Blog Posts by ThirdAge.com

Michelle Obama

Jodi Kantor, the author of the newly published best-seller "The Obamas," told a standing-room -only crowd at a New York City Barnes & Noble that she does not consider Michelle Obama an "angry black woman."

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Funny, but that's the impression the First Lady must have received from the much- buzzed-about book. This week on "The CBS Morning Show," Mrs. Obama, discussing the book that has made headlines all over the country, said she was not the angry black woman that she was portrayed as, had never quarreled with the President's first Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel or Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, and, had, not in fact, read the book that is filled with inside-the-White House gossip.

Kantor, who is a "New York Times" reporter and has covered the Obamas for more than seven years, defended her work by saying that either she was an eyewitness to the events she described or had spoken to

January is turning out to be a big month for Betty White. The TV legend was the virtual centerpiece at the People's Choice Awards earlier this week. Not only did she win for Favorite Cable TV Comedy ("Hot In Cleveland"), practically every celebrity on stage paid tribute to her. And this coming week, White celebrates her 90th birthday. For our own salute, here are some things you might not know about the most beloved star in show business:

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Woman Gazing Off

I used to start jotting down notes for my holiday letter right after Labor Day. Summing up what my family and I had done over the year was a cherished ritual I thought I'd never abandon. Yet now, thanks to Facebook, e-mail, text messages, and YouTube, everybody on my list gets regular updates complete with pictures and videos. Not only that, but I enjoy Skype visits fairly often with my far-flung relatives. Consequently, an annual missive would be redundant. I've stopped writing one. I've also stopped buying boxes of expensive Christmas cards and rolls of stamps. When I think back on all the work and money that went into my bulk mailing, I don't miss any of that at all - certainly not the time I spent handwriting the addresses on the envelopes and penning personal notes to many of the recipients.

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I know I'm not alone because in 2011, I received a grand total of three holiday letters

Couple

Although it's well documented the most likely place for modern couples to meet is on line, it is still possible - very possible! - to make a romantic connection in some decidedly unexpected locales.

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It's practically a cliché that couples meet and begin to fall in love with each other at weddings, where love is in the air. But couples have been known to first lay eyes on each other at far less likely venues, including christenings, bar and bat mitzvahs, even wakes and funerals. Why is that? It's because these type of events usually are large or substantial gatherings that bring together family, extended family, and a whole host of family friends. Plus these events are high octane emotional fairgrounds, packed with both testosterone and estrogen.

Less recognized as ideal meeting places are other venues that attract groups of sometimes seemingly disparate people who have something

Couple On Date

The first time you're meeting someone you've only connected with on line can be....freaky. For starters, you're meeting someone who could turn out to be an important person in your life. On the other hand, you don't have a lot invested. You've seen each other's pictures, read each other's profiles, and have texted and phone conversed a few times, but that's all. Still, you want to put your best foot forward - just in case.

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The following are a few dos and don'ts to make the most (and safeguard) your first off-line face- to-face experience.

1. If there's something you've lied about on your profile, for example, your age, when you finally do meet in person, make sure you apologize. Smile and be endearing while you're doing this. Ask him if there's anything he lied about before you met that he'd like to fess up to now. That's a real conversational ice breaker!

2. Don't kiss the

Sad Woman

It's impossible to go through life without regrets.We've all made mistakes that haunt us for years, whether it's staying in an unhealthy relationship, saying something hurtful to a friend, or walking away from an enticing job opportunity. While it's normal to regret the mistakes we've made, we have to get past them. Otherwise, we're putting our future happiness at risk.

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But there are ways to move past your regrets and maybe even come to peace with them. If you are regretting a mistake you have made, here are some steps you can take to move past it:

Apologize. One of the main feelings that accompanies regret is guilt, plain and simple. We may have made the mistake of acting badly and hurting others. Even though it can be scary to bring up heated issues from the past, apologizing is a huge step towards getting rid of your regret. By apologizing to the people you hurt, you are

Woman With Long Straight Hair

Suddenly you experience a racing or pounding heartbeat, or a feeling that you can't catch your breath. You've got flushes or chills, tingling in the hands, feet or arms, jumpiness, or an irrational fear that you're dying or going crazy - and the feeling comes on without warning and without reason. What's going on? You're probably experiencing a panic attack - and you're not the only one. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, over four million Americans suffer from panic attacks.

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Here's the good news: Even though panic attacks can be terrifying, they're not dangerous and there are natural ways to lessen their frequency and to manage them:

Be kind to yourself. People who experience panic tend to be hyper critical of their own behavior. During difficult circumstances, remind yourself that you are doing the best you can.

Lower stress and anxiety by making

With over 100 different forms of arthritis, the usual one seniors suffer with is osteoarthritis. This condition can be the result of age, trauma, or infection of the joint. Pain and stiffness are the results of the disease and unfortunately, both symptoms can worsen over time.

Does the thought of getting a second opinion for something you're facing freak you out a little bit?

Maybe your doctor is telling you to get surgery, or an invasive test, or a procedure you're not sure you need. Perhaps they've found cancer, and you'd like to know more about your options for next steps. Could be your 90-year-old mother is on a respirator and they want to do lung surgery. Should you sign for that? How do you know what to do?

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Getting a second opinion for something significant or high risk is almost always a good idea. But when I talk to my friends about their healthcare concerns, even the most assertive stumble and stammer when they confront the possibility that they might have to tell their doctor they'd like to talk with someone else. To some people it feels like dating two people at once, or turning your back on a trusted friend.

They're sometimes afraid