I Have An Email Address… Now What? How to Use Artificial Intelligence to Enrich Our Lives as We Age
Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) is technology that enables computers/machines to perform tasks requiring “human-like” intelligence. AI has made a name for itself in the last few years. College students use it; professionals use it; even moms use it to make grocery lists and assist in organization....
River Region Boom!,
5 months ago
2 min read
Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits
There are big changes to Social Security in 2026. Congress passed a law called the Social Security Fairness Act which could increase Social Security benefits for many Americans, which President Biden signed into law. If some of your career was spent working in non-Social Security...
Susan Moore,
5 months ago
3 min read
BOOM! COVER PROFILE: Katrina Shaw
At 63, Katrina Shaw is living proof that strength, joy, and growth don’t have an expiration date. A lifelong athlete, fitness innovator, and encouraging force of nature, Katrina has spent decades helping people of all ages move past fear, limitation, and the phrase “I’m too...
River Region Boom!,
6 months ago
18 min read
If Something Happens to You, Are Your Records Organized?
Are your records organized? If something were to happen to you, would it be easy for loved ones to take over your affairs or settle your estate? Would they know where to find all your necessary healthcare information, legal documents, passwords, and PINs? Would they...
Susan Moore,
6 months ago
3 min read
“The Gift of Starting Again”
There’s something about January that makes you pause. Maybe it’s the quiet that finally arrives after the holidays — the last ornament boxed up, the family gatherings wrapped, the peppermint bark mysteriously disappearing from the pantry. Or maybe it’s the unmistakable energy that pulses through...
River Region Boom!,
6 months ago
3 min read
Happy New Year…I Think
You know what’s worse than holiday hangovers? The people who suddenly find religion on January 1st and start preaching the gospel of “Dry January.” Look, I get it — after all the rum cakes, spiked eggnog, and cranberry margaritas, a break sounds smart. But must...
River Region Boom!,
6 months ago
3 min read
Beating the Winter Blues in the River Region: A Guide to Staying Active, Social and Joyful
Winter in Alabama is mild compared to most of the country, but even in the River Region—Montgomery, Prattville, Wetumpka, and Pike Road—the shorter days, early sunsets, and cooler temperatures can take a toll. Many people 55 and older feel the shift more than they expect....
River Region Boom!,
6 months ago
6 min read
Welcome to the”4th Quarter”
Happy New Year, BOOMers! We, with an average birthdate of 1951, have lived through 3/4 of the Game of Life. Ready for more?Let’s start ’26 by looking back at the quarter-century just completed. Sigh. The 21st century—so far, a rollercoaster that feels like it was...
Greg Budell,
6 months ago
5 min read
Tellus Science Museum
Cartersville, Georgia, has no less than three world-class museums: Booth Western Art Museum, Tellus Science Museum, and, maybe the best place to find the first car you ever cranked, the Savoy Automobile Museum. Wife Cindy and I recently spent a few hours at Tellus Science...
Jeff Barganier,
6 months ago
5 min read
BOOM! COVER PROFILE: Jay and Cheri Love
After 31 years of marriage, four children, and four toddlers now calling them “Lovey” and “JJ,” Cheri and Jay Love still radiate the same spark that began with a simple Subway sandwich order and a chance connection at a Chamber event. Their story is one...
River Region Boom!,
8 months ago
14 min read
Dothan Area Botanical Gardens
Alabama is home to several fine botanical gardens. Travelers heading south may want to explore the Dothan Area Botanical Gardens, where a peaceful stroll through the 50 acres of manicured gardens awaits. While the grounds may not be as extensive as others around the state,...
Nick Thomas,
8 months ago
3 min read
Discover Leiper’s Fork
Skirting Nashville, we found ourselves cruising south on Old Hillsboro Road, aka, Highway 46. While wife, Cindy, was attempting to navigate to Patina Meadows Farm, owned by her friends, California-to-Tennessee transplants Steve and Brooke Giannetti, I was merely taking the scenic route, not realizing I...
Jeff Barganier,
8 months ago
5 min read
The Legacy of Chevy Chase
BOOMer icon Chevy Chase, now 82 (!) years old, finally admitted his big mistake. In a recent CNN Films interview, Chevy said he “never should have left Saturday Night Live” four episodes into its 2nd season. The entire interview airs January 1st on CNN- making...
Greg Budell,
8 months ago
5 min read
Planning For Your Future (Part 5): Pooled Supplemental Needs Trusts (1st & 3rd parties) and/or ABLE Accounts
This article concludes our series on Planning for your Future. Like Part 4, discussing Supplemental Needs Trusts, “SNT”, this section is ONLY necessary if you are planning for yourself and/or any other Beneficiary that may require a needs-based public benefit, such as Supplemental Security Income...
Anne Elizabeth McGowin,
8 months ago
5 min read
Love at the Center of It All!
Every December, I find myself circling back to the simple wonder of that first Christmas—when the Savior entered our broken world, not with spectacle, but with presence. No headlines. No wrapping. Just hope, wrapped in humility. A gift from the heart of God to a...
River Region Boom!,
8 months ago
3 min read