The 13 Best Broadway Songs About Getting Older

pippin I wrote this in honor of the Tony Awards. The Tony committee put it on its website.

The original post
A pdf of the original post

The Best Place to Retire Is Where Everyone Knows Your Name

the_best_place_to_retire_86511946 A few years ago I moved to Minneapolis for a job. When I revisited Boston, where I had lived for 15 years, I knew I had to return. There’s no Florida in my future.

The original post
A pdf of the original post

Why ‘Girls’ Is a Must-See Show for Anyone Over 50

girls_on_hboI love pop culture. ‘Girls’ is one of my favorite TV shows. Each episode convinces me that I never want to be young again.

The original post
A pdf of the original post

Why Boomers Need to Ride Roller Coasters

The summer of 1984 marked the 100th anniversary of the roller coaster, which made its debut in 1884 at New York’s Coney Island. I had just been hired at People magazine a few months before the centennial so I asked my editor if I could do a story about it. “I’d like to find the 10 best coasters in America.”

“Call our travel department and book your flights,” she told me. “Take your time. Come back when you’re ready.”

The original post
A pdf of the original post

I Read the Obits Today, Oh Boy!

The first thing I want to know when I get my morning New York Times is who died. I go straight to the obituaries. It’s where I meet some of my favorite people — ones I never knew about, like an inventor of Twister.

His obit appeared on Friday. The following day another fascinating one appeared. It was about the man who unleashed a nation of professional dog walkers.

The original post
A pdf of the original post

Summer’s 20 Most Unusual Holidays!

You probably think there aren’t many, if any, holidays between the Fourth of July and Labor Day. Fact is, there are dozens — practically one for every day. So don’t worry, you have plenty of reasons to invite friends over for cookouts. I’ve put together a list of not-so-well-known holidays and observances to help you avoid the summer doldrums. They range from serious to silly, inspirational to insane.

The original post
A pdf of the original post

The Best Way to See Fireworks Is Above the Fray

I had no idea how popular I was going to be when I bought my condo in Boston 14 years ago. It’s the top flat of a New England “triple decker.” The wood structure was built in the late 1800s and is on the crest of a hill in the city’s Jamaica Plain section. I was new to Boston when I moved there, having relocated from Birmingham, Ala.

The original post
A pdf of the original post

Skin Cancer Made Me Love Summer Even More

When I was told I could not go out in the sun this year, I had to renegotiate my summer contract

Henry James described “summer afternoon” as “the two most beautiful words in the English language.” Many people would agree with him, me included.

But like most boomers I’ve had to change my relationship with summer. It’s still beautiful, but in different, more interesting ways.

The original post
A pdf of the original post