Fellow boomer bloggers commented on the fact that the two keynote addresses at the BlogHer ’12 Conference were both 50 plus. Over lunch on Friday, we had the opportunity to hear from Martha Stewart and on Saturday, Katie Couric spoke to the crowd. Both shared news about their new television shows which are starting soon.

Martha, Martha, Martha 

“Bloggers should be passionate,” said Martha, who was celebrating her 71st birthday on Friday. “You should be good communicators and the better you are the more people will want to read your blog.” (I hope so Martha. I am very passionate about sharing my journey with other boomer girls and learning from my virtual community. Plus, it is so great when I can actually connect in person with some of my readers like blogger Ashleigh Burroughs from Tucson, pictured here. I turned around after the luncheon and she was standing right behind me. I hugged her when I saw her, it was like we were old friends. Ashleigh was shot alongside Representative Gabrielle Gifford last January. She is an amazingly strong woman.)

“If you were to mentor your younger self, what would you say?” asked BlogHer Co-founder Elisa Camahort Page during her interview with Martha. “Encouragement is important,” Martha answered. “I would encourage the young people to follow their talent and abilities.” Martha encouraged us as a blogger community to encourage ourselves as well.

Relating To Katie

I’ve always been a big fan of Katie Couric, so I was especially excited to hear that she was going to be a keynote at BlogHer ’12.  Widowed at a young age (like me) and being a boomer girl in her mid-fifties (like me), I can so relate to her perspectives on life.

Katie admitted to being in the middle of menopause. “I’m up at 3:30 a.m. every morning and my eyes are so dry.” (I wanted to tell Katie to call me when she is up during the wee hours because I’m usually wide awake too. And, like Katie, I have to put drops in my eyes three times a day to keep them moist.)

“People are interested in your guns,” BlogHer Co-founder Lisa Stone said to Katie during the interview. (Time out: I wasn’t sure what Lisa was talking about when she asked Katie about her guns. “I can’t believe you don’t know what guns are mom,” said both my daughter A and son D when I told them about Katie’s guns. It’s arm muscles, mom. It’s muscles.) Katie was wearing a sleeveless dress and she definitely has Michelle Obama arms, as my yoga teacher N likes to remind us of when we are practicing our plank asanas in yoga class each week.

How exactly does Katie keep up her ‘guns’ and her leg muscles during her life after 50? “I started spinning. It is an efficient workout in 45 minutes and they also do arm exercises,” she said. (Okay, okay, if I can get ‘guns’ like Katie, I may have to find 45 minutes in my busy schedule to start spinning at my gym.)

Katie had positive words to say about being fifty-something. “Baby boomer women are a very huge and powerful group,” said Katie. “You have to be as vibrant and energetic as ever. If you feel marginalized, then you will be perceived as marginal. You have to be strong.” Katie said that she feels she is a better journalist today than she was before because she is smarter from having had more life experiences. (I agree Katie.  I am definitely a stronger person today than I was in my 20s, 30s and 40s. All those life experiences do add up.)

Katie’s husband died of colon cancer when he was only 41 years old. Lisa asked Katie how she balances everything and motherhood. “Brian Williams never gets asked about ‘how do you do it all?'” said Katie. “My kids are 21 and 16. They are my best accomplishments.” (I definitely can identify with Katie on this topic. My husband died at 56 and I am sad that he did not have a chance to see our children grow into the fabulous young adults they are today. When I think about my greatest accomplishments, my daughter A and my son D are are definitely at the top of my list. Yes they are.)

The Katie Show starts in September on ABC. Katie said that she is going to have two seats for bloggers in her audience for every show. Will one of those bloggers be me one day? Oh, Katie, Katie, Katie, this boomer girl is  one of your biggest fans. Please save a seat for me. Hope to see you soon.

Judi

To all my boomer girl blog readers who participated in the July promotion and signed up to receive my blog via email, left a comment, liked me on Facebook or Twitter – thank you all. But there can only be one winner of the random raffle of “I Remember Nothing and Other Reflections” in remembrance of the late Nora Ephron. Drum roll please…ta da, ta da, the book goes to blogger Lori from My Evident Faith. Congrats!  

Coming soon, I’ll share some news about new products that I learned about at BlogHer ’12. In August, I’ll raffle off some of the swag I received. So sign up for my email, leave a comment, like Judi Boomer Girl on Facebook or follow judiboomergirl on Twitter this month, and you may just win some swag.