The Platinum Living Network

The other night I had a dream. It was one of those "falling" dreams, you know the ones that they say that if you don't wake up before hitting the bottom, you're dead. But don't worry, it wasn't scary. And that, ironically, was the scary part. Let me explain. The whole dream probably lasted just a few seconds. In the dream, I was in a nondescript, dark place. The only sound that could be heard was a kind of moaning chant. Over and over, I heard voices chanting, "Old... old ... ooold." The next thing I knew, I was falling. I don't remember jumping or being pushed, but I was falling... and someone, or something, was holding me. Now here's the strange ironic part. I expected to be scared, but I wasn't. I remember thinking, "this isn't so bad." It was very restful, peaceful even. Nothing required of me, no obligations... Just listen to the chant and fall ... "Old... old... ooold" But wait! This isn'...

Welcome to the Platinum Years Network! I'm Bob McDonald. I was born in 1946. Last year, George W. Bush, Willian Jefferson Clinton and I all turned 60, along with several million more of you who are in the advance guard of what was once known as the "Post War Baby Boom." Now, we are simply known as "boomers," and we are well known as a generational group. Our generation, in fact, has influenced many cultural changes as we progressed through our school and work years, and there is no doubt in my mind that we will also revolutionize the stage of life that has heretofore been known as "retirement." A few years ago, in conversations with family and friends, I began to notice something about my contemporaries as they looked ahead toward their so called "golden years" of retirement. It sure didn't seem like many of us were looking at the good ol' do nothing, golf playing, "drop out of society" retirement that was once the norm. Lat...