If you’re casting about for a way to take the edge off Trump’s wrecking ball, I heartily recommend the uplifting powers of a great...
Pat Taub is a family therapist, writer and activist and life-long feminist. She hopes that WOW will start a conversation among other older women who are fed up with the ageism and sexism in our culture and are looking for cohorts to affirm their value as an older woman.
I Cane, I Saw, I Conquered
GUEST POST by MICHAEL STEINMAN I’ve never been a sprinter. And in the past decade, some friends have commented on my odd forward motion. “You walk funny. Are you OK?” You could say I limp, or perhaps hobble. A woman I was dating told me that she was “concerned” about “my mobility issues,” to which [...]
Pat Taub
Trailblazing Women We Lost in 2022
January Maria Ewing, 71 Ewing, an opera singer in the ‘70’s and 80’s, helped to transform the role of opera singers by incorporating acting skills into her roles rather than simply stand and sing. Her daughter, actress and film maker, Rebecca Hall, referencing her mother’s racial ambiguity, made the critically acclaimed film, “Passing,” [...]
Pat Taub
Where Have All the Peace Workers Gone?
One of the biggest news stories of 2022 was the Ukraine-Russian war. On a daily basis, the American public was flooded with heart-breaking stories of how Ukraine’s citizens were suffering. Americans fell in line. Blue and yellow flags streamed from front porches, shops, restaurants, churches, and synagogues. Every single Congressperson [...]
Pat Taub
Loving Connections at the Holidays
The most loving Christmases in my adult life occurred in unusual circumstances. There was the Christmas I spent in Key West with my two college-aged sons. That year I longed for a holiday where my sons weren’t stressed from being shuttled between my home and their father’s. Knowing my mother’s condo sat empty during the holidays, I [...]
Pat Taub
Fear Of Not Conforming
GUEST POST by LISA SAVAGE As a blogger I enjoy hearing from readers even when they disagree with me. It’s an indication of reader engagement if someone takes the time to offer a critique. So, I was glad to hear from an old friend in response to a recent blog post of mine. “Tale of Two Broken Accords: Oslo And Minsk,” written during [...]
Pat Taub
Everyday Rituals
GUEST POST by JACOB WATSON While the events of our everyday lives are often repetitious, to see them as rituals brings the energy of the sacred to daily life. Years ago, walking in an urban park I sat on a bench to rest. I watched a fly buzz around my head and then disappear into the bushes. Suddenly, sitting down to rest was completely unique. [...]
Pat Taub
Tár: Older Woman Musician as Monster
GUEST POST by JANET WEIL When I saw the trailer for “Tár” starring Cate Blanchett as classical conductor/composer Lydia Tár, I was thrilled. Women conductors remain a rare breed in that most male-dominated of all musical genres, where Western Masterpieces meet Big Money, and I had never seen a portrayal of a woman conductor on the big [...]
Pat Taub
Debunking “Successful Aging”
I rankle whenever I hear the term, “successful aging,” which has become the Boomers’ mantra. I take issue because it implies there is a right and wrong way to age. Successful aging is defined in terms of a self-centered wellness regime as opposed to a compassionate focus on the elder’s wisdom years, where giving back to society [...]
Pat Taub
Home Alone For the Holidays
The holiday season is upon us. Thanksgiving is next week, soon to be followed by Christmas and Hanukkah where images of happy extended families are portrayed in TV commercials and Hallmark specials. But if you’re among all those older women and men who live alone, who don’t have a family to celebrate with, or who recently lost a partner, [...]
Pat Taub
Making Dying Less Scary
When I mentioned to a friend that I was reading Katy Butler’s new book, The Art of Dying Well, her response was: “That sounds grim.” Another friend was similarly put-off, saying, “I never think about death. It’s too depressing.” After finishing Butler’s book, I felt anything but depressed. I felt empowered, realizing I have [...]
Pat Taub