Dr. Fauci’s knowledge and authority show value of age and experience in pandemic management and messaging
How old is old? After spending another week in isolation but observing the daily reports of the White House coronavirus task force – and especially the remarkable leadership of Dr. Anthony Fauci (age 79), the public face of the federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic – it’s noteworthy that people aren’t questioning the advanced…
Dr. Deborah Birx is the grandmother coordinating the White House response to the coronavirus
“I’m also a grandmother.” Those were among the first words she spoke as she stepped up to the White House podium last week to answer a question about the coronavirus, the new flu that has changed the daily life of nearly every person on the planet. Her name is Dr. Deborah Birx, age 63, a…
Life is enriched when we carry life-long interests into retirement
As Dr. Seuss might have said, last week was special, special-er than most, because I got to meet Captain Brian Hope. Hope, born on Thanksgiving Day in 1943 in Lowell, Massachusetts, is a man of many talents honed during 76 circumnavigations of the Sun – and many more around the waters of the Chesapeake Bay…
Somewhere woman enriches her later life
Unabridged Bonus Years Column from the Life section of the Annapolis Capital, Sunday, November 24, 2019 Back in 2017, British demographer and commentator, David Goodhart, introduced the idea of “Somewhere” people and “Anywhere” people – what he calls “the new Great Divide” in the cultures of the UK and US. Tailoring Goodhart, Somewheres are people…
From schoolteacher to doorman, he still inspires
Unabridged Bonus Years Column from the Life section of the Annapolis Capital, Sunday, November 17, 2019 Readers of this space know I’m a fan of “experience gifts” – i.e., instead of gifting stuff gift an experience such as an airplane ticket or a Netflix subscription. Experience gifts are especially suitable for those in their bonus…
Meet a former Navy SEAL who’s a survivor at life’s wars
by Phil Burgess, Unabridged from the Life section of the Annapolis Capital, Sunday, October 20, 2019 Last week, I met a guy named James Hatch. Hatch retired after 25 years and 11 months in the Navy, years he described as like riding on a Speeding Train. James Hatch is also the name you’ll see on…
Later-life gardeners create, maintain lovely gardens at Ginger Cove
by Phil Burgess, Unabridged from the Life section of the Annapolis Capital, Sunday, September 15, 2019 “Sublime” is not a word I use very often. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever used it. And a Google graphic tells me I’m not alone because it shows that use of the word sublime has seriously declined…
Time to cultivate longtime relationships is a bonus years benefit
by Phil Burgess, unabridged from the Life section of the Annapolis Capital, Sunday, September 1, 2019 Tomorrow is Labor Day, first celebrated in 1882 in New York City. By 1885, Labor Day celebrations had spread to many industrial centers around the US – and in 1894 President Grover Cleveland made it official, formally establishing the…
Writer in bonus years has more chapters on her to-do list
(Photo credit: Annapolis resident Priscilla Cummings is the author of recently published young adult book, “Cheating for the Chicken Man”. (By Joshua McKerrow / Baltimore Sun Media Group) Renown cellist Pablo Casals once said, “The person who works and is never bored is never old.” He went on to opine that continuing to work with…
Journalist John Frece retires to life of writing, grandparenting and advocacy
Photo above: from left, John Frece, Nadja Maril, the late journalist Robert “Bob” Timberg and Priscilla Cummings at a reception for the Annie Awards. Frece has built a life in retirement that involves writing, grandparenting and advocacy. (by Don Dement / HANDOUT) When we were younger parents, we found that many of our friends were the…