A performer in a sparkling red dress with voluminous ruffles holds a microphone and smiles on stage under bright lights.

Seniors have much to contribute and a unique perspective

September 23, 2025/Jan Wagner/
Subscribe

It boggles my mind but this column, after about 25 years of work, is column number 900 in the ever-evolving history and legacy that has become “AutoMatters & More,” and with it my life as a very active, ‘retired’ senior. To commemorate that, I am including a variety of photos that I have shot in this time period.

A vintage tan and black pickup truck with red wire wheels and wooden side rails is parked on a grassy lawn.
A large dragon float covered in green and red lights emits smoke during a nighttime parade, with a performer riding on its head and spectators watching from the sidewalk.
A race car crashes into a wall at high speed, causing debris, tires, and a large cloud of dust to scatter onto the racetrack.
A U.S. Army paratrooper jumps out of an aircraft in mid-air while another paratrooper looks on from inside the plane.

This week I want to discuss with you something particularly important, and hopefully memorable, to celebrate and commemorate this milestone, but I’ve wrestled with what that topic might be.

A tiger with orange fur and black stripes lies on green grass, looking directly at the camera. Green foliage is visible in the blurred background.
A gold classic Cadillac with a shiny chrome grille is parked at an outdoor car show, with another vintage car partially visible beside it.
Two cyclists in colorful outfits perform mid-air tricks on BMX bikes against a dark, illuminated indoor backdrop.

This column, somewhat to my surprise, proves that we seniors do, indeed, have much to contribute. Our perspective is one borne of experience that only years of life can provide. Far from being on the decline, our ability to contribute can still be going strong. That is a great feeling.

A close-up of various colorful artificial flowers, including a purple and white orchid in the center.
A rally car with Subaru branding drives on two wheels during a race, with the driver visible inside and a blurred background indicating motion.

I’ve just spent four days’ worth of hours — many of them non-stop, individually editing dozens of my photos shot two weekends ago for last week’s “AutoMatters & More,” entitled “Dramatic H1 Unlimited Hydroplane blowover & more at San Diego Bayfair 2025.” I encourage you to read it and enjoy its 130 photos at: https://automatters.net/dramatic-h1-unlimited-hydroplane-blowover-more-at-san-diego-bayfair-2025/

A hydroplane boat flips vertically out of the water during a race, while another boat speeds by in the foreground, leaving a large spray behind.
A colorful lantern display featuring a child figure holding a large fish, with a red backdrop and dragon design.
Close-up of a vintage car interior featuring a metallic pink steering wheel, pink dashboard accents, and classic dials.

Shooting all of the photos that I shot for this, over 2-1/2 long days on my feet, was not easy. Yes, at the age of 71 I am not as mobile as I used to be but, through pacing myself, I am still able to walk long distances, wielding not one but two heavy professional cameras and miscellaneous equipment and supplies.

Three race cars collide on a track during a motorsport event, with visible damage to the front and sides of the vehicles.
A wooden Viking-style ship with a decorated sail is engulfed in flames on the water at dusk.
Two U.S. Navy Blue Angels F/A-18 jets perform a close, mirrored flyby maneuver against a clear sky.

The result of my efforts is a column (some call it a blog) that, after 898 columns before it, represents some of my best work as a photojournalist — further described by my text, written in an easy to read, conversational style.

Three orcas leap out of the water in synchronized motion during a marine show at an aquatic facility.
A group of people in military uniforms watch as a person hangs upside down from a ladder inside an aircraft cabin.

Cumulatively, we seniors have a vast wealth of life experience. Whatever that may be informs what is available for us to share with others. How — or if — we choose to use this knowledge and experience, is as individualized as we are. I choose to share my experience with you, through these columns. That gives me a great sense of satisfaction, keeps me mentally and physically active, and motivates me to keep on keeping on.

Two performers in blue costumes pose energetically, with one in a dress and hat smiling in front and another in a bodysuit leaping with arms outstretched behind her, against a stone backdrop.
A surfer rides a wave near the shore on a sunny day, with water splashing around and the ocean in the background.
A large crowd of people walking down Main Street at Disneyland, with buildings decorated in blue and white banners under a cloudy sky.
A Red Bull stunt plane flies between inflatable pylons on a water course during an air race, with city buildings and a crowd in the background.

Retirement is but one important milestone in our lives that have been marked with other important, life-changing milestones. I’ve thought about this as I watch my young grandchildren grow and experience the world for themselves. After we are born, our parents and society endeavor to prepare us for life. Soon we go to school, where we learn additional life skills, and where we socialize with others of our age group, and our teachers.

People sit in a room with large, colorful, psychedelic face patterns projected onto the walls and ceiling, creating an immersive art environment.
A person with dreadlocks is carving a design into a piece of leather on a worktable, using a tool, in a well-lit indoor setting.

Out in the working world, we build our professional reputations as we further develop our skills and earn money, to enable us to live independent lives. Society continues in myriad ways to nurture us, as we continue to develop interpersonal relationships.

A marina with docked boats in the foreground and modern high-rise buildings and the San Diego Convention Center in the background under a clear blue sky.
A large Ferris wheel with a Mickey Mouse face and rainbow lights is illuminated behind colorful, lit water fountains at night.

Eventually we enter retirement, but that does not mean that we have to stop growing as individuals and contributing to society. Institutions are in place that serve to recognize our medical needs, which increase as we age. That, in turn, enables us to continue to give back.

View from behind two pilots inside the Goodyear blimp cockpit, showing flight controls, instrument panels, and a cityscape through the windows.
An adult gorilla walks on grass with a baby gorilla clinging to its back. Trees and rocks are visible in the background.

Perhaps an area where there is a less robust system in place is with regards to supporting seniors’ need to socialize.

The Eiffel Tower illuminated at night, photographed from a low angle with lights highlighting its structure against a dark sky.
A person on a water-powered flyboard performs a high arc over the water, with a jet ski nearby and spray forming a loop in the air.

At a time in our lives when our physical abilities are beginning to decline, we typically no longer socialize in the institutions that have been there for us thus far in our lives — at school or working at a job with others. Perhaps that is an opportunity for some of our fellow seniors to take the lead and create a new institution for us, rather than leave us to fend for ourselves.

An airplane with red lights flies low over blue water as fire, smoke, and sparks erupt from a rugged industrial set in a staged action scene.
Three women on a white float in a pool; one covers her eyes, another her ears, and the third her mouth, imitating the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” gesture.

One area where I could really use some help is sharing these columns with a much larger audience. For several years the expanded, AutoMatters.net website version of “AutoMatters & More” also had broad international distribution on the DriveTribe website (the website started by the three former, wildly popular hosts of the BBC’s popular “Top Gear” TV show), but that site closed down several years ago. I failed to seek out a replacement for the widespread, international distribution of “AutoMatters & More.” Will you help me find that?

A large illuminated Chinese dragon lantern with vibrant colors and flame-shaped accents is displayed at night during a festival.
Custom hot rod with a highly detailed, colorful paint job and a large exposed engine on display outdoors, with people in the background.
A river bordered by pine trees flows in front of a rugged, forested mountain under a partly cloudy sky.

To explore a wide variety of content dating back to 2002, with the most photos and the latest text, visit “AutoMatters & More” at https://automatters.net. Search by title or topic in the Search Bar in the middle of the Home Page, or click on the blue ‘years’ boxes and browse.

Copyright © 2025 by Jan Wagner – AutoMatters & More #900r2AM

Posted in , , , , , , ,

Jan Wagner

4 Comments

  1. Alberto on October 4, 2025 at 1:53 am

    There is no such thing as retirement. We change our priority. We change our lifestyle. We are always doing something. Hopefully is for our pleasure and happiness and not just for money to survive!
    I’m in my cycle 4.1 now. 1.0 was when I was born. 2.0 was when I started going to school. 3.0 was when I started working. 4.0 was stopped taking a job. 4.1 is enjoying a happy, healthy life. Wish 4.2 is better yet….
    More power and many more years of blessings to you! I’m forwarding the wonderful AutoMatters
    -Alberto

    Reply
    • Jan Wagner on October 4, 2025 at 3:34 pm

      Thank you Albert. You’ve expressed this very well indeed. Let’s keep going and continue to enjoy life!
      Jan

      Reply
  2. David Sperry on October 3, 2025 at 9:34 am

    Jan, you are one great photographer. I remember most of these photos back to the early days of DriveTribe. However, I don’t recall you being in space…was this photo taken in a steep elliptical dive?

    As for your friend Alberto’s suggestion to produce a calendar, why would you not be allowed to do such a thing? They are your photos, all copyrighted, and taken while credentialed. Wouldn’t you be able to sell your photos through various outlets?

    I’m trying to think of ideas to increase the readership of your column. You put a lot of effort into it and deserve more readers. I’ve noticed that a few automotive writers create their columns in the form of automotive news, with their own and third party photos. They then send out their “automotive news” to an unsolicited email list, and some recipients become regular readers. I’ll try to find an example and send it to you.

    For a person with your energy, you don’t seem “retired”!

    David

    Reply
    • Jan Wagner on October 4, 2025 at 4:09 pm

      Hi David,
      Thank you for your much-appreciated comments and suggestions.
      Regarding my energy level (as a senior), yesterday (Friday) I drove up north to cover the abbreviated Pacific Airshow Huntington Beach. There was, as expected, none of the earlier-advertised U.S. military participation due to our Federal Government shutdown this week.
      Unfortunately, at the event there was no press tent/chairs/work area so I was on my feet carrying two heavy professional cameras and the rest of my gear, from when I parked my car several blocks away on the street (there was no press parking, either) until I returned to my car after the airshow at about 4PM! I was physically exhausted and walking pretty slowly by the time that I returned to my vehicle, to make the two-hour drive home.
      Right now it is just after 3PM on Saturday (the day after). Since my arrival home, I’ve spent most of my time resting and recovering. I am finally about to make breakfast!
      I like your ideas for building a much larger audience for “AutoMatters & More,” and for making a calendar. Any help that you give me with those ideas will, of course, be very much appreciated. I think that the only photos that I might not be allowed to sell are of professional auto racing. I’ll have to investigate that further. Maybe that only applies to my photos, taking while using my press credential, of recent events and not forever. That would make more sense.
      Regarding your comment about a photo from space, I actually took the photo, that I think you were referring to, from the inside of the U.S. Army’s Golden Knights’ parachute team’s airplane, high above the MCAS Miramar Air Show a few years ago. With the door open, it was freezing cold up there.
      Jan

      Reply

Leave a Comment