Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Judy Garland, 1939

I love this song and I will always and forever love Judy Garland and her beautiful, magical, and wonderful voice. She was a precious gift.

10 Worst-Rated States for Retirement

Well, if you are planning out your future and where you might want to live after retirement, this would be a good article to read. Different factors like climate, economy, etc. were used to determine the ten worst-rated States for retirement. Hint: The State of Maine with its cold climate and high cost of living ranks it near the bottom.


Read the article HERE. The list was compiled by AARP.

Video: America’s longest married couple

In this video, we meet Wilbur and Teresa Faiss, America's longest-married couple. The Las Vegas residents were first wed in April, 1933. Wilbur, now 100-years-old, tells KVVU TV, "I just had no idea of us ever winning the longest-married couple." 

READ THE ARTICLE AND SEE THE VIDEO HERE.

Grandparents Discover Photo Booth

Webcam 101 for Seniors

This couple is absolutely adorable and he's one hot boyfriend!

Shocking Discovery - I Actually Like Tea!

Good grief, when did that happen?   I remember when I was little, that I drank tea to please my maternal Grandmother who wanted to instruct me on proper tea party etiquette (just in case I happen to meet up with the Queen of England in the suburbs of Los Angeles). And, because we were an Air Force family, I have very vague wispy ghosts of memories of being served tea in a formal Japanese tea ceremony by my Japanese nanny. Since I was 18 months old when we returned home to the States, all of my memories of that time are very wispy indeed.  I also remember a bamboo kind of Morticia Adams chair that I loved to curl up in but mostly all of that time are just ghosts of memories, not very strong memories at all.


I remember in college taking the time to re-learn the Japanese ceremony then practicing on my college friends. This was late 60's, early 70's and we were very much "into" experiencing new cultures. For me to go with the Japanese thing was a bit of a cheat since it wasn't actually new in that sense. Not to me.


So, last night my brain just wasn't ready for sleep even though the rest of me was tired and ready for bed. Normally, I get mellow with a cup of coffee. Coffee perks most folks up but for me, it has a calming effect. But, last night, my tummy was being a bit temperamental and sent up the message, "No more coffee!" The tummy had also had enough hot chocolate (my usual Plan B when coffee is not acceptable).


I needed something.


Then, I remembered the bag of tea samples I was given last month by the local food bank. I go there once a month and beg for the scraps that people donate by cleaning out the junk in their cupboards. When your only income is Disability and you can't pay bills or buy food, other peoples' scraps become your lifeline.


The man who was my volunteer helping me go through the place was very excited about what appeared to be a huge bag filled with individual serving samples of coffee. Coffee is my mainstay and it is a rare treasure that almost never shows up at the food bank. If I ever have money again, I'm donating a lot of food to this food bank and for sure, I'm donating a helluva lot of coffee.


So, I got home and I discover that it's mostly all samples of tea and I'm no longer a tea drinker. I don't drink tea. At all. But, being destitute (poor beyond poor), I never throw anything out. 


And last night, when I needed a hot cup of something and coffee was not the answer, I decided to try a bit of Earl Grey tea and I liked it! That was a huge surprise.


I learned something new about myself. And I've got dozens of bags of Earl Grey and English Breakfast Tea to go.


The only thing I lack is a rocking chair on the front porch.

Woman in her 70's Stops 6 ARMED ROBBERS!

The Bearded Beanie

Looking for the hat that started it all? This is it! The patent pending design Introduced by Taraduff "the original creator and designer" on etsy and now the brains behindbeardbeanie.com. These are the High quality beanies/toques that are being sought after world wide. Each one is hand made from the best materials ensuring you get the best look and fit. 

Wondering where you could use a beard beanie? How about: Skiing, rock climbing, snowmobiling, hunting, backpacking, snow shoveling, snowboarding, winter hiking, ice skating, sledding, cross county skiing, ice fishing, paragliding, or any other use you can think of.  Give your face the HUG it deserves.

LEARN MORE HERE.

‘Embarrassingly simple’ hack could leave up to 100 million credit cards exposed

As many as 100 million credit cards in active use today contain a technology that can be tricked into exposing the users’ account to fraudulent transactions, according to a hacker who demonstrated the exploit on stage this past weekend at a conference in Washington, D.C.

Speaking at the Shmoocon hacker conference on Saturday, security researcher Kristin Paget demonstrated a hack that she called “embarassingly simple” in which she “stole” someone’s credit card data, embedded it onto a blank magnetic card, then paid $15 into her own bank account, all without ever even touching or viewing her willing victim’s card.

According to Forbes reporter Andy Greenberg, she used a cheaply available radio frequency identification (RFID) reader to procure the card number, expiration date and CCV code. Inputting that information on a small card magnetizing tool that sells for approximately $300, the card was replicated in an instant then swiped through a cheap iPhone attachment that allows users to accept credit card payments. With that, she charged the card $15, then paid her volunteer $20 in cash for the trouble.

Devices that ping any nearby RFID chips can be purchased for as little as $2 in some cases, and because credit cards have localized security instead of an encrypted response that must be validated through the company’s servers, they can be tricked into giving up their crucial details upon request.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

The Best Vacations for Senior Citizens

Here are some helpful resources for vacation planning:

Best Senior Travel Websites 

The Best Vacations for Single Senior Citizens 

Senior Citizen Travel & Vacations from Senior Journal 

Hot Vacation Spots for Senior Citizens 

Senior Discounts on Airlines

Tours and Cruises for Single Seniors 

Food Recalls - Stay Up to Date and Informed

Find out the latest food products that have been issued recalls. Protect yourself and your loved ones. FoodSafety.gov provides the latest information on all food recalls and alerts as well as food illness outbreaks. Also, learn how to report a problem.

At Least 12 Infected With New Swine Flu Strain

H3N2v virus confirmed in at least five states

At least 12 people in five states have come down with a new strain of swine flu that isn't covered in this year's flu vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The new strain is not the more common H1N1, that killed more than 17,000 people around the world over a two-year period. The new strain has been identified as H3N2v.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

Thousands could be at risk from ‘toxic’ metal hip implants

Published on Sunday 29 January 2012 14:43

AN investigation into the safety of metal hips has been launched by medical regulators.

The move comes after fears that thousands of people are a risk from poisoning.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said most people with the implants are at “low risk developing any serious problems.”

But it added it had taken “prompt action” over the safety concerns.

The action comes as an investigation by the Sunday Telegraph found more than 30,000 British patients have received the “metal-on-metal” (MoM) hip replacements.

They are feared to be more dangerous than previously thought.

Problems occur with such devices when friction between the metal ball and cup causes tiny metal filings to break off and potentially seep into the blood. These fragments can also cause a soft tissue reaction, destroying muscle and bone.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

AAF Glenn Miller Concert 1944 High Wycombe England

I think my Dad may have been in the crowd here. I do know that he idolized General Doolittle and wanted to write a book about him.

The best car, ever! 1957 Chevrolet... yes!

Well, ladies of the bra-burning generation... how do you feel about this?

World's Worst Restaurant Names [WARNING: POSSIBLY OFFENSIVE TO SOME]

...but heck, if you're looking at an old lady's blog, either you're old yourself or you give a crap about being an adult so here goes...

Woodstock Memory - Country Joe - Do you remember Woodstock?

POOR PEOPLE ?

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how the "poor people" live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, 'How was the trip?' 'It was great, Dad.' 'Did you see how poor people live?'... the father asked. 'Oh yeah,' said the son.

'So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?' asked the father. The son answered: 'I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.' The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are."

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have. Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends! Refresh their perspective and appreciation. 'Life is too short and friends are too few.'

--By: One of a Kind - The Cowboy Kind

5 decades later, first-grade crush leads to joyful wedding

John Drozdal and Nancy Gulick met in 1956 as first-graders in Miss Potter's class at Seventh Avenue Elementary School in Haddon Heights, N.J.

"Nancy held my hand as I joined her reading group because I was really shy," John remembers.

They saw each other nearly every school day until high school graduation. In sixth grade, they won a silver dollar in a local dancing competition. Senior year, they were chemistry lab partners.

"I really had a crush on her since first grade," John said.

"He didn't let me know this!" said Nancy.

[...]

Nancy didn't quickly respond to an e-mail John sent in early 2010, soon after Charlie died. John wrote again, saying that his wife had died seven years earlier, and that he understood the pain Nancy was feeling. "If you want to talk about anything, or e-mail me, just let me know. Otherwise, I'll touch base in a few months, to see how you are doing," he wrote.

Nancy and John began e-mailing again that spring. Text messages flew back and forth for six weeks. Finally Nancy, feeling the first glimmer of romantic feelings, called John. The sound of her voice brought the shy boy he used to be right back to the surface. John ordered himself to keep it together.

That August, more than 40 years after their first date, the two went to dinner in Minnesota, where John was again living.

It made the couple, both now 61, feel giddy as teenagers.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Win Quilting Fabric Quarters!

Win an entire fat quarter pack of Moda's Blueberry Crumb Cake fabric from McCall's Quilting! Click the following link to learn how to enter: http://www.mccallsquilting.com/mccallsquilting/issues/March_April_2012

Countries With Aging Populations

The world is rapidly aging. A whopping two billion people will be 60 years and older by 2050, more than triple the number in 2000, according to the World Health Organization.

This demographic change has major implications for the global economy. Some of the world's biggest economies are facing rising health-care costs, a shrinking workforce, higher pension costs and diminishing fertility rates. Many countries have already begun adapting to their increasingly aging populations by raising the retirement age, reducing pension benefits and spending more on elderly care.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

FOR THE GUYS: 5 Tips For The Perfect Home Movie Date

Creating the perfect home movie date is not very difficult at all. It does, however, require a bit of planning on your part. In order to create the perfect home movie date, all you have to do is take complete control. Don’t leave anything up to chance. You set the mood, you create the meal, and you choose the movie (based of course on her interests). There’s no chance what-so-ever that she won’t like the effort you put forth in planning the date.

SEE THE WHOLE ARTICLE HERE.

Eye candy from space: Oodles of photos and videos of our universe

Get inspired (and humbled!) by browsing a collection of profound media from beyond Earth

While it's all too easy to stay absorbed with all our terrestrial cares and concerns, it's never been a better time to take a moment to look up and contemplate our place within the massive universe we call home. Thanks to the passionate efforts of scientists around the globe, we have a much clearer picture of what lies beyond our Earth than ever before: from other habitable planets out there to supermassive black holes to worlds made of diamond, and much more.

For the space enthusiasts among you, or for anyone simply curious to know more about what lies beyond our own horizons, check out this massive collection of space-related photos and videos for a heaping dose of celestial eye candy.

SEE THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

The Idiot’s Guide To Kissing

Becoming a good kisser isn’t that hard. All you have to do is pay attention. This guide is going to turn you kissing idiots into lip locking geniuses. Check out the idiot’s guide to kissing.

READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE HERE.

BlogThis! button lets you blog any web content on the internet

Add a BlogThis! button to the browser toolbar, which lets you post to your Blogger blog from any webpage with just one click.Once you add the BlogThis! button to your browser toolbar, blogging will be a snap (or rather, a click). Click the button to open Blogger in a new application window. The new post is pre-populated with a link to the web page you're on, as well as any text you've highlighted on that page. Edit the post to your liking and post it instantly to your blog!

You can find Blog This! at the Google Chrome Extensions Store ("Store" doesn't mean you actually pay for it).

Mortgage Help for Senior Citizens

Important information to have.  FIRST ARTICLE HERE.  SECOND ARTICLE HERE.

64-Year-Old Woman Saves The Day – Holds Suspect-On-The-Run AT GUNPOINT In Her Front Yard

A 22-year-old car theft suspect tried to elude police Tuesday morning, but was stopped in his tracks when he was confronted by a gun-toting 64-year-old woman. 

“I was not going to let him go,” said Karen Granville, who lives on Redwood Street. “I just held my gun in my right hand until the police arrested him.” 

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

Useful Website: Roadtrip America

ROADTRIP AMERICA WEBSITE HERE

I don't normally recommend travel or trip planning or hotel/motel websites not because they're necessarily evil, but because they mainly exist ONLY to sell their product(s) (whether or not they aregenuinely useful to you) and if you want to go motel-shopping orticket-buying, you can find all the main websites for that on Google orAltaVista or Yahoo.

Anyway... I came across a nifty little website that actually seems like several websites under one banner, all of them seemingly useful and/or entertaining. It's called "Roadtrip America" and from their main homepage, you can navigate to such topics as Routes, Destinations, Events or Preparation Tips or Carefully Selected Links to the Best Web Resources or Snackin' Better on the Road or Personal Trip Journals or Fuel Cost Calculator or RoadTrip Recipes orRoadside Eateries (don't miss the fun photo tour of historic diners) orRoadside Wonders or Scenic Drives or Trains & Railroads or Roadside Americana or Funny Road Signs or RoadTrip Gear: Articles & Product Reviews and a whole lot of other actually useful information.

If you still have a hankering for luxury accomodations and travelling in extremely wealthy style and you have the pocketbook to accomodate it, you can always check out the Forbes website.

57 TIPS for SENIOR HOBBIES

"Seniors, Senior Citizens, those noisy Boomers, and concerned caregivers, have submitted the following tips as ideas for enriching our lives with an exciting hobby."

FROM THE SENIOR ARK WEBSITE

Stuff for Teachers

Stuff for Teachers (and Homeschoolers and Day Care and Hebrew School and Sunday School and Youth Groups)

Whether you teach in a school classroom or at home, these websites might come in handy for everything from teacher/classroom supplies to lesson plans to research to student projects and more. 

PLEASE NOTE:   This was taken from an old post on another blog I did so some links might be outdated.

ReallyGoodStuff.com
English Language (ESL) Teaching Resources - a collection of blank grids, customisable worksheets, and miscellaneous printable resources for teachers
A to Z Teacher Stuff
Free Stuff for Classroom Use
Interesting or useful stuff for teachers
Useful Websites for Teachers, Parents, and Students
Math Resources
KinderArt® Teacher's Toolbox
Useful Links for Teachers
"Teachers" T-Shirts and Gifts
Superteacherstuff.com
Sites For Teachers
Bilingual Education
Free Stuff for Canadian Teachers
Dave's ESL Cafe
Discovery Education
Teacher Related Freebies
CalMAX - find or exchange materials commonly used in California's schools.
Free Stuff for Educators!
Free Stuff for Science Teachers
Science Learning Network
Education jobs, news, reviews and debate (U.K. site)
FREE (Federal Resources for Educational Excellence)
ArtsEdge - Information, resources, and ideas that support the arts as a core subject area in K-12 curriculum.
Gateway to Educational Materials (GEM)
Helping Your Students With Homework
Internet4Classrooms
Teachers.net
TeachersFirst.com
Scholastic.com
Teacher Storehouse
Teacher School Supplies
The Schoolbox
Homeroom Teacher
Teaching Supply Store
Teacher Supplies, Teacher Resources and Classroom Activities

Learn How to Make a Quilt

By Janet Wickell, About.com Guide

Learn how to make a quilt. You'll find that making a quilt isn't difficult, and you'll be happy with your very first quilting project when you work through important techniques one step at a time. If you're already a quilter, explore my quiltmaking resources to find methods you might not have tried yet. Beginning quilters will find that my instructions are detailed and easy to follow, and include plenty of illustrations to show important steps.

Quiltmaking Must-Knows
Patchwork & Sewing Skills
A,B,Cs of Rotary Cutting
Learn How to Machine Quilt
Quilting Fabric Tips & Techniques
Needles & Threads
Quilt Borders & Binding
Quilt Design Tips & Techniques
Color and Color Value for Quilters
Applique Techniques
Fabric Embellishments

How to Make a Fabric Postcard

This is just one more great "mini-website" within the humungous universe of useful information known as About.com. Under the general sub-heading of "Home4Home & Garden4Quilting," and authored by Janet Wickell, Quilting Guide, you can learn how to make several types of fabric postcards to impress family and friends. Give it a try!

VISIT THE WEBSITE

Where The Republican Presidential Candidates Stand On Social Security

Social Security is a tricky issue in the GOP primary: It's a program of nearly unparalleled popularity, resonates with the seniors most likely to vote, but is also a pure example of government spending and redistribution of wealth, the types of things that have become anathema to a party increasingly tied to its most passionate and extreme wing. How does a Republican who wants to win both the primary and the general election thread the Social Security needle?

READ MORE HERE.

What it's all about...

AARP 50+ Life Insurance

VISIT THE WEBPAGE
Affordable Term Life InsuranceNo medical exam – acceptance is based on your answers to 3 health questionsUp to $50,000 in coverageNo waiting periodExclusively for AARP membersIf you're not a member yet, it's easy to join. Just complete the form and we'll send you everything you need.

Tough Granny Attacks Robber

Gotta Dance - The Movie

Who says you can’t hip-hop if you’re 80-years-old? Who says your days as a performer are long gone? Who says you can’t shake things up and light up a jam-packed sports arena with your hot moves and cool attitude?

Just because you’re a card-carrying member of AARP, do you have to give up on your dreams?

No. You don’t. Absolutely not.

GOTTA DANCE is BAD NEWS BEARS morphed into the flip side of MAD HOT BALLROOM.

GOTTA DANCE the movie chronicles the debut of the New Jersey Nets' first-ever senior hip-hop dance team, 12 women and 1 man - all dance team newbies, from auditions through to center court stardom.

As smooth dance moves are perfected and performed in front of thousands, aging myths and misperceptions are pulverized.

Despite swollen ankles, exhausting rehearsals, fashion clashes and seemingly impossible dance steps, the NETSational Seniors go for it, spreading joy, inspiration and cool dance moves as they hip-hop their way into the hearts of Nets fans and beyond.

See more at the OFFICIAL WEBPAGE for this movie.

Funny Bumper Stickers for Senior Citizens

Some of these are just plain hilarious. Visit the WEBSITE to see them all. Here are a few examples:

Buying a Volkswagen from an old lady...

How to Overcome 12 Retirement Challenges

The roadblocks to a successful retirement have become more frequent and severe, ranging from Wall Street and housing meltdowns to rising healthcare costs and concerns about the long-term stability of Social Security, pensions, and government safety net programs. But according to a new study by MetLife and the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University, there are common ways that people are stepping up to create better outcomes for their retirement years.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

Tips for Baby Boomers Reaching Retirement Age in 2012

In 2012, the oldest baby boomers will turn 66, an important age for Social Security eligibility. At 66, boomers can claim the full amount of Social Security they have earned, and the penalty for working and claiming Social Security benefits at the same time disappears. Here are some retirement planning tips for those turning 66 next year.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

The Cat in the Hat on Aging

10 Things You Didn't Know About Social Security

Since Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act on August 14, 1935, few workers have not been impacted by the social program. Almost all Americans pay into the system, and Social Security is the largest source of income for citizens age 65 and older. Yet this huge entitlement has many facets, some of which are not widely known. 

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

10 Ways to Boost Your Social Security Checks

The age you first sign up for Social Security can impact the payout you will receive for the rest of your life. Here are some strategies to maximize your monthly benefit. 

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

5 Social Security Changes Coming in 2012

Social Security recipients will see bigger payments this year for the first time since 2009. But the future of Social Security taxes for workers remains uncertain. The 2011 payroll tax holiday has been extended only through the end of February and is scheduled to increase in March under current law. Here's a look at the Social Security changes workers and retirees will experience this year.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

Geezer Planet

Found another funny blog. It's called Geezer Planet.

Charles Aznavour, "Yesterday, When I Was Young"

Senior Citizen Flash Mob

Look how much fun they're having - even with their walkers! Now, what's your excuse? Hmmm???

Burma Shave Signs

Remember those family vacations going down some highway somewhere and out of nowhere, the signs would start to pop up. First one, then the next... until you had a full funny poem that always ended with the last line, "Burma Shave," the shaving cream company who sponsored the road signs.


Now you can relive some of those fond family vacation memories by visiting THIS WEBPAGE to view their collection of old Burma Shave poems. Here's just one to get you started:

Listen Birds

These Signs Cost Money

So Sit A Spell

But Don't Get Funny

Burma Shave

If I Had My Life To Live Over - by an 85 year old man

I'd try to make more mistakes next time.

I would relax, I would limber up.

I would be crazier that I've been this trip.

I know very few things I'd take seriously anymore.

I would take more chances, I would take more trips.

I would scale more mountains, I would swim more rivers.

And I would watch more sunsets.

I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans.

I would have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones.You see... I was one of those people who lived prophylactically and sensibly and sanely, hour after hour and day after day. Oh, I've had my moments, and if I had to do it all over again, I'd have many more of them. In fact, I'd try not to have anything else, just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of my day. I've been one of those people who never went anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a gargle, a raincoat and a parachute. If I had it to do all over again, I'd travel lighter, much lighter than I have. I would start barefoot earlier in the spring, and stay that way later in the fall. And I would ride more merry-go-rounds, and catch more gold rings, and greet more people, and pick more flowers, and dance more often..... If I had it to do all over again, But you see, I don't.

From the Journal of Humanistic Psychology.
By an 82-year-old man dying and accepting death.

SOURCE

Motherhood in the Animal Kingdom...

Go see some special pictures HERE. Here's a couple of examples:

Funniest Video on You Tube

A funny old lady smacks a sports car with her purse after the driver was rude enough to wake her up (yes, she kind of dozes off mid-stride) by honking at her.

Gang of Senior Citizens "Terrorize" Local Village

SeniorJournal.com

Senior Citizen News and Information Daily on the Web HERE.

Federal and State Agencies for Seniors

Find a list of federal and state agencies with resources for seniors HERE.

Consumer Protection for Seniors

Learn about rights for the elderly, detect and prevent medicare fraud, and more.


Abuse of the Elderly
Advocates for Residents of Nursing Homes, by State
Commission on Law and Aging
Consumer Action Handbook
Consumer Protection Offices
Elder Rights Protection
Federal Trade Commission Consumer Protection Page
Financial Crimes Against the Elderly
H.E.L.P. – Helping People Meet Aging-Related Legal and Care Challenges
How To File a Nursing Home Complaint
Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (Administration on Aging)
Medicare Fraud: Detection and Prevention
Social Security – Protect Your Social Security Number
Social Security – Report Fraud


MORE INFO HERE.

Caregivers' Resources

Find a nursing home, assisted living, or hospice; check your eligibility for benefits; get resources for long-distance caregiving; review legal issues; and find support for caregivers. MORE INFO HERE.

The Tiniest Garden

From Garden Quest on Facebook:

Free Medicare preventive services

Jan. 22, 2012 - Senior citizens have a better chance at a longer, healthier life this year, thanks to the many new preventive services now offered by Medicare. Many have been added by the health care reform law, called “Obamacare” by its critics, but officially named the Affordable Care Act. SeniorJournal.com is offering a free checklist to help you keep up with all the preventive services you are due.


LEARN MORE HERE.

Looking for Mr. Oldbar

"...Investigators say that much of this shocking behavior begins innocently enough with "Looking for Love" classified ads for the senior set."

Read this funny column by Frank Kaiser HERE.

Benjamin Franklin Quotation

Those who love deeply never grow old; they may die of old age, but they die young.  -- Benjamin Franklin

A Lesson Plan (for Teachers) on Senior Citizens

Students will discover senior citizens in history who were heroes. They will then see how senior citizens can be considered everyday heroes in the community and will determine what kinds of everyday heroes make a difference in the lives of seniors. Students will learn that they, too, can be everyday heroes by helping seniors with needed services. GET MORE INFO HERE.

Senior Citizen Hero - 94-year-old Rose Swiszowski

When you think of flour, you think of cooking. 


For 94-year-old Rose Swiszowski, it was all she could think of to put out a fire when her pitcher of water didn't quite do the trick.


The pint-sized resident of St. Francis manor in Vero Beach, Florida was walking to her apartment Sunday night when she saw the fire.


She yelled for neighbors and starting doing everything to put out the flames on two chairs in front of the community building.


Firefighters would soon arrive and credited Rose with saving the day.


READ THE REST OF THE STORY AND SEE THE VIDEO HERE.

I Love George Takei

Jobs/Careers for Senior Citizens

AARP - Worksearch - Looking to reenter the workforce? Want to upgrade from your current job?AARP Foundation’s free WorkSearch resources can help older workers. These online tools let you "virtually" explore new careers, assess and improve work skills, identify training programs and find meaningful employment.


Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) - from Goodwill Industries - At Goodwill®, we help seniors find work, develop new skills and talents, and build their financial security by taking advantage of the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP). SCSEP is an on-the-job training and employment program designed to help those aged 55 and older update their jobs skills, build work experience and confidence, and continue to have economic security and well-being.


SeniorJobBank.org - Find Jobs for Boomers and Seniors in Your Area

What's Wrong with These Photos?!

Check out this LINK for some funny photos. Here's a few samples:

The Ellen DeGeneres Show is an hour-long, five-days-a-week, talk-variety show. Find Ellen's monologue, celebrity photos and videos, games, giveaways, how to get tickets and more on The Ellen Show website.

Take Care of Our Planet... PLEASE.

A Facebook Friend Posted This

The friend wrote:  "...living near the ocean - this photo touched me - every morning - my dog & I catch sunrise by the beach - and we see so much plastic waste left by the high tide - please care about our oceans - they are our common lifeblood."

Cell Phones and Cancer Risk

I have a Facebook friend who I really like and I enjoy most of his posts but sometimes, he does indulge some of the wackier alarmist conspiracy theories about numerous topics and one of his latest has been the "Do cell phones cause cancer?" thing. There may very well be elevated risk with cell phone usage - the type of waves emitted by cell phones is the same type of radiation microwave ovens use to cook food. Just think about that one for a moment.

However, whatever valid concerns there may be regarding this or any other issue get buried under alarmist rhetoric and connection to various whackjob websites that probably think there were at least a dozen grassy knolls in Dealy Plaza and George W. Bush himself stood in front of the World Trade Center with the dynamite plunger in hand. Know what I mean?

Whackiness is fun to make fun of but that's about it. It has no socially redeeming values and so anything that gets mired in it loses credibility.

So... do cell phones actually cause cancer?  From what credible resources I've managed to dig up on the internet, I'd say the jury is still out on that one. The fact is, DNA must be changed to cause cancer and the type of radiation that cell phones emit does not change DNA. But the type of radiation that cell phones DO emit does cook your food in your microwave and it does alter how brain cells on the side of your head where you hold your cell phone metabolizes glucose.

In my layman's non-medical mind, any unnatural changes to the body can produce an increased risk of cancer. That just makes sense to me.

So, for me, the jury is out on this one. What do you think?

For more info on this topic from a non-whackjob source, go HERE.

So this time it really was the diabetes...

Wowza. What a difference a tuna sandwich can make. I'd talked myself into feeling like such crap that I decided sitting motionless at my computer and maybe dozing off was the best thing to do. That was boring. So, I started this blog.

Then, I was getting really woozy and light headed and I wasn't completely brain dead so I knew I had to get something to eat.

I cleaned my hot pot, thinking maybe I'd cook a little spaghetti and my brain was finding the task to be too much of a challenge, not to mention that I also was needing to hang onto the sink to stay standing up. I was not doing well. Not at all. I couldn't wait for the spaghetti.

I opened a can of tuna, slapped in some mayo and pickle relish and a dash of mustard, mashed it around, had it on a sandwich roll and was eating before I collapsed into my computer chair. That and a cup of coffee has me feeling a bit better. But, I am still feeling a bit woozy. Not sure why since I ate.

Anyway, I am feeling better. Wow. That was weird.

And that's one of the reasons why, if you know an elderly and/or disabled person who lives alone, it's a good thing to check in with them at least once a day by phone and if you can see them in person, so much the better.

There's a lot of simple stuff that doesn't get done around here just because I don't feel good. Make an old person feel wonderful and give them some of your time.

Why I'm Doing This...

It's a little bit hard to just give up and die although I've thought on numerous occasions how being dead might be ever so much more comfortable (for me) and ever so much more convenient for the paltry few souls left on this planet who care what happens to me. If I was dead, they could just stop worrying.

But, dang it all, I happen to like being alive as miserable and scary as it does get at times. And, I cannot forget what Grandma and Mom always taught me - that the blood of pioneers runs through my veins. And pioneers never give up. Robert Treat Paine, are you listening? I'm still here and it's all your fault.

Current scariness: I feel like death. I feel very weak and frail and ill and it's from heart failure and lung failure and sleep apnea and extreme Vitamin D deficiency. Emptying two bags of canned goods from the local food bank exhausted me and here I sit, recovering. Had to do something. So I'm starting this blog.

Oops. I forgot to mention the diabetes. It's reminding me right now so excuse me while I go get something to eat.

Learn a little something about diabetes here and check out if you are experiencing any of the signs.