Creating a Reading Corner You’ll Actually Use, Walking to Help Delay Alzheimer’s, and Preserving Wealth With a Dynasty Trust

You're receiving this because you signed up on our website. Want to unsubscribe? Just reply to this email with the words “no thanks.”

First-time reader? Join 23,865 other seniors for free.

History (Non-Fiction): Skeletons on the Zahara by Dean King – This harrowing history recounts the true story of American sailors shipwrecked off Africa who endured enslavement and a desperate journey across the Sahara.

Memoir: Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen – This candid memoir traces a journey from a working-class New Jersey childhood to rock stardom, revealing the experiences behind the music.

Self-Help: The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan – This practical guide shows how focusing on your most important priority can reduce distractions and produce extraordinary results.

Romance: A Room with a View by E.M. Forster – A young Englishwoman must choose between convention and passion after an unexpected romance in Italy changes how she sees her future.

No matter where you are in the process—an idea, an outline, a rough draft, or an almost-finished manuscript—we can help you get your book across the finish line.

ProofreadingServices.com and MemoirGhostwriting.com (both run by us) offer developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, proofreading, formatting, interior and cover design, ebook formatting, and publishing and marketing support.

Not sure what you need? Get a FREE publishing consultation here. We’ll hop on a call, look at where you are, and help you figure out the best path to a finished book.

Check a few boxes, and we’ll match you with trusted options and initial consultations—many completely free—across insurance, housing, travel, finances, and more. It takes about five minutes, and you’re not committing to anything—just seeing what can save you time and energy.

Making a habit of reading can sometimes be as much about where you read as what you read. A comfortable place to read doesn't require a home library or a dedicated room. In fact, some of the best spots occupy little more than a chair beside a window.

The key is creating a space that works so well for you that you'll naturally want to use it—whether you're settling in with a novel, the newspaper, or the latest issue of your favorite magazine.

A beautiful chair isn't useful if you're uncomfortable after 20 minutes. Choose one that provides the support you prefer and makes it easy to get comfortable.

Then pay attention to the small things you normally need once you've sat down:

The goal is to avoid getting settled only to realize you've left something across the room. A quick disruption here or there may seem minor, but it’s much easier to immerse yourself in the pages before you when you don’t have to worry about setting them down every couple of minutes.

Good lighting can make the difference between reading comfortably and giving up after a few pages.

Natural light beside a window is wonderful during the day, but you'll also want a lamp for evenings and cloudy afternoons. Position it so the light falls directly onto your book without creating glare or casting a shadow across the page.

The good news is that you don’t need major renovations to achieve sufficient lighting. If your current lamp isn't quite bright enough, changing the bulb may be all that's needed.

Before buying anything new, look around your home for an underused corner.

Perhaps there's space beside a bedroom window, at one end of the living room, near a bookshelf in the dining room, or even on a covered porch during warmer months.

You may already have everything you need—you just have to do some rearranging.

And don't make the space so precious that you're reluctant to use it. A reading corner should invite you to settle in, put down your coffee, and stay awhile.

Whether you want to read more or just want a better place to fill your literary hours, a thoughtfully arranged reading spot removes the little inconveniences that can get in the way of a pastime you enjoy. It doesn't need to look like it belongs in a decorating magazine. It simply needs to be comfortable, well lit, convenient, and yours.

We're looking for seniors who are embracing life with enthusiasm, purpose, and adventure. Whether you're traveling the world, starting a business, volunteering, pursuing a passion, learning new skills, or simply making the most of every day, we'd love to hear your story.

Think that might be you?

Email [email protected] with a photo and a short bio. We may feature you in an upcoming edition of Seniors Magazine.

What's something you own that you've had for more than 30 years? There's probably a story behind it. Ask yourself what that story is.

The discount: Piggly Wiggly

What it gives you: Participating locations offer senior discount days, often around 5% off for customers age 60+

How to claim it: Ask your local store for the senior discount schedule

“The Bookstore on Main Street”
From the life overview of Richard D., 74, Portland, Maine. Shared with permission.

When I was twenty-five, I worked in a small bookstore on Main Street in Portland. It was supposed to be a temporary job while I was trying to decide what I wanted to do next.

I ended up spending four years there.

The store was owned by a woman named Mrs. Kaplan. She had been there since the 1950s, knew every regular customer, and could find almost any book without looking at the computer.

There were quite a few regulars, such as a retired professor who came in every Tuesday, a mother who bought mysteries for her husband, and a little boy who spent an hour every Saturday reading comic books despite never buying anything.

Mrs. Kaplan didn’t mind.

One winter afternoon, the little boy came in carrying a handful of coins. “I have $1.12. What can I get for it?” he asked

Mrs. Kaplan looked at the money. “Nothing today.”

His face fell.

Then she reached under the counter and handed him a paperback. “This one’s free.”

He took it, thanked her, and ran out with a big smile on his face.

I asked her why she did that.

She shrugged. “His mother can’t afford books.”

Years later, when I had children of my own, I understood her decision.

I also understood why she had pretended it was nothing.

***

Want to preserve for future generations the stories, experiences, and wisdom that have shaped your life?
Have Your Life Overview Written

Radio Aporee – Sounds of the World
Instead of seeing what another place looks like, hear what it actually sounds like. This enormous collaborative sound map contains thousands of recordings made in cities, villages, forests, train stations, markets, coastlines, and other locations around the world. Click a point on the map and you might suddenly find yourself listening to a street corner in Berlin or a morning in rural Japan.

Patatap
Turn your computer keyboard into an instrument that produces both sounds and colorful moving shapes. Each key triggers a different combination, so simply tapping letters and experimenting with rhythms creates an audiovisual performance on the screen. There are no instructions to master or scores to chase—just play around and see what you can make.

Disturbing Tom Selleck link discovered after couple found dead in country club home despite family’s bid to save them

This daily section is brought to you by MemoirGhostwriting.com, experts in capturing life stories for loved ones and/or the public.

Take a few minutes to jot down your thoughts. Even a few sentences are a memory preserved for loved ones. Some people begin by writing on their own—or even using AI tools—but many eventually decide they’d rather simply talk and have their story shaped into something lasting. That’s where we come in.

Do you want to ensure your story, values, and family history aren't lost?

A bookmark is one of those crafts that can be as simple or elaborate as you want. A strip of sturdy paper and a pen are enough to get started, but you can also experiment with watercolor, photographs, fabric, pressed flowers, decorative paper, or ribbon. Because each project is small, it's an easy way to try a new technique without committing to a larger craft.

For a basic bookmark, cut cardstock into a rectangle roughly 2 inches wide and 6–8 inches long. Decorate it with drawings, stamps, patterned paper, photographs, favorite quotations, or even a list of books you'd like to read.

If you'd rather begin with a ready-made layout, Canva's printable bookmark templates can be customized with your own colors, words, photographs, and illustrations before printing.

Bookmarks are excellent miniature canvases. Try painting a simple watercolor wash, creating a geometric pattern with colored pencils, or adding a hole at the top and threading ribbon through it.

For another idea, this watercolor bookmark project uses a resist technique with crayons and watercolor paint and includes step-by-step instructions.

Print a favorite family photograph and mount it on cardstock, use a photocopy of a handwritten recipe, or add a small reproduction of a child's drawing. You could also make bookmarks from old greeting cards or attractive scraps of wrapping paper that would otherwise be discarded.

If you'd like to design bookmarks digitally and print several at once, Avery's guide to making printable bookmarks explains how to create them at home using templates and cardstock.

Bookmarks make easy additions to birthday cards, holiday gifts, or books you're giving to friends. Create several at once and personalize each one with the recipient's name, favorite colors, or interests.

They're useful, inexpensive, and wonderfully forgiving—and unlike many craft projects, you can actually finish one before your cup of coffee gets cold.

With news arriving through websites, social media, email, and text messages, it isn’t always obvious where a claim originated. A few quick checks can help you decide how much confidence to place in what you’re reading.

A trustworthy article should make it possible to determine where its information came from. Look for named reporters, direct quotations, links to original documents, identifiable experts, and specific data rather than vague phrases such as “experts say.”

For important claims, look for the original source. If an article discusses a new government rule, for example, see whether the relevant government agency has published the information itself. For medical research, look for the actual study or guidance from a major medical organization.

A professional-looking website or familiar logo isn’t proof that information is accurate. Check the publication date, since old stories and images are frequently recirculated without their original context.

Then see whether other established, independent news organizations are reporting the same basic facts. If a startling claim appears on only one unfamiliar website or social media account, wait for additional confirmation. Headlines designed to provoke immediate anger, fear, or excitement are another reason to read carefully before reacting or sharing.

Today: Loire Valley, France

The Loire Valley is known for magnificent châteaux, gardens, vineyards, and peaceful countryside. It’s an especially lovely choice for travelers who enjoy history without the pace of a major city.

Ingrid’s Tip: Don’t try to visit too many châteaux in one day. Choose one or two favorites and leave time for a leisurely lunch or a stop in a nearby village.

Unscramble the letters to find a famous person, event, or object. Think you know it? Reply with your answer and show off your brainpower.

Today’s clue: Talking doll introduced in the late 1950s that became a major toy hit.

TYTACH HCTAY

Help a life story get told, earn thousands: Refer someone to MemoirGhostwriting.com and earn 12% of what they spend, or a 16% donation to your favorite nonprofit. Find out more here.

Explore flexible sales opportunities: CommissionOnly.com gives you access to flexible part-time, work-from-home commission-only roles you can apply to. Find out more here.

Disclaimer: Some links in this newsletter are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, Seniors Magazine may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The content of the newsletter is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as financial, legal, or health advice. We may also share polling responses with advertisers to help keep this newsletter free.