The Distract-O-Matic at Your Service
An Oldster Magazine Friday link roundup, just when you need it most.
I tend to read, watch, and listen to a lot of Oldster-adjacent content. Every other Friday (or so!) I’ll pass some of it along to you in a link roundup like this one.
While I have you…The advertiser-funded and venture-capital-funded approaches to media have failed and led to the demise of most legacy publications. Fortunately, the reader-supported approach is working. Support with your dollars the publications you’d like to see survive. Your paid subscriptions help me to keep publishing Oldster Magazine, and to pay contributors. They are greatly appreciated! I make a point of keeping the price low, just $6/month or $55/year. Thank you!
RIP dance pioneer Judith Jamison, 81…legendary jazz drummer Roy Haynes, 99…Bastard Out of Carolina author Dorothy Allison, 75 - NPR, Rolling Stone, NYTimes
Left to right: Jack Mitchell, Getty Images; Brian McMillen, Wikimedia Commons; Louis Monier, Getty Images. “Harrison Ford Will See You Now” - at GQ, Garbriella Paiella interviews the actor, now 82, and starring in the second season of Shrinking on Apple TV, a quiet little show I enjoy.
“35 is the Worst Age, According to Tom Hanks.” - Emily Leibert in The Cut/NYMag
Speaking of (68-year-old) Tom Hanks, have you seen Here, the Robert Zemeckis movie in which he reunites with his Forest Gump costar, Robin Wright? It follows a house—and its various inhabitants, including Hanks and Wright—through millennia. Brian and I found it a little corny, but also touching and very thought-provoking. We’re glad we saw it.
“Letters to My Younger Self: We asked essayists to write a letter to the person they were when they published their Modern Love essay. Here’s what they shared.” - Miya Lee, Daniel Jones, and Fahima Haque in NYTimes Style/Modern Love.
“A writer’s career is choppy – I was 50 when I found success” - in The Guardian, Emma Brockes profiles author Deborah Levy, whose books I love.
“What Would It Take for a Woman to Win?” - Presidential historian
in Harper’s Bazaar.“People Think ‘Old Age’ Starts Later Than it Used To, Study Finds.” - American Psychological Association.
“56: The Year I Found My Worth” by Oldster Magazine Questionnaire-taker
.This Sunday, November 17th, from 11:30 to 5, Patricia Greenberg is hosting a seminar called “It’s OK to Be Old” in NYC. Save 50% off the attendance fee.
I won’t be able, after all, to speak at Aging Gratefully: The Power of Appreciative Presence, author Kristi Nelson’s Kripalu workshop 11/22-24 . BUT, I’ll be contributing a memoir writing exercise that Kristi will share with participants. The workshop looks great. Sign up.
Did you see that this week podcaster and author
took The Oldster Magazine Questionnaire?🚨And now it’s time to put some new music into old ears. 👂 Here’s the monthly Oldster Top 10 by Modern Sounds radio host Cliff Chenfeld: (PS At Oldster’s 3rd birthday party I played the Modern Sounds playlist and everyone loved it. Several guests asked me to share the Spotify link.)
Welcome to the Oldster Top 10, where we listen to hundreds of new songs each month to find some wonderful new tracks from noteworthy artists who may not have caught your attention. It’s hard to find the great new music amongst the tonnage, but we are here to make music discovery much easier for you. You can find all of these songs on the Modern Sounds playlist on Spotify. Enjoy!
Mardi Diaz/Kacey Musgraves – Don’t Do Me Good – A sad, new country-ish classic from a singer you should know about, and an understated star.
Aoife O’Donovan – Crisis – Not enough songs out there that address topical issues, but this ambitious, almost theatrical tune about women in the U.S. is worth your time.
Karen O/Danger Mouse – Super Breath – These two icons have created a fresh, vibey understated sound that follows up their outstanding 2019 collaboration.
Nick Cave + The Bad Seeds – Frogs – Nick Cave’s new record is grand and ambitious and you gotta love his long uncompromising career that now finds him playing arenas.
Coco Jones – Here We Go (Uh Oh) – Desire and regret in a perfect contemporary R+B song.
Margo Price – California Shake – Margo Guryan was an American singer-songwriter who received lots of love from other artists in the late 60s, but not much popular attention. She has been discovered by a new generation of artists and they have recorded a tribute album to her that features this lovely track.
Sarah Blasko – Bothering Me – Australian singer-songwriter who writes grown up tunes and sounds a little like of a mash up of Carole King and Fiona Apple on her new single.
Magdalena Bay – Image – Silky, elegant alternative pop that doesn’t forget the hook.
Haley Heynderickx – Gemini – Finger picking modern folky powerfully battling her past self and modern distractions.
Four Tet – Loved – Seminal electronic artist with a chill recording that can help soothe those post-election blues.
That’s all I’ve got. Next week there’ll be a new Sober Oldster Q&A. I’ll also share an interview I did with a policy expert about the ways in which Trump’s second administration will likely affect elders, and how to push back. I’ve also got new installments of “On the Path to 60” and “Ask the East Village Yenta” in the works. Stay tuned!
Thanks as always for reading, for commenting thoughtfully, and for all your support. 🙏 💝
-Sari
The APA article about what age people consider “old” to be was interesting. I am 73 and have considered myself old since 62, when I started telling people that I was an old man. It is a good excuse to get out of doing things or doing things well. Playing the old person card is very helpful!
much needed. thank you.