Jules & Effin Older
Two Lives, One Very Interesting Adventure
Some couples spend their lives doing one thing really well. Jules and Effin Older seem to have missed that memo.
Over the years, the Olders have been writers, travelers, broadcasters, educators and collaborators. They've lived in the United States and New Zealand, raised a family, written books together and separately, and somehow managed to collect a rather remarkable assortment of stories along the way.
And their lives don't really fit into one neat career description.
Effin Older: From Vermont to New Zealand Television
Effin grew up in Vermont and had never even seen a television studio when she and Jules were living in New Zealand. Then she spotted an advertisement looking for a television presenter – someone who was comfortable handling building tools. She hid the advertisement from Jules.
Her friend found out about the job and encouraged her to apply. Effin did. She got the job. Before long, she was co-hosting national television programs in New Zealand, including Of Course You Can Do It and The Renovators. She also made guest appearances on other programs and even appeared on the cover of New Zealand's Listener magazine.
That's a pretty good example of an Old People Rock life lesson: sometimes the interesting part of life begins with a job you never expected to apply for.
Jules: Psychologist, Professor, Broadcaster – and TV Villain?
Jules's career is equally difficult to summarize. He earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and worked in psychology and medical education. In New Zealand, he helped develop behavioral science education at the Otago Medical School.
But that wasn't nearly enough.
For three years he hosted American Pie, a weekly rock-and-roll radio program. He wrote. He taught. He edited magazines. He became a prolific children's author and travel writer.
And then there was television.
Jules played the villain in the New Zealand television production Eggers and Mrs. McMahon: Against the Law. As Jules tells it, his American accent helped him get the part. So yes, the same man who became a children's author and writing teacher also got be the bad guy on television.
Then . . .There Is Death by Tartar Sauce
One of the best clues to the Olders' personality may be the title of Jules's travel book: Death by Tartar Sauce: A Travel Writer Encounters Gargantuan Gators, Irksome Offspring, Murderous Mayonnaise & True Love. The book grew out of the life Jules and Effin created as travel writers, photographers and adventurers. Their travels included encounters with wildlife, strange foods, questionable transportation decisions, travel disasters and the general unpredictability of seeing the world.
In other words, they didn't just travel. They collected stories.
A Life That Kept Moving
The Olders' relationship with New Zealand has been particularly important. They first moved there with their family in the 1970s and eventually returned to the United States, where they built careers in writing and education. They spent years in Vermont and later San Francisco.
Then, in 2020, they made another major move: they returned to New Zealand. Part of the reason was family. Part of it was the continuing connection they had built with a country that had already changed the direction of their lives once before. Today, their work still reflects that curiosity. Jules continues to write about travel, New Zealand and the strange things that happen when you remain interested in the world. Effin continues to write, photograph and collaborate with him.
Two People Who Never Really Stopped Trying Things
That's probably what makes Jules and Effin such a natural fit for Old People Rock. Their story isn't really about one spectacular achievement. It's about what happens when you keep saying yes to interesting possibilities.
A psychologist becomes a medical educator.
A Vermont woman who had never seen a television studio becomes a national television host.
A writer becomes a radio personality.
A children's author becomes a TV villain.
A couple becomes a travel-writing team.
And decades into their lives, they're still curious enough to move to new countries, write books, make films and see what happens next.
That's a pretty good definition of what it means to keep rocking.
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