It takes effort to pack more nutrition into fewer calories as age alters our metabolism. The payoff? Feeling better. Story [Times art: Teresanne Cossetta]

Dishing up food for thought
On occasion, I work as a volunteer with Meals on Wheels in St. Petersburg, delivering food to people who are frail or disabled. It's basic stuff: Chicken, hot dogs, meatballs or spaghetti as a main dish; a vegetable or two; fruit; bread and margarine; low-fat milk; and, usually, dessert: cake, flavored gelatin, cookies.

The poem that started a movement
"When I'm an old woman, I shall wear purple

A new chapter for dance instructor
Cynthia Marino finds success in a second artistic field with the publication of her fictionalized autobiography One Dream, Two Loves.

Taking a dip into fitness
TAMPA -- When 89-year-old Thelma Donovan went to college, she wanted to get a degree to coach and teach physical education. At the time, opportunities for women were more numerous in the medical field, so she earned a registered nurse's degree instead.

Fall beckons the nomad in us
America has always been a country of nomads, beginning with the original Indian hunters and gatherers. My husband, Dick, and I received an e-mail from friend Sarah who lives in West Virginia. "Why don't you come and see us?" she wrote. We looked at each other and said, "Yeah, why not?"

A great Greyhound tale
Have you had an experience traveling by Greyhound bus that people just don't believe? Greyhound Lines and the National Council on the Aging are looking for entries in a "Trip to Remember" essay contest for seniors 55 and older. Story topics can include everything from romance blossoming en route to trips to historical sites. Entries must be submitted to the Sunshine Center, 330 Fifth St. N, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 by Thursday.

Briefly
Resources in Hillsborough

An important lesson learned from World War II
Many older Americans who saw the destruction of the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11 concluded that the attack was like reliving the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Take Note: Holiday happenings bring comfort, renewal
Welcome to the busiest month of the year. Getting over the Thanksgiving feast in time to prepare for the Christmas dinner is no small task. The feeling of unreality produced by the ever-changing world situation and concern about infectious diseases, or rumors thereof, make holiday preparations seem downright frivolous.

Volunteers: She's always ready for a new challenge
TAMPA -- Geraldine Bucceiro left Massachusetts for Tampa in 1973. For five years, she peeled shrimp, then worked in a full-service garage, doing everything from pumping gas to answering phones to cleaning the bathroom.

Mentoring child can be fountain of youth
ST. PETERSBURG -- Mona Johnson has a passion for learning. She is a former teacher who audits courses at the University of South Florida. She enjoys painting and drawing and participates in an art club. She volunteers with the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program's new mentoring project, which recruits persons 55 or older to work with fourth- and fifth-graders who are regarded as vulnerable to academic failure, delinquency, substance abuse and other challenges.

Step by Step: Are you counting too many sheep?
Do you find it difficult to fall asleep, or once you are asleep, do you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night, unable to return to slumber? You are not alone; about 40-million people out there are fighting Mr. Sandman.

Don't let fear block the joy of living
FDR was right: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." But I've been fighting fear (a truly patriotic effort) for years. I've been afraid of really silly stuff, but now there are big things to be afraid of. If fear is the only thing there is to fear, then everyone should be taking Zoloft or Prozac, not Cipro.

Focus on Caregiving: 'Real' life crushes out our fears
I've come to believe The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams is a classic. I came to that conclusion after I read the story for the "umpteenth" time to my 6-year-old granddaughter, Brittny. I had read the story over the years to my children and to my grandchildren and found myself, once again, with a tear in my eye. My little granddaughter did, too. The message of being real speaks to all of us and is universal.