About Us
Paul Menzel
Jim Conlan
Season Three: January '21
Episode No. 50: "A milestone around our necks"
The Old Dogs ramble about the auspicious occasion of our 50th episode and Third Season.
The Old Dogs Interview
HERB KUPCHIKis a man of medicine. Over his long life he has been involved in training doctors in microbiology, pathology, and laboratory medicine. He was a principal researcher in cancer for 20 years. After retirement, Herb wondered what he would do next. He found the answer the first time he watched a curling match.
Episode No. 51: "The Return of Sheila Tequila"
The Old Dogs offer their personal opinions about the practice of Doomscrolling.
The Old Dogs Interview
Dallasites still remember the fabulous Sheila Tequila and her retro shows. Most memorably, her spot-on performance as Tina Turner. Not bad for a middle-class white girl whose real name is SHELLEY BRANDT. The Old Dogs have a try-to-keep-with-me conversation with Shelley as she looks back and ahead at her life as a performer.
Episode No. 52: "New Thoughts for Old Minds"
The Old Dogs ramble about that moment in time when you decide you're old.
The Old Dogs Interview
KATHLEEN O'BRIEN is a self-styled Chief Aging Officer, who thinks "old" is something to be achieved, not ignored. In the first of a two-part conversation Kathleen talks about new ways we can act our age, without feeling the need to look or act younger than we are.
Episode No. 53: "Life isn't a race -it's a ramble."
The Old Dogs ramble about … rambling during the pandemic.
The Old Dogs Interview
KATHLEEN O'BRIEN is about to publish a book called Reclaim Your Right to Grow Old. It turns out there’s a lot to being old that’s worth claiming. Here’s part two of our conversation with Kathleen.
Episode No. 54: "More Howling."
The Old Dogs take another look at our slogan
The Old Dogs Interview
Steve Austin is what they used to call a spry 83 years old. A few years ago he brought his love of doing very small things in a very big way As Old Man Steve on TikTok to the Tik Tok platform. He’s gained a robust social media following by sharing goofy antics, wearing funny hats, and pretending to cook.
Episode No. 55: "Cosmic? Cosmetic? Comic?"
Old Dog Paul quizzes Old Dog Jim. Jim flunks.
The Old Dogs Interview
DORIS LANCE is a hiker. A real hiker. She goes up and down mountains with ease. She is also 78 years old. Find out what got her started, and what you can learn from the Great Outdoors.
Episode No. 56: "My Infra-structure Needs an Upgrade."
The Old Dogs analyze the State of the Infrastructure
The Old Dogs Interview
TED WEISGAL is beloved by Houstonians who have benefited from courses they took at Leisure Learning Unlimited. Now that LLU is history, Ted has turned his attention to his first passion: Robert's Rules of Order. Only now he aims to bring RRO to every school kid on the planet. The result? World Peace.
Episode No. 57: "Socks with Sandals? Not Us!"
The Old Dogs take issue with how young whippersnappers view us Boomers.
The Old Dogs Interview
JOHN REMINGTON has managed to balance a career in marketing with a career as a professional actor. He has also figured in some national fundraising campaigns. His next step? Dual citizenship in the US and Italy.
Episode No. 58: "Masks for Sale... Cheap!"
The Old Dogs ramble about our hopes and fears as we move back to more intimate socializing.
The Old Dogs Interview
SANDRA MILLER is a family doctor who excelled in the medical profession, then turned to inventing a new genre of fiction: Medical Romance set at the rim of the Grand Canyon. She loves to talk about her rich past, her busy present, and her hopeful future.
Episode No. 59: "Taking Out the Space Trash"
The Old Dogs ramble about the pro's and con's ... and con's and con's of driverless cars.
The Old Dogs Interview
KATHY BIEHL was and is many things to many people. Some know her as a lawyer; some as an actress; some as a food critic; and some as a witty author on the social ramifications of eating. We explore all of it... and more.
Episode No. 60: "Robots Don't Steal Office Supplies."
The Old Dogs ramble about how Artificial is stealing our Intelligence.
The Old Dogs Interview
DALE IRVIN is a self-proclaimed Summarizer - a fancy way of saying how he can make almost any corporate banquet funny. He is also co-host of the internationally famous (Number 25 in Mexican comedy) podcast, "Another Day Above the Ground."
Episode No. 61: "Drink Coffee! Live Longer!"
The Old Dogs gripe about those "Celebrity" Commercials for Medicare, Investing, Travel...
The Old Dogs Interview
ALLEN EINSTEIN was a teacher for many years in Detroit’s less-advantaged schools. For most of that time, he was also a photographer for the Detroit Pistons. Now retired from both careers, Allen has devised a fascinating way to help kids learn faster and more fully. And he has the success stories to prove it.
Episode No. 62: "This Episode is about... uh..."
The Old Dogs ramble about losing our memory - if not our mind
The Old Dogs Interview
DDALE IRVIN, TIM SLAGEL AND CAROLYN STRAUSS are three very funny folks who have a podcast called Another Day Above Ground. A while ago they asked us to be a guest on their show, and we thought highly enough of the conversation that we thought we’d share it. Here it is, edited for maximum laughs and minimum content.
Episode No. 63: "Billionaire Astronauts - a New Frontier?"
The Old Dogs trade views on rich people buying their way into space.
The Old Dogs Interview
Self-described as living the 70’s life, BILL SEAVEY has been many things: reporter, photographer, housing innovator, b and b owner and author. Bill reflects on his life so far and what’s ahead.
Episode No. 64: "Being Single, Seeing Double"
The Old Dogs ponder what life would be like if we were old and single.
The Old Dogs Interview
CAROLYN STRAUSS started as a plus-size model in New York. She developed what she learned into a successful line of clothing, a successful speaking career, many successful years on the Home Shopping Network, a successful and fun podcast called Another Day Above Ground, and let’s face it, a pretty darn successful life so far…
Episode No. 65: "Happy Birthday...NOT!"
The Old Dogs weigh in on whether we need any more birthday presents.
The Old Dogs Interview
CARMEN THOMPSON EDWARDS has practiced non-traditional forms of healing for many decades. She thought she was giving it up when she moved to Arkansas, but it turns out it was a new beginning – a beginning that countless women have been benefiting from.
Episode No. 66: "You're a Dunderhead! No, You Are!"
The Old Dogs consider the benefits of talking to strangers.
The Old Dogs Interview
CRAIG MINBIOLE was a gifted teacher who turned to the corporate world to provide for his family. When he left marketing, he entered a new phase of life that keeps him busy helping less fortunate families.
Episode No. 67: "Clothing? Who Needs It?"
The Old Dogs wonder when the last time was we bought new clothes - and why?
The Old Dogs Interview
RANDY LYNCH is a restaurant manager who has been in the business for around 50 years. During that time he has amassed the skills necessary to weather almost any crisis: hurricanes, power outages, employee shortages and more. Lately this includes the COVID crisis, which he seems to be handling with grace and good cheer.
Episode No. 68: "I'm So Rich I Could Kill You."
The Old Dogs contemplate selling the family manse and living in a van... or not.
The Old Dogs Interview
MARCY BANNOR is, was and always will be a lady of the theatre. But that doesn’t include just acting. A veteran of many productions, Marcy is also a veteran drama teacher who has brought the joys of acting to countless school kids for decades.
Episode No. 69: "What's in YOUR Sandwich?"
The Old Dogs fret about exactly what kind of food is going into our fast-food sandwiches.
The Old Dogs Interview
During a successful career as a government attorney, RICHARD FERRONE made a sudden switch to acting. Despite the uncertainties of reward, he got so good at it that he’s become a highly sought-after audiobook narrator. Maybe you’ll recognize his voice.
Episode No. 70: "The Only Thing We Have to Fear..."
The Old Dogs discuss their fears... real or imagined... and what to do about them. (Spoiler alert: Not much.)
The Old Dogs Interview
MARTHA THOMASES is a writer, a counter-culteralist, a lover - and creator - of comics, and a pretty good knitter. Our conversation takes us from her childhood in Youngstown Ohio to the big-city comic book scene in New York.
Episode No. 71: "No Turkey Jokes, Please!"
The Old Dogs raise a dangerous question: Is Thanksgiving necessary?
The Old Dogs Interview
JIM GREEN is a Doctor of Philosophy, a former Jesuit Scholastic, a fan of the Great Outdoors and an advocate of all things Native American.
Episode No. 72: "Everyone Is Younger When You're 97"
The Old Dogs put their super-educated brains to the question: Do we need higher education?
The Old Dogs Interview
PAUL ROSENE has spent a life in the service of music: learning it, playing it, sharing it with others. Over many decades the nature of his work as an educator has led him to inspiring conclusions about the power of music in our lives. And he’s still at it at the age of 92.
The Old Dogs offer their totally original opinions about ghostwriting
The Old Dogs Interview
EJ NOLAN is one of those guys who defies even the concept of the Renaissance Man. There seems to be no beginning and certainly no end in sight to his career. From radio and disco to his current passion for training musicians, EJ is a guy who you’ll always find in motion.
Episode No. 74: "A Friend in Need... of Friends"
The Old Dogs explore the problems of losing and finding friends as we age.
The Old Dogs Interview
LIZ McNEEL is the kind of realtor everyone who is on the move is looking for. She’s perceptive, knowledgable and highly client-focused. She’s also a specialist in the particular concerns of seniors, including downsizing and senior-living options. In this conversation Liz talks about her passion for her profession and her customers.