2young2retireUK

Ever thought of writing a memoir?

Many people don't realise that the legacy you leave behind doesn't necessarily have to be a financial one - it may include such things as the values you've passed on to your family members, organ donation or leaving your body to medical science, the copies of the crumbling documents you spent hours transcribing for the town's historical society or the family tree you compiled so that future generations would know their roots.

Writing a memoir is another good way of passing along details of family events and bringing to life photos of, otherwise, long-forgotten family members.  Later, you may want to take things a stage further and try writing a biography of some family luminary or 'personality' whose life deserves remembrance, long after they've gone, such as your war hero uncle or grandfather or that intrepid great-aunt who was always in some scrape or other... (Maybe someone in your family has already sprung to mind?) 

However, if you're not quite at the 'biography' stage yet, the good news is that anyone can write a memoir or autobiography with just a little help.  Here are a few tips from Dorothy Sander to get you started.

Breast is best?

I don't eat much Ben & Jerry's ice cream - Haagen-Dazs Pralines and Cream is usually my first choice but, in an emergency situation, I have been known to resort to the occasional tub of B & J's Caramel Chew Chew.  However, I may have to rethink having B & J's as a back-up plan if something that I heard about this week comes to pass...

Apparently, Tracy Reiman, executive vice president of the animal rights advocacy group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), wrote a letter to B & J's founders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, stating that:

"If Ben and Jerry's replaced the cow's milk in its ice cream with breast milk, your customers — and cows — would reap the benefits".

Yes, that's HUMAN breast milk she was talking about, folks.

Thankfully, B & J's spokesman, Sean Greenwood's response was, "We applaud PETA's novel approach to bringing attention to an issue, but we believe a mother's milk is best used for her child."

Phew! 

But what do you think?  Your favourite B & J's flavour made from breast milk?  Would you go for it?

Fictionary

Do you practise cereal monogamy?  Have you experienced conference crawl?  Have you ever arm restled?   Are you in danger of becoming a mouse potato?

Find out in this MSN guide to 'fledgling phrases that may one day find their way into the Oxford English Dictionary'.

'The hair is ready!'

How fabulous is Tina Turner?  She turns 70 next year and, despite her retirement from 'the business' in 2000, she's back and preparing for the launch of a world tour on October 1.  And she doesn't take herself too seriously as you can see in this interview with Entertainment Tonight's Mark Steines.

The thirty skills every woman should master?

What skills should a woman of the noughties have mastered?  According to MSN Life and Style, there are at least 30 - including walking in both stilettos and flats, saying 'No' and putting flat-pack furniture together. 

Have a look at all 30 and see what you think...  Do you agree?  Disagree?  Would you add anything?  (Personally, I'm not sure that leaving the house without make-up on counts as a skill...)

Plumpy Nut Video

Are you a digital native or an old dog?

As far as our attitudes, ownership and use of technology are concerned, we boomers are still, apparently, 'older dogs reluctantly learning new tricks.'  The majority of us do not go online for activities such as instant messaging and watching internet video, and we use technology merely for convenience.

But we're not as reluctant to use technology as members of the generation before us (those aged 64 and over) who, unsurprisingly, spend the least amount of time online of all population groups and still prefer to get their information by watching TV and reading newspapers. 

Find out how we compare to Generations X and Y in Are you a digital native or an old dog?

Do you live in the UK and are planning to SKI (Spend Kids' Inheritance)?

I've had a request from a TV production company who are looking for a couple who are either close to retirement or already retired, who are planning to live life to the fullest and spend their kid's inheritance, and who are willing to appear on BBC One's Sunday Life programme THIS COMING SUNDAY - 20th July.  Here are the details - please contact Helen in person if you are interested:

My name is Helen Soothill and I work for an independent television company, based in Leeds, called True North Productions. We are currently making BBC One's new flagship series on faith and ethics, presented by Louise Minchin and Colin Jackson, shown every Sunday morning called Sunday Life.

We are looking at putting together an item for this week's show on inheritance, and the fact that more people are spending their money on luxury items and holidays and enjoying retirement age now instead of saving it for their children's inheritance. I am trying to find a couple who fall into this category and would be willing to come on the programme this Sunday (our studio is in Keighley, West Yorkshire).

 

If this sounds like you, please feel free to contact me on 0113 222 8275 or email me at helens@truenorthproductions.co.uk if you have any further questions. I know that it is short notice, but any help would be very much appreciated.

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July to all our readers from the U.S.  Have a great day!

30 things that every man should do really well (apparently)

There are, according to MSN Men's Life & Style, thirty skills that every man should master in his lifetime.  They include carving meat, admitting mistakes and accepting defeat, shopping for gifts, and cooking 5 or 6 dishes really well.  Not sure how protecting a computer by keeping firewall and virus protection software up-to-date qualifies as a skill though... 

Discover the other 25 skills here.