Visit your favorite snow resort - in Summer and Fall!

Visit your favorite snow resort - in Summer and Fall!

Get a head start on those great mountain feelings!

Stratton Mountain, and Manchester, VT

by Lauren Traub Teton

We snowboard and ski enthusiasts are counting the days ‘til we can boot up again. But there’s a way to get a head start on the good feelings that come from our favorite downhill sports.

Why not visit your favorite mountain off season and take the chair lift or gondola to the top? Last week I had the opportunity to ride the gondola to the top of Stratton Mountain, in Vermont. I have had many happy times snowboarding there, and while sitting at the summit looking out over the green valley ,with the blue sky above, those good-time feelings came flooding back to me, even without snow!

It was so interesting to see the topography of the mountain without its thick blanket of snow, and to see the trees with leaves dangling instead of icicles.

Being after Labor Day and before foliage season, we had the place to ourselves and that was a big change too, from the well-attended snowboard events I’ve covered at Stratton for my other website, SnowboardSecrets.com.

It is wonderfully refreshing, enlivening, and calming to breathe in the fresh mountain air and enjoy the view from the top! Visiting the mountain even in “off” season makes you feel good, especially if it invokes good times you’ve had there in the past.

Of course if your favorite mountain is an airplane ride away instead of a car ride, this plan is not so easy. Maybe you can drive to a local mountain or hill that has a chairlift and dream your winter dreams!

*****************************************************************

Manchester, Vermont is a Great Town

If you’re in Southwestern Vermont near Stratton or Bromley or Route 7, don’t miss the Manchester Designer Outlets! Last week was my first visit, but not my last!

Manchester, Vermont is a charming well-groomed old New England town that also has some of the best shopping in the state. I visited two inns that I can’t wait to come back to for dinner and an overnight, The Reluctant Panther, and the Inn at Manchester. Both have tiny pocket drink bars tucked into living room areas of overstuffed sofas and very inviting bedrooms.

And I saw the most beautiful, tasteful looking designer outlet buildings that I’ve ever seen. A quick stride through Giorgio Armani and Escada assures me there is plenty there to revisit. Anichini is a lux linen and textile purveyor and I saw some colors of sheets and tapestry pillows that made my eyes pop and my mouth water. Anichini is a Vermont company, believe it or not.

Also mouth-watering was the delicious stuffed organic pepper we ate at Ponce Gourmet next door. The owners lovingly supervise every morsel. And the coffee is real free trade organic coffee where the buyers of the beans cultivate a beneficial relationship with the growers. My first sip of their iced coffee caused me to run inside and ask the owners all about the delicious robust blend.

The Manchester Designer Outlets was a fantastic wrap up to our weekend in Vermont.

It’s nice to take your time!

It’s nice to take your time! Twifties need their relaxation.

by Lauren Traub Teton

I was getting ready for a road trip to visit my old dad out of state. I had been rushing around for days, and my body told me to slow down, even though I knew he was waiting patiently for my visit. I like to travel in the daylight, but I just needed to move slowly that day in my trip preparations.

Finally, I was ready and I hit the road. It was Labor Day weekend, but by the time I started driving, I found a wormhole with no traffic! Darkness fell during my drive, but I was pretty close to my destination by then. Gazing at the road straight ahead, suddenly I saw an explosion of pink and red colored stars in the sky far ahead, above the asphalt. Fireworks! I was treated to a 3 minute fireworks display directly ahead of me. My timing was perfect, after all.

I felt that the beautiful fireworks display that I passed at the exact right moment was a confirmation of my decision to move slowly instead of forcing my tired self to rush some more.

A few days later on the way back home, I also let the “flow” dictate my departure time and pace. Stopping the car for a quick rest and stretch, I heard thunder, and it led me to get out of the car to look at the sky. I gasped aloud as I found myself standing in the exact center of a perfect delicious rainbow. I could see almost the whole arc!

I arrived home and unpacked the car, and just as I closed the door of my house behind me, gentle rain began to fall. I was glad to be safe inside, finished with my trip.

Timing... excellent again!

If you have the luxury of not being on a tight schedule, it is so nice to take your time. If you don’t have the luxury, try to plan ahead for a little block of unscheduled time.
Wonderful surprises may come your way!

Twenty-four Hour Run Away!? Sound Good! You bet!
Find out what it is in our blog article 4/20/09.

*****************************************************************************

Want more positive inspiration?

Want to share what you know to make other's lives easier and better?

You can have your own blog on Twifties.com!

Trying Something New – The Benefits

Trying Something New – The Benefits
Chairboarding on the SkySki (It’s like an Air Chair) Part Deux
by Lauren Traub Teton

When you try something new, you become like a child again. Most things are new to kids. That is why kids have “childlike wonder.” If you, as an adult, keep doing the same familiar things, your sense of childlike wonder will go dormant. If you're Twifty, you want to try new things to stay fresh.

For example, yesterday I got to try riding a the SkySki chairboard. It was a little scary, it was new, to me, and my child mind said to me “I’ve never done this before, I don’t know how.” But my adult mind overruled it and said “you can learn this, you just saw people do it, they survived, you have the skills, it’s not that hard, and the downside and chance of injury is relatively low.”

I tried it, and had good success! I am thrilled at how that success at something brand new yesterday has flowed over into every aspect of my life today! I feel strong and invincible and successful and full of childlike wonder!


Once You’ve Ridden the Halfpipe,
There’s not much in an Office or Boardroom that can Really Throw You


One of the most exciting sports experiences I’ve ever had was learning to ride the halfpipe in snowboarding. Riding the halfpipe is a relatively safe area of freestyle snowboarding. Snowboard instructor and author Chickie Rosenberg, who is a fabulous snowboard rider and an over-60 Twifty says that the halfpipe is “like a baby’s playpen” and as a beginner there’s just no way for you to fall out. Chickie is the author of Snowboarding for Women: a guide for the Betty Shred wannabe and Snowboarding for Men: a Guide for Guys

Nonetheless, the first time you stand on your snowboard looking into the pipe and contemplating dropping in, it is a breathtakingly exciting prospect. Picture this, you’re on flat land, looking into a hollowed-out pipe in the snow, and getting ready to slide down the wall. Chickie Rosenberg says “the only scary part [of riding the halfpipe for the first time] is actually entering, sort of like going off a diving board as the surface drops from under you.”

In fact, it was a breathtaking experience for me for a couple of years. I have to say now it’s gotten kind of common for me, and in the last couple of seasons I’ve even found my mind able to have other thoughts while riding the pipe.

But the confidence that conquering the walls of the halfpipe gave me is immeasurable, and a real gift at this stage of my life. I’ve often said “once you’ve ridden the halfpipe, there’s not much in an office or boardroom that can really throw you.”

************************************************************************************
Want to go on a snow vacation with the Fun People, Twifties this winter? We're going to Winter Park again this year.

We had a great time last year. Come with us Feb. 11-15, 2009. This trip is for snowboarders, skiers, and anybody that wants to give it a try. All ages but the emphasis is on Twifties!

Want to learn to carve, on a snowboard or skis, old-school surf style, almost lying down on the snow as you glide down the hill, with your hand in the wave?! We will be riding with the newly founded ACA - American Carving Association this winter and we're all gonna learn to do it like our incredible athlete friend Ron "The Carvefather" Maita. We hope to have him join us in Winter Park on Feb 11-15.

You'll only have to watch the first 3 seconds of this 1 minute long vid of Ron's incredible carving on the snow to know that you're gonna want this for yourself, baby!

(Ron is also one of the 2 people I know who rides the SkySki -and does a rodeo on it - footage coming soon!

Your Expectations, and Riding the SkySki for the First Time

Your Expectations are Everything
Riding the SkySki for the First Time

(pictured, Ron "The Carvefather" Maita, founder of the American Carving Association, on his SkySki)

Yesterday I tried something kind of wild and new. I was with my Wednesdays Off crew on the lake, and after my wakeboard run I had a chance to ride a thing that doesn’t even have a generic name yet. But it’s a water ski with a chair on top and a hydrofoil on the bottom. The hydrofoil is like the one you might have seen Laird Hamilton ride under his surfboard in the awesome movie Riding Giants.



Two companies make this thing, that I know of, the brands are SkySki and Air Chair (Both great names btw and I should know cause I’m in the business of product naming in my other life. The name Air Chair rhymes and is easier for me to remember.)

The idea of the chairboard (let’s call it that) is that you can rise up and down like a merry go round horse on the hydrofoil, using the height that you hold the handle as the controller. Before you learn the up and down motion, you work on smoothly crossing the wake, back and forth. They tell me the chairboard crosses the wake like a hot knife through butter, but I wasn’t quite at that point yet. My friends do it, and even fly up in the air, landing jumps on the surface of the water smoothly. Amazing to watch!

But the point I want to make is that I tried a brand new sport that I had little background info on. I had seen 2 people ride it, both riding like champs. They made it look easy, so I tried riding it with the expectation that I could do it, and guess what! I had very good success from the first try!

On the other hand, my friend had seen these same 2 guys try to teach 15 people before me, on the thing, and most of them had not succeeded easily. She had a different experience set to make her judgment from, and her judgment was that it was hard to learn and would be hard for her.

By the way, I suspect the chairboard is a little easier for women to learn, because our center of gravity is right over the chair, whereas men’s is in their shoulders, making them top heavy.

Do you see how profoundly your expectations can influence your outcome?
Be aware and present when you think about your expectations. Expect the best! You deserve it! And when things go well for you, there is a pleasant ripple effect all around you!

Guitar Hero and Packing Cubes

Guitar Hero and Packing Cubes
by Lauren Traub Teton

Traveling gives us a chance to try new things. This week my travels allowed me to play Guitar Hero for the first time, and to use my beloved packing cubes inside my suitcase. Guitar Hero is a hoot and a half, and the packing cubes kept my goods neat and pulled together for travel.

Guitar Hero - you don't have to KNOW how to play the guitar to have fun!

Guitar Hero is a video game where you and your opponent wield toy Gibson guitars and compete for who can play the most correct notes in a song. I had seen it played by teenage boys before, but I hadn't previously noticed that you don't actually have to KNOW how to play the guitar to play this game. The 5 fret keys on the neck of the guitar are color-coded and you hit the guitar keys as the colored notes scroll toward you on a video pathway.

We played the song “Surrender" by Cheap Trick. Playing this game made me laugh out loud! After each round you receive instant gratification or mortification with a detailed point score breakdown, and your rock star avatar bows proudly or slinks offstage depending on how you did. Fun! Can't wait to play the new Aerosmith version they made for Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 and 3, and Wii.
Guitar Hero was first released on the PlayStation 2 in November 2005, in case you've been wondering why you haven't played it yet.


Packing Cubes

I've been using my Eagle Creek Pack-It Cubes to organize my suitcases since my last trip to summer snowboard camp in the Alps. These soft-sided mesh topped zipper cubes are a fantastic way to keep your suitcase or duffle neat, pack plenty in, and best of all, find it.

Packing is almost fun now; just roll up your small clothing items and stuff them into a zippered mesh cube. Unpacking is a snap because you can just throw the neatly packed cubes into a drawer at your destination. Luggage inspection at the airport is a breeze too, because underwear or lingerie items won’t be dangling around in plain sight and your suitcase innards will look civilized. You can fit more in your suitcase too.

Other manufacturers make the cubes besides Eagle Creek, but I think Eagle Creek invented them and they have a large variety of shapes and colors and some patterns. Most importantly, their cubes have handles, so when you need a little bag to carry your book, sunscreen, and key to the pool on your trip, they’re really handy to use for that too.

Besides the cubes, the Eagle Creek Pack-It Folder is a miraculous way to compress a pile of neatly folded clothes so you can fit plenty of shirts and pants in your carry-on and have them arrive still spiffy. It looks like a large envelope and opens out flat. It comes with a folding board so you’ll be able to fold your clothes as neatly as those tees stacked at the Gap. Just stack your clothes, wrap up the edges like a square old-school diaper, overlap the Velcro, and you’re off!

We Twifties Spend Money!

We Twifties Spend Money!
Twifties are overlooked in the marketplace.

More about the Wednesdays Off Club
by Lauren Traub Teton

Last night I was at a party with the expanded version of the Wednesdays Off Club and I can't tell you how impressed I was with these active Twifties. They ski or snowboard every Wednesday in the snow season. They also surf, bike, swim, dance, slalom water ski, heli ski, do yoga, and Zumba classes, a little skateboarding, wakeboarding, and certainly a few other things. They travel with a vengeance! They dine and they shop too. And they obviously take good care of themselves so they can enjoy life with a passion.

These people at the party were mostly over 50, and several over 60. Vibrant, fit, relaxed, cheerful, good looking fun happy people!!
Wow!
Even I didn't know groups of people like this exist. Twifties.com is about getting the message out to the general population and the marketing machine that we exist!

Most products are seemingly marketed to males 18 to 34 years old. This is proving to be a dated, worn, false marketing paradigm.
Twifties are not represented in ads. Fun products are not marketed to us.
We have money, time, and desire for recreation and fun.
HELLLOOOO?????!!!!!!

================================================================================
Are you a Twifty?

Twifties are people in their 40's, 50's, and 60's (and beyond) who are full of fun and living life with a passion.

If you're Twifty, then go to Twifties.com where you can:
* post your profile and share what works for you.
* Read or write some Twifty Tips, offer them for free or fee on the site.
* Find an activity companion who enjoys the same activities as you, nearby.
* Take a meditation break on the site (coming soon - contact me if you want to work on this with us!)(Lauren@SnowboardSecrets.com)
* Open a store on Twifties.com selling your Twifty product.

Why Fun is Not a Joke

July 23, 2008

Why Fun is Not a Joke
By Lauren Traub Teton


Fun is Tops
Hi there. I’ve been thinking about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. You might have studied that one in college, like I did. I have a rather bold theory. Here it is.

“Fun people” like us are at the top of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Yup. We’re even above the Self-Actualization step that used to be the pointy top of the pyramid when I studied it. Later the term “Peak Experience” was invented and interestingly it took the top of some newer versions of Maslow’s Hierarchy.

And lot’s of fun people do have Peak Experiences when doing the thing that is their passion. So hey, no mystery why we fun people are drawn to other fun people, we are happy people with fulfilled lives doing the things we most love!

Health
I am blessed with radiant health. It’s not an accident, I work at it, but it is good work, like gardening and weeding. I won’t get into my health regime here, but I do promise I will be talking about it. My F&F (friends and family) are kind of tired of hearing how great it’s worked for me, but you as readers can easily opt out of reading that part if you’re not into it, so I will be sharing it in my blog.

Anyway, I just wan t you to know that if you think your health could be better, it probably could, and it’s not that hard to achieve and improve your health if you make a few decisions.

What I wanted to tell you in this post is that my friend said my skin looked “glowing” today. And I have been eating large amounts of fresh greens from the local greenmarket for the last few weeks, Chard and kale and dandelion greens and mustard greens. Greeks call greens “Horta,” and many eat them daily. They are not something I crave. But that’s good, most things we crave are irritants, and we crave their sweet irritation.

So even though greens are not a food I dream of, I am eating them, and learning to like them. And it’s not that hard to learn to like something that makes you feel and look so good! My skin is glowing, I wore my bikini to the pool the other day and was proud of how I looked.
Hey, maybe eating kale’s not so bad!!

Recipes for Kale, from the Heart
By Lauren

Easy Cook Methods for Kale
If you’re not a regular kale eater, you’ll buy a bunch and look at it and say “what the heck should I do with this?” That’s what I was doing a few weeks ago. Here are a couple of ideas that worked for me.

Bake the Kale
Wash the kale, cut off the ends beyond the leaves, they’re tough, and discard, or put into soup stock,. Grease a cookie sheet with real olive oil, not any kind of spray. Dribble some olive oil on it or use a sprayer that you put your own good oil into, sprinkle with salt if desired. Bake at 350 or so. You can take it out when it’s soft, or crisp. Check after 10 minutes.

I haven’t quite figured out what to do with this crisp kale besides eat it like potato chips, and it’s not bad. Maybe spread it with hummus. Or put it on a sandwich with something moist like tomato.


Saute the Kale
You need a big pan, kale shrinks a lot when you cook it but is big to start with. Ideally a tall-sided large sauté pan.

Wash the kale, cut off the ends beyond the leaves and discard, or put into soup stock, they’re tough.

Chop one clove garlic (less or more to taste) coarsely. You can actually smash it with the side of a chef’s knife on a cutting board, then just slice it into 6 or 8 pieces like I do, it’s quick.

Pour olive oil into the pan so there is a thin layer (or more) covering the bottom of the pan. Heat it ‘til a leaf of kale thrown into it sizzles slightly.

Then throw the chopped garlic into the pan, stir it around for 30 - 60 seconds depending on if you like the taste of the garlic more raw or cooked.

Stuff the kale into the pot (sometimes the kale is bigger than the pot. If so just keep wilting the bottom layer in the pot then turning, and adding more.

The point is to get all the kale in the pot so you can cover it. If you don’t have the cover to the pot, see if another one will work, or use a plate.
Cover the kale. The kale has liquid in it that will come out and cause steam to cook the kale.

Reduce heat to medium, you shouldn’t hear sizzling.
Add salt if desired. I find these greens almost inedible without salt, it really helps.
Turn the kale every few minutes. Tongs are a great way to do this without making a mess.

Taste a leaf of the kale. The object here is to cook it until it’s tender enough to chew, but stop right at that point so it stays as bright green as possible. That is your job as kale chef, to walk the balancing tightrope of kale doneness. You will be proud when you acheive this, and you will have a delicious dish that is probably one of the healthiest things you can eat.

A friend of mine swears by a dash of blackstrap molasses for added flavor and nutrition. Onions, cooked. Or raw sweet onions would be good with kale. A little diluted cider vinegar and some Franks Hot Sauce or Goya Piquillo pepper liquid would be awesome. If you eat meat, some smoky pork in any form would be great cooked with the kale, but then simmer them longer so the flavors meld.
Salut –To your health!!


It is YOUR responsibility to take care of yourself.
It is not society's job, nor your spouse's nor parent's job to take care of your health. If you don't take care of yourself, you will be a burden for someone else to take care of. And that my friend, will prevent YOU from helping other people, which is actually one of all of our purposes in life.
So...please, take care of yourself!!
cheerio,
Lauren


================================================================================
Are you a Twifty?

Twifties are people in their 40's, 50's, and 60's (and beyond) who are full of fun and living life with a passion.

If you're Twifty, then post your profile and share what works for you. Meet other Twifties who share your passion. It's not about dating! It's about finding fun people to hang with and having activity partners who enjoy doing the same things as you.

Some Twifty Ideas: Grown-ups can have fun* Let’s share what works for us* It's good to feel good!* Simple Pleasures Anytime – and not necessarily expensive!* Fun is not just for Vacations!* “Money” and “the economy” should never stand in the way of fun, or be an excuse as to why you can’t live an enjoyable fun Twifty lifestyle RIGHT NOW. Let’s have fun - day to day!

Visit Twifties.com and spread the word to your fellow Twifties.

I need help putting this site together, in many areas. Write me if you're into this project and it's calling your name! I need a bookkeeper,for example, and someone to advise me about raising money (or who wants to invest. I expect Twifties to be HUGE!!) I need lots of other help. Thankyou thankyou thankyou.
Lauren@SnowboardSecrets.com

Sunset Cruise – you paddle

July 16, 2008
Sunset Cruise – you paddle
by Lauren Traub Teton

The Kayak meet-up group had an evening paddle and after-party at Long Island Sound tonight. Kayaks ranged from sleek smooth pointy fast boats with experienced owners to inflatables and inexpensive small “sit-on-tops” that fit right into the car. I was able to borrow a kayak and frankly the idea of owning one that rolls up and fits into the trunk and doesn’t take 2 people to load onto a car rack is appealing to me.

The less expensive kayaks are a little harder to move around, not cutting sleekly through the water like the fancy ones. But that was ok in my little sub-group. We paddled out halfway to the others, then spent some time bobbing around watching the sky turn pink down to the horizon and reflect incredibly beautiful patterns on the water as the moon rose.

The moon was almost full. We watched recreational fisherman on the rocks and in row-boats. They didn’t seem desperate to catch fish, just looking for an excuse to be on the water.

After the paddle, we were able to use the gas grill and deck at the Halloween Yacht Club, where one of the members keeps her kayak for $250 year. Everyone brought food and drink and we had a feast of grilled homemade chicken nuggets, sausages, chicken, vegetables, dips, chips, fruit, raw vegs, and cheese. Simple great Twifty times, open to all. Thanks Peter and Cynthia! Tomorrow night there’s a Moonlight Paddle leaving after dark.

Visit Twifties.com!

"Spend 2 minutes at Twifties.com, and you'll...feel...BETTER!

Take a cruise. For $4

July 15

Take a cruise. For $4
by Lauren Traub Teton

“Vacation Close to Home” says the sign outside Playland Amusement Park in Rye, NY. This could be a Twifty motto. It’s not just about fuel prices, it’s an attitude that says you can enjoy leisure without packing your bags, even in the middle of the work week.

The annual Battle of the Bands brought us back to the park tonight. Four teenage bands playing and singing their hearts out to win a prize of $500 worth of recording time. What could be better on a perfect summer night than sitting outdoors watching kids do something they love, full of hope and passion for their music? The cost, a mere $5 for parking.

The lake cruise was a great way to catch a breeze as the small flat bottom boat toured us around the nature preserve next to the park. A few stationary painted animal statues surprised us around the bend. A live deer was spotted. 15 minutes of gentle relaxation. $4.

The park creator was a Twifty
Playland was America’s first planned amusement park, opened in 1928. The designer and manager of the park was a Twifty, back in 1927 when he designed it. They say Frank W. Darling was “an old amusement man, in experience, but not in years or enthusiasm.”

3.2 million people visited Playland in one year during the Depression. A mere 850,000 to 1 million people visit this charming beautiful Art Deco park (on the National Historic Register) annually now.

Visit Twifties.com!

"Spend 2 minutes at Twifties.com, and you'll...feel...BETTER!

Slaves to Electronics? Take time to Think

July 12, 2008

Slaves to Electronics? Take time to Think
by Lauren Traub Teton

It's Saturday and I’m headed to the local greenmarket and then the beach to see some Twifty friends and their kids in a surf competition. But a few thoughts before I depart.

About that Yoga book that I want to create with a theme of "do yoga and stretch anywhere and everywhere, using natural features as props." Just like skateboarders use steps and handrails anywhere to slide on, you can use these railings and picnic tables and airport floors to stretch on!!) It’s coming together in my mind. (If you want to work on this book with me, contact me - Lauren@SnowboardSecrets.com)

I'm so busy thinking about projects lately that I brushed me teeth with sunscreen, and put the new ecological dishwashing liquid I bought in the dishwasher. (It was meant for hand washing - if it didn't cause such a mess I could have almost enjoyed the rainbow streaked fluffy clouds of suds covering my kitchen floor. Why ISN'T there a bio-degradable dishwasher detergent in my store too?)

I do have a lot going on right now what with my new website Twiftes.com being created as we speak, my Flexmeter Skate and Snowboard Wrist Guard and Glove internet business, my Name One! Product Naming business, and SnowboardSecrets.com website and other snowboard sites.

Oh yeah, and I am the US distributor for a giant airbag for snowboarders and skiers to land jumps in called Aerofreestyle Mat. I run all these businesses from my home, with one little computer and a 2 line phone. All by myself, with a part-time outside helper. And as you’ll read, I’m serious about taking time to relax and have fun! (if one can be “serious" about fun!)

How do I stay focused and keep my constant flow of crazy and sometimes terrific ideas flowing, you might wonder? I see people who can’t even focus on knowing where their keys are each day, let alone think of new ideas to try.

To be blunt, I think I have a lot more time to create than some people because I don’t fritter away my time on electronic devices. I carry 1 simple cell phone. No PDA, nothing with a keyboard or internet goes with me day to day. In my time off, my office calls are not forwarded to my cell. I don’t IM.

I watch very little tv. And I don’t walk around with earphones filling my head with music. Too much input blocks output. I also agree with Dr. Andrew Weill that we don’t have to spend a lot of time absorbing “news” each day.

Remember before we had all these wonderful instant communication devices, even back in the days before answering machines were invented? Remember how much slower life moved, and funny, how much better the economy was during most of that time? And how much more fit people were and how much healthier and less stressed we were?

How can we adapt the idea: to stop being slaves to portable communications devices that eat up our quality time?
When you spend non-work time answering messages from other people, you are taking that time away from yourself. And your friends and loved ones.

Portable electronic communications devices were created to save us time, I think. Instead they are time hogs. If I can run all these enterprises without taking electronics with me day to day, maybe you can too. And then you’ll have a lot more time to think, maybe even of some great ideas that can improve the world!
Hey, I’m splitting for the beach!

Overheard from mother to whiny child at the pool:
“Behave yourself or no electronics when we get home.”
Bet your parents never said that to you!!

Visit Twifties.com!

"Spend 2 minutes at Twifties.com, and you'll...feel...BETTER!

The Wednesdays Off Club

July 9, 2008

The Wednesdays Off Club
by Lauren Traub Teton

Today I was with the happiest bunch of people I know. These Twifties take every Wednesday off from their work, and go out in their fast boats on a lake for wakeboarding, chair boarding, slalom water skiing, enjoying the breeze and taking a swim, and lunch with friends at a sunny dockside restaurant. In the winter they go skiing and snowboarding on Wednesdays. They work hard the rest of the week, but Wednesdays are enchanted. They are making the absolute best of their lives by enjoying it, and I salute them!

How can we use the inspiration of these Twifties and their happy lifestyle to help us make the best of our lives? Think about how you can fit a little more fun in your life.

Granted you may not have access to a fast boat on a lake, or even a lakeside restaurant. And you may not be able to take off a day from work every week. But could you take a day off once in a while for some rest and relaxation? Or could you take off an hour? Could you make your lunch break special by dining with a friend or two at a pretty place? That pretty place doesn’t have to be a restaurant. It could be a park where you take your sandwich from home. Twifties know how to make the best of their lives with the time and resources they have available.

Visit Twifties.com!

"Spend 2 minutes at Twifties.com, and you'll...feel...BETTER!

Tire Changing Day – Making the best of it

July 3
Tire Changing Day – Making the best of it
by Lauren Traub Teton

Today I finally got around to tending to the tires on my car. OK, I’ll spill the beans. It’s July, and I finally got to taking the snow tires off. And I don’t live in Alaska.
But I was pleased to be able to turn this potentially dreary and expensive task into an afternoon of fun. How did I do it?

First, I expected the best for myself and set out to obtain it. I think it’s just as important to take care of myself as it is to take care of my automobile, and what better time to do it than when I was forced to take a car-fixing break from my routine?

I could have sat in the waiting room of my local Mavis Tire Shop for 2 hours inhaling the scent of fresh rubber tires and reading the newspapers and dog-eared magazines, and it would have been ok. Sometimes I just take the magazines outdoors and sit on the sunny step outside the shop, and read in the fresh air.

But my path today ended up being to take a walk. I started toward town on this hot day, and unexpectedly wonderful things happened. A brand new store along my way had a perfect little accessory for my house, both attractive and practical, at a wholesale price.

I called my husband to discuss it, and found he was driving through that same town I was in, on the way from an appointment. He came over and looked at the accessory, and liked it too, and we bought it and put it in his car.

Then I headed over to the Dunkin Donuts next to the tire shop, spotting a nicely shaded plot of grass under a tree where I planned to drink my iced tea. Inside the shop I struck up a conversation with the very Twifty woman behind me in line whose dress I admired. Turns out she is a local public relations firm owner and we may end up doing some business together. We chatted and I never did make it to the shady spot because my car got finished.

My afternoon of car repair turned out to be an unexpectedly pleasant time of serendipitous events. I was lucky, but I also went into it with a positive attitude. If I had expected drudgery and boredom, I’m sure I would have gotten that too!

Visit Twifties.com!

"Spend 2 minutes at Twifties.com, and you'll...feel...BETTER!

Twifties.com Begins

By Lauren Traub Teton

This is Lauren’s personal blog, sharing how she has fun day to day.

And we’ll show you how to
Enjoy your “tire changing” day
Party at the yacht club without paying annual dues.
Dine on the water at pub prices
Listen to new musical talent free
Take a cruise for $4
Take a vacation in one day, or one hour
Enjoy the sunset on a boat

Hey, If you’re in a hurry, I’ll use boldface like this for any really good parts of my blogs and you can just skip to them. We bloggers can tend to prattle on.


June 28, 2008
I am incredibly excited about what’s happening! The concept that I have been mulling over for a year or so is coming to life! The concept is basically that I’m a fun grown-up, and I used to think I was one of a small bunch. But looking around, I see there are LOTS of fun grown-ups out there. We see each other in passing and give a little thumbs up to each other mentally as we pass.

But now it’s the time for we fun grown-ups to come out of the closet and have our moment! It’s time for us to declare our numbers, and our strength in the world and the marketplace. I’m a snowboarder over 40. I’ve found there are plenty of others like me. And we have buying power. Yet how come I’ve NEVER seen a snowboarder over 40 in any ad, EVER?

In fact, when you watch tv, the only time you see people our age is in ads for medications and erectile dysfunction, “Stairs who Cares?,” hair color, and financial planning. Geesh, you’d think people in their 40s, 50s, and 60’s (an older) never buy anything that’s not ill-health related, and never do anything fun. This image of us is just SO WRONG!!

I know there are people over 40 participating in every sport; even people in their 60’s and 70s + learning to surf. Part of the problem is that there is no name for this group of fun adults. We’re all lumped into a name that was coined in 1951 – The Baby Boom. This terrific name has such staying power that it has not been replaced and is still in use over 57 years later. By the way, it was created by the financial writer Sylvia Porter in 1951 in a fit of inspired and uncredited prescience and brilliance.

But the name “Baby Boomers” is part of the problem, part of the misconception. There were 78 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964 -a huge group of people, no doubt! However we are not homogenous. Some of this group has become their own stodgy parents. And some of us are still enjoying life with a passion.

Sooo, my big project is to bring to light the fact that there is a huge subset or group of people over 40, probably over 30 million of us, who still like and want and need and know how to have fun! And my project is to let us FUN people have a place of our own to get together on the internet, and share what is working for us in our wonderful lives. And to share a bit of relief in a challenging world.

I have given a fun new name to this group. Twifties. For “people around their 50’s who act like they are around their 20’s.” My vision is that this is like “Facebook for Grown-Ups.” Face it, there’s no place like this so far on the internet for us to get together now. People are searching and reaching for ways to feel a little better in these days of many challenges. “Spend 2 minutes at Twifties.com, and… you’ll…Feel… BETTER!”

Twifties.com will be a place where you can post a profile of yourself with some pictures (to show how great you’re taking care of yourself.) You can answer our questionnaire and tell what’s working for you and keeping you inspired and happy. Or you can put your favorite fun passion and zip code into a search box on the site, and find other Twifties who share your passions, in your geographical area to share activities with. And read what works for and inspires them!

Also, as you have gained experience in life, you have probably gotten quite good at a few things. Twifties Tips is a way for you to share your knowledge. You can share your expertise as tips with readers for free, or you can make a little cash-flow by putting your tips up for sale on our site. You write-em, we distribute them, we split the proceeds with 60% to you, the writer.

You probably have other upbeat thoughts to share, and you can do it easily on your Twifties.com blog.
This all feels so right and natural to me, and things are falling into place now perfectly. August is when we are planning to unveil the site.
Spread the word!

People can always use a little positive reinforcement, right? You can be one of the first to post your profile up now, even before the unveiling, while we are tweaking and beautifying the site - at Twifties.com.

If you are all over this new idea, like so many people I talk to are, we are considering working with a very limited group of small investors to keep the presses rolling as we get going. Give a shout to Lauren@SnowboardSecrets.com.

Visit Twifties.com!

"Spend 2 minutes at Twifties.com, and you'll...feel...BETTER!