Month: December 2019

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DO YOU VALUE CHRISSY TEIGEN’S OPINION?

Successful celebrities in the entertainment world need  lots of self confidence. An inflated ego propels them to the top .  Unfortunately, they begin to overestimate the value of their influence.   While their endorsement of beauty creams and fragrances may sway some consumers , It doesn’t carry over into the world of politics. Do you value Chrissy Teigen’s Opinion?

Celbrities are not authorities on politics
Use of four letter words show Chrissy Teigen’s limited vocabulary

Would you vote for or against a candidate, based on what an actress  has to say about them. ?  What  do entertainers  know about running a government? While some are immensely talented,  most  are high school graduates  or college dropouts who found their way to fame through a combination of good looks, who they know, or being in the right place at the right time.  Many  are exhibitionists who spend most of their waking hours trying to get attention for themselves.

What do celebrities know about fighting terrorism,  improving the economy, or making the world a better place for our grandchildren?   What’s worse is when they demonstrate a  limited vocabulary.   Do they really believe that  a stream of vulgar, four letter words is  going to impress an intelligent, respectable person,   or change their vote?

A celebrity who goes on a dirty, expletive filled  tirade against any candidate is preaching to the choir.  Yes, like minded people will enjoy having their opinions reinforced.   But those who disagree will be more than annoyed.  They may get mad enough to get up and vote, even though they might have been too lazy to drive to the polls before hand.

In the case of Chrissy Teigen, she has plenty of followers.  These are the people who admired her for posting a video of herself while  steaming her vagina. Vanity Fair worships at her shrine, and even had her on their latest magazine cover.   She, Robert DeNiro, and other rude, crude and lewd people in the entertainment world apparently think that vulgarity is a potent verbal weapon.  Well, I’ve got news for them.  It isn’t.

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HAVE A BLOOMING HOME THIS WINTER

As you wave goodbye to snowbirds heading south, do you feel a bit down about staying home? Maybe you traveled to warmer climates in your first years after retirement. But those days are over.  Health or financial concerns have brought a change of plans.  So how to make the best of those gloomy cold days ahead?  Have a blooming home this winter.

Start with those Christmas poinsettias you normally throw away after the holidays.  Hopefully, you have more than one color.   Find a warm sunny spot to group them together.  They don’t need much care, but when the leaves start to droop, you know they need water.

Amaryllis & Poinsettas grouped together are beautiful
Amaryllis and Poinsettias will give you a blooming home this winter.

My next favorite are the magical, mysterious amaryllis.  They come in glorious color combinations of pink, red, and white. You can buy them in November or December, but by January, it’s too late.  They’re sold out.  I found three at a big box store before Thanksgiving, and some are already starting to bloom.  This year, I have some big bulbs saved from last year..  I’m trying to recycle them.  The  directions say they’ll probably start blooming in six or eight weeks—which will brighten those cold February days. But just in case my experiment doesn’t work,  I’m going to buy a few more bulbs at the grocery store to save until January.

Orchids & Anthurium are beautiful house plants
Anthurium and Orchids are Easy to Maintain

Orchid plants are available most everywhere.  Some are spindly or overpriced.  I’ve had great luck with the big healthy ones at our  local discount store.  They require very little care—3 ice cubes a week is what’s recommended. .  I changed that to ¼ cup water, plus a little houseplant fertilizer every month or so.  Amazingly, the plant was still blooming in September. But when I moved it to another window, it didn’t survive the change in light. This year, I’ll let it stay in the same place and see if it lives longer.

Another beauty is the Anthurium plant.  Mostly, they come in red, but I know someone who found a white one.  I received mine as a birthday gift in July, but it had been over watered, and some of the leaves turned yellow.  I cut down the watering, and it’s still blooming now, in December.

If you have the time and space, you might look into other blooming houseplants like violets, begonias or Christmas cactus.

It’s a real upper to wake up on a cold winter morning and see fresh flowers blooming all over your house.  And best of all, no weeding is required!

 

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AGING, RAGING POLITICIANS DUKE IT OUT

Presidential hopeful Joe Biden challenges an Iowa farmer to a push up contest and IQ test, and calls him a damn liar.  Speaker of the House,  Nancy Pelosi,  tells a journalist asking difficult questions, “don’t mess with me.” This, after stating she “doesn’t hate anyone,” because she’s a Catholic???  Donald Trump  has nasty nicknames for his critics and constantly repeats himself.  He calls himself a “stable genius.”   While the aging, raging politicians duke it out, it leaves this octogenarian wondering.  Although I abhor blatant ageism, sometimes we have to face the facts.  Should a person in their mid seventies run for office?  And if not, why? 

 

Elderly politicians show a lot of anger
Seniors may have more problems with anger management.

1. Older people are angrier.  One of the most common emotions seen in the aging population is anger. It may be a symptom of depression, but often, it’s a manifestations of the aging process, itself.

2. The elderly are less able to handle stress. Their heart and lungs may not have the capacity they once did, making recovery from stress more difficult.  As people age, they don’t sleep as soundly, which causes higher levels of stress hormones in the brain..

3.  Reflexes change as we age.  According to the Merck Manual.  the peripheral nerves conduct impulses more slowly as people get older. This results in slower reflexes, decreased sensation and clumsiness.

4:  Aging changes decision making ability.  Neuroscientists have found that  older adults are less able to hold on to complex  thoughts, and have a harder time making decisions that require considering multiple options. However, decisions that require established knowledge remain strong well into old age.

The most impressive thing about the Democratic Presidential debates was the demeanor of  the younger candidates.  While I didn’t agree with all of their policies, they presented them in a thoughtful, rational manner.   I know experience matters.  But I’m not sure the aging brain is capable of grappling all the complexities of managing our great nation and keeping it safe for our grandchildren.

No one can run for president in the United States until they are thirty five years old.   As aging, raging senior politicians duke it out, you wonder if there should be age restrictions at the end of the life cycle.

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HAS GOLDEN STATE LOST ITS LUSTER?

 “Go west young man, and grow up with the country”; was a phrase first stated in an 1851 editorial in the Terre Haute Express.  When I was a young college grad  in the sixties, working in Chicago, everyone dreamed of moving to California.  And many of them did.  I was saving my money to move there, myself, but instead I met my first husband on an elevator and stayed in the Windy City.  But now, there’s a mass exodus taking place Recently, I’ve met three people who moved to this cold Midwestern city from different California cities.  Why in the world would anyone leave that warm climate at this time of year?  Has the Golden State lost its luster?

For starters, it’s the traffic.  A recent study published in the USA  listed the 40 most dangerous cities for driving  And guess what? 21 of those cities were in the State of California. It’s no surprise that none of them are in the State of Indiana because after all, we’re that dull conservative state where people pride themselves on caution and common sense.

The cost of living  is another deal breaker.  Here are the cost of living figures, compared to the rest of the country.

An amount below 100 means California is cheaper than the US average. A cost of living index above 100 means California is more expensive.

Cost of Living:                                California              United States

Housing                                               293.1                      100

Median Home Cost                       $548.600            $219,750

Utilities                                                 102.4                        100

Transportation                                 146.1                          100

California unsheltered homeless population is very high
If you live in a big California city, you’ll likely walk past homeless tents every day.

California has the highest rates of unsheltered homelessness in the United States.  The state of Indiana also has a homeless problem, but it doesn’t compare to the Golden State.  In San Francisco,  homeless camps line the streets of gated communities.  A friend in LA shrugs off the fact that she  walks past homeless tents and debris whenever  she leaves her apartment.  In large California cities, the streets are full of fecal matter, discarded syringes and trash.

Politics are driving conservatives away because they’re tired of high taxes and California’s political culture.  Among registered voters, Republicans are three times as likely to leave as Democrats.

Calamities of nature like wildfires also threaten California residents.

So how do our newcomers  feel about moving  East  to Indiana?   So far, they claim not to mind the weather.  They’re learning to adapt and take advantage of the good, sunny days.  And they’re thrilled with lower cost housing , and paying less for everything.

The new slogan for the next generation of Californians might be:  Go East, Young Man, and live a better life.

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8 SIGNS YOU’RE A CHRISTMASPHILE

As  mentioned in my last post, some people aren’t really into Christmas, for one reason or another. But if you have a partner or close friend who’s a Christmasphile, you are fortunate. They’ll get you in the mood.   My husband grew up on a farm in Nebraska, so the holidays were a time when they  could enjoy a respite from farm work.  Except for caring for the livestock,  they could relax and enjoy the magic and mystery of Christmas.  Like him, perhaps you, too, have wonderful holiday memories . Here are eight signs that  you’re a Christmasphile.

If you're a Christmaspile, you have warm memories of past holidays
Christmasphiles love everything about the season

One: Decorations don’t stop with a tree.  You have wreaths, poinsettias, outdoor lights, music boxes. And maybe even a blow up Santa.

Two: Even though 90 percent of young people don’t send  cards, you still sit down and address Christmas cards with an imprinted name.  On top of that, you buy Christmas stamps at the post office.  What a pleasure it must be for those who hear from you at Christmas time.

Three: You never tire of Christmas music .  You have stacks of CD’s dating back to the 1940’s. You love any kind of Christmas music, be it spiritual, rock and roll, big band, classical.  And of course, if you’re on the road during the season, you have an MP3 player loaded with enough Christmas music to last the entire trip.

Four:  Christmas sweaters are stored  in boxes on your closet shelves.  They’re carefully cleaned and washed at the end of each  year, so that they’re ready to wear as soon as Thanksgiving is over next year.

Five: Tastes of Christmas are important: Eggnog, persimmon pudding,  fruitcake.  Homemade candy and cookies.  Stollen, coffee cake.    Anyone dropping by  your house will not leave hungry.

Six: Numerous Christmas accessories round out your wardrobe.  Christmas socks.  Festive earrings or a tie, depending on your gender. Perhaps a decorative belt.

Seven: You like to play Santa Claus.  You may even own your own suit.

Eight: Christmas movies.  You could watch Hallmark Channel’s Christmas movies every night if your family would agree.

So if you’re Christmas Grinch , get over it.  Find a Christmasphile to hang out with.  And of course, you will want to exchange wrapped presents on Christmas day.

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HOLIDAY JITTERS & POST HOLIDAY RELIEF

Most people dread the holidays to a certain extent—some more than others.  Anyone who’s grown up in a dysfunctional family, endured a bad marriage, or experienced some holiday tragedy is apt to feel apprehensive when Thanksgiving draws near.  If you’re one of those people, here’s the good news:   If, by some miracle, you made it through last weekend with no major glitches or mishaps, things turned out far better than expected.    Hooray, you survived those holiday jitters & are now feeling  post-holiday relief. 

Of course, a few things went wrong.  The weather was awful.  You got stuck in the snow.  No one ate the sweet potatoes. The rolls got a little burned.   Some of the kids were  whiny.  Someone strained their back.

But:   There was plenty of delicious food to eat, and the turkey was done on time.   Everyone was in good health.  No one got really sick (maybe an upset tummy or two from too much pie.) , or ended up in the ER.  There were surges of  pure joy upon seeing the faces of beautiful grandchildren and reuniting with far away loved ones.  Everyone got along really well and enjoyed being together.  The whole family seemed to bond.

All in all, there was much to be thankful for.  You will never erase the bad memories of unhappy holidays long ago.  But if you accentuate the positive, and eliminate the negative, you will make it through the New Year.

Holiday jitters may precede holiday relief
You may dread Thanksgiving because of sad holidays in the past.

Now that the first holiday of the season is over,  you may feel exhausted.  It’s going to be a long Monday if you have to go back to work.  But if anyone asks  whether you had a good Thanksgiving, you can  smile and say, ” yes, I did.”

If you feel the pre-holiday jitters coming on again, just remember that song made famous by crooner Bing Crosby:

You’ve got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don’t mess with Mister In-Between

 Happy Holidays to All!