Living a LearningLife

As millions of American workers approach the traditional "retirement age," what's ahead for those people and for the larger American economy? Best-selling author and social entrepreneur Marc Freedman shared his thoughts with Living a LearningLife staff ahead of his appearance at this Saturday's "Encore!" Fest.

The founder and CEO of Civic Ventures, and author of Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life, Freedman was described by The New York Times earlier this year as "the voice of aging baby boomers who are eschewing retirement," while The Wall Street Journal stated in 2007: "In the past decade, Mr. Freedman has emerged as a leading voice in discussions nationwide about the changing face of retirement."

LearningLife Fest with Marc Freedman Join an all-star cast of leaders, experts, and peers, led by nationally renowned author and Civic Ventures founder Marc Freedman, for a day of discovery and direction about your future. (Saturday, May 16, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.)

Blueprint for a Successful Retirement (Tuesday, June 9, 4:30-8:30 p.m.)

Financial Planning for Life (Thursday, June 11, 4:30-8:30 p.m.)

Curiosity Camp—Northeast Minneapolis: A Skyline of Steeples and Spires (Thursday, June 18, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.)

From Andrea Gilats, LearningLife director

Okay, so LearningLife is hosting this super-exciting Fest called Encore!

Okay, so our special guest Marc Freedman, author of Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life, is a truly brilliant, dedicated, down-to-earth human being.

Okay, so he talks about "encore careers," and the little hair I have left on my arms stands up as I think of myself working 60 hours a week, meeting somebody else's deadlines, and sending e-mails until I'm 90 years old.

Guess what? Those scary scenarios could not be further from the truth! To prove the point, I assigned myself the task of listing just some of the attractive options and features of encore careers.

LearningLife expert bloggers Elizabeth and Katherine Hirsh tackled the topic of self-renewal in their April post, Spring Into Self-Discovery – Planting and Pruning for New Growth. See their post for insightful thoughts about how you can reclaim your life and fill it with energizing, joyful activities.

The University of Minnesota Extension Service turns 100 this year! Check out the centennial Web site for a rich history of the Extension Service—everything from how Extension agents helped save Minnesota hogs during the hog cholera epidemic of 1913 to how educators currently work with communities to promote sustainable tourism.