The headline of Will Leitch’s Aug. 1 column, “The real reason movie attendance has dropped? Grandpa.,” grabbed my attention. I am an 87-year-old grandma and I stopped going to movie theaters about five years ago. Today’s theaters are challenging to negotiate: Declining physical prowess, waning vision, the need for frequent trips to the john and handicapped seats causing severe neck strain are all reasons I now avoid them.
Instead, I opt to stream or watch movies on cable, where I can enjoy them from the comfort of my sofa or recliner. This way, I can hit the pause button to get a snack or answer the phone.
That’s why my first reaction to all the hoopla around “The Odyssey” was wondering when and where it will stream.
Jean Jensen, Alexandria
Let me point out the real reason Generation Xers and baby boomers don’t frequent movie theaters. It’s not that we’re acting like “there’s nothing out there to see,” like Will Leitch suggested. Quite often, seniors are just unable to go because of health issues or mobility challenges. In my younger years, I was an avid moviegoer. There wasn’t a single good movie I’d miss. Now, it’s just plain harder to go.
Also, seniors spending a lot of time on the phone is often a reflection of the social isolation they live with. So spare a kind thought for the grandpas and grandmas who would much rather be at the movies and not staring at their iPhones, iPads or TVs.
Sandhya Gandhi, Rockville
Seniors are not going to the movies because of the cost. When the cost of admission is $20 or more for me and my wife, including senior discounts, I look elsewhere for my entertainment.
Rob Rudick, Takoma Park
After your working years, keep up your strengths
I retired (albeit reluctantly) from the workforce at the vintage age of 78, so the Aug. 2 Business article “What retirees wish someone had told them ahead of time” resonated with me.
I especially agreed with Deborah Buckwalter’s insight in the article that we should stay socially and cognitively engaged as we age. I have volunteered at the Phillips Collection since 2009, and that experience has been especially gratifying in retirement. The most valuable aspect of volunteering has been engaging with visitors in conversations about art.
I also agree that physical activity can be a new source of structure and meaning at this stage in life. I try to walk about two miles several times a week either in Rock Creek Park or, in inclement weather, in the hallways of my co-op apartment building, and I swim laps every week using a kickboard. It is gratifying, both physically and mentally, to accomplish these activities in my eighth decade on the planet.
Bottom line to future retirees: Build on and adjust the strengths you developed in your working years as the foundation for a successful retirement.
Lois A. Engel, Washington
Don’t give up tech — hold officers accountable
The Aug. 4 front-page article “How rogue officers used a nationwide camera network for stalking″ exposed the misuse of law enforcement technology by some officers. The reporting should be a reminder that every public safety tool must be matched by equally strong accountability.
The lesson, however, should not be to retreat from technology. License-plate cameras and other investigative tools have helped solve violent crimes, locate missing children and recover stolen vehicles. The real challenge for policymakers is to ensure these tools are governed by transparent rules that protect both public safety and individual liberty.
Police departments should implement mandatory supervisory approval for sensitive database searches, independent audits of every query, automatic alerts for suspicious use, criminal penalties for intentional misuse and annual public reports documenting compliance. Officers who abuse the systems betray the public’s trust and should face swift discipline.
But the overwhelming majority of officers serve honorably. They deserve technology that helps them protect our communities and oversight that reinforces public confidence in their work.
Ernest E. Johnson, Washington
Fans are right to care about Ariana Grande
Monica Hesse argued in her Aug. 3 online column, “Is Ariana Grande’s body any of our business?,” that “she owes us, a bunch of strangers she’ll never meet, absolutely nothing. She owes us, the fans who gave her a career, at least something.”
When someone is not only a public figure but also, as Hesse noted, a woman who has defined beauty standards, her appearance is our business. Grande is a fabulous talent. Because fans love and care about her, they want her to be healthy. They were right to question Grande over her concerning change in appearance.
Grande said her withdrawal from an upcoming musical in London was to take a break from public scrutiny. I hope she is heading in a better direction and will now seek help.
Terri Oram, Potomac
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