Tom Murphy, November 24, 2008

There are about 2.3 million Americans behind bars, and to be sure many of them are very dangerous people. We spend $55 billion a year to keep them there – taxpayer money that could go to education, alternative energy or helping the elderly. Hundreds of thousands of those prisoners are there for using drugs or selling them, a problem that reflects failure on many levels of our society. Still, it is hard to believe there aren’t tens of thousands of men and women behind bars who’ve served enough time and are ready to live productive lives. So it strikes me as extraordinarily sad that President Bush has chosen to pardon only 14 people this year, and to commute only two prison sentences. In his eight years in office, the president has pardoned only 171 people and issued eight commutations – about half has many as Reagan did during his two terms. At the same time, there’s speculation the president may order immunity from prosecution for anyone who tortured prisoners under his orders, a crime that many Americans find unpardonable. Such is the state of justice in America during the Bush administration.

P.A. MacLean, November 9, 2008

Lance Armstrong’s return to pro riding may be the best recycling story of 2008.  At 37 he’s a senior citizen by cycling standards.  He’s not promising to compete for an eighth Tour de France win, but is likely to take on the Giro d’Italia, the Italian version of the French grand tour and something he’s never done. Closer to home, he’ll be in California for the Amgen Tour of California in February and that provides a great opportunity for us “gutter jumpers,” the bike commuters who do the daily grind but have visions of ourselves as a grand tour competitors.  All this should provide inspiration to us boomers who want to keep fit, start a new sport or get better at the one we love.

Tom Murphy, November 3, 2008

Like tens of millions of Americans, I voted early. Like all, I probably picked some winners and some losers. I think I chose wisely in all the contests – don’t we all? But I’m not going to be disappointed about the ones I missed. I never am. We all share the planet, and that includes this country. We may wish the outcome of an election went a different way, but we can’t change it after the fact. What we can do is work with one another to make the best out of what we all decided together on election day. The spirit of sharing goes beyond making a charitable contribution or redistributing wealth. It means we share the responsibility for our world, our country and our towns. We share that in the voting booth, and we must accept it afterwards.

Tom Murphy, October 15, 2008

Does it seem odd to you that, after a half-century, Ringo Starr has now asked his fans to stop sending fan mail? That’s right. suddenly it’s, “No, no, no, no, I don’t read it no more.” At 68, the former Beatle drummer says he’s just too busy to reply to letters, sign photographs and so on. So much for "all you need is love," I guess. Still, for those of you still writing to Ringo (I’m afraid I never did when I had the chance), one can only hope you’ll find someone new.   I mean, really, look at all the lonely people! How about getting a pen pal in an assisted living center who can fill you in on what that’s like from the inside?  How about writing to your representatives in Congress? How about writing a love note to your spouse, or – if you’re single – someone you have a crush on? Surely you can find a more practical use of your time. You can start it, "Dear Prudence."

Robin Evans, September 30, 2008

As the holidays approach, so will the solicitations for charitable donations. For Americans primed for the next Great Depression, it would be easy to just say no. But the nobility of our country has always rested on offering a helping hand to the tired, the poor, the distressed and the oppressed. And the helping hands have often been those very same people. So those of us who have any resources at all should think twice this year, despite our fears, and find it in our means to give something. Not just for the hungry, the homeless, the elderly or their advocates – but for ourselves. The harder it is to give, the more determination it takes – and the greater its meaning in our own lives. And that’s no small thing. Faced finally with the bankruptcy of a culture of all-out consumerism and the amorality of an economic system’s complete disregard for anything but profit, we, with even the smallest stretch to offer up the smallest of gifts, can begin to claim a nobler value for the use of money.

Tom Murphy, September 13, 2008

Futuristic Vision No. 1:  Cash-strapped American cities overrun by 78 million retired baby boomers find themselves unable to provide essential health, safety and transportation services, leading to poverty, crime and decay.  Futuristic Vision No. 2: Retired volunteers, living in intergenerational cohousing projects downtown, help cash-strapped cities provide needed health and daycare services to all generations.  If you’d opt for the second choice, you may also want to pledge to an innovative journalistic collaboration of RedwoodAge Senior Writer Cecily O’Connor and Spot.Us, an organization that sponsors great journalism with support from readers. For $25 or more, you can help produce a series of stories about how the longevity revolution will affect the future of American cities – maybe even your town.  This is a great way to think about the future and to share your vision with the world around you. Click here for more info.

Robin Evans, August 30, 2008

John McCain’s choice of vice presidential running mate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin seems to me a clear ploy to woo the Hillary women still distraught over her failure to capture the Democratic nomination. Despite the vast differences between McCain and Barak Obama, some Hillary supporters were still threatening to vote Republican on the eve of Obama’s official coronation. It’s such a ludicrous posture that I’m not certain Clinton’s lauditory halt to the roll-call vote her supporters had demanded — which would have reminded everyone just how close she came to being the first woman to run for president — and her admonishment "No McCain, No Way" will change their minds. Perhaps their drive to have a woman in the White House trumps their desire for change. Because I certainly wouldn’t want to accuse them of emotionalism.

Cathy Bowman, August 18, 2008

Madonna and I, like, have so much in common. We’re married with children. We love to dance and we often wear black. We live in London. Ok, so she earns a wee bit more, owns multiple houses in fabulous locations and has a better wardrobe. Did I mention her large household staff, private gym, cook and who knows what? Now Madge is 50. Amazing. Good for her for being all that she can be (without joining the army) but don’t ask me to make her my fashion icon. I don’t know what it feels like to be 50, but I’m sure I won’t be wearing knee-length knickers over tights on my way to the gym. Madonna’s music is great to dance to, but her children’s books are torture to read. Gotta give the girl credit, though – at least she’s not shy about trying new things.

Cathy Bowman, August 9, 2008

The New Yorker does great cartoons. Some of the best feature a familiar scene: a therapist, a patient, a couch. They’re good for a laugh, even if therapy isn’t what it used to be. I live near London, where shrinks are about as common as vegans. I was sitting near a lovely manicured garden recently talking to an Englishwoman who had just described a horrendous situation facing her sister-in-law. What about therapy? I asked. “Oh no,” she replied. “The English don’t do therapy.” A friend jokes that Americans run to their shrinks the minute their horoscopes look cloudy. Where did she get this idea? Probably from reading about Manhattan psychotherapists who charge $600 per session. OK, so most of us aren’t losing sleep over our art collection (unless your kid just caught you sticking her drawings in the recycling bin). Still, therapy has its place. People who find it useful should be able to get it. Just don’t expect to find The Bob Newhart Show when you’ve tuned in to watch Desperate Housewives.

Cathy Bowman, July 25, 2008

Everyone needs a hero. At least I do. Most of my heroes are my friends and family – people who inspire me to do my best. I want to believe in goodness, kindness and a power greater than myself. I want to have hope and live my life with passion – the kind of passion that filled Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon University professor who has died at the age of 47. Millions of people have watched the "last lecture" that Pausch delivered last year, not long after learning he had terminal cancer. It’s an amazing speech about achieving your childhood dreams – heartbreaking and exhilarating all at once. Don’t underestimate the importance of having fun, he said. Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted. It’s a sad, sad day now that he’s gone – but what a gift to leave behind.

Robin Evans, July 15, 2008

Caregiving is hard. Losing the one you’re caring for is harder, as Cecily O’Connor reported in her story. One woman talked of how sad she was because she and her father had gotten closer than ever before. He told her many things he had kept to himself until then. That’s not uncommon. My dad was like that, too. And when he was near death in hospice, unable to speak, I told him many things I would not have had the nerve to otherwise. He had a temper, you see. Which is one of the things I advised him to get control of in his next life. Oh, and sitting there day after day, holding his hand, watching his immobile face, I went into great detail about my Buddhist faith. And I chanted for him, right there. And joked that he would never have put up with it otherwise. We had joked a lot – it was a great cover for a lot of family pain. Now, reading about the woman whose father just died, I, too, feel sad – that it should take the specter of death to allow the heartfelt exchange for which we all yearn.

Cathy Bowman, July 7, 2008

What makes balloons so magical? Boomers remember Up, Up and Away, the 1967 hit song by the Fifth Dimension. The French film, Le Ballon Rouge, makes me cry every time. Now some guy has flown to Idaho in a lawn chair tied to a bunch of balloons. Sure it’s crazy, but the photo of the gigantic, colorful orbs is stunning. Balloons touch the heart. They touch the soul. It’s a shame they are bad for the environment and a choking hazard for kids. But I am mesmerized by them, and so are my children. I don’t buy balloons but they find us just the same. We were strolling along a cobble=stoned street near our home in England when a young woman in black handed me a coupon for an overpriced facial. My 2-year-old got a black balloon, which she set free in the supermarket. We watched our magic friend hover over the bread aisle, watching us. It was all for the best – no slow death at home, no me stabbing a sickly balloon at night to stop its misery. Sometimes it’s best not to know the ending.

Cathy Bowman,July 4, 2008

Ah, the Fourth. Fireworks. Parades. Watermelon. It’s always been one of my favorite holidays. So how did I forget about it? I’ve lived in England nearly 18 months, and for obvious reasons, the Fourth isn’t a big holiday here. Last year I tried to create an “authentic” meal, but it was a school night and there weren’t any fireworks. It just wasn’t the same. This year, I forgot about the red, white and blue frenzy until my mother asked me how I planned to celebrate Independence Day. Hmm … putting the kids to bed early? I think the fact that I forgot the Fourth is probably a good sign. It means I’m present in the life that I’m living and longing less for the life I left behind. The best part of the Fourth of July is getting together with friends and family. We’ll do something here for the kids to remind them of their roots. Maybe we’ll get out the drums and maracas have a parade in the living room. These days, the simple pleasures count for a lot – even if it’s just sharing potato salad with someone you love.

Cathy Bowman,  June 25, 2008

When life gets tough on earth, there’s always heaven to think about. Americans believe there are many ways to get there, which is good news. I find it comforting to wonder about the afterlife. Are the fountains filled with chocolate? Do flowers bloom at night? Does anyone speak French? Recently I read Up In Heaven, a children’s book about a dog named Daisy who dies in her sleep. It’s a tender, beautiful book that follows a little boy as he deals with his grief. The dogs in heaven are having a fabulous time. No creaky joints, no leashes, no cats. No wars, no floods, no wobbly housing prices. The mutts sit in big comfy couches as they discuss how Daisy can comfort the boy she left behind. In time, Arthur finds happiness with a new playmate. The book reminds me of our perfect, imperfect time here – and that challenges and joy are all part of the journey.

Cathy Bowman,  June 13, 2008

Americans are living longer than ever before. But do you already roll out of bed and find that your knees ache and your back groans? Do you feel like you’re 78? Do not fret. Some day you will feel 78 and actually be 78. If you’re a woman, you’ll probably live even longer. So what’s a gal to do with all those years? A friend e-mailed the text of a speech J.K Rowling gave recently at Harvard University. She spoke about the benefits of failure and the importance of imagination. She spoke poignantly of the time she spent working for Amnesty International helping people who suffered unspeakable horrors and survived. She talked about how changing ourselves inside can affect change on the outside. Rowling’s words are beautiful, inspiring and heartfelt – definitely worth a read while contemplating your coming decades.