Sunday, April 6, 2008

INTERVIEW WITH BEVERLY MAHONE


This morning I was on the FOX 2 Weekend Morning with Deena Centofanti talking about "Rock Star Mommy". As I was sitting on the set, I realised I am really getting comfortable in front of cameras and microphones. I was more excited to meet beautiful Deena than I was nervous to speak. (I'll be posting the video soon!)

What did make me nervous was my 10 AM soccer game. I raced from my interview to Total Soccer. We tied our game 1-1. It's almost easier to be down 5 goals than to make sure a tie doesn't became a loss. Anyhow, the team we played is in first place and was undefeated so the tie was really special.

Finally I had the great pleasure of interviewing Beverly Mahone--an author and the the master mind behind the Baby Boomer Diva Nation of which I am a proud member. Here's my interview with Beverly.

Judy: What was your inspiration for Baby Boomer Girlfriends' Weekend Getaway?
Beverly: Initially, the idea was to have a Friday or Saturday night Pajama party for women over 40. We would fellowship, dance, do some karaoke and share our menopause stories. But then a friend of mine who is the General Manager of a TV station in Daytona Beach, FL offered me the opportunity to tape a Baby Boomer Town Hall Meeting and I just couldn't pass up that deal so, with the help of my wonderful event planner Carol King, we started working on an entire weekend of activities. I've been blessed to have members of my boomer diva nation group step up and volunteer their time and talents to help make this event a success. The Daytona Chamber of Commerce has been absolutely wonderful and Daytona Beach Mayor Glenn Richey is issuing a Proclamation declaring Saturday, April 19 Boomer Diva Nation Day. To be perfectly honest, this weekend has taken on a life all its own but I believe that's the way God intended for it to be.

Judy: What has the response been like?
Beverly: The response has been incredible! It seems as though women have been waiting for an event like this. Usually, when you go to women's conferences, you have a lot of seminars and vendors and we're going to have some of that. But what makes us unique and different is we are treating this like a real Spring Break. The time has come for mature women to be able to getaway from the everyday hustle and bustle of life and throw caution to the wind. We are going to have some fun, hang out on the beach and party like it's 1979! (LOL) I can't wait to see who wins the dance and karaoke contests.

Judy: What are some of the defining characteristics of the Baby Boomer generation?
Beverly: We have lived through quite a bit: Vietnam, Kent State, Woodstock, The Civil Rights Movement, The 70s. All of these experiences have had a profound effect on who were are today and how our lives are different from our parents. We have access to more resources than any other generation before us and we have many more opportunities to do things our parents never dreamed of.

Judy: One of the proudest moments of my life was when I was accepted into the Baby Boomer Diva Hall of Fame! How many women have this honor? And how did you find them all?

Beverly: At last count, we were pushing close to 100. How did I find them? Well, let me first tell you how I got the idea. I was at a women's conference with R&B Singer Natalie Cole. We were both scheduled to speak. During the breakfast, I went up to her and asked if I could take a picture. Afterwards, I told her I was going to post it on my website as a Baby Boomer Diva and she said OK. After that, I thought it would be a neat idea to showcase other fabulous women over 40. The women selected for the Baby Boomer Diva Web of Fame are all women 40 and over who I have come in contact with (virtually and in person) who are on the move and making a difference in the world. Some I found on MySpace, the Ryze Network and right in my own community. The popularity of the site has resulted in some women contacting me directly and wanting to become members. I also get referrals from fellow members.

Judy: I wish I could come down for the weekend fun, but I have another commitment. Please tell me you have another weekend lined up!
Beverly: The Baby Boomer Girlfriends Spring Break will be an annual event. I believe next year we're going to take a cruise to one of the islands so stay tuned!

Yesterday if you missed the tour, click here to read about what Rosie Horner had on her blog at http://rosiesboomerreview.com/

Tomorrow, be sure to stop by the next place at Kathie Thomas’ blog http://www.proverbs31-woman.com/