FAKE EYELASHES DE RIGUEUR AT WHITE HOUSE?

Does anyone remember Eleanor Roosevelt, Bess Truman, or Mamie Eisenhower? Although Mamie was famous for her bangs, none of these women were known for their glamour or beauty. In modern times, Jackie Kennedy was the most glamorous occupant of the White House—that is, until Melania Trump moved in. That was one First Lady who was never seen without her make-up. You had to wonder how she and her husband would look after washing their faces. But now, after watching the 2021 presidential inauguration, I’ve concluded that fake eyelashes are de rigueur at the White House.

As the television cameras zoomed in on the ceremony, it highlighted the professional make up jobs of the ladies surrounding the president. Should women in the White House send a message that wearing fake eyelashes is desirable? The fact is, it’s risky.

Here are the dangers: Fake eyelashes can cause eye infections like conjunctivitis. This occurs when bacteria collect under the eyelash glue and on the false eyelash itself. They can also cause serious allergic reactions, and damage your natural lashes to the point where they may fall out and never grow back. Fake eyelashes may scratch or damage the cornea, if the glue thickens or falls into your eye.

Fake eyelashes de rigueur at White House? Entertainers wear them, but they have risks.

They say that politicians should lead by example. It bothers me that politicians and their wives are setting such impossible standards of beauty for American women. They’re telegraphing a mindset –that women must risk their health, and spend the time and effort it requires to look like a movie star. Did you know it takes two hours to apply false eyelashes? And they should be changed every day for infection control purposes. Are they really worth all that time and effort?

Do we elect people to public office for their looks, or for their ability? Apparently, looks have a lot to do with it. Most successful politicians are fairly good looking, although that may be a matter of opinion. I never really admired Richard Nixon’s nose or Barack Obama’s ears . On the other hand, I’ll never forget the time I saw Dwight Eisenhower in person. With his charming blue eyes and wide grin, he radiated charisma.

I’m all for attractive women occupying the White House. But the fake eyelashes need to go.

January 20, 2021January 20, 2021

DREAMING OF FREEDOM

Yesterday, I read that 44% of Americans are afraid to get the Covid-19 vaccine. It’s not surprising, when the media publishes reports of all the seniors in Norway and USA who’ve died after getting their first shot. Nevertheless, when you consider all the side effects of prolonged lockdown, it seems that we really don’t have a choice. We got our first dose last week, and now we’re dreaming of freedom.

First of all, we’re finally free from fear of catching the virus. That’s a dark cloud that’s hung over our head after every trip to the grocery store, or visit from a loved one. It’s always lurking—every time you cough or sneeze, little prickles of anxiety arise. Am I coming down with covid-19? When you wake up the next day, feeling just fine, you begin to relax. That is–until the next time, when you have a headache, or maybe get a dizzy spell(caused by anxiety). You do a pretty good job of keeping your spirits up and staying busy—but the fear is always there, ready to resurface from the depths of your subconscious mind.

As one who’s often experienced side effects after flu shots, I can totally understand the fear of vaccines. My husband is one of the lucky ones who never has any reaction. But I usually had aches and pains, along with fatigue that lasted sometimes a week. Because of that, I skipped the flu shots for several years. But when I finally came down with a very bad case of the flu, I went back to getting the shots, bracing my self for the side effects. So yes, I was worried about what would happen after receiving the covid-19 vaccine.

I did have some mild side effects. I woke up the next day feeling very groggy. My back and arm ached. But it didn’t get any worse. In fact, within 24 hours, I felt better. I slept fairly well the next few nights but had some wild dreams, and still didn’t have much energy. Today, I’m feeling like my old self.

DREAMING OF FREEDOM. After getting the vaccine, you maybe able to get your old life back.

In another month or so, We’ll get pieces of our old life back. We can go to restaurants. I will start swimming again, which should greatly ease the arthritis pain in my knees and shoulders. Some things will not change. We won’t be able to visit with out-of-town relatives until they, too, have been vaccinated. But I’m dreaming of freedom in the days that lie ahead.

January 18, 2021January 18, 2021

CELEBRATE MIRACULOUS RASPBERRIES

One of the advantages of being an octogenarian is that you appreciate what others may take for granted. When my husband I were children, any fruit for dessert came from jars stored in the basement. Women didn’t work outside the home unless they had to. However, they did plenty of work at home. Both of us remember our mothers sweating over a pressure cooker on hot summer days. Most everyone drove to the farmer’s market, and bought peaches and pears by the bushel. Consequently , any self-respecting house wife did their share of “canning”–especially during World War II. Fast forward to 2021. Our frig is sight to behold—full of colorful fresh fruits and vegetables. We’re grateful for the truck drivers who deliver them, and celebrate the miraculous raspberries available in the winter.

The highlight of our days during this pandemic has been grocery shopping. Especially during these dull winter days. The produce section of any supermarket is bound to give you a lift. Isn’t it amazing that we can still purchase so much fresh fruit? Big, juicy strawberries that come from California. Pretty pink raspberries grown in Washington & California. Pineapple from Hawaii. They say we’re “at war,” with the virus. But I can’t think of any modern war zone where you could buy fresh fruits and vegetables from all over the world, any day of the week.

The covid-19 lockdown has been long, dreary and stressful. However, compared to other plagues that have occurred through the centuries, we are blessed here in the good old USA. You can download e-books from the library. Watch television. Listen to the radio. Stream movies. . E-mail, text, and zoom your friends and family. And yes, you can have a dessert of ice cream topped with fresh raspberries and whipped topping.

Let’s celebrate miraculous winter raspberries.

January 15, 2021January 15, 2021

KIDS HELP ELDERS GET VACCINE

It was an amazing, long anticipated day– entering the clinic parking lot to finally get the Covid-19 vaccine. But as we pulled in, I noticed a car where a young guy sat behind the wheel. His appearance worried me a bit—partly shaved head, piercings and metal coming out of every orifice. While waiting for my husband to get out of the car, I saw a dark sedan pull up. As an elderly couple opened their door , the young man got out and headed their way. An alarm went off in my head. Was he going to mug them? But no, he held out his arms for them to lean on, and slowly walked them inside. It’s touching to see kids help their elders get the vaccine.

Inside, everything was highly organized and efficient. Since we had preregistered, there was no wait. But after getting vaccinated, we had to wait awhile to make sure we had no reaction. That’s when I could observe the patients coming in. This was the over 80 crowd, and at least half of them were accompanied by what appeared to be a child or grandchild. It’s safe to say that the kids were the ones who had gotten their parents or grandparents signed up.

You couldn’t just walk in to get vaccinated. You had to be in the “eligible” category (over 80) and provide your insurance card. Then, you could register for an appointment either over the phone or online. The phone lines were jammed all day long, so the best way to get an appointment was online. I’m lucky to know my way around the internet. That’s because I had a job that entailed the use of computers. Many octogenarians wouldn’t have the slightest idea. So I’m guessing the metal kid got his grandparents registered online.

kids help elders get vaccine. Hooray for these young caregivers. — Kids help elders get vaccine. It’s heartwarming to see children take care of their parents.

There were sons with fathers on canes or in wheel chairs. And daughters who brought their parents to check in. Love was in the air. Lucky, my husband and I can still navigate on our own. But It was heartwarming to see so many children taking the time to get their parents or grandparents vaccinated. Hooray for family caregivers, and kids who help their elders get the vaccine.

January 13, 2021January 13, 2021

FACING A POST PANDEMIC WORLD

We’re getting our vaccines this week. After the second booster shot, we’ll be good to go. But where? How soon will we get our lives back? If you visited East Germany decades after the end of WWII, you could still see the effects of that devastating event. Shattered windows, bombed buildings. The post war period was a time of hard-sharp and suffering that lasted for years. This covid-19 pandemic has been compared to a world wide war. How can anyone believe that everything will be the same when it’s finally over?

About a month after being vaccinated, we should feel a bit less apprehensive about shopping, socializing, and visiting relatives. But we octogenarians comprise only 4% of the population. Which means that 96% of the people we see every day are still vulnerable. Yes, we can feel safe eating in restaurants and visiting relatives, but we’ll still have to wear masks and social distance.

The stock market is booming. People who kept their jobs now have bulging bank accounts, because they haven’t had anywhere to spend their money. Investors are betting that a huge buying spree is on the horizon. But is it? Will you ever feel the same in a crowded theatre with the sounds of people coughing and sneezing? Remember all those conferences you attended for work? You got to see cities and visit places you’d never been before, and it was all paid for. But do you really want to sit in stuffy conference rooms listening to presentations, while seated next to strangers from all over the world? And what about indoor sporting events? Remember the first cases of Covid in this country came from the gymnasium of a basketball game.

I grew up in the era of the big department stores. Even in our small town, we had a couple of them. You could spend half a day smelling the perfume, trying on clothes, going from department to department just to dream about all the dazzling merchandise. Guess what, most of those stores are gone. Shopping online isn’t half as much fun. And often you have to go to the bother of dealing with returns.

Are we ever going to feel perfectly safe without masks during the flu season? Will we shake hands when introduced to someone? A cougher or a sneezer will not be welcome anywhere. We all know too much about the way viruses are spread.

Millions of people have lost jobs or closed their small businesses. Their lives will never be the same. After climbing out of debt, they’ll have to re invent themselves and start all over again.

Are you ready to face a post pandemic world?

January 11, 2021January 11, 2021

HAPPY TO LIVE IN FLYOVER COUNTRY

Once upon a time, there was a young girl who couldn’t wait to get out of town. She thought big cities like New York and Los Angeles sounded far more appealing as a place to live out her adult life. But after college, she didn’t have more than $50 in her bank account, so she settled for the nearest big city—Chicago. After that, she moved to Miami, and then the 1972 meltdown brought her back home to Indiana with her young family. And somehow, she never left. And now, in the midst of all this upheaval in our nation’s capitol, she’s happy to live in flyover country.

That’s not to say that people in the Heartland don’t have strong opinions. We’ve lived here long enough to have family and friends at both ends of the political spectrum. They will passionately argue and defend their viewpoints. We see trucks flying American flags rumbling through the city. And there are Black Lives Matter signs in many quiet, middle class neighborhoods. So yes, people do care. But riot in the streets? Storm the courthouse? I don’t think so. There’s no big city anonymity here. Having grown up in the same place, most of us have friends and acquaintances from grade school on up through college and the workplace. We’re not going to start rioting against our fellow churchgoers, relatives, colleagues and friends.

I was born in New York City, but the great depression drew my family back to the safety and security of the family farm. Still, I often dreamed of what my life might have been like had we been able to stay. Now, I’m very glad we didn’t. Did you know that people are leaving New York City in droves?

Here in flyover country, I’ve lived in a state where Democrat Evan Bayh was a much loved Governor and Senator. He was repeatedly voted into office by both Democrats and Republicans. Our current Republican Governor Holcomb won re-election by a landslide. Both men are known for their common sense approach to government, and have a down to earth persona that appealed to people throughout the state. There was nothing in the temperament of either man that was– or is–likely to incite a riot. So yes, I’m happy to live in flyover country.

January 9, 2021January 9, 2021

LUCKY TO BE A HOOSIER OVER 80

It’s not often that an octogenarian feels especially lucky–except for the fact that we’re still around. But right now , if you’re a Hoosier over the age of 80, you’re fortunate. That’s because our Governor Holcomb has issued some common sense guidelines for dispensing the covid-19 vaccine. Since 50% of deaths from covid-19 are with people over 80, we are next in line—after healthcare providers and first responders. I don’t know what they’re doing in other states, but it’s very impressive how efficiently it’s being handled in Indiana. Right now, I’m feeling lucky to be a Hoosier over 80.

As State Health Commissioner Kristina Box said, “ By opening the vaccine to those who are 80 or older, then adding people in their 70s and 60s when vaccine supplies allow us to expand, we can best protect the populations that account for 93 percent of our COVID-19 deaths,

Lucky to be a Hoosier over 80: You don't have to wait in long lines to get vaccinated — In Indiana, you didn’t have to wait in long lines to get vaccinated. Lucky to be a Hoosier over 80.

Starting Friday, December 8, at 9 a.m. you could call or schedule online an appointment at a local hospital or clinic. But of course, they hit a few snags. When I called the 211 number, they said they couldn’t take my call. That wasn’t surprising. What was surprising: when I contacted the Department of Health via chat, they gave me a link that actually worked. It told me the wait time to get registered in minutes and seconds. I knew that if I stayed online for about 45 minutes, it would be my turn. And it was. I entered the required information as to age, name, etc. and voila: I had an appointment for next week. And they let me make one for my husband, too.

Are you afraid to get the vaccine? I know I was apprehensive when I started hearing of people who’d had bad reactions. But the minute I heard I could get a vaccine right away, I felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Did I really want to go on this way for the indefinite future? Not going anywhere, doing much of anything, or seeing anyone I care about? It’s been an emotional roller coaster, and I am ready to get off. I’ll take my chances. And I feel lucky to be a Hoosier over 80.

As of noon, Friday, 33,000 octogenarians in Indiana had registered for the vaccine. And no one had to stand in long lines or wait in their car for hours like they did in other states. Cheers to Governor Holcomb for doing a great job.

LIVING WELL AFTER 80

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