Mariann Aalda is an American actress, a performance artist, a stand-up comedian, and an age-full evangelist. You may know her from old ABC soap operas like Edge of Night or, from street theater in New York City, from shows like Designing Women or The Bay, or a host of commercials. Mariann is a 50 year member of the Actors’ Guild and has not only witnessed but been an important voice in the transformation of the acting industry for black actors. She has studied and practiced hypnosis and respects the power of your words to influence your life. Now she styles herself an Agefull Evangelist and an Anti-Aging Activist. 

Mariann’s website: mariannaaldainherprime.com

Where do you know her from?
Check her IMDB page.

Links to her activities

Mariann on TEDx

Her Age Disruptor column at Crunchytales.com

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A Crows Feet Life As We Age Extra featuring Patricia Ross (87, psychotherapist, still working and author of "From There to Here: An Alphabet Memoir" and "From Here to Beyond.”) Here’s Patricia reading her Crows Feet article “Why Shame?” or the embarrassment of looking old.

And a link to the story in case you’d like to read along with her narration.

Hear Patricia Ross's story of how resilience, curiosity and good choices led to an "exuberant geezerhood" in this earlier episode of Crows Feet Life As We Age.

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Right in time for Valentine's Day gift-giving, The Turquoise Butterfly is Dr. Atkins' sensitive, heartwarming portrayal of the role a grandparent can play in a young one's life — from helping them overcome anxiety to facing loss, while transforming into the version of themselves they dream of becoming. It's a great opportunity to share by reading aloud to any young child with whom you have a close relationship.

Dale Atkins bio: (cribbed from her website)

Based in New York City, Dale Atkins is a licensed psychologist with more than 40 years  as a relationship expert focusing on families, wellness, managing stress, and living a balanced, meaningful life. Author of seven books and many chapters, articles, and journals for popular and professional audiences, Dale is a featured speaker who lectures and leads seminars worldwide. Dale has appeared regularly on NBC’s TODAY and CNN, including her recent interview on TODAY featuring her new book The Turquoise Butterfly. Dale has a private psychology practice in New York City and has been a member of, and advisor to several nonprofit boards, including Jumpstart for Young Children, from which she recently retired after serving twenty-two years, since its founding.  She has two children and six grandchildren, and lives in Connecticut.

Show notes & Links:

Dr. Dale Atkins, website: https://www.drdaleatkins.com/

Purchase The Turquoise Butterfly at your favorite bookseller, online at Mascot Books or on Amazon

Watch Dr. Atkins' recent TODAY show interview here.

Watch for host Jan M. Flynn's first-in-a-series fantasy novel for readers 8 and up, Griffin Speaker, releasing May 5, 2026 from Disney-Hyperion Books and available for preorder now. 

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After more than 20 surgeries for skin cancer, avid sailor and Wall Street Journal reporter John Koten had had enough. There had to be something he could do to start taking better care of his skin. That started John’s “Great Skincare Experiment.”

Under the direction of a dermatologist, John went on a six-month journey, experimenting with top-rated skincare products and interviewing experts in the field to find out what works and what doesn’t on his skin. In this conversation with Nancy Franklin, John offers the scientific and personal advice he learned to help men and women care for aging skin.

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“Gender was to the 20th century what age will be to the 21st: a massive demographic and societal shift that changes… everything.” – Avivah Wittenberg-Cox

In this episode, international thought leader, author, speaker, corporate consultant, and life coach Avivah Wittenberg-Cox reveals the importance of “rebranding” aging: How demographic shifts, the rise of older adults, and an aging workforce have brought us to this unprecedented time in history. In conversation with, Melinda Blau, Avivah proposes a “four-quarter life” framework to help us rethink ageist assumptions. She details the task of each approximately 25 years: growing (Q1), achieving (Q2), becoming (Q3), and harvesting (Q4). As we navigate these territories and encounter new terrain, each of us must become a “skilled transitionist,” which involves using our brains, seeking love and connection in all forms, weathering change, and learning how to make good choices. An advocate of lifelong learning and intergenerational support, Avivah attended Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Initiative (ALI) to spur her own Q3 journey and has since investigated a range of midlife transition programs. Here she tells how they broaden our horizons and can help us transition into new chapters.

For more:

Read Avivah’s Elderberries newsletter on Substack, learn more about Avivah’s history and innovative projects on her website, and listen to her “4-Quarter Lives Podcast here.

Interested in the midlife educational programs Avivah talks about in this episode? Check out Series (Season) 10 of her podcast, beginning on September 24, 2025 with an exploration of Harvard’s ALI program. 

And here’s a sampling of Avivah’s writing on lifelong learning:

“Higher Ed Meets Longevity: The Global Rise Of Midlife Education: Feeling Like Learning Something New?” Elderberries, January 26, 2026

“Old School: Midlife Transition Programs Take Off,” Forbes, September 28, 2022·     

For more on Melinda Blau’s work, Avivah interviews her in “Learning From Our Elders,” on Season 9 of her 4-Quarter Lives podcast, June 18, 2025.

The book that inspired Avivah to call Melinda her "old lady” is on Amazon or wherever you buy books: The Wisdom Whisperers: Golden Guides to a Long Life of Grit, Grace, and Laughter.

The Crows Feet original theme music was composed and performed by Rand Bishop. Music in this episode includes a selection by Sonican from pixabay.com

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See if your New Year resolutions and reflections  are in sync with your friends at Crows Feet in this special bonus episode. And with it, our best wishes for brighter days and new adventures ahead.

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“Part of what I found were cultural norms that view the second half of life as being as important and even more important than the first half of life, in terms of what you can do for yourself and for society,“ said Ken Stern, in conversation with host Jane Trombley.

Ken, author of Healthy to 100: How Strong Ties Lead to Long Lives (link in notes, below) explored the “culture of longevity” in Asia — Singapore, Korea, and Japan — as well as communities in Spain and Italy. 

An expression of those cultural norms, he noted, was found in Singapore, where “they view social connection and social health as being critical parts of public health,” with an emphasis on multigenerational housing predicated on the importance of family ties. 

 In Korea, he explored the cultural importance of lifelong learning, codified in the national constitution in 1990. In Japan, Ken found the creation of “ essentially a second work culture for older workers that's much less about prestige, and more about finding work that brings you into contact with other people.”

Ken is a gifted storyteller, bringing each region to life in the context of what contributes to healthy and engaged aging — social connections built around housing, employment, lifelong learning, and a rich community life.  

Links: 

Ken’s most recent book: 

Healthy to 100: How Strong Social Ties Lead to Long Lives

 “I’m 62. Stop Telling Me I’m Old” by Ken Stern

 New York Times, Opinion Nov. 27, 2025

The Longevity Project

Ken Stern, Founder and Chair

Stanford Center on Longevity

Stanford University

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Crime Reporter Michael Wilson of The New York Times joins us to share how he narrowly avoided losing thousands of dollars to an online scam. Seniors over 60 are targeted more often than any other age group, making his story both timely and essential. In this episode, Michael explains the red flags he spotted, how scams are evolving, and what you can do to protect yourself. A must‑listen for anyone navigating today’s digital world.

 Michael’s journalistic insight, combined with his firsthand brush with deception, makes this conversation both eye-opening and empowering.

This episode is designed to inform and reassure that awareness is the most vigorous defense. Whether you’ve encountered suspicious emails, phone calls, or online offers, this will help you spot the red flags and stay one step ahead. Tune in for a candid discussion that blends real-world reporting with practical guidance.

 Here are some informative links
Michael Wilson’s article “I’ve Written About Loads of Scams. This One Almost Got Me” was published on September 18, 2025. You can read it directly on the NYT site here: New York Times – Michael Wilson on nearly being scammed.

 Here’s the link to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, which is where you can file a complaint if you’ve been scammed. Plus, there is a lot of resource information available on the site: Home Page - Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)

 And here’s the guest link to a story I posted a few years ago on Internet Scams: https://medium.com/crows-feet/seniors-what-you-dont-know-about-cybersecurity-will-scare-the-crap-out-of-you-dc34944d1f90?sk=6f6915b32a2f9dcd4fd8b241a4259111

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We’re coming upon the season of giving — the period when Americans’ generosity pours forth. According to Charity Engine, about one-third of the $590 billion given to charity each year occurs in December.

In this episode, Crows Feet explores an innovative charitable giving platform, Giving Multiplier. 

It combines heartfelt, personal donations with making it far easier to have an impact on some of the world’s most pressing issues: global health and poverty, animal welfare, and climate change.

The Giving Multiplier concept of “bundling donations” emerged from charitable giving research at Harvard University by Dr. Joshua Greene and Dr. Lucius Caviola. They found people were incentivized to give when they could combine their personal interests with global concerns.

Giving Multiplier adds to your gifts to both the local and global charities by up to 25% (30% for Crow’s Feet listeners), depending on the allocation. 

Listen to this interactive episode, then return to it on your laptop to follow along with the tutorial. It can be found at 8 minutes in. 

Links and further information: 

www.givingmultiplier.org/CROW

For more information about Dr. Joshua Greene and Dr. Lucius Caviola

If you’d like to inquire about supporting Giving Multiplier, please contact Matt Coleman, at [email protected]

And check out the insightful daily perspective by Crows Feet writers at www.crowsfeetlifeasweage.com.

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Rear Admiral Sandy Adams, USN, Ret., served 34 years in the U.S. Navy, leading both active duty and reserve units across global theaters. She commanded five Navy Reserve units, deployed to Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm, and advised Afghan defense leaders during Operation Enduring Freedom. Her final role was Deputy Commander of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, overseeing 19,000 personnel. As a reservist, Adams also held various senior civilian roles in defense contracting and supply chain management.

Adams earned a Bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University, a Master’s in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, and graduated from the Joint Forces Staff College.

Retired from the military, Adams is currently active with the Daughters of the American Revolution, El Redondo, CA Chapter, The Military Women’s Memorial, and is a Member of the Chairman’s Flag Council for the Museum of the Surface Navy.

 On our podcast, Admiral Adams shares her stories about the challenges of being a woman in the Navy, while also expressing her passion for all those currently on active duty and veterans.

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