sherryderen

Wandering Outside of My To-Do Lists

I make daily to-do lists. I write my list on a little pad after breakfast each morning, and it serves as a guide for the day. Activities are listed with approximate times, and include errands, like going to the bank, and social plans, like meeting a friend for lunch. Some activities, like writing and goingContinue reading “Wandering Outside of My To-Do Lists”

Pro-aging

I am concerned about changes I experience in my body as I get older. I stopped coloring my hair a few years ago, and the gray has taken over more territory. The cute wrinkles in the corners of my eyes are no longer so localized, or so cute. When I go to the gym, IContinue reading “Pro-aging”

Averages May Not Apply to Me

In my professional career as a research scientist, it was important that I know something about averages. When I conducted studies and collected information on many people, averages were helpful in describing the group as a whole. But I also learned that an average for a group often doesn’t apply to a single person’s circumstances.Continue reading “Averages May Not Apply to Me”

Pages In-Between

A few days ago, as I opened my journal to continue my daily entries, I realized that several weeks ago I had skipped two pages. I think these pages must have somehow stuck together. There they were- blank pages, sitting in-between pages I had written on, about days that were already in the past. IContinue reading “Pages In-Between”

I’m Not As Old As I Used To Be

When I turned 65 I knew I was officially considered a senior, yet I didn’t feel old. I was still fully engaged in my career and had no plans to retire any time soon. Now that I am retired and approaching another birthday, I decided to look into the distinctions in ages that are madeContinue reading “I’m Not As Old As I Used To Be”

Sandwich Generation

Many years ago, I was part of what is called a “sandwich generation,” an expression generally used to describe people who are in middle age and have responsibility for the care of their children and their older parents. When I was in my 30s and 40s, I had two young children and an elderly motherContinue reading “Sandwich Generation”

Shopping Bag Fashion

I never considered myself to be a fashionista, that is, someone who is a follower of fashion. When I worked as a research scientist, I wore practical off-the-rack suits from department stores, and I liked comfortable clothes on weekends. During Hurricane Sandy, when I had to relocate for a few days and stay with familyContinue reading “Shopping Bag Fashion”

The Little Girl and the Beggar

In early January, with all the Christmas lights and decorations adorning the stores, I visited the Museum of Modern Art on West 53rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenue in Manhattan. After leaving the museum, I walked to 5th Avenue and then headed south, to get a bus to go home. It was a sunny,Continue reading “The Little Girl and the Beggar”

It’s About Time

Welcome to the beginning of my new Blog page “Reflections on Aging”. I decided that “It’s About Time” was a good title for the introduction to this new page, as it conveys two meanings, both of which have become important to me, with a growing sense of urgency. When spoken, “it’s about time” refers toContinue reading “It’s About Time”

Multitasking

The definition of multitasking is doing two or more things simultaneously. Some research indicates that multitasking reduces productivity; when attention is split between two or more tasks, quality may decline and there may be more errors. But I have found that there are some types of multitasking that can enhance pleasures and improve productivity. IContinue reading “Multitasking”