While I’m an elder, I hadn’t given a lot of thought to dying, that is until my brother, who’s 20 months younger, announced in...
Thinking About Death
While I’m an elder, I hadn’t given a lot of thought to dying, that is until my brother, who’s 20 months younger, announced in a recent late-night phone call that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. (To preserve my brother’s [...]
Pat Taub
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Cosby is Nailed, Season 2 of A Hand Maid’s Tale, Gaza & More!
Justice is Served! Like women across the country I celebrated yesterday’s guilty verdict for Bill Cosby. One news story claimed he assaulted over 62 women! Let’s hope this verdict sends an alarm to other perpetrators and would-be perpetrators. Next let’s pray that before too long the Orange Monster pays for his sexual assaults! A [...]
Pat Taub
When Loss Brings Up More Than I Bargained For
This past weekend I attended the memorial service for Connie Chandler Ward, one of the founders of Greenfire, a women’s spiritual retreat center in Tenants Harbor, Maine. Connie, a former Wellesley chaplain had been a spiritual mentor to me and many others. As I rushed out the door I stuffed a packet of travel-sized Kleenex in my purse, [...]
Pat Taub
Black Prenatal Care, White Privilege, Earth Day & More
A Profound Report on How Racism Impacts Black Mothers and Infants I was very moved by last Sunday’s New York Times magazine cover story with the haunting title, “Why America’s Black Mothers and Babies Are in a Life-or-Death Crisis.” The article documents how Black women’s serious medical conditions during pregnancy and after are [...]
Pat Taub
Is the Wellness Industry Stressing-Out Older Americans?
It seems like a paradox to accuse the wellness industry of adding stress to the lives of older Americans, yet this is a central thesis in Barbara Ehrenreich’s new book, Natural Causes: An Epidemic of Wellness, The Uncertainty of Dying and Killing Ourselves to Live Longer. Ehrenreich maintains that many older Americans are stressed-out [...]
Pat Taub
Spring at Long Last, A New Portland Discussion Group, Ann Wright & More!
Spring is Here! Today’s temps in Portland are climbing and are on track to pass 60! When I walked home from my morning’s Pilates class it was so warm I had to remove my coat. Crocuses are awakening as are daffodils. Thankfully my taxes are almost finished. If I can get them in the mail this afternoon, I’ll treat myself to my first [...]
Pat Taub
Growing Old Without a Partner
I’m all for love and romance but when our love options run out as we age, when dating is more frustrating than satisfying, wouldn’t we be happier if we accepted that love is no longer in the cards, seeking companionship among friends and family? I mentioned this to a friend who looked aghast as if I were delivering a death sentence! [...]
Pat Taub
A Tragic Loss, Oklahoma Teachers’ Strike, A Great Video & More!
The Death of a Remarkable Woman This past week Connie Chandler Ward, 82, of Tenants Harbor died in a car crash. Her sudden death has jolted her community that reaches across the country. Connie had been the chaplain at Wellesley College before leaving there to become one of the three founders of Greenfire, a women’s spiritual retreat [...]
Pat Taub
Video Therapy: Videos to Match Your Mood
Life under the Orange Monster requires time out to maintain one’s sanity. Video watching has become a favorite form of escape for many, but with Netflix and its cousins, like Amazon Prime churning out productions at a dizzying rate, choosing a video can be daunting. To facilitate your selection process I’ve developed mood categories [...]
Pat Taub