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In July 2022, Barbara led a group of 30 people to the Santa Barbara landfill and recycling center.
One of actor Ed Begley Jr.’s first efforts to help the environment occurred back in 1970, when he found it hard to compost while living in an apartment.
Entitled “Walking the Walk,” the conversation will trace Mr. Begley’s personal journey as a sustainable-living activist. His committed lifestyle was the subject of the reality series, “Living With Ed,” and he continues to promote earth-friendly ideas and products through his writings.
Teens have a huge range of skills and learning styles. Not all students shine in a lecture hall but they can be stars in a workshop or on a factory floor with some guidance and encouragement. I found this to be true as a mentor in a Virtual Enterprises class and while doing research for my young adult series, “Business-Minded Teens.”
When I ask, “What am I doing here?”, I don’t mean it in the existential sense of “What’s man’s purpose on earth?”, I mean it in the literal sense of “Why the hell did I walk into this room and what exactly am I supposed to be looking for?” Deep thinkers have always pondered the big picture, but right now I would prefer help with the little picture, such as where I dropped my keys or what’s the name of the person who sat next to me at last night’s dinner party and what did I promise to email him? In other words, what can I do about the everyday memory lapses that are driving me crazy? In his book Moonwalking with Einstein, author Jonathan Foer tells us we are what we remember. If that’s the case, I’m shedding weight fast.
When our younger daughter saw that Sunday school was not going to reopen due to the Coronavirus, she asked her father and me if we would take over her boys’ religious education. We just looked at each other blankly and, frankly, a little panic-stricken. Neither of us is a teacher, a Zoom expert, or deeply knowledgeable about our religion. However, we relished the idea of having a more meaningful interaction with the boys than our usual riff on:
There’s always an “aha!” moment when people realize they’ve moved up into the next age bracket. For some it’s qualifying for a senior discount at the movies. For others it’s perusing the 55+ menu at Denny’s. For still others it’s being called “Mr.” or “Mrs.,” to which many reply in indignation, “Call me Stan. Mr. Whitaker is my father.” For me it was initially the announcement during a heat wave that the elderly should stay indoors. My first thought was, “That’s so nice. Our mayor really cares about her senior citizens.” My second thought was, “My God, she’s talking to me!” Now, of course, it’s the oft-repeated mantra that people of a certain age are more vulnerable to Covid-19 and so have to be even more conscientious than the rest of society about sheltering at home.
I was never one to hold a grudge. In fact, that old axiom, “Never go to bed on an argument,” didn’t hold water for me. I thought I should always go to bed on an argument because by morning I’d forgotten what I fought with my husband about and therefore didn’t need to make up with him.
Friendships with women are what get a lot of us through life. On TV, in movies, and on the Net, friendship is exalted and even elevated to the level of one’s “tribe.” But in real life, people can betray confidences, fail to come through when they’re needed most, turn into bores, or are more work than they’re worth. When our relationships with other women are fulfilling, there’s nothing better. But when we see or speak to others solely out of habit, a sense of duty, or an inability to call it quits, we have a problem.
When I was writing my book, Parents of Adult Children: You Are Not Alone, I found that the major source of discontent – on both sides of the generational divide – was the disparity between the parents’ expectations and their grown offspring’s sense of obligation. This disconnect has only been exacerbated by the pandemic.
Tongue in cheek, here are the must-haves for lockdown:
Tool 1: Old-fashioned curlers. I unearthed some Velcro rollers, which must date from my junior high days, and in confinement I’ve been rolling up my tresses like a pro. It made me realize that boys and men may come and go, but a good set of curlers is forever.