Lifestyle

January 4, 2024

Imagining the next life stages I

By Bob Sitze

In For Caregivers, Lifestyle, Personal Power, Soul Searchings, Time

January 4, 2024

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04January

(Today’s blog is the first of a series of four entries that treat a matter that most older adults eventually face: How will we live well when that becomes difficult?) Presently, Chris and I take care of ourselves, our capabilities not yet severely diminished. I think we’re ready for what comes next. We’ve followed the guidance of counselors, physicians, financial advisors and friends, putting inMORE...

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December 4, 2023

Waiting to be known

By Bob Sitze

In Arcania, Lifestyle, Soul Searchings

December 4, 2023

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04December

  I sometimes wonder how folks going about their daily routines might be waiting for the moment(s) when they could be known for who they really are. What thrives under their workplace exteriors. What they’re good at doing. What benefits they bring to the rest of us. How they live out their best selves. (An Advent theme, perhaps?) In that frame of mind, it isn’t too hard to imagine and valueMORE...

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November 30, 2023

Finding hope in TV commercials

By Bob Sitze

In Arcania, Lifestyle, Soul Searchings, Words

November 30, 2023

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30November

In our family, the sound gets turned off during TV commercials. It recently occurred to me that these soundless visual stories are doing more than selling products. Many of them may depict lived-out hope! I see a lot of ads related to health, automobiles, medical conditions, insurance and legal help. I witness pleas from charities and other non-profits, teasers for coming shows and a smatteringMORE...

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November 20, 2023

Numbering our days

By Bob Sitze

In Current Events, Lifestyle, Pleasure/Pain, Soul Searchings

November 20, 2023

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20November

(As this year’s calendar winds down, I hearken back to Psalm 90 , a lifelong favorite. One of its  thoughts has stayed with me all my life: “So teach us to number our days, that we might apply our hearts unto wisdom.” [KJV}  Today some thoughts about day-numbering.) As I’ve grown older, I’ve often found myself “numbering my days.” For me, that means taking stock of how time is passing, perhapsMORE...

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November 16, 2023

Thankswriting

By Bob Sitze

In Current Events, Lifestyle, Personal Power, Words

November 16, 2023

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16November

One of Chicagoland’s best newspaper columnists is a guy named *Neil Steinberg. Like all good writers, he’s nimble with words. His faith, heritage and life experience have rendered him wise, empathetic and honest. His columns consistently shine light on difficult subjects, and he showers kindness on under-appreciated facets of civic life. He’s transparent about his emotions, his struggles and hisMORE...

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November 13, 2023

An elderly nudge

By Bob Sitze

In Death/Dying, Lifestyle, Personal Power, Relationships, Soul Searchings

November 13, 2023

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13November

In times of high anxiety—right now?—two of our core capabilities may be at risk: Agency and motivation. (“Agency” identifies our power to affect change, in ourselves or others. “Motivation” is an inner trait that positively alters our willingness to act.) Why might this diminishing of capabilities be happening? The isolating fear of disease, danger or death during COVID19 may have taken away ourMORE...

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November 9, 2023

Clustered prayers

By Bob Sitze

In Lifestyle, Mind/Body, Soul Searchings, Words

November 9, 2023

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09November

Lately, my times of prayer seem to be interwoven with memories of time-and-place experiences in life. These reveries include entire clusters of beloved people. (For example, when I remember our San Leandro, California years, my mind gathers together Rich and Gretchen, Liz and Larry, Mary and Jim, Barry, Ralph, Sandy, Linda, Wendy, Aunt Mona, Chris and our kids, and my 3rd-4th graders—and theMORE...

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September 25, 2023

Ranting (and raving)

By Bob Sitze

In Arcania, Lifestyle, Personal Power, Relationships, Soul Searchings, Words

September 25, 2023

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25September

One of the occasional hobbies of older gentlemen such as myself is the questionably pleasurable practice of ranting. From its local particulars—“Hey, you kids, get off my lawn!”—to its generalized condemnations—“They’re crooks, all of them!”—ranting might seem to be a tolerable way of passing time in impolite company. High-level ranting requires adroit word-finding skills and physical posturingMORE...

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September 14, 2023

Holy crosses

By Bob Sitze

In Current Events, For Caregivers, Lifestyle, Soul Searchings, Words

September 14, 2023

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14September

  On Holy Cross Day (September 14), we honor Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. We thank God for Jesus’ willingness to endure a tortured death for our sakes. Centuries later, this day might also be set aside to observe the (holy) cross-bearing of those who sacrifice their well-being for the sake of others. This day could mark the suffering of anyone whose life is filled with sorrow—who carryMORE...

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September 11, 2023

Hidden in plain sight

By Bob Sitze

In Arcania, Lifestyle, Personal Power, Words

September 11, 2023

2 Min Read

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11September

(I’m not talking here about how we lose things, look all over and then find them in an embarrassingly obvious place. Instead, this entry is about steganography, the enduring art of concealing messages, objects or images inside other messages, objects or messages. More specifically, how older adults might be de facto steganographs or even steganographers!) One of the things I enjoy about beingMORE...

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