It’s been just one week since Trump won the Presidential election, catapulting many into despair, terrified of his campaign pledges...
Aging Thoughtfully10
Why Women Need to Stop Apologizing
What? Stop apologizing! You might be thinking, “Apologies are my way of showing respect lest I appear insensitive or rude.” I’m not suggesting that there isn’t a place for apologies in our lives, but most women apologize ad nauseum, which puts them at a disadvantage. When we constantly say, “I’m sorry” for a perceived upset in [...]
Pat Taub
Be An Older Woman Warrior
Who’s the older woman warrior? She’s the woman who, into her old age, continues to carry the torch for change because she sees this as central to aging meaningfully. She cares deeply about the world her children and grandchildren will inherit. She takes a stand for what she believes in. She’s not afraid to be controversial. She figures [...]
Pat Taub
Why A Blog for Older Women?
WOW is now 18 months old, but I’m still asked: “Do we really need another blog? Let alone one for older women.” If the world is rushing off the cliff, shouldn’t older women try to enjoy their golden years and not get distracted by the Trump White House? The very fact that Trumpism is taking over speaks to the need for the voices of [...]
Pat Taub
OLD HAIR, Guest Post by Lisa Savage
This year I took the plunge; just before turning 60, I gave in to old hair. I was inspired by Janet Weil whose essay on going gray was one of WOW’s most popular posts in 2016. My story is of course a bit different. A history of my hair would go something like this. Long braids with plaid bows tied to them lasted through kindergarten in Maine [...]
Pat Taub
Popular WOW Posts in 2016
For my end of the year post I thought it would be fun to offer highlights from some of the posts that were popular with my readers in 2016. The Joys of Living Alone (August 23rd) From the post: Older women living alone relish the independence to come and go as they like, to cook or not to cook, to read in the middle of the night, to take [...]
Pat Taub
Braving the Death and Dying Conversation
In the new heart-warming Indie film, “Other People, “ we watch a close-knit family gather around their dying mother in her last year of life. The film captures the discomfort and awkwardness with which most American family’s deal with death and dying. There is a powerful hospital scene where the mother screams, after vomiting into [...]
Pat Taub
Book Review: “This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism” by Ashton Applewhite
Finally the publishing industry is catching on to the fact that America’s swelling aging population isn’t aging like their parents and grandparents and want literature that reflects this new way of growing old. Older women and men want to be affirmed and not negated in their old age. Ashton Applewhite’s new book, This Chair Rocks: A [...]
Pat Taub
Facing One’s Mortality
Last week I posted a note on the WOW Facebook page, describing how I got in touch with my mortality (not for the first time) after parting with my grandkids following a trip to Japan with them. I wrote that Jane and Max will probably visit Japan again, but such might not be in the cards for me, given my advancing age. In response, concerned [...]
Pat Taub
Two Elder Maine Women Poets: Janet Shea and Joanne Booth
Maine, where I live, is familiar to many as the grayest state in the nation. What is often overlooked in this statistic is the phenomenal number of elder women who continue to create art and live meaningful lives through their 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. Maine’s old women continue to inspire me as I move through my 70’s. In this spirit [...]
Pat Taub
Meaningful Aging
Guest post by Dr. Tami Yaguri (This is an excerpt from an upcoming talk on aging to be delivered in Dusseldorf on July 8, 2016.) “When do we get there?” Kids ask their parents the minute they get in the car for a long drive. The kids do not know yet how to appreciate the view outside the window, the road, and the sense of togetherness [...]
Pat Taub