDo lists and hold goals that are family, personal or professionally oriented and framed within a societal context.



What is it that you always wanted to do?



Who do you want to see and what would you say to them?



If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?



What have you been dreaming about doing all of your life?



What difference did you make while you were alive?



What would like to achieve before you die?

Create your list with as many realistic wishes that make sense to you and are achievable and knock them off one at a time savoring the experience.

To help get you going, the following are some items from my BL: 

Visit India



Travel to the birthplace of my family ancestors



Make a difference in someone’s life



Achieve my ideal weight



Volunteer for a new community cause



Attend the Kentucky Derby



Spend more meaningful time with family



Trek Machu Picchu



Do more to appreciate friends



Learn a new game



Participate in the Senior Olympics



Ride horses more



Travel the historic Route 66

Once you have your list, keep it with you or in a visible The key is to look introspective and ask yourself, do place where you can refer to it. I would start out first many of these activities and tasks really mean anything with doing the simplest and easiest to undertake to give to you if you were to pass away tomorrow? you a sense of self accomplishment .

So I suggest you take a moment and plan for the rest of It will be important to keep your mental/physical health your life by creating your personal list of what activities and passion up for these new endeavors. Your list are and will be important to you. It's not a race against should give you a sense of purpose for moving forward. time—it’s a way to maximize your time in engaging in Keep the juices flowing for all that you want to fulfilling activities. experience. Let your "Bucket List" be the driver of action plan for your end of life strategy, and keep Your “Bucket List” is your way of benchmarking how you want to live the rest of your life to the fullest. It can focused on accomplishing it. be as few as 10, or as many as 50 things you want to Remember what Morgan Freeman said in The Bucket do or partake in before your life ends.

List movie: To get your soup started after you read this, get out "It's not about worrying about dying—it s all about your laptop or tablet and start writing down what comes living!" to mind when you read the following questions: So Boomers this is the year not to be sheepish! Work  What would you do if you were to die tomorrow? on knocking off your bucket, versus kicking it!

Source: Bucket List  What wish list would you ask for before you die?

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