At This Age, Every Conversation Includes a Body Part

The Social Life of People over 70 Held Together by Titanium and Pain Meds. There was a time when getting together with friends meant gossip, laughter, and maybe a heated debate over potato salad recipes. Our biggest complaints were about work, teenagers, and men who didn’t know how to load a dishwasher. Now when myContinue reading “At This Age, Every Conversation Includes a Body Part”

I’ve Seen This Movie Before — And It Never Ends Well

When you’ve lived more than seventy years in this country, you start recognizing patterns. Talk of the attack on Iran has that familiar hum to it — the same hum I heard when I was a young watching the evening news about Vietnam. Back then, we were told it would be quick. Necessary. Strategic. WeContinue reading “I’ve Seen This Movie Before — And It Never Ends Well”

Aging Out Loud

At seventy, I’ve become a public service announcement for orthopedic shoes. Apparently, I am supposed to be “slowing down.” That’s what people say in the same tone they use for microwaves with suspicious wiring. But here’s the thing. I’m not slowing down. I’m recalibrating. There’s a difference. I no longer run for buses—I evaluate whetherContinue reading “Aging Out Loud”

I’m Too Old to Be Polite About Injustice

There comes a moment in a woman’s life when she runs out of polite. Mine arrived somewhere between my first colonoscopy and someone calling me “adorable.” Let’s get something straight. Aging does not turn me into a decorative pillow. I still vote.I still pay attention.I still care who makes decisions about my healthcare, my SocialContinue reading “I’m Too Old to Be Polite About Injustice”

Retirement: Learning How to Breathe Again

I did it. After 45 years in the working world, I finally retired. There’s undeniable joy in knowing I’ll never again make that 40-minute commute, but that relief is tempered by a quiet sense of unease. This new chapter feels wide open—and a little intimidating.