Aging

2022 will always be remembered as the year I overcame my fear of having Deep Brain Stimulation surgery. I went ahead (no pun intended) and did it. I could compare it to other things I have done that scared me. I remember saying that I would zip-line for my 67th…

What the hell was I doing with my life when others were soaking up knowledge? My husband and I are Jeopardy! fans. If we are lucky, we can answer a few of the questions. Somebody asks me what my dogs’ names are, and I stand there like a deer in…

But the flashbacks are real — It's been a week of conversations about New Year's resolutions. And the reality is the conversations drive me nuts. I was asked, "What are you going to do on New Year's Eve, and what are your resolutions?" My answers are always the same. I'm going to eat a nice dinner…

Until then, it’s going to be just fine — I recently had a birthday at an age that is not so much celebrated as it is observed, noted perhaps with a “hmm.” That’s how I marked the date, anyway: “Hmm.” No exclamation point. I remember my 5th birthday. “Red hots” were 5-year-old-mouth-sized spicy candies that I just remembered —…

OLDER ADULTS WITH A WEAK HANDGRIP are more likely to develop depression. A stronger handgrip may provide protection, according to new research. Depression is a chronic condition that can impair physical and mental functioning. While its presentation is variable, depression often involves low energy and mood, sadness, insomnia, and the…

It’s really just a good excuse for a party — an anticlimactic sop, apparently to those of us who don’t, didn’t or can’t take Christmas as spiritually serious as others may. Some of us might even make a little list of resolutions that we promise ourselves to work on through…

Celebrating my birthday and my favorite color — It’s been my birthday a few days ago and it happened to be a round one. Yes, I just turned 30 and a good friend of mine had organized a party and a lot of yellow balloons. There is a tradition behind the yellow balloons as she started it a…

From childhood to retirement. Is it the journey or the view? — I met a childhood friend at a trailhead parking lot and greeted him in a warm embrace. Ron and I have known each other for millions of years but haven’t had the chance to meet face-to-face since well before the pandemic. We’re both sixty-four, our birthdays just weeks apart. I’m…