Finally, retirement – the time and freedom to do what we choose. I had no idea how much fun it could be to cut the work cord and step into summer adventure. Just like the kids, I’m disappointed my first summer of retirement is almost over…

Most of the hundreds of decisions we make every day are almost automatic: what to wear, when to go to the grocery store or which route to take. There are always times when we change our mind and discard one outfit for another or agonize…

Three summers ago, about halfway into a divorce, I was living in a 19-foot camper parked about a mile from my business and a stone’s throw from my marital home. I walked across a bridge to the beach in the mornings to go to work, but I was too…

All through college and in my first writing job, my work horse was an old black Corona typewriter. Things were a little fancier at the corporate headquarters, where I clacked out copy on a state-of-the-art IBM Selectric…

I’ve always been a lucky person. My latest win was timed perfectly: a raffle for a fancy men’s mountain bike. The historic town of Arcadia, FL is raising money to build a Tiny Town for its homeless, a cause I find worthy…

From the time I quit smoking on Super Bowl Sunday of my 40th year until I broke up with my ex 20-some years later, my five-foot frame lugged around an extra 25 pounds. The Body Mass Index pegged me squarely as obese. Looking back at old photos…

I’ve played piano to entertain myself since I was a kid. Until my 60s, I didn’t realize how good it is for my mind. When I found out reading and playing music staves off memory deterioration, I was all in. Alzheimer’s Disease lurks in my family tree…

One of my favorite late lunch haunts is a cocktail lounge next to a Chinese restaurant. The bar is uncrowded mid-afternoon and the WiFi is great, so I can spread out and catch up on a few chores. The bartender, who I consider a friend and therapist…

The way we spend our day-to-day life determines how well we will live as we grow older. We may not think about it as we rush to our exercise class or choose better food or practice Spanish for an upcoming trip. But every choice matters…

I announced my decision to retire just before my 65th birthday. It wasn’t my first retirement. A divorce forced the sale of my business at the crack of Covid. My emergency back-up career in real estate served me well, but reaching Medicare age gave me a nudge…