Diane Baron is enjoying her retirement. She had a 45-year career at IBM, mainly in technical marketing and program management.

What is the best thing about being a woman?
We have more empathy than men. We are deeper in all aspects.

What moment or event in your life made you think life would never be the same?
My first anxiety attack after I got married right out of college.

What do you do when you don’t know what to do?
I stop. I sit down and breathe. Then I think about alternatives. I ask myself who can help me. I make a plan.

What would you do if you had the whole day to yourself?
I have so much to do in my house that I can choose what I feel like doing… Knit, nap, clean out a drawer, work with the plants, take the dog outside, feed and play with the birds…

What is the one piece of clothing you cannot live without?
A beautiful white shirt, either simple or interestingly designed.