IT’S HARD TO LOVE THY NEIGHBOR

Our country is entering into another Great Divide : those who will get vaccinated and those who won’t. I wish I could say I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated, but the trouble is, I do. And some of them are people whom I know well. The excuses for not getting the shots run from the sublime to the ridiculous. Some women believe the vaccine will prevent them from getting pregnant. I haven’t seen this in the media, but I’ve heard it with my own ears. There is so much ignorance floating around out there, it’s hard to believe. All I know is, it’s hard to love thy neighbor if he/she hasn’t been vaccinated.

There isn’t a single adverse reaction to the vaccine that wasn’t reported in print, television, radio, and social media.. Let’s face it, news organizations want to hype up their ratings, and the best way to do that is to scare people to death. Fear is a great motivator, and right now it’s working against the best interests of everyone in the United States of America.

It's hard to love thy neighbor if they refuse to get vaccinated — It’s Hard To Love Thy Neighbor if they won’t get vaccinated.

Fox news has published a list of the top fifty counties with the highest number of Covid-19 cases in Indiana.. Only one of them had a vaccination rate of 45%. Many small counties have fewer than 30% of eligible people vaccinated.

I really don’t want to be around people who are jeopardizing the health of their friends and neighbors by not getting vaccinated. If that’s their choice, I think they have an obligation to inform everyone around them. In fact, they ought to wear a sign on their back when they go out in public: “Danger: Not Vaccinated.” That way, we would know to keep our distance.

It’s hard to love thy neighbors if they aren’t vaccinated. With friends like that, who needs enemies?

August 23, 2021August 26, 2021

POVERTY’S FACE IN A COLLEGE TOWN

Educated people have higher incomes and better health habits, statistically speaking. Therefore, in a town with 5 colleges or institutions of higher education, our city should be thriving. But we’re not. The poverty rate is 26%, and according to the latest census, our population is dwindling. The juxtaposition of highly educated people with the poor and homeless continues to puzzle our leaders. If you drive through the city, you will see poverty’s face in a college town:

Walking past the library is a man holding a can of pop in his left hand, and a cigarette in the other. Across the street, a woman puffs away while wandering aimlessly. You turn the corner and drive into the inner city. There’s been a lot of effort to restore old properties, and government subsidized housing in run down neighborhoods. But it’s not enough. You’re still seeing deteriorating houses, porches filled with ripped , moldy furniture. Stray shopping carts. Homeless folks squatting outside the CVS store. People walking on crumbling side walks or through alleys filled with pot holes. Where are they going? Walking to the Dollar Store, maybe. Or perhaps to a church soup kitchen. Many are on some type of government assistance. They’re either too sick to work, or too uneducated or unskilled to hold any type of job. Some have mental health or drug addiction problems.

A few movers and shakers have made a valiant effort to improve our city’s optics. They’ve commissioned outdoor sculptures, and implemented a back- to -the- river project to enhance the area around the Wabash River—our most underutilized asset, at this point. They’ve even built a new convention center.

Put lipstick on a pig, and it’s still a pig. . There’s something wrong. Possibly it starts with the attitude of the “old guard.” People who’ve lived here all their lives, comfortable with their lovely homes, club memberships, and closed circles of family and friends

And then, there’s the CSX railroad terminal, which pollutes the city with high levels of diesel fuel. The town has 40 railway crossings, and none of them are pretty. There’s nothing aesthetically appealing about waiting while a long, ugly freight train rumbles by, or even decides to stop and regroup, creating mile long traffic stalls.

Our city is about to receive 38 million dollars in post covid-19 stimulus money, but the politicians haven’t decided what to do with it. Seems to me that if we want to improve our quality of life, we should start at the bottom and work our way up. Maybe open a center in the city’s core where the wandering smokers and pop drinkers can find some respite or free, walk-in counseling. Offer healthy snacks (no pop machines, please). Show videos on nutrition and smoking cessation. In a town full of educated people, we have to stop turning a blind eye to the misery right under our noses.

Poverty’s face in a college town in unfathomable.

August 18, 2021August 20, 2021

FEELING THOSE AUGUST BLUES?

Have you been feeling more than a little anxious lately? Or maybe a bit depressed? What’s wrong, you wonder. You look out the window and see flowers blooming, and the sun shining. That’s should make you happy, but it doesn’t. Take comfort in the fact that you’re not alone. You’re feeling those August Blues.

Psychologists have various explanations. First of all, you’re sick and tired of the heat and humidity. The hot weather was fun at first. You could walk through the park, go on picnics, and watch the fireworks on the 4^th of July. But come August, there’s nothing much to look forward to, and Labor Day seems a long way off. Many people are posting pictures of their wonderful vacations. But you’re stuck at home for various reasons. Everyone seems to be having fun but you.

Worse yet, in the middle of August, fall allergies start to kick in. Sneezing, and feelings of fatigue are dragging you down. The various antihistamines offer some relief, but all come with side effects. You’re either groggy or wired, depending on what you decide to take. All you can hope for is the first frost, which kills the nasty pollen. But with global warming, that day may not come until November. So you’re facing a couple of months of taking meds and feeling woozy.

August is also a time for going back to school, which may trigger bad memories. That was often a difficult time for many of us who dreaded the routines, the interaction with “mean girls,” and the loss of freedom that comes with in-person schooling.

This month, the outlook for the Covid-19 epidemic seems dismal. Last summer, we thought it would all be over by now. But it’s getting worse with the delta variant that’s caused a surge in hospitalizations.

And now, there’s the bad news coming out of Afghanistan. No matter how you felt about our involvement in the war, you can’t help but mourn the way it’s turned out. The abrupt withdrawal, with men falling to their death from airplanes while trying to escape. The cruel fate awaiting women. The executions and beheadings. This is like reading The Diary of Anne Pfrank. How can this be happening in our modern world?

According to psychologists, summertime depression often brings insomnia, loss of appetite, weight loss and feelings of agitation or anxiety.

Like any other form of depression, you can use various coping mechanisms. Meditation. Yoga. Distractions. Self Care. You might even seek counseling. Meanwhile, you’re feeling those August Blues.

August 11, 2021August 11, 2021

MASKS MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR WOMEN

Most everyone complained about wearing masks for a year. Masks are hot and sweaty once you’ve been walking around for awhile—even during cold weather outside. But they’re worse in hot weather. All of us breathed a sigh of relief when the mask mandate ended and we could go back to being our old selves. Wearing makeup and styling our hair again was a treat. And yet, when the delta strain of covid-19 cases surged this week, it was deja vu. Back to the dark days of mask wearing, before the vaccine was available. But a funny thing happened as I prepared to go shopping. I realized I didn’t need to fool around with eyebrow pencil, blush, foundation or lipstick. Didn’t even have to worry about my hair. I could drive to the store and walk around incognito. I hate to admit it, but masks make life easier for women.

Have you ever observed the cosmetics section of a pharmacy, and marveled at all the products available? Entire walls of lipsticks, eye liner, blush, foundation, mascara—it’ staggering. Then on to the next aisle with rows of fancy shampoos, conditioners, hair treatments and hair sprays. No wonder Revlon and Loreal are so profitable. With a lot of time, effort, and expensive products, plain Jenny can become Jennifer Lawrence or Lopez.

Cosmetic manufacturing profit margins must have dived during the pandemic, although they didn’t make any public statements to that effect. All I know is that I didn’t buy a single new tube of lipstick. Or any other cosmetics, for that matter. And I learned to cut my own hair.

The pursuit of beauty has become a bigger business than I can ever remember back in the fifties and sixties. Yes, there were ” beauty parlors” where affluent women could get their hair done and nails manicured. But there were no nail salons, eyebrow threading kiosks, false eyelashes, botox bars, skin treatment parlors.. Those were the stuff of Hollywood stars, not real women. And yet, with the help of a little lipstick, we still attracted boyfriends. And it was a lot less work getting ready for a date.

Let’s face it. Masks makes life easier for women. And save money, too.

August 4, 2021August 4, 2021

TV COMMERICALS HAVE HIT A NEW LOW

You may find this hard to believe, but television commercials used to be entertaining. I’m old enough to remember the sexy, sultry Julie London singing the Marlboro song. That was when smoking was considered glamorous, not dangerous. But there were other great commercials. Better Buy Buick. The Pillsbury Doughboy. Even the soap ads were fun to watch. But now, the network news hours are filled with depressing pharmaceutical commercials that scare you to death. First, you’re afraid you may have whatever disease they’re talking about. Next, you’re terrified when they list possible side effects. The dire things that may happen if your doctor prescribes the drug you saw on television. It’s gotten even worse. TV commercials have hit a new low with acne medication ads. Does anyone really want to watch people squeezing their puss-filled zits, before or after you’re having dinner?

TV commercials have hit a new low. They used to be fun, but now they're all about disease and death. — Remember the Pillsbury Doughboy? He was fun to watch. But now, TV commercials have hit a new low; they’re all about disease and zits..

Honestly, I don’t know what product is being advertised in these commercials. It may be some salve or a pill you take for acne. All I know is that I’m calmly watching the news, and suddenly, I’m seeing not just one, but three or four people squeezing their disgusting pimples right before our very eyes. Unfortunately, it must pay off, because they keep running the ads over and over and over again.

If that’s not bad enough, just wait. The next commercial shows a horribly disfigured woman who has undergone treatment for lung cancer. If it makes someone quit smoking, I guess it’s worth it to show these macabre scenes. But for those of us who quit smoking years ago, it’s a downer. Something you really don’t care to see after all the depressing news about people getting sick and dying from Covid-19 virus.

So here’s what happens with me and lots of other people. The moment I see liquid being squeezed from a zit, I get up and walk away. My husband can watch the rest of the news if he wants to, but I’m just trying to get over the nausea backing up in my throat.

TV commercials have hit a new low. What’s next? Will we soon be watching people poop?

August 2, 2021August 2, 2021

HOW TO RESCUE & RESTORE FRESH FRUIT

It’s watermelon season. Who can resist the lure of a seedless, green striped melon, straight from the farm? They’re so heavy, you can barely lug them into the house from the car. And when you crack them open, they’re that deep pink color that tells you they’re going to be delicious. The problem is, they’re way too big for a one or two person household. Sometimes, we find a friend or relative who can use the other half, but often they have one of their own, or they’re allergic. After a few days, the melon gets mushy. But wait. Cut it into chunks, put on a tray in the freezer, and pop the frozen cubes into a plastic bag. They make yummy additions to any smoothie. And, you can use them as ice cubes in a cold drink. That’s how to rescue and restore fresh fruit.

Another fruit that’s apt to shrivel is red grapes. You have to buy them by the bagful. They last quite awhile, but often they start to shrink before you’ve been able to consume all of them. Don’t throw them in the garbage can. Pluck each grape from the vine, and freeze them on a tray, just like you did the watermelon. When you blend your next fruit smoothie, you may find it a bit sour. Not to worry! Five or six frozen grapes will sweeten it up.

Bananas are a fruit with a too-short shelf life. They’re a good source of potassium. Many heart patients are advised slice at least half a banana over their morning cereal. Trouble is, bananas ripen very fast. Then, they get brown and mushy. We used to throw away a lot of old bananas, but no more. They say you shouldn’t refrigerate bananas, but actually, you can.–if you wait until after they’ve ripened. If they’re still green, they won’t ripen in the frig. But once they’ve turned ripe, they will last a few extra days in the frig, resulting in far fewer wasted bananas. And they, too, can be sliced and frozen for smoothies.

Pineapples are often on sale. When you get them home and cut open, you’ll encounter various degrees of ripeness. They may be a bit “green”, but more often, they’re on the verge of being over ripe—turning deep yellow in places. We love fresh pineapple, but it starts to turn after a few days. Once again, rescue the aging pineapple. Cut the ripening fruit into chunks and freeze them. They give your smoothies a delicious tang and sweetness.

Now, you’re in the swing of things. Freezing fresh fruit that’s begun to over ripen is great way to reduce waste. And in these inflationary times, it’s also a smart way to save money.

July 30, 2021July 30, 2021

PLEASE DON’T BRUSH TEETH IN LIBRARY

Everyone is getting upset about the new cases of covid-19 surging in our once-safe city. The governor is not going to enforce mask wearing, but it looks like we’ll have to be extra careful about handwashing and other sanitary habits. Yesterday, I saw a woman brushing her teeth at the restroom sink in the public library. She didn’t appear to be homeless. Nicely dressed, fairly well groomed. Maybe she was going to a meeting and didn’t want to have bad breath. All I know is that she was spitting in the sink, and saliva can spread the coronavirus. Perhaps they should post a sign: Please don’t brush teeth in library.

Please don't brush teeth in the library. It's not sanitara. — Please don’t brush teeth in library. Spitting in the sink can spread the virus.

Etiquette wise, it’s considered acceptable for a person to brush their teeth in a public restroom. But do you want to wash your hands in a sink where someone has spit their food, saliva and germs? In fact, someone with the virus may have contaminated the entire area where you’re turning on water, and reaching for the soap dispenser.

Let’s go back and assume this person actually was homeless. Maybe she had nice clothes, and was well groomed, because she wasn’t always homeless. Perhaps she began living in her car just a couple of days ago. Anything is possible. I just know she was creating a health hazard not only for herself, but for anyone who used the sink after she did. .

It’s hard to know how to handle a situation like this. I’m not into confrontations with strangers, so I didn’t say a word. However, I didn’t care to wash my hands in that sink. So I left the restroom without doing so. Found some sanitizer at one of the desks. Wiped my hands with a Kleenex (they don’t have paper towels) as best I could and tried to avoid touching anything except the books I was checking out. Luckily, I’ve been vaccinated, so I’m not as vulnerable as some. But still. Please don’t brush your teeth in the library–or any public restroom..