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.
Last week was not a good news week for me. It left me full of despair. I agonized over the Biden’s administration failure to advance their social programs designed to help those in need, while increasing oil drilling in defiance of climate change. To make matters worse the saber rattling over Putin’s troops on the Ukraine border, kept [...]
Pat Taub
Key West Vacation I feel very fortunate to have escaped the tundra for a few months to land in Key West. Because Florida is very lackadaisical about masks, thanks to Gov. DeSantis, I’m mostly laying low in my rental, and taking daily walks in the sun to restore my spirits. Here are a few Key West images, which capture the spirit of this [...]
Pat Taub
I think I will tear my hair out if one more person asks, “How’s your bucket list coming along?” The implication is that I’m running out of time to camp in the Sahara, jump out of an airplane, learn Italian or any number of demanding feats. If I were to answer, “The hell with a bucket list,” in all likelihood, I’d be considered [...]
Pat Taub
For a long time, I resisted aging. I dyed my hair, refused help, put off updating my will, and held my head upright to smooth out my wrinkled neck and sagging jaw lines. I relished being told that I looked much younger. Then Covid hit, forcing me into a prolonged isolation with hours and hours of long days alone. Without access to my hairdresser, [...]
Pat Taub
Mask Wars in Portland, Maine I was sickened to read in today’s Portland Press Herald that the vociferous mask wars have heated up in my hometown of Portland, Maine. This week the City Council passed a resolution requiring masks in all public places. The councilman, Andrew Zarro, who sponsored the ordinance has received death threats, [...]
Pat Taub
Last week I polled women on the WOW Facebook page asking them to share their 2022 New Year’s resolutions. Their responses surprised me. I anticipated that the vast majority would offer the typical resolutions to diet and exercise, but these answers were in the minority. Most of the women, while concerned with self-improvement, highlighted [...]
Pat Taub
JANUARY Mary Catherine Bateson, 81 Bateson was born to two famous parents, Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson. She is remembered for her 1989 feminist classic, Composing A Life: eye-opening interviews of five women who describe the challenges of being a modern woman, balancing work and family. Cicely Tyson, 96 This beloved actress lay the groundwork [...]
Pat Taub
Being A Christmas Orphan The surging Omicron virus had me scuttling my holiday plans to fly to Chicago to spend Christmas with my oldest son and his family. It was a hard decision, but it feels like a case of “Better safe than sorry.” Like many families, who are separated this year due to Covid, we will Zoom or FaceTime on Christmas [...]
Pat Taub
GUEST POST by MICHAEL STEINMAN I did not grow up in the tradition of angels, except as tropes in comic books and cartoons. Harps and wings, no no. I did not watch Touched by Angel or the Hallmark Channel. Frank Capra’s Clarence was all right because he was a homespun mortal, sweetly goofy. Later, I encountered angels aplenty in [...]
Pat Taub
This week I’m offering book suggestions for holiday giving. They include gripping plots by acclaimed writers; a brilliant thesis on climate change; an inspiring bio; and recommendations from my wonderful book nerdy friends. FICTION TO TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY Oh William! This is Elizabeth Strout’s latest novel, which I read in one day. [...]
Pat Taub