The Importance of Taking a Break Before You Need One, Alcohol and Aging, and What to Know Before Making Financial Gifts

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History (Non-Fiction): Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher by Timothy Egan – This compelling history follows photographer Edward Curtis and his decades-long quest to document the lives and cultures of Native American peoples.

Memoir: Beyond the Edge: A Survivor’s Tale by Chelsey Klein – This memoir recounts a journey through adversity and survival, exploring the resilience required to rebuild a life after extraordinary hardship.

Self-Help: Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey – This practical guide explores how to manage attention more deliberately, reduce distractions, and focus deeply on what matters most.

Romance: Emma by Jane Austen – A confident young matchmaker meddles in the romantic lives of those around her while remaining surprisingly blind to the possibilities in her own heart.

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.

Many people wait until they're completely exhausted before giving themselves permission to rest. The problem is that by then, a short break is almost never enough.

Whether you're caring for someone else, volunteering, managing a busy household, or simply juggling life's responsibilities, taking regular breaks is one of the best ways to maintain your energy over the long term.

Notably, a break doesn't have to mean taking a vacation or a full week to yourself. Often, it's the small pauses built into everyday life that make the biggest difference.

These breaks can be almost anything:

These moments aren't "wasted time." They help you return to your responsibilities feeling more focused and refreshed.

If you're supporting a friend or family member, taking a break can feel especially difficult. Some people worry they're being selfish by stepping away for an afternoon or asking someone else to help.

In reality, accepting support is often what allows you to continue being there for the long run. Taking care of someone is a difficult, demanding task, and it’s normal to get tired or overwhelmed. Even small breaks can make a big difference.

If someone offers to prepare a meal, stay with your loved one for an hour, or help with errands, consider saying yes. Many people appreciate having a practical way to help.

It's also worth paying attention to the early signs that you may need a pause. Feeling unusually irritable, having trouble concentrating, or losing enthusiasm for activities you normally enjoy can all be reminders that it's time to slow down for a while.

Far from taking away from the person you’re supporting, taking some time to recharge your battery will mean you have more energy and attention to devote to them later.

Rest isn't something we earn only after we've reached our limit. It's an important part of living well. Taking a break before you feel overwhelmed helps protect your energy, your perspective, and your ability to enjoy the people and activities that matter most.

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.

Today's assignment: notice one thing that's better than it was 20 years ago.

The discount: Applebee's

What it gives you: Some franchises offer 10–15% off for customers age 60+ or 65+

How to claim it: Ask your server if the location participates

“The Photograph Booth”
From the life overview of Carol F., 76, Buffalo, New York. Shared with permission.

In 1968, my best friend Nancy and I had our photographs taken in one of those little booths at the bus station.

We were eighteen and had spent the afternoon shopping downtown. While we were waiting for our bus, we noticed the booth and decided it would be fun to take pictures there.

We had four poses. In the first, we were smiling normally. In the second, Nancy crossed her eyes. In the third, I puffed out my cheeks. In the fourth, we both tried to look serious.

We thought the pictures were hilarious, and I kept them in my wallet for years.

Nancy moved to California after college. We wrote letters for a while, then postcards, then Christmas cards. Eventually, we lost touch.

In 2009, I was cleaning out a desk and found the photographs again. It was the first time I had looked at them in decades.

When I searched for Nancy online, I found her daughter. She told me Nancy was living in Arizona.

She gave me Nancy’s phone number, and we spoke for nearly two hours that evening.

The first thing Nancy asked was, “Do you still have those stupid pictures?”

I told her I did.

She said, “I have mine too.”

We started visiting each other again, now that we’re both in our seventies.

The photographs are still terrible. But I’m glad neither of us threw them away.

***

Want to preserve for future generations the stories, experiences, and wisdom that have shaped your life?
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Sounds of the Forest
This interactive map gathers recordings made in forests and woodlands around the world. Click around the globe to hear birds in India, rainfall in South America, insects in Australia, or the quiet rustle of a European woodland. Headphones recommended—not because you need them, but because they make the five-minute escape considerably better.

HowStuffWorks
Why does stainless steel resist rust? How does a lie detector work? What actually happens when lightning strikes an airplane? HowStuffWorks has spent decades answering the sorts of questions that occur to you unexpectedly and then refuse to leave your brain. Browse by subject or simply follow whatever question catches your attention.

Friendship fraud: warnings of rise in ‘insidious’ scam targeting older people

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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Pie making has a reputation for being finicky, but most of the skill comes from learning a few repeatable techniques. Once you understand how dough should feel, how much filling to use, and when a pie is truly finished baking, you can move far beyond the recipes you've always made.

A good place to begin is a basic all-butter crust. This step-by-step pie crust guide explains everything from mixing and rolling dough to transferring it into the pan and crimping the edges.

Keep the ingredients cool and avoid working the dough more than necessary. If rolling a perfect circle feels impossible at first, don't worry. Pie dough is remarkably forgiving once it's tucked into the pan.

Fruit, custard, cream, and nut pies don't all behave the same way. Some fillings go directly into an unbaked shell, while others require a partially or fully baked crust.

King Arthur Baking's guide to blind baking pie crust explains when and how to prebake a crust. For fruit pies, this fruit pie thickener guide helps you choose the right amount of flour, cornstarch, or other thickener for different fruits.

Instead of attempting an elaborate lattice-topped creation immediately, make a straightforward pie several times. A classic apple pie recipe is a useful place to practice rolling, filling, sealing, and judging doneness.

Once you're comfortable, experiment with lattice crusts. This lattice pie crust tutorial walks through the weaving process step by step.

Write down which apples you used, whether the crust browned too quickly, how long the filling took to bubble, and anything you'd change next time. Those observations are how a reliable "house pie" gradually develops.

And don't discard an imperfect one. A crooked crust or runny slice still tastes like pie—and learning what went wrong is considerably easier when you get to eat the evidence.

YouTube includes several features that can make videos, menus, and controls easier to use. A few small adjustments can make a noticeable difference, especially on a phone or computer screen.

For a larger video, select the full-screen icon in the lower-right corner of the video player. On a computer, you can also press F to enter or leave full screen.

If YouTube’s text and buttons are too small, enlarge the entire webpage using your browser’s zoom controls. On Windows, press Ctrl and +; on a Mac, press Command and +. Use the minus key instead to reduce the size.

For spoken content, select the CC button on a video to turn captions on when they’re available.

When you’re signed in, YouTube’s You section puts your viewing history, playlists, and saved videos in one place. The Subscriptions section collects new videos from channels you’ve chosen to follow.

If a video is playing too quickly, select the gear icon > Playback speed and choose a slower setting. You can also use the gear menu to adjust caption appearance and video quality.

Today: Savannah, Georgia

Savannah’s leafy squares, historic homes, riverfront, and relaxed Southern atmosphere make it a destination where wandering is part of the experience. There’s plenty of history, but you don’t need a hectic itinerary to enjoy it.

Ingrid’s Tip: Take a trolley tour early in your stay. It’s a comfortable way to get oriented, and afterward you can return to the neighborhoods and sights that interested you most.

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: Board game built around constructing a complicated trap.

MOSEU APRT

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