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This story is based on an interview with Barbara Phillips, 75, a former tech writer who splits her time between Seattle and Saxony, Germany. It has been edited for length and clarity. Loading audio narration… In March 2025, I was recovering from a serious complication to my second hip replacement…
As I get older, I’m surprised by how viscerally I react to my own reflection. My face distracts me on Zoom calls. I angle the camera just so to sharpen my jawline and soften the “marionette” effect. I understand that aging is not a personal failing, and yet, a familiar…
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Evan O’Dowd, business development manager at Avery Insurance. It has been edited for length and clarity. Loading audio narration… When I was about 10, my younger sister lost one of her Webkinz — popular stuffed animals at the time. I offered…
I was a 90’s kid in San Diego. That meant playing outside or at the park alone, walking our dog around the neighborhood, and going to the nearby store to buy snacks and treats when our mom was at work. Loading audio narration… While we weren’t exactly latchkey kids, we…
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lee Tze Gwen, a 32-year-old animator and artist from Singapore. It has been edited for length and clarity. Loading audio narration… I’ve been drawing since I was 10. It’s always been a hobby for me, but I found my true calling…
Tim Cook’s record is pretty clear: Under his watch, Apple didn’t create a world-changing product. But it posted world-beating sales, and the stock market rewarded him for it. Loading audio narration… Cook also has other accomplishments, including one he is much less likely to boast about: He got Donald Trump…
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kristina Modares, 36, an Airbnb host. Modares is also the founder of Open House Education and a marketer at Joynt, a real estate platform designed to help people buy and own homes with family and friends. The conversation has been edited…
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Karen Watts Nauman, 67, and Jeff Nauman, 69, a married couple who moved to Lake Chapala, Mexico, from the US a few years ago. They recently launched The AI Boomers, a platform for AI courses designed for older Americans. This interview…
When I left the US in 2018, I wasn’t trying to lose weight. I simply wanted to feel better in my body. Loading audio narration… After over 15 years of working in education, I felt undervalued, overworked, and mentally and physically exhausted. It didn’t help that I relied on fast…
The first time my son asked if he could bike in the neighborhood with his friends, I hesitated. His friend balanced on his bike, one foot on the ground, waiting impatiently for an answer. I looked at my eight-year old son, his eyes wide with hope, and every instinct in…
