CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY...LIKE A ROCK STAR!

Put on some new shoes and kick up your heels! Preferably in a restaurant surrounded by your family!

 

Go on a yoga retreat (even for a day)

Take a bubble bath at a friend's house with a bigger and prettier bathtub.

Rent a bus and go on the road as a rock star! It's more fun than you can imagine. I will be writing about the day I was believed to be the lead singer of a band, in my second book.

Whatever you do, you will serve yourself well, if you "Celebrate." There is only one you, and the day you were born is a special one. Do something that makes you happy.

My list is endless. I could write a book just on creative ways to enjoy your birth day. May I suggest... a tea party (perhaps in a mansion), renting a convertible and driving around your favorite town, or the Starbuck's Song Walk. You will have to stay tuned to Ageless for the latter one to be explained.

As I wrote this post, I realized that by still embracing May 3rd, even as the numbers get bigger, somehow it eases the trepidation I have about aging. Let's all become advocates for the inner child!

We would love to hear the many ways you paint the town on the honorable day of your birth.
Lori wants me to tell you that I celebrate all month long...





SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER...

Jump out of your winter doldrums….

Like George Harrison sang, in Here Comes the Sun, Little Darling, It’s been a long cold lonely winter…

We hear you, Mr. Beatle… If one more person tells me they have the winter blahs, I might just fly away. But, who can’t relate, even a little bit. This winter has been a rough one, and it’s not over yet.

Here at Ageless, no matter the weather, we pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and get out and have some fun. As much as I love the snow, I was tired of all the shoveling and that occasional closed in feeling. With Aunty here, I can’t just run outside when it snows and make snow angels. She likes me inside with her. At times I felt stuck. So, last Saturday night, I got a small group together, and we headed out to Donkey Show, the ultimate disco experience. Everyone in our party, especially those who say they don’t dance, had a ball.

 

Is it really two degrees outside?  I wish Travolta could see me now.

We laughed, joked, jumped, hooted, and hollered. Sure, it was freezing outside, but I knew I couldn’t take another night in the house! You’ll be amazed what happens when you make a little effort. I know it takes a bit of doing to get people together, but, even if it’s just two, do something fun for no reason at all. Or, just to get one up on old man winter! My family and I heated things up on that frigid night. When was the last time the words, I had a terrific time, came out of your mouth? You are the only one who can transform another Saturday night on the couch into exhilaration. If you want to, that is.

A friend suggested I throw a Glad to be Alive Party. Can anyone put me in touch with Snoop? Since he rapped for the Mitch-A-Palooza Freedom Festival in the film Old School, (remember that great scene) why not Renee-A-Palooza?! Come on now and sing it to me...

we are family

Working at the Carwash...

For more on Donkey Show go to http://www.americanrepertorytheater.org/

I will be posting other fun-filled suggestions on beating the winter blues, and how to spice up your spring….

TV IS GOOD FOR YOU?!

I used to call TV “The Boob Tube, The Idiot Box,” and even went through a stretch of time without a television set. Then, while watching two of my favorite shows in recent times, Modern Family and America Idol, I realized a little TV (as long as it packs a lot of enjoyment) is good for you.

Between care giving for an elder with dementia, writing books and polishing screenplays, searching for an agent, trying to get published, running a blog, and simply trying to keep up with the fast paced, high-tech world we now live in, by the end of the day, I want to get as far away from my computer and the Glaucoma drops as I can. Watching Steven Tyler, a Rock God, carrying on with an array of contestants of varying talent, as they vie for a million dollars and a chance at a recording contract, makes me smile. I thoroughly enjoy that show, and I emphasize thoroughly. How can this be a bad thing?

When I had a fit of laughter one night from watching the new show, Modern Family, that’s when it hit me, a little TV is a good thing. I am referring to an early episode, when the gay couple (Mitchell and Cameron) brings their baby Lily home from Vietnam. Cam promised Mitchell he would not be dramatic, or over-the-top, when they introduce their adopted child to the family. The next scene, an overly excited Cam, comes out draped in a robe, holding the baby over his head, before the family, to the soundtrack of the Lion King. I laughed so hard I woke Aunty up!

My guilty pleasure from a few years back, when I started watching TV again, was my pal Flavor Flav…now, there’s an outrageous character. It’s tough to stand out these days… and Flav’s reality show didn’t disappoint. How many people can live up to the word “Outrageous?” When Flav (a natural comedian and former rapper) took a special date to his favorite restaurant to impress her, it turned out to be …KFC!

A Happy Guy

By the way, I am strictly talking to adults here. Children should be closely monitored by the parents when it comes to what to watch.

One or two shows a season…that’s what I propose for part of an anti-aging regime. It’s working for Aunty and Me. She’s mesmerized by Dancing with the Stars and America’s Funniest Videos. And, as I delight in Idol and Modern Family, the last thing on my mind is all the responsibility I have.

We know you have a favorite show too…come on fess up …What is it?…

What beloved show do you miss from the past? I would like to say, I miss I Love Lucy, but, Aunty and I own every episode on DVD. Each dose of the potently hilarious Vitameatavegamin episode adds a day to your life.



HO HO HA HA HA...

laughing all the way....

I had my first experience with Laughter Yoga last week, and it won’t be the last. Of all the things one can do to feel good, and keep that youthful glow…Laughter Yoga, which combines unconditional laughter with yogic breathing is certainly at the top of the list. The philosophy behind this simple, yet profund practice, is one of peace, joy, and connectivness with your inner child. I can relate, because those are some of the things this blog promotes. 

According to the Laughter Yoga Website: Laughter Yoga combines Unconditional Laughter with Yogic Breathing (Pranayama). Anyone can Laugh for No Reason, without relying on humor, jokes or comedy. Laughter is simulated as a body exercise in a group; with eye contact and childlike playfulness, it soon turns into real and contagious laughter. The concept of Laughter Yoga is based on a scientific fact that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter. One gets the same physiological and psychological benefits.”


Laughter Yoga is a revolutionary idea – simple and profound. An exercise routine, it is sweeping the world and is a complete wellbeing workout.

The brainchild of Dr. Madan Kataria, a Physician from Mumbai, India, launched the first Laughter Club at a Park on March 13, 1995, with merely a handful of persons. Today, it has become a worldwide phenomenon with more than 6000 Social Laughter Clubs in about 60 countries.

I urge everyone to try it. The environment is a safe one, and you might be surprised. It’s pure fun! What adult can't use some uplifting these days? One of the perks is, you will find yourself laughing for no apparent reason, more and more, long after the class is through. 


One group/class I can recommend in the Boston area is http://www.letslaughtoday.com/

You can also check the website for Laughter Yoga http://www.laughteryoga.org/

PUT ON A HAPPY FACE

ENDLESS SUMMER~

I SAID I WOULD DO IT, AND I DID. I GOT ON A SURFBOARD THIS SUMMER! HERE ARE THE PICTURES TO PROVE IT….Amped in Ankle Busters

TO KEEP THAT SUMMER VIBE GOING AUNTY AND I ARE OFF TO SEE THE DOCUMENTARY FILM… ULTIMATE WAVE TAHITI 3D.

Do you think next summer I should let Aunty catch a wave? SHE MIGHT BE A GREMMIE, BUT SHE’LL RIDE A FOAMIE WHILE IT’S GLASSY. HOW IS THAT FOR A LITTLE SURF TALK DUDE?
http://www.ultimatewavetahiti.com/

RENEE GOLD CHATS WITH SAMMY HAGAR~

Why Can't This be Love?

My boyfriend and I had driven an hour to go see Van Halen in the summer of 1986 for their 1986 Tour. When we reached a restaurant across from the concert hall, we stopped. My boyfriend parked his new Trans Am right out front and I waited while he went inside to check out the menu. The sun was strong that day and as I looked up in the glare, I thought I saw my boyfriend with a blonde woman. He had his arm around her and was waving to me from inside. Because my super macho boyfriend seemed so animated and wouldn’t stop waving, I had to take a closer look. I got out of the car and looked up again, and realized he was hugging Sammy Hagar, the lead singer for Van Halen! I leaped out of the car, left the door open, and ran up into the second story restaurant.

We hung out with Sammy for a while and he was just super cool. He asked us where we were from and what other bands we liked. And, since I had just moved back home from California, we talked about life on the West Coast. He seemed to really enjoy our company.

Later, smack dab in the middle of the show, Sammy noticed us. He pointed right to us and said hello as he stood center stage. I can’t even tell you how amazing that felt. I mean, for any of you rock and rollers out there, picture yourself in the second row at a sold out Van Halen concert in the 80’s… a summer night, and the lead singer stops the show to say hi, referring to you and your date as “his friends.” I honestly thought my tough guy boyfriend was going to faint. I almost did when Sammy kicked into “I Can’t Drive 55!” It was a pure adrenaline rush that I won’t ever forget.

If you haven’t listened to Sammy for a while please do. In 2008, he formed a "supergroup" named "Chickenfoot" with Michael Anthony, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, and guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani. Their self-titled debut album was released in June 2009 and debuted at #4 on the Billboard Music Chart. Sammy deserves mention on this blog because like rock and roll itself…he’s Ageless. Charitable too~