Category: D. S. Mitchell

Simplify Your Way to Wellness

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Simplify Your Way to Wellness

Reduce stress and improve life

Simplify Your Way to Wellness

Getting rid of things taking up too much space in your home and mind and you will regain calm and improve your health

By D. S. Mitchell

I was flipping through a four-year-old Prevention magazine waiting for my name to be called at the women’s clinic when an article caught my eye. I’m a retired RN and I love finding articles about health and wellness, and tips on how to improve everyday life that I can pass on to my Calamity News readers.

According to this 2019 article by Kate Rockwood, more than half of the country’s population felt “lonely” and “40%” were more anxious than the previous year.  Wow, I thought to myself, this is all pre-COVID-19 information. I can only imagine what the loneliness statistics are today, off the charts, I’m sure.

Ms. Rockwood tells the reader that mental states such as anxiety and loneliness can affect us physically as well. Anxiety and loneliness can increase cortisol levels. Elevated cortisol levels have been linked to an increased risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

Outside of seeing a therapist, she suggests the following.

Get Busy.  Smart Phones, Zoom,  PC’s and other technologies are great, but such technologies cannot replace in person interaction. Join a garden club, a book club, or volunteer. Volunteering 2 hours a week results in decreased loneliness and social isolation. Check out volunteermatch.org for local opportunities that fit your interests and skill set. Set a regular lunch date with an old friend. Touch, hug.

Organize Anxiety. To keep “worries” under control start by jotting down specific worries that are stuck on repeat. Then set a specific time to focus on that list of “worries”.  This little trick can help keep those “worries” from hijacking your brain at unwanted times. When the scheduled time to focus on the “worry” list comes around it is possible that the worries are no longer an issue.

Sweat Shop. We all know that physical exercise is important for good physical health, more and more evidence support the notion that physical exercise is good for mental health as well. Thirty minutes of walking can equal the effect of medication or psychotherapy at lifting mild to moderate symptoms of depression.

Clearing the Environment. Environmental disorder can seriously increase our stress level. Studies have linked cluttered environments to decreased self-control and increased anxiety. Pros suggest that you do not try to tackle the whole house at once. Start with one messy area of your home. Snap a before picture. Set the timer for 20-30 minutes. Begin straightening and cleaning. I find it best to start in one corner and just work my way around the room. When the timer dings force yourself to stop for at least 10 minutes, or the whole day if you feel like it. It is imperative to swap open ended cleaning sessions for a specific time window. It is far less overwhelming. Comparing the before photo to the post cleaning picture is solid proof that a little effort can make big dents in seemingly overwhelming projects.

Move Things Around. Want to lose a few pounds, take on a kitchen redo. Hide the cookie jar and bring out a bowl of fruit for your table’s center piece. In your panty move healthy staples like nuts, quinoa, to the front of eye level shelves and put unhealthier snacks and sweets on the top shelf where they are harder to see or reach.

Return to a Former Passion. Re-engaging with an activity you once loved-a sport, an instrument, a hobby-can bring you fun and and new people into your life.

Change it Up. Consider pursuing that sport or hobby in a more social way. An example could be, you as a life long gardener, take a neighbor under your wing and teach her the joys of working in the garden.

Reconnect.  Do you find yourself reminiscing about old friends? If you do, it  may be time to reach out to them (social media is a great resource) and attempt to reconnect. Sometimes it will be like you never had a disconnect, in other instances there will be no re-blossoming of the relationship, but you made the effort and that’s the important part.

I hope you found a couple of tips to help undo the side effects of stress in your life.

OPINION: Trump A Criminal Candidate

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OPINION:

Donald Trump, Criminal Candidate

Trump desperately wanted to hold onto power despite substantial loses at the ballot box.

OPINION:

Donald Trump, Criminal Candidate

D. S. Mitchell

The Biggest Flag Wins

When all the votes for 2020 presidential election were counted, Joe Biden won 81,283,098 votes, or 51.3% of the vote. Donald Trump won 74,222,958 or 46.8% of the vote. Miscellaneous other candidates captured a meager 1.8% of the vote. In other words, Joe Biden, kicked Trump’s butt, besting Trump by over 7 million votes. But, those numbers were obviously against Trump’s plan. Votes were counted and recounted and lawsuit after lawsuit brought by Trump challenging the election were dismissed. Everyone from the bloated and lawless Bill Barr to Cybersecurity Director Chris Krebs called Trump’s claim’s of voter fraud, “bullshit.” But, still you see signs saying, “Biden Lost!” usually accompanied by an oversized American flag.

As It Plays Out

We should be celebrating that more people turned out to vote in the 2020 election than at any other time in history. But, we aren’t. In fact, because of Trump’s lies our country is more divided than ever. Instead of the bloated orange fruit fly conceding the election, to Joe Biden like every man before him has, he chose to create chaos.

More Violence and More Lawsuits

In 2016 the Trumpers told us “elections have consequences” as we progressives huddled in our fetal positions, terrified of a Trump presidency. It is now 2023 and those same Trumpers are telling us that despite Trump’s staggering loss both in the Electoral College and the popular vote we libs should sit down and shut up, ‘because it’s obvious Trump won’. If Trump becomes the Republican nominee in 2024 I am sure we will see more armed election observers,  more lawsuits, more threats of violence, more white supremacist saber rattling, and more talk of Trump as a lifetime president.

Is It That Bad?

A majority of Americans,  especially Black, Brown, Native Americans, Asians, and other marginalized communities, who are at the mercy of this country’s historic, systemic, police abuse and seemingly incurable racism, voted Donald Trump out of office. I want us to celebrate that so many Americans voted to oust his criminal ass, but there is much need for introspection and intense soul searching about those who continue to feverishly support him in his fight to propagate the big lie. My god the brazen fucker is running for president again.

A Cup Of Coffee

I’m ready this morning to have a cup of coffee, eat an apple and reflect on why more than 74, 000,000  Americans would chose a man like Donald Trump to lead this country? His incompetence and stupidity is legendary. We’d already seen the chaos in operation, day after day, over four years in office. Some close to him have called him a “fucking moron.” These words come from those who know him best, yet these voices are ignored by his minions. Or should I be calling them cultists.

Nothing Moves His Base

For the last several days I’ve scoured old newspaper and magazine articles putting together a list of the known criminal activities of Donald Trump. Although well-known to his followers, his criminality seems to have no effect on their loyalty or their intoxicated enthusiasm. Monster flags whipping off the back of pickup trucks advertise their loyalty to Trump, not the United States. Wake up guys. Trump is a fraud and you, his small donors, are his biggest suckers. Recent reports indicate $40 million dollars of donor money has been spent so far this year on Trump defense attorneys. Get real, please, Trump and his whole crew belongs in Sing-Sing, not the Oval Office.

The Habit Of Corruption

Trump is no stranger to corruption and criminality. He has been embedded in it his entire life. As President, he took it to a new level. The Trump administration was without a doubt the most corrupt presidency in American history. No wonder he keeps screaming “fake news” when responding to reporter’s questions. Trump desperately needs to undermine the legitimacy of the fourth estate.  Donald John Trump has so much to hide.  If his devout followers would listen to the information that is available everywhere, they would drop him like the proverbial  hot potato. But, for some reason they are both deaf and blind to the truth. Truth matters, and Trump couldn’t find truth with both hands. Just to refresh the reader on Trump’s criminal history:

It All Started With Daddy Trump

1.) Donald and his father blatantly participated in housing discrimination against people of color and they were sued by the Justice Department.
2.) The Mafia and Donald worked together through the construction trades in New York city.
3.) He hired undocumented Polish workers to rehab the Trump Tower and then refused to pay them.
4.) Trump was fined $750,000 for anti-trust violations during his attempt to take over a rival casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Continue reading

10 Things To Help Protect The Earth

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10 Things You Can Do To Help Protect The Earth

The Oregon coast is a magical place but the damages of climate change are changing this place
10 Simple Things You Can Do To Help Protect The Earth

Editor’s Note: World Wildlife Fund recently published “10 Simple Things We Can Do To Help Protect The Earth.” WWF works to protect endangered species  and conserve their habitats. Time is running out for many beloved animal species. Please donate what you can to this fine organization. worldwildlife.org 

By D. S. Mitchell

1.) BYOB: In 2022, Americans went through an astonishing and astounding 50 billion plastic water bottles. Please, fill up a reusable water bottle at home and take it with you. IF YOU DON’T LIKE THE TASTE OF TAP WATER, BUY A FILTER. Remember that most of the bottled water you buy is just filtered tap water with a label.

2.) Paper Not Plastic: Take your bags with you to the grocery store. Taking your bags to the store when you go shopping can cut down on the 350 bags the average American uses each year. Reducing the number of bags will hopefully reduce the needless deaths  of marine life caused by plastic bags that end up in streams, rivers, and oceans.

3.) Safe Waste: Many items indiscriminately thrown in the trash contain contaminates that poison soil and water for thousands of years. Most communities have special procedures for disposing of items like used oil, batteries, ink cartridges, and paint cans. The new superefficient lightbulbs contain mercury, so they  require proper disposal. Many items can be recycled where they were purchased. Be sure to check with your merchant.

4.) Take A Walk: A 100 years ago nearly 99.9% of Americans got by without cars. They lived close to their work, they took the train, or the bus, and they walked. Using fuel efficient cars is a good thing, but we can save even more fuel by driving less, and walking more.

5.) Switch It Off: In much of America we can no longer see the stars, mostly due to all the electric lights. The lights are so bright they often confuse animals, such as hatchling turtles who are trying to make the ocean before before becoming breakfast for shore birds. It is fine to keep the lights on in the room you are in, but keep the rest of the house dark. Many find the dark to be calming.

6.) Layer Up: In the winter, instead of turning up the thermostat, add a sweater or a sweatshirt. A second layer of clothing will keep you warmer and also help conserve resources and reduce climate change.

7.) Plant A Tree: Planting a tree is good for the soil, good for the air we breathe, and helps in the fight against climate change.

8) Shut It Down: Catalogues are great if you buy the products advertised.  On the other hand, catalogues are a pain in the butt if you don’t buy the products. If you do not order from the company call them and tell them to unsubscribe you. That little gesture will probably save a tree.

9.) Second Time Around: Recycling isn’t just about separating cans and bottles. It can also mean rethinking an item’s use. That old bike might look great with a fresh coat of paint and a basket full of flowers sitting on your front porch. Or, that little bedside table might make a great  addition to your entry area, a place to drop your keys and the mail. Rethink, before you throw an item away.

10.) Support Activism: Please donate to organizations like Sierra Club, Greenpeace, and World Wildlife Fund that are carrying on valuable field work to save our planet and all that inhabit her.

High Praise For Chasing The Spider

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High Praise For “Chasing The Spider” 

High Praise For “Chasing The Spider”

By D. S. Mitchell

*****  “I loved how fast paced and sexy this book was. I could not put it down until the end. I can’t wait for the next adventure.”  Megahan W.

***** “Really good story with gritty dialogue and intriguing pace.”  Roselyn T.

***** “I loved it. I couldn’t put it down until the last page.” Anita M.

***** “I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what was coming next. I don’t read a lot but this book just kept me glued to the page.” Mark S.

***** “What was coming next kept me reading.” Som G.

***** “Ever so sexy. Great fun.” Ellen B.

Available on Amazon Books and Kindle ebooks

Here’s the link to the book:

https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Spider-D-S-Mitchell-ebook/dp/B08GM4R13W/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=chasing+the+spider+d.+s.+mitchell&qid=1603675636&sr=8-1

“Chasing The Spider” Commercial!

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“Chasing The Spider” By D. S. Mitchell!

“Chasing The Spider” By D. S. Mitchell!

Here is the commercial for my new erotic suspense thriller – What do you think?

Well, I finally stepped out of my comfort zone. I have left the realm of non-fiction and jumped into the hot and steamy, heart racing, pulse pounding danger and intrigue of contemporary suspense! “Chasing The Spider” follows a young girl running from The Speaker of the House. A man with the power and resources to hunt her down and kill her without consequence. Can the three handsome men she meets on the road save her from the peril she finds herself in?

Check out my new adult thriller-“Chasing the Spider” !

D. S. Mitchell

Book 2 will be available Spring of 2021

http://chasingthespider.com