Category: Ageless

RESPECT FOR THE ELDERLY- WHAT HAPPENED TO IT?

Published on by Brigitte Nioche3 Comments

Before arriving at my place for dinner, my friend Jasmine went to the liquor store across the street from where I live to buy a bottle of wine.

At the cash register the man asked for $15.07 – an odd amount I know but New York tax can do that. She put $20 on the counter and picking it up he said,

“Do you have 7 cents?”

“No, I am sorry I don’t” my friend answered

“That’s strange” he replied looking at her

“Why is that?” she inquired

“Because old ladies always have pennies”

Jasmine gasped and after restraining herself from slapping him, she said,

“Don’t YOU  worry – one day you will be old too! And you are not far away from it.” (she guessed he was about 50.)

Believe me we really needed that bottle of wine to drown and forget his disrespectful  words.

And never forget – A Smile Changes Everything

Brigitte

DEAR ABBY

Published on by Brigitte Nioche3 Comments

I started writing early in life and everything I have written were always Self Help or How To books. So when I came to the United States many years ago I fell in love with a column which appeared in over 1000 newspapers at the time called DEAR ABBY. She  gave advice and solved reader’s problems.

I never missed her column and reading it I always wished that one day I could be a DEAR ABBY. When recently I published my latest book  a review from a reader made my day. She said and I quote:

Getting Over Growing Older: How to Change Your Life by Staying Positive by Brigitte Nioche is full of advice and helpful hints. I was looking forward to reading this book. I will say that the book is easy to read, laced with bits of humor throughout . Perhaps it was because from the reviews I was expecting the book to be more of a mental positive encouragement on growing older gracefully more of a Katie Byron style. Instead I felt  it was more like a physical makeover through a monologue from a Dear Abby perspective.

Dear Abby – really? So maybe there still is time to make my dream come true? Can I start with you? Don’t you have any questions? Don’t you need advice? Aren’t you in doubt about your relationship? Your Job? Or maybe you don’t know how to handle the annoying neighbor who just moved in.? Just ask me anything you want! Leave your question right here and my answer will be on the way. Looking forward to hearing from you!

And never forget – A Smile Changes Everything
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Dear Abby/Brigitte

SENIOR MOMENT? NO INFORMATION OVERLOAD!

Published on by Brigitte Nioche6 Comments

 

scan0001-2If forgetting something is a senior moment than a lot of young people have senior moments —-  because they too forget things!

But their busy lives gives them a pass, whereas when an older person doesn’t remember it is seen as a result of being older. I think the truth, for young and old, lies somewhere in the middle. The constant bombardment of the news media, new inventions from Silicone Valley, advertisements, as well as the attachment to our new life lines like the iPhone, Smart Phone, Kindle, Podcast, Facebook, and many more I am not even aware of, are like an explosions around us. And often this new information is valid today and gone tomorrow.

A study done by Dr. Michael Remscar of the University of Tubingen in Germany reassures us, quote:

People do not decline mentally with age, it just takes them longer to recall facts because they have more in information in their brains. Much like a computer struggles as the hard drive gets full, so too, do humans take longer to access information when their brains are full.

Our brains are not just full they are overloaded and attacked on a daily basis. And not being able to take it all in, not being able to process it all, makes older people feel like their brains are not function as before.

Before was different. The world has changed and as hard as we try to take it all in, there will be moments for everybody – young and old – that will seem like a senior moment but are just an overload in your mental computer.

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And never forget – A Smile Changes Everything

Brigitte

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANYONE?

Published on by Brigitte NiocheLeave a comment

No. I don’t have birthdays anymore, but my friend Judy was not aware of it and on my last birthday send me this card. It made me wonder if maybe I should have birthdays again so I can buy more shoes?

Card designed by TOMATO CARDS. DCI and made by Papyrus Recycled Greetings, Inc

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And never forget  – A Smile Changes Everything

Brigitte

FRIENDS – THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Published on by Brigitte NiocheLeave a comment

IF YOU DON’T CALL YOUR FRIENDS YOU WON’T HAVE ANY ONE DAY!

When you don’t hear from your friends it doesn’t mean that –

-they don’t care about you

– they forgot about you

  • – they don’t like you anymore
  • Often life gets in the way and their silence is no fault of yours or theirs – therefore, to keep them in your life make that call.

 

……….and never forget  – a smile changes everything

Brigitte

MOTHER’S DAY WITHOUT MY MOTHER

Published on by Brigitte Nioche9 Comments

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“When I am not here anymore you will miss me,” my mother said to me one day.

She had been particularly difficult that day and did not agree. But today, years after her death I know she was right.

Every year when I first realize that Mother’s Day is coming, my reaction is what has that got to do with me? I don’t have a mother and I feel sad and deprived.

Mothers are not always easy to deal with. When we become adults we often reject their advice. We don’t want them to tell us what to do. We don’t want to learn from their experience. We don’t want to hear about their life. We want to be our own person and sometimes I even went as far as saying:

“But that’s none of your business, it is my life!”  Yes, it is my life, but would I be here without her?

When the umbilical cord is cut it only separates our bodies, because for a mother the connection to her child is never gone. The feeling to protect, to love, to nurture is never severed. It is sad, therefore, that only when our mother has left us do we see the complete picture. But maybe that is natural too, because from the day we are born our mother is a given. We don’t know a world without her. We take her love, her care, her admiration, support and above all her presence for granted.  – DON’T – The day will come you wished you had another chance to tell her that you appreciate her love and affection.

Sunday it is Mother’s Day again. No, I don’t have to buy a card or a present. I don’t have to pick my mother up for lunch, but I will remember what she said every year on this day: “I am so lucky, I have Mother’s Day all year-long – I have the best daughter one can hope for.”

MAMI —  wherever you are now maybe you can hear me -“I miss you — not only on Mother’s Day – but all year-long!”

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! sunflower Avignon

Brigitte

 

TRIPPING OR FALLING?

Published on by Brigitte Nioche2 Comments

Good Morning Everybody!

A few days ago I ran to catch the bus, and you guessed right I lost my footing and tripped.

People helping me up asked,” What happened.”

“I fell”  I answered “trying to catch the bus.”  At that moment my friend who was with me nudged me and whispered,

“Don’t say you fell – say you tripped. If you say you fell everybody will think ‘oh, now she starts to fall.”

Best advice I had in a long time. It’s like I said in my book, don’t tell your age because people will treat you differently once they know how old you are. So let me repeat – when you tripped you didn’t fall – you tripped!

….and even when you don’t catch the bus and have a blue eye like I do

A Smile Changes Everything!

Brigitte

 

VOGUE’S LATEST MODEL IS A 100 YEARS OLD!

Published on by Brigitte Nioche1 Comment

THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN THE DAILY MAIL IN ENGLAND ON APRIL 30, 2016

If you ever needed proof that style is ageless, look no further than Bo Gilbert – Vogue’s first 100-year-old model who has just landed a covetable modelling gig.

Centenarian Bo Gilbert, from Birmingham, has been chosen to mark Vogue magazine's 100th anniversary in a new Harvey Nichols campaign. The June issue hits newsstands this weekend and will be its biggest edition

Centenarian Bo Gilbert, from Birmingham, has been chosen to mark Vogue magazine’s 100th anniversary in a new Harvey Nichols campaign. The June issue hits newsstands this weekend and will be its biggest edition

The stunning shoot aims to tackle ageism in the fashion industry and prove that ‘the older generation can be fearlessly stylish.’Harvey Nichols picked Bo as their style inspiration for her unwavering commitment to fashion, as someone who wears heels every day and never leaves the house without her make-up on. 

As you can see it is never too late to be stylish or become a model!

Never Forget – A Smile Changes Everything

Brigitte

 

94 YEARS OLD AND GOING ON 22

Published on by Brigitte Nioche2 Comments

Good Morning Everyone!

There are moments in life which are worth sharing, and the other day there was such a moment.

Leaving the Beauty Parlor near the bus stop the lady using a walker joined the waiting crowd. After a few minutes she asked, “Do you know when the M5 is coming?”

“It should be here by now” I replied. But it wasn’t and did not come for the next 35 minutes. After some chit-chat about the inadequate public service in New York, and how good the hairdresser is she just visited (her white hair was very nicely cut and set) she said, “You know I am 94 years old and will be 95 next month.” She did not wait for an answer but put her hand in her purse and pulled out a 3″x5″  picture of a beautiful girl.

“Look this is me when I was 22 years old, I was a WAVE during the war.” A lady standing close by looked over and remarked, “You should have that enlarged and framed.”

“Oh, I have.  It is hanging in my bedroom.” and the way she looked at her picture seemed like an out-of-body experience, like the young girl in the photo was somebody else. Somebody else who she knows for a long time and who is still around.

“So when is your birthday next month?” I asked

“May 11” and after a moment she continued “I don’t know why I am still here. Maybe because I had a good husband who looked well after me. He was Egyptian but Jewish.You know each week he would go out and buy two cartons of cigarettes,  one for me and one for him……. and see I am still here.”

There was no bus in sight yet and I asked her if she didn’t want to sit down. By now I was ready to sit down, but her answer kept me standing, making me wonder why at my age I wanted to sit down.

“No, thank you I just sat an hour at the hairdresser, and I will sit again in the bus.”

When the M5 came into view, she looked at me and asked, “Do you know what a WAVE is?” When she saw that I hesitated she continued, “The Girl in the photo!”

And while watching her navigate her walker to get into the bus, I suddenly realized she was not 94 – she was still a WAVE!

(Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service during the Second World War)

Never Forget – A Smile Changes Everything

Brigitte

LOVE HANDLES – DO YOU WANT TO GET RID OF THEM?

Published on by Brigitte NiocheLeave a comment

Good Morning Everyone.

What a silly question you will say. Of course I do – but how? I know from experience that with exercise it is very difficult to lose stubborn fat at a specific place. Exercise firms the body but that little pouch or extra fat somewhere does not seem to be impressed by exercise.

So while visiting my dermatologist to have a mold taken care of I found a brochure in the waiting room that talked about Body Contouring. Never having heard of it (maybe I am a little behind) I read on.

No, it is not liposuction. The brochure explained that it is done with lasers, and best of all the 25 minute procedure avoids surgery. If you are interested in learning more go to http://www.sculpsure.com.

I believe in solutions and having choices. This might be one for you to say goodbye to any little extra padding you might have here or there!

Never forget  – A Smile Changes Everything

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Brigitte

YOUR THOUGHTS – it would be interesting to hear from anyone who had it done, or who is thinking about it – please leave a comment