Luis Rubiales and VJ Day Kiss Are Not Equivalent

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I have a love-hate relationship with This Show Stinks podcast with Tony Kornheiser. He the former star sports writer for the Washington Post.  He leveraged that into a sweet ESPN deal starring in the daily Pardon the Interruption show with his pal from the Post, Michael Wilbon.

Kornheiser recycles much of the sports commentary into his podcast.  But it’s the pop culture chat that keeps me coming back.

Recently he equated the kiss by the Spanish soccer head, Luis Rubiales, to the V-J Day kiss.

He said the V-J Day kiss was just as inappropriate .

He is dead wrong.

He posited that if social media existed during the VJ Day kiss, the world would have be as up in arms as they are today with the soccer celebration kiss.

The soccer celebration kiss was inappropriate and the guy should be fired.

But the VJ Day kiss was celebrating the end of a long bloody deadly war. Everybody was kissing everybody. Life Magazine documented the whole thing.

Even Eisenstaedt, the photographer who took the famous photo, kisses a reporter, his camera slung over his shoulder, in a pose not unlike that of the famous kiss he photographed that day.

But the two ladies in the background don’t seem to approve. At any rate, the #MeToo movement exposed the sexual assault that happened in Times Square that day.

We live and learn.

Except for the Spanish dud who grabbed the player and full on mouth kissed her. Latin men and women greet each other with a “kiss.”  More like a touching of cheeks and an air kiss. It was one of the fun things when I lived in Costa Rica.

This was more than a celebration kiss, it was assault.

Rubiales needs kiss his job good bye.

Hurricane Idalia – Live in Fear Doppler Returns

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The county we live in is known as God’s Waiting Room. For the Democrats that is… the Republicans are all going to Hell.

I’m not gonna write about death all the time, but every TV news program is telling us we might die from Hurricane Idalia.  Live in Fear Doppler (play sound file) is everywhere! Of course, we were hit by the Eye of Ian so everyone is a little touchy.  A broadcaster even said “This is not Ian.”

Brilliant forecasting. Repeating: This is not Ian.

Resurected and It Feels So Good

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This site was formerly known as GoingLikeSixty.com.

sixty logo transparent

But I got an offer I couldn’t refuse so I sold the domain name. (My email is the same. IYKYK)

And it was time. Going Like Sixty comes from my Mother. It meant, at our house, one was very busy.

But here is another discussion of what Going Like Sixty means.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), however, “like sixty” actually appeared in 1848 with no reference to speed, but rather meaning “with great force or vigor.”  The four citations quoted by the OED, in fact, are evenly divided between those that use the term in reference to speed (“We ran like sixty to the front porch,” 1975) and those that use it to mean “with enthusiasm and abandon” (“That child cuts up like sixty,” 1910).

I have no great force or vigor… I have no enthusiasm and abandon… anymore!  I’m well past sixty. So I’m Close to Dead.

Nothing threatening me immeniently.

A nod to Grandad.

He hosts my site so when I told him I had sold the domain he referred to it as “end of an era” and suggested I start “goinglikeseventy.com.”

After thirty seconds of thought I looked to see if CloseToDead.com was available and voila!

He transitioned the site seamlessly to me. And here we are thanks in large part to Grandad.

Let’s see what develops.

Common Health Issues and How to Handle Them

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We all get older and encounter health issues such as hearing issues, eyesight issues, bladder issues, and more. It can be disconcerting when your body changes and you have to visit a medical professional, but it’s the best route forward. These days, there are many treatments. In this article, you can read about some of the most common issues people face as they get older.

Hearing Issues

Hearing issues are common, especially in people over the age of fifty. You might have had excellent hearing all your life, then one day, it changes, and it’s the start of a hearing journey. There are many things that affect your hearing, such as ageing and exposure to loud noise. 

If you have reduced hearing or tinnitus, you have several options. When the little hairs in your inner ear disappear, they don’t come back, so, unfortunately, you have to turn to hearing devices; the good news is hearing devices are easy to acquire when you visit an audiologist. 

Sleep Apnea 

Sleep apnea is a condition that occurs when you sleep. While sleeping, your breathing can stop and restart again. One of the main causes of sleep apnea is weight gain; the throat becomes obstructed by soft tissue when you sleep. There are several ways to respond to this condition. 

When you visit a medical professional, they might recommend that you take some exercise and lose some extra weight; this can be very effective. You can also consider changing your diet, giving up smoking, and changing your medication. Sleep apnea is not a dangerous condition.   

Bladder Issues 

Bladder problems can affect people of any age, but they are more common in older people. Bladder issues can be very uncomfortable and inconvenient; they can also be painful. If your bladder is retaining urine, you might require a catheter kit to bring relief to the daily discomfort. 

A catheter kit contains everything you need to stay healthy and might be recommended by your medical professional. A typical catheter kit includes an underpad, exam gloves, a collection bag, some swab sticks, sterilization wipes and lubrication jelly. If you need one, you can order online.

Eyesight Issues 

Along with hearing, eyesight starts to diminish with age. One day you have 20/20 vision, and the next, you are short or long-sighted. If you notice a change in your eyesight, it’s important that you visit your eye specialist as soon as possible. It’s even more important when you drive a car. 

There are three ways to improve general eyesight; these are spectacles, contact lenses, and laser eye surgery. Each option has its advantages and drawbacks. Spectacles are common but clumsy, contact lenses are discrete but awkward, and laser eye surgery is excellent but pricey. 

Aging Skin 

As we age, our cells start to break down, and wrinkles appear on the skin. Skin wrinkles are a good way to tell how healthy your lifestyle is, but you can also improve the quality of your skin in later years by staying hydrated, wearing sunscreen, and eating foods that contain natural oils

How to make downsizing easier as you age

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Our stuff after downsizing had to fit in a overseas shipping container.

You want motivation to downsize? Move to Costa Rica like we did.  But it doesn’t have to be that dramatic.

Downsizing is not easy, but there are so many reasons to downsize as you age, and downsizing in general, has many benefits. Wondering how to make downsizing easier as you age? This post is for you! It was one of the best decisions I have ever made (to downsize), but it definitely was not simple and easy. It can actually be pretty challenging, timely, and trying. As you go through the process, special memories will definitely pop up and it’s completely normal to have big feelings while going through your things that bring up memories. If your downsizing process also includes moving away from the home that your kids grew up in, there might also be tears, sadness, and maybe some anger, as well, that arise during the transition. Don’t worry, though. Even if the process is hard, the end result is well worth it.

If you are in the process of downsizing and if the process has been very emotionally trying and draining for you, please continue reading. Know one thing first: it is normal and you will get through it. This process takes time. Time to physically downsize and time to accept the process (mentally). Are you wondering how to make downsizing easier as you age? Here are a few tips:

Take your time

Sometimes, it just takes time. If you go through your home and you are not ready to get rid of something, or multiple things, set them aside for a few weeks and come back to it. You will eventually be ready when it’s time. If you are moving, you might be a bit more rushed and in this case, it might be time to call someone to help you out. Give yourself time and a lot of grace during this process. It is not easy, or quick.

Focus on the positive memories

Yes, you are “leaving behind,” or selling some of your best memories, but that doesn’t mean that they are gone. Your memories will always be with you and I need you to keep that in mind. There are many different types of downsizing, so let me just give you a small example that a lot of people can relate to – retired individuals to parents, and everyone in between. The baby stage (especially if it is your first or last baby) is so precious and so many memories are being made. When that stage is over, you might consider selling or donating some of your baby items – it makes sense, right? You probably need to make room for other toys and bigger sizes of clothing. When you go to sell or donate the items, all of the emotions hit you at once. Your baby isn’t a baby anymore. This mindset can be so hard to get past and honestly, most people do not get past it. Instead, they keep the clothes and toys stored away, in hopes that they will come in handy one day, but newsflash: they probably won’t. 

Does this mindset sound familiar to you? I bet it does! So many people go through this with children, old homes, wedding items, etc. and it can be so hard to get past those feelings of not wanting to get rid of the items because they are special. But, you can do it. This is extremely important to remember as a grandparent who is downsizing. You have created so many memories and you need to know that you can do it! Instead of thinking about how you are losing the items, you need to think about all of the positive memories that the items created and you need to think about how they will make another family so incredibly happy. That’s how you get through it by focusing on positive memories, instead of the fact that you are ‘losing’ the memories – because you are not! 

Get help from professionals

There are a few professionals that you might want to consider using:

  1. A junk removal team: they can help you if you need help with throwing a lot of things away. Even if you have a trash service that comes to your home, there might be way more than you can toss through them. Hire a dumpster or junk removal team and it will save you time!
  2. An estate company: these people are so skilled in selling a ton of items at once. If you are really downsizing your entire home and selling a lot, this might be the way to go.
  3. A counselor: if you are really struggling with the emotional toll of downsizing and/or moving, you might need to talk to someone. Definitely keep this in mind!
  4. A moving company: if you need a moving company, there’s one in FL that I recently heard of called MT. Zion Moving & Storage LLC. They do long distance moving Tampa, residential moving, office moving, junk removal, senior moving, and more.

 

Involve the entire family

To make the process easier on yourself and everyone involved, get everyone in on the decluttering and downsizing process! This will 100% help with closure, moving on, and it will definitely make the process easier for you, as well.

Look forward to the future

Last but not least, start looking forward to the future! Things are looking up and if you downsized, you probably feel a lot lighter and freer. The possibilities are endless and you can do ANYTHING you set your mind to. Congratulations!

Savvy Boomers Shop for DME

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"Negative Ghost Rider, the pattern is full."

“Negative Ghost Rider, the pattern is full.”

Some people are savvy shoppers by choice.  Others are savvy shoppers according to need.  And, sadly, some people simply are not savvy.  Consumers exist in every arena; however, rarely do we think of durable medical equipment (DME) and health care supplies when we think of shopping.

According to the United States National Institute of Health1, at least 2.5 million people in the United States rely on durable medical equipment as of May 2021.  Grandview Research company also indicates that the U.S. durable medical equipment market was valued at USD 52.9 billion in 2020.  That industry market includes a steady growth rate of 5.8% annually.  Moreover, the expected product demand is based on the growing geriatric population that is susceptible to chronic diseases like cancer, mobility, and neurological disorders, diabetes, and more2.

For those in need of DME (patients and caregivers alike), there is a keen awareness of cost.  Durable medical equipment includes common items like walking aids, bathing supports, wheelchairs, wound care supplies, incontinence items, and customised beds.  Additional DME items that may not be considered so common – or reusable – are machines for breathing, vests for cardiac rhythm regulation, and syringes or needles of any kind.  The cost of care can be overwhelming, especially for those persons who are impacted by unemployment, limited income, little – or no – insurance coverage, and/or the compounding condition of fragile health.  Managing chronic health care costs has been noted at an estimated cost of $1373 per month.  Many have lived with monthly expenses to be well over $3,000 per month.  

Daily living is subjective.  The host of influences that can impact one person during a single day is almost countless.  Imagine how much greater those influences can be for someone who experiences life with limitations.  Like Medcy.org, The Elder Expo is an affiliated retailer that provides an array of specialty devices to help people enhance mobility and safety in their homes.  Equipment can be found for home exercise routines; weighted cutlery can be selected for better control while eating meals; and ergonomic trays can be purchased to make relaxing in the home easier.  

Savvy shopping is not simply a matter of choice or need.  Savvy shopping is also a matter of product knowledge and availability.  As we acquire knowledge, let its application be fruitful for many.  This is a distinctive trait of wisdom.  Medcy.org has a very specific scope of knowledge concerning durable medical equipment – both its costs and its benefits.  Their willingness to make the product, the knowledge, and the access to the masses exemplifies a wisdom beyond measure.  Savvy to this degree is a distinct sophistication.     

References:

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8140591/#:~:text=Durable%20medical%20equipment%20encompasses%20at,rely%20on%20durable%20medical%20equipment
  2. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/us-durable-medical-equipment-dme-market
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5720589/

 

Investing Doesn’t Have To Be That Difficult

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A lot of people are under the impression that investing has to be a very long, and difficult process but this doesn’t have to be the case. It is true that if you don’t know what you are doing then it can be quite difficult anf you may end up feeling as though you are never going to see success. But, it’s for this reason that you need to ensure that you have done your research into this before you start investing in stocks.

If this is something that you are interested in then you should think about speaking to specialists before you get started. This way you can understand some of the language and things that you are going to face when you get started such as the adobe share price. The more you know, the better position you are going to be in on the market, making it a lot less difficult than you likely initially thought.

You will be able to learn quite fast what you are going to need to do, what to look for, what is good and what is bad. However, to make this a little easier for you, the infographic below has a breakdown of tips that help you understand how to invest in stocks. This infographic has taken a rather complex subject and explained it in 30 simple points, so if you have read information on investing in stocks in the past and found it hard to comprehend, this may be the help that you need. 

Infographic Design By Robomarkets.com

 

The ABC’s of Investing for Passive Income Online

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Chances are you have heard that there are online investing platforms you can use to invest as little as $500. Even if you haven’t, this article will introduce you to the types of investments you can make from your computer or tablet to generate passive income, starting today.

A: Always Do Your Research

If you are seeking to invest some extra cash online, do your research first. There are myriad opportunities online, and you need to select which types of investments you are interested in, your preferred level of involvement in the assets, and your risk tolerance. 

You should then shop around for the platform that offers you the investment opportunity you seek at the lowest cost of trading and management fees because these vary widely. Also, look into the historic returns of the investments you are considering to have an idea of what you are getting into. Any reputable broker or platform will supply this information to you.

Learn to Invest vs. Robo-Advisor

Technology has made this an exciting time. Whether you are entirely new to investing and want to learn how to buy, sell, and trade on the stock market, or you want the experts to do it for you, either opportunity is available.

Traditional brokers such as Fidelity, TD Ameritrade, and Merrill Lynch have created an online presence that provides investor education and allows investors to develop a portfolio of stocks or portions of stocks at a fee. That fee may be variable, such as by trade or portfolio worth, or it may be fixed annually. 

Other online platforms such as Robinhood, SoFi, Wealthfront, and Betterment offer a robo advisor to manage investors’ selections. A robo-advisor uses programmed algorithms to select investments according to your preferences, such as market sector, risk, expected returns, and length of the investment. In this way, a new investor or someone who wants to be more hands-off and not pay an expensive brokerage fee can get professional advice and management of their stock portfolio.

B: Buy What You Believe In

You can invest in individual stocks of publicly traded companies that do business you believe in ethically, morally, or otherwise. In other words, you can put your money where your mouth is! This can be done through any online investing platforms that allow you to freely trade or inform your robo-advisor of the types of companies you wish to invest in.

Investing according to ethos is not new. There are even mutual funds and ETFs that target investors interested in supporting companies operating in the ecology, alternative energy, emerging markets, as well as small business owners in underserved communities, and the like.  Simply google your interest, such as  “ETF alternative energy,” and you will see the options available to you.

You might also consider investing in Peer-to-Peer (P2P) lending online. Again, you have the choice to lend to whomever you wish on these platforms, and you can select to fund individual loans or invest in a portfolio of loans made to individuals or types of businesses that you wish to support.

C: Create Diversification 

Individual Stocks – Creating Diversity

Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket! Relying on one stock to generate passive income for you is a poor strategy because every stock has its ups and downs and may be down when you need to sell. Creating a diverse portfolio of investments ensures that you will not lose money just because a single stock on your portfolio is down.

You can create a diverse portfolio in several ways, depending upon your preference for involvement. You can personally select a diverse array of stocks for your portfolio on a single platform, or you can use your robo-advisor to select a portfolio of diverse stocks for you based on your preferences.

Mutual Funds, REITs, and ETFs Create Diversity for You

Suppose you are not interested in creating your own diverse portfolio. In that case, you might invest in a professionally managed fund consisting of a variety of individual investments such as a mutual fund, a Real Estate Investment Fund (REIT), or an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF).

A mutual fund will offer guaranteed returns at a lower rate than most other investments but at a higher rate than a savings account. 

A Real Estate Investment Fund (REIT) is how the average individual investor gets into commercial real estate investing. For as little as $500, an investor can purchase shares in a company that invests in a broad array of mortgage lending, mortgage purchasing, retail buildings, office buildings, hospitals and other medical buildings, multi-tenant residential housing, and other real estate estate-related businesses. These returns are typically higher than mutual funds, however, the effects of the pandemic on commercial real property have yet to be played out.

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) hold stocks, bonds, and sometimes commodities, often according to a specific theme. Popular themes include renewable energy, healthcare, information technology, the S&P 500 index fund, dividend-paying stocks, country-based investments, and many others. 

As an individual investor, you have myriad options when it comes to investing online. Research the options in this article that appeal to you and discover what lucrative and profitable investments are out there for you.

 

About the Author

Veronica Baxter is a writer, blogger, and legal assistant operating out of the greater Philadelphia area.

 

Life Lessons from Seniors

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Throughout history, practically every culture revered its elderly members. These were people whom the entire community cherished and respected for their deep knowledge and wisdom about life. 

Even today, we can still learn important lessons from people who have “been there, done that.” Here’s how: 

Don’t Take Life Too Seriously

We live in a culture that takes life desperately seriously. Everyone is worrying all the time about their status, whether they will go to heaven, and whether they are fulfilling their potential.

For wise older people, though, the question is different. They come to realize that life is not a journey with a destination. It’s just a big flow and that taking it too seriously actually harms the experience. Much better to dance along. 

Laughter Can See You Through

 

When life gets you down, you can sometimes forget to laugh. Everything just seems so hard that you put all your energy into succeeding instead of enjoying the process. 

Laughter, however, can be great medicine. It’s a way of celebrating the good times and getting through the bad times. Older people have a fascinating ability to laugh in the face of adversity, proving that a little humor can go a long way. 

Focus On What’s Important

Time is limited, especially if you’re in the latter years of life. For that reason, where you focus matters a great deal. You want to concentrate on the things that really matter to you and not focus on what everyone else thinks. After all, it’s your life. Nobody else can live it. 

Family Is Critical

If you ask knowledgeable nursing home abuse lawyers about the biggest threats to seniors, they’ll tell you that it’s their carers. That’s why many older people believe family is critical. As you go through life, you always need people around you who you can trust. If you don’t have that, you’ll automatically put yourself in a vulnerable position. Family members support you unconditionally, even when times get tough. 

Learn That Some Things Just Don’t Matter

Think about all the tiny things that cause you concern during a regular day. Somebody might make a critical remark or you might be worrying about what your landlord is going to think about the state of your flat. 

But wise older people generally have more perspective. They know what’s important to health and happiness, and what’s not. So they focus on that instead. 

Critically, the most successful older people don’t bear grudges or hold onto bitterness. They let it go, choosing to move on with their lives instead. 

Spend Time On Joyful Activities

Think about how much time you spend watching TV or working in a job you dislike. A lot of your life goes to waste. 

But wise elders try to focus on the essence of life – the stuff that really matters. 

For you, that could be things like spending time with kids or focusing on artistic projects. Or it could mean going deeper spiritually and letting go of the material world.