Bonus Years Biographies
Autumn is a time to share in the lessons of letting go
Heart-warming are the changing seasons of life. When I was a youngster, life was about winter, spring, summer and fall – and each season had its highlights, beginning with Santa Claus in the winter. As I grew older, I came to see winter, spring, summer and fall more properly – i.e., as the seasons of…
Read MoreNever adrift, an elder sailor still navigating at 89
“Come for the sailing. Stay for the friendships.” If that sounds like the kind of invitation that might flourish on the Chesapeake Bay, it is. In fact, the “sailing and friendships” call-to-action is the moniker of Singles on Sailboats – known as SOS – a Chesapeake Bay organization that has thrived for more than 40…
Read MoreEngaging the next generation requires learning their language
Many of a certain age will remember the film, Grumpy Old Men. That was back in 1993 when two curmudgeonly neighbors, a cantankerous John Gustafson (Jack Lemmon) and a belligerent Max Goldman (Walter Matthau), were constantly at each other’s throat. Despite the constant nagging and bickering, Grumpy was a box office hit. Maybe it was…
Read MoreGrandchildren have been the greatest joy among the disruptions of 2020
As we approach the end of 2020, many I talk to are saying this year can’t end too soon. And for good reason. The year 2020 has been filled with a lot of noise and friction we would like to forget. An ugly impeachment. A one-of-a-kind presidential election. Unprecedented and deadly forest fires that erupted…
Read MoreBerkman’s “lifequake” sent him on a mission to end prison slavery
Just when everything seems to be going smoothly, life sometimes hits you in the head with a brick: cancer, a heart attack or other life-threatening illness; the loss of a loved one; a business failure or financial crisis; a physical disability, depression or other mental health challenge. Most of us have had our share of…
Read MoreNana time is the latest response to coronavirus disruptions
For those in their bonus years, the shift to retirement is one of the most important transitions they will make. Especially today because ours is the first generation to reach its bonus years with the likelihood of living an additional 20-30 years – many to age 90-plus. Increasing longevity is why a life plan to…
Read MoreFrom WWII island hopping and the A-bomb to surgeon, civic leader, centenarian
This article was originally published with the title “Phil Burgess: World War II vet says Truman’s decision to use A-bomb saved U.S. lives”. Thursday marked the 75th anniversary of the first wartime use of an atomic weapon when, on August 6, 1945, the US bombed the Japanese port city of Hiroshima. Today is also a…
Read MoreThe Navy and Rotary are bookends of a life serving others
Like many others in their bonus years, my K-12 years were marked by the Cold War between the US and the former Soviet Union, which included a nuclear arms race and later the space race. This stirred my interest in national security policy, which led to a 30-year career as a professor teaching national security…
Read MoreAt age 100, Annapolitan centenarian is still using his gifts
A few weeks back, we noted the US Census Bureau’s forecast that the US will have 130,000 centenarians by 2030, up from 53,000 in 2010. Two weeks ago, on June 26, 2020, the Annapolis area did its part, when Ken Nagler of Edgewater, a Bonus Years subject from yesteryear, celebrated his 100th birthday. Kenneth Nagler…
Read MoreAge-proofing the home is needed for successful aging-in-place
With nine out of 10 Americans aging in place and with more Americans living into their mid-80s and mid-90s, finding ways to create an age-friendly living environment is high on the agenda of aging Americans in every region of the country. Downsizing or moving to single-level living is one approach. Renovating an existing home is…
Read MoreEngineer who helped US subs run silent also plays accordion
After reading last week’s Bonus Years column on assisted living and other types of senior housing that have developed over the years, Annapolitan Dick Schoeller gave me a call. “Hey, Phil,” he said, “I read your column today. I took a different path. We should talk.” Anytime I get a call from Dick Schoeller I…
Read MorePost-pandemic cultural change likely, but how much?
For nearly two months, we’ve been called to “shelter in place” as part of a public health strategy to beat the coronavirus. Like most others our family has complied. At first, I was proud of our compliance, but as time passed, I’ve realized it was a forced change in lifestyle because we didn’t have a…
Read MoreRetired physician takes a time-out before re-entering the fray
“Fifty years ago, I made a decision to go to George Washington University medical school. I’ve never regretted it. Now, having turned 75, I decided it’s time to retire.” Those were the words of Dr. Robert Greenfield, our family physician since we moved to Annapolis in 1993. Greenfield continued, “I’m so grateful for the opportunity…
Read MoreWhen in doubt, consult wisdom based on decades of experience
The coronavirus is hitting older Americans harder than any other age cohort. Older Americans are vulnerable because many have pre-existing conditions that make them susceptible to the disease. Some infection data show, for example, that a 76-year-old is 20 times more likely than a 36-year-old to die from COVID-19. Many others cannot isolate themselves because,…
Read MoreSafe at home during coronavirus pandemic, remember blessings don’t always roar
A recurring bonus years’ theme is the idea that with age comes perspective and balance, virtues born of knowledge and experience. Sometimes we flaunt it. Think of the comment, “I’ve seen this movie before” – as a know-it-all flashes his or her familiarity with what’s going on and how it’s going to end. More often,…
Read MoreStuff matters less in retirement. Give experiences.
With only three shipping days till Christmas, last-minute gift-buying can be a source of tension. Some gift-buying decisions are easy. For example, for young ones, there’s the rule of four: something they want; something they need; something they wear; and something they read. However, gift-buying for friends or relatives in their bonus years can be…
Read MoreLife 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…
Read MoreFrom Okinawa to Eastport, WWII vet still engaged
Anyone who has read Tom Brokaw’s The Greatest Generation knows that more than 16 million American men and women served in WWII. Though nearly 15.5 million came home, fewer than 400,000 survive – and fewer than 6,000 WWII survivors live in Maryland. Despite the odds, it was my privilege and honor to meet one of…
Read MoreSomewhere 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…
Read MoreFrom 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…
Read MoreAging father retires to help enrich the life of disabled son
Last week it was my privilege to get to know Bobby Villares, age 62, and his son, Gabe, age 24 – and to learn about Langton Green, a hidden jewel in our community. First, the people. Gabe is on the autism spectrum and lives at home with his parents, where his retired father is also…
Read MoreA significant life often is the sum of little things
Have you noticed how some individuals and many organizations have a need to do “big” things with their time, talent and treasure? For example, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg – who has been making the rounds in Washington with a speech at Georgetown, testimony before the House Financial Services Committee and other venues – continues to…
Read MoreMeet 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…
Read MoreA visit from England brings memories into view
Remembrances. Reflections. Recollections. Time for musings is clearly a benefit of the bonus years. With each passing year, our life experiences pile up. Some we want to forget, especially memories of those times we got in the way of good judgment. But most memories are rooted in positive anecdotes, rich tales or experiences that tell…
Read MoreTime 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…
Read MoreWriter 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…
Read MoreJournalist 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…
Read MoreAt age 99, the autobiography is used to share inspiring stories of a life well-lived
Celebrities, they say, are known for being known. Heroes, by contrast, are known for their deeds – for results and accomplishments and their contributions to the commonweal. While many heroes are well known – such as aviator Charles Lindbergh or astronaut John Glenn – others are less well-known. Those are the unsung heroes. Last week…
Read More‘Golden Girls’ sitcom gets real-life reboot
In a recent article on aging, Kori Miller asks “How do you feel about growing old? For some, it’s a scary time filled with change and loneliness. But it doesn’t need to be that way. In fact, it shouldn’t. We’re social creatures and growing old isn’t a solo sport.” With increasing longevity, however, we have…
Read MoreThe value of a story is in the telling, so tell it by the artifacts of life
With the Fourth of July less than a month away, now is a good time to think about the celebration of our nation’s independence. For many, there will be family get-togethers to break bread, watch fireworks and tell stories. One way to celebrate the founding is to recount stories about the people, places and events…
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