August 2019 – On Life and Love after 50

Iceland and Greenland August 2019

On Life and Love after 50 eNewsletter – August 30, 2019

By Columnist Tom Blake

Iceland and Greenland August 2019

After visiting Ireland for 10 days, Greta and I flew to Amsterdam on August 18, 2019, and boarded the MS Rotterdam, a Holland America cruise ship. Our 20-day itinerary included stops in the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, the Shetland Islands and Scotland. The ship was at full capacity with 1,400 passengers and a crew of 600+.

In our travels, we are always surprised at the personal connections and coincidences that occur. This has been especially true on this month-long European adventure.

On our second morning at sea, while having breakfast in the Lido dining room on level nine, I thought I heard someone—other than Greta who was elsewhere on the ship—say “Tom.” I turned around but saw no one.

Then, I heard “Tom” again. I looked up and a woman was standing at my table.

She smiled and said: “I’m Marilou Heckman, one of your Champs, from Dana Point.” I was surprised, almost speechless.

“A Champ AND from Dana Point?” I replied.

Marilou explained that friends of hers had read in the Dana Point Times newspaper column that Greta and I would be on the Rotterdam. And then, she said I also mentioned the ship in an eNewsletter.

Later in the day, Greta and I saw Marilou again and she introduced us to her friend Pat Moch, also from Dana Point. Simply amazing: four of us from Dana Point on the ship among passengers from multiple different countries around the globe.

Of course, Greta and I saw Marilou and Pat several times around the ship and we enjoyed dinner together one evening.

The Dana Point Four – Marilou Heckman, Tom Blake, Pat Moch, and Greta Cohn

As of this writing, the ship has visited three ports in Iceland and three ports in Greenland. The names of the six cities will tie your tongue. Today’s eNewsletter features Iceland, Greenland and has a short section on the question: Is a cruise-such as this one-a good place for women to meet potential mates?
1. Iceland
In Iceland, the ports were Eskifjordur, Akureyri, Isafjordur. We’ve been lucky, we’ve haven’t been rained on in any of the ports, except for a few sprinkles. We’ve even had sunshine along the way. In each Icelandic port, the ship was able to dock at a pier, so we could just walk into those cities.

In the first two cities, Greta and I rode local city buses, which were free, and we were able to see enough to get a good feel for the people, the shops, the homes and the churches. We did lots of walking in each city, so we were able to get our exercise in as well.

The most impressive of those cities was Akureyr. It was in the Northwestern part of Iceland, and yet the temperature was about 60 degrees, with plants and flowers evident everywhere. It has a bustling population of 18,400.

While waiting to board a city bus, we introduced ourselves to another couple that we surmised were also from the ship. They were going to the large botanical garden and we decided to go there as well. Originally from Viet Nam, they now live in Washington D.C.

In the small-world department, Thuan, the husband, and I discovered that we both attended the Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. Not at the same time, but we both became Ensigns there and both were in the Viet Nam war. Thuan was in the South Viet Nam Navy; I was in the U.S. Navy.

And we were both based—at different times–at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California.

Isafjordur is a city of about 2,571. No buses, strictly a walking city. On foot, we saw all things recommended by the ship’s tour director in a couple of hours. The highlight: St. John’s Church. Behind the altar, there were 760 clay birds mounted on the wall. Very unusual and impressive.

St. John’s Church Isafjordur Iceland

The ship will be stopping for two days in Reykjavik, the capital, this weekend.

2. Is a cruise like this a good place for women to meet a potential mate?
The average age on this cruise was about 70. I estimate that single women outnumber single men by 10 to one. Greta and I talked to several women on the cruise. Many of them are widows, not seeking a man. A woman named Honey from The Netherlands said she travels alone and loves it because she can do exactly what she wants.

Another widow said she doesn’t want to meet a man on board because she wouldn’t want to take care of him—she had to do that with her husband; she said: “never again.”

Our two Dana Point friends, Marilou and Pat, are both widows. They enjoy traveling together because they enjoy doing many of the same things. Furthest thing from their minds was meeting a man on board.

Overall answer about meeting a mate: A cruise like this is not a place to meet a man. Of course, it could happen but none of the women we interviewed were counting on that. That being said, it’s a great place to make new friends and enjoy one’s self.

3. Greenland
Greenland is the largest island in the world that is not a continent (Australia and Antarctica are considered continents). An ice cap covers 80 percent of the country. The population is 57,000. It’s located between the Artic and Atlantic Oceans. While it’s part of the North American continent, it’s an autonomous country of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the least densely populated territory in the world.

The majority of the residents are Inuit, who migrated from Alaska, across Canada, to settle here.

Before stopping at Greenland ports, the ship spent a day cruising Greenland’s incredible Prince Christian Sound, a breathtaking 60-mile long fjord. The ship captain had informed us in a talk the day before that the weather might make navigating the sound (and the ports) difficult, even impossible. He mentioned that on a visit last year to Greenland, all three ports had to be skipped due to inclement weather.

Before entering the sound, the wind was blowing at 50 mph and the seas were rough.

However, day-after-day on this vacation, the weather has smiled upon us. And that day the sun was out and the weather a balmy 48 degrees.

Greta and I saw Marilou and Pat on the stern pool deck, sitting in deck chairs, relishing the views of the fjord—jagged peaks, patches of snow, glaciers, small waterfalls and small icebergs floating by. Pat said, “This is the most perfect day we could have asked for!”

Iceberg near ship
Marilou agreed: “Not a cloud in site, only blue skies.” Here is another photo of the four of us on deck.

Tom, Pat, Marilou, Greta
I n Greenland, the port names are even tougher to pronounce than in Iceland.

Our first stop: Qaqortoq, with a population of 3,000.

The ship’s tour guide said, “Every home in this city has a million-dollar view.” He was right. And how lucky were we? Again, blue skies, about 55 degrees, and calm seas. The latter was important because the ship had to anchor, and the smaller tender boards took passengers ashore.

Again, this was a walking-only city. Greta and I spent a delightful three hours enjoying our stroll. We popped into a local market, to check out prices. A bottle of 7 Deadly Zins Zinfandel, which costs $12 to $15 in the states, was $50.

View from Qaqortoq – note the two cruise ships anchored

The tender transfers to and from the city were comfortable. Our first day in Greenland was magical.

Greenland port # 2 – Paamuit.

Another tender port—this one took about 30 minutes after boarding the tender to get on the shore. A tender carries 150 passengers. This photo shows how careful everyone needs to be.

Carefully exiting a tender

Paamuit has 1,400 residents. The church is constructed of wood.

Paamuit wooden church
Inside the church, a ship’s male passenger spontaneously sang a hymn in Latin for two minutes.

Some of the native Inuit people had three card tables with local items they made for sale. A woman from Berkeley, California, purchased a small carving made from reindeer antlers. She paid $250 USA. As she counted out the money, the other Inuit natives broke out in applause, they were so thrilled for the sale.

Purchasing a carving made from reindeer antlers

Holland America always makes considerate gestures for its passengers. The temperature in Paamuit was about 48 degrees and damp. The ship’s crew provided hot chocolate for passengers who were waiting ashore to return to the ship.

The ship personnel also served hot chocolate to the local Paamuit children. They were thrilled as they sat under the Rotterdam easy-up.

Greenland kids like hot chocolate

Greenland – Port # 3 – Nanortalik

Our third and final port in Greenland was Nanortalik. Population around 1,500. 43 degrees, hazy, no sun until afternoon.

When we first came ashore, an Inuit man was playing his guitar near the pathway singing in his native language, “The Wreck of The John B,” a song recorded by The Kingston Trio in 1958 and in 1964 by The Beach Boys as “The Sloop John B.” I sang along with him in English briefly and tipped him.

Singing “Sloop John B” in Nanotalik

Greta and I visited the fish market and the church and headed back to the ship by tender after an hour and ½ ashore. The wind was picking up and it was getting cold.

We had gone ashore in all three Greenland ports, something we wanted to accomplish—such a beautiful and isolated island.

More About Ireland 10-day Motor Coach Tour August 2019

On Life and Love After 50 eNewsletter – August 23, 2019

More about Ireland 10-day motor coach tour

By Tom Blake 26 years of writing columns

Last week, I wrote about my partner Greta’s and my first week in Ireland. Today, I want to add some travel information and share with you the five most enjoyable activities we experienced in Ireland:

(1) Our Globus motor coach tour group of 28 visiting 200-year old Rathbaun Farm,

near Galway, where we all prepared scones from scratch, and while the scones were baking, observed a border collie herding sheep.

Our group making scones

At least I contributed something–by holding the flour

(2) Helping make Irish coffees for our group of 28

On day 6 in Ireland, our itinerary read,

“Make your own Irish Coffee” at the Foynes Flying Boat Maritime Museum. Foynes is a small town near Limerick and Shannon Airport. Explore the only full-size replica of a Boeing B314 ‘Clipper,’ the long-range flying boat from the 1930s.”

I had no idea how Irish coffee and the flight museum were related. The woman who greeted us said Irish Coffee was invented there in 1943. I thought, that’s impossible, Irish Coffee, was invented at the Buena Vista (BV) Café in San Francisco.

I know that because my good friend and co-worker from years ago, Bob Freeman, one of the three founders of the Victoria Station restaurant chain, for which I worked, now (in 2019) owns the BV, and the restaurant is known for its world-famous Irish Coffee.

Turns out, I was wrong about it being invented there in San Francisco. Joe Sheridan, the chef for the Flying Boats in Ireland, invented it for the guests on those luxury airplane trips in Ireland, and 10 years later, in 1953, Sheridan, after moving to San Francisco, introduced it to the BV, where he worked. At the flight museum, the BV is mentioned, even promoted.

The BV serves around 2,000 Irish Coffees per day and claims that nearly 50 million of them have been served over 68 years. I may have sipped three in my visits there so I’ve contributed to that number.

The greeter lady in Foynes needed a volunteer to help make Irish coffees for our group of 28. I promptly raised my hand; she picked me. Afterwards, for helping her, she presented me with a token silver “Champion Irish Coffee Maker” medal and a signed History of Irish Coffee proclamation. What a hoot! (By the way, the correct way to sip Irish Coffee is through the cream).

Tom’s Irish Coffee, proclamation and medallion

(3) Visiting the Waterford Crystal factory – In Waterford, the group enjoyed a tour of the famous Waterford Crystal factory, which has 180 employees producing the well-known vases, stemware and sports trophies. The original Waterford Crystal building is vacant, and the company has moved to a much smaller facility, but it’s still going strong. After the tour, Greta and I managed to exit the showroom without purchasing any of the captivating glassware. Some of our group purchased crystal items.

No shopping at Waterford Crystal Factory and Showroom for Greta and Tom

(4) At a pub outside of Waterford, our tour group was entertained by an Irish singer—a crusty, gruff-voiced guy. He was having fun teasing us with his version of “Name That Tune.”

He sang a song and then asked, “Does anyone know the name of that song and who sang it?”

I raised my hand, shouting: “Wildwood Flower by Mother Maybelle Carter (the mother of June Carter Cash, Johnny Cash’s wife) and The Carter Sisters.”

After the show, the singer asked, “How did you know that?”

I said, “I worked with Johnny Cash for two years and heard Mother Maybelle sing that song many times in person, and, also knew her.”

(5) Favorite city: Killarney. Killarney is a small city, population of approximately 14,500. However, it has more hotels than Dublin, according to our tour guide. It’s a happening, party city. We loved our visit there.

The Guinness store there is like a LL Bean Store, with all kinds of neat clothing items and gift merchandise.

Killarney Guinness Store
Here is a picture of our tour group.

Barbara McCarthy, tour guide, front row left in white; Shaun, driver, front row right with sunglasses on head (photo courtesy Paul Culver)

Some Champs asked for the name of our tour company: Globus Tours. Ask your travel agent. By the way, our Ireland tour guide, Barbara was fantastic. So organized and upbeat. She knew all our names by the end of the first day.

And our motor coach driver, Shaun, was good, really good. Oh my, those narrow roads and cliffside-stretches of roads along the Ring of Kerry. He got us back to Dublin safely, without a scratch, without a hitch.

Ireland was a great experience.

10-day Motor Coach Tour of Ireland August 2019

On Life and Love after 50 eNewsletter – August 16, 2019 Dateline: Dublin, Ireland

10-day Motor Coach tour of Ireland August 2019

By Tom Blake

Greta and I are in Ireland. We have joined 25 other people from the USA and one man from Australia on a 10-day land tour around the island. We have traveled on a Globus tour, by motor coach, staying in hotels in Dublin, Ballina, Galway, Limerick, Tralee, and Waterford.

Our Globus Tours Motor Coach

We arrived in Dublin a day early to try to adjust from an 11-hour flight that crossed eight time zones. Although exhausted on the first night, we wanted to stay awake for four hours to sync with Ireland time.

Greta and I found a pub called the Ruin Bar a mile from our hotel, the Gibson Hotel. A red line tram runs from the hotel to Abby Street, where we got off. I had a pint of Guinness and we shared fish and chips. We were amazed at the number of pubs in that area of Dublin near the Liffey River.

At our Dublin Hotel, we noticed movie cameras around the hotel. They were filming a popular Ireland TV show First Dates. About 30 couples of all ages, mostly much younger than us, were being taped.

Popular Ireland TV show First Dates Crew Member showed us her I.D. badge
I jokingly told one of the show’s producers that Greta and I were there for our taping. She was perplexed–couldn’t find us on her list of participants–and we looked too damn old to be on the show, and we didn’t have an accent–and then I told her that I had written about senior dating for 26 years. I thought they might interview us, but they didn’t.

Of course, the main reasons for coming to Ireland were the castles, history, cities, green landscape and sheer beauty. In addition, its people are warm, welcoming and friendly. Most have a dry sense of humor.

Also, I had hoped to find genealogy information on my mom’s side of the family, name Pardee, some of whom I knew had come from Ireland.

Each day on the Globus Tours was very busy. Luggage outside the hotel room at 7 a.m. A quick Irish buffet breakfast. On the bus by 8 or 8:30. All kinds of activities each day. Hotel check in after 5 p.m. A group dinner most nights. Seven different hotels in six cities in nine nights.

We’ve seen so much it’s impossible in a column to describe everything. So, a few highlights.

On travel day one, the first stop was at the National Irish Stud Horse Farm.

Magnificent horses at Irish Stud Farm

Stud fees cost as much as $135,000 per encounter if Invincible Spirit Irish Stud is the stud. Beautiful grounds and horses.

Stud fees by horses name

Later that day, the next stop: The Famine Museum in Strokestown. Here the terrible Irish Famine of the 1840s was explained. At that time, the potato was the main food for the population of eight million.

Many were very poor and were sustained by only eating potatoes, as many as 14 pounds per day per person. A blight destroyed the Ireland potato crop. Nearly a million people starved to death.

At the museum, we read about the tragedy, saw old pictures and depictions. As I left the museum, I thought to myself, I will never complain about anything again in my life. The messages there were that powerful.

On travel day three, we visited Kylemore Abbey, a massive castle acquired by Benedictine nuns from wealthy people who squandered their fortunes on an ambitious social life. And then a stop at a marble workshop, where Irish marble mined from nearby quarried is turned into jewelry. My partner Greta purchase a pair of beautiful earrings made from Irish marble from a quarry nearby.

On the next day, the group rode a ferry boat to the Aran Islands, the westernmost islands of Europe. Gaelic is the first language spoken there. While there we climbed up a thousand feet or so to Dun Aengus, one of the most spectacular forts from prehistoric times.

Lunch that day was at Ti Joe Watty’s pub, where the group was entertained by an Irish guitar player and singer who I expect will be highly recognized around the world someday—not as big as the Irish band U2, but very talented and likeable.

In our tour group, every person had an interesting story. A couple of quick ones come to mind. A couple from Indiana told Greta and me that the husband encouraged his wife to do a DNA test with Ancestry.com.

His wife had been adopted at birth and knew nothing about her actual parents or family. Soon after the test, she got a phone call from a sister she didn’t know existed. She talked to other relatives as well.

They asked how her life had been. She said she was very lucky; her adoptive parents were great. Her siblings had a different story. They had had miserable lives. So, the contact was bitter-sweet. But, she was happy to learn who her true family members were.

Remember, I said I checking my genealogy on my mom’s side? Funniest thing. Found virtually nothing, but on my dad’s side, the Blake family, I found lots and lots of names. Even had dinner one night in Galway at Blake’s Bar. I had been searching on the wrong name. In Ireland, the name BLAKE has quite a history.

Blake’s Bar – Galway, Ireland

On another day, the group stopped at one of the oldest burial sites in the world, called Poulnabrode, which dates to 4,000 B.C.

Burial site from 4,000 years B.C.

I was walking to the site from the bus with a guy named Bob, who was wearing a University of Miami baseball cap.

“Hurricanes fan?” I asked.

“Yup, especially Miami Hurricanes football.”

I said, “I was at the Orange Bowl once, where your team plays, at Super Bowl II, 51 years ago. Sat at the game with two American Airlines World Stewardess (called Stewardesses back then) queens and former Miami Quarterback George Mira.” The two women were Patty Paulsen and Jill Spaven.

He looked at me in amazement, saying, “I was at that game as well. Raiders vs. Packers, working with ABC Sports. And I have met George Mira. He could throw a bullet pass, like a rocket.”

Neither of us could believe we both had been at that game and now were standing side by side in Ireland, 51 years later.

Next week: I’ll share with you a few more places we visited and a few more personal stories about our trip. For now, I’ll simply say. Ireland is fascinating.

With 83 inches of rain a year, it’s green. We saw hundreds of cattle and sheep. Incredible old castles, and black stone walls everywhere in the countryside.

The Irish people are friendly. The food, especially the fresh seafood, is to die for. We are having an incredible time.

Reminder: The Meet and Greet at Tutor and Spunky’s in Dana Point, California, is Thursday, August 22, 5 to 7 p.m. Food complimentary. Beer and wine $5 each. Champ Maria will be the hostess. Greta and I will be in Europe. Have fun.

On Life and Love after 50 reaches age 26

On Life and Love after 50 reaches age 26. Thanks to all the Champs for helping to make it happen – August 9, 2019

by Tom P Blake

Dateline – Dublin, Ireland

Greta and I arrived in Dublin, Ireland, yesterday. We are on a 30-day trip. The first third of our trip will be traveling by bus with a tour group visiting many areas and cities in Ireland.

Then, in 10 days, we fly to Amsterdam and board a Holland America cruise ship, the MS Rotterdam, for a 20-day trip to Scotland, Iceland and Greenland. I will fill you in as best I can on the trip details in future eNewsletters.

But, in today’s article, I wanted to say thank you to all my Champs. Because of you, my writing career has entered its 26th year; I will explain how you’ve helped.

When my first “Middle Aged and Dating Again” newspaper column, titled, “Home Alone with Only Dog for Company,” was published, July 7, 1994, I had no idea how long my writing gig would last. I was writing from a recently divorced man’s point of view on the difficultly of middle-aged dating.

Before being hired, my two editors at the Dana Point News, Dixie and Sherrie, required me to submit four ready-to-be-published columns, which they said would be “put in the can.”

Honestly, when they said that, I seriously thought the columns might be put in the toilet. The editors quickly reassured me that “put in the can” meant they would be the first four columns used—a month’s worth.

At that point, I didn’t know if my writing career would last more than a month. I wasn’t sure if my readers would run out of questions, comments or interest. A columnist who writes a “Dear Abby” type of column, as mine has kind of evolved into, cannot maintain momentum without input from readers.

Back then, which was before the Internet, newspaper readers responded by leaving voice messages on answering machines and writing letters.

As the Internet grew, newspaper readers responded less to printed articles. So, I started an online eNewsletter around 2003 called “Finding Love after 50,” which put me more directly in communication with my readers; it was easy for them to just hit reply on their computers.

After a while, to create an alternate source of income, I charged $15 per year for the newsletter.

But, about 10 years ago, I wanted to expand the scope of the eNewsletter to beyond just dating issues. I changed the name to “On Life and Love after 50” and decided to stop charging for it.

Because I felt a deep connection with my eNewsletter readers, I wanted to adopt a name for you. After all, many of you have been brave enough to share your thoughts, experiences, opinions, knowledge, stories and emotions with people, most of whom you’ve never met. You were more than just readers.

Your comments open the doors for me for column ideas. I appreciate your trust in me; you’ve taught me a great deal.

One day, as I listened to Jackson Browne singing, “The Load Out and Stay,” the name hit me. In that song, Browne pays tribute to the roadies who load and offload his equipment when he is on tour.

He sings, “…when it comes to moving me, you know you guys are the champs…” And, that’s where the name Champs came from. The link to that song is at the end of today’s eNewsletter.

I am blessed to still be writing for newspapers, again thanks to you Champs for providing me with the material. I write for three newspapers in Southern California and six in Pennsylvania and use what you’ve sent me for the papers as well.

In this era dominated by online social media, print newspaper columnists are a dying breed. Newspapers are closing their doors in droves.

In a quarter century of writing, I’ve inked approximately 4,000 newspaper columns and eNewsletters. So, my uncertainty in 1994 about lasting for more than a month as a writer, turned out to be silly, but, of course, I didn’t know it at the time.

And I certainly, back then, could not foresee that I would publish four books, and make appearances on the Today Show and Good Morning America.

Thanks, Champs, for helping make all of that possible.

I’ll try to give you an Ireland update next week. Now, where is that Guiness Stout factory. I hear their beer is pretty good.

The link to the classic 1978 performance of The Load Out And Stay (it’s 9 minutes and 24 seconds long) Remember to hit “Skip Ad”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scsJZ67ssDY
Reminder: The Meet and Greet show will go on this month at Tutor and Spunky’s Deli in Dana Point, Thursday, August 22, 5 to 7 p.m. Our lovely Champ, Maria, will oversee the event. Please lend her a hand.

Have you been Catfished?

On Life and Love after 50 eNewsletter – August 2, 2019

by Columnist Tom Blake

Have you been Catfished?

OK – so this is not a catfish, it’s a trout, but you get the idea (Photo by Tom)

Catfished–a relatively new senior dating term.

Last September, Champ Rabecca emailed, “Have you ever written about ghosting or being ghosted?”

I replied, “What the heck is ghosting?”

Rabecca said, “It’s a term used in dating.”

Her question led to the creation of two eNewsletters. The first, dated September 14, 2018, was titled “Ghosting” and the next week, September 21, the second–as a follow up–was titled, “Who hasn’t been ghosted?”

All previous eNewsletters, including those two, are archived on the Finding Love after 50 website. if you’d like to read or reread them, see the link at the end of today’s issue.

The Urban Dictionary defines ghosting as: “The practice of ending a personal relationship with someone by suddenly and without explanation withdrawing from all communication.”

At least 25 Champs responded to the first eNewsletter and most of those responses were featured in the second one. Most everyone has been involved in ghosting—on one or both sides of the coin.

And now another new term (at least for me)

Recently, Champ Joel Blackwell brought attention to another new term, at least to me, and, Joel said, to him as well, “catfished.” Joel posted a comment on our Finding Love after 50 Facebook group page that resulted in responses from people who are members of that closed group. As of today, there are 522 members.

(A “closed” group means to join, people must request permission from me, the founder of that Facebook group. I keep it closed to keep intruders with evil intentions from getting into that group to protect our members.)

Joel provided the definition of “catfished” as stated in The Urban Dictionary. It’s luring someone into a relationship by means of a fictional online persona. He saw the term “catfished” in a New York Times Modern Love article, titled, “When a Dating Dare Leads to Months of Soul Searching,” by Andrew Lee. The link to the article is also provided at the end of today’s Finding Love After 50 eNewsletter.

Facebook member Marilyn wrote, “I was ‘catfished’ while on Match.com. He was charming and intelligent and said all the things I wanted to hear to open the lines of communication.

“He claimed to be a widower, well-traveled, ready to retire, etc., First red flag: there was always an excuse why he couldn’t meet in person, although he claimed to live locally.

“Second red flag: after a dozen or so emails and phone conversations, he started suggesting I join him on an incredible European investment deal, but he needed to use my name and bank account info to hold some funds for him. Hah!

“A little online research revealed this man (from Nigeria) used the same profile pics, verbiage and tactics on all his contacts and I was only one of many selected. It was eerie how he used the very same lines on each of the women. Even when confronted, he claimed I had misunderstood his intentions!”

“Catfish lessons learned: if the topic of money or finances comes up after a short acquaintance, Run! If he says all the right things, Run! If he finds reasons not to meet with you, Run!”

The story in that New York Times Modern Love article is well written, informative and interesting. I won’t tell you how it ends. You can read it yourself. Joel provided the link to it:

New York Times Dating Dare article

So, there you have it, another online dating term to add to your vocabulary. If someone is “catfishing” you, i.e., using fictional online persona, that person is up to no good as Marilyn explained with her online experience. It’s often the precursor to an attempted scam.

“Ghosting” and “Catfishing.” Two ugly dating terms, although not exclusively applicable to seniors. “Ghosting is mainly being inconsiderate, the chicken way to move on from someone.

Catfishing is posting bogus information and being dishonest. Being catfished can lead to more serious issues, like losing money or putting oneself in danger.

Just be aware. It’s a complicated dating world out there.

The link to all 2019 and 2018 eNewsletters is:

https://www.findingloveafter50.com/copy-of-2013-2016-enewsletters

Once there, go to the right-hand column and under Archives, click on September 2018 to read the “Ghosting” and “Who hasn’t been ghosted?” eNewsletters.

Meet and Greet information for Dana Point, California area for August:

Monday, August 19, 5 to 7 p.m. The city of Dana Point Recreation Department is starting a mixer called Active Lifestyle Connections for 50+; Dana Point Community Center – Garden Cafe 34502 Del Obispo. Light refreshments (no alcohol). For information, call Monique 949 248-3507. No cost.

Thursday, August 22, 5 to 7 p.m. Meet and Greet for 50+, Tutor and Spunky’s, 34185 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point. This is our usual 4th Thursday event. Greta and I will be out of town, so Maria Olamendi, has offered to act as hostess. Food complimentary. Beer and Wine $5 each. Greta and I will be at the September event. Details on where we will be in August will be in next week’s eNewsletter.