5 Things I Learned About Hospice Care When Mom Passed
A month before mom passed, I had the opportunity to attend a health care meeting at a local residential hospice. In my 15 years living in North Carolina, I had never been there and boy was I impressed. So when mom faced the need for hospice care, I immediately knew where we were going to go. Read More
Were You a Daydream Believer? 10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Monkees
Fifty years ago this month Monkee mania began sweeping America and then England as The Monkees, a TV show based on the success of The Beatles and the madcap antics they had displayed in their first movie A Hard Day’s Night, debuted on the NBC Network.
The new made-for-TV band consisted of Davy Jones, Mickey Dolenz, Mike Nesmith, and Peter Tork, each chosen to display characteristics demonstrated by John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Read More
Why Are All of the Older Adults on The X Factor Cringe Worthy?
Ok, I’ll admit it – one of my guilty little pleasures is watching The X Factor. Sometimes, I watch it by myself. But, more often, I go over to my son’s house to watch it with his family.
I’m not completely sure why I love The X Factor. Maybe it’s the fact that I have always been fascinated by passionate people. Or, maybe it’s the emotion and drama that the show is able to create. Whatever the reason, it’s become one of my favorite Saturday night activities. Read More
Newly Widowed Grandmother Turns to Educational Travel to Rediscover Herself… and Succeeds!
American expatriate Hester Witchey, 79, grew up near Cleveland, Ohio, where she taught elementary school for close to 40 years before retirement. Read More
6 Ideas for Creating Cash Flow and Escaping Ageism in the Workplace
It’s interesting to note how governments are universally at pains to promote the employment of the over 50’s. They aim to keep them working as long as possible.
Is this to prevent governments having to pay pensions? Or are they beginning to understand that people over 50, are no longer old? Personally, I think it’s the former. Read More
63-Year-Old Punk-Pop Star Cyndi Lauper Supports Feminism
A little more than three decades ago, singer Cyndi Lauper told us that girls just want to have fun. Today, at age 63, Lauper is teaching us that mature women can still have a good time. Read More
Ever Thought of Taking a Road Trip in Spain? What’s Stopping You?
Does the idea of taking a road trip in Spain appeal to you?
Perhaps you remember when actress Gwyneth Paltrow and Chef Mario Batali made a 13-part TV series back in 2008 called “Spain On the Road Again.” They made the trip with food writer Mark Bittman and actress Claudio Bassols. Read More
Following My Mother’s Funeral Hearse Back Through History
My mother’s last journey on earth was in the fall of 2014 as her casket was carried from the Presbyterian Church to the cemetery. As we drove behind the hearse through the village of Wendell, Idaho, I recognized the three-mile trip as a snapshot of her life. Read More
How to Help a Friend Who Experienced Sexual Abuse in Childhood
Have you ever found yourself listening to a friend’s disclosure that she was sexually abused as a child? How did you handle it? What’s the best way to receive such news?
Here are some of my ideas, based on my thirty years as a trauma therapist. During that time, I helped women who had been sexually abused in childhood. Read More
Why I’m Happy My Writing Group Critiques My Work
A lot of the good writing teachers don’t recommend participating in writing critique groups. The ones who do, often offer a list of rules about being in such a group. Read More