What I Really Know About Graduation
by Barbara Salvione, Staten Island, N.Y.; reprinted from AARP Bulletin June 2011
One might wonder what a dropout really knows about graduation. In 1963, I had no choice but to leave college to have my daughter. Thoughts of earning a degree and embarking upon a career were over.
Ten years later, when my two children were older, I returned, and I never stopped again. Graduation in 1975 meant a career in education and the opportunity to earn a living for my family. It made me feel valuable. Don't misunderstand. My life as a wife and mother was very fulfilling, but I always feared the possibility of a sick husband and my inability to contribute financially.
Two years later, I graduated again, with a master's and the opportunity to receive salary increases. I now had an insatiable thirst for learning. I returned to receive a professional diploma in 1999. I still wasn't finished. At 57, I set out to earn a doctorate in education. This was my fifth decade in college, and it was a formidable challenge for a senior citizen. At 64, I defended my dissertation and graduated from college for the fourth time. Graduation is the fulfillment of a dream whether you are 16 or 60. But the young graduate looks forward to what will be while the older graduate sees the importance of today.
My graduation was a testament to my ability to use my mind and persevere. I cannot think of anything more valuable to ward off old age than being a lifelong learner.
50th Anniversaries, Holidays, National Observances and Birthdays
50th anniversaries
May 2
In the first major student demonstration against the Vietnam War, as many as a thousand students march through New York City's Times Square and another 700 in San Francisco. There are smaller antiwar marches in Boston, Seattle and Madison, Wis.
May 12
Twelve young men in New York City publicly burn their draft cards in protest against the war in Vietnam.
May 22
President Johnson outlines his specific goals for what he calls the "Great Society" in a commencement speech at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
May national months, observances and holidays
American Stroke Month
Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month
Healthy Vision Month
Hepatitis Awareness Month
Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month
Mental Health Awareness Month
National Arthritis Awareness Month
National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
National High Blood Pressure Education Month
National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
May 1: Loyalty Day
May 1: Law Day
May 2: National Day of Prayer
May 5: Cinco de Mayo
May 6: National Nurses Day
May 11: Mother's Day
May 15: Peace Officers Memorial Day
May 22: National Maritime Day
May 25: National Missing Children's Day
May 26: Memorial Day
May milestone birthdays
5 things you didn't know about Stephen Colbert, comedian and host of "The Colbert Report" (born May 13, 1964)
He was born in Washington, D.C., but grew up in Charleston, S.C., where he was the youngest of 11 children.
He is a longtime avid fan of "Lord of the Rings" author J.R.R. Tolkien.
He had to give up his early dream of becoming a marine biologist because a damaged inner ear precluded scuba diving.
He got his start in acting as an understudy for Steve Carell in the touring company of Second City, the improvisational comedy troupe.
In 2005, he read the part of Leopold Bloom in a "Bloomsday" recitation of James Joyce's "Ulysses" in New York City.
50
May 8: Melissa Gilbert
May 13: Stephen Colbert
May 26: Lenny Kravitz
May 30: Wynonna Judd
60
May 23: Marvelous Marvin Hagler (boxing star)
70
May 1: Rita Coolidge
May 14: George Lucas
May 20: Joe Cocker
May 24: Patti LaBelle
May 28: Gladys Knight
80
May 3: Frankie Valli
May 18: Dwayne Hickman (Dobie Gillis)
May 19: Jim Lehrer
May 22: Garry Wills (author, historian)
May 28: Annette and Cecile Dionne (surviving Dionne quintuplets)
90
May 2: Theodore Bikel
Freebies, Scams and Savings Tips
May free stuff
May 3, Free Comic Book Day (freecomicbookday.com): Get free comic books at participating stores.
May 11, Mother's Day: Check the Internet for free promotions by searching "Mother's Day freebies."
May 28, National Senior Health & Fitness Day: Check local media to find out about free fitness classes and health screenings for those 60 and older at 1,000 locations across the United States.
Yearlong Freebies
Books, CDs, DVDs, Internet access, classes and lectures: At 17,000 public libraries across the country.
Cash back: Rebate websites such as BeFrugal.com, CouponCactus.com, Ebates.com and Extrabux.com pay back a percentage of online purchases from select retailers.
Computer security software: Avast! (avast.com/index), AVG (http://free.avg.com/us-en/homepage) and Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security-essentials-download).
Computer software for word processing, spreadsheets and other features: OpenOffice.org.
Credit report: Get three credit reports per year (one from each reporting bureau) at annualcreditreport.com. Scores cost extra.
Diet and exercise plans: FatSecret.com, MyFitnessPal.com and SparkPeople.com.
Factory tours: FactoryToursUSA.com.
Grocery-shopping apps to compare prices or use coupons: CardStar.com, CouponSherpa.com, KeyRingApp.com, http://www.RedLaser.com, and ZipList.com.
Hotel freebies: Check Priceline.com.
Home improvement workshops: Held weekends in local Home Depot (homedepot.com) and Lowe's (lowes.com) stores.
Medications (such as antibiotics): Meijer (meijer.com/pharmacy), Publix (publix.com/pharmacy/Free-Medications.do), ShopRite (shoprite.com/in-our-store/pharmacy) and other chains.
Military and veterans freebies: Various freebies and discounts at military.com, militaryandveteransdiscounts.com, themilitarywallet.com and VeteranOwnedBusiness.com.
Free or discounted tickets to sporting and other events for enrolling at vettix.org.
Wedding gowns for military brides at bridesacrossamerica.com.
Movies and TV shows to watch online: Crackle.com and Hulu.com.
Recipes: AllRecipes.com and Epicurious.com.
Restaurants: Some chain restaurants offer freebies on your birthday or anniversary if you subscribe to their e-newsletters or email clubs.
If you're a kid (or dining with one), certain restaurants offer "Kids Eat Free" promotions. Check MyKidsEatFree.com for details.
Go to your favorite businesses' Facebook pages and see if they offer free food and other stuff by clicking on "Like."
Samples of products: freesamples.org, getitfree.us, mrfreestuff.com, shop4freebies.com, startsampling.com, sweetfreestuff.com, TheFreeSite.com and TotallyFreeStuff.com. (To receive information without overloading your primary email, open a free dedicated account at Yahoo or Gmail.)
Free shipping: FreeShipping.org lists everyday shipping freebies and discounts.
Travel insurance: Check whether your credit card provides free travel insurance and other on-the-road perks.
May scam of the month: Rental rip-offs
Looking for a summer vacation, with a choice rental at below-market rates? Scammers have plenty of inventory. The only problem? Their beachfront condos, mountain retreats or everyday homes and apartments may not really exist-or if they do, not for your vacation or daily housing needs.
In this popular scam, crooks simply post phony "for rent" ads on Craigslist, online chat boards, their own faux websites or in newspaper classifieds. Sometime they steal photos and property descriptions from legitimate real estate agent websites for homes actually for sale or rental. Others are figments of their own greed, with addresses that are made-up or are those for businesses, vacant lots or schools.
Through email or phone exchanges, a deal is struck, and you're asked to complete an application form and pay upfront, usually via a wire transfer. The application form really serves to get personal information for identity theft and of course, your advance payment (for rent, security deposit) is lost. When you arrive for vacation, the dwelling is occupied or doesn't exist, or you find out you've been sent nonworking keys.
Your defense: Assume any rental offer requiring a wire transfer is a scam. Bogus owners or agents, often foreign-based fraudsters, often claim to be traveling abroad and need a transfer, but legitimate ones should accept credit cards (and if you get bilked, you stand a better chance of a refund from your credit card provider than with a transfer or personal check). Negotiations made exclusively through email should also be suspect; having the landlord or lister's phone number provides a measure of safety but is no guarantee.
Also do an online search of the property address-and even the ad's descriptive text. You may discover the property doesn't exist or is listed for sale through a real estate agent. In that case, call the listing agent to ensure it's really for rent. Craigslist and other websites have legitimate rentals, but anyone can post and there is no vetting, so it's best to stick with authentic real estate websites or travel agents in your vacation destination.
May best buys
BBQ accessories: Stock up on charcoal and lighter fluid before barbecue season. But hold off on buying grills for now.
Home goods and kitchenware: Need gifts for the upcoming wedding and college graduation season? Look for discounts before the June rush. Some retailers make Memorial Day weekend a real bargain with the year's best in-store coupon incentives to stack on already slashed prices.
Mattresses: Retailers need to make room for new products that roll out in summer, so look for clearance sales, increased opportunities to haggle and more promotions on free delivery/disposal of your old mattress.
Patio furniture: The new stuff hits stores, along with seasonal sales on it and on leftover stock.
Spring and summer clothing: Sales begin in shower-filled April, but the better bargains are in May-especially around Memorial Day weekend.
Sunglasses. Keep your eye out for deals as prime shade-wearing season begins.
May sales tax holidays
Sales tax holidays differ by state and may be subject to legislative approval each year. Consult your state's department of taxation website (linked and listed below) for verification as well as a complete list of eligible purchases.
Louisiana: May 24-25 on up to $1,500 worth of hurricane preparedness supplies legis.state.la.us/lss/lss.asp?doc=453091
Texas: May 24-26 for certain Energy Star products window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/taxpubs/tx96_1331/
Virginia: Typically the last full week for generators up to $1,000 and other hurricane preparedness supplies up to $60 tax.virginia.gov/site.cfm?alias=STHoliday#SalesTaxHolidays
Fun Places to Go This Month
This list isn't comprehensive, and dates weren't all confirmed when we went to press, so verify the information with the websites provided and check your local newspaper for other ideas.
May great vacations
May 3-10
Tulip Time Festival
(tuliptime.com)
Holland, Mich.
Founded by Dutch Americans in 1847, the city of Holland is the go-to spot in the United States for all things tulip, from bulbs to blossoms. The flowering season is marked with parades, flower shows and musical events. There's also a lovely lighthouse above a very nice beach on Lake Michigan.
May 15-17
International Biscuit Festival
(biscuitfest.com)
Knoxville, Tenn.
Each year, more than 20,000 biscuit lovers rise to the occasion in downtown Knoxville to celebrate the humble-yet-essential Southern culinary favorite, the biscuit. Regional restaurants bring their biscuit best along Biscuit Boulevard; bakers buy from businesses at the Biscuit Bazaar; and beaus and belles vie to be beatified as Mr. and Miss Biscuit.
May book fairs
May 2-4
Steinbeck Festival
(http://www.steinbeck.org/pages/steinbeck-festival-2014)
Salinas, Calif.
This festival celebrating author John Steinbeck features talks, tours, films, food and visual and performing arts. The 2014 theme, "Onward," celebrates the 75th anniversary of the publication of The Grapes of Wrath. Admission.
May 18
Books in Bloom
(booksinbloom.org)
Eureka Springs, Ark.
This event features author presentations, booksellers and signings. Free.
May film festivals
April 24-May 4
Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival
(hotdocs.ca)
Toronto, Ontario
Billed as North America's largest documentary festival, conference and market, this is definitely a big kahuna of the documentary world, with all the most notable films and major players represented.
April 24-May 8
San Francisco International Film Festival
(sffs.org)
San Francisco, Calif.
Founded in 1957, the San Francisco International Film Festival is billed as the oldest continuously held film festival in the Americas, offering some 200 diverse movies and attracting about 75,000 moviegoers, along with many successful and aspiring filmmakers.
May 1-4
Santa Fe Film Festival
(santafefilmfestival.com)
Santa Fe, N.M.
This is a showcase for films from New Mexico, along with national and international movies and shorts-a total of 65 to 80 films-and a networking event for film folks.
May 7-11
Maryland Film Festival
(md-filmfest.com)
Baltimore, Md.
A smaller general-interest festival with lots of movies and discussions packed into four days, including about 50 features and 75 shorts.
May 8-10
Movies for Grownups Film Festival
(aarp.org)
Boston, Mass.
A featured event at AARP's semiannual Life@50+ convention, this mini-festival presents films that speak specifically to a 50-plus audience. Celebrities often come to introduce their films or participate in Q and A sessions, among them Billy Crystal, Jerry Lewis, Linda Gray, and Martin Sheen. A second festival will be held September 4-6 in San Diego, Calif.
May 15-June 8
Seattle International Film Festival
(siff.net)
Seattle, Wash.
Billed as the largest film fest in the United States, this enormous event is often described as an "audience" festival, as opposed to one that draws industry insiders (maybe because it overlaps with Cannes). There are usually more than 250 features, the most popular of which receives the Golden Space Needle award.
May food and wine festivals
May 21-24
New Orleans Wine & Food Experience
(nowfe.com)
New Orleans, La.
This large annual festival offers cooking demonstrations, food and wine tastings, seminars on food and wine trends, and wine dinners hosted by local restaurants. Profits go to local nonprofit organizations. Admission.
May 29-June 1
Atlanta Food and Wine Festival
(http://atlfoodandwinefestival.com)
Atlanta, Ga.
Tasting tents are organized in a series of "trails" for fried chicken, craft beers and barbecue in midtown Atlanta. There are dinners featuring Southern cuisine, though the signature event is a big party called "Pig Out." Admission.
May 31
International Great Beer Expo
(greatbeerexpo.com/philly)
Philadelphia, Pa.
The expo at the Philly Navy Yard offers beers from more than 75 brewers from around the world. The ticket price includes samples, a souvenir glass and admission to seminars; the money raised goes to a charity for children with cancer.
May 31
Montclair Food and Wine Festival
(montclairfoodandwinefestival.org)
Montclair, N.J.
Montclair calls itself "The Food Capital of NJ." Its festival, which benefits local nonprofits, offers tastings from restaurants throughout the state and wines from around the world. Admission.
Diet, Health and Recipes
May health tip of the month
Some two million people have celiac disease, which means they're unable to digest gluten-a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Some good news for Celiac Awareness Month this May is that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has finally set new guidelines for foods labeled "gluten-free." The food must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten and can't be cross-contaminated by being made in a factory with other gluten-containing products.
May superfood of the month: Asparagus
Men (women, too), listen up! Asparagus, in season starting in May, is high in lycopene, which has been found to protect the prostate and help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. In addition to lycopene, asparagus contains vitamin A, important for the immune system and eye health, and lots of fiber to help reduce cholesterol and encourage heart health. You might not think of protein when you see asparagus, but there's plenty jammed into each spear. And if you're pumping iron, you'll appreciate not only the protein but also the iron asparagus offers.
May fitness tip of the month
May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, during which adults and children around the country are encouraged to try a new sport, set physical activity goals and take other steps to lead a healthy lifestyle. Sign up for the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award challenge and track your progress online (presidentschallenge.org/challenge). Once you reach your goals, you'll be eligible to receive special awards and fitness gear.
Medical breakthrough of the month: Ladies, let the sunshine in
Women who don't get enough vitamin D as they age may be more likely to suffer cognitive decline, two new studies suggested. The studies find that vitamin D, often called the sunshine vitamin, seems to play an important role in maintaining brain health in older women. In one survey of nearly 500 women, those who had the highest level of vitamin D dietary intake seemed to have the lowest risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. In another study, researchers at the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis found that among more than 6,000 older women, those who had low levels of vitamin D had a greater chance of developing cognitive impairment. To make sure you get enough vitamin D, try to get 15 minutes of sunshine on sunscreen-free arms and legs a few times a week, eat fatty fish such as salmon and drink fortified milk or orange juice. Some people may need to take a vitamin D supplement; check with your doctor. The studies were published in the Journals of Gerontology, Series A (Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences and Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences).
May recipe of the month: Strata With French Toast Flavorings and Strawberry Sauce
Want to wow mom on Mother's Day? Or treat some friends? Try this rich, unforgettable brunch dish that's a little bit like bread pudding, a little bit like French toast and a lot like dessert.
By Pam Anderson, AARP food expert.
Serves 8 to 12
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup slivered almonds
6 tablespoons butter, melted but not hot
1 loaf (about 1 pound) crusty French bread
2 cans (12 ounces each) evaporated milk
9 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups sliced strawberries
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water
DIRECTIONS
Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, almonds and butter with hands in a medium bowl, pressing together to form large clumps; set aside.
Arrange bread in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish so that it slightly overlaps.
Whisk together milk, eggs and vanilla.
Pour mixture over bread and let stand, weighting the bread so that it absorbs the custard, at least 20 minutes or overnight.
When ready to bake, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake until golden and set, about 45 minutes.
While it bakes, bring berries, sugar, zest and ½ cup water to boil in a small Dutch oven or large saucepan.
When mixture starts to simmer, whisk in cornstarch mixture. Continue to simmer until mixture thickens to sauce consistency.
After removing strata from oven, let stand 10 minutes before cutting it into portions.
Serve with sauce alongside.
This Day in History
May 1, 1960: U.S. U-2 spy plane pilot Francis Gary Powers is shot down over Sverdlovsk in the Soviet Union, forcing the United States to admit that the plane had been on a covert surveillance mission. Powers will be exchanged for Soviet spy Rudolf Abel on Feb. 10, 1962.
May 2, 1970: Diane Crump becomes the first female jockey to compete in the Kentucky Derby, racing her horse, Fathom, to a 15th-place finish at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
May 3, 1986: Willie Shoemaker, 54, becomes the oldest jockey to win the Kentucky Derby as he rides 17-to-1 shot Ferdinand to victory. It's the Shoe's fourth Kentucky Derby win; his previous one was 21 years earlier.
May 4, 1961: Led by Congress of Racial Equality director James Farmer, the first group of 13 Freedom Riders (seven black and six white) depart from Washington, D.C., aboard two public buses, beginning their journey to the Deep South to challenge practices of racial segregation that had been outlawed by the U.S. Supreme Court in Boynton v. Virginia.
May 5, 1961: Alan B. Shepard Jr. becomes the first American astronaut in space after his Freedom 7 capsule blasts off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., for a 15-minute suborbital flight. Nearly a decade later, Shepard will also become the fifth person to walk on the moon as commander of the Apollo 14 lunar landing mission.
May 6, 1954: British medial student Roger Bannister becomes the first person to run the mile in under four minutes. His time: 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds.
May 7, 1945: Col. Gen. Gustav Jodl, chief of staff of the German Army, signs an instrument of unconditional surrender at Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower's headquarters in Reims, France, to end World War II in Europe. The surrender goes into effect on the following day, referred to as Victory in Europe, or V-E Day.
May 8, 1963: "Bond, James Bond." "Dr. No," the first movie starring Scottish actor Sean Connery as debonair British Secret Intelligence Service Agent 007, opens in theaters in the United States.
May 9, 1961: Federal Communications Commission chairman Newton N. Minow vilifies commercial television as a "vast wasteland," urging the need for more programs in the "public interest" during a speech to the National Association of Broadcasters.
May 10, 1869: California Gov. Leland Stanford drives in a ceremonial golden spike to symbolize the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States, as the tracks of the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific railroads meet at Promontory Summit in the Utah Territory.
May 11, 1960: Israeli Mossad agents capture Nazi fugitive Adolf Eichmann in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Eichmann, who had been instrumental in organizing the extermination of European Jews during the Holocaust, had been living under the alias Ricardo Klement and working for Mercedes-Benz in Argentina.
May 12, 1997: Australian distance swimmer Susie Maroney, 22, becomes the first person to swim from Havana, Cuba, to Key West, Fla., braving harsh winds to cross the 112-mile Florida Straits in just over 24 hours.
May 13, 1981: While standing in an open car in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, Pope John Paul II is shot and seriously wounded by Turkish fugitive Mehmet Ali Agca. The pope and two tourists also shot in the attack will all recover.
May 14, 1948: David Ben-Gurion, soon to be Israel's first prime minister, declares the establishment of the state of Israel at a ceremony in the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. The next day, armies from Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq begin attacking the new country.
May 15, 1972: While campaigning for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination in Laurel, Md., former Alabama Gov. George Wallace is shot five times by Arthur Bremer. Three others are injured in the shooting, which permanently paralyzes Wallace from the waist down.
May 16, 1964: Twenty-one-year old singer Mary Wells is the first recording artist on Berry Gordy's Motown record label to have a No. 1 hit on the Billboard singles chart, with the Smokey Robinson composition "My Guy."
May 17, 1875: African-American jockey Oliver Lewis wins the first Kentucky Derby, riding the horse Aristides to a $2,850 purse in the first running of the prestigious race at the Louisville Jockey Club in Louisville, Ky.
May 18, 1953: Jackie Cochran becomes the first female pilot to break the sound barrier. Average speed: 652.3 mph.
May 19, 1962: Wearing a sheer dress studded with 2,500 rhinestones, actress Marilyn Monroe sings a sensuous rendition of "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy during a Democratic Party fundraiser at Madison Square Garden in New York.
May 20, 1927: Charles Lindbergh takes off from Long Island in the Spirit of St. Louis on the first nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean. He lands in Paris 33 ½ hours later.
May 21, 1999: After 18 straight nominations, Susan Lucci finally wins a Daytime Emmy Award for best actress in "All My Children."
May 22, 1992: After nearly 30 years as host, Johnny Carson says farewell to an estimated 50 million viewers on his final episode of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson."
May 23, 1969: The Who release the rock opera "Tommy," a double album that includes the hit "Pinball Wizard."
May 24, 1844: Inventor Samuel Morse sends the biblical quotation "What hath God wrought" by Morse code from a telegraph machine in the U.S. Capitol to his assistant, Alfred Vail, waiting in Baltimore. It is the first message sent over a commercial telegraph line.
May 25, 1935: Playing for the Boston Braves, "Sultan of Swat" Babe Ruth hits the final three home runs of his career in a game against the Pirates at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, bringing his career total to 714 homers. The Babe's record will stand for nearly four decades, until Hank Aaron breaks it in 1974.
May 26, 1977: Using homemade hand clamps, George Willig scales the outside of the World Trade Center's South Tower in New York, where he is promptly arrested after a 3 ½ hour climb. Willig will be fined $1.10 for his daredevil escapade-a penny for each of the skyscraper's 110 floors.
May 27, 1995: Superman actor Christopher Reeve is paralyzed from the neck down after being thrown from his horse while jumping in an equestrian event in Culpeper, Va. He continues to act and direct until his death in 2004.
May 28, 1987: West German pilot Mathias Rust, 19, evades Soviet radar and lands a private plane in Moscow's Red Square.
May 29, 1977: Former aerospace engineer Janet Guthrie becomes the first woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500, finishing in 29th place because of technical difficulties. Exactly 28 years later, Danica Patrick will take up Guthrie's legacy by becoming the first woman to take the lead during the Indy 500; she will ultimately finish in fourth place.
May 30, 1922: Supreme Court Chief Justice and former President William Howard Taft dedicates the Lincoln Memorial on the Mall in Washington, D.C. Robert Todd Lincoln, the late president's only surviving son, is an honored guest at the ceremony.
May 31, 1057: According to legend, Anglo-Saxon noblewoman Lady Godiva rides naked on horseback through Coventry, England, to protest the harsh taxes her husband Leofric had levied on the townspeople.
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