The event is especially meaningful this year, as ICE and partner agencies carry out a cruel campaign to round up and deport Latino immigrants. Despite the risk, families are still at the cemeteries, awaiting their lost loved ones.

The episode features Adela signing the deeply emotional song, "la Llarona." which translates to "The Weeping Woman," a song that Adela renders with deep and powerful pathos. The song is especially poignant, as Adela and her family mourn the loss of her young nephew Julian. He will, perhaps, push through the veil and hug his Aunt Adela.

This year "Independence" means something a bit more serious than fireworks and parades. 

Not since the early 1770's have we found our rights and freedoms so seriously challenged. 

We address that perilous threat in an updated version ofour George Washington episode. These are frightening, angry times, but we see hope in the massive and peaceful "No Kings" protests, where "We the People" showed a remarklable spirit of

community, civility, and solidarity.

That is the Mission of OURGENPOD.

Listen to Episode 27, with a dramatic reading of Washington's "Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviorin Company and Conversation" (with some portions censored

by pesky mice).

A recurring them that came up in comments submitted from guests, friends, and listeners about what friendship means to them, was he importance pets were in their lives. That's certainly true for us. "Pets" doesn’t even seem like the right word, as to many people, including those of us at OURGENPOD, animals are part of the family. For people without children, they are our children. 

The Wallis Annenberg GENSPACE is a remarkable place. This is not our parent's "Senior Center" -- the very phrase is anathema to most of us. But we were truly blown away by our experience there -- based on extensive research and planning, GENSPACE is model for the nation. 

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You may be, like us, repelled by the notion of joining a Senior Center. We ask you to suspend that instinct for a few minutes to experience what we did. You may be content and connected -- if so, you are in the fortunate minority. But we bet you know others who are not, and we hope you will share this episode with them.

GENSPACE is magic. Listen and you will hear what we mean.

This Episode was originally aired in 2022.

Things are getting scary out there -- very UNcivil -- and with our Civility Series we're searching for ways to turn that downward spiral on its head.  How do we redirect all that anxiety & anger into something positive?

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Dr. Siegel brings us something entirely different. In this first of a two-part episode, he talks about Play, and the role of the "Trickster" in history, mythology and culture. Shep's a fun guy to talk to, but don't be fooled... he takes Play very seriously.

Michael Lang died Saturday, January 8, 2022 in New York City of a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, surrounded by his family.

Michael has another family that includes millions of us around the world. We were fortunate to have a chance to speak with him, and in his memory, we are rebroadcasting that interview with this episode.

Most of us have fun memories of Halloween, but there's more to this holiday than costumes and candy. In our latest episode, we learn about the Pagan beliefs surrounding Samhain (pronounced "Sau-wen"), and the roots of ancient Aztec and Mayan rites of the "Day of the Dead," or "Dia de los Muertos."   

In this episode, we venture beyond the veil to discover the true meaning of this time. Listen in, if you dare!

Michael has a really fascinating story to tell, about how he joined Santana at 18, played a world-shaking drum solo in front of half a million people at Woodstock '69 when he was only 20, and has managed to keep on growing as an artist for 50 years since. In many ways, Michael’s life follows the archetypal track of many of us, from wild youth to our current, more mellow stage of life. His lively conversation with Julian brings it all back; it's quite a tale. But he also delivers a potent dose of inspiration for many of us who may be forced by age to give up things we love doing. Michael hasn’t stopped making music in spite of the inevitable aches and pains that prevent him from pummeling the drums like he did at Woodstock. Far from giving up, he’s moving on, and getting better. His new music is a stunning reminder that some things DO improve with age.

In this episode, we lay back on the therapist's couch and discuss how to cope with the double whammy of COVID-19 and the continuing case of "Trump Anxiety Disorder" with the Psychologist who first diagnosed it -- Dr. Jennifer Contarino Panning.

It's a voice we could really use today.

We deal with the issues we face every day, but we don't just rant and rave. We're looking for solutions. We also have a lot of fun talking about what entertains us, what makes us happy, What makes us laugh. We share powerful, provocative human stories, talking with great writers, thinkers, and musicians.

We also engage our audience: you can add your voice to the conversation. We really want to hear what you think. Our whole purpose is to lift your spirits, shake things up and help us all live happier, more informed lives.

You won't hear anything like talking about our generation anywhere else. We're a huge part of the population, but there's almost no programming that really takes us seriously. We've lived life for a while now, but we're not through, even though media, marketers, and some other folks might want us to think we are.

A lot of us buy into that ageism, but that's a big mistake. We're active, experienced, and full of wisdom worth listening to, so don't let yourself be ignored, isolated, or cut off -- JOIN US on OURGENPOD!