Reading the newspaper with my morning coffee is my habit of decades.  Therefore, I see an overwhelming amount of bad news.  (It is said that good news doesn’t sell newspapers, but who knows?)

Lately, there has been a lot of reporting on the impact of Artificial Intelligence on workers—and it is not hopeful news. Many are convinced that advanced A.I. will soon surpass human capabilities, and many jobs will disappear.  I do not know if this is true, but even though 80-something can’t do anything about this,

I still can worry about it.

I went to a party the other day to say “goodbye” (and for me it was also “hello”) to a new friend’s home that had just been sold.  The house and attached barn, built in 1840 in the middle of a large meadow had been beautifully restored.

As I prepared to leave the party, a new guest arrived—a professor I’ve known from my years at the Kennedy School.  It was a huge bonus to catch up with him.

It reminded me of the old saying, “You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl.”  So it is with me after spending 33 years at the Kennedy School…

The above attention-grabbing title is from the Washington Post’s Well+Being website. The article suggests that making tiny changes in eating, sleeping and exercise may add a year or more to lifespans.

It sounds easy…according to Australian researchers, just add five minutes of sleep, two minutes of exercise and half a serving of vegetables daily to your existing routine and you’re all set.

University of Sydney Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis claims, “We’re talking about four extra pieces of broccoli at dinner…”

Bottom line: with at least 7.2 hours of sleep plus 42 minutes of physical activity daily and a high-quality diet (in theory) translates into nearly 10 additional years of good health.

Sounds easy.

My continuing care retirement community membership includes seven dinners a week.  It also offers a buffet of juice, coffee and muffins every morning. And at lunchtime, one can pick up a delectable soup.

The soup is very popular, and only a limited supply is available. Serious soup lovers are there as the clock strikes twelve.

If I’m here, I’m there!

According to Kerry Burnight, a star in the healthy aging firmament, if we have a positive view of aging, we can live an average of 7.5 years longer.

Here’s what she thinks gets better with age:

1. We aren’t so concerned with social approval.
2. We have the wisdom that comes with experience.
3. We are better at regulating our emotions.
4. We have more humility and compassion.
5. We have a better understanding of what truly matters.
6. We experience contentment and appreciation.

For me, this is a work in progress…and it is work.

Years ago, my then primary care physician would end my annual checkup with the following statement, “You’re as healthy as a horse.”  Although I loved horseback riding as a camper, I never quite understood what a horse’s health had to do with me.

But as a survivor of an early-found breast cancer, I am fearful as my annual checkup approaches.  My doctor had some concern when I saw her a couple of weeks ago, so I was anxious about my scheduled mammogram last week.

When you’ve had breast cancer before, they give you the mammogram results within moments, and once more,

I have dodged a bullet. 

I have loved Vermont for decades.  My first visit to the Marlboro Music Festival was with my then boyfriend Mark in the 1960’s. And there were many more visits with my husband Peter.  But I hadn’t visited the Green Mountain State for a long time…

Until friends invited me to their home in Vermont.

It was déjà vu all over again. We had cloudless skies above bright green-leafed forests. We saw a small percentage of Vermont’s 124,000 cows, but we knew they were there.  We walked along unpaved roads.  Our fresh-air hunger was beautifully satisfied by our generous hosts.  The very low doorknob on my bedroom door reminded me that in early Vermont days, people used to be shorter than my (formerly) 5’ 10” self.

I was at my best-guest-self, hoping for an invite next year!

I do not have an AI “friend”, but from what I read, AI is a mixed blessing.

It seems that some younger people are using AI to replace friends.  That’s a problem beyond 80-something’s ability to fix.

For older people, however, AI can provide connection and community.  Plus it is available 24/7.  But we must be careful not to depend on a (ro)bot for friendship.

Bottom line:  AI offers a lot.  But it is not a person.

My oldest grandchild was away finishing up his senior year in college, and his brother was traveling, having just completed his freshman college year.  As a result, when I visited my empty-nester son and his wife last week, I had a choice of my usual guest bedroom or a child’s room.

I found my “guest” bed in my older grandson’s room surrounded by four walls of memorabilia documenting years’ worth of sports awards, posters, photos and more.As he heads off for his professional career, one wonders what goes and what stays.

With our boys, I recall, we left the décor as it was until we sold the home where they grew up.

But my mind’s eye can see those walls as if it were yesterday.

The Kugel family has benefited from higher education for decades, both in learning and earning (I couldn’t resist that.)  So, when Jeremy who is a vice-president at the University of Maryland and his wife sponsored a fellowship there, in honor of his father, I was thrilled.

Thus, at 7:00 a.m. last Friday, at the U. of Maryland’s extraordinary main dining hall, we established the Kugel Family Station for Omelet Excellence. Surrounded by various University dignitaries, Jeremy, his wife Katrina, and his mother (me) simultaneously broke open three eggs on the grill, to the applause of all in attendance and the wonder of early-rising students, one of whom could be a scholarship recipient some day.

Four hours later, Greater DC could watch the event on the local NBC morning program.

You can see it here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfM92WK9Ldw