Sugar Daddies and the Women Who Love Them

The dictionary describes a Sugar Daddy as a wealthy older man who gives a young person expensive gifts in return for companionship or intimacy. In the 30’s, sugar daddies were a staple in movie comedies and musicals. Today, thanks to the internet, they are more sought after than ever. If you have an opinion on this topic please let us know
What follows are excerpts from a web forum whose participants are older wealthy men and younger women who are looking for them.
“I happen to want something more than a straight swap of money for sex. I am looking for a young girl to have as a lover and a friend, someone who will help me feel young while I ease her financial burden and show her the good life. A straight money exchange implies the person might not even like you... what's the allure of that?”
“For myself, this is how I see my role as a sugar daddy. I am not looking for an arrangement to meet once or twice a month. I have been very successful in my career and I am looking for someone to share the good times with me. To me that means helping a special woman out there in her daily life so that she can have the freedom to enjoy life with me and not have to worry about the everyday problems of having to support herself.”
“I think we all have to be honest and admit we are all here for a reason no matter how you sugarcoat it. We all have different thoughts yes. Some men act like women should be jumping for them because they claim to have money. Some girls may jump. If I have a daddy he will be well taken care of out of respect and desire not money. Money is a bonus.”
“I know what I want and that is to meet a gentlemen who will give me allowances, take me shopping, etc. In return I will be the hot female on his arm, among other things. I'm looking for help financially, but not a relationship. Well maybe, if it's right.”
“I figured it would be easy to find a nice gentlemen who wanted a beautiful lady to spoil BUT I come to find out there's only ONE way to get spoiled HAVE SEX WITH THESE MEN OR NO SPOILING.”
“The type of man I want to be with is able to take care of me. Women are biologically attracted to men with money, just like men are biologically attracted to a small waist and full lips. It's facts of life.”
“I'm only looking for adventure and sure sex is part of adventure as well as communication, honesty and trust. I do let any gentlemen know in advance that I expect to receive perks, gratuity, and benefits for my time and companionship.”
“.....perks, gratuities, and benefits for your time and companionship"???????? lol I hate to sound insulting, but I think this is where the line is crossed. You are wanting to get paid for services rendered...I'm sorry but this sounds too much like a business deal (prostitution).”
“For me personally, I refuse to feel treated like a transaction. Foremost, I am a woman. I want someone who will spoil me and become an asset in my life because they care about me. Now don't misunderstand me, I am not asking for someone's hand in marriage, but sex without emotion TO ME equivocates prostitution... a transaction.”
“Some view it as a straight business arrangement and if that's what makes both of them happy, then great! However, that's not exactly for me. I actually have a brain, so I'd like to be treated as more than just arm candy. Just like I'm sure the guy has a personality and feelings, so he'd like to be treated as more than just an ATM. That's just my two cents!”
“My ideas differ from most I guess. I like the idea of here and there weekends somewhere, sharing my time and fun with a beautiful young lady. I pay all expenses and then some and she enjoys a great time with me. It's what it is...but it works! No expectations other than a good time. I just don’t have time for "feelings" and such that are the result of a normal relationship. But I am fun and nice and have had NO complaints!”
I am looking for something I have been missing for a long time...excitement, fun, flirtation, as well as a little "love.” In return, I will help this lady with things she must get...rent, car payment, allowance, etc... This is reality, not the movies. I really don't think I am going to find some Cover girl, who will fall in love with me, and ladies, if you are looking for Richard Gere in "Pretty Woman", I think you are going to be disappointed. If we realize, that we are real people in search of something, I think we will all do alright. I hope so anyway.”

For other articles of interest to those over 50 (seniors and boomers) visit www.LetLifeIn.com. With a cutting edge and a (sometimes irreverent) sense of humor, LetLifeIn.com explores all aspects of being 50+ -- the concerns, the issues, and the controversies as well as the fun stuff.

Cosmetic Surgery for Boomer Men. Why not?

As Newsweek noted a few months ago, baby boomers are turning 50 in droves.Maybe we are just looking in the mirror more, but suddenly we’re noticing things we didn’t notice a few years back. You know, wrinkles, frown lines, crow’s feet, droopy eyelids, baldness and double chins. “That couldn’t possibly be me,” you think. “Why do I look so old and tired?”So what’s a feller to do?Well, for one thing, more and more men in our age group are having cosmetic surgery to help them look younger and attractive. Like women, they have discovered the benefits of cosmetic surgery – both personally and professionally. Of course diet and exercise are still the most important factors when it comes to good health. But more and more, plastic surgery is moving into the mainstream of life for men over 50.Popular, routine, and affordable.The fact is, plastic surgery has become more popular, routine, and affordable. The stigma of vanity seems to be gone. People aren't afraid to admit that they're considering the idea. Hey, we don't even call it a nose job a "nose job" any more. How's that for stigma reduction?At the officeOne company CEO we know says that his decision to have a facelift was part business, part personal. Today, there are a growing number of mature business men who are concerned with not just looking more attractive but being more competitive on the job. Unfortunately, youth still rules.Let’s face it -- society still puts a premium on youth. 50-year-old executives are often competing with guys who are 20 years younger. The perception is that a 30-year-old is willing to work harder, and for lots less money. (Could it be true?)The big question.Many boomer men have voiced this thought: What’s the use of spending a lot of time at the gym and watching yout diet if you stll wind up with a tired face? No doubt about it -- baggy eyelids and a tired looking appearance affect perception of the ability to perform on the job. In the business world the feeling is if you look tired or don’t take care of yourself, you won’t keep up.On the home front.It’s not just busy business executives in fear of losing their jobs that are responsible for the boom in cosmetic surgery. Men are feeling they want to keep pace with their (younger-looking) wives. It’s only natural to think, “Now that I have a young-looking wife I better take a look at myself.”Easing into it.Men usually start out slower than women. They may start by going to hair salons instead of barber shops, having facials and other skin toning treatments, and shopping at cosmetic counters.Skin Care For MenIt is not uncommon at all for men to use moisturizers and sunscreens. Shaving can be a problem for some men whose skin can become irritated and rough. New exfoliating products and soothing creams help to reduce wrinkles and keep the skin looking younger.Taking the plunge.The logical next steps are non-surgical cosmetic procedures. That includes Botox injections, laser hair removal, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, collagen injections and laser resurfacing.Laser resurfacing. One of the newer and more popular procedures today is lasrer resurfacing. It’s specialties are leathery, sun-damaged skin and wrinkles.ZAP!The laser, also used to zap unwanted body hair and acne scars, is a major advance in the boomer man’s war against wrinkles. Its precise, controlled light beam allows surgeons to target specific areas of the face--usually around the eyes and mouth--or treat the entire face.The laser doesn't replace a facelift because it doesn't dramatically reverse sagging. However, its effect on skin surface is remarkable. Leathery, crinkly skin can become smooth as a 20 year old’s.Men seem to want what women want.Like women, men over 50 want trimmer waists and fewer wrinkles. And they want more hair on their heads. (Hair transplants top the list of the most common procedures.) We’ve come a long way, baby.Many men are now rejuvenating their faces with face, neck and eye lifts and forehead and brow lifts. They are having lasers and peels to remove the wrinkles and make their skin look younger. Some are re-sculpting their noses and undergoing liposuction, tummy tucks and even breast reductions (gynecomastia).You ain’t heard nothin’ yet!The new non-ablative lasers and tissue tightening devices such as Thermage, offer mini-lifts without surgery. Add to that new fillers such as Restylane and Perlane that now give men more choices to remove lines and wrinkles and fill in deep creases and folds.Bye-bye double chins, spare tires and love handles. The Vaser, a new liposuction procedure, eliminates double chins, spare tires, love handles and even beer bellies. The Liposuction process.Because liposuction removes localized fat that doesn’t respond to diet and exercise, it is one of the best procedures to help men attain the body shape they want. When working out isn’t enough.Many men who are over 50 work out and take care of their health but find they still have extra fat around the mid-section or back. Because liposuction removes localized fat that doesn’t respond to diet and exercise, it is one of the best procedures to help men in those areas.The “Endo” brow-lift.The endoscopic brow lift is a fairly new, minimal-incision technique that removes deep vertical lines between the brows. (Scowlers, take note.} Surgeons use an endoscope, a narrow instrument hooked up to a video monitor, and do the entire operation through several tiny slits near the scalp line.Small incisions mean faster recovery time, less hair loss, less nerve damage, and smaller scars. (The scars are so minimal that even balding men can have the surgery.) It’s amazing. Who would’ve thought the upper third part of the face contributes so much to appearance.Chests, calves, buttocks, thighs, arms and abdomens.Boomer Men are also having pectoral implants to increase the size of their chests and calf implants (I’m embarrassed to write this) for more shapely legs.Body contouring to lift the buttocks, thigh, arms and abdomen help to reshape the body and remove excess, hanging skin. This procedure is especially useful after weight loss of 50 to 100 pounds or more, and is becoming more common.Before you decide to do anything…Read up on the procedure you are interested in and find out if it's really right for you. Get the details on what will happen before, during and after surgery. How long is the recovery time? What are the medical risks and aftereffects?If you have questions (and you SHOULD} call the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (ASPRS) which represents 97 percent of all physicians certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Their Plastic Surgery Information Hotline is: 1-800-635-0635. You'll get reading material and a referral to resources in or near where you live.

For other articles of interest to those over 50 (seniors and boomers) visit www.LetLifeIn.com. With a cutting edge and a (sometimes irreverent) sense of humor, LetLifeIn.com explores all aspects of being 50+ -- the concerns, the issues, and the controversies as well as the fun stuff.

Sexual Secrets of a Gigolo

"Jeremy (not his real name) is a professional paid “escort,” a Gigolo. His specialty is older women. Jeremy is 38 years old. His “clients," between 50 and 70."

www.LetLifeIn.com Interview by Gary Geyer

LetLifeIn: Welcome Jeremy. Thank you for meeting with me.

Jeremy: It’s my pleasure.

LetLifeIn: Jeremy, all your clients are past 50 and you are just 38. Is that just a coincidence?

Jeremy: No, No. I’m actually attracted to mature women. I find them easier to talk to and be with. And I must admit, the fact that they are attracted to me is great for my ego.

LetLifeIn: Jeremy, I don’t know how to ask this question tactfully. You use the term “gigolo.” Aren’t you really a male prostitute?

Jeremy: No. Not at all. And don’t worry -- I’m not offended. A prostitute is generally for sex only. Slam bam, you know. A gigolo is, I’m speaking for myself, someone who is very much concerned with giving his client pleasure. Sexual pleasure, yes—but also understanding her as a woman --- her wishes, her desires; what she likes and what she doesn’t.

Her agenda becomes my agenda. I think of myself as someone who represents the best in men in both character and sexual skill. I always conduct myself in a way so that I bring credit to myself and pleasure to my clients.

LetLifeIn: What makes you good at what you do?

Jeremy: Well, that’s a good question. How much time have you got?

LetLifeIn: Plenty. Go on –don’t worry.

Jeremy: I think the most important thing is that I am attentive. I pay attention to what the woman I’m with is saying as well as what her body language is saying. I think sometimes the body language is far more honest than the words.

LetLifeIn: What else?

Jeremy: I compliment her often. I make her feel special. It’s always about her. Never about me. I’m not the kind of guy who struts around drawing the attention. I make sure she gets it.

LetLifeIn: I don’t know, Jeremy. You look like a pretty spiffy guy.

Jeremy: I believe I should present myself well. I dress nicely – never in jeans, my nails are clean and manicured. I speak softly, but confidently. I’m always a gentlemen, although in the bedroom I am sometimes asked to be otherwise. (We’ll save that for another interview—editor)

LetLifeIn: Do you have any special tricks you use?

Jeremy: Yes, but I don’t think of them as tricks. It’s more like technique. I spend a lot of time looking at her eyes, rather than her other features. I try to look at her and think what she must have looked like when she was seventeen –instead of 55 or 60. I try to rekindle that feeling of youth that lies dormant in most mature women.

LetLifeIn: Do you ever talk dirty too them?

Jeremy: Rarely. Never in conversation, but sometimes in bed, if asked.

LetLifeIn: Okay Jeremy, since you brought it up, let’s talk about “in bed,” if you don’t mind. What’s your secret?

Jeremy: No secret, really. First, I try to get her to relax and feel real comfortable. I caress her and talk softly. I gently kiss and nibble on all her sensitive places. I ask her to be honest with me and tell me her sexual fantasies. I ask for her sexual wish list, so to speak, and nod approvingly at everything she says. I tell her how sexy she looks and how she really turns me on. You’d be surprised how often I hear that the men they know rarely do this.

I take my time—do everything verrry slowly. I get her to a high level of excitement… I use my tongue….my fingers. I make it unbearable. I urge her to surrender…to let go. I never let go myself until she reaches the absolute height of her sexual experience.

When we are finished I tell her what a great lover she is –the best.

LetLifeIn: Whew! I’m exhausted. So at the days end you are satisfied with a job well done.

Jeremy: Yes. I think being a gigolo is an honorable profession. The rewards are many ---not just the money.

LetLifeIn: Thanks Jeremy, for being so open with us. I think I’ve learned a few things.

Jeremy: Thank you, too. May I leave you a few of my cards? <<<

What do you think of the idea of an older person paying for a younger “escort?” Please tell us. Gary@LetLifeIn.com

For other articles of interest to those over 50 (seniors and boomers) visit www.LetLifeIn.com. With a cutting edge and a (sometimes irreverent) sense of humor, LetLifeIn.com explores all aspects of being 50+ -- the concerns, the issues, and the controversies as well as the fun stuff.

Are Our Best Sexual Years Behind Us?

Over 50, over the hill.

You're tired, you're bored. You don't look or feel as good as you did when you were thirty. Neither does your partner.
Great sex is just in your dreams.

It's unfortunate, but that's what many of us past 50 think.

Bah, Humbug!

I'm here to tell you, at your age you should know better.
And, as my grandson would say, "Get over it!"

You know where sexual feeling starts? In your head.

Before you can have enjoyable, satisfying sex, you have to change your way if thinking. You have to stop believing that all those things mentioned above matter.

The fact is you are still capable of feeling pleasure. You are still capable of having feelings of physical love and desire for your partner.

50 plus Ain't What it Used To Be.

Look around. 50 (and over) isn't what it used to be. Sting, Harrison Ford, Jeff Bridges. Goldie Hawn, Cybil Shepard, Tina Turner. Need I go on?

I'm sure I don't have to tell you this -- baby boomers have changed everything. We are the generation that refuses to "act our age."

Here Are The Facts.

The quality of our sex after 50 is different. Not worse -- different. Yes, our sexual responses change from what they were when we were younger.

Men

For example, a man seldom gets an erection simply by viewing his partner. That doesn't mean he isn't aroused or interested. After 35 or 40, a man needs direct stimulation of the penis to get an erection. Once he understands this he can learn to appreciate the slower build-up of sexual tension and enjoy a wider range of sensations -not just in the penis, but the whole body. He enters a new phase of his sexual development. He is now more able to experience the pleasures of giving satisfaction not just receiving it.

If a man is healthy physically, there is no reason why he can't continue to have erections and enjoy sex into old age.

Women

Many women fear that menopause means the end of their sex life.
It's actually just the opposite.

Women report that instead of experiencing declining sexual desire as they anticipated, their desire increases following menopause.

The shift in a woman's hormonal balance increases her libido and the ability to have orgasms. In fact, a woman's ability to have multiple orgasms is not affected by her age and her orgasms are often more intense.

In addition, many women past 50 find they can be more assertive than they were in their thirties. And many men find that a turn-on.

Don't Let Your Head Get in The Way.

Emotional maturity and self confidence of both men and women in their fifties allows for a more intimate relationship, sustainable for many years to come

And lest we forget at any age, the physical and psychological benefits of sex are numerous-everything from reducing stress to easing of depression.

Here's to your health!

For other articles of interest to those over 50 (seniors and boomers) visit www.LetLifeIn.com. With a cutting edge and a (sometimes irreverent) sense of humor, LetLifeIn.com explores all aspects of being 50+ -- the concerns, the issues, and the controversies as well as the fun stuff.

Cher: Refusing to Turn Back Time

At this point in Cher’s life, is there anybody alive who hasn’t read or heard everything there is about her and formed an opinion?

We’ll see.

On who she is

”I spend half my time trying to let people know who I am, and the other half trying to hide myself from people.”

“People think that because you're a bit flamboyant, you are not serious, or that you aren't pensive, or that you don't have strong opinions. I have opinions that I don't think I could ever voice until I got old enough not to give a s--- what people think.”

“I'm not sure that I have the guts to actually be as outspoken as I'd like to be. Underneath, I think I'm still really a radical. And I think that '60s thing doesn't exactly go away.”

On being called a “diva”

“That comes from you, the journalists. How did I get that reputation? Because I am so not the diva. And every time someone asks me what a diva is, I say that it's someone who thinks they are superior and is demanding all the time, for no reason.”

”I don't care what anyone calls me. It doesn't make a difference to me but that is just not who I am.”

On having “some work done”

"Yes, I have had a facelift, but who hasn't? I have become the plastic surgery poster girl. I asked my 90-year-old grandmother what she wanted for her 90th birthday and she wanted collagen in her lips!”

“Everyone says I am terrified of getting old but the truth is that in my job becoming old and becoming extinct are one and the same thing."

On Sonny

“We used to fight all the time and it didn't make any real difference. We never fought when we were married, that's the strange thing… I just always gave in. But, afterwards, we would fight, but, ya know, it didn't make any difference.”

"We had the strangest relationship. When were in court he had tried to sue me and have Chastity taken away from me and he said I was an unfit mother, and then he lost and as we were coming out of the court he grabbed me and kissed me. If it had been anyone else but him I probably would have punched them, but because we had such a strange relationship, I just started to laugh."

“I have dreams about him, ya know? It's, like, really weird – he just kinda hangs around.”

On younger men

”As I got older, men my age weren't interested in me. It’s like they didn't want to be caught dead with a woman my age. They're on their third family, and they always go for the 25-year-old girl. Once I turned 40, it was the younger guys who were attracted to me.”

On looking for a relationship

”You know, you don't look for that. You stumble over it. You fall
into it, but you don't go looking for relationships. They either happen or they don't.”

On children

”I couldn’t imagine never being a mother. I think that my life would have been empty without them.”

On her dry spell acting career

“When you get to a certain age you just don’t get many offers until you get much older. There is a big spot where it’s a long dry spell.”

“I’m in no man’s land, literally, because men are the people who make the choices in this business. I’m not their fantasy. When they are in their 50’s and 60’s, it’s their fantasy to be with someone young.”

On depression in the family

”It's absolutely in every one of us. It's in my grandmother, my mother, my children. I call it the gift-curse that you just deal with. Sometimes you deal with it well and sometimes you deal with it badly.”

”They still don't know enough about it, as far as I'm concerned. In my mother's time they knew nothing about it; my poor grandmother, she suffered a lot. I think as the generations go down, they do find out more information. But still, it's not like you can go get a blood test or MRI. It's all guesswork; it's definitely not a science.”

“It's something that I am making peace with -- no, I'm not making peace, because you don't make peace with it. You learn how to live with it. You either flow with it or it breaks you.”

“There are things that you give up for it and there are other things that you get that make you very artistic and sensitive. As negative as it could be with my mother's moods, the positive things were so positive. My mother would encourage me about being special and being gifted.”

“My mother was the most creative, fantastic person and would come up with great things to do. She'd buy art supplies and all of us would sit around painting. I was lucky. But then she would be really depressed and have a hard time coming out of her room. See, when you're young, it all seems normal to you.”

On aging

“When I turned 40, I just thought, 'You know what? Age is just bypassing me…then 45, and I'm thinking, 'I still look good.' Then 47 comes, and I'm running on the treadmill…I'm starting to notice it, little backache, little neck ache, get that lipstick perfect. It's a lot more output for less gain.”

On what advice she gives to herself

“Just to keep going every day, to continue being excited, fresh, interested and not just focus on yourself -- you know, try to divide your time between doing stuff for yourself and family and charity. It takes a lot of time.”


For other articles of interest to those over 50 (seniors and boomers) visit www.letlifein.com. With a cutting edge and a (sometimes irreverent) sense of humor, LetLifeIn.com explores all aspects of being 50+ -- the concerns, the issues, and the controversies as well as the fun stuff.

Rod Stewart: Some Guys have all the Luck

"Rod Stewart is famous for several things other than music. Beautiful women, for example. The list of his relationships include....."

Music aside, Rod Stewart’s life has been anything but dull.
As the song says, every picture tells a story, don’t it?

Starting off with a bang.

Roderick David Stewart was born January 10, 1945 in Highgate, London. Rod was the youngest of five children.
His parents owned a newsagent’s shop in North London and the family lived above the shop.

A few minutes before Rod was born, a German V-2 rocket hit a police station down the street and the explosion heralded his birth.

The pre-rock star years.

It was the early sixties and Rod opened his mind to alternative ways of thinking. He found himself interested in folk music and left wing politics. He became a beatnik and a communist;

Rod described himself: “I was your actual beatnik, mate. Your actual Jack Kerouac. Ban the bomb. You name it, we ban it. Anti-apartheid. Save cats. Save dogs. Shag in tents…What a life. What a life.”

Rod music interests began to change and he became more interested in upcoming rock and roll bands like the Yardbirds and The Rolling Stones.

Rod the Mod.

During the next 10 years Rod performed in five different rock groups* before moving to the United States, applying for citizenship and becoming a superstar. (A brief history follows this article.)

Do you think I’m sexy?

Rod, as we all know, is famous for several things other than music. Beautiful women, for example. The list of his relationships include (actress) Britt Ekland and the two women he married—Alana Hamilton (George’s ex) and (supermodel) Rachel Hunter.

Oops. Did I say that?

An unfortunate quote of Rod’s was that he would rather have his penis cut off than to cheat on Rachel Hunter. When she later sued him for divorce it was on the grounds of adultery.

Rod met his current love, (cover-girl turned photographer) Penny Lancaster, the same night he split with Rachel.

Hotel rooms and tarts.

Although mellower than he was in the early days, Rod is amazingly unapologetic of his antics of his early rock years. He condemns today’s headline-seeking rock stars. “When I was in “The Faces,” we wouldn’t go and break up hotel rooms or go out with tarts to get ourselves in the papers. We broke up hotel rooms and went out with tarts because we bloody felt like it,” he says.

Rod, on re-marrying:

“Instead of getting married again, I’m going to find a woman I don’t like and just give her a house.”

Rod, on looking young:

“The secret is to moisturize the face, I’ve been doing that since I was 17 years old.”

Rod, on songwriting:

“I wrote some of my best love songs ever when I was unhappy and my saddest love songs when I was very much in love.
When I wrote You’re in My Heart, which is an uplifting song, I had just broken up with…Now who had I broken up with?”

Who thought this one up?

“The singer Rod Stewart” is an anagram for “shattered songwriter.”

Britt Ekland’s revelations:

“He (Rod) very often chose to wear my cotton panties on stage. He used to take my knickers and pull them up real tight and stick the teeny-weeny part up his bum, so all that was covered were the parts he wanted covered.”

She said of Rod’s scoliosis condition, “The one advantage of his curvature was that his rear end protruded, and no one wiggled it quite like Rod.”

Michael Jackson’s baby.

Shortly after the incident when Michael Jackson dangled his baby from his hotel window, Rod’s record company got an e-mail from Rod’s manager. It read, “Kindly find new hotel. Cannot risk Rod being struck on head by falling baby.”

Trivia question.

Q. Who is in the Guinness Book of World Records for holding a free outdoor concert for the most people?
A. Rod Stewart. One New Year’s Eve, 1994, Rod performed in front of an estimated crowd of 3.5 million people on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro.

He’s human after all.

Rod, who is a few years past 60, has said that he can’t manage sex as often as he used to. He said “It’s quality now, not quantity. Kissing is very important.” He added however, that he still counts sex as one of his favorite past-times.

Cancer

Despite the fact that Rod works out and is in good physical shape, about 3 years ago he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He said, “It was a terrible shock. I mean I just went into total silence for a few days."

The fact that it was detected early made a big difference. He underwent surgery almost immediately and fortunately has made a full recovery.

Rod said he realizes now that cancer can hit anyone at any time. “I’m one of the lucky ones. I thank God. He must have given me a second chance and there’s something I have to do with the rest of my life”

Finding a purpose.

Faced with such a frightening ordeal, Rod has asked “How can I help?” He wants to do what he can for others in similar situations. He has helped raise money and publicize the City of Hope Foundation’s efforts to find a cure for all types of cancer and has become a spokesman for them.

For a long time Rod has enjoyed a glamorous lifestyle. He has been seen at the best parties and dated and wed some of the world’s most beautiful women.
He now realizes that he can make a significant difference.

What a life. What a Life. Funny, how it works. <<
*Brief Rock History

Rod joined Jimmy Powell and the Five Dimensions (1963) as a singer and blues harp player. In 1964, (for you trivia aficionados) he played blues harp on Millie Small’s big hit record, My Boy Lollipop.

In that same year, Rod joined The Hoochie Coochie Men (which evolved into Steampacket 1964-65), whose claim to fame was supporting The Rolling Stones in 1965.

During that period, after his appearance in a documentary film on the Mod movement, Rod acquired the nickname, “Rod the Mod.”

When Steampacket broke up in 1966, Rod joined Shotgun Express (1966). Among his band-mates was Mick Fleetwood who would later go on to form Fleetwood Mac.

After Shotgun Express, there was The Jeff Beck Group (1966-1969). The group had two hit albums and toured extensively in the U.S. and Europe.

By the end of 1969, the Jeff Beck Group was history, and Rod joined The Faces (1969- 1975). It was about this time he started his solo career as well.

Rod’s solo career started off big. A two-sided hit, Reason to Believe and Maggie May, made Rod Stewart a household name. Maggie May was named in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. <<

For other articles of interest to those over 50 (seniors and boomers) visit www.LetLifeIn.com. With a cutting edge and a (sometimes irreverent) sense of humor, LetLifeIn.com explores all aspects of being 50+ -- the concerns, the issues, and the controversies as well as the fun stuff.

Golf can be fun

Yes, golf can be fun.

If the ball doesn’t bop you on the head. Or, an airborne putter doesn’t become an attack missal. Or, your swing doesn’t hit the ground instead of the ball.

Golf injury joke

A couple of women were playing golf one sunny Saturday morning. The first of the twosome teed off and watched in horror as her ball headed directly toward a foursome of men playing the next hole.

Indeed, the ball hit one of the men, and he immediately clasped his hands together at his crotch, fell to the ground and proceeded to roll around in evident agony.

The woman rushed down to the man and immediately began to apologize. She explained that she was a physical therapist: "Please allow me to help. I'm a physical therapist and I know I could relieve your pain if you'd allow me!” she told him earnestly.

"Ummph, oooh, nnooo, I'll be alright...I'll be fine in a few minutes", he replied breathlessly as he remained in the fetal position still clasping his hands together at his crotch.

But she persisted, and finally he allowed her to help him. She gently took his hands away and placed them by his sides. She then loosened his pants, and put her hands inside. She began to massage him. She then asked him: "How does that feel?"

To which he replied: "It feels great, but my thumb still hurts like hell."

Golf injury no joke

In the last few years, an alarming amount of reported golf injuries seems to have made golf and football rivals for the title of ‘most injuries while having fun’ sport.

The problem for many amateur golfers is that they play so lousy. (Not you, of course). Let’s face it, for the most part, (You see them on the course all the time.) their technique stinks.

Watch your back

Figure it out. The worse you are, the more strokes you take. Your poor aching back is in perfect position to incur the brunt, causing stress and strain. The back does not know the difference between putting and driving. All it knows is that it is being overused.

For older amateur male golfers the most common injured area is the lower back. As a man ages he may find that lower back pain and an afternoon of practicing putting, unfortunately, seem to go hand in hand. Continually bending at the waist after sitting around all morning can take its toll.

Tennis elbow

Alright, golf elbow. Same thing. The most commonly injured area of the body in older female amateurs is the elbow because of decreased strength in the forearm muscles. Those muscles help with rotation of golf club through the impact area and also with shock absorption from hitting the ground instead of the ball (as previously mentioned). Often, golf elbow can become a chronic condition.

Aging swingers

A commonly injured area in the older player is the shoulder. That is due to decreased strength, flexibility, and also, degenerative changes of the joint. The rotator cuff ages and frays making it a candidate for arthritis.

In places like Florida, joint replacement has become a common surgery -- not just for walking or merely using your limbs like in the “old days.” Now, from the shoulders to the hips to the knees, as we age, apparently we want to continue to play golf.

Head trip

The parts of the head that are the most vulnerable to injury are the sides – the temporal areas.

Some head injuries occur when people stand too close to your swing and get hit with your club. Your adorable grandchildren playing with your clubs is also something to watch out for. And then, of course is the old ball bop on the head (as previously mentioned). The word “fore” should never be whispered.

A word of caution:

If a head injury occurs, never, and I mean never, head for that 19 th hole. The clubhouse for a couple of drinks sure sounds inviting but beware -- alcohol with a head injury can be deadly.

Now for the fun part

Golf is a wonderful sport and a great way to spend an afternoon. It’s also a pretty good way of staying in shape –especially if you walk the course while playing.

Some claim an injury now and then is par for the course. (Ooooh, did I say that?)

However, with some knowledge and preparation you can greatly reduce an injury’s impact or avoid it altogether.

6 ways to help prevent golf Injuries:
1. Warm up your muscles

Before you start playing warm up your muscles with some good stretching exercises. Your back, shoulders and arm muscles especially need to loosen up and warm up before you take your first swing. Stretching after the game can help prevent soreness and muscle fatigue.

2. Become flexible

Flexibility is probably the most important and also overlooked area of the golf game. As the body ages, it loses flexibility and with that loss of flexibility, the range of motion available to the golf swing becomes more restricted.

Achieving proper flexibility in the golf specific muscles allows you to swing more relaxed, therefore decreasing the chance of muscle strains and tears.

It is essential for the older athlete, competitive or recreational, to combat traditional declining flexibility with age. Normal flexibility and efficient joint motion are needed for warm-up activities prior to exercise, and to execute movements required in the respective activity.

3. Strengthen your muscles

Strengthening the muscles that are specific to the swing will help reduce the likelihood of injury as well as improve your overall game.

You don't need bulging muscles to hit a long drive, but strength training is important for overall fitness and prevention of injury. A program of strength training to increase stability in your lower back, abdomen, hips and shoulders is recommended by experts.

4. Refine your technique

If you find you often have one group of muscles that always are sore after the game, you may need to refine your golf swing. A professional can analyze your swing and give you suggestions on improving your technique to prevent injury. You might even find it improves your score.

5. Check your equipment

Be sure your clubs are in good shape and are the correct length and weight for you. Wear properly fitting shoes with socks to prevent blisters when walking. Wear clothing that is appropriate for the weather to prevent heat (or cold) related injuries. Wear a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses to prevent sun damage.

6. Treat injuries as soon as possible

If you do strain or injure yourself during the game or just find that your muscles are aching, apply ice to the area, follow first aid guidelines and use rest, elevation and compression of the area to aid healing of injured tissue.

As the commercials say, “If pain persists, see your doctor.”

Great golf quotes

The reason the pro tells you to keep your head down is so you can't see him laughing. --Phyllis Diller

Golf is a lot of walking, broken up by disappointment and bad arithmetic. --Author Unknown

If a lot of people gripped a knife and fork the way they do a golf club, they'd starve to death. --Sam Snead

Golf combines two favorite American pastimes: taking long walks and hitting things with a stick. --P.J. O'Rourke

If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt. --Dean Martin

I know I am getting better at golf because I'm hitting fewer spectators. --Gerald Ford

For other articles of interest to those over 50 (seniors and boomers) visit www.LetLifeIn.com. With a cutting edge and a (sometimes irreverent) sense of humor, LetLifeIn.com explores all aspects of being 50+ -- the concerns, the issues, and the controversies as well as the fun stuff.