I was going to write today about the Presidential debate, but instead find I need to say goodbye to the first man I ever loved--Paul Newman. As a pre-pubescent girl curled up in an armchair on rainy Sundays watching movies, my teeny nascent lust was aroused by the eyes, that attitude. Who wouldn't follow Ari Ben Canaan to Palestine? What woman wouldn't stick with Fast Eddie Felson? And who could play the grifter/drifter/anti-hero better?

He aged perfectly--staying interesting till the end, both as an actor and a man.

Imdb has a complete filmography. Even I, a lifelong fan, was surprised by how many of his movies were iconic milestones for me. And how many were just so damn good.

We recently received this release from the Social Security Administration and think it may come in handy.

By Brandon Robertson
Social Security Administration

More Americans than ever are using the internet to conduct business. On behalf of the Social Security Administration, we would like to share some of the many resources available at our website www.socialsecurity.gov.

Visitors to the website may apply for retirement, spouse's or disability benefits. If visitors to the site are already receiving benefits, they may request a replacement Medicare card, report a change of address or update direct deposit information.

Social Security has recently introduced a new "Retirement Estimator" at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator. Getting a personalized online estimate of your future retirement benefits is now easier than ever before.

The online Retirement Estimator is a convenient, secure and quick financial planning tool that lets visitors to the website calculate how much they might expect to receive in Social Security benefits when they retire.

The Estimator allows visitors to create multiple "what if" scenarios. Visitors may, for example, change an expected retirement date or projected future earnings to create and compare different retirement options. Just visit www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator to use this terrific financial planning tool!

The website also offers a Frequently Asked Questions feature. Visitors to the site may select a topic; the site then displays all available information on that topic.

Much Social Security business can be done from the comfort of a home or office by visiting our website or by calling 1-800-772-1213. Social Security offers a variety of service options: you can visit us online, by telephone or at one of our community based offices.

Social Security is just a click away! Save a trip and go to www.socialsecurity.gov to get started. You can rest assured that doing business with Social Security online is fast, secure, and convenient.

There was an interesting essay in the Sunday NY Times written by a 30-something about her parents' decision to pick up and move to Hong Kong. So many of us are still watching the last of our children leave and yet Baby Boomers are also relocating.

According to a report on HomeInsight,
59% of younger Boomers (ages 41-49) and 50% of older Boomers (ages 50-59) indicate they plan to buy a new home for their retirement. Of course, some of are moving for a better job as is the case in the NY TImes essay.

With all the hand-wringing some of us experience as the babies leave, I hadn't realized it could work both ways. Blame it on mid-life crisis, empty-nest syndrome, downsizing, work or just a spirit of adventure. While many of our parents went somewhere to wait to die, Baby Boomers are often moving on to thrive.

I love Lynn Ermann's final thoughts on the matter:
Like so many in their generation, my parents are remaking the rules once again. Watching them has liberated us, too. Suddenly, our own lives seem less circumscribed, less finite. We can always go nuts at 60.

I just returned from San Francisco where I attended the BlogHer conference at the request of a client. Over the weekend I met, or at least was in the same room as, maybe 1000 women bloggers. Yeah--there's a boatload of us/them. The largest contingent by far was the group known as MommyBloggers, a designation I'm pretty much over, if I was ever there at all. No doubt I adore my children to the point of idiocy, but my days of full-time mommyhood are long gone and I'm old and cranky enough to no longer be fascinated by first words, first steps, and which are the best car seats.

My favorite 45 minutes by far was spent in the 'Boomers and Beyond' breakout session, moderated by Virginia DeBolt who looks all the world like a 3rd grade teacher and, now that I've read her blog, I've realized is a kickass technology ace.

The women in this group seemed to range from mid-40's to late 60's and all of them are online writing blogs and pretty much putting to rest the silly notion that we old folks don't 'get' technology. Many of them use Twitter with the ease of a teenybopper.

It was downright relaxing to be among peers. Maybe we have a little of the been -there-done-that attitude, but all of them had ideas as fresh and interesting as tomorrow's technology. The session was way too short. Could've done with less long breaks and more long break-outs.

So, here are a few fellow boomers you might enjoy:

A Boomer's Life After 50
Yes, there is life after 50.

Menopause, the Blog
Pretty substantive stuff--great title.

The Geezer Sisters
Been reading the Geezer Sisters now and again for awhile. It was fun to meet one.

Out On the Stoop
Thought provoking, literate and welcoming

Purse Stories
Lovely site, lovely stories.

There were several more whose cards I didn't get, but they're listed on Virginia's Web Teacher site.

A recent Pew Research Center study finds that Baby Boomers are the most dissatisfied generation. This comes on the heels of a University of Chicago study reporting that it's not a sign of the times, we've always been this way.

A recent article by Monica Hesse on washingtonpost.com takes a pretty tough view of what may end being called Generation W(hine).

Growing up in New Jersey, you were sure to either know some surfin' Beach Boy blonds or be one. Well, it seems the Jersey shore is seeing more surfers than ever and some of them are likely to be the same Jersey boys of summer one knew in high school.

According to an article in the in the NY Times, "in New Jersey, people who follow the sport say, a quarter to a half of the surfers may be middle-age or older."

They may be a little creakier but you'll know them by their long boards and by the fact they may just as easily be in the water in winter as summer. Some have been surfing since they were kids; others have taken up the sport in middle-age.

Something to add to the 'never-too-late' list.

If there's one thing that can remind us how time flies and yet how some things seem to stand still, it's a local community tradition. For us, it's our annual July 4th carnival, a major fundraiser for our volunteer fire squad.Held on a small field that spends most of the year overgrown and open, (and an excellent place to let dogs run), the carnival anticipation starts when we see the volunteers out there mowing. The banner goes up over the bridge, the rides seem to show up magically and suddenly it's carnival time again.

For an event with few rides and a layout you can walk in five minutes, it can generate up to 6000 visitors on a good night--the good nights being 'bracelet night,' when kids can ride all night without using up their college funds, and fireworks night. And for a teeny town, they put on a damn good show. One thing that never ever changes is the food. Believe it or not, aside from the usual fare, our landlocked carnival is known for its steamed clams.

Now here's the thing about time. I've been visiting the carnival for 23 years-- from the time my older son was in a stroller. With only a few exceptions, I've been there every year. I watched my kids graduate from the kiddy rides to the big boy rides, from us winning stuffed animals for them to them winning stuffed animals for me. From very long bracelet nights of ride after ride to keeping a watchful out for roving bands of young thugs---yup...my kids and their friends.