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Recommended Reading for Baby Boomers of Australia & NZ

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A BONZA Life- The Story of a Baby Boomer



by Brian Murphy (Editor, BONZA.com.au)
Published by Aurora House Publishing in October 2019


Available in Paperback or Ebook from
​Amazon or Booktopia 
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I am a baby boomer advocate. I spend my time enhancing the lives of my fellow boomers by gathering relevant information for our age group (born 1946 to 1964) and using that resource material to write a daily blog on Facebook and upgrade the boomer website www.bonza.com.au as editor. I also advise government of our needs and wants through the feedback I receive from my generation of whom I am extremely proud.
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Why would someone do that at a time of our lives when we should be reaping the rewards of a lifetime of working? The answer is simple. I see it as my calling as I am so very grateful to have been raised in a time of plenty, in what I would believe is the best period of history ever, by a wandering Irishman and his devoted wife and my mother who sacrificed all for their 6 children.

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​Learn more about the Boomer generation- my generation.

Self Propelled- Moving Forward in Life

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ReviewSelf Propelled- Moving Forward in Life-by Brian Murphy (Editor, BONZA.com.au)


Published by Aurora House 
​March 2020

My aim in writing the book was to provide people with an easy to follow process to change their minds about life, especially my generation as we age but for all generations, as it outlines the skills needed to self-evaluate then identifying missing links in our skills and then how to learn those skills to move on with an individual plan for social and economic participation in society.

It focuses on self-image (man in the mirror) and replacement on what is missing in our makeup by teaching us relevant life skills that we may have not learnt or to remind us of practices we need to follow to deal with the modern world but have forgotten due to our busy daily schedules. Review from Online Book Club:

Self-Propelled - Moving Forward in Life is a book about the Boomer generation and is meant for the Boomers, though there are many passages that can be applicable to the younger generations as well.

The Baby Boomers consist of the generation preceding Generation X and can be defined as individuals born post-war in the 1940's. It is a self-help book that helps the older generation navigate their way through the new era of technology.

The author, Brian Murphy, has a website called BONZA (Baby Boomers of New Zealand and Australia) which exclusively deals with his research regarding ageing in Australia. In his research, he tackles ageism, inadequate superannuation, mature-age policies and other issues that concern the Boomers.

He urges Boomers to think of their post-retirement lives and start planning accordingly. The book also delves into the concept of self-actualisation, and how to attain this state through simple steps. It includes the three personality types and the four life positions.

One of the main themes of the book focuses on an individual’s ability to adapt to change. Due to the vast changes that have taken place with the advent of technology, Boomers have recently found themselves pushed to the side-lines. They also face the harsh criticism of the younger generation, referring to the ‘OK BOOMER’ trend on the internet. With all these factors in mind, the author gives the Boomers many steps in which they can easily adapt to their surroundings and thrive.

The author gives the readers many ideas on how to continue working after retirement and the many ways they can save for the future. This is a growing need in the current scenario as the government may not be able to support all the retired individuals due to their increasing numbers.

One of the aspects I liked in the book was the idea of drawing your life’s timeline to consider how much time you have left and what you can make of it. This is applicable to all generations. The book motivates you to become your best self and age with grace. The last chapter of the book is solely dedicated to listing out the various jobs retired individuals can consider and also mentions some personal qualities they can cultivate to be better at their jobs.

I rate the book four out of four stars. The book is professionally edited and well formatted. Additionally, the art on the cover page is very apt and perfectly sums up what the book stands for. I also find the insertion of various motivational quotes inspiring. It contains no profanity or erotic content. This book will be suitable for the Boomer generation, but it can be enjoyed by any adult as it contains a universal appeal.





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The Rest of Your Life: How to make it as good as you want

compiled by Paul McKeon

It will be a real asset for all those who are planning responsibly for the future.  Compiled by Paul McKeon for people in their 40s, 50s & 60s who want to really enjoy the second half of their lives.  

Please access the link below to  order your E-book copy.

www.mylifechange.com.au/the-rest-of-your-life/bonza.php

Once I was a Teenager

by Jonquil Graham
I recently published my second book called “Once I was a Teenager”. It’s about how life was in the 50s and 60s in Australia. 
 
It’s a nostalgic book about how life was then.  Such as our mother’s pithy sayings...”no nice man will marry you if (you eat with your mouth open)”, or “wait ‘til your father get’s home”, or “wear a clean pair of knickers when you go out. What if you are in a car accident!”
 
We are offspring of parents of WW2, and we have their values which puzzle our offspring.
 
This is a really funny book with a foreword by Little Pattie (who remembers that Aussie 60s teen singing sensation, who is still performing today?)
 
Often our children don’t ask how life was for us. Well, you will chuckle and reminisce with this book. Guaranteed. Little Pattie loves it. I give proceeds to an orphan charity, but would love to be in contact with you guys.



Jonquil Graham
 

You can contact me at                        [email protected].
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How to Stay Active, Healthy and Sharp in Retirement

by Paul McKeon

Research shows that Health and Finances are two of the biggest issues for people who are planning or experiencing retirement.

While there are hundreds of books about health on the market, there are very few that focus on the health issues that affect the lives of older people.

A new book titled “How to stay Healthy, Active and Sharp in Retirement” is designed to correct this omission.

It’s written by 15 leading health experts and it covers all the major physical and mental issues that people over 50 need to manage

Here’s a list of the subjects covered 

CHAPTERS 
  1. Looking after your health – ( Dr. Steve Hambleton President of AMA [2012])
  2. Keeping your mind fit  (Philip Armstrong. CEO Australian Counselling Assoc.)
  3. How to reduce the risk of Heart Disease    (Dr. Ross Walker - Cardiologist)
  4. Staying fit after 50     (Victoria Gill -Green Apple Wellness Centre)
  5. Exercising with Ailments  (Victoria Gill -Green Apple Wellness Centre)
  6. Eating well to stay fit after 50  (Lisa Guy – The Art of Healing)
  7. What is Brain Plasticity and what can it do for you (Dr. Michael Merzenich) 
  8. True  wellness or the absence of illness. (Prof. Marc Cohen   RMIT University)
  9. The mind/ body connection  (David McRae)
  10. Meditation and Deep Natural Peace-  
 ( Ian Gawler.  The Gawler Foundation)
  11. Living beyond expectations  ( Petrea King.  Quest For Life Foundation )
 12. Relationships and Sex  (Sandra Kimball . Relationship Counsellor & author)
 13. Keeping  your immune system healthy   (Prof. Fabienne Mackay Monash University)
  14. How to reduce your risk of getting dementia   (Dr. Simone Reppermund -UNSW Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing)
   15.  Dental health  (Prof Peter Barnard.)
 16. Your attitude keeps you young (or makes you old)         (Paul McKeon)

This is not a book about sickness. The overriding message is that it’s possible to delay the ageing process and enjoy a better quality of life in our later years. It’s full of positive suggestions about how we can be happier and healthier if we follow the expert advice offered in the book.

The book is only available on line. You can find out more or buy a copy by clicking on this link 

http://www.mylifechange.com.au/stay-healthy-active-and-sharp-in-retirement
My first post – and I'm hoping there are a lot of fellow boomers down there who will be interested in this, particularly those of you who (literally) jumped ship all those years ago! Check it out via Google/Amazon and let me know what you think... Steve Riches-UK
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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             I am sure we have all experienced a WANNABE moment in our lives whether in a career sense or our hopes about nurturing our nature. My latest book was written for children and reviewed by Goodreads-

Pud: The Wannabe Cat by Brian Murphy is the true story of a lost cat. Brian’s cat Pud used to enjoy spending time with his family, Sue, Ben, and his special playmate, Theo. When Pud accidentally fell asleep in the gardener’s trailer, he ended up lost in a strange neighborhood for two weeks. While trying to find his way home, Pud encountered a ferocious dog, a greedy fox, a frilly-necked lizard, an enormous eagle, and a friendly wombat. He also ended up getting soaking wet and ice cold. Pud was tired, hungry, and scared of all these new creatures he had never met before. Pud could only hope that he would finally get back to his loving family and warm home before using up his nine lives.

Pud: The Wannabe Cat is a delightful story from the imagination of author Brian Murphy. When Brian’s cat disappeared, the family was devastated and did everything they could to find out what happened to Pud. The cat did eventually return home, much to the delight of his owners, and Brian created this story as a tribute to Pud, imagining what the cat must have endured during his time away from home. I’m sure many readers have suffered a similar experience and can relate to Brian’s story. He has taken a traumatic event and used it to create this wonderful story including some hilarious cat humor.
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Pud: The Wannabe Cat is beautifully illustrated and includes a photo of the wannabe cat. Any child would love to read this charming story.

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Budge is a skilful array of Short Stories about Private Eye Leo Budge and his cat Andre who solve many a crime in a unique fashion. It was wriiten by Baby Boomer and BONZA advocate Rob Sutherland. A must read! Available on Amazon.
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