In the second of two episodes, we continue our discussion of modern retirement with Steve Lopez, a longtime columnist for the LA Times. Steve is also a four-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and a bestselling New York Times author. His latest book, Independence Day, documents his year-long search for the answer to the question confronting many…

In the first of two episodes, we discuss modern retirement with Steve Lopez, a longtime columnist for the LA Times. Steve is also a four-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and a bestselling New York Times author. His latest book, Independence Day, documents his year-long search for the answer to the question confronting many senior citizens. When…

Happy hour with the codger wives is always a fun way to relax after a rigorous day of investigating snowbird life. During a round of whiskey sours, the old codgers and their better halves discussed retirement, winter vacations, and snowbirding. The consensus was a few warm days in the sunshine while winter was still raging…

ChatGPT and seniors drive this week’s discussion. It’s everywhere in the media and we wonder if it’s hype or if it is something people in their golden years should think about. Spoiler alert—the answer is both. It’s a compelling topic attracting boatloads of media attention and represents significant progress in the decades-long effort to move…

Codger snowbirds? Us? You betcha! We’re off for a short visit to Arizona to join our fellow senior citizens in a game of pickleball, a dip in the pool, and hikes in the warm sunshine. Surprisingly enough, even Gary decided that being a snowbird had its good sides. Randy came to that conclusion long ago…

Classic TV of the 50s and 60s included shows ranging from I Love Lucy to Bonanza to The Ed Sullivan Show. Many of the genres such as sitcoms, dramas, and Westerns are still with us today, but variety shows have largely disappeared. Our venues have changed dramatically, too. No longer does the whole family gather…

Seniors and volunteering can seem tightly coupled. After all, who else has the free time that is available to most retired senior citizens? We also like the idea of “giving back” to the communities that nurtured us as we were earning a living and raising our families seems good. But is it for everybody? The…

The old codgers vs ChatGPT? It’s certainly not the battle of the century. In fact, it’s just the old counselors at Camp Codger asking for your assistance. Listen to this short plea for help as they plan an episode about what ChatGPT means for senior citizens. Then send Gary an email (gary@campcodger.com) with your ideas…

How to not get scammed should be easy for senior citizens. We’re experienced, wise old folks who learned, when we were children, the golden rule of scam avoidance—if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Yet the FBI reports that people over 60 lost $1.7 billion to fraud in 2021. Today’s challenge…

The secrets to a happy life are pretty basic as the old codgers discover. A recent book by the leaders of the long-running (84 years!) Harvard Study on Adult Development reports that one path to achieving happiness in our golden years is quite straightforward—senior citizens who have good relationships are happier. The authors lay out…