Remember days past when we stuffed photos in albums and then stacked those albums in a cupboard or under the coffee table? Some of them probably look pretty faded by now. I know I still have some pictures I took with a Brownie camera that are in pretty rough shape. With new technologies, those old photos can be restored. At one time, you needed a professional to do this for you. Not any more! As long as you have a computer, scanner and a graphics program, you can do it yourself. For full instructions on how to do this go Here. Once you have recreated your old photos, you can print them out, store them in a digital album on line or email them to family and friends.
Another way to store those memories is to burn them onto a CD. However, be aware that technology changes rapidly and no one knows just how long it will be before CDs are no longer useable. Remember all the video footage you took years ago? Now videocassettes are rapidly becoming passé. Even printing out restored photos does not guarantee they will be around for the next 100 years. The quality of the photo paper you buy is just not the same as that used in a photo lab. However, you can extend the life of your photos by keeping them in a dry, cool place away from sunlight. I have a large memory box in which I keep my most important pictures. Some people prefer to create a special scrapbook. For more information on scrapbooking go Here. You can also take your very best photos as I do and frame them. And if you’re really worried about preserving a few of your oldest photos, put them in a safety deposit box at the bank.
Then I'll ride upon the wings of time And live an endless life."
Another way to preserve your memories is to write a biography or your memoirs in a journal to be kept for posterity. A new product available is the Memorygrabber, an ebook specifically designed to help you write your life story. However, you can also create your own ebook if you have a PDF maker that converts Microsoft Word files. Once complete, you can either print it out or burn it to a CD and take it to a printer for them to do it for you.
Preserving memories is a wonderful way to pass on a family’s history to future generations through pictures and the written word. It will also ensure that a part of you remains forever in the memory of your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and who knows how far into the future? Start preserving your memories today.
Life After Retirement: Starting A Business
Pensions and Social Security don’t seem to pay enough or we find that retirement leaves us with a little too much time on our hands. If you seem to have more month than money or just seem to be at a loss as to how to spend your time, and you aren’t quite ready to leave the race just yet, consider looking into the possibility of starting your own business.
Re-entering the workforce after retirement is growing increasingly popular. In 2005, U.S. labor force participation by men and women aged 55 and older was 70 percent, up from 64 percent in 1970. It has been suggested that those who work well past retirement age can expect to live longer lives with fewer health issues than those who do not. So while the benefits may be financial, working past retirement can also have physical benefits as well.
So how do you decide what your new career or business is going to be? Well, it might be better to keep things simple. Start with your interests. Like baking? Think about starting a home based business specializing in baked goods. Love to garden? Offer your services as a landscape consultant. Are you a great golfer? Why not offer some lessons at your local club? Whatever your interests and/or talents, you just might be able to make money while still doing what you love - and that my friends, is the trick to enjoying your latter years while still feeling productive!
You could also look into the possibility of owning a local franchise of an existing business. Or perhaps consider purchasing the business of someone else who is retiring.
If you decide to start your own business, try to keep your start-up costs at a minimum. Even if you have a substantial life savings, it would be unwise to risk huge amounts of it until you know your business is being successful.
Also, to keep from feeling overwhelmed, limit your work hours at first. We all like to think we can still do five things at once and keep up with the rest of the world but the reality is that as we age, we need to pace ourselves.
In the end remember that these are still your retirement years and you should be allowed to enjoy them!
*NOTE: There are also opportunities to work on line, which are great for seniors because it is not even necessary to get dressed, let alone leave home to make some money. Be very careful, however, because there are so many people on line who can't wait to get their hands on your hard-earned money. Before you get involved with any on line business, be sure to check it out with the Better Business Bureau.
Don’t Just Live Life; Be A Part Of It!
Being socially active also encourages you to take better care of yourself – making sure you bathe, practice oral hygiene and get dressed up once in a while. If you know company is coming, you are much more likely to tidy up the house and perhaps even cook or bake something special as well!
Attention Boomer Travelers!
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