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Thursday, January 28, 2021

Is It Ok To Buy Reading Glasses at the Dollar Store?



We all want to save money, but experts chime in on what to consider when you’re buying readers.


As you age, you may find yourself having a hard time reading prescription drug labels, threading a needle, or figuring out what’s on the menu. Just reading a book can get harder than it was in your 30s or 40s. It’s a common problem due to a condition called presbyopia, where the lens in your eye loses flexibility, which makes it difficult to focus on close objects. The result is that you need a little extra help in the form of readers, or “cheaters,” that magnify close-up tasks.

Are $1 Glasses Safe?


Many health plans, including Medicare, don’t cover vision care costs. Once you need readers, you may find yourself buying them by the handful since there never seems to be a pair where and when you need them. The cost can add up, unless you start searching out the cheapest models you can find: usually the $1 a pair readers at your local dollar store. But are these inexpensive lenses hurting your eyes?

"These glasses may be fine for people who need the same refraction in both eyes or who have vision in only one eye. I tell patients who are in these situations to go ahead and use them," says Dr. Eli Peli, professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. Ophthalmologist Dr. Michelle Andreoli, a clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, backs him up. ”Reading glasses from a drugstore are in fact perfectly safe,” she says, and adds that low-cost dollar store options or over-the-counter eyeglasses will not harm your eyesight. 

What Strength Is Right?


Unfortunately, once your vision starts to decline, it is likely to get worse until you hit your mid-60s. Reading glasses come in a range of powers, from +1.00 to +3.00 and above, although it can be illegal to sell a higher magnification in many states. If you’re trying to figure out what strength is right for you, Andreoli suggests taking a greeting card from that aisle and trying on different glasses until you find what works best. 

If you’re unsure, follow the advice of optometrist Dr. William Reynolds, president of the American Optometric Association. “In most cases, when two reading-glass powers seem equally suitable, choose the glasses with the lower power,” he says. “Picking reading glasses that are too strong typically will cause more discomfort problems than reading glasses that are a little too weak.”

Glasses for computer work will typically require 0.75 lower lens power than for other reading. So, for example, if you normally use +2.25 for reading, get a pair of +1.50 strength to use while you’re at the computer. You might also want to get them with blue-light filters (which also block out damaging UV light) for better sleep.

When You Need an Eye Exam


“OTC readers are made to a standard pupillary distance, or the distance from the center of the right eye to the center of the left,” says optometrist Dr. Karina Sigulinsky of Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. “If your eyes are closer together or farther apart than that standard, you might not be able to see very well.”

Some people need a different strength, or correction, for each eye. You may also have astigmatism, a result of irregularities in the eye lens, or you could require correction for distance vision. In those cases, prescription glasses are better. Quick, inexpensive exams are available at Walmart, Costco (you don’t have to be a member), and many stores selling eyeglasses. Online stores like Zenni https://www.zennioptical.com feature prescription glasses starting as low as $6. This article on how to find inexpensive eyeglasses https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2020/save-money-on-glasses.html is full of useful tips, including how to compare different lens materials and coatings.

Most of us will need eyeglasses to help with reading and other close-up tasks as we arrive at middle age. While getting an eye exam is preferable, inexpensive, over-the-counter readers are a safe solution for the vast majority. It’s good to know that you won’t have to spend an arm and a leg to help your eyes. 



Click below for the other articles in the January 2021 Senior Spirit


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Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Active vs. Passive Investing



Active and passive investing are two different strategies for optimizing a portfolio. Wise investors know a little about each.


As political debates heat up around the country, believe it or not there is also an ongoing debate that rages hot in the investment industry. Does active or passive investing produce better results for an investor? Most investors are familiar with the concept of investing in a diverse mix of securities over time and expecting a certain return that is at least reasonably in line with broad market indexes. Passive investing and active investing are the two major methods by which to achieve this goal. 

To begin, let’s define passive and active investing. 


Passive investing is predicated on the belief that investments will always trade at a value that reflects all available market information with nothing being overvalued (expensive) or undervalued (cheap). Instead of trying to beat the market, passive investment managers own securities in the same proportions as the indexes (such as the S&P 500 or the Dow) they track. This is typically a less expensive way to invest because the investor doesn’t have to research companies, rare changes to the tracking index are automatically mirrored in a portfolio, and overall trading costs and taxes are reduced. Buying and holding (referred to as “buy and hold”) is another form of passive investing. 
Active investing is based on the belief that markets are inefficient, so there are opportunities to be exploited, or that investment advisors can uncover information unknown to others that can lead to better returns versus an index. Active managers invest in what they view as the most attractive securities, based on their own investment philosophy and market outlook. 

Passive Investing Pros and Cons


Proponents of the buy-and-hold approach often look to Warren Buffett as the model of success. Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway holding company buys and operates many successful companies. Its stock price has never split because Buffett believes the high price (over $341,000 as of this writing) encourages shareholders to be long-term investors. He has promoted long-term investing for years, once telling shareholders, “If you aren’t willing to own a stock for ten years, don’t even think about owning it for ten minutes.” 

Berkshire stock is made to compound (grow), and the equity has an enviable track record. From a worth of $91 billion in 2005, it is currently valued at $375 billion, for an average yearly compounding rate of 10%. By contrast, the S&P 500 index has seen book value grow from 453 to 914 points over the same time, for a 4.7% growth rate. Add in the average dividend of 2% to the index value (Berkshire doesn’t pay dividends), and you get an average annual rate of 6.7% compounded growth over the same 15-year period.

For most, our largest retirement nest egg accumulates in a 401(k) or some other employer-sponsored plan. The investment style in these accounts tends to be defined as passive, either by design or by sheer neglect. Most of us choose from a predetermined menu of mutual funds during initial enrollment and usually forget about it. Many investors and fund managers also subscribe to this popular style of management. 

Passive management is also the investment objective of many exchange traded funds (ETFs). When you buy the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (symbol VOO), you are buying a basket of all 500 companies in the S&P 500 index. Very little changes within the ETF while you own it. In this case, passive management is used to replicate a specific benchmark in order to match its performance. In general, the truly passive investor believes the future will develop similarly to the past, and market prices are too efficient (not cheap and not expensive) to be exploited by long-term investors.

Active Management Pros and Cons


Active portfolio management is different. This approach does not place unwavering trust in the historical performance of assets. Instead, the active manager periodically adjusts a portfolio in response to changing market conditions, believing desired outcomes can be more consistently achieved through vigilant risk management. In other words, there are times when it makes more sense to be invested in some specific companies, industry sectors or even asset classes because they represent the best opportunity in that moment. 
 
There are many forms of active portfolio management. In their attempt to exploit market inefficiencies, active managers can use a combination of asset allocation and security selection. Asset allocation refers to a portfolio’s exposure to different asset classes, such as equities (stocks), fixed income (bonds), commodities (anything from cattle to precious metals) or cash. Individual security (stock or bond) selection goes one level deeper—using a careful analysis to choose specific securities within an asset class (such as evaluating Apple vs. Microsoft in large-cap tech or a high-grade vs. a low-grade corporate bond). Active portfolio management can also vary based on a manager’s desired holding period. Time horizons can range from several years to only a few minutes. Of course, some strategies will be successful, while others are destined to fail. A certain level of expertise is a requirement of, but does not guarantee, long-term success.

Active management is sometimes characterized as being focused on beating the market and not on long-term investing. That is not always true. While any investor should be satisfied with out-performing their benchmark (an expected rate of return based on how different assets performed at the investor’s risk tolerance), the main objective for some managers is risk management. Market history shows us extended periods of little, or no, market returns. Buy-and-hold can have some shockingly poor outcomes if you are nearing retirement. History shows that poor market returns (as measured by the S&P 500 index) have occurred over periods as long as 20 years. In fact, there are some historic periods where 20-year market returns after inflation averaged less than 1% per year. This is the risk a buy-and-hold approach presents, and that an active management strategy can potentially avert. Managers are able to minimize risk through a variety of strategies. Some of the more common are gradually moving a greater percentage of a portfolio into more stable assets, like bonds, “tilting” assets toward one or more classes, or converting a portion of equity funds into cash reserves on a short-term basis. 

Another criticism of passive management is that higher fees erode performance. Although there are differences in the way active and passive asset managers are compensated, the major difference lies in the strategy and philosophy of each approach. The passive or buy-and-hold philosophy believes that over the long haul the growth of their holdings will outperform, or at least keep pace with, the broad market. The active manager takes an approach of managing current risk when determining which equities to buy and sell for their clients. Active managers make changes to the portfolio over time in order to take advantage of opportunities as well as manage risk.

Summing Up


Investing can be as simple as allocating your money to a few low-cost index ETFs, or as complicated as buying and selling an array of investment products. Individual investors should keep it simple if they are managing their own portfolio, unless they have expert knowledge. A good financial planner who is a fiduciary, bound to act in the sole interest of his or her clients, can discuss active strategies from a risk-reward standpoint, including the effect of anticipated cost versus a passive portfolio. What is right for one client is not necessarily a good fit for another. Risk tolerance, timing, years to retirement (or from retirement) and other factors should be discussed before arriving at a decision.




Click below for the other articles in the January 2021 Senior Spirit


Don’t Make New Year’s Resolutions

Sources:

https://meanstoatrend.com/2019/10/28/the-truth-about-long-term-stock-market-returns/
https://fortune.com/2019/11/19/warren-buffett-sp-500-index-funds-beat-market/
https://svencarlin.com/berkshire-vs-sp-500/ 



Blog posting provided by Society of Certified Senior Advisors



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Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Keeping Together During the Pandemic



Many relationships are strained after months of social isolation. Learning how to keep your union strong now will help it last a lifetime.


As the pandemic stretches on, and on, and on … marriages that were doing well before are getting tested in ways we never would have imagined. All this togetherness is driving you apart. Is this going to be what retirement looks like? Will it be possible not to drive each other crazy? Has your spouse always had that intensely annoying habit? And finally, who knew it was possible to eat the entire family-size bag of cheese and caramel popcorn from Costco in one sitting, by yourself? Grrrrr!!!


What Makes a Good Relationship?


A recent analysis of information gathered from 11,000 couples found that a sparkling personality didn’t determine a successful relationship. Rather, it was how each of the partners perceived their relationship. According to the study, the characteristics that best predict personal satisfaction are:

1. Perceived partner commitment
2. Appreciation
3. Sexual satisfaction
4. Perceived partner satisfaction
5. Conflict resolution

Taking Care of Yourself


There are remedies, say the experts, to help you through until you can get back to your normal routines. Self-care is an essential component, says Ph.D. Chris Kraft, a psychologist and relationship expert. Maintain regular hours and designate time for work, for answering emails, even for listening to a favorite news program. Set boundaries for work hours that are ideally spent apart from your spouse, and also plan time together, Kraft says. 

Psychologist and relationship expert Vanessa Marin recommends specific avenues to self-therapy. These are her tips for nurturing yourself:

  • Let yourself feel. It’s okay to go through a full range of emotions. That which gets validated and felt will dissipate faster.
  • Journal. Write for five to 10 minutes a day, whatever comes to mind.
  • Meditate. Quieting your mind is like a honey milk bath for your mental health.
  • Move. Get those endorphins released with a walk, some yoga, whatever exercise you can do safely. You can shed stress and come back in a better mood. 
  • Connect on your own. Reach out to friends and family without your partner glued to your side. 

Working on a Plan


You may both have a lot on your plate if you’re working from home. Sit down together each week to map out what responsibilities each of you needs to take on. Who’s doing the cooking? The shopping? Taking the dog to the groomer? Does one of you need to take on more household chores while the other works on a major project at work? Having a plan will help you feel a sense of control when there is so much you can’t do anything about in the world around you.

Check in with your partner on a daily basis. He or she is going through a broad range of emotions, just like you are. Talking about them is a lot healthier than keeping them buried. Ask open-ended questions such as:

  • How was your day?
  • What are feeling right now?
  • How can I be a better partner to you?

Time Apart and Time Together


It is normal to resent your partner when you are spending so much time together. Tension and frustration can begin to run high. Marin recommends being intentional about making some mental alone time, and getting the most out of time spent together.

Carve out separate workspaces in your home. Even if you’re in a small apartment, make sure you each have a designated work area. If there’s a door between those areas, so much the better.

Make an effort to give each other space during the day. Limiting verbal communication can help create an illusion of healthy apartness; try texting instead of talking.

Give each other some scheduled alone time, and commit to not violating it. Whether it’s a walk, reading, a hot bath, studying the stock market … it’s not the activity that matters, but each partner having a set block of time for him or herself. 

Don’t forget date nights. No matter if you’re continuing a long tradition or starting a new one, scheduling conscious time together can help you focus on long-term goals far past the pandemic. The anticipation can bring joy and novelty into your relationship, whether you tour the Louvre online while drinking a French wine, prepare a meal together based on a recipe from “The Great British Baking Show,” or drive through the line for peppermint coffee at your favorite local shop. Get creative and surprise your partner.

These are tough times for relationships, but recent studies have shown us the secret to happiness. “Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships,” according to the Harvard Health Blog. Nobody can be a perfect partner, but finding attributes to be grateful for can strengthen your relationship. “The more gratitude you express,” says Marin, “the more often you’ll find yourself noticing little moments to appreciate.” It can be as simple as, “I see the work you did last night cleaning up the kitchen. Thanks!” You’ll be happier, your partner will feel appreciated, and the world will seem a bit brighter. 


Click below for the other articles in the January 2021 Senior Spirit


Don’t Make New Year’s Resolutions

Sources:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/29/us/what-makes-a-relationship-successful-study-wellness-trnd/index.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/03/smarter-living/coronavirus-relationship-advice.html
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/keep-healthy-relationship-during-pandemic
https://hackspirit.com/what-makes-people-happy/



Blog posting provided by Society of Certified Senior Advisors



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Monday, January 25, 2021

How To Spoil Fifi and Fido



It’s been a long winter, but your loyal pet helped you through. Maybe it’s time for a special treat for both you and your furball!


Ah, the coronavirus. It has made hermits of us and denied us sorely needed human interaction. But there’s at least one member of the family who has benefitted from all the time you’ve spent at home. Your dog or cat has basked in your affection, the lap time, the extra walks. Bring on the deliveries, they say, you don’t need to go out! 

But as the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel begins to grow brighter and thoughts of airplane rides dance in our heads, perhaps we should turn to our furry friends and treat them from the current array of tech gear available for pets. What to get? Here are some favorites:

  • While you may be gearing up for days in the office and evenings out, don’t forget your cat wants some “me”ow time, too. The Dancing Dot Laser Cat Toy projects a safe, moving beam for 15 minutes, or you can program it to turn on for 15 minutes every two hours while you’re gone. Hang it from a doorknob to cover a larger area with faster movement. 
  • Dog people can reward their canine companion with an iFetch Automatic Ball Launcher. iFetch is available in models that shoot the ball out (you can adjust how far), or opt for a design that gently rolls the ball onto the floor. Active dogs will want one of each for outdoor and indoor use! It’s fairly simple to train animals interested in fetching to bring the ball back and reload the device themselves. Setting the iFetch out when you leave can help take the sting out of parting.
  • Turn a nasty chore over to technology with a Litter Robot or ScoopFree self-cleaning litter box. Your cat doesn’t enjoy the smell of its waste any more than you do, so this product does both of you a favor by cleaning her box after every visit. No more odor, no more scooping, no more unsightly visuals.
  • SureFlap microchip and app-activated pet doors can let your pet in and out while remaining a barrier to squirrels, weather and even the cat next door. If you have a kitty or small dog that is constantly going in and out, this could be the end of your days feeling like your pet’s butler, and allow you to relax and go about your business while your cat or small dog goes about his. 
  • The NiteDog rechargeable pet leash will increase your confidence walking Fido in the dark, whether early in the morning or last thing at night. The LED lights last about six hours between charges, so you can go a few extra blocks. Or try the Go-Smart Pet Leash with automatic nighttime illumination and an app that tracks and records every walk. It is also Bluetooth enabled and rechargeable. 
  • Your pup’s active mind gets a workout with CleverPet, the world’s first game console for dogs. Designed by cognitive scientists, the console gives your pet a treat reward for solving simple puzzles. Dogs touch different buttons with their nose or paw to, say, make all the lights blue. The game scales in difficulty according to your dog’s level of play. 
  • PupPod is another device that teaches your dog a response to a stimulus and offers a treat reward. The game increases in difficulty and offers a way to occupy your pet, even when you’re not home. 
  • If you want in on the action, try PlayDate interactive ball and camera for your cat or dog. You can use your smart phone anywhere with internet access to activate the ball and talk to your pet via the built-in speaker. Chase your pet while you control the ball, and have them chase the ball back! You can also take video or photos with the wide-angle camera, which is tougher than the most destructive dog.
  • Finally, if you have a dog who suffers from hip dysplasia, you know how much it can affect his mobility. Try the Hipster Harness, recommended by veterinarians to support and strengthen the hip muscles, keeping the femur in the correct position to avoid further injury. It’s fully adjustable and easy to put on and take off. It won’t help your dog while you’re away, but it could lengthen the time you get to spend together by keeping her up and walking much longer. Your buddy deserves a chance to avoid painful surgery and spend more time at your side, enjoying the great outdoors.


Taipei Is Capital of Pet Children


You may think dogs are pretty high on the status chain in the U.S., but have you been to Taiwan? Thanks to a low birth rate and minimal maternity leave, more citizens in the capital city of Taipei are elevating the status of their pets, which outnumber children under 15 years old across the country. Consequently, the pet accessory market is exploding. Strollers are a big seller, along with sunglasses, raincoats and even socks for dogs.
While parting is such sweet sorrow, you can make it easier on your furry friend by making life at home cleaner, more interesting, and more fun for you both. The more time you spend playing or cuddling with your pets, the happier they are. And what dog ever said, “No thanks” to an extra walk?! Hopefully, many of us can continue working from home and taking breaks with our special buddy. But when we have to be away, it’s nice to know there are products to help entertain and exercise the minds and bodies of our feline and canine companions. 
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Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Don’t Make New Year’s Resolutions



Setting goals for the year ahead almost never works, but there IS a better way.


We all want to improve. Whether it’s eating better, going to the gym, getting a promotion at work or having a better relationship, it’s a good bet that you would like to see yourself differently when 2022 rolls around. 

But did you know that 90% of New Year’s resolutions fail? Practices that don’t work the vast majority of the time should be let go, but most of us keep making the same mistakes year after year. But what if you knew how to adjust your goal so that it could be accomplished?

Finding the Sweet Spot


It sounds crazy, but by making 90-day goals, you can be much more successful. One month is generally too short to make an inroad to your goals, while spinning them out to six months or a year can run the risk that you’ll lose your ambition. Measurable change is possible in 90 days, no matter what you’re working to achieve, and it’s a time frame that is not totally daunting.

It’s fine to set a larger goal that may take a year, or three, to accomplish. But break it down into 90-day segments so that you can meet mini goals as you build the habits and skills you need. The funny thing is, people tend to underestimate what they can accomplish in a couple of years, but overestimate what they are able to get done in a week. 90 days is the sweet spot where what you’d like to do, and what you can do, actually meet. 

What You Can Achieve in 90 Days


You may be surprised how much you can do in 90 days. It’s possible to become fairly proficient at speaking a new language and be ready for traveling to a foreign land. You could become quite good at baking bread and pastry, able to critique the home cooks on the Great British Bake Off show. Or you could do as one personal finance blogger did and produce your first rock and roll album; find out how he did it here.  

If you don’t want to tackle something so intensive, that’s fine. You can decide how much time per day you’d like to dedicate to your goal, and that will help you break it down into steps that are both achievable and will create noticeable results. Retirees may be able to dedicate five or six hours a day, while others may have one or two. 

It’s important to make a time commitment and stick to it. Someone learning to bake may be looking up recipes, studying the science behind leavening agents, attending a cooking class, blogging about different flours or baking a cake over and over until it comes out just right. As one person said, if you have a five hour commitment and you are feeling brain-dead from study and work toward your goal, one way to get the last hour in fairly painlessly is to watch YouTube videos on the subject. You will not feel as excited about your goal every day; but you have to put in the time.

Creating a Plan


Start with a challenging goal that you think you can achieve in 90 days. Break it down into mini goals that will help you maintain focus and take daily action so that you develop the skills needed to reach your larger goal. If 90 days is not enough, it’s fine to start with a very challenging, bigger goal that could take a year or more to hit. But reduce it into 90-day segments, and take one segment at a time.

You may want to lose 40 pounds, for example. Break that down to 10 pounds every three months, then figure out specific steps you need to take to get there. Your first step might be to read about how to achieve your goal, then you might sign up for a program. You may need to start a food journal or speak with a nutritionist. All of these mini-steps would contribute to your overall goal.

Summing it up, you’ll be much more successful with your resolutions if you make them for 90 days, rather than a year. A shorter time frame allows you to make considerable progress without wiping out all of your motivation. Dedicate a set number of hours to work on your goal per day, and you’ll be amazed how much progress you can make in three months!


Click below for the other articles in the January 2021 Senior Spirit


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Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Famous and 65

Look who's turning 65 this month

Find out which celebrities are turning 65 this month!


Image Source: Wikipedia

January 1 - Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank


Lagarde’s career trajectory is legendary, having served as chair of an international law firm, then French minister three times, including as the first woman finance minister of a G8 economy, and then the first female head of both the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and currently the European Central Bank. 

Lagarde was born to a family of teachers, and spent a year in the U.S. as an intern at the Capitol before returning to Paris to earn not one, not two, but three master’s degrees in English, labor law and social law, as well as a fourth master’s in political studies from a prestigious university in southern France. As trade minister, she worked to open international markets.

Lagarde chaired the IMF from 2011 to 2016, at the height of the debt crisis. Although she started off staunchly pro-austerity for Greece, by 2015 she called for an enormous debt relief package to save the country from ruin. As ECB president, she is upholding an accommodative policy and believes the institution has a part to play in combatting climate change.







Image Source: Wikipedia

January 3 - Mel Gibson, actor


Gibson is a native New Yorker, but after his father (who was the heir to a tobacco fortune) was awarded $145,000 for an on-the-job injury, the family moved to his grandmother’s native Australia, in part to shield his older brother from being drafted into the Vietnam War. 

Early on, the young actor made a big splash with film critics, as Vincent Canby wrote “Mr. Gibson recalls the young Steve McQueen …. I can’t define ‘star quality,’ but whatever it is, Mr. Gibson has it.” Roles in Mad Max, Galipoli and Lethal Weapon put Gibson’s name at the top of the marquee in the 80s and 90s, and by the 90s he had tried his hand at directing and producing, including on the megahit Braveheart and 2002’s The Passion of the Christ, which became the highest-grossing R-rated film ever made. Gibson also holds the distinction of being the first to be dubbed “Sexiest Man Alive” by People, in 1985.

With no shortage of parts, Gibson worked nonstop on the big screen and in stage roles, occasionally taking off long periods to live on his Australian cattle station (ranch). In 2000, he earned a record $25 million to appear in The Patriot, and was wildly popular with the public when, in 2002, he announced he had tired of stardom and would only act in films he considered extraordinary. 







Image Source: Wikipedia

January 20 - Bill Maher, comedian


In 2010, Bill Maher got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His career is still going strong as he hosts Real Time with Bill Maher, a staple political talk show since 2003. You may also remember him on late-night show Politically Incorrect, or even from earlier years at Comedy Central. 

The man makes his living by expressing his opinions, and he is anything but subtle. Maher thrives on sociopolitical commentary, often targeting religion, political correctness, and cannabis. In 2008 he made a documentary called Religulous, and before the advent of COVID-19, spent considerable time hosting live shows throughout the country. 

As for politics, Maher eschews traditional labels and instead calls himself “practical.” However, his adherents come largely from the left side of the aisle. He supports Medicare for all, legalizing marijuana, and is an environmentalist. Maher’s willingness to cross traditional party boundaries is part of his appeal. He is a gun owner who slams the Second Amendment, and is pro death penalty while championing People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. 






Image Source: Wikipedia

January 31 - John Lydon (Johnny Rotten), singer


Although Lydon would become famous as a singer in the punk band The Sex Pistols, his childhood was anything but promising. Growing up as the son of impoverished Irish immigrants and the eldest of four brothers, Lydon was often called upon to watch over his siblings during his mother’s numerous bouts of illness (she died when he was 22). He was “very shy” and nervous, and he hated school, where he would get caned as punishment. 

When he was seven years old, he got spinal meningitis and spent a year in the hospital, where he endured periods of coma, hallucinations, and memory loss. Treatment involved removing fluid out of his spinal cord, which resulted in a permanent curvature of his spinal column. This experience was “the first step that put me on the road to Rotten,” he said. 

Rebelling against his oft-absent father, he dyed his hair bright green at 15 and was kicked out of a school after an altercation with a teacher. He went back to school on and off and worked a variety of jobs, when he impressed band members searching for a singer with his ragged look and unique style, capturing the job as front man. In 1977, the Sex Pistols released “God Save the Queen” during the monarch’s Silver Jubilee.

There was tension in the band from the beginning. It didn’t abate when bassist Glen Matlock quit and was replaced by Lydon’s school friend, who took the stage name Sid Vicious. The band broke up, but a documentary, The Filth and the Fury, made years later lives on after several short revivals. Lydon went on to form Public Image, perhaps the first post-rock band.

A rebel throughout his life, it’s notable that Lydon has been married since 1979, and insisted on becoming legal guardian with his wife of her daughter’s twin boys, who were nearly unmanageable at the time. He said, “I suggested they came to us because I wasn't having them abandoned. They gave us hell, but I loved having kids around.”





Click below for the other articles in the January 2021 Senior Spirit


Don’t Make New Year’s Resolutions


Sources:

https://www.wikipedia.org

Blog posting provided by Society of Certified Senior Advisors
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