sherryderen

Under New Management

My views about my health care management started changing a few years ago. Until then, whenever I had a health problem, I felt confident that with enough rest, or medication, or even surgery, the condition would be cured, and I would return to my usual worry-free health status. That’s not true anymore. It started aContinue reading “Under New Management”

Vestigial? Maybe Not.

vestigial, adjective- retention of structures or behaviors that are no longer useful. Most often applied to biological structures such as an appendix. During this time of COVID-19 I am doing some things that appear to be vestigial: Zoom call preparation I put on perfume before a Zoom call. This helps me feel I am readyContinue reading “Vestigial? Maybe Not.”

Almost Never On Time

Being “on time” is usually considered desirable, but that’s often not possible. When I was a child, my family celebrated Hanukkah. The holiday always came around Christmas Day, but it fell on a different date each year, in accord with the Hebrew calendar. And each year my parents would say Hanukkah was either early orContinue reading “Almost Never On Time”

Bubba’s Legacy

Her smell always comforted me. It reminded me of warm, soft, freshly cleaned blankets. When I was seven and eight years old I would get into bed with her if I had had a difficult day or felt sad. She never asked me why, but she always had open arms. Only five feet tall, withContinue reading “Bubba’s Legacy”

ARGH

I am using a new word, ARGH. I have only been using it since March 2020, after concerns about Covid-19 took over our lives. I hate cursing, and this word helps me express myself about something that makes me angry or frustrated, but I can’t do anything about. I find that it is best toContinue reading “ARGH”

Blame Less

In this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, I turn to our country’s leaders for comfort, hope, and inspiration. As I listened to the President during recent press conferences I felt a discomfort that developed into sadness and then anger. In almost every press conference he identifies someone to blame or to criticize, He has becomeContinue reading “Blame Less”

A Gift Exchange

I recently had the opportunity to interview a Holocaust survivor, and anticipated that I would learn something about aging from her. Tall and thin, with salt and pepper-colored short hair and a ready smile, at 82 Vivienne looks younger than her age. Although she uses a cane to steady her walking, she moves without hesitationContinue reading “A Gift Exchange”

Transitions

It’s been over a month since my last posting, and I think some explanation is needed. Several things contributed to this hiatus: I traveled to Moldova to visit my daughter who was working there, and went to family weddings in Florida and California. (All this travel occurred before COVID-19 changed our lives, hopefully temporarily.) ButContinue reading “Transitions”

Losses I Can live With

I started noticing it first with restaurants. Places I liked were disappearing. Several dates with friends at restaurants ended in disappointment when we found that the restaurant had changed ownership, cuisine, or wasn’t even a restaurant any more. My husband and I planned to have dinner at a restaurant in the West Village called “ElContinue reading “Losses I Can live With”

Microaggressions for Seniors

How can I help you, young lady? The salesman asked me. As you know, dear reader, I am lots of things—retired, sometimes funny, a list-maker, etc.,—but I am not a young lady. I certainly don’t want to be addressed as an “old lady,” but perhaps “madam” or just How can I help you? would do.Continue reading “Microaggressions for Seniors”