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   I’m 93. Why am I still alive? True stories from a long and eventful life, by Alan Mayer. Ever ask yourself this question – even if you’re still a long way off from 93? Mayer is a NY native who butchered, boxed and entrepreneured for many years. Then he and his high-school-sweet-heart-turned-spouse moved to Chicago where he was a banker for 30 years. This short new book – written in large print, with very small margins and lots of white space between lines – is full of stories from his life and many of his own personal observations on life. He’s survived near-miss accidents, several serious illnesses, life-threatening disgruntled employees, and other incidents that left him wondering how he came out okay. Check it out (paperback $14.95) at http://wethepeoplepublishing.com/

2. Cats Are Capable of Mind Control, and 1000 UberFacts you never knew you needed to know, by Kris Sanchez. Fun. Weird. Interesting, occasionally perhaps questionable “facts” about a myriad of things such as:
   – “Coca-Cola and Pepsi are used as pesticides by farmers in India, since they’re cheaper and get the job done.”
   – “The [five-sided] Pentagon was constructed so that no point in the building is more than a 10-minute walk from any other point in the building.”
   – “Vultures have stomach acid so corrosive they can digest anthrax.”
   Light reading that may appeal to several different levels of curiosity. My reaction to a few of the statements was to go and check another source before believing it, so keep your truth detector in gear and tell kids to double-check with you if they question something. Suitable for adults and kids maybe 7 and up. My 9-year-old granddaughter found it intriguing in small doses. Available on Amazon in hard cover and Kindle editions, both ~$12.
3. Bourbon: The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of an American Whiskey, by Fred Minnick. The author is famous for writing about spirits in a well-researched and entertaining fashion. This book is no different – amusing anecdotes, interesting history of the spirit as unique to its original home in the South, fascinating stories of competition between distillers, and even a story of how James Bond, who ordered a martini “shaken, not stirred” instigated the rise of white spirits to compete with bourbon. Sample chapter headings include: “Government: Friend and Foe,” “Whiskey Is the Devil’s Own Brew,” “Distillers vs. Nazis and US Government,” “To Beat Jack Daniel’s” and more. The books’ bibliography reveals how the author conducted his research: interviews with important industry figures, government publications, books, corporate literature and so on. Quarto Publishing Group 2016. ~$12 Kindle edition, ~$15 hard cover on Amazon.

4. 

   The Blue Nightgown: My French Makeover at Age 78!, by Karin Crilly. It’s a memoir, not a novel. The author’s husband of many years dies after a long illness, and she decides to move to Aix-en-Provence to fulfill a lifelong dream of living in France, despite the fact she doesn’t speak the language. Simply written, the story is a chronicle of her experiences there in search of joy, learning and, yes, romance at age 78. She re-connects with a guy she met 25 years earlier and, after months of increasingly intimate phone conversations, agrees to meet him in Amsterdam – and buys a blue satin nightgown in anticipation. You have to read the book to know what happens. This is an easy read, a charmingly simple story of a huge adventure undertaken by a long-past Boomer-age woman of comfortable means. And it’s even more enjoyable because she ends each chapter with a recipe for something wonderfully French to eat. $6 Kindle.

   

5. The Future Tense of Joy: A memoir, by Jessica Teich. This book is the beautifully written chronicle of a brilliant 30-something woman’s battle with childhood demons and a seemingly ineradicable fear about life’s danger. Educated at Yale and then at Oxford as a Rhodes scholar, she has two young girls and a loving husband, but she can’t get control of her fear. One day she hears about another brilliant young woman, also a Rhodes scholar, who at age 27, had a hugely promising life ahead of her – but chose instead to commit suicide. Author Teich decides she will investigate this woman’s life story and see if, in deciphering that woman’s suffering and life choices, she can find help for her own struggles. The story is full of tension and drama and even some of the really tough parts read almost like a novel in gentle poetic prose. $14.99 Kindle on Amazon.

Getting older leads some folks to want to escape the winter weather here in Chicago. If warm weather’s your objective for your upcoming winter vacation – whether you simply hate the cold or just want to treat yourself – think Arizona. A very nice variety of Four-Diamond-and-better hotel accommodations await your pleasure. We mentioned a few Scottsdale/Phoenix accommodations here, and below are five more to consider:

Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar Phoenix opened in June 2012 at CityScape Phoenix’s hotel/residence/office complex.  The boutique Hotel Palomar Phoenix is an urban retreat that balances the energy of its city setting with Arizona’s laid-back lifestyle. Its 242 spacious guest rooms and suites all provide views of the surrounding city and mountains. Multi-use space of 10,000 square feet includes ten customizable meeting rooms. Its restaurant, Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails, features new American cuisine for lunch, dinner, late-night snacks and weekend brunch, and the cocktail program raises the bar for drink culture in the city. The third-floor outdoor pool terrace and adjacent Lustre Rooftop Garden bar provide a scenic venue for gathering.

The Sheraton Grand Phoenix (formerly the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel) , is located a block from the new Phoenix Convention Center. Its 1000 guest rooms make it the largest hotel in Greater Phoenix and in the entire Grand Canyon State.

The Sheraton conference center – more than 112,000 square feet of flexible meeting space – includes 17 meeting rooms, two ballrooms, two boardrooms and a terrace for outdoor events. High-speed Internet access and videoconferencing capabilities and an audiovisual staff are available on site.

When meeting attendees and their families are ready to unwind, they can do so outside at a 2,000-square foot outdoor pool and sundeck or inside at a 6,500-square foot fitness center and spa. The Sheraton Grand Phoenix also features a contemporary restaurant with a full bar, private dining room and outdoor seating. The hotel opened Oct. 1, 2008.

The Westin Phoenix Downtown provides another boutique lodging option in Phoenix’s urban core. Catering to discerning business travelers, it features 242 super-sized guest rooms (all of which are at least 540 square feet), and its upper-floor meeting spaces have floor-to-ceiling windows that afford mountain views. Province Urban Kitchen & Bar is lead by Chef Allison Bird and specializes in sustainable ingredients and features organic wines, plus an enclosed patio accented by a waterfall cascading down from the second-story Lapis pool.

And then there’s the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa where each evening, Scottish bagpipes usher in the sunset in homage to Scottish immigrants’ contributions to Arizona’s railroads, mines and towns.

Since 1931 the Hilton Garden Inn Phoenix Downtown, a 12-story icon in Phoenix, has stood as a brilliant example of West Coast Art Deco architecture thoughtfully restored to that era’s glory. Come in and experience the swank and sophistication of a bygone era. The 24-feet-tall, two-story lobby features original marble floors, Deco-era Corinthian capitals, bronze elevator doors and original wrought iron details. All 170 guest rooms boast the brand’s signature bedding featuring fresh, white duvets and crisp linens. Relax in an ergonomic desk chair and write postcards or get some work done on a spacious and clutter-free work desk with. Enjoy the convenience of a mini fridge, microwave oven and Keurig coffee maker. Impressive window views in every room and suite. The Hitchcock Suite – which features a unique private terrace – stands as a tribute to the filmmaker who used the building in the opening sequence of “Psycho.”

Even if you’re still in the middle of your holiday shopping, you might also be thinking about how to make your final charitable contributions of the year. In 2015, twenty-nine percent of charitable giving occurred in December – eleven percent in the last three days of the year.* In case you’re not donating a car, use these final weeks of the year to apply a few year-end money-giving tips from World Vision programs for under-served children:

1. Keep it simple. Most organizations offer a wide variety of ways to make a difference. For donors who feel overwhelmed or are not sure where their passions lie, look for a general fund to make the greatest impact. For example, the World Vision Gift Catalog offers an excellent option to give where most needed to help children and families in areas of greatest need.
2. Invest in the future. Explore options to change a child’s world for good; it will make an impact on the future while also providing a tax deduction for readers. World Vision offers the option to invest in a full-year of child sponsorship through a single transaction; the benefit will accrue throughout the life of the child in 2017, while readers can claim the deduction on their 2016 taxes.
3. Give someone else’s money. Hundreds of companies across the country match employee contributions to nonprofits, doubling the impact without requiring the donor to give another cent!
4. Forget the checkbook. Generosity comes in many forms. Donating valuable personal property such as farm equipment, royalties and even jewelry is an innovative way to turn non-cash assets into life-transforming gifts. Check with local organizations to see how non-cash assets can be donated; national organizations may have guidelines posted online, such as World Vision’s guides for Planned Giving.
5. “Double” your tax break. Readers can “double” their tax break by donating appreciated assets such as stock and real estate. Stock that has grown in value can be donated for a charitable deduction for the current value, and the capital gains tax will be eliminated on the appreciation. A gift of real estate will also valued at its current valuation for charitable deduction purposes, enabling the donor to avoid capital gains taxes.
6. Consider itemizing. When readers file their taxes, if their total deductions – state and local taxes, mortgage interest, charitable donations, etc. – are greater than the standard deduction, they may come out ahead by itemizing.
7. Remember the deadline. Gifts must be completed by midnight on December 31, 2016, to be eligible to receive a charitable deduction for the 2016 tax year. Keep in mind that stocks or other securities may take two to three weeks to process at this time of year, so don’t delay. Right now’s the time.

*Network for Good: http://www.networkforgood.com/digitalgivingindex/

Gratitude – just the act of thinking about how grateful you are for the good things in your life – improves your attitude, your mood and, yes, even your health. HeartMath.org has scientific proof of how it works, and they even get hired by corporations to teach executives how to feel more gratitude – because it also improves your ability to be creative and to make sound decisions.

• Notice the good. Every morning think of three things you’re grateful for. Doesn’t matter what they are or how small they are. Can be as simple as “I woke up this morning” or “I have enough milk for my coffee today” or “Knowing my friends.” But make sure you think of three different things each morning. It won’t work if you just mindlessly repeat the same things each day.
• Put it in writing. Write or record the things you’re grateful for. Journaling works for some, but you could also text your three things to a friend or record a voice memo on your phone.
• Use terms of positive feelings. When you think, write or record, use words like gifts, blessings, good fortune and abundance. Avoid left-handed expressions of gratitude like “thank heavens, this finally happened” or “it’s about time!” or “it’s the least they could do.”

• Express thanks to others. Every day tell someone thank you for something very specific they do/did. “I really appreciate that you gave me your seat on the bus.” “Thank you for taking the garbage out in time for the truck.”
• Put it in writing. Write a note to a friend, family member or mentor expressing your heartfelt appreciation for something s/he did that affected you in a positive way. If possible, read it out loud to the person or schedule a video chat to share it.
• Volunteer to help someone else. People commonly feel more grateful for their own blessings when they do something for others. Carve out some time and sign up to help in your family, church, community or city in some way.

• See the good everywhere you look. Notice the good things done by others in your family, school, neighborhood or civic group. When you think of your three blessings each day, also recognize others who perform heroic or even simply kind acts.
• Find and record silver linings. Think of three less-than-ideal experiences you’ve had recently and discover ways in which they might have benefited you in some unexpected way. Sometimes, for example, getting laid off can lead to an even better opportunity. Ending a difficult relationship may lead to greater peace of mind.
• Pay it forward at work. Workplaces can be the least gratitude-inspiring environments of all. Change up the vibe in your workplace by showing a peer, an intern or a boss some appreciation. And don’t be surprised if your gratitude comes back to you in return.

Rinse and repeat. Endlessly. And see what happens. Happy holidays!

Reading is something a lot of baby boomers are thrilled to have more time for than they used to. Maybe you’ve longed to read all the classics and are into the thick of that project. And perhaps you look for something lighter now and then. Here are 5 books for your consideration:

1. Laugh. Die Laughing: Killer jokes for Newly Old Folks, selected and annotated by William Novak, author of The Big Book of Jewish Humor. Some good laughs about aging and forgetfulness in some of the stories and especially the quotes from comedians. Some are just funny in general without being specific about aging. If you’re an older married person, you may or may not appreciate the many jokes in here that are built on the idea of how miserable a man is with his wife and a few, vice versa. If you’re an avid emailer who receives frequent jokes from friends, you may recognize quite a few of the stories in here. In any case, you’re bound to find some that are new and entertaining.

   

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2. Cry. My New Friend, Grief: Reflections on loss and life, by Anna Hodges Oginsky. Processing a loss is never easy. The social worker author reflects on how her father’s sudden death awakened memories of previous traumas she’d experienced. She writes about how she got help in processing her many painful, negative memories, how she began to be able to see her grief as a positive force and how she came out feeling stronger and more peaceful afterwards. Because the book is about getting perspective, it may not be good for those newly in the throes of grief, but could be good to keep on hand for when they are ready.
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3. Exercise. Beat Osteoporosis with Exercise: A low-impact program for building strength, increasing bone density and improving posture, by Dr. Karl Knopf, a physician who was also a personal trainer and has worked with older adults and disabled persons for four decades. Growing older doesn’t have to mean extreme muscle loss and broken bones. The secret, says the author, is doing specific exercises and stretches that address the core protection against fractures – strong muscles, solid bones and the best possible posture. He points out that building these things begins in childhood, and that it’s never too early to begin. “Eighty-five to 90% of adult bone mass is acquired by age 18 in girls and age 20 in boys.” So the recommendations in this book are good for both you and your grandchildren – fun, healthy things to do together.

   

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4. Cook. Whole Cooking and Nutrition: An everyday superfoods approach to planning, cooking and eating with diabetes, by Katie Cavuto, nutritionist and wellness expert. It’s not often we turn down so many pages in a cookbook on our first trip through it, but that’s what happened with this book. We love that every dish uses creative combinations of ingredients and encourages the reader to discover all kinds of new healthy-eating options. For example, ever heard of tempeh? Well, it’s a fermented soy product from Indonesia that’s firmer and more distinctive tasting – nuttier – than tofu. Check out the recipe that combines this with white balsamic vinegar, citrus juice and don’t-you-just-love-it? orange zest – ginger, soy sauce, garlic and more seasonings with greens. It sounds so delicious we don’t even care that we’ve never liked tofu. How about roasted cabbage steaks with vinaigrette? You don’t have to be diabetic to find pleasure in these recipes, and you don’t have to spend a fortune to get all the benefits of the super nutrition in them.
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5. Drink. Bourbon: The Rise and Fall and Rebirth of an American Whiskey, by Fred Minnick. If you like bourbon and you love history, this might be the right book for you. The author scores American whiskey for Whisky Advocate and has written a number of books about bourbon whiskey, including Bourbon Curious: A simple tasting guide for the savvy drinker (review here). This book focuses on the role of bourbon in American culture and traces its resurgence as a favored spirit in current cocktail culture. Minnick details the rise and fall of various distilleries, bootleggers, marketers and more. Ideally, you should be really into history to appreciate the level of detail here, but it might be fun for any bourbon devotee.