I’ve chosen trailblazers in literature, music, painting, political activism and medicine. Many communities lost their own notable...
My Jane Fonda Problem
GUEST POST BY JANET WEIL “Wow… what a body – she’s incredibly well-proportioned!” The thought bubble over my head filled in as, a few months ago, my husband and I watched on Netflix a rather dull film (California Suite) with only 2 characters. Relaxed West Coast ex-husband, played by Alan Alda, hosts tense [...]
Pat Taub
Dark Times, A Granddaughter Graduates, RBG documentary & More!
Trying to Manage Dark Times Periodically the dark times we’re experiencing get to me. I sink into despair. I have discovered that the most effective way to climb out of my political despair is to join others in protest actions. Today, I’ll be standing with a Portland noon contingent in front of the US Attorney’s office to protest [...]
Pat Taub
Older Women Energy in Manhattan
I spent Memorial Day Weekend in Manhattan, where older women energy abounded. It felt like the Goddess was guiding me, sensing I needed inspiration for my own aging. I took in art exhibits and a play featuring older women and enjoyed pick-up conversations with older women I met along the way. I saw a spectacular sculpture exhibit at the Met [...]
Pat Taub
Crafting Healing Stories to Shed Anger
One of the most valuable lessons aging has bestowed on me is the importance of shedding anger. The less anger I hold the more inner peace I possess. I’ve learned to release a lot of my anger by imagining myself inhabiting the lives of those who have hurt me, resulting in a new story where I experience compassion towards the other. This [...]
Pat Taub
Call for Guest Writers
WOW is looking to feature guest writers on topics related to older women (50+) and aging. In particular, we’re interested in women’s wellness, personal experiences with ageism and sexism, but all topics will be considered. Our focus is to provide women a platform to disrupt the one-dimensional archetypes of women over 50. Writers [...]
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Gaza, Granddaughter Jane, Signs of Spring & More!
Poor Gaza! The past few weeks have seen 111 unarmed Gazan protestors shot by Israeli forces as they gathered at the Israeli border to mark Nakba, the day 70 years ago when Israel forced Gazans to leave their homeland. Ever since they have been living under tight Israeli military rule in what many call the “world’s largest open-air prison.” [...]
Pat Taub
Guidelines for Trouble Makers
Cecile Richards’ memoir, Make Trouble couldn’t come at a better time. Women across the country are furious with the Trump administration’s attack on women. We can’t stop at being mad. We have to partner our outrage with effective strategies for change. Enter Cecile Richards’ advice honed from decades as an organizer for progressive [...]
Pat Taub
Healing the Mother Wound
Mother’s Day can be an unsettling occasion for those adult daughters with a pronounced mother wound. A celebration of mothers can reawaken a daughter’s memories of the maternal hurt she experienced growing up and which continues to affect her primary relationships. The mother wound can be traced to a woman’s proclivity to rejection, [...]
Pat Taub
August in May, A Sudden Death, Appearing in the Boston Globe & More!
August in May Wow! Wednesday set a record for Portland, Maine with temps climbing close to 90! It was crazy in that the previous day I was wearing a spring coat and a day later I’m in a T-shirt and thin slacks. Does this portend an unusually hot summer? It certainly speaks to the erratic temps brought on by global warming. [...]
Pat Taub
Pondering My Activist Slump
In church this Sunday the progressive minister quoted the biblical passage: “To whom much is given, much is expected.” I squirmed in my seat reflecting on my white privileged lifestyle, feeling guilty about how little I’ve done to protest the Orange Monster’s wrecking machine. It’s not like I’m unfamiliar to activism. I was [...]
Pat Taub