Bonus Years Lifestyles
Aging 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 MoreMessing about in boats can be a life-long avocation
by Phil Burgess, Unabridged from the Life section of the Annapolis Capital, Sunday, October 27, 2019. Tales of the sea abound. Think of The Odyssey by Homer, Melville’s Moby Dick or, more recently, the nearly two dozen novels by Patrick O’Brien such as Master and Man, depicting sea warriors during the Napoleonic Wars – and,…
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 MoreDr. Seuss is a great asset to grandparents teaching the young
by Phil Burgess, Unabridged from the Life section of the Annapolis Capital, Sunday, October 13, 2019 Most writing about aging holds that one of the great blessings of the bonus years is grandparenting. Now that we have two granddaughters, with the older turning four and the younger turning two, we share those views. Fortunately, our…
Read MoreWisdom that comes with aging must be shared and replenished
Over the past decade, Clint Eastwood has presented a provocative profile for aging – both in his personal life and through recent characters he has played in acclaimed films that depict an aging man adapting to a changing culture. In “Gran Torino” (2008), Eastwood plays a petulant old man and a disgruntled Korean War vet…
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 MoreThere’s no place like home, so make sure it is safe, comfortable
by Phil Burgess, Unabridged from the Life section of the Annapolis Capital, Sunday, September 22, 2019 There’s no place like home – and that goes for those in their bonus years as much as for any age group. You would be excused if you thought differently. After all, most news is about those longer in…
Read MoreLater-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…
Read MoreJailtime, cruise ships provide alternative lifestyles for seniors
Readers of a certain age will remember Art Linkletter, the radio and television talk-show pioneer who, for 25 years, hosted the Emmy-winning “House Party” and “People are Funny” broadcasts. Of his many achievements, Linkletter is perhaps best known for eliciting hilarious and sometimes indiscreet remarks from the mouths of toddlers, preschoolers and even youngsters in…
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…
Read MoreVolunteer group, led by later-life caregivers, assists homeless population at BWI Airport
A few weeks ago, we wrote about Severna Park’s Asbury Community Assistance Network, where bonus years volunteers support individuals and families in crisis, providing food and other services to more than 1,000 people each week. Last week, Rhonda Jackson, retired from Verizon and an uber volunteer for ACAN, and her volunteer husband Linwood, a retired…
Read MoreAs we grow older, some things wear out – and that’s just fine
“It’s better to wear out than rust out” is the underlying theme of most of our bonus years stories. It’s also how I think about my own bonus years. I’ve learned that continuing engagement in paid work, volunteer work and other kinds of productive activities is the surest path to a longer, healthier and more…
Read MoreSome people are evergreens, never dormant, always renewing
Unabridged article from the Life section of the Annapolis Capital, Sunday, May 23, 2019 We’ve all heard of early bloomers, youngsters who perform at adult levels – and late bloomers, who are slow to get off the mark. These realities only show that different folks blossom in different seasons of their life. But occasionally, we…
Read MoreYou’re never too old to serve those in need — and there are many
Unabridged article from the Life section of the Annapolis Capital, Sunday, May 3, 2019 During March and April, I visited a close friend who spent nearly two months in the rehab unit at Heritage Harbor. Nearly every visit included meeting other interesting people who were also visiting my popular friend. During one visit, I met…
Read MoreA life of service to the ‘seats of power’ does not end when your career ends
New Year’s Eve was a dreary day in Annapolis. It was cold and rainy. Little did I know that my day would soon be filled with the light of Frank Jones whose uplifting manner and inspiring story could raise the spirits of even a Scrooge or Grinch. It goes like this. Jones was born in…
Read MoreAnnapolis man turns his setbacks into a comeback
Unabridged article from the Life section of the Annapolis Capital, Sunday, December 14, 2018 Last week, Mary Sue and I were ringing bells for the Salvation Army’s red donation kettle located at City Dock by Zachery’s jewelry store in downtown Annapolis. That’s when I first met Steve Rice. Like many others that brisk Monday morning,…
Read MoreGifts of ‘engagement’ and ‘experience’ are hard to beat
Unabridged article from the Life section of the Annapolis Capital, Sunday, December 7, 2018 Buying a Christmas gift for friends or relatives in their bonus years can be a challenge. For example, what kind of gift do you buy for the bonus years empty-nester who is already downsizing? What do you get people who have…
Read MoreYou can’t separate a boy from his toys, no matter his age
I’ve known Bill Lesko for more than two decades. But not really, I discovered. Last week, I found out why: Lesko and his partner, Martha Fox, a retired elementary school math teacher, are always on the go. Lesko is always interesting – beginning with his six-years of volunteer work to restore and crew the SS…
Read MoreThanksgiving, fall’s finale, is just around the corner
Thursday next is Thanksgiving – first proclaimed by George Washington in 1789 and formally established as a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln in 1863. None of us should need a special day to count our blessings or express gratitude. Still, Thanksgiving is a special American celebration – dating back to the Pilgrims’ landing in Massachusetts…
Read MoreLife is an adventure every day, even in the bonus years, if you make it one
Unabridged from my weekly Bonus Years column the Life section of the Annapolis Capital, Sunday, November 9, 2018 Most of us came face-to-face with a geography course somewhere along the way. For me, it happened in middle school. That’s when I learned there are many island nations. It’s not just the United Kingdom, Australia and…
Read MoreDisposing of cherished historic cars is a new kind of downsizing
Unabridged article from the Life section of the Annapolis Capital, Sunday, October 26, 2019 Our bonus years spark thoughts of “the good ‘ole days.” I’m not talking about board games like Monopoly, card games like canasta or fads like hula hoops. I’m thinking about important things – like your first car. My first car was…
Read MoreThe need for transition assistance happens at all ages
Unabridged article from the Life section of the Annapolis Capital, Sunday, October 12, 2019 (The 50-seat Light House Bistro is more than a restaurant. It is also what some people call a “social enterprise” — a business enterprise that has social goals embedded in its business objectives. [Joshua McKerrow / Capital Gazette file]) Several months…
Read MoreLooking after aging mother transforms lives of caregiving sisters
Unabridged article from the Life section of the Annapolis Capital, Sunday, October 07, 2019 I’ve just seen life from the inside out, a view that can only be conveyed by storytelling. That was my first thought as I finished reading Melanie Merriman’s Holding the Net: Caring for My Mother on the Tightrope of Aging, winner…
Read MoreA mission to repair the world does not end with retirement
Places like Myrtle Beach and Wilmington, North Carolina are names familiar to most of us – especially after their recent bashing by hurricane Florence. But if you travel about 300 miles to the west of these well-known coastal communities – to the foothills of the Blue Ridge – you will find Lenoir, a North Carolina…
Read MoreAging and the always inspirational, celebrational Kermit the Frog
Our culture seems to have an existential dread of aging – or at least dismay about looking like we are aging and certainly anxiety about admitting our age. Maybe we can blame comedian Jack Benny. The famed radio, television and film ham celebrated his 39th birthday on The Jack Benny Show, one of America’s most…
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