Shows
OK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 12-8-23"OK Boomer!"
OK Kid,
Boomers, having problems with finances, or with your health, or upcoming problems with the relatives during the holidays?
The solution: brainstorming, but not the way most groups brainstorm.
Craig Paxon of the consulting group Visionary Horizen's talks about how to brainstorm...and actually do it effectively!
And Craig and I brainstorm about how to best promote this book!
Jill Graskowitz of Club60 looks at special holiday cards that might help to connect better with your friends.
Then Kendall Boyson will help...2023-12-1158 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer Podcast 12-1-23"OK Boomer!"
Opening
OK Kid,
For some of us the Holidays are rougher than the rest of the year. So some of us need a little Encourementology with Kendell Boysen.
When you listen to the Boomer newscast, you might be listening to a certain story and say, "What? That doesn't make sense!" But maybe it does.
Allee Quick who runs The News Literacy Project, and she says news stories can be misinterpreted!
Remember 2001 a Space Odyssey? Remember Hal the computer?
...2023-12-1156 minOK Boomer with RobertJFK Special-Small town radio station breaks story of the centuryIt's the most famous recording, you've never heard!
We'll explain how a small radio station in a rural area broke a story about the crime of the century by being the first to reveal that Lee Harvey Oswald was a suspect in the assassination of John F Kennedy on November 22nd, 1963.
OK Boomer contributor Bob Smith reports.
Both Bob Smith and OK Boomer host Robert Rickman worked for that little radio station in the 1970's.
Then we'll feature the Kennedy wit, and how he and J...2023-11-2159 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 11-10-23
"OK Boomer!" said the kid over my shoulder.
"OK kid, here are two things you won't have to worry about for a long time. Medicare and gas prices. We'll look at both in a few minutes," I said.
Then Kendall Boyson says if you want things to change...start with yourself.
Lexi on the Millennial Moment introduces us to a new word. (no, it's not nasty)
And on to more serious matters.
We'll hear legendary news reporter Edward R Murrow, from his series Hear it Now, examine elections from century ago. And you can decide whether any of what you he...2023-11-1456 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 11-3-23
Next, on OK Boomer. Medicare counselor Kim Shefner will give us a brief overview of Medicare plans.
And Jill Graskowitz is planning a weekend blow out with "The Girls."
She asked Robert Rickman to post bail if things get out of hand!
Then the Mad Hippie was in to criticize Robert's gait. Yes, The Mad Hippie thinks Robert walks like a bird.
Plus, Bob and Marcia Smith will join us brain strengthening teasers, Kendall Boyson will talk Encouragementology and satisfaction vs DISatisfaction, and radio...2023-11-0755 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer for late October 2023OK Kid,
Speaking of which...
I blanche every time I hear my voice from 47-yeasrs ago! For those of you who were not blessed with a broadcast career, there is probably little evidence of what kind of a kid you were back then.
This will be hard to believe but I was interviewed by this fellow-Roger Ramjet in 1976!
Also, a senior center in a small town had to move several times for several different reasons. We'll hear about that.
And Medicare enrollment has begun, and Jil Graskowitz rec...2023-11-0257 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 10-13-23
The man on the left wants to TAKE OVER Nashville. His name is Austin Lane and he tells OK Boomer how, and why.
Then, comes a segment of OK that wins the prize for originality ORRRR the Rusty Mic award...or both. All we can say is that Robert Rickman did the pouring.
Looking upward, Bob Baer talks about the 2024 Eclipse crossroads of America.
Now you've heard the word...Encouragementology, on OK Boomer. But how did this unique word come about? OK Boomer contributor Kendall Boyson will explain.
OK Boomer contributor Jill Graskowitz has a dating horror story from...2023-10-1751 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 9-29-23"OK BOOMER!" says the kid.
"OK Kid," says Robert.
Let's talk about something that is facing some Boomers right now--Alzheimer's. But research shows you may be able do something about it.
We'll be hearing from Nurse Practitioner Cindy Womack of the Smith Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Research and treatment in a few minutes.
And who might wind up caring for an Alzheimer's patient, or someone else with a disability? The Boomer.
Karen Cripps, one of the event organizers talks to us about the Caregivers Ro...2023-10-0354 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 9-22-23Let's get the hard part out of the way and talk about the disease everybody is sick and tired of. In some cases...literally. We're talking about Covid.
.
Cindy Womack is a nurse-practitioner at Smith Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Treatment. Cindy Womack talks about the connection between Covid19 and Alzheimer's.
Then let's turn to a hobby of too many Boomers which is social isolation. Jill Graskowitz of Club 60 will have some tips on aging gracefully that do NOT include social isolation.
And in the world of books is...me...and...2023-09-2854 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer for 9-15-23
What do General Z’s think of we Boomers? To get an answer I asked Millennial Emily Lake who says Generation Z is being too tough on the Boomers, but Emily adds that Boomers have their faults too.
We’d like to welcome Jill Graskowitz a regular contributor to OK Boomer. This week Jill will admit that Smart phones can make us dumb...but they can also make us smart! Jill will give us a Tech Talk.
Retired media professor and commercial broadcaster Dick Taylor remembers...2023-09-1957 minOK Boomer with RobertProcrastination Episode 9-8-23
There was this business card I needed to design but...It seemed to be so COMPLICATED! And I thought and thought...and finally called her while on-the-air one day...
Terri Sterling Donovan is an expert communicator and anti-procrastinator. Soon.... 
That's next on OK Boomer with Robert! Where we're "Keepin' it real!"
2023-09-1256 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 9-1-23Shopping is easy for millennials and Generation Z. But many Boomers are left out. So says Jorge del Cario who runs a website called FAR OUT...that’s designed to make businesses Boomer friendly.
Jorge del Carpio Far Out Founder
Farout.store
The WDBX Mad Hippie is free again after that incident at the radio station a few weeks ago. The Mad Hippie is now on a work release program that involves brick laying. And he even plays a song about it.
And we're not talking about the tonic!
2023-09-0555 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer for 8-25-23 Mark Twain allegedly said that history doesn’t repeat itself but DOES rhyme.
Our Bob Smith has an interview with then Us Congressman Paul Simon...recorded in 1975. What about that interview rhymes with the events of today?
Let's talk Food Desert, or worse, Food Swamp? Some people living in small towns surrounded by farms have trouble accessing fresh food. But a local farmer has a solution.
Then there is another problem facing society, Boomers having to take care of their grandchildren. Becky Salazar explains.
Also...2023-08-2956 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer Podcast 8-18-23
Robert Rickman
What happens when the kids have left the nest, and neither the wife nor husband is working? And they are sitting on the couch looking at each-other and thinking...
"Who the hell are you?
Jill Graskewicz. who runs a local senior center, talks to us about Gray Divorce.
Now let’s talk about something that is even more disruptive...solar flares. Say you you're listening to OK Boomer via satellite and a solar flare erupts then...…. Yup, dead air. A local university is doing something about it.
2023-08-2257 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 8-14-23
Jill Graskewicz Director of Club 60 in Marion, Il.
While Boomers don’t have a sterling reputation dealing with all things electronic...many of us are willing to trade a hardcover for an eBook.
Librarian Amber Filbeck though not a Boomer, has some insights into Boomers reading habits.
(Hint: the word begins with an "R")
Bob Taylor, a retired media professor talks about radio broadcasting...and its future.
The there is this new taste treat that few people are aware of. Jill Graskewicz will revie...2023-08-1456 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 8-4-23
Bob Baer is on the left of the SIU Astronomy team.
There is this little college town in the southern Midwest which is 15-miles from the nearest interstate. This little town will be the center of National attention on April 8, 2024, because at 2:01 in the AFTERNOON, the sky will turn black.
Bob Baer of Southern Illinois University is organizing amateur astronomers nationwide to observe the total eclipse on April 8, 2024.
And guess what little town surrounded farms by and forests will be at the center of the universe that afternoon?
Now...2023-08-0757 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer for 7-28-23This month temperatures in many places nationwide are soaring into the 90’s and `100’s. And one person is afraid that seniors may skimp on the air conditioning.
Becky Salazar will talk about Boomers, heat and confusion. And, we’ll check the nation’s weather, hotspots that cover about 2/3's of the country.
Then we have a report of kids smoking in the parking lot...or, maybe they're not kids.
Nope they're Boomers. And we needed to disguise the informants voice for his own safety.
We'll review a film about a miserable boss. And...2023-08-0156 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 7-24-23
Do you know someone who has moved to another city...or state because of politics? Economics Professor John Jackson of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute doesn’t expect this tribalism to end soon. But professor Jackson does offer a possible solution.
And what was it like for a Boomer substitute teacher after the kids came back to school in the wake of the pandemic?
Boomer Randy Mitchel is a substitute teacher in a rural area who talks about how people communicate post pandemic in the world of Smart phones and tablets.
2023-07-2458 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer Podcast 7-14-23A few weeks ago, I spotted a woman curled-up next to a plastic box of her things. I think she was homeless. And though I couldn’t see her face, she might have been a Boomer, because too many Boomers are retiring…to the streets.
Percussionist Kevin Lucas will be performing two fundraisers late this month for the homeless. We’ll hear from Keven later in the program.
Exercise! Walking on a treadmill texting on your Smart phone. Actually, some of us would rather text and skip the treadmill. But what would you think if there wa...2023-07-1757 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer for 7-7-23Two years ago I visited a Senior Citizens Center for the first time. Why? Because at 68 I didn’t think I was old. It turns out other Boomers feel the same way according to Jill Graskowitzwho talks about her parents.
Jill runs a local senior center that is catering to the young-oldsters. She’ll be on in a few minutes.
Now let’s here is something that doesn’t make much sense….a rural area surrounded by farms BUT...with little access to fresh food.
Karen Jensen-Britton plans to put the farm on wheels….so...2023-07-1349 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 6-2-23OK Gang. Think about this. Some regulars at a local senior center weren’t seen for a while; they couldn't afford to pay for a meal. And we’re talking about a $4 meal ticket. Jill at Club 60 talks about an epidemic among seniors called “Food Insecurity.”
And do you remember the good old days when you suffered a minor injury and the only place to go was the emergency room. Nurse Sharon Lawless who has lived in this area for decades says things have changed…and for the better. We'll talk with Sharon about healthcare changes in a rural ar...2023-06-0552 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 5-26-23OK Gang….
Here’s a sobering thought. There are more senior citizens living this country than ever before, but funding for senior programs continues to drop…Janet Melvin from the Wit and Wisdom Senior Center talks about what she has seen during her decades of work at the center.
Now let's talk politics.
What happens when people with different political leanings meet in the great outdoors? Bev Shofstall of Free Again Wildlife Rehabilitation says people learn to get-along...mostly. And Beverly will also talk about a wilderness area in the Midwest.
Next, B...2023-05-3054 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer for 5-19-23
Let’s go back and think about our teenage years….when we went to the sock hop at the Junior High, or the teen center. But imagine what it be like to return to the that special place 60 years later.
Sandi Bullar is the person we're talking about and the director of a local senior citizens center. We’ll hear from Sandi.
Then we go to a nurse who has seen a big change in rural health in the past thirty years. And nurse Sharon Lawless tells us that the changes are good.
...2023-05-2252 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 5-12-23We’ll start out maybe...with you, a fellow Boomer. Are listening to me by yourself, and spend most of your time that way? By yourself? Well, the Surgeon General recognizes this as a major problem in our country.
We'll hear from Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy talking about loneliness.
And, many of us feel lonely in our retirement, because too many Boomers retire to the TV set. Butttttttt...Boomer Bev Shopstall is different. Yes, she watches a lot of TV too...while she’s taking care of her babies.
Her "babies" are anim...2023-05-1552 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 5-5-23I was always contemptuous of shooting pool as a legitimate exercise. But I changed my mind after visiting a pool room in a senior citizens' center, where I learned that shooting pool, or Billiards is a first-rate exercise! Besides, shooting pool can divert your attention from worrying about the economy.
Professor of economics Kevin Sylvester talks about food prices, inflation, and what it's doing to the economy, post Covid.
Then Bob and Martia Smith tell us a about the form the Apollo Astronauts had to fill-out on their return to earth.
And we’ll...2023-05-1551 minOK Boomer with RobertThe Worst Day of my Broadcast CareerThis is an EF4 tornado that hit a suburb of Nashville, TN in 2009 I was on the air at a Nashville news station with continuous coverage of the disaster most of the next day. It was horrible!
But as Mark Twain allegedly said, "History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme!
Fourteen years later history rhymed, but not only in Tennessee.
2023-05-0807 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer for 4-28-23On this week's program...
A spilled cup of coffee during the broadcast resulted in fifteen exciting and unpredictable minutes on-the-air!
Also, the combined trust funds of Social Security are expected to run out by 2035, and Boomers are understandably worried about this. But economics professor Kevin Sylvester isn't worried, and he'll tell us why.
Turning to health. Yolonda Simon’s genes don’t look very good. Her mother and older sister died from Alzheimer's, and she has a younger sister who is suffering from it now. Yolanda, who is an Alzheimer’s Community Educator, talks a...2023-05-0148 min
OK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer for 4-21-23Some of us OK Boomers are asking people tooooooo….speak up. That’s because aging and hearing loss go together. But that's not the case for everyone because when the power goes out Diane Hardt pricks-up her ears.
We’ll talk with Diane about how noisy it is in the 21st Century compared to the 18-hundreds.
And in the wake of the pandemic we’ve all noticed prices climbing for nearly everything! But there is one place in a small rural community that’s keeping costs down….way down, says Celeste Williams.
.2023-04-2452 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 4-14-23In this episode, we will hear from a Boomer...a first responder who came upon a scene of incredible death and destruction when he was in his twenties. And he stuffed this horrible memory for decades until...well the tragedy started in the air over San Diego in 1978.
Mark Twain allegedly said history doesn’t repeat itself but it does rhyme. Can you think of anything today that rhymed with the events of 100 years ago?
Edward R Murrow reports about the tragic presidency of Woodrow Wilson.
In this century, Ann S...2023-04-1954 minOK Boomer with RobertOK BOOMER 4-7-23Mark Twain once allegedly said that history doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme…
Phil Bredesen, the governor of Tennessee 14-years ago, predicted the shift of Tornado Alley to the east. You’ll hear what this shift did to a suburb of Nashville, TN. And it was the most miserable day Robert Rickman spent on the radio.
And imagine that you are not like other people...
and you need help but are afraid to...to...come out of the closet.
Becky Salazar of a local Area Agency on Aging talks about how her agency is hel...2023-04-1051 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 3-31-23You're with your 35-year-old daughter at the drugstore, and the clerk ignores you and only talks to your daughter. It's called "Ageism" and Becky Salazar, director of a local area on aging has some thoughts about how to STOP it.
And as we heard last time Marc Miller, host of the podcast Repurpose Your Career, said Boomers are ready to retire...until they’re not….
We’ll talk to Marc about what Boomers need to do if they want to return to the workplace.
And finally, we’ll hear how a stifling upbringing resulted i...2023-04-0355 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 3-24-23Some Baby Boomers are retiring to their Alma Maters. Well, not the college but the town. And with university enrollments down nationwide, This college town is offering incentives for people to move there. We’ll hear from city planner Ashley Gibson.
Many Boomers are ready to retire, right…?
But Marc Miller, host of the popular podcast Repurpose Your Career, says Boomers are ready to retire...until they’re not!
Tax deadline is less than a month away and AARP will have some tips for you. Medicare plans to negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies. And wh...2023-03-2454 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer-Giving up? 3-17-23
What happens when a Boomer gives up? You know, when they spend most of their watching TV, eating, and maybe smoking?
We'll talk to a person who's seen it happen.
And how do you stop this downward slide? Stay active... like you did when you were a kid. A small community in the midwest is planning for both Boomers and kids. Kids and Boomers have more in common than you may think.
One of the number one hobbies of Baby Boomers is tribalism. "I'm right. You're wrong."
But there is...2023-03-2153 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 3-10-23The income tax deadline is a little less than 6 weeks away, and if you qualify your local college or university may help you. We'll talk to the dean of a local business school.
Walking on a treadmill and texting on your Smartphone? Yuck! But what about walking through endless scenery? Kristi Weaver and her friends saunter...through a huge forest. We'll talk with her.
We’ll hear from Colleen Cryterski a van driver for a local senior center. She and her passengers sing along to the music they hear on a local radio station.
Some seniors are retiring….to the streets; s...2023-03-1351 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer3-3-23
Taking a course online? Is it hard to get personal (live human) help?
The Dean of A business school at a major university says his online program is different, with personal mentoring, a graduation ceremony, and more….all online!
Reading habits have changed in the wake of the pandemic and we’ll talk with the owner of a local bookstore that was founded in the middle of the Covid pandemic.
Then there is the story of a woman who planned her retirement and retired according to plan. And it wasn’t like her mother’s and grandmother's retirement.
And Robert critiques a...2023-03-0655 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 2-24-23Lorelai Glueck loves doing taxes!
Other people's taxes.
Because Laorelai is certified by the IRS and is a member of
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, is nationwide. VITA might be able to help you.
Then we’ll hear a Boomer talk about running a bookstore in rural America. Sahra Heyer owner of Confluence Books. And you’d be surprised about what it takes to run her bookstore.
We'll hear from a regional senior citizen's organization about what Boomers want.
Remember when some of your friends would get t...2023-02-2858 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 2-17-23On this edition of OK Boomer...
Think you’ve figured out the latest seniors scam and are now safe? No, says retired FBI agent and scam fighter Brett Hood.
We'll talk with Bret about the latest scams.
And what happens when a senior citizen finds out that her father was not REALLY her father? And when friends and loved ones offer comfort that is not really comfort?
Debbie Bussler talks about that.
And the next question, which is ongoing is….”What do senior citizen centers need?" Boomer Sharon Lawless is inve...2023-02-2451 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer for 2-10-23An Alzheimer's patient who is also a nurse will talk about what she does to fight her disease. Part of it attending The Memory Cafe regularly.
We'll have a story about how senior citizen centers are recovering from the pandemic.
And retired FBI agent Bret Hood will talk about scams, and how one of his partner agents got scammed himself! We'll also report on the latest Medicare and Social Security scams.
Then Bob and Martia Smith offer brain teasers that will keep you thinking for eight minutes straight!
And in our mu...2023-02-2053 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 2-3-23Robert Rickman. A truly OK Boomer!
Ann Stahlheber works at a local county health center and has seen plenty of drug abuse. And she is not sure if a rise in drug abuse among seniors, Is it because of hardship, or boredom?
Stephanie Dukat of the Southern Illinois University Crafts Shop offers a way for Boomers to fight boredom.
Then we have an interview with a former nurse in a federal agency who suspects that Covid Brain Fog is similar to her disease...Alzheimer's
How are local senio...2023-02-0452 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer for 1-27-23FALLS...with all capital letters! Sometimes we Boomers act as if we are still 23 and bulletproof...until we fall. We'll talk to a lady who fell, learned from it, and plays Bingosize-a little Bingo, and a lot of exercise.
Then will talk about Bob Saget's deadly fall, followed by OK Boomer's Bob Smith and his bump into a wall (which led to brain surgery) and host Robert Rickman's fall that led to dinged ribs. And these two 70-somethings work out and are in otherwise good physical condition!
Are you next to fall?
Later, Bob...2023-01-2956 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 1-17-23Retiring in front of the TV with that joint? Medical experts say that's only half right.
Plus Boomer reading habits are changing to...listening habits. Librarian Amber Filbeck, talks about Boomers, Books, and Audio Recordings.
Think about your favorite candy. Then freeze it, dry it and eat it. Jill has the details.
Then pull onto the Off Ramp with Bob and Martia Smith who exercise your mind with brain teasers. It'll keep your brain young!
Then we have the story of a retiree who drives senior citizens to the doctor and the gro...2023-01-2153 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer 1-10-23You've heard stories about nursing home workers abusing patients. But what about the patients beating up the Certified Nursing Assistants? Yes! And it happens more often than you think! We'll talk to two of these CNAs.
What direction do you think the price of Medicare is heading between 2023, and the end of the decade?
Down! We'll hear about that.
And what's the best way to fight fake news? Use your insight.
Then there is this place in middle America where people move...and never want to leave. Kay Ripplemeyer talks about Southe...2023-01-1156 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer Year-End EditionIt's the Year-End Edition of OK Boomer! We feature the best of Ok Boomer over the past year...and the worst!
Huhhhhhhh?
Host Robert Rickman contracted Covid19 several months ago and suffers from occasional bouts of fatigue and brain fog. We'll play the blooper recording for you which includes the introduction of the program, using the wrong call letters! (It's supposed to be WDBX)
We'll also hear Robert explore the radio station and open doors to, the WDBX Fall Fest, a freight train running past the station, and other incidents, including walking in on RogNBob (memb...2023-01-051h 02OK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer for 1-3-23You're leaving your favorite BIG EVERYTHING store and...you sneak a steak around the self-check-out without paying. Though you're caught, nothing happens. Huh? That's because you're older than 65. We'll have that story.
And how are police officers trained to confront people will Alzheimers? We'll hear about that too, plus how volunteers can help those with dementia.
We've heard about The Great Resignation. Well, some Boomers are still working, particularly in Union County, Il.
And a local fitness expert says to finish everything you need to do during the day in 23-1/2 hours. And this...2023-01-0555 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer Christmas EditionDuring this festive season, there are people seeking donations for a Good Cause...THEMSELVES! A 78-year-old Bussler tells us how to Scrooge them out of their scam.
Bob and Martia Smith reveal the birthday of Sante's favorite reindeer and other Christmasy facts.
Plus! If you're retired and want to meet new people, volunteering might be the answer. So says Becky Salazar who is looking for volunteers.
The cost of postal stamps is going up in 2023. We'll tell you how much.
Roger (Davis) Ramjet features a rock song that was around when many...2023-01-0255 minOK Boomer with RobertJFK Assassination Special Part 2If you were old enough to remember the assassination of John F Kennedy in November of 1963, you saw and heard news reports, dominating the airwaves. But time has erased the details...until now. OK, Boomer contributor, Bob Smith has put together a media montage of the Kennedy assassination; reports you haven't heard for more than half a century.
Also on the program is a 78-year-old rural Illinois resident...who scams the scammers!
Then there is the question of powers of attorney and wills, elder abuse, and guardianship over minor children. Do you have the money to...2022-12-2858 minOK Boomer with RobertOK Boomer Kennedy Special Part 1You'll hear about The Crime of Century in the introduction! A 500-watt radio station in the southern tip of Illinois was the first to reveal who shot president John F Kennedy. And you'll hear a Dallas police lieutenant utter that infamous name-Lee Harvey Oswald for the first time on WRAJ radio in Anna, Il. Bob Smith talks with WRAJ owner Don Michel on "The Off Ramp."
Then, imagine dancing at the local teen center...in the 1950s...then dancing there again today. We'll talk with a former teen who now manages a Senior Citizens Center.
50-yea...2022-12-1653 min