Thinking of retiring? If pundits are right (and it certainly looks that way from here), the concept of 'retirement' has been put to rest — permanently. Take a look at the recent history of employee benefits. Pensions were the first to go. They relied on a continuous growth model that has since proved to be unsustainable. They were replaced by IRA's and 401K's. How are yours doing these days? »more»

There's a qualitative difference between the male ego and the female ego. I've never heard of anyone demanding of any female that she prove that she's a 'real woman.' It's just assumed. It's taken for granted. A woman is born a woman. That's exactly the opposite condition from the one that all males are born into. »more»

Have you ever been traveling from one city to another, and you're in the airport at the gate, waiting for your flight to load? »more»

As the world financial situation continues to unravel before our eyes, the last vestiges of that sense of security that we've all been led to believe in has been exposed as the fairy tale that it's always been. »more»

Never fear: this is not a political exposé. Instead, it's a reflection on a fascinating conversation that I had with Dr. Jed Diamond last night on my internet radio program. As you may know, Dr. Jed is the author of the best-selling books, Male Menopause and The Irritable Male Syndrome. What I didn't know about Dr. »more»

One day my father, as a young man, came home from work to find the apartment cleaned out of furniture and swept clean. His wife (not my mother) was gone. Needless to say, reconciliation wasn't an option. »more»

I'm putting out a warning call that the wise (especially wise men) will want to pay attention to: get proactive about midlife or face the consequences. For almost 20 years, author Stephen R. Covey (The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People) has been trying to convince people that taking a proactive stance toward life's problems works, whereas being reactive just doesn't work. »more»

Just before we moved from Connecticut to Delaware (where we now live), I was only about a month away from earning my instrument rating on my private pilot's license. From everything I've heard, the instrument rating is the most difficult rating for a private pilot to achieve. »more»

Randy Pausch passed away yesterday of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 47. Pausch was the terminally ill computer science professor whose poignant farewell lecture at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University became a viral video phenomenon and then a best-selling book (see link below). He symbolized living life to the fullest. »more»

Other women who've been working since they were twenty will now have retirement income. Not me. I stayed home. I got the joy of watching every step of my children's infancy and childhood. Now I'm stuck with just me.

As I make my way out into the sunshine, I sure would love to hear what other people have to say about being "just a homemaker" and what happens next.