How to Find Activities Without the Commitment, What to Know About RSV in Adults, and Which States Don’t Tax Pension Income

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History (Non-Fiction): The Romanovs: 1613–1918 by Simon Sebag Montefiore – This sweeping history chronicles three centuries of ambition, intrigue, excess, and upheaval within Russia’s ruling Romanov dynasty.

Memoir: Permanent Record by Edward Snowden – Edward Snowden recounts his path from intelligence contractor to whistleblower and the decisions that led him to expose secret government surveillance.

Self-Help: The Upside of Stress by Kelly McGonigal – Kelly McGonigal draws on research to show how changing the way you think about stress can improve resilience, performance, and well-being.

Romance: The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center – An aspiring screenwriter gets the chance of a lifetime rewriting a romantic comedy with a famous writer who doesn’t believe in love.

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Not every enjoyable activity needs to become a standing appointment on the calendar. While clubs, volunteer positions, and weekly classes can be rewarding, many people also appreciate activities they can enjoy whenever the mood strikes, without worrying about attendance, schedules, or letting anyone down. Indeed, sometimes the most relaxing hobbies are the ones that ask nothing of you except your interest.

One of the pleasures of having greater control over your schedule is the ability to decide what you'd like to do today rather than what you committed to weeks ago.

An open day could lead anywhere:

These outings can happen whenever the weather is nice, your schedule is open, or inspiration strikes—but only if your calendar isn’t packed with obligations.

Some activities fit naturally into the spaces between other plans. A book can be read in chapter-long sessions. A jigsaw puzzle can be solved 10 minutes at a time over several weeks. Knitting can be picked up whenever you have to time sit. Learning to identify birds can come up any time you hear or spot one in your backyard.

With casual hobbies, there are no deadlines, no meetings, and no expectations. You simply continue where you left off whenever you return.

Many communities offer opportunities that don't require membership or long-term commitment.

For instance, on a free afternoon, you might

These experiences provide variety without needing to fill your calendar months in advance.

Sometimes people overlook enjoyable activities because they don't see themselves becoming deeply involved in them. But not every interest has to become a major hobby. You might spend one afternoon learning about native wildflowers, trying a new recipe from another country, visiting a nearby town you've never explored, or watching a documentary that sparks your curiosity.

It's perfectly fine for an interest to last a day, a week, or a month before something else captures your attention—and when something else does, follow that curiosity.

Many people enjoy having a few reliable activities that are always available whenever there's an open afternoon. These can be at home, such as baking bread, painting watercolors, or gardening, or somewhere nearby, such as visiting a favorite walking trail, perusing the local farmers’ market, or photographing local landscapes.

Because these activities don't depend on anyone else's schedule, they remain available whenever you need or want them.

One interesting discovery for many people is that an open afternoon doesn't always need to be filled.

Sometimes the freedom to decide not to make plans is just as satisfying as doing something. Watching whatever movie is on TV, enjoying a leisurely lunch, or simply sitting outside watching the neighborhood go by can be every bit as rewarding as a busy outing. The absence of commitment can be part of the enjoyment.

Activities don't have to become obligations to add meaning to life. Some of the most enjoyable experiences are the ones chosen simply because they sound appealing that day, with no expectation of turning them into a permanent fixture on your calendar.

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.

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“The Year I Learned to Drive a Bus”
From the life overview of Marilyn T., 78, Columbus, Ohio. Shared with permission.

It was the fall of 1967. At twenty years old, newly married, and still trying to figure out what to do with my life, I got a job driving a city bus in Columbus. My husband, Carl, worked at a machine shop. Money was so tight for us that we kept a jar of quarters on top of the refrigerator for groceries.

When the bus company hired me, I had to complete several weeks of training before I could start working. I had to learn the routes, of course. But more importantly, I also had to learn how to operate a forty-foot bus without destroying a mailbox. My instructor, Mr. Hanley, sat beside me with a clipboard. His face suggested that he’d seen every mistake a person could make. On my first day driving alone, I missed my turn downtown and found myself on a street I had never seen before. Three passengers noticed the mistake before I did. One man simply asked, “You know this isn’t Broad Street, don’t you?”

I eventually got comfortable with the job. I even learned which passengers wanted to talk and which ones preferred to be left alone. I knew the regulars by their stops. For example, there was Mrs. Pritchard at the bakery, two high-school boys who always argued about baseball, and a nurse who rode home every night carrying the same brown paper bag.

I drove that bus for almost three years. I quit when Carl and I had our first child, but decades later, I still recall that strange sense of pride I felt when sitting behind that enormous steering wheel. During that time, I was the young woman who knew every corner of Columbus—and could get forty people to their destinations without hitting a mailbox.

***

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Radiooooo
Choose a country and a decade, then hear music from that place and time. You might jump from 1960s Brazil to 1980s Japan or explore what people were listening to in the United States during your favorite decade. It’s a wonderfully unpredictable way to discover music—and occasionally stumble across a song you haven’t heard in years.

Smithsonian’s National Zoo – Live Animal Cams
These live cameras offer a real-time look at animals including elephants, lions, naked mole-rats, and other residents of the National Zoo. There’s no script, so you might catch feeding, playing, napping, or absolutely nothing happening—which is part of the charm. It’s an easy way to enjoy a few unscheduled minutes of animal watching from home.

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

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If you've always wanted to play piano, there's no expiration date on starting. You don't need ambitions of performing onstage, either. Learning a favorite song, playing holiday music with family, or simply enjoying a few minutes at the keyboard each day can make the effort worthwhile.

If you already have a piano, wonderful. If not, a digital piano is often the easiest way to begin. Look for 88 full-size, weighted keys if you want an instrument that feels similar to an acoustic piano. Headphone capability is another useful feature when you want to practice without filling the whole house with your latest attempt at "Moon River."

One beginner option is the Roland FP-10 digital piano, which has 88 weighted keys, built-in speakers, a headphone connection, and a metronome.

Scales and exercises have their place, but playing recognizable music makes practicing much more satisfying. Start with simple melodies and basic chords, then gradually tackle more challenging arrangements.

Hoffman Academy's free piano lessons provide step-by-step video instruction you can follow at home. If you'd rather learn face-to-face, ask local music schools, community colleges, and independent music stores about private lessons. Tell the teacher what kind of music you actually want to play so lessons can be shaped around your interests.

You don't need an hour every day. Fifteen or twenty focused minutes can be more productive than a long session once a week. Spend a few minutes reviewing something familiar, work slowly on one difficult section, and finish by playing something you enjoy.

Don't worry about how quickly someone else might learn the same piece. Piano isn't a race. The real payoff comes when your hands finally find the notes you've been working on—and a song that once seemed impossible suddenly sounds like music.

Most websites need some information to complete a task. The important question is whether what they’re asking for makes sense for what you’re trying to do.

Before entering personal information, consider whether it is necessary. An online store may reasonably need your mailing address to ship an order, while a website offering a recipe has no reason to ask for your Social Security number.

Be especially cautious when a site requests your Social Security number, bank account information, date of birth, driver’s license number, or answers to personal security questions. Even requests for your phone number or full birth date deserve a second look if they aren’t clearly needed.

Fields marked “optional” can usually be left blank. If a website insists on information that seems unrelated to the service, don’t enter it just to get past the screen. Instead, leave the site and access the organization through its official website or contact it directly.

A useful rule: The less personal information you share online, the less information there is to misuse if a website or company suffers a data breach.

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Unmissable American gem: Hocking Hills, Ohio is a scenic southeastern Ohio destination known for its dramatic rock formations, waterfalls, forested trails, and peaceful countryside that make it a refreshing getaway for nature lovers.

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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: Romantic film starring Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal

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