Women of a Certain Age-The Next Generation

Women of a Certain Age-The Next Generation…

You may be a woman of a certain age if you used hair curlers

Women of a Certain Age –

The Next Generation…

By Cate Rees-Hessel

 

  1. If you ever had a man in a boat in your toilet tank…you might be a woman of a certain age.
  2. If you ever drank a Tab…
  3. If you ever wore hose from an egg…
  4. If you ever wore a $5 dollar tube top from Woolworths…
  5. If you know what was on the lunch menu at Woolworth’s Restaurant…
  6. If you ever ate lunch at Woolworth’s Restaurant…
  7. If you ever ate at a lunch counter…
  8. If you know what a lunch counter is…
  9. If you ate a chocolate Popsicle (nope, not a Fudgesicle) …
  10. If you know what stairs up, stairs down means…
  11. If your first tablet was an Etch A Sketch…
  12. If your tablet is made of paper…
  13. If you ever wore a floral maxi…
  14. If you ever owned a poodle skirt…
  15. If you ever had a tiger in your tank…
  16. If you know who had a dog named Tiger…
  17. If you can recall the Brady Bunch wedding…
  18. If you owned a Schick Love Light…
  19. If you know what a Love Light is…
  20. If you owned a turntable, eight-track, or cassette player…
  21. If you know what a turntable, eight-track, or cassette are…
  22. If creamy ever creamed, you…
  23. If you ever used an Avon Funburger…
  24. If you know what an Avon Funburger is…
  25. If you ever mixed blue eye shadow with water…
  26. If you wore blue eye shadow…
  27. If you used peach peppermint Lip Smacker…
  28. If you owned a Cinnabar Frost lip color pencil…
  29. If you owned anything Estee Lauder in an aqua turquoise case…
  30. If you used tinted Clearasil…
  31. If you wore Clinique Pore Minimizer makeup…
  32. If you carried a disposable lighter for your eye liner pencil in your purse…
  33. If you think “Zoom” is a TV show from the 70’s, not an online meeting portal…
  34. If you ever had a cream pack…
  35. If you know what a cream pack is…
  36. If you can finish this line and name that tune: “Hey, Hey…”
  37. If curlers in your hair caused you shame…
  38. If you still own curlers…
  39. If you ever drank from a garden hose and lived to tell about it…
  40. If you only think of pickle as a food, not a sport…
  41. If “who wears short shorts” is not you anymore…
  42. If you have ever been a Lustre-Crème Shampoo girl…
  43. If you think turkey neck is a soup ingredient…
  44. If you still, make turkey soup…
  45. If you move slower than a sloth…
  46. If you think Alexa and Siri are among your bridge game partners…
  47. If you still play bridge…
  48. If much of your wardrobe came from the mall and department stores, not Amazon…
  49. If you think Robert Redford is sexy…
  50. If you own white gloves that aren’t for winter…
  51. If you call your purse a pocketbook…
  52. If you can name all four of the Golden Girls…
  53. If you can remember when Hallmark was only cards…
  54. If you remember when Olay was Oil of Olay…
  55. If you ever used a rotary dial or push-button landline…
  56. If you know what a landline is…
  57. If you watched Luke and Laura’s wedding…
  58. If you remember “The Guiding Light” and Bauer burgers…
  59. If a section of your closet is dedicated to shoes you can only sit in…
  60. If you know “Shake and Bake” is not a new variation of Hot Yoga…
  61. If you husband owns a leisure suit…
  62. If you owned an original Barbie doll…
  63. If your Barbie dream house had cardboard furniture…
  64. If you can remember when Barbie was just a fashion doll, you might be a woman of a certain age.
  65. If you always realized he’s “just Ken”, you might be a woman of any age…

No Worries. Are You Kidding Me?

No Worries. Are You Kidding Me?

 

Worry is my middle name and I have good reason to be worried

No Worries. Are You Kidding Me?

By D. S. Mitchell

 

Closet Worrier

I never considered myself a worrier; however I have  probably always been a closet worrier. I was the one that would call twice to confirm a reservation and of course I made sure that we always took two of everything (just in case). Now that I’m an elder, and retired, I have found an abundant amount of time to worry and an endless supply of issues to worry about. I have thrown off my shackles and emerged into the light as an admitted worrier.

Growing Louder

What used to be occasional whispers in my busy working mind have grown louder now that I am free of the time clock. I worry about the mutating COVID virus, and do I need another booster? I worry that I forgot to rotate my tires at 5,000 miles. When did I last check the air pressure, I fret. Did I remember to send my forever best friend from high school a card on her birthday? Then there’s climate change, and the rising ocean levels, Russian aggression in the Ukraine, the rape and murder of Israelis on 10/7,  the death of 33,000 Palestinian civilians in Gaza. And we can’t forget the threat of nukes in space, the Chinese on Mars, the speeding up of the Jet Streams, an alien invasion, an AI takeover, nuclear war, and the possibility of an asteroid impact. And what about all those conspiracy theories; are they all wrong; or just partly wrong? Will we ever find Jimmy Hoffa’s bones?

Did You Hear?

Did you see that there was a massive die off of honeybees in the United States in 2023, killing over 51% of the honeybee hives. Furthermore, in case you missed it on the news, the biggest iceberg in history is now floating somewhere in the open ocean south of Australia. I have at my disposal an endless spool of worry; replaying events over-and-over in my head; each exchanging their places in turn, as I worry about each new threat.

I Love Joe

I have recently begun transferring all of these concerns to an off planet storage facility-I think its called the cloud. I want to have plenty of space in my head for election year worries. Don’t misunderstand; there isn’t a single day that goes by that Joe Biden doesn’t prove he’s a better man than Donald Trump ever thought of being. Not one day of Donald Trump’s life, has he ever thought of anyone but himself. As General John Kelly confirmed, Trump “is the most flawed person (I’ve) ever met.” Unfortunately, for the United States, Trump is once again being allowed to run for president; and with the Electoral College system he could easily win.

Not Long Ago

There was a time in the recent past when a candidate for the highest office in our land was not a criminal, a grifter, or wanna-be tyrant; that was of course before Donald Trump came on the scene. Since Trump’s  emergence as a right wing demagogue he has been setting law breaking records; amazing even those who know him best. I realize there are many in the electorate who may have forgotten the list of outrages this one man crime wave has committed. For those amnesic individuals I offer Seth Meyers.

Early to Bed, Ready to Worry

I go to bed early, so, sadly, I miss all the late night comedy shows. But, this is 21st century America and I have YouTube. A recent Seth Meyer’s monologue turned up the heat on my worr-ia-tor. Listen folks, a quick review of the recent past is reason enough to worry about what criminal tactics Trump will use to guarantee his winning the 2024 election. That’s right, folks, I truly believe Trump and his crime associates will try to once again overthrow an election. That would be two in a row. The loss of public morality is shocking and should be a worry for all of us who haven’t been drinking the Kool-Aid or who aren’t looking for a Mango Mussolini to worship.

Seth Meyers Made a List

After coming out on top as the presumptive Republican nominee for president Trump was eviscerated by Late Night host, Seth Meyers. In a near two minute opening monologue, Meyers reeled off a list of outrageous things Donald Trump has done, or has been accused of doing.  Here in Seth’s own words: “Presumptive GOP nominee for president, again, for a third time, despite the fact he is a twice-impeached, four-time criminally indicted and racist who’s been found liable for fraud and sexual abuse. Banned from doing business in the state of New York for three years. Owes over half a billion dollars in fines and judgments. Took millions from foreign governments while he was president. Tried to extort a foreign country to interfere in the 2016 election and encouraged another to help him win in 2020.”

No Stopping Him

Meyers, however, did not stop there. Trump “actively undermined our nation’s response to a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic and let a deadly disease spiral out of control. (He) is about to go on trial for breaking campaign finance laws by paying hush money to cover up an affair during the 2016 campaign. He orchestrated a months-long coup attempt that culminated in a violent insurrection to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power and install him as an unelected dictator. (Trump) stole classified documents and obstructed attempts to get them back. (The man) has never won the popular vote and has been routinely rejected by a majority of Americans in election after election.”

There’s More?

At this point you may think Meyers had covered it all, but that’s when he reminds us of many other bizarre Trump moments. Meyers called Trump “the single weirdest, most off-putting human being on the face of the f****** planet. Trump spews deranged conspiracy theories about everything from climate change to immigration, from vaccines to windmills. Stumbles on three syllable words, two-syllable words and one-syllable words, cheats at golf, calls our dead soldiers suckers and losers, forgets who he’s running against.” At this point, Seth brings up a screen in the studio displaying  examples of Trump’s spelling errors.  “(He) can’t spell his own name, his wife’s name (or even remember it), the words “indicted,” “education,” “unprecedented,” stolen,” “Denmark,” “Kentucky” or “tap,” all spelled wrong, and many more.

Gamer Vocabulary

Myer’s summed up Trump in the following manner, “I’m sorry, but this guy is not a real person, he’s a glitching, (stumbling) NPC from a video game,” Meyers declared. **For the non-gamers out there; Seth’s reference to “NPC” (“Non-Player Character”) is used by him as a metaphor to describe someone he perceives as lacking independent thought.

 

Its Disgusting and Shocking

I worry that any group of people that would support a criminal and insurrectionist as their presidential candidate are likely to break any and all laws to get him back into the White House. Perhaps even “terminate the Constitution.” Bad actors, like Iran, Russia, China, and North Korea are lining up to run misinformation campaigns against Biden and the Dems. Sounds like criminals and thugs sticking together. The fact that the Republican Party is willing to hand over power to a man of  such obvious low character as Donald Trump is both outrageous, and demoralizing. Make no mistake the GOP will be running a ‘dictator for life’ candidate not a presidential candidate.

****

If you want to see the original Seth Meyers rant go to YouTube and put in Trump crimes-Seth Meyers on the search bar and you can watch Seth eviscerate Trump in a two minute rant. Everything he says is alarming and we should all be worried as hell.

Tips to Save Money at the Grocery Store

Tips to Save Money at the Grocery Store

Saving money at the grocery store is getting harder and harder on the pocketbook Here are a few tips on how to a little bit here and there, hoping it ads up to something.

Tips to Save Money at the Grocery Store

By D. S. Mitchell

Editor: Here are a few tricks I found on the internet to help cut costs at the grocery store in these high cost times. I’m not sure about you, but the only time I really feel the pinch is at the supermarket. I’m good at the gas station, I don’t freak out at the cannabis store, I’m okay at the drive thru, but holy Zeus I about lose my mind at the grocery store.

Folks, the price of eggs at my local Walmart has hit stratospheric levels; while at my friendly neighborhood Safeway, the price of eggs has barely budged. So, I buy my eggs and fresh flowers at Safeway and my thick cut smoked bacon and my thin sliced rib eye steaks at Walmart. I also hit the dip and weigh barrels at Winco. I also regularly shop my local Growers Market where everything is always so fresh and flavorful. Enough. I promised some money saving tips at the grocery store, and here they are.:

Experts Tell Us

Experts tell us it all starts with the right sized cart. If you are doing a weeks shopping grab a full sized cart, however if you are not, grab a small cart. Statistics indicate the average shopper buys as much as 40% more when using the larger cart. However, don’t think one of those hand baskets is the answer, in fact, studies show shoppers tend to buy tempting sugary treats when they are carrying the handheld basket.

Wednesday is Best Day to Shop

I just got back from this weeks grocery run. To save money on groceries, I usually shop on Wednesdays. There are noticeably fewer shoppers, unless that Wednesday happens to fall on the first of the month, LOL. On Wednesdays you can usually count on fully-stocked shelves and freshly delivered produce. AND, the sale specials start in most stores on Wednesday. I shop on Wednesdays to beat the crowds and save a little money. ***Stay away from the grocery store on weekends, they’re busy and frequently sale items are out of stock or picked over.

Seasonal Delights

Eat locally grown produce whenever possible, it will give you the best value in price and flavor. Be sure to go to your local Farmer’s Market not just the big supermarkets. In March you’ll see good prices on broccoli, brussels  sprouts, cauliflower, and lettuce. In April look for asparagus, rhubarb and peas. Strawberries are usually cheaper in June than in May. Year round  bargains include celery, and potatoes.

Limit Trips

I shop for two, but I shop alone. Whenever my roommate comes along I spend a lot more money than when he does not.  Today I spent $133 and got most of what I wanted, I only forgot the toilet paper and the paper towels. If Dave had been along I have no doubt I would have spent well-over $200; and still would have forgotten the paper towels and TP. Furthermore, it’s a good time to mention, write a list, and stick to it. People who shop with a list spend less time in the store and make significantly fewer impulse buys. I use a paper list, I’m old. If you prefer, use your phone. There are some great apps that match items on your list with store specials, coupons, and rebates. As important as a list is; limiting your trips to the store is just as important. DO NOT make frequent trips to the grocery store because every time you do, you spend money you didn’t need to spend, in addition to the gas to get there and back, and the energy you expended on that trip you could have used to plant those spring primroses.

Costco Sharing

My daughter and I shop together at Costco every couple of months and then divide up our purchases in their parking lot. The advice here is to also watch the sales at the regular stores because they are often better than you might get at the warehouse stores.

Cut the Candy, Chips and Sodas

Government statistics tell us that the average American family spends 25% of their grocery dollars on “processed foods, sweets, and sodas.” Try to cut back on such unhealthy choices; instead of getting chips-go for some crunchy carrots and celery. I know. I know. Such foods are great, they just need a little prep. So I suggest you do it as soon as you have the rest of the groceries put away. A few minutes scraping and slicing will provide a crunchy healthy snack versus a cheezy Dorito heartattack. Nothing is easy; but such small behavior changes are guaranteed to save you big dollars over a year, and you’ll probably lose some weight and lower your cholesterol.

End Cap Displays

Don’t fall for those big beautiful end cap displays. Those are usually not sale items; they are intended to trigger your impulse buying gene.

Store Brands vs National Brands

In most cases name brand and store brands taste the same, and can save you anywhere from 15% to 30%. In fact, the store named products are often made at the same time and place as national brands, the only difference the private label.

Unit Pricing

Small packages are usually the worst deals. But the biggest size doesn’t guarantee the best deal. What is important here is for the consumer to check for the unit price below the item on the shelf, it will give you the price per ounce or liter or other measurement so you can quickly compare prices in a logical way.

Holiday Hoarding

Some of the best meat and poultry prices can be found around the holidays. Stock up.

Group Bennies

If you are a vet, or a senior, be sure to ask if the store offers extra savings for your particular groups. Don’t hesitate to ask if they stack benefits; meaning can you maximize your savings by using your AARP card and your VA card. Once in awhile a company is allowed to stack discounts which gives a big discount.  Sometimes the discounts are limited to specific days of the month, rather than everyday. But, be sure to ask, and make note of it and try to shop on those days.

Misfits and Oddities

Some stores advertise great prices on produce known as oddballs and oddities. The price you pay for that oddly shaped zucchini may be 30% cheaper than it’s more perfect cousin. Also, by purchasing these imperfect fruits and veggies we can cut down on food waste.

Buying Gas at a Discount

Gas back programs are offered in my area at Safeway and Fred Meyers. The retailer discounts are based on customer shopping habits. A regular customer may save anywhere from 10 cents to $1.50 per gallon at the store’s gas station.

Buying Staples 

Shopping for staples is a weekly process, not a once a year event. I always, always, make sure I have fresh fruit, particularly bananas, honey crisp or Fuji apples, and various fresh berries. Things that are snack friendly, from the hand to the mouth made easy. Then I must have a bag of frozen mixed berries, for spontaneous smoothies. Veggies like kale, romaine, spinach, arugula are standards in my cart, perfect for a late afternoon salad. I always make sure I have onions, potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower on hand. Lemons are another essential for me. I squeeze them in my water, tea, and even over my salads. Also fabulous on chicken, and fish. Cheese is another staple at my house. I always have parmesan and cheddar cheese in the fridge. And I always make sure I have sliced cheese for a quick sandwich. Still in the dairy section I grab a couple pounds of butter and a gallon of whole milk (for morning coffee). I don’t do almond milk or cashew milk or any other non-dairy milk substitute, that’s just me. I’m not sure if you consider Greek yogurt a kitchen staple but I do. I watch for sales. In the meat department I watch for sales on hamburger, boneless chicken breasts, beef steaks, and pork. I try to keep a bag of frozen shrimp on hand, great for salads and pasta. Speaking of pasta I always watch for specials on my favorite pasta sauce. Spaghetti is a life saver for surprise guests.

More Staples

I barely slow down in the cereal department, but I do buy Old fashioned oats and steel cut oats – I never buy instant since you get more nutritional and heart benefits in old-fashioned and steel cut oats. I make sure I always have a box of pasta on hand and a bag of brown rice. And nuts. I use nuts in a lot of my recipes. Not only do they taste great, but they have a lot of healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids. Almonds, walnuts, and pecans are my standby favs. I love Beans black bean burgers, vegetarian chili, topping a salad with them, pureeing into hummus or just heating them and eating them with a spoon. I usually buy them in the 1-2 pound dry packages and cook them up in the crock pot. I always have several cans of diced and whole tomatoes. I use them in nearly everything. I can’t live without eggs or olive oil. Here again keep your eye open for special prices on these basic food items. Bread is not on my grocery list. I stopped eating bread about 10 years ago, and have never looked back. Although I have a pantry full of spices, I make sure I always have the ones I use most on hand, cinnamon, vanilla, cumin, oregano, nutmeg, ginger, black pepper, and sea salt. Lastly, I am always on the alert for big discounts on baking items like flour, white sugar, and brown. My family loves it when I make cookies.

Finally

The Natural Resources Defense Council reports that the average American throws away at least $2,500 worth of food annually. That is about 1/4 of what we spend on food! Time to cut down on waste. One of the ways to do that is to plan your meals for the week and buy according to what you have decided to make. It is important at the beginning of your shopping week to make an assessment of what you already have and what needs to be eaten quickly. Then buy any remaining ingredients to make up those items into eatable meals. After you have cleared your kitchen of items that were about to perish finish out your weeks menu with family favorites and good for you treats. “Waste not, want not,” as my mother used to say.

“Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History”

“Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History”

March is Women's History Month. Let's celebrate the many accomplishments of our sisters.

“Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History”

 

By Cate Rees-Hessel

 

Vote, Vote, Vote!

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let’s all remember to vote blue in order to keep women safe. I must, of course, stress the significance of this year’s theme: “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.” 2024’s presidential election must go down in history as a victory for our nations female population, with a vote for President Biden and our first female VP Kamala Harris. Our president has fought to preserve women’s rights, he wrote the Violence Against Women Act, and reinforced his commitment to our issues during his awe inspiring state of the Union address. Joe Biden is a a pro-choice man of God who treats women with respect. His wife Dr. Biden is an empowered woman of faith.

Two Steps Forward…

This year’s Oscars, also during this historic month, has the “Barbie” movie nominated for Best Picture but we have a long way to go, since the movie’s star and producer failed to be nominated for Best Actress. Barbie joins the ranks of female hero films like “Legally Blonde”, “Miss Congeniality”, “Princess Diaries”, “The Miracle Worker”, “Sophie’s Choice” and “Norma Rae”, to name a few. We must not back down in our fight for equal rights. Ladies of all nationalities, races, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds are celebrated during March, as we join hands across our country to recognize the very important role all women play in history.

A Seat at the Table

From the beginning of time, the Bible and other literary works have recognized the strength of women. From childbirth to picket lines, women have shown they are powerful. Mothers, homemakers, doctors, lawyers, journalists, factory workers, service employees – all play significant parts in American history. Gloria Steinem said, “Any woman who chooses to behave like a full human being should be warned that the armies of the status quo will treat her as something of a dirty joke. That’s their natural and first weapon. She will need her sisterhood.” Shirley Chisholm, the first black candidate for a major-party nomination for President of the United States and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, declared, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”

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Believe It or Not, There’s a Word for That!

Believe It or Not, There’s a Word for That!

It is amazing what tid bits of information can be found in a pile of old magazines

Believe It or Not, There’s a Word for That!

By D.S. Mitchell

Basement Cabinets

I was cleaning out an old cabinet that had been relegated to a darkened corner of my basement when I uncovered a treasure trove of nearly 500 fossilized Reader’s Digest, Vogue, Glamour, O, Style, and AARP, magazines. Yes! What a glorious way to spend a rainy Thursday, scrounging through  dusty boxes of outdated magazines,  I laughed. I gauged how long it would take me to flip through every page of this unanticipated bonanza and figured I could do it in a single day, if I devoted myself to the task fulltime. Obviously, I’ll need pee and refueling breaks.

Pretty Packaging

Why would I be so interested in old magazines, you ask. First of all, I love touching that slick paper that they used to make magazines out of. Second, I love the fact there is this encyclopedia of near useless information, wrapped up in astoundingly pretty packaging. Just Awesome! Anyway, my ulterior motive was to find a few interesting filler topics for my calamitypolitics.com website. I found a motherlode. The first one I decided to share with my readers came from Reader’s Digest, the September 2017 issue (there was no writer credit given in the magazine). A great piece on “whatta’ ya call this?”  In alphabetical order,

  • aglet (aiglet): an aglet or aiglet is a small sheath, often made of plastic or metal, attached at each end of a shoelace, a cord, or a drawstring. An aglet keeps the fibers of the lace or cord from unraveling; its firmness and narrow profile make it easier to hold and easier to feed through eyelets, lugs, or other lacing guides
  • ferrule: the circular metal part holding the eraser to a pencil
  • glabella: the area of skin between the eyebrows and above the nose. The term also refers to the underlying bone that is slightly depressed, and joins the two brow ridges
  • lunule: the white or wedge-shaped part of the fingernail
  • peen: the round or wedge-shaped end of a hammer-i.e., the part that doesn’t hit the nail
  • petrichor: the way it smells when rain falls on parched earth
  • philtrum: the vertical groove between the base of the nose and the border of the upper lip.
  • phosphene: the light you see when you close your eyes and press your fingers to them
  • punt: the indention in the bottom of a wine bottle, a punt is also a wooden boat with no keel, stem, or sternpost, and is constructed like a ladder, and it’s even a football kick
  • rasceta: the lines and wrinkling on the inner surface of the wrist
  • souffle cup: a paper of plastic cup for ketchup, mustard, and other condiments
  • Snellen test: the test during an eye exam involving reading from large to smaller letters
  • tittle: a small written or printed stroke; the dot over a lower case i or j
  • wamble: a weaving or rolling motion, stomach rumbling

That was fun. Did you learn anything? Of the fifteen listed I knew only one.

Diagnosis: Diabetes

Diagnosis: Diabetes

A diagnosis of diabetes can be a scary thing, but with life-style changes the condition can be improved, or even reversed. Patients do not need to face years of fear, guilt, and drugs.

Diabetes is a scary diagnosis. Make some life style changes and change the prognosis.

Diagnosis: Diabetes

By D.S. Mitchell

A Public Health Emergency

One in ten Americans is living with Type 2 diabetes; that’s approximately 38 millions people. Some might call that a public health emergency. With diabetes comes other life altering diseases; cardio-vascular disease, kidney failure (dialysis), stroke, neuropathy, blindness, and lower limb amputation.

Medical Treatment

Many diagnosed diabetics are on high doses of injectable insulin and multiple oral anti-diabetic medications. Insulin is a hormone that transports sugar out of the blood and into the body’s cells. With diabetes the body can’t manufacture the hormone (Type 1-sometimes called childhood diabetes) or the more common Type 2 diabetes, where the body becomes resistant to insulin’s effects. In both cases, insulin injections are the standard fallback treatment.

Change Your Tactics

It doesn’t have to be this way. Instead of accepting the “inevitable” some patients decide to implement strategic behavioral tactics that have shown to improve the condition and even reverse it. Said more simply, if you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, you can turn it around. What follows are seven behaviors that can make a difference in your life and your battle with diabetes.

  1. Lose Weight: Do not under estimate the impact of gaining, (or losing), even a few pounds. The physiology of diabetes causes the body to ineffectively regulate blood sugar levels because at the heart of diabetes is “insulin resistance.” With insulin resistance the pancreas is forced to manufacture more and more insulin in an effort to transport sugar from the blood to the cells. What is often misunderstood is that insulin whether manufactured in the body or taken as a medication promotes fat storage and weight gain. It becomes a vicious circle, gain a few pounds and the weight gain will force the body to produce more insulin which in turn causes more weight gain-and so it goes. The good news, however, is that even a 10% weight loss can improve insulin sensitivity by 60%.
  2. Keep Up Your Fluid Intake: Hydration is a pretty big deal, don’t ignore it. With dehydration comes a concentration of sugar in the blood.  Studies show that patients who drink less than a half liter of water per day increased their risk of elevated blood sugar compared with those who drank more. Water, milk, herbal tea all work. Caution for coffee lovers; caffeine is dehydrating, limit the intake to a maximum of three cups per day.
  3. Stay Vaccinated: Many believe that COVID is behind us. Well, for folks with immune suppression, over the age of sixty, obesity, and diabetes the threat remains serious. In fact, studies indicate that COVID damages the pancreas and causes system wide inflammation, which in turn increases insulin resistance. New studies link COVID to new cases of diabetes. If you are in one of the high risk groups get vaccinated and stay boosted. Vaccinations lead to milder cases of the disease which should indirectly result in decreased COVID impact on pre-existing diabetics.
  4. Increase Protein Intake: Protein at every meal, not just dinner. Protein maintains muscle and contributes to blood sugar regulation. Fill your plate with fish, white meat chicken, lean cuts of beef and plant based protein sources such as beans, nuts, quinoa.
  5. Bite-sized Bits of Activity: “Exercise snacking” means spreading short bursts of activity throughout the day. A fifteen minute walk, two or three times per day, may do more to help control blood sugar than one long workout. Remember the 10,000 steps recommendation? In that study there was a link between exercise and improved diabetes control. The goal is to mix various types of exercise. Schedule exercise periods for yourself each day. You might start the day with a fifteen minutes block of strength training, using weights, resistance bands and body-weight moves. Mid-morning do fifteen minutes of aerobic activity such as fast walking, swimming, jogging, or tennis. After lunch try fifteen minutes of stretching which improves joint flexibility, balance, and reduces chances of injury.
  6. Read Labels: Do not focus on sugars, but rather read labels for the “Total Carbohydrate.” This term incorporates both naturally occurring sugars and those added. Women should aim for 30-45 grams of total carbs per meal, and men 60 to 75. A typical reaction after hearing a diabetes diagnosis is to eliminate sugar and carbs. Such behavior can result in nutritional deficiencies, fatigue, and dangerously low blood sugars. Consider talking to a Registered Dietitian and setting up a realistic eating plan. Many insurance plans pay for such training. Ignorance is not helpful, your quality of life depends on understanding how you can best help yourself.
  7. Finally: Losing weight, changing eating patterns, and exercising, are things that a newly diagnosed diabetic, or a long time diagnosed diabetic can do to reverse the disease. However, even with all those interventions, there may still be times when insulin and other diabetic medications have a role to play. Pregnancy is such a situation. Pregnancy frequently elevates the expectant mom’s typical blood sugars, just proving insulin has a secure place in the treatment of diabetes.

 

Creating Your Legacy

Creating Your Legacy

Leaving your legacy and how we contribute to the world is different for each of us.

Creating Your Legacy

Editor: In southern Oregon we have a local publication that circulates to about 100,000 customers called the “Sneak Preview.” It’s an awesome circular that provides valuable local information; both historical and current. Steve Roe, (Roe Motors) our Grants Pass, Oregon, Buick and GMC dealer writes for the publication. I find his articles interesting, informative, and usually inspiring in some way. I didn’t call him and ask about using a portion of his recent article on legacy building, but I will definitely do that tomorrow. Thank you, Steve Roe for your commitment to family and community. D. S. Mitchell

Leaving A Meaningful, Lasting Legacy (an excerpt from Steve Roe’s, March 1, 2024, Sneak Preview  article.)

By Steve Roe

The dictionary defines legacy as “the long lasting impact of particular events, actions, etc. that took place in the past, or of a person’s life.”

Leaving your legacy and how we contribute to the world is different for each of us. We want to know that our life matters to others. Once we know what we want our legacy to be, we can start  building it by living in a way we want to be remembered. Leaving a legacy is limited only by our imagination and what is valued by others. Our generosity can include:

  • Donate: Giving your time, talent, and treasures depending on what matters to you. It can be as big or small as you want because every cent or minute really does matter.
  • Mentor: Being a resource to others in our community that may need guidance or a listening ear.
  • Volunteer: There are dozens of ways to help others by volunteering. It can be a great way to bond with our families and teach others the value of giving back.
  • Pay it Forward: With only a little effort, you can brighten someone’s day. Little gestures can go a long way. Doing kind things for others can help them while giving you that great feeling of giving.

There are a lot of people in need and a little kindness accompanied by a smile can be a big help.

Animal Witticisms

Animal Witticisms

Some of the funnies road signs can be found at veterinary offices.

Animal Witticisms

Editor: Alexis de Tocqueville came to America from France in 1831. He was a young, wealthy, aristocrat, budding writer, social observer, and philosopher. He went on to author one of the most definitive studies of America and her people ever written, “Democracy in America.” While touring the young country, he noted numerous uniquely American traits; two carry-overs from those long ago times were, the “intent self-interest” of the average American, and secondly, that Americans are “not a happy lot.” Well, that reassures me; nothing much has changed in the last nearly 200 years. Americans do however, have witty road signs to change that scowl to a smile. Here we go:

 

By D.S. Mitchell

Silly Road Signs

  1. Holly Ridge Veterinary Hospital: I used a spot remover on my dog . . . .  He disappeared.
  2. Highland Road Animal Hospital: My alarm doesn’t have a snooze button . . . .  It has paws.
  3. Grants Pass Vet Clinic: Someone made a joke about my three-legged cat . . . .  Major faux paw.
  4. Washoe County Veterinary Services: Against animal testing. They get nervous and mark all the answers wrong!
  5. Portland Veterinary Clinic: Q: What animal has more lives than a cat?  A: Frogs, they croak every night!
  6. St. Joe’s Veterinary Hospital: Free belly rubs with each exam . . . . Sorry, pets only!
  7. Carroll County Veterinary Clinic: If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to see it . . . you can bet a chihuahua 500 miles away will bark at it.
  8. Seaside Animal Clinic: Our dog swallowed a bag of scrabble tiles . . . . the vet is checking him out, no word yet!
  9. Sandy Animal Clinic: Why was the cat sitting on the computer? . . . .  To keep an eye on the mouse!
  10. Warrenton Veterinary Hospital: For a man to truly understand rejection . . . . he must first own a cat.
  11. Astoria Paw and Claws: Why don’t cats play poker in the jungle? . . . .Too many cheetahs.

Well folks, enough of that shit. Have a great day. Be glad you’re an American. We may have our problems, but we’ve got the veterinarians to keep us smiling.

Woo and Small Talk Can Improve Your Life

Brief, pleasant exchanges with people will enhance your mood and elevate your sense of well-being

How Woo and Small Talk Can Improve Your Life

“There are no strangers here, only friends I haven’t met yet.” WB Yeats

By D.S. Mitchell

I Have a Friend

My friend Dave was blessed with an abundance of WOO. People endowed with WOO enjoy the process of connecting with new people, and in turn helping people connect with one another. WOO is an acronym for Winning Others Over. My friend gets all happy faced when he meets someone new and makes a connection with them.  He loves the challenge of breaking the ice and starting a conversation with anybody, anywhere, at seemingly any time; whether its the guy next to us at the ball game or the plumber fixing our clogged drain. Dave needs to make that human connection. I, on the other hand, am not so inclined, but after 40 years of friendship, Dave has taught me a few things about meeting new people and actually enjoying the benefits of small talk.

Not So Social

Don’t get me wrong; I’m definitely not shy, but I am an only child, raised by older parents; and sometimes considered “quiet.” I tend to hold back, getting a measure  or ‘feel’ of the situation; waiting for someone else to initiate the conversation. As I have learned from Dave, that is unacceptable in the world of WOO. In fact, it’s taken time, but Dave has proven to me over and over again; that a brief conversation with someone unknown to me or barely known to me, can boost my energy level, enhance my mood, and keep me smiling for hours. Small talk, he swears  contributes to a sense of community-a sense of belonging, a sense of well-being, and most importantly it gives us a sense of connection to the world around us-it proves we are alive and functioning.

Maximizing the Benefits

“People like you a lot more than you think they do,” Dave tells me.  “Maybe so, maybe not,” I say with a pout. “Keep talking,” being his primary advice, “talk to anybody within the sound of your voice,” he laughs. “We all have that little negative voice in our head, telling us to hide in the corner, but don’t do it! You’ve got WOO just decide to use it,” he encourages me.

Ahead of the Scientists

As it turns out, Dave may be way ahead of the science. I have read, only recently, that conversing with a wide variety of people as often as you can will maximize your happiness. Really? How so, I ask. According to recent studies, scientists have learned that chatting with co-workers, the barista at Starbucks, the Uber driver, a fellow dog walker, the person ahead of you at the pharmacy, can maximize those benefits of improved mood, and zest for life, I mentioned earlier.

Brevity Embraced

The word is out, there is a hell of a lot of benefit from multiple brief conversations during the day. Stopping to tell your neighbor about your poor tomato crop, or bringing up last night’s Trailblazer game with your mail carrier can, according to new theory, be part of what makes us thrive. Those seemingly insignificant daily encounters apparently provide important psychological and physical benefits. So, it sounds pretty easy, no long night deep dives into our psyche with our best bud, but rather multiple daily interactions of reaching out and sharing tiny moments of human contact is basic to human happiness.

Small Talk

David loves the challenge of meeting new people and has devised numerous devices to initiate small talk. I truly believe he  could walk into any gathering and feel at ease engaging with anyone in the crowd whether that’s Joe Biden or the college kid down the street. He just knows what to do or say, and he brings a visible energy to his interactions. He’s a practitioner of the old adage, “There are no strangers, only friends I haven’t met yet.” (William Butler Yeats)

Lessons He’s Taught Me

Lesson #1 You’re circling the punch bowl at your neighbor’s 25th anniversary party and you spot someone you want to engage with. The fact that you are both at the party gives you obvious background  information. So you might ask your target, “Are you friend or family?” Or, “How do you know the happy couple?” “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Dar.”

Lesson #2 If you notice someone wearing a gorgeous outfit or a striking piece of jewelry tell them how much you like the item. Don’t be surprised if your compliment elicits the story of how they came into possession of said item(s). People love talking to people that approve of them in some way.

Lesson #3 Conversational land mines are everywhere so stay away from the big 4; religion, politics, work, and relationship status. Imagine yourself at a college mixer, try something like, “What do you do for fun when you’re not studying?”

Lesson #4 Don’t short change people conversationally. If someone asks how its going, don’t limit your response to one or two words, but instead give them a thread, that if they want to continue to chat, they have some material to work with. You might say, “I’m doing great. I’m volunteering at Habitat for Humanity and it just gives me an awesome sense of pride. Every day I wake up invigorated. How about you?”

Lesson #5 Sometimes, the conversation simply dries up, but exiting the conversation with grace may seem more difficult than it truly is. The best escape technique, according to Dave, is to introduce the person you’ve been speaking with to someone new, and then excuse yourself, “to find our hostess.”

Conclusion

You don’t need to fully embrace Woo to benefit from many of its practices. Brief, pleasant exchanges with people you don’t know or barely know can enhance happiness, mood, energy, and overall satisfaction with life.  A willingness to meet new people (no matter how briefly) and engage in some small conversation is guaranteed to improve both your physical and mental health. So, go ahead, I give you permission to initiate a conversation in the check out line at Walmart. As an older adult female I suggest that you initiate conversations with women with small dogs or small children. I’m not suggesting anything other than you don’t want to give a strange guy the wrong idea. Other than that grandmotherly caution; socialize away.

You Might Just Be a Woman of a Certain Age

You Might Just Be a Woman of a Certain Age – Again…

If you remember seeing this baby new, you are a woman of a certain age

You Might Just Be a Women of a Certain Age – Again…

Editor: Our society loves giving descriptive monikers to the various generational age groups. The beginning of the 20th century gave us the Greatest Generation (1901-1924), and the Silent Generation (1925-1945). most representatives of these two age cohorts have now passed. Currently, the largest age group in the United States are the Baby Boomers; Boomers I (born between 1946-1954) and Boomers 2, sometimes known as ‘Generation Jones’ (born between 1955-1964). After the boomers came the Gen X’ers (born between 1965-1979), the Millennials (born between 1980-1994), Generation Z (born between 1995-2010), and finally Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2025). Every generation has its unique memories, see if any of Cate’s memories trigger a smile.  

By Cate Rees-Hessel

  1. If you have ever had a Lilt home permanent…you might be a woman of a certain age.
  2. If you used Bonnie Bell Ten-O-Six lotion as a teenager…
  3. If you know what Ten-O-Six lotion actually is…
  4. If you have spun the bottle…
  5. If you know why the bottle spins…
  6. If you played post office at a party, long before DeJoy played with the post office…
  7. If you used a clothes iron on your hair and still have hair…
  8. If you ever Naired for short shorts…
  9. If you wore double belts, shoulder pads, or cloisonné earrings…
  10. If you still rock big hair and tweeze your eyebrows…
  11. If you have had a half moon or glass manicure…
  12. If you know what a half moon or glass manicure is…
  13. If you remember Perry Mason’s first case…
  14. If you played the game “Dream Date” and got the dud…
  15. If you think Patrick Stuart is sexy…
  16. If you think Eric Estrada is sexy…
  17. If you think Rick Springfield is sexy…
  18. 18. If you think President Biden is sexy…
  19. If your workout routine involved a shaker weight or a ThighMaster (RIP Suzanne Summers)…
  20. If you owned a Fonzie pillowcase…
  21. If you know who the Fonz is…
  22. If you know who the Bay City Rollers were…
  23. If you have put a tiger in your tank…
  24. If you know what TV show had a dog named Tiger…
  25. If you know who Sam the butcher was…
  26. If you watched the pilot for Murder She Wrote when it first aired…
  27. If your Velcro rollers got stuck in your Dippity-do hair style…
  28. If you own multiple sets of hot rollers…
  29. If you own pink sponge curlers…
  30. If you know what curlers are…
  31. If Lady Clairol is an old friend…
  32. If you ever used Freeze hairspray but now use Biofreeze…
  33. If you know the lyrics to the song that starts out “There She Is”…
  34. If you know who Bert Parks was…
  35. If you gave it a ten because you could dance to it…
  36. If you still have a tube of Great Lash mascara in your purse…
  37. If you knew Morris the cat when he was a kitten…
  38. If you refer to fat-free milk as skim milk…
  39. If you refer to Spanx as a girdle…
  40. If you refer to your bra as a brassière…
  41. If your sports car wore a bra…
  42. If your first car was T-bird…
  43. If you had “fun, fun, fun” until your daddy took it away…
  44. If you take a Jell-O mold to every potluck you attend…
  45. If you took home economics in high school…Home what you ask?
  46. If your high school high score earned you a Betty Crocker pin…
  47. If you ever received a Betty Crocker Home Legion pin for your distinguished service in homemaking…
  48. If you know Tickle deodorant came in citrus, herbal, floral and unscented…
  49. If you used Tickle unscented so it didn’t clash with your strawberry perfume…
  50. If you used Tickle unscented because it clashed with your sweet Honesty perfume…
  51. If you knew Connie Sellecca was the official spokesperson for Tickle deodorant…
  52. If you’re tickled pink at my mention of Tickle deodorant…
  53. If you refer to sex as a pickle tickle…
  54. If you don’t understand why it’s called pickle ball…
  55. If you refer to blush as rouge…
  56. If you own a teasing comb…
  57. If you ever ratted your hair…
  58. If you know where Gidget went…
  59. If you ever watched the Mike Douglas show and knew who his co-hosts were…

If 59 is your actual age, or you’re in the neighborhood, you are a woman of a certain age…