From the January/February 2010 issue:

From Perry Neubauer, Cambridge, Massachusetts:

A word of praise for The Essayist: This is immediate and spontaneous, as he recommends [PRAISE December 2009]. I always read his stuff and enjoy it almost as much as his cooking and his violin playing.

From the December 2009 issue:

From Dr. Kate F. Hays, Toronto, Ontario:

[To the Essayist] I just read your "Essayist" on exercise [November 2009]. First, of all, congratulations on getting yourself to the Y – and sticking with it. That's terrific! Second, as a psychologist who specializes in (among other things) the psychological factors related to physical activity/exercise, I was very interested to read of your sense that you really should be doing something aerobic in addition to the weights work that you're doing.

Not that you asked, but let me share a few thoughts: there is an insidious (and marvelous) way in which beginning an exercise program in one regard can become a gateway to others. Without knowing you at all, I would suspect that having started with weights, you're now feeling more of a sense of motivation (i.e., internal obligation) toward aerobic exercise. The key, I think, is finding something that does interest you, that you will be willing to do over time. And being willing to be exploratory about that. Curious. Letting yourself discover, rather than assume.

Walking might be just great if you find a way of making it not-boring for yourself, e.g., with company, whether human or radio (NPR can get a person quite a ways or mp3 or . . . ). Or: you seem to get a kick out of numbers. A decent pedometer (inaccurate ones are incredibly frustrating and discouraging) could give you daily steps, whether around the house or outside. Or: there are other ways of nudging up your heartbeat: stationary bike; swimming; x-c skiing, etc. Well, enough of this. I did write a book on this subject. Still available: Move Your Body, Tone Your Mood. Might be of interest to you.

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From the November 2009 issue:

From Anne Wenzel, Manhattan, New York City:

I read some of the essays in Eldercountry the other day and enjoyed them, particularly the one on gift-giving [October 2009]. I believe very much in gift-giving in the moment rather than by occasion. There are a few books of poetry I love so much that I have to keep several copies on my shelf because I tend to give them away spontaneously to whomever I feel they'd move as much as they move me.

From Dr. Frank Lucente, Manhattan, New York City:

I enjoyed your latest issue [October 2009] and particularly liked the essay about gifts. Having recently lost my father on his 96th birthday and now being in the process of cleaning out his house, I am finding a lot of gifts that we both saved over many decades. They bring back a lot of memories. I have a cheese board from 1969 and cookbooks that are even older. What an insightful essay.

From the October 2009 issue:

From Carin Greenberg, Manhattan, New York City:

Thanks for such a lovely article about my mom [Elaine Kussack, SPOTLIGHT September 2009]. We're all very proud of her. She's a great example to all of us about how it's important to keep going and keep striving.

From Irv Weinstein, Irvine, California: I've known Elaine Kussack for nearly a half century. She is an extraordinarily talented and highly motivated actress. At an age when many of her contemporaries have settled into an easy chair to watch television soap operas, Elaine is still very much "in the game." Her continued success does not surprise me one bit.

From Mary Gunderman, New York City:

I thoroughly enjoyed the story about Elaine Kussack . . . inspiring.

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From the September 2009 issue:

From Ted Stanton, Houston, Texas:

The good piece on excuses [The Essayist, July/August 2009] prompted thoughts: Roy [the Eldercountry Lawyer] used the changing-clothes excuse a long time ago, as I recall the story. Chased by a bullies after school he ran up the hill, then stopped and agreed to fight 'em, but first, he said, he had to go into the house to change his clothes or his mom would have a fit. And the bullies said okay.

Editor's Note: Many thanks to an old friend for recalling this story. It truly happened, but slightly differently. It was one bully, and he didn't say okay. A neighboring boy who was Roy's age, about ten, but bigger, lifted the bully by the collar and said, "Leave him alone," and the bully did.

From the July/August 2009 issue:

From Dr. Charles L. Walter, LaGrange, Kentucky:

That is a fine profile of Florence Denmark [SPOTLIGHT June 2009]. She has advanced women across the world. She makes Penn grads proud.

From the June 2009 issue:

From Linda Durnbaugh, Kirtland, Ohio:

I always enjoy the essays, but thought the recent one on "Fishing" [May 2009] especially prescient, since Obama said in a recent graduation address at Notre Dame that "we are all fishermen." Am wondering about The Essayist's take on that analogy. In the grand scheme of things, I'm thinking more world leaders need to go fishing together.

From Roger West, Montclair, New Jersey:

From the Check It Out section regarding compact fluorescent bulbs and labels [May 2009], the question came up, Do you remember the union label song? Well, only fragments. It’s findable on the Internet, but it’s more fun to remember the fragments –

“Look for the union label, when you are buying a house dress or coat, Remember somewhere [memory gets fuzzy around here], We work hard but who's complaining [love that part!], So always look for the union label, It means we’re able to make it in the USA!!!!”

Great song! Probably hasn’t helped America’s knitting/weaving/clothing industry, but it was fun while it lasted.

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From the May 2009 issue:

From Sally Friedman, Moorestown, New Jersey:

Oh my . . .

I just read your essay [IMPATIENCE April 2009] and discovered a kindred – dare I say it? – impatient – spirit. I've rushed through life at top speed, and only now, as older age slows me down in both real and metaphoric terms, I'm realizing how much energy I've wasted on fuming in that supermarket line.

Of course I married a man who is never in a rush, who admittedly never "grabs a bite" or "jumps in the shower." Nearly 50 years of this togetherness hasn't really changed either one of us because those tendencies are hard-wired. But I've managed to speed him up as we make the dash to make the train we almost missed because I was primping, and he does slow me down (blessedly) so that I'm not arrested for driving above the speed limit.

Thanks for the delightful reminder that those symbolic slips on the ice are preventable!

Still loving Eldercountry.

From Paul Martin, Sr., Staten Island, New York City:

Loved the latest issue. I think I'm precisely as (im)patient as your essayist!

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From the April 2009 issue:

From Luceil Carroll, Manhattan, New York City:

The article about manners [The Essayist, MANNERS, March 2009] brought to mind my Auntie Mame aunt who, when we were little, told us that she had a glass eye and, in a mild voice, told us that if we did not behave properly at the table she would take out the eye and roll it down the table. If you were slumping or had your elbows on the table a small eye movement on her part would make you quickly sit up straight and put your hands in your lap!

Two other Tía stories (she preferred the Spanish version of her name, hence we had to call her Tía): she always claimed she could cook and once I complimented her on a lemon roll she served, and then found out she had bought a jelly roll and unwound it.

Tía was shaped like a pouter pigeon and her front was like a wonderful suitcase—out would come a handkerchief, a pince-nez, a rosary, etc., etc.

I also should add she gave me my first watch, my first bike, my first evening gown and my first credit card.

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