Lifestyles After 50 Marion/Lake/Sumter May 2014 edition

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Vol. 25 • May 2014 www.lifestylesaſter50fl.com • Marion/Lake/Sumter • FREE • Late Bloomers • Happiness Maers • Angels of Bataan Mothers Do Make A Difference

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Monthly magazine for adults 50 and older

Transcript of Lifestyles After 50 Marion/Lake/Sumter May 2014 edition

Vol. 25 • May 2014

www.lifestylesafter50fl.com • Marion/Lake/Sumter • FREE

• Late Bloomers• Happiness Matters

• Angels of Bataan

Mothers Do Make A Difference

Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 2

Foster Mother: One of the Many Faces of MotherhoodDear Readers,

Motherhood can have

many faces. I am an adoptive and a biological mother, a mother-in-law and a grandmother. At one point, I moth-ered three students from Estonia. Four years ago I became a step-mother when I re-married. But before any of those, I became Foster Mother to Christy—a relation-ship that has lasted over 45 years. My fi rst husband and I were just 26 when we were asked if we would consider taking a 15-year-old girl into our home. We were told she was very bright. She was responsible for the care of seven siblings, fi ve of whom were under the age of six. “She needs to be where there are no small children and she can just be a teenager,” the case worker friend said. Christy, angry and suspicious, arrived in a shapeless gray sweatshirt with a scowl on her face. Tom passed her the butter that fi rst night at supper and when she reached for it, he pushed it forward so her thumb went into the soft butter. She looked up to see him smiling broadly at his playful welcome and she started laughing. She laughed and laughed—and would later tell us it was the fi rst time she’d really laughed in months.

Being foster parents was not always easy, but we had the privilege of giving her the space she needed to gain her footing for what became an extraordinary life. We offered her family, extended family, a church family, neighborhood relationships, conversations, canoe trips, books, trips, se-curity and the freedom to be a part of a peer group. And I think we laughed a lot! Christy has what iconic author Gail Sheehy has called “the spirit of survival.” She went to college and then moved to California over 30 years ago; for some years, we had random communications before settling into a close adult friendship. Christy earned two masters degrees, worked for the Los Angeles Times and married a wonderful man. Two years ago, I went to Los Angeles for her 60th birthday party. Ten women each told of the gracious, happy and loving friend, companion, counselor and confi dante Christy has been to them. In the group were fellow artists, a college dean’s wife, a poet, a librarian, an internationally recognized ukulele player, a sister-in-law, a Bon Apetit magazine editor—all women

who live interesting, successful and challenging lives like Christy’s. We are close friends, Christy and I, and we both realize not all foster parent/child experiences result in a bond like ours. At the same time, we feel blessed to have this incredible extension to our lives.

In this issue, you will read about some Florida women who choose being foster mothers as their lifestyle. They get up daily and deal head on with children of adults who could not make life work out to sustain family life physically and emotion-ally. We honor them this month of May for the lasting changes they may bring to even one child.

Janice Doyle, Editor

Editor Janice Doyle and her foster daughter Christy enjoy a 45-year-long relationship.

Published monthly by News Connection U.S.A., Inc

Lake, Marion & Sumter Edition

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Attention Readers: The articles printed in Lifestyles After 50 do not necessarily refl ect the opinion of the Editor or the staff. Lifestyles After 50 endeavors to accept reliable advertising; however, we cannot be held responsible by the public for advertising claims. Lifestyles After 50 reserves the right to refuse or dis-continue any advertisement. Our advertising deadline for the June 2014 issue is May 15, 2014. Magazines are out by the 7th of each month. All rights reserved.

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Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 3

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A Merry Medieval MusicalThe classic musical Camelot will

be live on stage at Ocala Civic Theatre from May 15 through June 8. In long-ago England, noble King Arthur (Alex Pinkston) and his beautiful Queen Guenevere (Joanna Bauernfeind) reign over the peaceful kingdom of Camelot, a land ruled by royal ideals of chivalry, honor, and justice. When fame of Arthur’s

legendary Knights of the Round Table reaches France, gallant Lancelot (Patrick Stanley), “the perfect knight,” heeds its call—but the serenity of the kingdom is threatened when he and Guenevere fall in love. It’s a medieval tale full of regal romance, heroic deeds, comedy and adventure. Tickets are $22 at ocalacivictheatre.com or 352-236-2274.

Calling Nominations For Senior AwardsHave you ever witnessed a person

or organization making a positive impact on older Floridians? Now you can do something...recognize them! Nominations are being accepted elec-tronically through May 9 for an annual statewide awards program that honors the efforts of those who work to improve the quality of life of seniors. Winners will be recognized on Au-gust 5 at the 2014 Quality Senior Liv-ing Awards Luncheon at the Florida

Conference on Aging. The event will be held at the Bonaventure Hotel in Weston, Fla. Winners will receive an awards package valued at over $400. The four awards categories include:• Public Service• Service to Seniors by an Organization• Senior Vision Media Award• Dr. Carter Osterbind Outstand-ing FCOA Member Award To nominate someone, or for details, visit fcoa.org or call 850-222-8877.

Older Americans Month RecognizedSince 1963 the nation

has celebrated May as Older Americans Month. Each year the President signs a proc-lamation in celebration of the achievements and contributions of the nation’s older persons. This year, we are focusing on injury prevention with the theme Safe Today. Healthy Tomorrow. Older adults are at a much higher risk of unintentional injury and even death than the rest of the population. Unintentional injuries to this population result in millions of medically treated injuries and more than 30,000 deaths every year. With a focus on safety during Older Americans Month, the Administration for Community Living plans to use

this opportunity to raise awareness about this critical

issue. By taking control of their safety, older Americans

can live longer, healthier lives. So, this month, take a fresh look at your surroundings and look for ways you could reduce the risk of accidents. It will help make sure you have the healthiest possible tomorrow.

Play Mah Jongg—The Game of Skill, Memory and the Luck of the DrawBY EVELYN MACKEY

Many people love the challenges of puzzle games and brainteas-

ers, in other words, a game like mah jongg. Wednesday afternoons at the Fruitland Park Library, you will hear two distinct sounds coming from the community room—laughter and the sound of game tiles clacking. That would be the Mah Jongg Club at play. Jo-Ann Glendinning, director of the Fruitland Park Library, says, “When the ladies are playing mah jongg in the community room, I know they are having a wonderful time.” Several years ago Glendinning was looking for ways to bring people in to the library to experience the services they offered. She decided to try mah jongg. She didn’t play herself, but women who did play began to come. Four years later, from one to four tables of players can be found weekly enjoying the ancient Chinese game of strategy.

Glendinning grew up in New Jersey and says the clacking of the tiles reminds her of the sounds the dominoes made when men played that game on card tables on the street corners in her home town. Mah jongg is commonly played by four players and is somewhat similar to the Western card game of gin rummy. It is a game of skill, strategy and calculation, and a degree of chance. The National Mah Jongg League publishes the American version of the rules and supplies an Official Standard Hands and Rules Cards each year. It is this card against which all games are played for the year. Traditionally, mah jongg tiles were very ornately decorated and were made of bone and some of ivory or jade. Modern sets are made of various plastics. Regardless of the material used, the symbols on them are almost always engraved or pressed into the material.

Lonny Rosenrauch is one of the regular mah jongg players at the library. She’s been playing “30 or 40 years” and says the older sets are often more interesting because they took more hand crafting. Mah jongg, she says, “…is entertaining and you get to meet other people of like interests. And it makes me think.” Another Florida player, Mary Garvin, says, “The game requires

quick calculation skills and sharp memory power. Oh, and smart guesswork with luck thrown in every time I draw tiles. That’s a lot.” Glendinning organized a mah jongg tournament recently as a fundraiser for summer library programs. To her joy, 20 ladies came, enjoyed a catered lunch and played the game. The event brought in $250 which will fund one summer program. Today, mah jongg is enjoying a resurgence in popularity (and has a variety of internet and computer versions). “It’s a fascinating game,”

the library director says. “The ladies who play here will teach a beginner, so we have all levels.” She herself recently took a four-hour class at The Plantations to learn the rules. Does she play? For now, she says she enjoys fa-cilitating those who come to play and knowing they are having fun doing it. Join the club—Wednesdays from noon to 3 pm at the Fruitland Park Library. Information at 352-360-6561.

Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 5

JAZZ ON THEVINEYARD GREENLive Music, Food & Wine

May 3rd (10a.M. - 5p.M.)May 4th (11a.M. - 5p.M.)

24TH ANNUALHARVEST FESTIVAL

arts & craFts, Grape stoMpinG,Live Music, Food & Wine

June 20th (10a.M. - 5p.M.)June 21st (10a.M. - 5p.M.)June 22nd(11a.M. - 5p.M.)

Saturdays Leesburg Saturday Morning Market. 8 am to 1 pm,

Downtown Leesburg. 352-365-0053 orleesburgsaturdaymorningmarket.com.

Saturdays Central Florida Dance Club. 7:30 to 10:30. $6. Eustis

Senior Service Center. 352-383-0209.

Through 25 “On Golden Pond.” Moonlight Warehouse The-

atre, Clermont. 352-319-1116.

Through May 11 Museum Exhibit. Injustice: Art and Atrocity in the

20th Century. This exhibit will include works by 20th Century masters such as Leonard Baskin, Leon Galub, Rob-ert Morris and Alison Saar. Appleton Museum of Art, Ocala. 352-291-4455.

7 14, 21, 28 Wednesdays Mahjong Club at Fruitland Park Library.

Noon to 3 pm. All playing levels welcome. Info: 352-360-6561.

9 A Tribute to Broadway Din-ner and Show. 6:30 pm. $38.

Windsor Rose Restaurant and Tea Room, Mount Dora. 352-735-2551.

9 2nd Friday Movie in the Park. Sundown. A free screening of

a family friendly movie. Bring a blanket or chair to sit on. Donnelly Park, Mount Dora. 352-735-7183.

9 through 12 Theatre produc-tion of “Social Security.” Tick-

ets: $18 to $23. 7 pm at Mulberry Grove Recreation Center, The Vil-lages, Lady Lake. 352-753-3229.

10 The 5th Annual “The World Has Talent” 55 and

older competition and show. 7 pm. Admission: $11 to $13. Circle Square Cultural Center, Ocala. 352-854-3670.

11 Symphony Under the Stars. 7 pm at Ocala Golf Club. This an-

nual Mother’s Day event will include music by Ocala Symphony Orchestra, food vendors and fireworks. Tickets: adults: $20; $15/adv. Ages 6 – 12: $5. Under 6 free. Tickets/info at www.fafo.org or 352-867-0355.

11 A Mother’s Day Serenade with Mary Jo Vitale and Josh

Leggett. Tickets: $20 and $25. 7 pm at Lake Miona, The Villages, Lady Lake. Details at 352-753-3229.

11 Guitars and Cars Swap Meet and Show. 8 am to 3 pm. Features

door prizes, awards, vendors and much more. Admission: $2. Renningers Twin Markets, Mount Dora. 352-383-8393.

12 Forever Elvis Show, 5:30 and 8:30 pm.Tickets: $25 and

$30. 13 The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra presents “An Opera Gala”. Tickets: $28 and $33. 7 pm. Both shows at Savannah Center, The Villages, Lady Lake. 352-753-3229.

14 through June 8 Theatre production of “Duck Hunter

Shoots Angel.” Sonnetag Theatre at the Icehouse, Mount Dora. 352-383-4616.

16 through 18 6th Annual Blues and Groove Weekend. Gates

open at 5 pm on Friday and Saturday; Sunday gates open at 1 pm. Admis-sion: 3 day pass/$75; Fri./$20 to $35; Sat./$25 to $40 ; Sun. $25. For show line-up visit bluesandgroove.com. Elizabeth Evans Park and Mount Dora Community Theatre. 352-383-2165.

23 Spirited Easel Painting Class. Bring your food/drink and paint

a take-home masterpiece. Materials/instruction supplied for $35/person. 7 to 9 pm at South Lake Art at Cagan Crossings, Clermont. 352-241-6407

28 Senior Social at Casino Community Building, 604 W.

Berckman Street., Fruitland Park. Enjoy food, fellowship. Bring side dish or dessert to share. 352-516-5169 x147.

Send Around Town news to News Connection USA, Inc., P.O. Box 638, Seffner, FL 33583; fax (813) 651-1989 or email [email protected]. News must be received by the 10th of the month prior to event (i.e. May 10 for June event.)

Around TownW H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G M A Y 2 0 1 4

Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 6

We Honor Foster Mothers Who Pick Up the Pieces of Children’s Broken Lives

BY JANICE DOYLE

“Life is so complex out there. It’s gotten so rough

for some of the children,” says Bobbi of St. Petersburg, a foster mother with 31 years of experience. Today’s foster kids come with lots of mental and emotional abuse. “We give them something they haven’t had before. And when they are in my home, they are mine.” Wendy and her pastor husband in Fort Myers have been married 40 years and have raised five kids of their own. Now they are foster par-ents. She says, “The difficulty comes because the kids all come with some history which may be drug or abuse related. That means they are very scared and very hurt and it takes a while to work through it.” Peggy in Ocala has been a foster mom 23 years. She says, “You don’t do it for the money, you do it for the kids who need love and care.” She’s seen older kids come in from parents who have taught them to do the wrong things and the kids don’t want to change. Peggy gives a hearty laugh and says, “But the little ones are still okay. I’ll take the little ones peein’ and poopin’ any time.” “You have to love them uncondi-tionally so they can heal. They have all been through some sort of trauma and need to heal. We can help that process,” says Joy in Leesburg. “I would say the most important challenge is getting to know and understand each child and what they’ve been through and how it has impacted them,” says Victoria from Ocala. “One of the biggest mistakes we made in the beginning was to have the same expectations of foster kids as we did with our own biological kids.”

These women are all foster mothers around or beyond the age of 50. When their phones ring, they may be asked to provide a safe place to live for children who have been removed from their family just minutes or hours before. Many foster children have major physical issues. Experienced foster moms keep stashes of clothes and child care supplies in closets and drawers for children who arrive with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Their needs include support, encouragement, reassurance, self-esteem, self-worth and most importantly, love. Oh, and food, schooling and toys, too. Foster moms have access to an array of counselors, therapists, doctors and specialists—all a part of the system which tries to pick up the pieces of the broken lives of families. And at the core of the system is the need for foster mothers.

Eckerd’s Director of Licensing Laurallyn Segur says, “The older foster mothers bring experience and wisdom. They’ve raised families. They understand parenting and love children. Many have a lot to offer and don’t want a house without children in it. They’re ‘lifers’ as far as children are concerned.”

And so, we honor these and all foster mothers, who know that every day really is Mother’s Day when you’re making a difference in the life of a child.

What They Said:

• “It’s very fulfilling and I’m never lonely.”

• “Let it be fun, enjoy them; they will bless your socks off!”

• “Successes come when there’s an adoption that goes well. The last infant I had was adopted, and I see him on Facebook

all the time. I’m seeing him grow up.”

• “With five kids, the real challenge here is making sure that each child gets quality time in the evenings. And then on the 8th day …God created bedtime!”

• “Every single day, you have to make sure these kids know they are loved and that you are committed to helping them walk through their challenges.”

• “When I have a child at home I’m more organized and stay on schedule.”

• “We have a young lady we had in foster care for two years when she was 9 to 11 yrs old. She’s come back to us at 22 and wants to be part of our

family! She never forgot the influence we were in her life!”

To learn more about being a foster parent, google the words “foster parent” with the name of your city

or county and follow the links. Wendy and her husband.

Ft. Myers.

Victoria from Ocala and her family.

Foster mom Bobbi from St. Petersburg.

Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 7

DRIVEN TO DISCOVER

Making things right begins with discovering what is wrong.

I’m Dr. Fredric C. Wollett and I’m driven to discover more ways to utilize life-saving technologies.

I love the recent advances in medical technology – they make it possible to discover the most minute details. Modern procedures like digital mammography and ultrasound-guided testing enable me to capture incredibly precise images and pinpoint abnormalities that might have gone unnoticed even a few years ago.

My vast experience enables me to interpret these sophisticated images and separate what’s important from what’s harmless. When necessary, I can assist your doctor in planning the best course of action to help restore your health and vitality. I take my role in your healthcare earnestly, and I feel honored to be a part of it.

(352) 671-4300 • www.RAOcala.comWe contract with a wide range of networks, including Medicare, Medicaid, and file all claims with the exception of non-contracted HMOs.

WOMEN’S IMAGING CENTER

TIMBERRIDGE IMAGING CENTER

Like Us on Facebook facebook.com/raocala

Follow Us on Twitter twitter.com/raocala

DEXA Bone Scan—Discovering Osteoporosis Before It Causes FractureAbout 40 percent of postmeno-

pausal women in the U.S. have osteopenia (low bone density). An additional 7 percent have osteoporosis, a condition that is characterized by bones that are less dense, and thus weaker, than normal bone. Osteoporosis increases the risk of bone fracture with even minor trauma, such as a fall from standing height, or even from a cough or sneeze.

“Once a person has low bone density, even normal activities can pose a serious risk of fracture,” says

Radiology Associates of Ocala (RAO) radiologist Dr. Ryan Tompkins. “Therefore, the DEXA bone scan is important in helping to prevent injury among high-risk individuals.” A DEXA bone scan is a simple, quick, completely painless examina-tion that uses computer imaging to measure bone mineral density and help determine bone status and fracture risk. DEXA can help predict fracture risk in the same manner that measuring blood pressure can help predict the risk of stroke. Once diagnosed, osteoporosis has many available prescription and nonprescription treatment op-tions to help strengthen bones and reduce the risk of fracture. DEXA is recommended for all women over the age of 65, and for women between ages 50 and 65 with elevated risk

factors for osteoporosis. In addition, men and women with sedentary lives, taking certain medications or having certain diseases should discuss testing with their doctor. The test involves an extremely small dose of radiation (one-tenth that of a chest x-ray) and takes about 2 – 5 minutes for a single area measurement and 10 – 15 minutes

for a whole body scan. Your doctor will determine the examination that is best for you. DEXA is offered at two convenient RAO locations: Women’s Imaging Center and TimberRidge Imaging Center. For scheduling, please call RAO at 352-671-4300.

A DEXA bone scan is a simple, quick, completely painless

examination that uses computer imaging to measure bone min-eral density and help determine bone status and fracture risk.

Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 8

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Why Happiness MattersBY HENRY S. MILLER

Although some would have you think otherwise, the uniquely

human pursuit of happiness is not merely some frivolous idle-time activity for the fortunate few. Far from it. Instead, it is a serious pursuit—a duty and responsibility for each of us. Being in a positive, optimistic and happy frame of mind seems to be what allows some humans to be more suc-cessful than others in obtaining life’s essentials: food, shelter, social support, even a mate. So it has always been and so it continues today. And if you still doubt the seriousness of pursuing a happier life, consider your loved ones. Fulfilling the duty of being happy benefits not just yourself but also those closest to you.

The Benefits Most of the benefits of living a happier life are familiar, yet they are powerful and seemingly endless—and they far outweigh the costs and work needed to achieve this state:• Success. Overall, happy people are more successful across multiple major domains of life including work, social relationships, income and health. In addition, the relationship between happiness and success seems to be reciprocal: not only can individual success—whether in love or at work—contribute to feelings of happiness, but happiness also results in more success.• Personally. Happy people more frequently exhibit characteristics such as being strikingly energetic, decisive and flexible. They are more creative, more helpful to those in need, more

self-confident, more forgiving, more charitable, more sociable, and more loving. Compared to unhappy people, happier people are more trusting, more loving, and more responsive. They have greater self-control, can tolerate frustration better, are less likely to be abusive, are more lenient, and demonstrate enhanced coping skills.• Socially. Happy people have more friends, richer social interactions, correspondingly stronger social support and experience longer and more satisfying marriages.• Work. In addition to bringing all their positive personal attributes to work, happy people have been proven to be more likely to perform better, achieve greater productivity and deliver a higher quality work product. They tend to receive a higher income as a result.• Physical health. Happy people experience less pain, are often in better health, are more active with more energy and even, not surprisingly, live longer. They have lower stress levels and stronger immune systems that fight disease more effectively. By compari-son, stressed and depressed people are more vulnerable to various illnesses.• Mental health. Happy individuals construe daily situations and major life events in relatively more positive and more adaptive ways that seem to reinforce their happiness. They are also less likely to exaggerate any criticism, however slight, that they may receive, as opposed to unhappy individuals who re-act to life experiences in negative ways that only reinforce their unhappiness.What’s at Stake Remember that one day, you will be sitting on that proverbial rocking chair on some front porch or veranda, maybe overlooking the ocean, and a stranger will sit down beside you and politely ask: “So, what did you do in your life?” What will you say? The stakes are high. The price of unhappiness is steep. And life is short.(Excerpted from the book The Serious Pursuit of Happiness: Everything You Need to Know to Flourish and Thrive)

Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 9

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Seniors are Sweet on PickleballWhile it was something of an

underground sport for decades, pickleball’s time has finally arrived. A sport that’s been described as being played with an oversize ping-pong ball on a badminton-size court with a tennis-size net, pickleball is a hybrid of those sports, with aspects of ping-pong and volleyball mixed in, too. A pickleball court is much shorter than a tennis court and the net is positioned lower, plus the serving is done underhand, so it’s easier on the joints and “tennis elbow” isn’t a problem. Fast-paced and easy to learn, pickleball doesn’t require a big financial investment: just some paddles and balls. Those who’ve tried it call the sport “addictive.” Pickleball was invented 1965 and gained popularity quietly and gradu-ally for decades. But the number of active pickleball players has nearly doubled in the country since 2010. According to the USA Pickleball

Association, there are currently 1,900 places to play pickleball in the US with more courts being added each month. It’s popular with players of all ages, but seniors in particular are sweet on the sport as an alternative to ten-nis because it’s less physically taxing. Some players who’ve been sidelined from other sports with bad knees or feet find that they can play pickleball pain-free. In West Central Florida, there’s a strong pickleball community. Hills-borough County Parks and Recreation has introduced the sport to some local recreation centers and offers free lessons several days a week at se-lected locations. The Sun City Center Pickleball Club is one of the area’s largest and Kings Point, Meadow Pointe in Wesley Chapel and Valencia Lakes have pickleball clubs and courts of their own. Pickleball is consistently the biggest event at the Tampa Bay

Senior Games (held each October) according to event organizers. In addition to being an easy sport to learn (some say it takes only five minutes), pickleball is a very social sport. Some clubs allow those with physical limitations to join as social members and each club typically has an active social schedule. The social nature of the sport in part accounts for its rapid spread. Before the US Pickleball Association was formed in the 1980s, the sport spread primarily through word of mouth. The associa-tion now has over 20,000 members.

Wondering where to get started in learning about pickleball? Pickleball-Channel.com is a new website that just launched, aimed at providing resources for both novice and experienced pickleball players. The channel’s Executive Producer Rusty Howes says that with the lightning-speed growth of pickleball, there was a need to provide exciting digital content online to serve the sport’s growing fan base. Each

week, the channel will debut new video content, and they’re always looking for new players, teams and organizations to feature. The site offers advice on any-thing from what shoes to wear for play to game techniques, as well as insight into the people who play pickleball. It may have a funny name, but pickleball is gaining a serious follow-ing that looks like it’s here to stay. If you’ve got a great pickleball story to share, email [email protected]. For more info on pickleball, visit usapa.org/what-is-pickleball.

Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 10

By the time the Country Music Cruise docked in Fort Lauderdale

this past January, passengers had taken to calling it the greatest fan fest on the high seas. They were surprised, and then some, that their weeklong cruise through the Caribbean wasn’t just back-to-back concerts, perfect days by the pool and visits to postcard-perfect island towns. Already the stuff vacation dreams are made of, the Country Music Cruise turned out to be seven days of getting up close and personal with country superstars who dropped by cooking seminars, classes on songwriting,

guitar playing and jewelry making, line dancing lessons, and even each other’s concerts. “The level of interaction between our guests and the country stars was amazing,” explained Mike Jason, Senior Vice President of Live Ent-ertainment, StarVista Entertainment/Time Life and Executive Producer of The Country Music Cruise. “We’re so excited about it that we’re planning even more events for the 2015 cruise, with special meet and greets, autograph sessions, photo opportunities, panels where artists share their stories in front of audi-ences and live interviews. At last count, we had 30 events scheduled and are still developing more.” That’s music to any country fan’s ears, who will get to sail with Martina McBride, Charley Pride, Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Broth-ers, Lorrie Morgan, John Ander-son, Aaron Tippin, Darryl Worley, Asleep At The Wheel, Restless Heart, Wade Hayes, Bryan White, The Roys, Canadian newcomer Brett Kissel and Chuck Mead & His Grassy Knoll Boys when the Country Music Cruise departs from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on January 18, 2015. Lorianne Crook of the long running “Crook and Chase” television show will return as the special cruise host.

“To be able to have this many country stars in one place and to really get to sit down with them and talk to them about old times and memories that we’ve shared together is incredible,” said Crook about the star-studded cruise. “It’s great to be in such an intimate environment and so close to the audience,” added Martina McBride, who is planning something special for fans during her performances on the cruise. “We are incorporating some of the hits into the new show. They will be slightly different arrangements, but of course still recognizable. Me and the band are looking forward changing it up a little bit.”

The Gatlin Brothers had such a great time on January’s cruise that they’ll be coming back to perform on the 2015 voyage. “When I was a little boy and they told me ‘we’re going to pay you to sing’—I knew that was a good deal,” Larry Gatlin joked. “When you throw in all that

blue water, this wonderful ship, the great events, the fabulous food, old friends, new friends, what could be bad about that? I love it.” The 2015 Country Music Cruise will sail from January 18 through 25 with concerts that quite literally fill the days and nights. With more than 50 shows in all, the “floating Nashville” is topped off by a Gospel Hour and a surprise tribute to a country music legend that will bring many of the Country Music Cruise artists together on stage for one all-star performance. Fans will hear 62 number 1 hits and 164 Top 10 smashes, and will have fun guessing which of Charley Pride’s 29 number 1’s he’ll be packing in his suitcase.

The karaoke club, pool parties, trivia and dance contests, country music-themed films and documentaries and the now-legendary Corn Hole Tour-nament keep the party—and the fun—going. And the food never stops coming, capped off by a Red, White and Blue Barbeque and special southern food selections at every meal. This year guests will enjoy a special exclusive

afternoon on the private island of Half Moon Cay with its white sand beaches, glittering ocean bay, tropical fare and spirits. Holland America’s m/s luxurious Eurodam ship will travel from Fort Lauderdale to Nassau (Bahamas), St. Thomas, St. Croix and Half Moon Cay before returning to Fort Lauderdale. Cabin rates start at just

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Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 11

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lack. My best time management skill has been to take one class at a time. I am taking philosophy. I have become very thoughtful, contemplating such thoughts as: If life is one big school, who is the principal? Am I in trouble? Am I late? Where’s the nurse’s office?

Once I have my AA, I will get a BA, an MA and then a Ph.D. Unless I get a RIP. I could be teaching in a university when I am in my seventies. Another secret to my academic success is the undeniable parallel between age and the progressive

decline in one’s ability to have wild fun. This is very helpful. I have a definite advantage over the twenty-year-old sitting next to me with her head on her desk.

I am paying for my books by selling t-shirts printed with “Late Bloomer / Baby Boomer” with a picture of a turtle kissing a hare. I draw heavily from preschool influences. I have advice to give to other baby boomers who return to college. We tend to talk a lot. Don’t monopolize the classroom discussions. My next fund-raiser is a discussion guide for “Baby Boomers: When Putting Your Foot in Your Mouth Is No Longer Possible.” Older is wiser. Anyone can be a Late Bloomer/Baby Boomer and return to school. Apply, register, do the process. Be proud, stand tall. Order and wear your Late Bloomer/Baby Boomer t-shirt. A senior student, not to be confused with a graduating senior, does not have to worry about ruining their future. This is the future. So go ahead, mess up, it is

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Dear Mark: I attend free slot tournaments when invited and

wondered if there are any tips you can give to do well besides hitting the button quickly. —Wayne S.

The gist of any slot tournament, Wayne, works like this: Players either congregate in a specific room of the casino, or at the site on the casino floor holding the tournament. Play-ers are then assigned to a specific slot machine, given a set amount of time to play, and the person with the highest number of credits (points) won at the end is the winner. The tournament format that you were probably playing in is one that uses timed sessions with machines in free-play mode, meaning, you don’t have to put any money in the machine to play. The up-front en-try fee, in your case, FREE, is your total cash outlay. Now if the tourna-ment includes a FREE chuck wagon buffet, you just broke the bank. A typical format when playing free-play tournaments is to give each player 1,000 credits, and 20 min-utes to play them, per round. Each time the player taps the spin but-ton, three credits are deducted from their starting credits, and credits that they win are shown on a sepa-rate meter. When time has expired, the machine locks up to end play. As a slot tourney player, you have probably noticed more paying combi-nations when playing in tournaments than you get with normal play. That is because most casinos have a distinct

slot tournament chip that is used in the machine, one that increases the frequency of winning combinations. So, Wayne, as your question im-plies, the real and only trick here is to get your fingers moving at light-ning speed, because the more those

reels are spinning, the more you give yourself a chance to accumulate points. The faster you get at tapping the max coins button when the reels stop spinning, the better your chances are of win-ning a slot tournament. Likewise, it is important to note that the machine will not spin until the

winning credits have been tallied and displayed on the screen. There-fore, timing, Wayne, is everything. You need to be prepared to initiate the spin button INSTANTLY after your credits have been computed. Also, because any credits that you have not played when the time is up will be lost, you lessen your chances of winning because the players who are super-duper fast at hitting the spin button will have more spins than you, hence, more likely with a tourney chip to have more points. The bottom line is that in a slot tournament there is but one simple strategy: Get in as many spins as you can. Just keep your fingers on the spin button and get skilled at pushing it with split-second military precision. Oh, and one other tip. Concentrate on your play, and your play only. Don’t gawk at the scores of the other play-ers. A few precious seconds here or there can sometimes be the deciding factor on whether or not you advance to the next round. (SENIOR WIRE)

Gambling Wisdom of the Month:“I’m confident that sooner or later, most race tracks will have a special section reserved for degenerates.”

—John Gillehon, A Gambler’s Bedside Reader (1998).

Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 14

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Prepare yourself for a full crop of bud-busting trivia

and fun. First, some jokes:

Men and Women A flower vendor was normally success-ful at unloading his last few bunches of flowers. Appealing to a businessman who was walking by on his way home, the vendor said, “How about a nice bunch of roses to surprise your wife?” “I don’t have a wife,” the businessman replied gruffly. “Well then, how about some beautiful carnations for your girlfriend?” suggest-ed the vendor without missing a beat. “I don’t have a girlfriend,” snapped the businessman.“You lucky fellow!” the vendor said as he broke into a big smile. “Buy both bunches to celebrate!”

Favorite Flower A middle-aged woman convinced her husband to attend a couples retreat. At the first session the facilitator said, “The fact is, no matter how long we’ve been married, there are many things we don’t know about each other. For example, how many of you husbands can name your wife’s favorite flower?” The husband smiled knowingly, put his hand on his wife’s knee and said, “It’s Pillsbury All-Purpose, right honey?”

Q and A What do you call a flower that grows in between your nose and you chin? Tulips

What did the bee say to the flower? Hello, honey. What are the bees’ favorite flowers? Bee-gonias

Trivia Questions See answers at bottom of page.

1. Which unusual northern flower is pollinated by gnats and the larvae of thrips?Pussy WillowJack in the PulpitWood Anemone

2. Which flower is symbolic of the first emotions of love?Purple LilacOrange LilyYellow Jasmine 3. Which flower does Prince Charles collect as rent for the Isles of Scilly?English RoseIris Daffodil4. Which flower has varieties that include triumph, fringed and parrot?TulipRoseLily 5. Which state chose the dogwoodas its state flower?South CarolinaNorth CarolinaVirginia6. Where does the hyacinthget its name?Someone’s grandmaA Greek mythThe Dutch word for star7. Native Americans use this flowering plant as an antiseptic to treat wounds.Wood AnemoneSpireaAllium 8. Why do gardenias inspire romance? They smell goodThey stand for secret loveThey are aphrodisiacs when eaten

Answers: l. Jack in the Pulpit 2. Purple lilac 3. One daffodil 4. Tulip 5. North Carolina 6. Greek myth 7. Wood anemone 8. They stand for secret love

Forgetfulness—Should I Be Concerned?Everyone experiences a decreased

ability to learn and memorize things over time, but while some degree of for-getfulness is normal, memory loss is not usual. For instance, it would not be con-cerning to forget the name of a movie you saw last weekend, but you shouldn’t forget that you saw a movie at all. Memory loss may be caused by emotional states such as anxiety or depression, uncontrolled metabolic disorders such as diabetes and thyroid

problems, hearing and vision problems, certain drugs, anemia, certain infections and brain tumors. From The Science of Staying Young by Morley and Colberg.

Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 16

How to get rid of puffy eyes in the morning Do you wake up every morning with puffy eyes? Are you loosing elasticity around the parentheses lines by the mouth area? If you’re tired of looking sleepy or under the weather, there is one product you can try to give your eyes a lift. To de-puff your eyes try Renee Taylors faceLOVE™ instant puff reducer. Renee Taylor, Hollywood actress best known for her role in the hit show the Nanny playing Fran Dresher mom, came out with a face tightening serum that really works. Renee and her make-up artist Cindy Cohen developed this fantastic product that works in 60 quick seconds. The product has been voted best anti wrinkle serum in 2013 by the Huffi ngton Post. If you are looking to save your youth and look years younger just applying one drop of faceLOVE™ on the individual lines and wrinkles will immediately diminish fi ne lines and wrinkles, reduces puffi ness underneath the eyes, tightens the skin, closes the individual pores and give you a smoother looking skin in 60 seconds. You don’t have to use painful procedures for optimum results. Get a facelift in 5 minutes with faceLOVE™. One bottle will last for a month if used daily. Get free shipping and a free lipstick with every order. www.rtfacelove.com order toll free @ 1-855-502-3002.

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Medicare AnswersDear Marci, Does Medicare ever

cover dental care? —Betsey

Dear Betsey, for the most part, Medicare does not cover dental care by law. In general, Medicare does not cover routine dental care or dental care that you need primarily for the health of your teeth. For ex-ample, Medicare will generally not cover routine checkups or cleaning. However, Medicare will pay for dental services in very limited circum-stances if the services are required to protect your general health or if you need dental care in order for a Medicare-covered health service to be successful. For example, Medi-care will pay for dental services if:

• You have a disease like oral cancer that involves the jaw and you need dental services for radiation treatment;

• You need dental splints and wiring as a result of jaw surgery; or

• You need surgery to treat jaw or face fractures. Note that while Medicare may pay for initial dental services for the reasons mentioned above, Medi-care will not pay for any follow-up dental care after the underlying health con-

dition has been treated. For example, if Medicare paid for a tooth extraction as part of a procedure to repair a facial injury you had, Medicare will not pay for any other dental care you need in the future due to the loss of your tooth. Keep in mind that some Medicare Advantage plans may cover limited dental care, depending on the plan’s specific benefits. If you get your Medicare benefits through a Medicare Advantage plan, contact your plan to see what dental servicesmay be covered. —Marci

Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 17

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Veterans Corner

BY JANICE DOYLE

Today American women serve alongside men in the military and

are trained to face combat. In 1941, that wasn’t the case, but 79 Army and Navy military nurses did face combat and near death. They were left behind when MacArthur was forced to retreat from the Philippines. Taken prisoner by the Japanese and subjected to hun-ger, disease and repeated bombings, the women survived and were saved when the American liberators arrived. Mary Cronk Farrell’s book, Pure Grit, pays tribute to the heroism and determination of these extraordinary women who cared for the sick and wounded while facing their own illness, lack of food and supplies, and the knowledge they might never return home. The stories of the individual women make for fascinating reading. For example, Ethel Thor arrived for duty in 1940 in heels, stockings and gloves. When young Frankie Lewey signed up, she told her mother, “If ever there is a war, I hope I get right in the thick of it.” Peggy Nash had been supervisor of surgery at US Naval Hospital in Guam and was preparing to leave to get married. In October 1941 she was transferred to Manila and became one of the eleven naval hospital nurses in-carcerated in Santo Tomas Internment Camp. Maude Denny Williams ended up leaving her soldier husband behind as a patient in Hospital #2 in Bataan when nurses were evacuated to Corregador. Her husband did not survive to come home. Millie Dalton, an Army nurse from Georgia, said, “There was no way in the world we were prepared for war.”

Frances Nash, who learned life and death nursing at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, was told to “prepare to be taken prisoner.” She continued working, destroying paper-work to keep it from enemy hands. When she did get orders to flee, she took enough morphine pills to provide nurses with lethal doses if needed. Maude Davidson refused to leave the Filipino nurses behind when the Americans were ordered to evacuate Manila for Corregidor. Sally Blaine managed her hospital ward lying down on her cot suffering from

malaria. The nurses ate meager rations and dealt with discomfort, pain and disease. When their clothes wore out, they made some from what few supplies were at hand. Through it all, they never forgot that they were nurses and made the comfort and care for any of the patients of utmost importance

even after supplies and medicine were gone. Their attitude was always “I was just a nurse doing my duty.” When events much larger than they could control took over their lives, they chose to summon pure grit moment by moment… and finally were liberated in February 1945. When the nurses returned home, they began rebuilding their lives. However, there wasn’t the type of counseling or antidepressants needed to help recover (from what today is known as PTSD), so most suffered emotionally in silence the rest of their lives. The book is filled with photos and details based on research and interviews. Editor’s note: This book is written for young people. However, I found it fascinating reading myself and a great book to share with young people.

Introducing the Angels of Bataan: Heroic WWII Nurses

Americans Still Read the BibleA three-year Indiana

University-Purdue University Indianapolis study of the Bible’s place in the everydaylives of Americans set out to answer questions of how, where, when and why ordinary Americans use the Bible. Here are some of their findings:• The 400-year-old King James Version of the Bible is far from dead (half of the individuals and two-fifths of the congregations surveyed still prefer the King James Bible).• Among African Americans: 70 percent said they read the Bible outside of public worship services (compared to 44 percent for whites, 46 percent for Hispanics and 28 percent for all other races).• Bible memorization is highest among black respondents, 69 percent, com-pared to 51 percent among white con-servative Protestants and 31 percent

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Americans have read religious scripture

outside of a public worshipservice in the past year.• Most of those people read at least monthly, and 9 percent of all Americans read every day.• Women were more likely to read than men; older people were more likely to read than younger; South-erners were more likely to read than those of any other region.• Psalm 23 – which begins “The Lord is my shepherd” – was the most popular Biblical passage.• Younger people, those with higher salaries and, most dramatically,those with more education among the respondents read the Bible on the internet or an e-device at higher rates. (Newswise)

Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 18

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Finding Peace and Solace After the Loss of a Loved OneBY VICTORIA SCHMIDT

Losing someone you love is devastat-ing. You have grief, pain, sadness,

bewilderment and, even with the com-fort of family and friends, you may feel very much alone. But, you are not alone. There are those you can call on to help you through the four stages of life that lead you to peace and solace…or you may undertake them on your own.Stage One The First Hurdle: The Shock and the Grief – Grieve. Cry. Talk…a lot. Grieve more. Grieve as long as it takes. Don’t punish yourself. Then, let go of your grief. Laugh, a lot. Evangelist Billy Graham, says, “Sometimes we need to be alone with our grief and memories. We just need to guard against making this our only response, for it’s not healthy.”Stage Two The Renewal – Prepare for your life without your lost loved one. Identity crisis? Learn to know yourself. Go slowly. Set goals. Have a plan. If you are alone, enjoy the unexpected gains of life alone: exercise, meditate, relax, be kind to yourself. Attain financial security.Stage Three The Bridge…The Passage – Have you achieved emotional and physical renewal along with financial security? Are you prepared to move on? Or should you repeat some of the steps in Stages One and Two to assure you are empowered to take charge

of your life? Not to worry. The time it takes is different for everyone.

Stage Four New Life Options…Adventures – If you are ready to move on there are limitless options to consider: Single? A new signifi-cant other or a different type of relationship.

Unconditional Love? Adopt a pet. Volunteer work, a new job, your dream job. Pleasurable pursuits, travel, new friends, take in the arts. Pursuits with a purpose, helping others. Pack up and move, when the time is right. Experiencing even some of the steps of the Four Stages of Life is, in itself, a distraction from your loss and sadness to help you move on. While you handle your grief, achieve renewal and under-take one or more of the adventures, you may come to realize and accept why it is you who are still here. You have happy memories to cherish, wonders in the world to enjoy and rewards from reaching out to help others. You will find solace and peace. It is just a matter of dedication and time! Victoria D. Schmidt’s book is “Finding Solitary Contentment: Ways to Handle Grief and Embrace a New Life.”

Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 19

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Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 20

Have you ever said to yourself “I’d love to get a computer, if only I could figure out how to use it.” Well, you’re not alone. Computers were supposed to make our lives simpler, but they’ve gotten so complicated that they are not worth the trouble. With all of the “pointing and clicking” and “dragging and dropping” you’re lucky if you can figure out where you are. Plus, you are constantly worrying about viruses and freeze-ups. If this sounds familiar, we have great news for you. There is finally a computer that’s designed for simplicity and ease of use. It’s the WOW Computer, and it was designed with you in mind. This computer is easy-to-use, worry-free and literally puts the world at your fingertips.

From the moment you open the box, you’ll realize how different the WOW Computer is. The components are all connected; all you do is plug it into an outlet and your high-speed Internet connection. Then you’ll see the screen – it’s now 22 inches. This is a completely new touch screen system, without the cluttered look of the normal computer screen. The “buttons” on the screen are easy to see and easy to understand. All you do is touch one of them, from the Web, Email, Calendar to Games– you name it… and a new screen opens up. It’s so easy to use you won’t have to ask your children or grandchildren for help. Until now the very people who could benefit most from Email and the Internet are the ones that have had the hardest time accessing it. Now, thanks to the WOW Computer, countless older Americans are discovering the wonderful world of the Internet every day. Isn’t it time you took part? Call now, and a patient, knowledgeable product expert will tell you how you can try it in your

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Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 21

What to Do If You’re Struggling with DebtFact: More and more people

over the age of 65 are struggling with mounting debt levels, fueled primarily by mortgages and credit cards.

Fact: The average debt held by senior citizens has ballooned to $50,000 in 2010, up 83 percent since 2001, according to Federal Reserve data.

Fact: Many seniors are in debt be-cause they borrowed big against their houses. They either took out home equity loans or they refinanced to have cash. Many are in debt because they extended the term of their mortgages.

Fact: Only 24 percent of hom-eowners over the age of 62 had mortgage debt in 1992, but that figure soared to 45 percent in 2010.

What can the savvy senior do? If you’re in debt, you may need to get help. Consider NFCC (National Foundation for Credit Counseling) which can help in person, online or by phone. Don’t be tempted to take out a debt consolidation loan. Repeat: Do NOT start with that. Here are some creative solutions to help you get out of credit card debt fast:1. Spend less than what you earn and pay more than the minimum amount due on your credit cards. If you can’t afford to pay for it now, don’t buy it. Live within your means and divert those

saved dollars to your card balances with the highest interest rates. Sending in anything beyond the minimum payment, while still fulfilling your other financial obligations, is one of the best ways to get out of credit card debt fast.

2. Avoid unnecessary expenses. Stop going to the movie; eat at home; cancel memberships until you pay off your debt. Redirect those savings toward your credit card balances.

3. Boost your income. Get a second job. Sell items you no longer need on Craigslist. Have a yard sale. Use your skills for extra income.

4. Use a debit card so you will buy only what you can afford based on the balance in your bank account. If the money is not there, you can’t spend it.

5. Remember cash? Making small-dollar purchases with a credit card may not seem like much individually, but they add up fast.

6. Review your budget OFTEN to manage your finances more effectively.

7. Call your creditors. If you’ve been making consistent payments, call your card provider and request an interest rate reduction or new monthly repayment schedule so that due dates fall after you receive your paycheck.

8. Plan for unexpected expenses.

9. Set a realistic goal and reward. Calculate a date when you’d like to pay off a credit card or bill and then enjoy a responsible dinner out or new item of clothing as a reward—nothing expen-sive, but there’s a psychological boost to be gained when achieving each mile-stone on the way to becoming debt-free.

10. Pay more every month and pay debts off smallest to largest to maintain a sense of accomplishment.

Don’t be overwhelmed by debt to the point of doing nothing about it. Take charge of your finances.

Finance

Flash Drive Longevity

I went to delete a file and it just deleted without asking for

confirmation. I intended to delete it, so the lack of a confirmation wasn’t a big deal, but I prefer having a “safety net” requiring me to confirm any deletions. Do you know why it would do this?

Did you perhaps speak to it harshly? It sounds like your Re-

cycle Bin settings may have changed, but it’s easy to get them back on track: Right-click your Recycle Bin and se-lect Properties. Select the Global tab, which will encompass all hard drives. (In Windows 7, select the General Tab, which not many users know was named after General Horatio Tab, an unsung hero of the Civil War.)

Click to place a check mark in the box next to Display Delete Confirmation dialog, followed by Apply > OK. The next time you delete a file, you will be prompted to confirm the deletion.

I use a flash drive to back up my data and I leave it plugged

in all the time. Does leaving it plugged in wear it out quicker, or should I be plugging it in only when I need to copy something to it?

Leaving a flash drive plugged in will have no

adverse effect on the drive. Wear and tear occurs during the read/write process, not from a flash drive sitting idly in a USB port. I recommend (and use) a rotational flash-drive backup protocol which results in one or more backup flash drives NOT residing in a computer at all times.

In other words, I have two or more flash drives for each computer and each time I back up data, I remove one drive and insert another. So at any time, my flash drives are either current or one backup behind. I also keep my most important data backed up within a free Gmail account I maintain for that specific purpose. To do this, I simply mail (as an attachment) any important files I want to keep safely off-site.

Why do I keep getting a message that my Windows 7

is not genuine? It came installed on my Dell computer that I bought in December 2011.

Windows 7 includes a Windows Genuine Advantage checker that

verifies that your copy of Windows is legally licensed. However, sometimes an error may occur which causes Windows to forget it is registered. Fortunately, there is an easy fix for this.

The first step is to look on the back or bottom of your computer for the Windows Authenticity Label. This la-bel will display your Windows Product Key or serial number. Write it down. Next, click the Start button and in the Search box type Activate Windows. In the window that appears you will be able to enter your Product Key and proceed with activation. You may need to click the Change Product Key button and type the Product Key again. Once activated, you will receive a message confirming activation and you will no longer be pestered by an impertinent message that dares to suggest your copy of Windows is not genuine. (Of all the nerve!)

Use Promo Code MODEM when entering your six-month subscription to Mr. Modem’s award-winning weekly computer-help newsletter and receive one month for free! Visit www.MrModem.com.

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&

The AMD Effect: Ruining Your Granddaughter’s Ballet Recital

Early detection is key to saving your sight from age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in people 55 and older. Don’t wait to notice the warning signs, like blurry central vision or difficulty seeing fine details. Contact the Foundation Fighting Blindness for a free packet on preventing and managing AMD.

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The AMD Effect: Ruining Your Granddaughter’s Ballet Recital

Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 22

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attention SGTers!Screen respondents carefully. Always meet in public places and have your

own transportation. Don’t divulge your home address. Be sure to provide a

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your personal safety are worth the wait!

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would like it placed in, your edition(s), along with a $6 fee for 30 words (25¢ for each additional word, abbreviations not charged) to the News Connection USA, Inc. address listed above. Ads received

by the 15th of the month will appear in the following issue. No more than three ads will be accepted each month per person. The editor reserves the right to edit any ads for

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Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 23

Last Month’s Answers

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Senior Connection • June 2005 • page 36

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How Technology Brings Us Closer to Our Grandkids

BY TARA EISNER

It’s tempting to see the various devices our grandkids won’t put

down as “the enemy,” something that prevents face-to-face conversation. But as a grandmother of eight, I’ve learned that embracing screens—and using them—has been one of the best ways to stay connected. With six of my grandkids living out of town, applications like Skype and FaceTime have turned out to be a great way for us to share in each others’ lives. The kids have used these to show me everything from jewelry they’re designing to art projects in progress. I’ve tuned in to soccer games with the help of an iPad, watching them in real-time and then rehashing the details later via Skype. Whether they’re in Seattle, San Diego or Las Vegas, my grandkids use technology to bring me into their homes, show me their pets, their evolving growth charts on the walls and whatever new gadgets they’re into. Using technology has also brought me closer to my grandchildren who live near me; there seems to be something magnetic about a screen, and the kids are far more inclined to sit and chat with me when there’s a screen between us than when we’re together in a room.

So, I embrace it. In fact, I’m usually the one who has to end a Skype call! They may live close, but everybody’s schedule is a moving target, and visits are hard to plan. Technology lets me stay more involved in their daily lives than I would be without it. FaceTime, Skype, Google Hangouts,

Tango (like FaceTime but for Android users), and Zoom (a Skype alterna-tive) are all amazing tools, and the firm I work with, LivHOME, offers videoconferencing and messaging capabilities through its LivHOME CareMonitor system for seniors. To anyone wary of these newfangled devices and their effects on relation-ships, I say: Technology is here to stay. Embrace whatever it takes to bring you closer the people you love. Tara Eisner has been a professional Care Manager at LivHOME.

Train to be a Child AdvocateLearn to become a volunteer with

the 5th Judicial Circuit Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Program. Be an advocate for abused, neglected or abandoned children whose cases are being heard in dependency court. Volunteers work as part of a team including a volunteer supervisorand program attorney.

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To learn more, please contact Sarah Jay at 352-274-5231 or email [email protected].

Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 24

STORY BY ANDREA GROSS; PHOTOS BY IRV GREEN

A life-size model of a cosmonaut floats near the ceiling. A few feet

away a green Statue of Liberty holds aloft a plasticized chocolate sundae. And sitting next to me are two men who might, just might, be making a deal that will change my life. This is Buck’s of Woodside, a restau-rant in the hills surrounding California’s Silicon Valley. It’s a place known for comfort food, quirky décor and big deals, like the ones that resulted in fund-ing for Hotmail, Netscape and PayPal.

“The Valley,” as it’s generally called, is centered in the fertile farmland between Palo Alto and San Jose. “This area was paradise back in the Sixties,” says Phil Consentino, who owns J & P Farms, the last commercial orchard in San Jose. Since then, the valley’s population has increased six-fold, and flourishing fruit trees have been cut down to make room for middle-class homes and apartments.

This transformation from a region of bountiful orchards to one filled with some of the world’s most renowned high tech companies began just a few miles from Buck’s in a small garage at 367 Addison Avenue in Palo Alto. In 1939, Stanford graduates Bill Hewlett and David Packard pooled their life savings ($538) in order to start a small electronics company. Today Hewlett-Packard ranks 43rd on Fortune’s 2013 list of the world’s largest companies, and the small garage is on the National Register of Historic Places. The sign out front dubs the garage the “Birthplace of Silicon Valley.” My husband dubs the $538 a good investment.

Another Silicon Valley landmark, the house where Steve Jobs lived from the mid-1990s until his death in 2011, is a few blocks away at 2101 Waverly Street. The two-story brick home, which sits on about a half acre, is fairly large but at the same time unpretentious and casual. People walk with purpose in the Silicon Valley, but the suits of Mad Men have morphed into the jeans of geniuses. During our week in Silicon Valley, we see only four men in sports coats, none in ties. (The dress code for women is more liberal. The only rule: save the stilettos for after-hours.)

Comfortable shoes are a necessi-ty here where workplaces are not clustered in high-rises but sprin-kled across “campuses”—a word that connotes low-slung buildings interspersed with large open spaces and youth and convivial-ity. Some companies provide their employees with bicycles. Except for the Apple store, the buildings are closed to visitors, so we move on to Castro Street in the town of Mountain View.

Unlike Buck’s, which is the restaurant where people make deals, Castro Street is filled with eateries where folks hatch ideas. Here, over salads and stir-fry, lattes and scones, ideas are floated, debated and often massaged into “the next great thing.” In the Red Rock Coffee Company we find a packed crowd taking advantage of the café’s free wi-fi. Most people are in baggy shorts, sandals and look to be about nineteen years old. Finally we set out for the geeky part of our expedition—a visit to three Silicon Valley museums that will, we hope, give us a layman’s overview of high tech wizardry. They succeed beyond our wildest expectations. At the Computer History Museum we see everything from ancient

abacuses to the first 1976 Apple computer to an interactive display that explains how street-mapping works. At the Intel Museum we learn about semiconductor technology, and at the Tech Museum, which is not as much about how things work as it is about how much fun you can have when they do work, we train like Olympic contenders by virtually bobsledding down a virtual hill. We spend the final day of our visit strolling among ancient redwoods at Henry Cowell State Park. It’s a delight-ful as well as humbling experience, reminding us that nature predates even the oldest man-made wonders. On the plane ride home, we reflect on what makes Silicon Valley so different from other places. Our conclusion: Silicon Valley is a state of mind as well as a geographical entity, a place where optimism and creativity are as much a part of the environment as buildings and museums.

Tip: Silicon Valley lodging can be pricey. By luck we happened upon a modest B&B in a perfect location. It’s clean, reasonably priced and the owner serves up terrific chocolate chip cookies. madisonstreetinn.com.

Travel

From Apricots to Computer Chips: California’s Silicon Valley

The garage where Bill Hewlett and David Packard started their small

electronics company has been dubbed the “Birthplace of Silicon Valley.”

Stanford University was the incubator for new technology.

The Google campus is so large that the company provides bikes

for its employees.

The Google Maps Exhibit lets visitors to the Computer History Museum find their own house

on a giant screen.

Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 25

Word Search MayIn the grid below, twenty answers can be found that fit the category for today. Circle each answer that you find and list it in the space provided at the right of the grid. Answers can be found in all directions – forwards, backwards, horizontally,

vertically and diagonally. An example is given to get you started. Can you find the twenty answers in this puzzle?

Send your answers along with your name, address and telephone number to:

News CoNNeCtioN UsA, iNC. P.o. BoX 638, seFFNeR, FL 33583

The first correct answers selected from the drawing on May 21 will win.

WIN! WIN! WIN! GREAT PRIZES!

(Puzzles must be received by May 21, 2014.)

Mystery Prize!

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Word Search Answers

From April

Nancy Granertis last month’s winner!

Congratulations!

Last Month’s Answers April Sudoku

Alberta Maltby is last month’s winner! Congratulations!

May Sudoku Sudoku requires no arithmetic skills.The object of the game is to fill all the blank squares with the correct numbers. Each row and each column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Each 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9 as well. The first correct answers selected from the drawing on May 21 will win. Good luck!

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Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 26

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BRIDGE BITESFrom The

American ContractBridge League

Cherchez La Femme

BY BRIAN GUNNELL

If it’s not too late already, try looking at just the N-S hands and

decide how you are going to play that Spade suit. Where’s the lady?

That 1NT opening showed 15 – 17 HCP, after which the auction inches its way up to 4♠. West leads the ♦Q, which is won by your Ace. You have one loser in each of the side-suits, so to make your contract you must avoid losing a trump trick.

In the play of the Spades you could choose to finesse against West, or to finesse against East, or to play “for the drop” (hoping that the suit is 2 – 2 or the ♠Q is singleton). The general rule, when holding a 9-card fit, is to

play for the drop, all things being equal that is about a 58 percent chance. But why settle for 58 percent when you can have 100 percent? Yes, it’s time for some counting. N-S have a combined 22 HCP, that leaves E-W with 18. West has already played the ♦Q, leaving precisely 15 or 16 HCP in the East hand. As East has already advertised 15 – 17 he must have all the missing high cards with the possible exception of one of the missing Jacks. So at Trick

2 you lead a Spade to Dummy’s Ace and then, when East plays low on the second round, you finesse the Jack with complete confidence. That’s 10 tricks for those who count, but only 9 for the rule-followers. Visit acbl.org for more about the fascinating game of bridge or email [email protected]. To find a bridge club in Florida, go to district9acbl.org/D9Clubsmap.htm. Bridge article provided courtesy of St. Petersburg Bridge Club: stpetebridge.org.

50 Couples to be HonoredThe Mission Inn Resort &

Club in Howey-in-the-Hills will celebrate 50 years of continuous family owner-ship by honoring 50 couples married 50 or more years with a complimentary invita-tion to renew their vows. The “Golden Vow Renewal Ceremony” will be held on Sunday, November 23 at Mission Inn, located

in Howey-in-the-Hills in central Florida’s rolling hill country. The resort has been owned and managed by the Beucher family since 1964. Fifty lucky couples will be selected

by submitting a simple application which may be found online at http://www.missioninnresort.com/gvrc.

Lifestyles After 50 • May 2014 • page 27

Fun Facts to KnowDid you know… Alfred Hitchcock did not have a belly button. Humphrey Bogart was seventh cousin to Princess Diana. When you sneeze, all bodily functions stop, even your heart. Only 7 percent of the population is left-handed. 40 people are sent to the hospital every minute. The average person over 50 will have spent five years waiting in line. The average housefly lives for one month. 40,000 Americans are injured by toilets each year.

A wire coat hanger is 44 inches long when straightened. The first Harley-Davidson motorcycle built in 1903 used a tomato can for a carburetor.

Only two animals can see behind themselves without turning their heads: the rabbit and the parrot. In most TV commercials advertising milk, a mixture of white paint and a little thinner is used in place of milk.

Humphrey Bogart

Healthy Ways to Spice Up Your Summer BBQAn old-fashioned summer

cookout is not always a healthy affair, but you can convert a fatty-food blitz into a healthy and tasty menu:• Throw some unexpected foods on the grill, like peaches,asparagus or even bread.• Incorporate veggies into your BBQ menu by making kebabs instead of burgers.

• Cut the calories in your potato salad, coleslaw and macaroni salad by using mustard, vinegar or low-fat yogurt instead of mayonnaise.• Chicken gets a fresh burst of flavor when you cut back on salt and season it with fresh or dried herbs, vinegars or citrus juices.

Asian Barbecue Sauce1/3 cup ketchup1/4 cup Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce2 Tbsp rice-wine vinegar2 tsp minced fresh ginger1 1/2 tsp chile-garlic paste Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl. Brush on meat before grilling. May be made ahead and refrigerated.

Blueberry-Bourbon Barbecue Sauce It is not every day that you get a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce that also boasts a healthy dose of antioxidants. Try it with beef, chicken, pork or grilled shrimp.

1 Tbsp canola oil1 small red onion, chopped4 cloves garlic, chopped1 to 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped1/2 c bourbon2 c fresh or frozen (not

thawed) blueberries1/2 c ketchup1/3 c cider vinegar2 Tbsp brown sugar1 Tbsp molasses1/8 tsp ground allspice

Cook onion in oil over medium heat 2 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeno, stirring and cooking, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add bourbon, increase heat to high and bring to a boil; cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 min-utes. Stir in blueberries and remaining ingredients; return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasion-ally, until thickened, about 20 minutes. May be made ahead and refrigerated.

Recipe

Accepting New PatientsThe Villages Center for Health

8575 NE 138th Lane I Lady Lake, Florida 32159 I (352) 750-0608

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World-renowned Surgical Oncologist,

breast and melanoma expert,

Dr. Douglas Reintgen, and

Florida Hospital North Pinellas

Director of Oncology,

Rosemary Giuliano, ARNP, MSN,

are accepting new patients at

The Villages Center for Health.

Douglas Reintgen, MD, FACS Surgical Oncologist

Rosemary Giuliano, ARNP, MSN