Mid-century modern is the new middle age. Midlife rebranded. Everything old is new again. No. No, don't say that word. Older. Not old. Beth Teitell (@BethTeitell) tackles the pejorative implications of referring to somebody as middle age. Her May 2018 Boston Globe piece, "The new insult: calling someone middle aged...", ponders a less loaded euphemism (epithet?) for our 40-65 gang. One ...
Midlife Scrapbook
Recycling TrekEast: Return to Riding
Something about the first Sunday of summer is triggering a retrospective vibe for me. Awoke at 4:30am and started editing poems, and then pivoted to Rosslyn Redux. I'm gobsmacked that we first waded into that adventure a dozen years ago. Twelve years! Is it possible? Where did the years go? My mind drifts to Steinbeck's reflections on taking a trip vs. a trip taking us. (Did you know that there's ...
Wandering Prayer
“I am a brother to a wandering prayer.” — Uche Nduka, “With a Swoop” I am sending out a swooping Saturday salute to Uche Nduka (@UcheNdukaPoet) whose lilting truth-telling breathes urgency and nomadic mystery into these dangerous days, these tempestuous temper tantrums... I recommend that you jumpstart (or restart) your weekend with Nduka's wonder and swooping ...
Zozobra: Goodbye, Gloomies!
We're back in Santa Fe in time to experience Zozobra (aka "burning Old Man Gloom). It's been years since I've witnessed this fascinating ritual. Decades actually. We spy from our terrace—and from a live stream courtesy of the Meow Wolf—instead of plunging into the sea of festive celebrants. The giant effigy moans and groans and taunts the fire dancer. He has been stuffed with thousands of ...
Courage to Live the Dream
Do you have the courage to live the dream? Your dream? Or is it okay with you to live crisis-to-crisis, to muddle through your one brief existence reacting to the ups and downs as you find them? Never Truly Lived You've probably heard about elderly people who look back from the final stretch and regret the risks that they did not more often that the risks that they did take. Regret the dreams ...
Carpe Mediae Aetatis
Carpe mediae aetatis? What?!?! Think, "carpe diem". Now think, "midlife". Put it together, and the closest literal translation I've come up with is "carpe mediae aetatis". I like this better... Carpe midlife! It has a nice ring to it, don't you think? Carpe midlife. Carpe mediae aetatis. Carpe Diem + Midlife = Carpe Midlife I'm pretty sure my middle school Latin (and even the able wizardry ...