Retirement is a ripe time to take up that painting class you always wanted to take. Get involved in community theater, join a choir, or play a musical instrument. Rewind to your youth and ask yourself if there were artistic things you wanted to do but were unable to then. Now is the time! 

Northeast Ohio Boomer magazine has a podcast, and you're invited to listen in. Join us for Next Half, Best Half, where we celebrate "Better Living After 50." Our guests cover topics we know you'll find interesting, especially in this always-changing, sometimes-challenging stage of life. Listen, learn and have some fun making your next half, your best half.

Remember when we had only three TV channels to choose from? On the first episode of Next Half, Best Half, host Marie Elium is joined by Mike Olszewski, former Cleveland radio host and a co-author of several books about Cleveland radio, TV and music. Olszewski talks about Ghoulardi, Capt. Penny, Mr.

Have you ever been talking with friends and the conversation turns to Social Security? Everyone knows just a little bit about the topic but never enough to figure things out. Our personable guest Brandon Smith is like a friend who really knows. He’s with the Cleveland office of the Social Security Administration and helps answer our questions — or at least most of them (as you’ll hear).

What's really happening in Russia? According to Russian Dmitry Nechaev, more than one million Russian men have left the country in the past several weeks, seeking escape from fighting in the war against Ukraine. Many men are hiding out in the forests and three of Dmitry’s crew were driven to the border by their wives, hopped on their bikes and rode for several days to cross into safe territory. Dmitry believes that Russia is ripe for a civil war and made it clear that he would be jailed for saying such things if he was still in the country.

Turns out, student loan borrowers aged 50 and older comprise approximately 22% of the total student loan debt. Older borrowers are now accounting for more student loan debt as well as the rising number of loan defaulters. If this describes you, pay attention to the White House's student loan forgiveness plan. And beware of debt relief scammers and misleading programs.