What Makes a Great Travel Companion, How Exercise May Slow Muscle Aging, and 10 Tax-Efficient Retirement Withdrawal Strategies

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Fiction: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman – Four retirees at a peaceful English retirement village investigate unsolved crimes for fun, but when a real murder occurs nearby, their amateur detective skills face an unexpected test.

History (Non-Fiction): London: Water and the Making of the Modern City by John Broich – This fascinating history explores the political, economic, and social battles over London's water supply and how they helped transform the rapidly growing city.

Memoir: The Collected Schizophrenias by Esmé Weijun Wang – This powerful collection of personal essays explores living with schizoaffective disorder, examining diagnosis, stigma, identity, and the challenges of navigating everyday life with serious mental illness.

Self-Help: The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma – This inspirational fable follows a successful lawyer who abandons his high-pressure career to discover greater happiness, purpose, and balance through ancient wisdom.

Romance: The Kiss Thief by L.J. Shen – A young heiress caught between her first love and a ruthless, powerful senator finds herself trapped in an arranged marriage filled with secrets, rivalry, and unexpected passion.

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You can enjoy someone's company enormously and still discover that you shouldn't travel together.

Travel has a way of revealing habits you might never notice over lunch, an afternoon visit, or even an extended weekend stay at the person’s house. One person wants to be out the door by 7:00 a.m.; another considers 9:30 an early start. One wants a defined itinerary; another wants to wander and let the day’s events come to them. One arrives at the airport three hours early; another believes there's plenty of time right up until the gate closes.

While wonderful travel companions don't have to share identical personalities or mindsets,  some similarities in this regard is always beneficial. And when they do differ, they usually understand how to accommodate each other.

Delayed trains, rainy afternoons, closed attractions, wrong turns—something almost always goes differently than expected when travelling.

A good travel companion can take the deviation in stride and say, "Well, what shall we do instead?" rather than allowing one disappointment to spoil the day.

A person’s exact reaction is hard to identify beforehand, but some signs can help. Pay attention to how someone handles small inconveniences in everyday life. Flexibility at home often translates to flexibility elsewhere.

Many travel disagreements aren't really about the destination. They're about expectations that were never discussed ahead of time.

Before travelling together, compare notes:

You don't need identical answers. You simply need to know where you may have to compromise so that any disagreement doesn’t come as a surprise.

Perhaps you could happily spend three hours in an art museum while your companion would rather explore the local shops. That’s fine. There's no rule saying you must spend every minute together.

Some of the easiest travel companions are perfectly comfortable saying, "You do that, I'll do this, and we'll meet for dinner at six." A little independence can even make the time you spend together more enjoyable.

Good travel companions notice what needs doing.

One checks the train schedule while the other watches the luggage. Someone remembers the room number; someone else finds a restaurant. Neither person expects the other to organize everything.

Both people also recognize differences in preferences also applies to these responsibilities: If one person prefers to go on guided tours, that person won’t begrudge their companion when they don’t book the guide. 

And when somebody inevitably forgets something, it becomes a story rather than a grievance.

A wonderful travel companion isn't necessarily the person who shares every one of your interests. It's someone whose habits, expectations, flexibility, and sense of humor make the inevitable surprises of travel easier to navigate.

The destination matters—but the person beside you shapes how you'll experience it.

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.

There are probably things you once worried about that you can't even remember worrying about. That's worth remembering the next time you worry.

The discount: Caesars Rewards

What it gives you: Caesars Rewards members age 50+ can access discounted rates through the 50+ travel program at participating Caesars properties

How to claim it: Sign in to Caesars Rewards and book eligible 50+ rates

“The Library Card”
From the life overview of Martha L., 76, Madison, Wisconsin. Shared with permission.

When I was eight years old, my mother took me to the public library to get my first library card. It was 1958, and at the time, the card itself seemed like a wonderful thing. It even had my name printed on it. I also thought it was amazing how the librarian stamped the due date on a little slip inside each book.

I went there every Saturday.

At first, I would pick whatever had the most interesting cover. Then I learned about different genres. I especially enjoyed mysteries. I read Nancy Drew, then anything else I could find that involved a missing person, a secret passage, or a suspicious neighbor.

One Saturday, I checked out six books.

The librarian looked at the stack. “Are you going to read all of these?”

“Yes,” I answered.

She raised an eyebrow.

But I did read them all.

My mother would sometimes have to come looking for me at the library because I was sitting on the floor between the shelves reading and had lost track of time.

I still have my first library card. The edges are worn, and the ink has almost completely faded.

I haven’t used it in decades. Libraries have changed a lot since 1958.

But I kept the card anyway.

It makes me feel eight years old again and reminds me what it was like discovering that I could walk into a building, choose a story I liked, and take it home with me.

That still seems like a pretty good deal.

***

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There's something captivating about watching a film made decades before you were born—or revisiting one you haven't seen in years. From the witty dialogue of 1930s screwball comedies to the suspense of Alfred Hitchcock and the sweeping musicals of Hollywood's golden age, classic cinema offers an enormous world to explore.

Watching old movies can become much more than an occasional pastime. With a little curiosity, it can turn into a rewarding hobby filled with discoveries.

If you're not sure where to begin, explore the American Film Institute's 100 greatest American movies. The list includes celebrated films such as Casablanca, Citizen Kane, Singin' in the Rain, and The Wizard of Oz.

Rather than trying to watch everything, choose a theme. You might spend a month exploring film noir, romantic comedies, Westerns, or the work of a particular director.

Turner Classic Movies offers a programming schedule featuring films from different eras, along with introductions and historical context.

For streaming, The Criterion Channel features classic, international, independent, and historically significant films, often accompanied by interviews and special features.

You can also explore Kanopy, which offers films through participating public libraries. Availability depends on your library's collection and membership.

Part of the pleasure of classic cinema is understanding how movies were made and why certain films became influential.

The British Film Institute's Sight and Sound greatest films poll is an excellent resource for discovering internationally acclaimed movies and exploring film criticism.

You might also read about the development of Technicolor, early sound films, practical special effects, or the careers of influential actors and directors.

Invite a few friends to watch one classic movie each month, then discuss it afterward. Choose a different decade, genre, or director for each gathering.

Keep a film journal with titles, release years, favorite performances, and memorable scenes. You could even rate each film and create your own personal list of favorites.

The best part of exploring classic movies is realizing that cinema history isn't something you have to study formally. Sometimes all it takes is pressing play on a film you've never seen before.

Keeping hotel reservations, flight details, and rental car confirmations in one place can make traveling much easier. Instead of searching through emails at the check-in counter, you can save important information directly on your phone.

On an iPhone, open a reservation email or webpage, tap Share, and select Save to Files if available. You can also take a screenshot and find it later in the Photos app.

On Android, open your confirmation and look for Download, Print > Save as PDF, or take a screenshot.

Create a folder in your Files app named after your trip, such as "Florida Vacation 2026," and store your confirmations there.

For supported reservations, you may also see an Add to Apple Wallet or Add to Google Wallet button.

Internet access isn't always reliable in airports, hotels, or unfamiliar destinations. Before leaving, make sure your important confirmations are downloaded to your device rather than stored only online.

Save the hotel address, check-in time, confirmation number, and contact information.

If you're using Google Drive or another cloud storage service, look for a Make available offline option.

Keeping a screenshot of each confirmation provides an additional backup that you can quickly access without an internet connection.

Today: Taormina, Sicily

Perched above the Mediterranean, Taormina offers spectacular sea views, ancient ruins, elegant streets, and the dramatic backdrop of Mount Etna. It’s a wonderful place to experience Sicily without moving from town to town every day.

Ingrid’s Tip: Choose your hotel location carefully because Taormina has plenty of hills and steps. A centrally located property can make evenings and sightseeing much easier.

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: Classic cartoon bird famous for his distinctive laugh.

DOWOY DOWOPEKREC

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