It sent chills up my spine. I was smack in the middle of vasectomy reversal microsurgery when my surgical technician sitting opposite me blatted out: “Did you know my Dad just died?” I stopped what I was doing, looked around the operating microscope between us, and said “Really?” He said: ”No lie, drug overdose…age 53.” I...Continue reading
Category: Aging
From Madness to Manhood: In Search of My Lost Father and Myself
“Kids have a hole in their soul in the shape of their dad. And if a father is unwilling or unable to fill that hole, it can leave a wound that is not easily healed.” Roland Warren. I was five years old when my uncle drove me to the mental hospital. I was confused and...Continue reading
How Technology has Improved Emergency Response Services
Emergency services have come a long way since 1957, when the National Association of Fire Chiefs recommended a single number for reporting fires. According to the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), it wasn’t until 1967 when the FCC met with the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) to establish a universal emergency number. The next...Continue reading
June Is Men’s Health Month—Get Involved
Did you know there was a month entirely dedicated to raising awareness for issues impacting the health and wellness of men and boys? June will honor the 23rd annual Men’s Health Month. The month also coincides with Men’s Health Week (June 12-18), a special awareness period created by Congress, and the #ShowUsYourBlue campaign on June...Continue reading
How to Help an Angry Man: And Stop the Fights That Harm Your Marriage
I’ve been helping men and the women who love them for more than 40 years. When I ask men what’s most important to them in their relationships, I hear many variations on a simple response. Men want more sex and fewer fights. When I ask women what they want they also give offer variations that...Continue reading
The Shape of Things to Come
It’s funny how we tend to find patterns in things. Left alone, we tend to gather, order, and number everything we can. Take the stars in the sky. Or the stock market. Even gambling. I loved it when I talked to my parents after an academic trip overseas. Here’s how it would start: “How long was...Continue reading
Male Menopause: The Third Hidden Cause of Mid-Life Marriage Meltdown
“If menopause is the silent passage,” says author Gail Sheehy, “Male menopause is the unspeakable passage. It is fraught with secrecy, shame, and denial. It is much more fundamental than the ending of the fertile period of a woman’s life, because it strikes at the core of what it is to be a man.” When...Continue reading
Permission to Exercise Is Granted (to Yourself!) How to Overcome Misplaced Guilt.
This article was originally published at OlderBeast, whose mission is to help 40+ guys “double down” on body-and-soul health for the 2nd half of their life. Taking care of yourself, to maximize the second half of life, is a constant challenge. It keeps reappearing in different ways – no matter how healthy and motivated you are....Continue reading
Three Benefits to Working After Retirement
As of May 2016, almost 19 percent of Americans over the age of 65 were working full- or part-time, according to PewResearch. This trend doesn’t look like it’s going to slow down either. More and more retirees are going back to work, working part-time or starting new careers. If you’re considering working into your later...Continue reading
Gut-Check for Guys: Re-Thinking Your Approach to Fitness After 40
I seek a sustainable plan for fitness after 40: physical health and feeling “whole” for the 2nd half of my life. I want to feel great, look my best, keep getting happier, and live long. Of course. But how to really do it? We all face—and can powerfully answer—the same questions… 1. Exercise: What do...Continue reading