3rdActs.com

Linkage

Face the Nation — Bob Schieffer got Lindsay Graham (R), and Evan Bayh, (D), on the show — two Senators who can get along. Is there hope for us yet?

The Atlantic — We're going to be out of work for a long time, and it'll change America. (Thanks, Rachel Sklar via Twitter.

The New Old Age — The New York Times blog asks, Will Boomers be any different? Will they accept, even seek, help, as they age?

Houston Chronicle — An anonymous donor has given Baylor University $200 million to study old people. Wonderful thought. But what the hell do we not know about getting old? Other than how to stop treating us like we're sick. DN

FourSentenc.es — Here's a self-explanatory, one-page Website. If you're looking for a catch, there isn't any. It is what it is. Worth a look.

Links Columbus Dispatch — Old is now hip. This LATimes piece isn't new, but if it's worth another look in Columbus, Ohio, I can give it another go here.

In Praise of Being Ordinary — Here's an Aussie blog I like a lot. About being a Pre-Boomer.

more linkage→

Coping Skills

A SECOND CHANCE TO SWITCH MEDICARE ADVANTAGE INSURANCE COMPANIES. As anybody on Medicare knows, every November 15 through December 31 is when you can switch Medicare Advantage insurance plans. But I'm betting you don't know that January 1 through March 30 is another "open enrollment period."

The short explanation of this Catch 22-ish arrangement is, if you don't like the change you made in November-December, you can fire that insurance company and hire another in January-February-March. Only thing is, you can't start or drop Part D prescription drug coverage. Rules are rules, you know.

If you're confused, never mind the tangled Medicare Website, call 1-800-MEDICARE. Believe it or not, it's an excellent information source where you talk to real people who know their business. DN

Comments?

The Blog
Congrats, Jeff, Sandra, Kathryn.

David Edelstein, the movie critic on CBS's Sunday Morning, got it right. If he won, Jeff Bridges would win for his career, not necessarily "Crazy Heart." Last night's awards seemed to reflect a certain shift in perspective among Hollywood's voting elite.

The shiny, new, hottest of the hot actors didn't win big. The seasoned veterans took the statues home.

If you look for signs, and I do, the 82nd Oscars were a coming of age, with a capital "A". If the big story line was that Kathryn Bigelow and James Cameron used to be married, we had to go back twenty-plus years to put it together. Both are sixty-ish and earned their accolades not only with talent, but actual years.

And Sandra. What can I say? She's no Meryl, but she's earned her Oscar with solid performances.

Maybe we're getting comfortable with our age after all. Am I wrong?


— Dave Newton	Click here, comment, read more →

Poles Apart

		Up or Down.
		Bill and I have it out about President Obama's persistent but futile attempt to get Republicans to work on healthcare reform. We don't get any closer than he did. Click here

Liz Taylor (Not that one -- This Liz is a leading aging authority.)

Liz

I'm about to become homeless...but there are lots of solutions out there for people like me. I'm talking about all of it on my blog. Come talk with me, here.

3rdActs Manifesto

What's a 3rd Act?

I've decided I'm going to live a long time. I mean a really long time. I hope I can convince you to do the same. Here's the first in a new series of articles I'm writing to explain 3rdActs.com, and to seduce you into becoming a modern person of age.

Men Interviewing Badly

Bill Bill Hurme writes: I’ve seen quite a few older men recently, coming in to talk about working for our company—like, maybe, fifteen or sixteen guys over 50 in the past couple of years. They don't just interview badly. They're rotten.