Tag Archives: aging

“Touch Me”

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

There’s an interesting incident near the end of David Foster Wallace’s magnum opus Infinite Jest that says a lot about how humans treat each other. It’s the story of Barry Loach, the head trainer at Enfield Tennis Academy. Earlier, Barry’s … Continue reading →

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“You Don’t Really Start Getting Old Until You Stop Learning”

Posted on July 3, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

In the June 5 issue of Time magazine, Bill Gates was interviewed about the books that have influenced him. I was struck by one of his comments: “You don’t really start getting old until you stop learning.” Is that true? … Continue reading →

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Finding Immortality

Posted on May 29, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

How long do you want to live? It’s not that we can determine how many years we will be on this earth, not exactly. We do have something to do with it, though. Most obviously, we can take care of … Continue reading →

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Healthcare Decisions for Our Parents and Us

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

In a recent New York Times article, Dr. Mikkael A. Sekeres, a cancer specialist. told of his first meeting with a 97 year-old patient. The elderly man had recently moved into an assisted living facility in Cleveland in order to … Continue reading →

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Relocating to a Retirement Community: A New Life

Posted on April 29, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

I wrote recently about the first part of Richard L. Morgan’s book Settling In: My First Year in a Retirement Community. Morgan was initially enthusiastic about moving to a retirement community near his daughter, but after a month or so … Continue reading →

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Relocating to a Retirement Community: “Settling In”

Posted on April 14, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

I recently read Richard Morgan’s 2006 book Settling In: My First Year in a Retirement Community. At age 74, Morgan, a retired Presbyterian minister, moved from Morgantown, North Carolina to a retirement community in Western Pennsylvania. He and his wife … Continue reading →

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The Silver Lining While Waiting for Healing

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

I’ve had a difficult time of it recently. Though the surgery I had in February was successful, I was rehospitalized a couple weeks later with complications. Urine was leaking into my abdomen, causing severe pain. The doctors fitted me with … Continue reading →

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Getting Ready to Retire: Finding Yourself

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

Next Avenue recently published an article by Bart Astor, a writer specializing in life transitions, titled “When will you be ready to call it quits?” After talking to numerous retirees, Astor concluded that the following factors played into their decisions … Continue reading →

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A Wineskin in the Smoke

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

I had surgery a week ago. I had only undergone surgery under general anesthetic once before, an outpatient surgery about fifteen years ago. This time, I had a cancerous body part removed, meaning I was unconscious for longer than during … Continue reading →

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Thinking About Cancer: Metaphors

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

I’ve been blogging recently about cancer. This topic has been on my mind since I am about to have my cancerous prostate removed. One thing I have been reflecting on is culture’s dominant metaphor for dealing with life-threatening illness. I’m … Continue reading →

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