Camp Codger

In this episode of The Prostate Papers, Gary goes way down the prostate cancer information rabbit hole.

Welcome back to one man’s trip into the dreaded “prostate zone.” Before I start, let me remind listeners that I am NOT—repeat—NOT a doctor. I’m just a reasonably well-informed patient, and I’m sharing what I have learned in the hope that other folks entering the “prostate zone” might find it useful. Do NOT treat anything I say as medical advice.

I closed the first episode with a simple question—is there just too much online information on prostate cancer for a reasonable person to discover and process? The classic answer—and my response—is “It depends.” For almost all of us, at the outset of our research, the amount of information can seem overwhelming. Just getting started can be a challenge. Googling “prostate cancer” gives over 412 million results. But is it too much? For many men, a fair answer is “yes”. TMI. Too much information. That’s what highly skilled, experienced doctors are for. A good doctor can guide you down this path to a successful outcome. You don’t need to enroll in the Google School of Medicine to be a good patient.

Other folks eagerly head down the prostate cancer “rabbit hole.” There can never be too much information. One more query to post, one more paper to read. I’m one of them. When we “data hounds” go into our doctor’s office, we’re ready for a serious discussion, not a lecture. In my case, after a follow-up PSA test came back showing yet another significant bump in my score, my urologist recommended we proceed with diagnostic testing, beginning with an MRI scan.

In the three weeks before the test, I went down the prostate cancer information rabbit hole. Way down the rabbit hole. I spent dozens of hours clicking through long lists of Google search results. No surprise, there’s almost an endless supply of information scrolling across your screen. Equally unsurprising, the quality is all over the board. You can understand why doctors seldom look forward to seeing patients who have consulted with Dr. Google. Some may come in with a preconceived notion of their diagnosis and even have a treatment plan.

If you choose to arm yourself with information available online, let me offer some advice. First, hone your search skills. The value of the returned results depends on composing good queries and comprehending and filtering the flood of information. As you drill down, your queries should be using more specific keywords. Second, select your data sources carefully. As we all know, information on the web can range from gold to garbage. I’ll drill down on the sources in a moment. Third, check the dates of the published information. Prostate cancer diagnostic tools and treatments have made significant progress in the last ten years. There is decent quality information that is a decade old, but try to focus on research and reports from the last five years.

So, what online data sources do I think are good? Even though it’s far more challenging to process scientific research reports, they can offer some of the highest-quality data. In this project, PubMed Central from the National Institute of Health became my new best friend, but I wish I had paid more attention during my stats class in college. Processing medical research reports demands a basic understanding of statistics. And having enough information to understand the research context, its language, and its relevance is essential. It’s not always easy. That said, I read them anyway.

For most people, the best resources are medical information websites curated by large clinical and research organizations. The information includes research data interpreted into human-readable form and blended with clinical experience. These sites include the Mayo Clinic, the Cleveland Clinic, and the many clinics associated with major medical schools. MedlinePlus from the National Library of Medicine is also a good source. Stick to these websites to keep your research comprehensible yet with solid, high-quality information.

As you move down the value curve, you reach the marketing websites of clinics specializing in specific cancer treatments and companies promoting their products. The information they provide can be valuable but frequently lacks a broader, unbiased perspective. Using the data is fine, but always with a grain of salt.

Other sources I generally avoid are online prostate cancer forums such as those on Reddit. My observation is they tend to require heavy screening to filter out uninformed opinions and anecdotal data. I’m certain there may be some valuable insights on these forums, but for my prostate cancer research, the benefit just wasn’t worth the effort.

And then there’s just plain old-fashioned junk, misinformation, and scams. If somebody is promoting a magical, no-risk cure for prostate cancer, it’s bogus. Just stay away. There is no miracle supplement or treatment that the medical community has failed to discover.

Finally, a quick sidebar. In my research, I chose not to use artificial intelligence tools in the form of ChatGPT even though I have a paid subscription. I have a decent understanding of how large-language models work and how they are trained. They may offer up reasonable-sounding answers, but because of the nature of these generative AI systems, it’s almost impossible for them to cite any sources they use in the output. As a matter of fact, they never make statements based on hard evidence. That’s not how they work. Ask an AI expert if they would trust the answers from ChatGPT if they were making decisions about their cancer. Probably not.

So, what did I discover from all this research for The Prostate Papers? First, in my view, prostate cancer is challenging. It’s a leading cancer killer among men (#2, I believe), yet millions of old guys are walking around with what’s called “indolent” cancer in their prostates. It’s also not typically a ‘one-and-done’ cancer with a simple diagnosis and treatment trajectory. Now, dealing with any cancer is not a cakewalk, and every cancer is different. Many treatments can be intense and debilitating. Most of us can speak from personal experience, knowing friends and relatives who have undergone surgical, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments. It’s not fun.

Second, I learned that treating prostate cancer is a big business—big, like $13 billion in the U.S. alone in 2023—and growing fast. It’s not all bad since the market opportunity drives rapid progress in prostate cancer diagnostic tools and treatments. Just remember that the economic size of this market creates obvious biases. Be a smart shopper and a smarter patient. Demand evidence about what works, whether from your doctor or medical supplier.

Third, I was quickly educated on the prostate biopsy procedure. A biopsy is often necessary, but it is “unpleasant” at best. Another sidebar here—I was whining to a friend about my looming biopsy. I called it a barbaric medical procedure in the third decade of the 21st century. We both agreed that if we could be sedated during a colonoscopy, why not during a prostate biopsy? When our discussion about avoiding a little discomfort during the procedure got back to our partners (one a doctor, the other a nurse), the women quickly let us know about a range of much more challenging sedation-free medical procedures they endured, starting with natural childbirth. As their list of painful procedures grew, we realized this was not a winnable discussion. The wimps quickly withdrew their suggestion for sedation. A shot of whiskey and biting down on a hunk of leather was all we needed.

Finally, I learned that treatment side effects are a constant, unifying thread in almost every discussion or research paper. The risk of incontinence and sexual dysfunction after treatment is very real. Yes, some men dodge these bullets, but many don’t. Between the biopsy and the high probability of side effects, it’s no wonder men are hesitant to start down the prostate cancer path. I’ll return to these issues in the next episodes and drill down on the diagnostic and treatment process.

Would you like to know when the co-hosts of Camp Codger get together to talk about a new topic? Subscribe to our weekly Camp Codger newsletter to receive an email notification each time we publish a new episode. You can also subscribe and listen on your favorite podcast app. And, if you enjoyed this episode about The Prostate Papers (Down the Rabbit Hole), please click the Share button below and Like Camp Codger on our Facebook Page. Finally, have some feedback for the old codgers? Leave a comment below or send an email to [email protected].

In the first episode of The Prostate Papers, Gary explains how accelerating PSA scores sent him into the "prostate zone" and off for an MRI.

Welcome to The Prostate Papers, one man’s trip into the dreaded “prostate zone.” You might reasonably ask, “Whoa! Where did this ‘prostate papers’ conversation come from?” And you might also ask why I’m turning my very personal story into a public dialogue. I’ll address the second question in the next episode when I discuss the prostate cancer information overload challenge. For the first question, a little backstory to get started.

I’m like most guys in my mid-70s age group and am keenly aware of prostate cancer. I have several friends and family who have been treated for prostate cancer. It would be surprising at this point in my life not to have friends and family who have been treated for it. Like many of my peers, I have been on and off the PSA testing regimen. Over a dozen years ago, at the recommendation of my then-primary care doctor, I stopped taking PSA tests. From what I had read at that time, it made sense. Over-diagnosis with what were less accurate tools 15 years ago often led to over-treatment. My doc used the old medical cliché that, at my age, I probably already had very slow-growing prostate cancer and would be more likely to die from some other affliction. Watchful waiting (or active surveillance) was the order of the day.

That worked for me until 2020 when my new primary care doctor suggested we start PSA testing again. That seemed reasonable if we agreed to be wary of the over-diagnosis/over-treatment trap. All went well until earlier this year when my PSA scores started climbing. No panic. Watchful waiting, right? After all, PSA test results can be volatile and often reflect non-cancerous issues with the prostate, right? Well, after another test and another bump up in the PSA score, it appeared it was time for me to enter the PSA cancer maze. And it is a maze.

A couple hundred thousand men in the U.S. enter the prostate zone every year through the same door I used—rising PSA scores.  It’s not the best indicator, as doctors repeatedly remind you, but it is a signal that can’t be ignored. I’m still early in the diagnostic process as I prepare this episode. I haven’t even had a prostate biopsy yet. Rising PSA scores could be BPH-related, it might signify asymptomatic prostatitis, or it could be cancer. It’s just too soon to tell.

I should note that I’m playing a dual role in this podcast series on The Prostate Papers. On the one hand, I want to be a dispassionate, helpful observer who finds researching and comprehending this subject compelling. I tend to define myself by my projects, and this is my latest project. Of course, on the other hand, I’m also the patient. What I’ll discover through my research and clinical experience will directly impact my life. As you listen to these episodes, you’ll hear these distinct voices. The observer will share what I am learning with listeners who might be traveling the same path. The patient might be a bit more pensive and introspective.

This series is not intended to be another “my-cancer” story. Well, I suppose it is, but I’m not looking for sympathy. If I do have prostate cancer, I fully expect to survive. At this stage of my diagnostic testing, the odds are very much in my favor. It’s a story about navigating this unique cancer and the medical-industrial complex in which it operates. I hope to explain the diagnostic and treatment process that makes prostate cancer so challenging for patients.

Before we close this episode, let me offer my initial observations on my reaction to entering the “prostate zone.” First, when you are referred for your first non-PSA diagnostic test, you become obsessed with learning more. At least it was that way for me. My second observation feeds the first—there’s a boatload of information out there for you to obsessively google and doom scroll through. The third observation is that you are not alone. Millions of men are living with prostate cancer, support groups abound, and family and friends will be there. It’s a large community.

Join me in the next episode of The Prostate Papers when I explore whether we have a TMI problem with prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment. Is there too much information? In subsequent episodes, I’ll dig into the complex process of diagnosing and treating prostate cancer.

Would you like to know when the hosts of Camp Codger get together to talk about a new topic? Subscribe to our Camp Codger newsletter to receive an email notification each time we publish a new episode. You can also subscribe and listen on your favorite podcast app. And, if you found this first episode of The Prostate Paper interesting, please click the Share button below and Like Camp Codger on our Facebook Page. Finally, have some feedback? Leave a comment below or send an email to [email protected].

The Land of the Very Old is growing closer for Gary but he's not at the border yet! He filed the following report about an article he recommends about traveling to that not-too-distant land.

A couple of months ago, a friend sent me a link to an article titled In the Land of the Very Old (https://sundaylongread.com/2024/01/23/in-the-land-of-the-very-old/). My first thought was—huh? What does this have to do with me? I’m not “very old”, just "old". At the time, Bee and I were on our infamous road trip to Florida, so I put it aside for reading later. I finally picked it up again a few weeks ago and discovered a great story. In this article, the author, 90-year-old Sam Toperoff, looks back on his journey from the “Old Country” (where I still reside) to the “Land of the Very Old”. It's a sprawling piece that touches on many aspects of aging.

Toperoff opens the narrative by describing a scene he is watching while waiting for his 84-year-old wife. He observes a steady flow of older people slowly and carefully descending a flight of stairs outside a doctor’s office. He has an epiphany—he realizes he’s in the Land of the Very Old. In this article, the author takes us through aspects of his aging journey. At one point, he touches on the idea of a newspaper-like “corrections column” for your life.

I was quite taken by the idea of looking back on your life and identifying “corrections”. It's much better than wallowing in regrets which can seldom be resolved. In the last year or so, I have found myself looking back occasionally trying to understand why I made certain decisions or the way I behaved in some situations. I’m almost always able to let any regrets go, but I do find the mere act of exploring gives me some insights into my current behavior. And guess what? I’ve discovered old dogs can learn new tricks and I’m embracing my “corrections”.

More than anything else, this article was a reminder that, like it or not, I’m approaching the border of the Land of the Very Old. I haven’t reached it yet, but the “diminishing” that Toperoff describes as a sign of passage into this new land is more noticeable than just a few years ago. I’m resisting the diminishing, but I can’t stop it.

“In the Land of the Very Old” is a long read but, in my opinion, worth the time and effort. If you’re still in the land of the middle-aged or younger, it may not resonate at all. For those of us living in the “old country”, on the border of the Land of the Very Old, the article strikes a chord. I encourage you to read Toperoff’s closing paragraphs because it does give the “old” reader hope that residing in the land of the “very old” can be a good thing. It surely beats the alternative.

By the way, the striking image tied to this article was taken from Sam's house in the French Alps. The story about how three generations of his family decided to move from the U.S. to France when he was 80 years old adds a nice dimension to his story.

Would you like to know when the co-hosts of Camp Codger get together to talk about a new topic? Subscribe to our weekly Camp Codger newsletter to receive an email notification each time we publish a new episode. You can also subscribe and listen on your favorite podcast app. And, if you enjoyed this episode about The Land of the Very Old, please click the Share button below and Like Camp Codger on our Facebook Page. Finally, have some feedback for the old codgers? Leave a comment below or send an email to [email protected].

Camp Codger 2.0 has arrived in your podcast feed!

Surprised to be hearing from us again? After all, didn’t we say goodbye a few weeks ago? Are the codgers back in the game?

The short answer is “maybe”. This is an experiment and may end up being a very short comeback tour. When we decided to wrap up the Camp Codger podcast, Gary Ebersole had convinced himself that he was ready to move on. However, to be honest, a lot of his retirement identity was wrapped up in Camp Codger. In our circle of friends, we were the old guys who did the podcast for seniors. Most folks thought that was pretty cool. So did we. But, after much pondering as well as consulting with his fellow codgers, Gary decided to relaunch what he is calling Camp Codger 2.0.

This version of Camp Codger will be different in several ways. First, the codger participation will be different. Randy has moved into the role of Codger Emeritus, perhaps appearing in a short episode on occasion. Richard wants to take on a less active role not driven by the demanding weekly publishing schedule we followed for seventeen months with Camp Codger 1.0. Gary completely agrees with that sentiment. In the new Camp Codger, episodes will be published pretty much when we jolly well feel like it. Frequently enough to stay engaged with our listeners, but not so often that doing Camp Codger feels like a job. After all, we are retired, right?

With Randy retired and Richard’s participation reduced, that leaves Gary, the Chief Codger, responsible for most of the content we will be producing for Camp Codger 2.0. Richard may contribute the occasional, short solo episode on a topic that strikes his fancy, or he and Gary might engage in a conversation on a topic that grabs their attention.

We’re leaving the topics wide open at this point. What you can expect is that we will continue to focus on topics that are relevant to our fellow Baby Boomers. And we may frequently touch on more controversial subjects. If you don’t agree with our opinions in an episode that we publish, we’re counting on you to tell us where we went wrong or, just maybe, let us know when we hit the mark and tell your friends about the new Camp Codger 2.0.

As a rule, you can expect these episodes to be shorter, ideally under ten minutes. Don’t be surprised if some are just a few minutes long. After all, nobody really wants to listen to an old codger drone on endlessly, even if he speaks in the most dulcet of tones. You can think of what we will be publishing for Camp Codger 2.0 as opinion pieces delivered as Goldilocks-style audio essays—not too long, not too short, just the right length for the topic at hand.

Finally, our audience expectations for Camp Codger 2.0 are now far more realistic. Our main motivations for bringing back Camp Codger are personal. We enjoy the creative process of producing episodes and think we have something to share with our listeners. Even if we only have a small audience that appreciates what we have to say, life is still good!

Would you like to know when the codgers have something new to say? Subscribe to our weekly Camp Codger newsletter to receive an email notification each time we publish a new episode. You can also subscribe and listen on your favorite podcast app. And, if you enjoyed this episode about the return of the codgers, please click the Share button below and Like Camp Codger on our Facebook Page. Finally, have some feedback for the old codgers? Leave a comment below or send an email to [email protected].

It's been a good run, but, with a heavy heart, it's time for the old codgers to say goodbye. We hope you enjoyed listening to Camp Codger as much as we did creating and publishing these last 72 episodes. In an epilogue episode, Gary explains how we came to this difficult decision. Leave a comment below or send an email to [email protected] if you have any last thoughts.

Goodbye!

Gary, Richard, and Randy

Bah Humbug, return of the Grinch, and here comes Gary Ebersole to ruin whatever Christmas joy is left.

We all know that Ebenezer Scrooge says, Bah Humbug. The Grinch means Christmas is in danger. Then there's Gary Ebersole, co-host of Camp Codger and hater of the holiday season, Christmas shopping, and pretty much everything that happens between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Is Gary the incarnation of Ebenezer Scrooge (Bah Humbug!) and the Grinch (the green character that Dr. Seuss says stole Christmas)? Well, that's what we are led to believe in his anti-Christmas rant that begins this week's episode of the Camp Codger podcast.

"I know I'm supposed to get into the Christmas spirit by buying thoughtful, meaningful gifts," says Gary. "Spending hours scrolling through Amazon page after Amazon page is thoughtful shopping? I'll give you meaningful. Here's a gift card."

Bah humbug, return of the Grinch indeed!

By the end of Gary's anti-holiday-season rant, Randy Schultz (Camp Codger co-host), couldn't take it any longer.

Remember back in the mid-1970s when Saturday Night Live was a new show? Cast members Dan Aykroid and Jane Curtain did a great satire of the "Point, Counterpoint" segment on 60 Minutes. You know the one. It's when, after Jane rants, Dan's first words are, "Jane, you ignorant slut."

Yep, that one.

That's what happens after Gary gets finished with his Christmas rant. Randy looks at him and says, "Gary, you pompous, ungrateful old codger!" Then the real fireworks begin.

We won't include all of Randy's counter-rant here. (You'll have to listen to the podcast episode to hear the whole thing.) But we will tell you this. Not only does he call Gary an Ebenezer Scrooge, but he tells Gary to get his butt off the couch and go out to experience the joy of the Christmas season himself.

"We live in the most amazing country at the most amazing time in history!" says Randy. "It wouldn't hurt for you to be grateful once in a while. Anyone in Ukraine or in the Gaza Strip would trade places with you in a heartbeat."

And then he renames his co-host Gary the Red-Nosed Codger.

Bah humbug, it's the return of the Grinch for sure.

Co-host Richard Kipling tries to be a peacemaker, but it's not an easy task. It doesn't look like Gary is going to get his "participation trophy" for once again enduring the dreaded Holiday Season. Don't worry, Gary! You've got almost 11 months to brace yourself for Christmas Season 2024!

After this episode, the codgers at Camp Codger are taking a few weeks off. So, after you've listened to this episode, dive into the archives and listen to some episodes you missed the first time around.

Leave a comment below or send an email to [email protected].

Yes, Holiday Loneliness is a real thing--especially for seniors during the most festive season of the year. Here's what you can do about it.

You know that Andy Williams song that we hear from Thanksgiving Day all the way through Christmas? The name of the song is, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year." It's a popular song because for most of us, the holiday season really is the best time of the year. The lyrics of the song begin:

It's the most wonderful time of the year

It's the hap-happiest season of all

There'll be parties for hosting

But what if you aren't feeling merry? What if you are experiencing holiday loneliness? What if you are a senior who is not going to parties? And what if you are not surrounded by friends and family?

The truth is, for many senior citizens the holidays are a time of loneliness and isolation. It’s a season when many of us have too few friends to talk to. Family is too far away-- and too much time is spent alone.

In May 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an urgent warning about an “epidemic of loneliness” in America.  “Addressing the crisis of loneliness and isolation is one of our generation’s greatest challenges,” Murthy said.

According to the CDC, nearly one-fourth of adults aged 65 and older are socially isolated. Older adults are at increased risk for loneliness and social isolation because they are more likely to face factors such as living alone, chronic illness and hearing or sight loss.

To talk about the problem of holiday loneliness, we invited Beverly Ventriss to Camp Codger to chat with us about how to recognize loneliness in seniors. And what we all can do to make their world less lonely.

For the past 9 years, Beverly has been president and CEO of Valley InterCommunity Council (VIC). It's a group of three Los Angeles-based senior centers that deliver services both at the centers and at home-bound seniors’ homes. These hubs for seniors, which will celebrate their 60th year in 2024, are abuzz with activities that play an essential role in many seniors’ lives.

We had lots of questions for Beverly:

** Can you describe for us what, exactly, constitutes “loneliness” for seniors?

** How can you tell if someone is lonely? Are there “loneliness” signs we should look for?

** If you are a senior and feel a sense of loneliness, what are some coping strategies to help you climb out of it?

** So we live in an age dominated by technology. How can technology help — or hinder — the individual’s fight against loneliness?

** Can loneliness lead the way to depression? To dementia?

** If you spot loneliness in a friend or family member, what can you do?

It turns out, there are many ways to help overcome holiday loneliness. Reach out to friends that you haven't heard from. Pick up the phone to say "hi." Post messages on social media platforms such as Facebook, and also comment on the posts of others. Go say hello to your next door neighbor.

Sometimes it's hard to reach out when you are suffering from holiday loneliness-- or loneliness any time of the year. But reaching out is what friends do. It helps everyone.

If you are not suffering from holiday loneliness, please reach out to someone who might be lonely. It's wonderful to take cookies to a friend or family member. It's the holiday season, so no one will think you are being weird or pushy if you reach out and say hello.

When we reach out and share our humanity with others, we make the world a better place. That's why the Andy Williams song (It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year) is so popular. When we do all of those friendly things, we make our lives richer and fuller. Plus, we feel less alone.

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or a Winterfest, we hope your holiday season is a time of family, food, cheer, and reconnecting with friends and family. 

Would you like to know when the co-hosts of Camp Codger get together to talk about a new topic? Subscribe to our weekly Camp Codger newsletter to receive an email notification each time we publish a new episode. You can also subscribe and listen on your favorite podcast app. And, if you enjoyed this episode about Holiday Loneliness, please click the Share button below and Like Camp Codger on our Facebook Page. Finally, have some feedback for the old codgers? Leave a comment below or send an email to [email protected].

How to have Christmas fun with grandkids-- and a year-round guide to making memories with your grandchildren from Camp Granny author, Sharon Lovejoy.

Happy holiday season! We interviewed Sharon Lovejoy in the summer about her wonderful book, Camp Granny. If there's an expert on how to have fun with kids and grandkids, it's Sharon. She's a successful author, illustrator, speaker, and shop owner. But her most notable role is that of being a "granny". She takes grandparenting to a new level, reminding us that spending quality time with your grandchildren is the best gift you can give them.

That's why we are rerunning our interview with Sharon during the Christmas season. Spending quality time with our kids and our grandchildren is one of the joys of the holiday season. Listen to this interview with Sharon Lovejoy and you will get lots ideas for fun activities to do this holiday season, and throughout the year.

Sharon Lovejoy is the ultimate Camp Granny to her grandkids. She knows how to be the "fun" grandmother. And in her interview with the hosts of Camp Codger, she shares lots of activities and projects that grandmothers and grandfathers can do with their grandkids.

In her book, Camp Granny, Sharon offers grandparents (and parents, too) tips on dozens of projects to both entertain and teach grandchildren about the world they live in. In addition to dozens of indoor and outdoor activities, she also guides projects in the kitchen. Plus, there are lots of tips that appeal to the creative sides of children. When it comes to having Christmas fun with grandkids, Sharon Lovejoy is a pro!

Sharon's inventive ideas focus on satisfying the natural curiosity of children and their sense of adventure. From leaf rubbings to gardening to making Moon Pizzas, she has activities for every grandchild. Many of her indoor activities with kids are perfect for the holiday season.

In the introduction to her book, Camp Granny, Sharon Lovejoy writes: "Running a successful Camp Granny isn't about having a giant flat-screen television with 300 channels, a big swimming pool, or the latest computer games. It is about the time you share with your grandchild." Making memories is a gift that will endure for a lifetime.

That's why Sharon's ideas make Christmas fun with grandkids so wonderful. Sharon's many ideas include backyard campouts (that work equally as well in a basement or garage) and a "dress-up drawer" filled with costumes for the grandkids. She keeps a stash of old games like pick-up sticks and Old Maid in a nearby drawer. She uses large mayonnaise jars (that she gets free from local restaurants) and makes time capsules with the grandkids.

The Camp Granny with Sharon Lovejoy episode of Camp Codger is filled with so many great ideas. You may need to listen to it twice!

Did you enjoy listening to this Christmas Fun with Grandkids episode featuring author Sharon Lovejoy? Would you like to know when the co-hosts of Camp Codger get together to talk about a new topic? Subscribe to our weekly Camp Codger newsletter and you will receive an email notification each time we publish a new episode. You can also subscribe and listen on your favorite podcast app. And, if you enjoyed this episode, please click the Share button below and Like Camp Codger on our Facebook Page.

Have some feedback for the codgers? Leave a comment below or send an email to [email protected] and we will send you a limited edition "I'm not old. I'm vintage." bumper sticker!

This week, the codgers tell their retirement stories. Did they retire at 65? Retirement planning, new hobbies, how to enjoy retirement, and more.

If you're a subscriber to Camp Codger, you already know about the survey we emailed last week. We asked subscribers to tell us which topics they wanted to hear about on the Camp Codger podcast. Retirement was one of the top choices. As a result, we're going to do more shows on the theme of retirement.

We're launching our retirement-themed shows with Codger Retirement Stories. It's a candid discussion where co-hosts Randy Schultz, Gary Ebersole, and Richard Kipling talk about their retirement journeys so far. Listen to this episode to hear how three smart old guys are navigating the change from full time employment to blissful retirement.

One of the biggest questions each of us must ask is, "When should I retire?" The classic model of working for three or four decades and then retiring at age 65 is no longer the only option. Now, more and more seniors are choosing to ease into retirement. Going from full-time employment to full retirement is simply too big a change for many people to make in one day.

That's why you should listen to Randy's story about how his father's retirement went. His father got the proverbial gold watch and the warm handshake one Friday. Then, the following Monday, he was totally unprepared for his new life as a retiree.

Yes, many people are forced to deal with the "retirement decision" abruptly--in the case of a job loss or other event at work. But thankfully, there are many options that enable a more gradual path toward retirement.

The average age of retirement in the United States is 66. That's up from 60 in the 1990s. This increase in retirement age is probably due to our increasing lifespans. According to Social Security actuarial tables, a 70-year-old man in America can expect to live an average of 15.4 more years. We're living longer than ever, which means we're likely to be retired for more years than ever before.

Maybe that's why none of the Camp Codger co-hosts rushed into retirement. Gary, age 75, is the only one who admits to being retired. Richard, age 79, does not use the word "retired" to describe himself. And Randy, the youngster of the group at 69, is easing into retirement by deliberately working less each year.

The details of their personal retirement stories and journeys are fascinating, so listen to this episode to hear all the details.

Retirement is supposed to make us happy, right? We're all supposed to LOVE sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch, going fishing and not catching any fish, and taking a painting class at the local community college so we can create museum-quality artwork in our golden years. Isn't that the stereotype of what retirement should be?

What if retirement in the 21st century doesn't look like that? What if today's seniors are making other choices--such as volunteering at a local nonprofit organization or learning a new technical skill. Or, even taking up a gender-breaking hobby like knitting or car maintenance?

The truth is, your retirement can be anything you want it to be! And you're going to love this discussion on how to transition into retirement--and what to do once you're there.

Would you like to know when the co-hosts of Camp Codger get together to talk about a new topic? Subscribe to our weekly Camp Codger newsletter to receive an email notification each time we publish a new episode. You can also subscribe and listen on your favorite podcast app. And, if you enjoyed this episode about Codger Retirement Stories, please click the Share button below and Like Camp Codger on our Facebook Page. Finally, have some feedback for the old codgers? Leave a comment below or send an email to [email protected].