The Importance of Nutrition and Hydration for Aging Adults
As we age, our bodies change in a multitude of ways. Metabolism slows, appetites are not as robust, and the body’s ability to sense thirst becomes less reliable. These changes make proper nutrition and hydration especially important for older adults, and something that needs to...
BOOM! COVER PROFILE: Bea Forniss
As Bea Forniss prepares to celebrate her 75th birthday this summer, she shows no signs of slowing down. A lifelong educator, state leader, community advocate, and woman of deep faith, Bea’s story is one of purpose pursued with intention. From her humble beginnings in Pritchard,...
Alabama Ranks in the Top 10 States for Identity Theft: DON’T BECOME A VICTIM!
In 2025, Alabama experienced a substantial increase in identity theft activity, including federal prosecution of organized check fraud rings to arrests for financial identity theft. A major incident included a Medicare data breach that potentially impacted 100,000 residents. Identity theft takes different forms including tax...
Spring Cleaning My Soul (Against My Will)
There’s something about March that makes perfectly sane adults believe they are about to become organized people. The sun stays out a little longer. The birds start chirping like motivational speakers. And suddenly I’m standing in my garage holding a plastic tote labeled “Miscellaneous” from...
Why Constant Anger Isn’t Normal and How It’s Shrinking Our Lives
There was a time when the news occupied a defined place in our day.We unfolded the morning paper at the kitchen table. We watched the evening broadcast.We absorbed what had happened, maybe disagreed with an opinion column, and then moved on to dinner, family, church,...
Social Media and Other Basics for the Not-So-Computer Savvy
Now, more than ever, you can be a part of your family and friends’ lives, even when you are apart. Social media and other platforms and apps make it easy to stay connected from your personal computer, laptop, phone or other devices. But because there...
That Guy (Baseball is Back)
A man named Bill Mazeroski died late last month. Some BOOMers will know the name. He was 89. Mazeroski was a Hall of Fame second baseman for Pittsburgh’s Pirates. He was a very good- not great- player, but is remembered for one game, one moment,...
5 Ways to Avoid Getting Scammed When Buying a Car
A couple I know bought a car without asking for help. That was a mistake. After decades of buying cars, they thought they knew how to avoid getting scammed. But now that they are in their 80s, their negotiating skills aren’t what they used to...
Go Live Life
Some nights, my mind drifts back over years of travel and features I’ve written for BOOM! I’m often astounded that so few people have heard of the places I’ve written about. But I shouldn’t be surprised. Before I ventured out and explored, I’d scarcely heard...
A Larger Life
March has a way of turning the lights on. The days stretch a little longer. The air softens. And suddenly we start noticing things we somehow ignored all winter — dust on the baseboards, clutter in the garage, and sometimes… clutter in our own head...
BOOM! COVER PROFILE: Jamie & Carol Loeb
Jamie and Carol Loeb’s story is one of deep roots, enduring partnership, and quiet resilience. Both raised in Montgomery, they chose to build their lives in the River Region, watching it evolve while remaining committed to the community that shaped them. Married for 31 years,...
The Pressure of Love (and Other Overrated Things)
Let’s talk about February. The month of hearts, roses, and relationship expectations so high even Romeo and Juliet would’ve needed couples counseling. Valentine’s Day shows up like that overachieving PTA mom with personalized goodie bags and a themed photo backdrop, while the rest of us...
That Girl
Her name was Anna Marie. Raven hair, ruby lips, she was my original “Witchy Woman”. From middle school through my sophomore year of high school, I was obsessed with her. I had no chance. I was an awkward nerd in my early teens (still am)....
A Bridge to Love
It’s a nature-made bridge to nowhere in the middle of nowhere. Nevertheless, it’s easy to find off Highway 278 in Northwest Alabama. Once important to ancient inhabitants, today it’s a significant Alabama tourist attraction. According to Peter J. Gossett, author of a paper titled Bald...
“The Many Faces of Love”
February has a way of making us think about love. Not the movie‑script kind. Not just roses and reservations and the perfectly timed card. But the kind of love that actually shows up — year after year, season after season — and quietly holds everything...