ARE YOU DAZED BY DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME?

In my state of Indiana, Governor Mitch Daniels pushed for Daylight Saving Time in 2009. He said it was good for business. Turned out it didn’t make any difference, but we kept doing it anyway. Mainly, it’s the golfers who like it, because they can play their game after work. But most of us aren’t golfers. Should the whole state’s time zone be determined by a sport? Do you have daylight saving time daze?

Here’s how it went for me this week:

Some people would rather we we stick to one time — Should We Abolish Daylight Saving Time?

Day 1. We turned our clocks ahead the night before, and stayed up until our usual bedtime. I’m used to a sliver of daylight peeking through the blind at 7:30., but it was still very dark the next morning when I awakened. Felt confused. A bit dizzy. Stubbed my toe. Spilled coffee. Knocked over a bottle of orange juice. Went to library before realizing I forgot books to return. Too tired to clean kitchen after dinner.

Day 2. Stumbled out of bed in the dark before going for morning swim. Slurped some coffee. Skipped breakfast. Made it to the pool after a near-miss pulling out of my driveway. Forgot my purse and cellphone. Came home in a daze. Didn’t have enough energy to put my breakfast dishes in the sink.

Day 3. The fog continues.. It’s like the jet lag you feel after a trip abroad. They say heart attacks increase the week after DST begins, and I don’t doubt it. Next door, I see my neighbor putting his kids in the car to go to school. The sun is just coming up, which means they had to get out of bed in the dark. Luckily, their dad drives them to school. What about the little kids who have to walk to the bus stop and catch a ride on the school bus?

DST was supposed to save energy, because the sun would heat up your house later in the day, and you wouldn’t need to turn your furnace so high. Turns out, you use more energy because you need more air conditioning.

Parents with little kids must dislike DST the most. Putting the children to bed while it’s still light outside doesn’t work too well. So, the parents don’t have as much peace and quiet time after 8 o’clock, the way they used to.

The whole thing is crazy. I don’t care if we set our clocks back or ahead. But let’s not go changing back and forth every spring and fall.

March 11, 2019March 11, 2019

6 TIPS FOR NEWBIE LANDLORDS

I didn’t set out to be a landlord, but many years ago I inherited a small, 4 unit apartment building. Some people—who’ve never been landlords—believe it’s an easy way to make money. Trust me, it isn’t. Since I had no formal training in property management, the advice I’m offering is based what I’ve learned over the years. If you’re thinking of becoming a landlord, here are 6 tips for newbie landlords.

Always have a tenant sign a lease — NEVER RENT AN APARTMENT TO SOMEONE WITHOUT THE PROPER SCREENING

1 .Never rent to a tenant who can’t pass a credit check, or a background check done by an apartment owners association. Usually, this information will cost you about $25, but that is covered by the application fee. I am amazed at landlords who will rent to the first person who shows up. It’s tempting during a bad rental season to take on someone you know nothing about. Don’t do it. You will end up with damaged property, court costs, lost rents, etc.

2. Always have the tenant sign a lease. Lease forms are readily available on the internet and cover many important issues like renter’s insurance. You must make it clear you are not responsible for their personal property in the event of fire or other disaster. Also, a signed lease is critical if you have to evict a tenant for non-compliance with the lease agreement. The judge will want to see your lease before ordering the tenant to vacate the property.

If you are ever tempted to rent to someone without screening them, repeat this mantra over and over in your head: A bad tenant is worse than no tenant.

3. If you rent to students, avoid dealing with parents. If a student is old enough to live alone, they’re mature enough to handle their own affairs. Parents—especially mothers—will pick your property to death and have unrealistic expectations as to what you should provide for a modestly priced rental unit. To parents who complain about what I’m offering, I simply say, “this is rental property; it’s not the Hilton Garden Inn.” That usually settles the issue one way or another. And once the student has moved in, I refuse to talk to the parent about their child, citing privacy laws.

4. Make repairs promptly. If something is broken, fix it immediately. Don’t let a leaky pipe ruin the ceiling downstairs. If someone’s stove or frig stops working, get them a new one right away. Ignoring the problem will cost you much more in the long run. .

5. . Do not tolerate rudeness. Many tenants who move to town from big cities, especially, are demanding and confrontational. They’re convinced you’re trying to cheat them. If they have a complaint and get nasty , remain calm. Develop a thick skin, and ignore their insulting remarks. Do your best to resolve the issue at the time, but don’t renew their lease. And before you return their deposit, make sure they haven’t tried to camouflage damages.

6. Don’t advertise a rental unit in the newspaper. Use a free online website such as Craigslist to show pictures, contact information, and monthly rent cost.

Property management is not for the faint of heart. Many people have tried it and given up because they can’t take the hassles, and end up losing money.

If you decide you’re up for rental property, you should have a financial cushion to get through bad rental seasons, winter vacancies broken furnaces and leaky roofs.

On the plus side, I’ve had many delightful young tenants, some of whom rented for a few years before buying a house or finishing their college degrees. I’ve tried to be a caring, honest landlord with reasonable rents. and have seen many tenants through bad times.

Just remember this: If you become a landlord, it’s isn’t all about the money.

March 8, 2019March 8, 2019

LAST DAY TO GET AN AMAZON FREE BOOK

This is the last day, your last chance, to get an e-book, CHASING THEIR LOSSES, free on Kindle @ http://amzn.to/2cLBl0Y

Most everyone in the USA had cabin fever this week. It gets tiresome bundling yourself up to do errands in freezing weather, not to mention the risk of falling on ice. Good news! For those of you who can’t make it to the library, you can download my novel right now.

GET A FREE COPY OF CHASING THEIR LOSSES MARCH 7,8 — FRIDAY IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO GET A FREE COPY OF CHASING THEIR LOSSES

Why did I write Chasing Their Losses? If you’ve read my bio, you know that I was the Director of Nutrition Services at an acute care hospital in Indiana for twenty six years. Hospitals are full of drama. There’s love, hate, sex, ambition, , and just about every human emotion thrumming in the air, every single day. I always knew I wanted to write a novel set in a small town hospital, but it wasn’t until 10 years after retirement that I could distance myself from all that intensity.

So cozy up to the fireplace, and enjoy a novel of love, betrayal and murder.

Here’s a brief synopsis.

Will the haunting power of first love lead to Cara Mackenzie’s destruction? At 31, she’s back home from Miami, starting a new career as nutrition director of Sycamore Hospital, and in a blossoming romance with Dr. John Drakos. But when she runs into her former lover, the suave and sexy Tony Cabella, she’s drawn into a dangerous web of dirty secrets and lies.

When Tony’s stepson vanishes under her watch, Cara must fight for her life, her reputation, and her career.

The police think Dr. Drakos’ jealousy could have provided a motive for the kidnapping, but as the mystery surrounding the boy’s disappearance heightens, unanswered questions point to a conspiracy. Who shot Tony when he and Cara met in secret, and why won’t he call the police?

At the heart of this novel are four damaged people: John and Cara, whose passionate relationship is clouded by painful memories and fear of commitment; Tony and his second wife, Gail, who gave up everything for sexual fulfillment, only to find disillusion and heartbreak.

As the tragic events spin out of control, the heart thumping suspense builds, with twists and turns that take you from the verdant farmland and sparkling waterfalls of Indiana to the vast, lawless sand dunes and nude beaches of Texas.

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March 4, 2019March 4, 2019

WHO WANTS TO LOOK LIKE JANE FONDA?

Jane Fonda is smart, beautiful, and thin. She’s an inspiration to all women over eighty. But most of us know we’ll never look like that. Anyway, who wants to look like Jane Fonda.?

According to her bio, Jane Fonda is 5’8”” and weighs 128. This gives her a Body Mass Index of 19. * Wow!That’s just one point away from being underweight. Some people have a great metabolism and have always been able to eat anything they want and not get fat. But not Jane. She says she was an overweight twenty-something and suffered from bulimia for years. And so, Jane, like most of us, has to work at staying thin.

How does a an eighty year old movie star maintain the BMI of a teenager? Other than a ton of exercising, and maybe some help from a plastic surgeon, I’m thinking she would have to go on a diet of lettuce leaves and pickles.

Do you really want to be as think as Jane Fonda. — Jane Fonda is an inspiration to octogenarians. But most of us know we will never be that thin.

Do I really want to skip my lunchtime smoothies, my pork chop and mashed potato dinners, my chardonnay, and ice cream for dessert? Should I spend hours exercising at the gym or doing pilates? Supposing I decide to load up my frig with spinach and kale, and throw out the good stuff like cheese? Is it worth it to be admired for my figure? The National Institute of Health says no.

The NIH has found that underweight older women with a very low BMI are actually more at risk for mortality than women at the high end of normal. Slightly overweight seniors at the high end of the healthy body mass index range of 27 to 29 were at lower risk.

In other words, it’s healthier for elderly folks to be slightly overweight than it is to be underweight.

That welcome news for me, because there’s no way I’m ever going to have a 25 inch waist again. And now, I have a perfect excuse to relax and enjoy the delicious things in life.

Ladies, there’s no reason to suck in your tummy when you put on your bathing suit this spring. You just might live longer than those skinny seniors.

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*BMI

Body mass index, or BMI, is a number based on your weight and height. In general, the higher the number, the more body fat a person has. BMI is often used as a screening tool to determine if you have a healthy weight.

BMI defines different weight groups as follows:

Underweight: BMI is less than 18.5
Normal weight: BMI is 18.5 to 24.9
Overweight: BMI is 25 to 29.9
Obese: BMI is 30 or more

March 1, 2019March 2, 2019

MEDICARE DOESN’T CARE IF YOU SEE, HEAR, CHEW

Medicare has been a godsend to seniors these past 50 years or so. And yet, the coverage leaves much to be desired. Why are hearing aids, eyeglasses and dental care considered luxuries that seniors can do without? Apparently, Medicare doesn’t care if you see or hear or chew. .

Dental care is important to health — Poor Dental Care Can Lead To Life Threatening Disease

Eye exams are not considered “medically necessary” unless you have a disease like diabetes or glaucoma, or cataracts. So, what happens to seniors who don’t qualify under these guidelines? if they happen to be living on social security, they may not be able to afford having eye exams or eyeglasses. Consequences of not seeing well? Can’t drive, or if you do, prone to accidents. Can’t read, which greatly diminishes quality of life. More apt to fall. The list goes on and on.

Hearing loss is not considered a medical necessity. So, if you’re driving a car and can’t hear a truck coming up beside you or a horn blasting, that’s no big deal? If you can’t talk on the telephone or hear what others are saying, how are you supposed to communicate? Elderly people who can’t hear well tend to become socially isolated. They can’t carry on normal conversations, and so they avoid social gatherings. Relationships with children and grandchildren are affected. All of these things lead to depression and loneliness. The truth is, loss of hearing can be hazardous to your health. But Medicare doesn’t care.

If a senior’s teeth rot , Medicare won’t help. It does not cover routine checkups, cleanings, fillings, dentures or tooth extractions. I recently went to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned. Since it had been two years since I’d been there, , they insisted on taking numerous X rays , but said I had to come back for a second visit before they would clean my teeth. After the cleaning, they informed me they had found a couple of tiny cavities that needed filling on yet another visit. The entire episode will cost about $500 for a couple of very simple procedures.

Tooth decay can lead to more serious problems than hearing loss or poor vision. Infected teeth can carry infection throughout the body, affecting the heart, liver, brain and all other organs of the body, resulting in death. And many seniors end up with no teeth at all, leading to poor nutrition and social isolation.

Ironically, very low income seniors are also eligible for Medicaid, which may cover some of these problems. But if you are just a normal person, and a few dollars above the income guidelines, you’re out of luck.