Lifestyles After 50 Tampa Bay, Hillsborough, East Pasco Edition, March 2019

Tampa Bay ~ maRCH 2019

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Adult In Home Assistance Seniors Helping Seniors

wwwseniorcareeastpasco.seniorshelpingseniors.com/

Assisted Living Love To Know Seniors Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)

www.seniors.lovetoknow.com www.npaonline.org/

Food, Clothing, Personal Care, Household Goods Meals on Wheels www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org Trinity Cafe www.trinitycafe.org Feeding Tampa Bay www.feedingamerica.org Daystar Life Center www.daystarlife.com Metropolitan Ministries www.metromin.org Education Eckerd College (St. Petersburg)

www.eckerd.edu/olli

Employment Florida Department of Elder Affairs www.elderaffairs.state.fl.us Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) www.doleta.gov/seniors/ Retirement Life Matters www.retirementlifematters.com Work Force 50 www.workforce50.com Financial Services National Council on Aging Benefits Check Up Women’s Institute For A Secure Retirement (WISER) BBF Capital Advisors

www.benefitscheckup.org/ www.wiserwomen.org/ www.bruceficken.com/

Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 2

Government and Senior Community Resources Administration for Community Living (ACL) www.acl.gov/ American Association of Kidney Patients www.aakp.org American Red Cross www.redcross.org American Association of Retired Persons www.aarp.org/tampabay The ALS Association Florida Chapter www.webfl.alsa.org Area Agency on Aging (Elder Help Line) www.youragingresourcecenter.org Department of Business and Professional Regulation www.myfloridalicense.com Florida Information Locator www.stateofflorida.com Hills County Dept of Aging www.hillsboroughcounty.org Internal Revenue Service (Seniors & Retirees www.irs.gov/individuals/seniors-retirees Medicare www.medicare.gov National Parks www.NPS.gov Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) www.seniorsinservice.org Ronald McDonald House Tampa rmhctampabay.org/ Senior Connection (Hillsborough) www.agingcare.com Senior Games www.flasports.com/florida-senior-games Service Core of Retired Executives (SCORE) www.score.org Social Security Administration www.SSA.gov U.S.Department of Housing and Urban Development www.UD.gov Health & Medical Services Addiction Center www.addictioncenter.com American Association of Kidney Patients www.aakp.org Dementia www.dementia.org Melanoma Research Foundation www.melanoma.org National Stroke Association www.stroke.org Senior Home Improvement Program (SHIP) www.thecentre.org/programs services-for-older-adults National Institute of Senior Health www.nihseniorhealth.gov Insurance Consumer Advocate Legal Services Bay Area Legal Services Tax Counseling for the Elderly

www.consumersadvocate.org/

www.bals.org www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-counseling-for-the-elderly

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Preplanning Final Expenses Aging Care Retirement Living LCB Senior Living Transportation Florida Department of Elder Affairs ITN Suncoast Travel and Leisure Florida Orchestra Gaylord Palms Orlando Players Theater (Sarasota) Straz Performing Arts Center (Tampa) Tampa Bay Rays

www.agingcare.com/articles/funeral-planning www.lcbseniorliving.com

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Your company name and website link will be published in all editions of Lifestyles After 50 and on our website: lifestylesafter50.com contact your Account executive today at 813-653-1988 • Toll Free 888-670-0040

MARCH: COLOR IT GREEN reen is the unofficial color of March. From St. Patrick’s Day festivities to springtime’s magnificent new growth, green symbolizes life, freshness, fertility and the environment.

As the dominant color in nature, green generates feelings of hope and the promise of renewal.

And so does Trader Joe’s.

The other day, my daughter Lauren brought home a halfdozen Trader Joe’s apples in a bag – a wonderful, stretchy, eco-friendly, compostable produce bag that, unlike its plastic predecessors, won’t stick around for hundreds of years.

The bags, made by Crown Poly, are composed of starches, cellulose and vegetable oils, so they are plant-based rather than petroleum-based.

Trader Joe’s, a grocery chain known for its emphasis on clean food and sustainable business practices, says the aim is to have the new compostable bags for produce in their 474 stores by April 1, thus eliminating more than 1 million pounds of plastic this year.

This is a noble start since only a small percentage of plastic (about 9 percent) is actually recycled and much of it finds its way into landfills, ditches, rivers, lakes and oceans, where it can be deadly to wildlife. Plastic breaks up but never fully breaks down and instead turns into toxic microplastics that can invade our food and water supply.

As a consumer, you can help by buying earth-friendly products such as compostable trash or dog doo bags, diapers, cups, plates, containers and cutlery from Amazon and other retailers.

It should be noted that for now, most compostables are more expensive and not widely available. Some are suitable for backyard composting bins, others may require industrial composting facilities which operate at higher temperatures.

G

Tampa Bay Edition Published monthly by Lifestyles After 50 Volume 30, Issue 3

Publisher Ed Graves Ed.Graves@lifestylesafter50.com Editor Terri Bryce Reeves Terri.Reeves@lifestylesafter50.com Website Coordinator Allie Shaw Allie.Shaw@lifestylesafter50.com Distribution Nancy Spencer Nancy.Spencer@lifestylesafter50.com Questions/Customer Service 813-653-1988 • 1-888-670-0040 Press Releases Editor@lifestylesafter50.com Advertising Sales Patricia Hincher: 813-580-1879 Patricia. Hincher@lifestylesafter50.com Joe Gess: 813-817-9855 Joe. Gess@lifestylesafter50.com

The good news is, it seems like the world is catching on to the plastics problem. Each day, more and more cities are taking the bold move to ban plastic bags and straws. More and more retailers are doing what they can to cut back on the use of plastics and promote the use of reusable, biodegradable and compostable products.

As citizens and consumers, let’s do our part by letting businesses, retailers and government officials know that green is an important color in our world – one we want to see all year ‘round and for centuries to come.

See you in April.

Terri Bryce Reeves Terri Bryce Reeves, Editor

May you always have Walls for the winds, A roof for the rain, Tea beside the fire, Laughter to cheer you, Those you love near you, And all your heart might desire! ~ An Irish Blessing ~

Sun City Sales Mervyn Hollander 330-720-6772 Mervyn. Hollander@lifestylesafter50.com Event Logistic Coordinator Vicki Willis: 813-765-1070 Vicki. Willis@lifestylesafter50.com Event Sales Ed Graves: 731-267-1532 Ed.Graves@lifestylesafter50.com

__________________________________

Our other editions: Lake Edition: Lake/Marion/Sumter Suncoast Edition: Pinellas/West Pasco Sarasota Edition: Sarasota/Manatee Southwest Edition: Lee/Charlotte To learn more, call 1-888-670-0040

Lifestyles After 50 P.O. Box 638 Seffner, Florida 33583-0638 Fax: (813) 331-2634 www.lifestylesafter50.com

Attention Readers: The articles printed in Lifestyles After 50 do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Editor or the staff. Lifestyles After 50 endeavors to accept reliable advertising; however, we cannot be held responsible by the public for advertising claims. Lifestyles After 50 reserves the right to refuse or discontinue any advertisement. Our advertising deadline for each issue is the 15th of the previous month. Magazines are out by the 7th of each month. All rights reserved.

As a reader of Lifestyles After 50, you are creating an established relationship with our advertisers. You may be contacted by email, telephone or mail as allowed by law.

Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 3

local events around town • March 2019 Event: Date: Time: Cost:

Tampa Taco Fest March 9 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

TBD

Event: Date: Time: Cost:

Place: Al Lopez Park Address: 4810 North Himes Ave., Tampa 33614 Phone: 813-274-8615 Email: yisenia@globalcitizenslive.com

Gasparilla Music Festival 2019 March 9, 10 11 a.m.

FREE

Place: Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park Address: 600 North Ashley Dr., Tampa 33602 Phone: 813-708-8423 Website: www.gasparillamusic.com

Event: Date: Time: Cost:

Bird Walk at Lettuce Lake Park Event: Family & Friends Fun Day in March 9 the Sun 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Date: March 9 & March 24 FREE Admission/$2 parking Time: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Cost: FREE Place: Lettuce Lake Conservation Park Place: Causeway Park Address: 6920 East Fletcher Ave., Address: 2846 90th St., Tampa 33687 Brandon 33619 Phone: 813-987-6204 Phone: 813-744-5595 Website: www.hillsboroughcounty.org/ Website: www.hillsboroughcounty. locations/lettuce-lake-conservation-park org/en/calendar

Event: Date: Time: Cost: Place:

Guided Moonlight Trail Ride March 16 6:30 - 9 p.m. $5 Lower Green Swamp Nature Preserve Address: 3540 E. Knights Griffin Rd., Plant City 33565 Phone: 813-853-1177 Website: www.hillsboroughcounty.org

Event: Date: Time: Cost: Place: Address:

Born To Ride Radio Bike Night March 19 7 - 10 p.m.

FREE Admission Rivers Edge 6226 Ohio Ave., Gibsonton 33534 Phone: 813-671-9196 Website: www.riversedgebarandgrill.com

Event:

Event: Date: Time:

Event: Date: Time: Cost:

Event:

Movie Night: Nation’s Fire March 18 Doors open 6 p.m.Movie screens 7:30 p.m.

Cost: FREE Place: Capital Theater Address: 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater 33755 Phone: 727-791-7400 Website: www.nationsfireofficialmovie.com

Lifestyles After 50 Spring Expo March 21 9 a.m - 1 p.m.

FREE

Place: T Pepin’s Hospitality Centre Address: 4121 N. 50th St. Tampa Phone: 813-653-1988 Website: www.Lifestylesafter50.com/events

28th Annual Hyde Park Village Art Fair Date: March 30, 31 Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Cost: FREE Admission Place: Hyde Park Village Address: 1622 W. Snow Ave., Tampa 33606 Phone: 561-746-6615 Website: www.artfestival.com/ festivals/28th-annual-hyde-park-villageart-fair International Cuban Sandwich Festival Date: March 31 Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Cost: FREE General Admission Place: Historic Centennial Park Address: 1800 E. 8th Ave., Tampa 33605 Phone: 813-242-5370 Website: www.facebook.com/CubanSandwichFestival/

send your event news to Jenna@lifestylesafter50.coM by the 15th of each Month for publication in the following Month's issue.

David Weekley Homeowners Wendy McGee, Gary & Nancy Adams and Bob Stewart

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Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 4

DIAGNOSED WITH LUNG CANCER? HAVE YOU CONSIDERED SURGICAL TREATMENT? Cancer treatment decisions deserve second opinions.

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Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 5 2/14/19 4:59 PM

FOOD FESTS

By RANDAL HILL

One sign of spring in Florida is the vast array of food and music festivals that start popping up in nearly every corner of the state. This time, we’ve handplucked what we believe to be some of the top food festivals on Florida’s West Coast. So, mark your calendars and don’t miss some great gastronomical fun.

FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL Festival grounds, Plant City, through March 10 flstrawberryfestival.com

Sure, this annual get-together offers an abundance of star-studded entertainment, parades, rides, exhibits and vendors, but keep in mind that its primary purpose is as a celebration of those little heart-shaped morsels of succulence for which the festival is named. More than 10,000 acres of strawberries are grown at local farms each year, and since 1930, Plant City folks have celebrated with a gala that draws a half-million visitors from around the world.

Florida Strawberry Festival vendors sell every imaginable strawberry delight, from the traditional (pies, cheesecakes, milkshakes) to the, ahem, unusual (strawberry-laced hamburgers and pizzas).

See website for ticket prices.

FORT MYERS BEACH/LIONS CLUB SHRIMP FESTIVAL

Fort Myers Beach, March 9 & 10 fortmyersbeachshrimpfestival.com What began as a blessing of the local shrimp boats decades ago has blossomed into a major annual Fort Myers Beach party. The fun kicks off on Estero Boulevard, March 9th at 10 a.m., with a two-mile-long, dazzling parade replete with floats, bands and Clydesdale horses. The crowning of the 2019 Shrimp Queen follows afterward at Lynn Hall Park.

Each year, the Lions Club cooks up over a half-ton of locally caught shrimp. Each dinner consists of a halfpound of the steaming, delectable

crustaceans, coleslaw and the Lions’ “secret recipe” cocktail sauce.

Besides a shrimp-eating contest, over 100 vendors will set up on or near the pristine beach. Free admission.

of musical styles including Motown, country, pop and Latin tunes.

Registration is required to attend this event. Visit the website for more info.

ST. ARMANDS SEAFOOD & MUSIC FESTIVAL

St. Armands Circle Park, Sarasota, May 24-26 seafoodfestivals.com

CUBAN SANDWICH FESTIVAL

Centennial Park, Ybor City, Tampa, March 31 thecubansandwichfestival.com

CLEARWATER BEACH TASTE FEST

Pork, Swiss cheese and “secret” ingredients. Aromatic, freshly baked Cuban bread. Who serves up the Sunshine State’s very best Cuban sandwich? You be the judge at the 8th annual Cuban Sandwich Festival in Tampa’s historic Ybor City. Live music and dance performances on two stages. Over 100 vendors offering food and sundry exhibits. Free admission.

Special note: Watch folks attempt to create the world’s biggest Cuban sandwich, the day before at Centro Asturiano de Tampa. The planned length is (hold on) 170 feet!

USA Today ranks Clearwater as Florida’s Best Beach Town. Judge for yourself when you enjoy the food and fun at the 10th annual Clearwater Beach Taste Fest on May 3, from 6 to 9 p.m. This highly anticipated “oceanfriendly” event features hearty samples of casual and fine-dining cuisine supplied by over 30 local restaurants.

You’ll also find wine and craft beer, and a wide variety of vendors.

Get your groove on as crowd favorite C’Nergy takes the stage with a range

Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 6

Pier 60, Clearwater Beach, May 3 clearwaterbeachtastefest.com

The 3rd annual St. Armands Seafood & Music Festival at St. Armands Circle Park is back Memorial Day weekend with scrumptious fresh seafood, meat and vegetarian dishes prepared onsite by local restaurant folks using indigenous and sustainable ocean resources from Florida’s coastal waters. The annual bash also includes tasty side dishes, desserts and drinks to enjoy while relaxing amid the strains of live R & B, rock, classical and calypso. Arts and crafts booths, gourmet food and specialty items round out the attractions.

You just might come away from this Sarasota event with a life companion as the Humane Society of Sarasota County will be there with their mobile adoption center featuring lots of adorable furry faces.

Free general admission.

Save the Date!

Spring Expo, March 21

COLLETTE TOURS/Tours and Cruises Unlimited 75th Anniversary of D-Day & Normandy Departing October 24, 2019 Returning November 7, 2019 Highlighting...Paris, Normandy, Omaha Beach, Mont St. Michel, 2-Nite Chateau Stay, Winery Tour, Lyon, Avignon, Nice, Monaco + More 15 Days * 20 Meals * 13 Breakfasts * 7 Dinners Contact: Patti Cardozo (561) 202-8388 * travelpacs@yahoo.com Cathy Inness (727) 379-4553 * cathycruises@gmail.com

Lifestyles After 50 invites you to join us for the second annual Spring Expo at TPepin’s Hospitality Centre, Tampa Bay’s premier event venue, located at 4121 N. 50th St., in Tampa.

Meet our humor columnist Susan Goldfein who will be signing her new book, How to Complain When There’s Nothing to Complain About, from 10 a.m. until noon. We’ll be doling out give-a-ways and door prizes, coffee and goodies. Enjoy free Bingo with prizes and entertainment by our favorite duo Life of the Party. This is the perfect opportunity to receive free health screenings and other information.

Susan Goldfein Event hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with free admission and parking. For more information call 813-653-1988 or visit our website www.

Lifestylesafter50.com. See ya there!

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201-461-1980 Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 7

Recipe

Sugar-Free Shamrock Shake

By JENNA LEE REEVES

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hose of you who thought your milkshake drinking days are over, cheer up! You and the little leprechauns can celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with this refreshing matcha green tea milkshake that has all the sweet creaminess everyone loves, minus the fat, calories, artificial coloring and sugar.

Stevia, created from the leaves of the Stevia plant, is my sweetener of choice as it is all natural with zero calories. Studies have shown it may lower blood sugar levels. Matcha green tea is loaded with antioxidants and can boost metabolism.

At only 100 calories a serving, your milkshake drinking days are only a blender away.

This recipe serves two.

Ingredients: 1 c. plain, nonfat yogurt 1 c. unsweetened vanilla almond (or cashew) milk 1 tsp. matcha green tea powder Directions: Mix all ingredients in a blender; 1 or 2 Stevia packets (sweeten to taste) puree until smooth. Top with ¼ tsp. almond extract non-dairy almond milk whipped ½ tsp. vanilla paste topping if desired. Add a sprig 2 sprigs of mint leaves of mint for good luck!

1 c. ice cubes

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Dogs and Newborns

BY Damen muller, DVm

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any of us have a pretty picture of family and pets acting in harmony. As animal owners, we expect our pets to acclimate to our surroundings and our family.

This means our dogs must act friendly and safely to adults, and more importantly, to our children, otherwise serious injury can result. If this is not the case, pets end up getting rehomed or even worse - euthanized.

Animals can have very different reactions to newborns coming into their lives. It can instill interest, happiness, anxiety, anger, jealousy, and many other emotions. It is very important that pets are still given attention to help avoid any negativity within the household. Remember that newborns can become a big annoyance to our pets due to crying, yelling, being too physical etc. and we must recognize this and step in to regulate the situation.

Proper introduction is very important. Be sure to allow plenty of space for your pet to evade anything that they may find stressful. If pets are forced to confront your baby, they may become anxious and reactive. Instead, invite your pet to come near with a treat and reward good behavior. Keep it short and sweet - “Baby Steps” If pets start showing any adverse behaviors (ears back, growling, head turning, tail tucked etc.), take a break and

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try again later. Don’t forgo daily walks as this can be a very beneficial time to ‘take the pack out’ and solidify the family mentality for our animals.

Our families and pets are very important to us. We need our family to behave properly and safely to make a happy home. Take your time introducing everyone, and always supervise kids and pets so they get on peacefully.

If your animal persistently shows issues during this process, don’t hesitate to seek professional behavioral advise sooner than later.

We care for your pet like they’re part of our family!

Boyette Animal Hospital is proud to provide your pets with the highest quality of treatment and care from nine veterinarians and a devoted staff. To make an appointment, please call (813) 671-3400 or visit us online at www.BoyetteAnimalHospital.com.

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Veterans Burial Benefits Made Easier

By EMMA HEMnESS, ESquirE, BCS, CELA

Many Veterans desire to have their final resting place be within a VA National Cemetery. Upon the Veteran’s passing, often the family has difficulty locating the necessary military documents of the deceased veteran. These documents are critical to proving the Veteran is eligible for burial in a State or national veterans cemetery. In addition to not being able to locate the documents in a timely fashion, there may be delays in processing which have been known to take up to 8 months.

Recently, the VA has instituted the use of a new form about which many Veterans are not aware. The VA Form 40-10007, Application for Pre-Need Determination of Eligibility for Burial in a National VA Cemetery, is available for Veterans to become pre-authorized for such eligibility. A fillable form can be found on the VA webite at www.va.gov .

It can be printed out and mailed or faxed.

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IMPORTANT

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IN REACHING THE

50+ MARKET:

Travel

AARP estimates Baby Boomers spend more than $120 billion annually on leisure travel.

In Tampa Bay 48% of the 50+ market purchased airline tickets in the past 12 months, 53% spent at least one night in a hotel room last 12 months and 45% took at least one trip last 12 months.

AARP reports that Baby Boomers aged 50+ are active travelers, anticipating four or five trips in the next year.

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Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 9

ENCORE CAREERS: Basketball Referee

BY JEFFERY LEAF

Just in time for March Madness, our occasional series about encore careers returns with a look at a woman living her dream as a basketball referee for girls and boys basketball.

W

hat do you do when your children, who you followed during their athletic careers through high school, graduate? If you’re like Barbara Noonan, you take up refereeing.

Noonan, 57, has been officiating girls and boys middle and high school basketball for four years now. As she’d watch her own daughter and son enjoy the sport, she’d often fancy herself out on the court, making those fast, hard calls in the center of it all. So when she saw an ad one day for a basketball officiating class, she jumped at it.

She took the course, passed the test, and started to work.

Noonan’s a member of the Gulf Coast Basketball Officials Association (GCBOA), which serves the counties of Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and Hardee.

Of the 94 officials in the GCBOA, only four are female.

“I don’t feel like other officials treat me any differently,” she says.

Noonan retired from teaching at Middlesex Community College in Lowell, Mass., but still teaches accounting and

management classes online. the sport. It makes her happy, She works basketball as many gets her out of the house, gives nights of the week as she her a purpose in life, and keeps wants from mid-November her sharp, she says, as she has through February. Noonan to react quickly and decisively lives in Osprey in Sarasota to make the right calls.

County but works as needed Though there are times when the tempers of coaches and in all four counties served by parents can flare, that doesn’t the GCBOA. Officiating basketball offers worry Noonan. Her lifelong Noonan the best seat in the love of the sport, her passion house, some cash and plenty for helping young people learn of exercise. and grow, and her desire to be “It is a gym membership the best she can be keep her without having to pay for it,” motivated. she says.

Perhaps her favorite moment is when the five-foot-three ref Engaging with high school players also helps with her tells people what she does with college teaching by keeping her free time. More often than her up-to-date on the fads not, their response will be, “You Basketball officiating is a passion for and language of her college are a basketball referee?”

Barbara Noonan, 57, of Osprey students.

Women and men: Experience Most importantly, officiating has helped Noonan, a the passion and pleasures of officiating basketball. social person, find friends who share a mutual interest in Contact Ac@gcboa.org

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An Evening hy on earth would any senior on the planet.of Entering or exiting our want to buy a cat? These house takes some quick maneuvering Whimsy & Whiskers Every ticket represents are the days when we’re trying to on our part. He can streak out the door a life saved simplify our lives and save money. in a flash before you even realize it. Complimentary Valet Parking Sponsorship Opportunities Animal food and cat litter costs Friday, Fortunately, he stops at the edge ofAttire: Cocktail or Mardi Gras Chic Available and flattens down on add up. Veterinarian bills can be the pavement Tickets areHyatt $150 Per Person Sarasota Regency March 29, 2019 devastating. the ground without going any further.

To purchase tickets or for sponsorship packages, 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, a life saved 6:30 - Several 10:00times p.m.

That’s what we kept telling he’s been caught by Every ticket represents please contact Hilarie King, Sarasota, FL 34236 ourselves – but it didn’t work. the tail which is as long as the rest ofSponsorship Opportunities Available Events & Development Manager, his body. IfSarasota it pops off, he soon grows To purchase tickets or for sponsorship packages, A few months ago, the Joy Hyatt of My Regency at 941.366.2404 ext. 308 or please contact Life ordered a Sphynx kitten1000 from Boulevard the another of onethe like Arts, a lizard. (This part hilariek@catdepot.org.

Hilarie King, Events & Development Manager, Sarasota, FL 34236 Internet. I was determined not to like I say this in jest, but wouldn’t that at 941.366.2404 2542 17th Street, Sarasota, FL 34234 ext. 308 or hilariek@catdepot.org. him. When we met him at the Fort be cool?)

2542 17th Street, Sarasota, FL 34234 • wwwcatdepot.org www.catdepot.org Lauderdale International Airport in This little charmer enjoys chasing November, I immediately fell in love. milk bottle caps, long walks on the He has the classic Sphynx beach at sunset and listening to personality – a combination of a music, preferably Cat Stevens. monkey, gymnast and two-year-old I had forgotten how sharp needlechild. He is silly and fearless. I don’t like kitten claws could be. They don’t think I’ve laughed this hard since I merely scratch. If you are taking baby first saw Harvey Korman and Tim aspirin or any blood-thinner, they will Conway do their dental chair bit. lay you open.

Yes, You Can Feel Great About Your Feet Again!

He is beautiful too – a chocolate There’s much more I could tell you tabby with large, round lemon- about Jake, but it will have to keep colored eyes; big perky ears and fur until another time. My arm is getting numb and I need to awaken my honey that feels like a chinchilla.

Fur you say? Aren’t Sphynx so she can loosen my tourniquet. hairless? Jake is a second-generation Sphynx, which means he is a Sphynx crossbreed. Outcrossing is done to enhance the health and broaden the gene pool. It takes several We Have Your Treatment Plan! generations of outcrossing to get the hairless look.

• Bunions • Tendon Strain Males of the species • Heel Spurs • Plantar Fasciitis are the most affectionate • Orthotics • Ugly/Painful Toenails while the females are witchy • Neuropathy • Diabetic Footcare primadonnas.

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Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 11

Women of the Wild West KATHY MEGYERI

March is Women’s History Month and for fun we’re going to take a look at some colorful and often notorious Women of the Wild West – those who you may not have read about in the history books, but whom collectively were heroines and heartbreakers, entertainers and entrepreneurs, outlaws and other women of note.

Phoebe Ann Mosey, stage name Annie Oakley (18601926), was a sharpshooter who was said to have split cards on their edges, popped corks off bottles and snapped cigarettes out of the mouths of men. In 1887, she joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show and became an international superstar.

Cigar-smok ing, gun-toting, whiskey- drink ing “Stagecoach Mary” Fields (1832-1914) was born into slavery, freed after the Civil War and did a variety of odd jobs until her 60s when she became the first female African-American star-route mail carrier in the U.S. Would-be thieves didn’t stand a chance against this stagecoach driver with the “temperament of a grizzly bear.”

Pearl Hart (1871-1928), the “Lady Bandit of Arizona,” was a Canadian who came to the West in the 1880’s and was the only documented female stagecoach robber in U.S. history. While on trial, she claimed, “I shall not consent to be tried under a law in which my sex had no voice in making.” She went to jail anyway where she charmed the warden into allowing her to entertain visitors, journalists and photographers in her cell.

Pearl de Vere (1862-1897), the “soiled dove of Cripple Creek,” was the madam of the stylish Colorado brothel, The Old Homestead. Catering to rich gold miners, a room cost $250 a night but offered carpeting, bathtubs with running water, chandeliers, and an intercom. Her funeral was the most lavish in the town’s history as bands played, There’ll be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight. The Old Homestead is now a museum.

Carrie Nation (1846-1911), a member of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, crusaded against alcohol before Prohibition by smashing up Kansas bars and liquor barrels with her axe. She proudly sold souvenir hatchets and signed photos of herself in her later years.

Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 12

Eliza Farnham (1815-1864) was a novelist, feminist and abolitionist. In 1849, she organized a party of single women to travel to California to meet eligible bachelors of the Gold Rush and save them from the evils of drinking and depravity. Her unconventional methods helped transform the land into one fit for wives and families.

Myra Maybelle Shirley Reed Starr, a.k.a. Belle Starr (1848-1889), was part of the Jesse James-Cole Younger gang. A flamboyant outlaw and horse thief, she often wore velvet riding dresses with plumed hats while sitting side saddle and carrying six shooters. She was fatally shot in the face at age 40.

Martha Jane Canary, “Calamity Jane” (1852-1903) is said to have dressed like a man, shot like a gunslinger and drank like a fish. As part of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, she told outlandish tales of frontier life. Despite her daredevil ways, she cared for the poor, sick and injured. Alcoholism and poor health led to her early death at age 51; she’s buried next to her friend Wild Bill Hickok.

Olive Oatman (1837-1903) was captured by a Native American tribe at age 14, enslaved and later sold to the Mohave people. During her time with the Mohave, they raised her as their own including giving her a ritualized blue tattoo on her chin. Later, after returning to white society she spoke highly of her treatment with the Mohave though she would often cover her tattoo in public.

Sacagawea (1788-1812). As a translator, this Lemhi Shoshone woman is credited for the successful outcome of the 1804-06 Lewis and Clark Expedition. She made the cross-country trip pregnant and returned with a newborn baby on her back. She is believed to have died from an illness at age 24, but her legacy continues: she is honored on a U.S. dollar coin and was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 2003.

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he Social Security Administration (SSA) is receiving reports of fraudulent telephone calls from individuals claiming to represent Social Security. The unknown callers use threatening language to warn unknowing victims that they will be arrested or face other legal action if they fail to call a provided phone number or to press the number indicated in the message. In some instances, these unknown callers switch tactics and communicate that they want to help an individual with activating a suspended Social Security number. Such calls are a scam, and are not coming from official SSA representatives.

Please inform your family members and extended networks not to engage with such callers, and to report any suspicious calls to Social Security’s Office of the Inspector General by calling 1-800-269-0271 or submitting a report to the OIG website (oig.ssa.gov/report).

You are urged to read and share our Social Security Matters blog (blog.ssa.gov) which provides more information on the nature of these fraudulent calls, as well as instructions on how to report such activity.

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Spring Expo March 21, 2019 9 am - 1 pm • T Pepin’s Hospitality Centre 4121 N 50th St., Tampa, FL

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BIG CHANGES FOR TAX SEASON

by DaviD Novak

Save your energy and focus on the important things in life.

Let the energy experts at Tampa Electric show you how to save on energy costs.

When you participate in our free Home Energy Audit, one of our energy analysts will visit your home and identify areas where you can save valuable energy.

You’ll also learn about our other energy-saving programs including Energy Planner, Ductwork and more.

Visit tampaelectric.com/save to schedule your free Home Energy Audit today or call 813-275-3909.

Stop at our table on March 21st, 2019 to be held at the T Pepin’s Hospitality Centre, 4121 N 50th St., Tampa, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Bring this ad and receive a free energy-saving kit, made available through Tampa Electric’s Energy Education Outreach program.

T

he new tax law enacted a little more than a year ago was the largest piece of tax legislation passed in more than 30 years. As you get ready to file your taxes for 2018, here’s a reminder of some of the major changes:

• Individual tax rates were lowered by about 2 percent at each bracket to 0, 10, 12, 22, 24, 32, 35 and 37 percent.

• Personal exemption was eliminated and standard deduction increased to $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for married couples.

• Taxpayers are now allowed to deduct property taxes and state and local income taxes (or sales taxes in lieu of income taxes) up to a $10,000 maximum.

• The child tax credit was increased from $1,000 to $2,000 and is refundable up to a $1,400 maximum, but begins to phase-out for families earning over $400,000.

• The mortgage interest deduction was preserved for new mortgages on a first or second home. Home equity debt interest not used to improve the home is suspended.

• The estate and gift tax exemption doubled from $5 million to $10 million.

Some of the top tax changes for small businesses: • The corporate tax rate was lowered from 35 to 21 percent.

• A 20 percent tax deduction is allowed for income earned from sole proprietorships, limited liability companies, partnerships and S corporations. The deduction applies to the first $315,000 of income for joint filers (and $157,500 for other filers) and reduces their effective marginal rate to a 29.6 percent maximum.

Wage income is not eligible for the lower rates on business income.

• Businesses are now allowed to write off the full cost of new equipment purchases.

• Small businesses can continue to write off interest on loans.

One final note: If you are still working, whether part-time or full-time, check the amount of your tax withholdings. Many have been surprised with refunds that are lower than they expected, not realizing the reason was an adjustment in withholdings by their employer. The IRS Withholding Calculator (at www. irs.gov) can help you determine the right amount of tax to withhold from your paycheck. You may need to complete a new Form W–4 to adjust the amount withheld.

David Novak, CFP® is a Certified Financial Planner™ at Novak & Powell Financial Services in Pinellas County.

Please note: he is not an attorney and this article should not be construed as one offering legal advice.

For information about investment decisions and financial planning, contact him at (727) 451-3440.

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~ Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou ~ Where Gators, Gumbo and Gallic History Prevail

By FyLLIS HOCKMAN

at tour.

amp bo ound gator during a sw -p 00 1,0 a , Al g Bi th unes wi n Captain Jeremy comm Photo by Fyllis Hockma

S

pring is the perfect time for a road trip and if you’re looking for something unique, let us suggest Lafourche Parish in Louisiana, where friendly people, events, festivals and good times roll. This destination just 45 minutes away from the Big Easy and offers an authentic Cajun experience just like its well-known and commercial cousin, yet it is more accessible, affordable and unapologetically downhome.

During Mardi Gras season, the Parish is decked out in the traditional Carnival colors of purple, gold and green with many family-friendly parades as well as an abundance of king cakes, barbecue and crayfish boils.

But in many other ways, Lafourche, located on a 106-mile-long bayou in southeastern Louisiana, is a far cry from Bourbon Street, beignets and bar stools.

Here, life revolves around the bayou, where fishing, shrimping and oystering are time-honored professions.

When asking for directions, it’s either up the bayou, down the bayou or across the bayou. And when you say, “See you later, alligator,” it is quite possible you

will see an alligator sooner rather than later.

We learned this on our initial ride on an airboat, a combination of a large rusty old rowboat with multiple mismatched seats at varying elevations.

With Captain Jeremy presiding, we proceeded on a thrill ride through

Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 20

extensive native greenery and wetlands at 40 miles per hour.

First, we communed with Big Al, a 13-foot gator weighing in at 1,000 pounds. To accentuate his largesse, Jeremy picked up his tail as well as his very large pointy-nailed, four-toed foot to illustrate how close they’ve become over the years.

Then his buddy, Sneaky, upstaged him by practically joining us on the boat as Jeremy deposited bits of chicken into his enormous and menacing mouth. A bit further down the bayou, Brutus came when called. Okay, so he knew there was chicken waiting, but still.

If history is your thing, visit Laurel Valley Village, the largest surviving 19th- and 20th-century sugar plantation complex in the United States. It contains nearly 60 original structures including a 1905 general store with a delightful assortment of the odd, the old, and sometimes unidentifiable including antique tools and farm implements used in the cultivation of sugarcane. And the Center for Traditional Louisiana Boat Building offers a look at how boats of yesteryear (pirogues, skiffs and dugout boats) were built.

Dining options allow you to sample cultural foods created from centuriesold recipes of French, Spanish, German,

Cajun music is often created with old-timey accordions, fiddles, guitars, and triangles African, Native American and Italian influences.

Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou has over 25 fairs and festivals throughout the year which celebrate everything from gumbo to Cajun jam music, all proclaiming the proud sense of community and the emphasis on family.

Being Cajun means something different to the locals, depending upon whom you ask. To many, it’s the honored heritage imbued by the French Acadians who settled here in the 1750s. For others, it’s the catfish fingers and special gumbo (no okra please – that’s New Orleans Creolestyle). Often, it’s the music – slightly different than New Orleans Zydeco – created with accordions, fiddles, guitars, and triangles.

To the visitor, Cajun may describe the ubiquitous nature of crayfish, the strange accent and the prevalence of white rubber shrimping boots, known locally as Cajun Reeboks.

As one local explains: “Our Cajun runs just a little bit deeper than the rest of the state, and it shows up at every bend in the bayou.”

For more information about Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou, visit www.lacajunbayou.com or call (877) 537-5800.

Festivals are a big part of life on the bayou. Photo by lacajunbayou.com

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ne of the latest ways scam artists try to steal money from you is through the use of gift cards as a form of payment.

In this con, the con artist may pose as someone from the IRS, business or utility company trying to collect money they say you owe. Or they may pose as someone from Apple or another “tech support” group and tell you that you have a virus on your computer or cell phone than needs urgent fixing. Some may say a family member needs your immediate help. They may have spoofed (hidden) their number on Caller ID and changed it to look like a neighbor or legitimate business is calling.

The scammer will then direct you to purchase a gift card for a certain amount and ask you to share the numbers and PIN on the card’s back. Many of them will even stay on the phone with you as you go to purchase the gift card.

When you give them the number and PIN, that is the last time you will hear from them and the scam is over. They just got your money.

Remember that no government agency or legitimate business will ask for a gift card as a form of payment. If someone asks for a gift card, just hang up.

For You!

Obtaining hearing aids has helped me hear so much better, stay socially active and hopefully, will prevent future medical maladies. If you are struggling to hear, please don’t put off a visit to the audiologist or delay getting hearing aids. I’ll tell you why.

By KATHy MEGyERI

F

irst, it seemed like my husband Les constantly mumbled – and so did the store clerks, now that you mention it. And could he please turn up the volume on the TV so we could hear the news?

I was struggling to hear, and when I began screaming at people seated next to me at social gatherings, I knew it was time to see an audiologist.

When the practitioner confirmed I had hearing loss, I put my pride and vanity aside and purchased a pair of hearing aids. I had the option of flesh tone or silver, and though I may go for more sparkle in the future, for now, I am more comfortable with something less attention-grabbing.

Granted, they took a couple of months to get used to, periodically need new batteries and adjustments, and are not covered by my Medicare plan.

But I’m sticking with them – and not only because I can hear.

Dr. Frank Lin, Director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health at Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health, warns that those with untreated hearing loss have a 50 percent increased risk of developing dementia and a 40 percent increased risk of becoming depressed within five years. Untreated hearing loss can also lead to falls (because we may miss ambient sounds) and even cardiovascular diseases due to stress and isolation.

My father was living proof. Disgusted with ill-fitting hearing aids and impatient with changing batteries on a regular basis, he refused to wear them and eventually was cut off from social interactions, became depressed and developed dementia. His brain could no longer process the sounds needed to stimulate cellular activity and to keep his mind cognitively engaged.

Today, 38.2 million Americans aged 12 and older have hearing loss. More than half of us in our 70s and more than 80 percent of those in their 80s have moderate to severe hearing loss, some even approaching total deafness.

Even more surprising, according to Lin, 85 percent of those with hearing loss who don’t seek treatment or use their hearing aids regularly will see their health care costs rise significantly. Forgoing treatment leads to an average 46 percent increase in health care costs over ten years, studies show.

Considering such statistics, providing hearing aids for seniors is good preventative medicine and trumps the social, emotional, physical and medical costs of going without.

Are you listening, Medicare?

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• Games, • Puzzles, • Feature Stories, • Travel, • Money, • Retirement, • Events, • and More

ll New! A On our website... .COM Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 21

Book Review Book Review By kATHy MeGyeRi

“S

How to Complain When There’s Nothing to Complain About:

More Thoughts About Life from the Far Side of the Hill

usan’s on a roll again!” proclaims her friend, singer Willie Nelson in his endorsement of Susan Goldfein’s second book, How to Complain When There’s Nothing to Complain About. And with that melodic proclamation (now he’s got me humming that song), off we go, headed for what feels like a good time with an old friend – one who shares witty and charming tales about marriage, the indignities of aging and life’s absurdities.

In the vein of Andy Rooney, Erma Bombeck, and Nora Ephron, Goldfein’s relatable collection of 50 essays sheds new light on ordinary events. Her chapter titles alone will make you smile: “Women Who Pack (and Men Who Don’t),” “The Insomnia Games,” “Death, Taxes, and the Annual Exam,” and “Are There Outlet Malls in Heaven?”

So who is this insightful, funny and honest writer who takes a light but piercing look at life as we age?

If you are a regular reader of Lifestyles After 50, you will recognize Susan Goldfein’s name as a popular humor columnist from Palm Beach who lives with her husband, Larry, (an endless source of fodder) and her dog named Sam. She has a doctorate in Communication Disorders from Teachers College at Columbia

University, and was a successful speech pathologist, adjunct professor, and consultant. Her second career as a writer evolved after retirement at age 69, when she asked herself, “What am I going to do with the rest of my life?” She then took time to explore her passions and skills, and discovered she had a knack for writing humor, so she began a blog at susansunfilteredwit.com.

MEET SUSAN! At 74, she authored her first book, Book signing event How Old am I in Dog Years? a col10 AM-12PM, March 21 Lifestyles Spring Expo lection of essays that won her several 9 AM-1 PM at TPepin’s awards plus a multitude of benefits: she Hospitality Centre was having fun, she basked in positive 4121 N. 50th St., Tampa feedback, and she was challenging her mind.

She says it’s all therapeutic: “Humor continues to be my weapon of choice to combat the foibles of domestic life, the indignities of aging in an ageist society, ridiculous social trends, and whatever piece of nuttiness I happen to be observing that day.

“So instead of lying on a couch, or picking up a sharp instrument, I write.”

Citrine Publishing, 2018, 180 pages

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Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 22

“Dumbo” March Film

By RANDAL C. HILL

I

n 1941, Disney proved that being different can help one soar to new heights no matter what the bullies say with the release of the animated film Dumbo. Now, nearly 80 years later, a live-action remake comes to town and, along with it, a potentially darker plot.

Something to take the grandkids to see? Let’s investigate.

The new Dumbo, set to be released March 29, will be light years away from what Uncle Walt gave the world many years ago – a few cartoon characters and an uncomplicated plotline. In today’s cinema world, that 1941 version just wouldn’t fly (excuse the pun).

Now director Tim Burton (Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas) has re-imagined the iconic elephant with computer-generated imagery, and he’s surrounded him with a star-studded cast including Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito.

Farrell plays Holt Ferrier, a former circus headliner who returns home from war a damaged man. He and his two children are hired to care for Dumbo by circus owner and ringmaster Max Medici (DeVito). Due to his freakishly enormous ears, Dumbo has become the laughingstock of Medici’s second-rate operation. But Holt and the kids soon learn that those same ridiculed ears offer the baby elephant a chance for success in life.

Entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere (Keaton) imagines Dumbo as a headliner in his new entertainment venue called Dreamland, a place where a shiny veneer can hide dark and unsavory secrets.

Along with Vandevere, circus aerialist Colette Marchant (Eva Green) and Wall

Street mogul, J. Griffin Remington (Alan Arkin), all manage to push their way into Dumbo’s world when they also foresee star potential—and piles of cash—in the precocious pachyderm.

With the inimitable Tim Burton behind the camera, you know that this Dumbo is going to be a little eerie, a little dark, probably a bit melancholy.

Add in the fact that Ehren Kruger, who wrote or co-wrote such sophisticated fare as the Transformers sequels, Scream 3 and the first two The Ring movies, is the writer behind this screenplay, and you may be more inclined to invite your hip teenage grandchildren to accompany you to the film than the younger set.

This time around, Dumbo offers no sympathetic Timothy

Q. Mouse and, mercifully, no trashtalking, racist crows. But whatever Burtonesque touches do make their way into the new feature, the touching tale is still guaranteed to yank at viewers’ heartstrings.

You may want to take along some pocket tissues if you go – as well as some for those hip teenage grandchildren.

Just in case.

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Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 23

Happy Birthday to those born in March!

Pardon our bragging but….

Lifestyles After 50 Magazine Wins Five National Awards!

BEST EDITORIAL ~ First Place, Terri Reeves BOOK REVIEWS ~ First Place, Kathy Megyeri FILM REVIEWS ~ First Place, Mark Higley FEATURE WRITING ~ Second Place, Terri Reeves ~The North American Mature Publishers Association, Orlando convention, Oct. 8

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Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 24

PAiD ADVeRtiSemeNt

The Florida Orchestra has the power to rock you, move you

by Kelly Smith

Shayna Steele

I

n March, The Florida Orchestra starts out rocking before delving into some of the most beautiful music ever written. All live, with concerts in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Here are highlights: Women Rock (March 1-3): This Raymond James Pops concert pays tribute to the women who changed rock ‘n’ roll forever, including Carole King, Tina Turner, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Pat Benatar and more. Featuring I Feel The Earth Move, What’s Love Got To Do With It, Proud Mary, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, I Love Rock n’ Roll and You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman, with premiere vocalists. Conducted by Bob Bernhardt. Special performance Friday, March 1, at Busch Gardens in Tampa.

The French Connection Coffee concert (March 14): French works that are simply fantastique!

Featuring Debussy’s Clair de Lune, Gounod’s Funeral March of a Marionette and Saint-Saens Danse Bacchanale. Stuart Malina conducts. Free coffee and doughnuts at this morning matinee.

Broadway Tonight (March 16 & 17): Performers straight from Broadway revisit your favorite classics, featuring songs from Lion King, Evita, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and many more.

William Waldrop conducts.

The Creation (March 22-24): Haydn’s crowning achievement takes all the drama of creating the world and transforms it into a resounding choral masterpiece, featuring soloists and the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. Michael Francis conducts. Free tickets for kids and teens in advance to this and all Tampa Bay Times Masterworks concerts. Special performance March 22 at Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz.

Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 (March 29-31): Michael Francis leads one of the world’s most sought-after pianists, Benjamin Grosvenor, on Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1, along with a deeply moving performance of Schoenberg’s Transfigured Night, played mostly in the dark. Free tickets for kids and teens in advance.

The Florida Orchestra: Performs regularly at the Straz Center in Tampa, Mahaffey in St. Petersburg and Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. The orchestra offers affordably priced tickets to a variety of concerts, though prices vary depending on demand. See floridaorchestra.org or call 727.892.3337 and 1.800.662.7286.

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Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 25

How to Write a

Letter of Condolence

By Kathy Megyeri

L

ast week, I sent three condolence cards with letters. At my age, I anticipate sending even more as I am losing family members and friends in greater numbers.

I have often wondered if I am writing the most heartfelt words and saying what the recipient needs and wants to read so, I recently consulted an article

by Malia Woolan, published in the New York Times Magazine, offering tips to write a meaningful condolence letter.

This is what I learned: • Write a personalized card or letter, not an email or text message. If you know the person well, don’t post your sympathies on Facebook. A tangible note is more thoughtful and considerate.

• Don’t avoid the issue of death or grief by not referring to the person’s passing. Instead, try to include a special, touching or humorous memory in your letter.

• Avoid platitudes like “it was for the best” or “she’s in a better place.” Let the grieving draw their own conclusions. Simple, straightforward phrases like “I’m so sorry,” are in better taste. One of the most moving letters that Jacqueline Kennedy received following the death of her husband came from a 9-year-old boy who wrote, “I give you my deepest sympathy, which I know will not help much, but you may have all I have to give.”

• Don’t tell the bereaved to call if they need anything because they won’t. Instead, be specific about something you can do like delivering a meal, taking the grieving person out, walking the family’s dog, or sending a contribution to the beloved’s favorite cause.

• Often the most challenging time for the person in mourning is the loneliness that sets in after the funeral when the casseroles, the letters, and the wellwishers are gone. So, commemorate the loved one

on the first anniversary of his or her death. That’s when a note of remembrance means even more because it says, “When life has gone on and many have forgotten, I still remember, I still care, and I am thinking of you now, but even more, I am honoring the person we all lost.”

Hopefully, this makes you feel more confident about offering condolences to the grief-stricken. In these difficult times, I think it behooves all of us to reach out a little more to demonstrate compassion, caring, and love for our fellow man, especially when hearts are broken, loved ones are gone, and family members and friends are scattered. A warm and supportive condolence card or letter may be the closest thing to a hug or the touch of a hand that we can offer.

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Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 27

Power Puzzle

Last Month’s Answers

To 1957

The Cat with 10 Million Lives

Enter To Win!

by Randal Hill

Last Month’s Winner is Pete Panayo, Seminole

CongratuLationS!

FILL IN ANSWERS & WIN MONEY!

Send your answers for a drawing. First correct answers selected from the drawing on the 20th of the month will receive $20 cash! Send to: Lifestyles After 50, P.O. Box 638, Seffner, FL 33583

I want information on: Travel / Cruises Recreation / Leisure Entertainment / Events

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Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 28

“W

rite me a story that first-graders can’t put down,” challenged William Spaulding, a director at Houghton Mifflin Publishers one day in 1955.

Spaulding then handed children’s author Theodor Geisel a list of vocabulary words for six- and seven-year-olds.

For years, Geisel had written—with limited success—under the name Dr. Seuss.

(Seuss was his mother’s maiden name.) Geisel scanned the list and decided that creating and illustrating such a book should be easy. “I figured I could knock it off in a week or so,” he admitted later. “It took a year and a half.” Geisel had underestimated just how hard it would be to write a truly compelling children’s tale in a mere 200 words.

Determined to outdo (what he considered) boring Dick and Jane reading books, he chose to write a fun-to-read story predicated on the first two rhyming words that appeared on his list.

They happened to be cat and hat. *** One rainy day, an outrageous anthromorphic feline in an impossibly tall, striped hat visits two housebound youngsters: a girl called Sally and her unnamed brother, who narrates the story.

The cat sets about performing a bizarre trick that includes balancing sundry household items (including the family goldfish) while balancing himself precariously upon a huge ball. To nobody’s surprise, the cat and everything else crash to the floor in a heap.

Undaunted, he hauls in a box containing two wild-haired, impish creatures called Thing One and Thing Two. They proceed to run amok throughout the house, flying kites and scattering things everywhere.

The children and the fish panic when they realize that Mother will be returning soon. But the irrepressible invader calmly removes both Things, then zips about the house in a machine that quickly tidies up everything. By the time Mother breezes in, the cat has slipped out, the house is back in order, and Mother is none the wiser. *** Published in March 1957 and composed mostly of one-syllable words, The Cat in the Hat sold 1 million copies by the end of the decade and made Dr. Seuss a household name. His classic has now sold over 10 million copies worldwide and has been translated into several languages, including Latin (under the title Cattus Petasatus).

“I have great pride in taking Dick and Jane out of most school libraries,” Geisel later proclaimed. “That is my greatest satisfaction.”

Randal C. Hill, a former disc jockey, English teacher, record collector and author, confesses to being hopelessly stuck in the past. He lives on the Oregon coast and can be reached at wryterhill@msn.com.

Word Search

Last Month’s Winner is Janet S. RadeR, FoRt MyeRS

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Mattie Parr, Valrico was our last months winner!

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Go to LifestylesAfter50.com and click on the Trivia Palooza icon to play each week.

In the grid below, twenty answers can be found that fit the category for today. Circle each answer that you find and list it in the space provided at the right of the grid. Answers can be found in all directions – forwards, backwards, horizontally, vertically and diagonally. An example is given to get you started. Can you find the twenty answers in this puzzle?

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March Sudoku Sudoku requires no arithmetic skills. The object of the game is to fill all the blank squares with the correct numbers. Each row and each column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order.

Each 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9 as well. Good luck! The first correct answers selected from the drawing on the 20th will win.

Send your answers along with your name, address, telephone number & email to: Lifestyles After 50 P.O. BOX 638, SEFFNER, FL 33583

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Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 29

New device stops a cold New research shows you can stop a cold in its tracks if you take one simple step with a new device when you first feel a cold coming on.

Colds start when cold viruses get in your nose. Viruses multiply fast. If you don’t stop them early, they spread and cause misery.

But scientists have found a quick way to New research: Copper stops colds if used early. kill a virus. Touch it with copper. have stopped getting colds.

Researchers at labs and universities People often use CopperZap preagree, copper is “antimicrobial.” It ventively. Frequent flier Karen Gaukills microbes, such as viruses and ci used to get colds after crowded bacteria, just by touch. flights. Though skeptical, she tried That’s why ancient Greeks and it several times a day on travel days.

Egyptians used copper to purify water “Sixteen flights and not a sniffle!” she and heal wounds. They didn’t know exclaimed.

Businesswoman Rosaleen says about viruses and bacteria, but now when people are sick around her she we do.

Scientists say the high conduc- uses CopperZap morning and night. tance of copper disrupts the electrical “It saved me last holidays,” she said. balance in a microbe cell and destroys “The kids had colds going round and round, but not me.” the cell in seconds.

Some users say it also helps with Tests by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show germs die sinuses. Attorney Donna Blight had a fast on copper. So some hospitals tried 2-day sinus headache. She tried Copcopper for touch surfaces like faucets perZap. “I am shocked!” she said. and doorknobs. This cut the spread “My head cleared, no more headache, of MRSA and other illnesses by over no more congestion.”

Some say copper stops nighttime half, and saved lives.

The strong scientific evidence gave stuffiness if used before bed. One man inventor Doug Cornell an idea. When said, “Best sleep I’ve had in years.”

Copper may even stop flu if used he felt a cold coming on he fashioned a smooth copper probe and rubbed it early and for several days. Lab technicians placed 25 million live flu virusgently in his nose for 60 seconds.

“It worked!” he exclaimed. “The es on a CopperZap. No viruses were cold went away completely.” It found alive soon after.

Copper even kills deadly germs worked again every time he felt a cold coming and he hasn’t had a cold since. that have become resistant to antibiHe asked relatives and friends to otics. If you are near sick people, a try it. They said it worked for them, moment of handling it may keep seritoo, so he patented CopperZap™ and ous infection away from you and your loved ones. It may even save a life. put it on the market.

The EPA says copper still works Soon hundreds of people had tried it and given feedback. Nearly 100% even when tarnished. It kills hundreds said the copper stops colds if used of different disease germs so it can within 3 hours after the first sign. prevent serious or even fatal illness.

CopperZap is made in the U.S. of Even up to 2 days, if they still get the pure copper. It has a 90-day full moncold it is milder and they feel better.

Users wrote things like, “It stopped ey back guarantee when used as dimy cold right away,” and “Is it sup- rected to stop a cold. It is $69.95. Get $10 off each CopperZap with code posed to work that fast?”

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Buy once, use forever. ally works.” Now thousands of users (paid advertisement) Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 30

Taking the Plunge

W

ith the conclusion of the Oscars, another awards season draws to a close. A whopping 44 award events have been held since January, affording the celebs plenty of opportunities to dress up and hang out.

Mostly, it’s the women who were hanging out, which generates today’s topic.

Am I imagining it, or was 2019 the Year of the Supreme Plunging Neckline? Starting with the Golden Globes, I saw more of Halle Berry, Regina King, Gina Rodriguez and Patricia Clarkson than I ever imagined. It was nearly as intimate as sharing a dressing room with them while trying on bathing suits.

The number of perky boobs playing peek-a-boo with the audience was overwhelming. I held my breath in anticipation of at least one Janet Jackson-style wardrobe malfunction, but it never happened.

Was I disappointed? Maybe a little.

So how do they keep everything so perfectly in place? Are the gowns real or spray-painted body art?

Other pressing questions keep popping out of my mind: Are gowns without fronts cheaper?

Considering the designer skimped on the yardage, they should be. And that goes for backless tushy plungers as well.

Should females with breasts more substantial than a prepubescent’s wear one? Surely there are fashion rules which exclude well-endowed women.

Are there plastic surgeons who specialize in inserting magnetic implants to hold the damn things in place? And what happens when you have an MRI? Do they explode?

Do these low-cut gowns come with an instruction manual? Is it okay to wave? What about vigorous hand-clapping? What happens if you sneeze?

My exhaustive research did uncover (pun intended) a very real product on the market called Boob Glue. According to the video, you apply it to your skin, press the fabric to your breast and hold it for one minute. (Don’t forget to do the other side.) Now I’m not sure how well it performs, so use it at your own risk.

I do know one thing for sure. With all that flaunting of the goods, these ladies have succeeded in adding a whole new meaning to the term “Golden Globes.”

MEET SUSAN!

Lifestyles After 50 Spring Expo features “How to Complain When There’s Nothing to Complain About,”a book signing event with humorist Susan Goldfein., from 10 AM to 12 PM. Our free expo is March 21, 9 AM - 1 PM at the TPepin’s Hospitality Centre, 4121 N. 50th St. in Tampa.

Seniors getting Together Women Seeking men 4900 - SWF, 65, very young at heart, Physically fit, enjoying life but would love someone special to share with.

Takes the journey together. Walks on beach, sunsets, hiking, etc. Kind at heart.

Treasure Island/St. Pete.

4887 - SWF, 74, active, loving. Likes walking, dining out, travel and quiet times. Life is to tough to go it alone! St. Pete.

4888 - TAke A CHAnCe. We all can’t live near each other. 69 yo blonde, 5’2”, retired female professional. I have a romantic side. SOH, can carry an intelligent conversation. Text, talk, take a chance. Tampa.

4889 - TALL SWCF SeekS SDCm. 5060 yo, blonde, blue eyes. Likes movies, plays, concerts, reading, mall, beach walking, travel, fairs, dancing, variety of activities. Just tired of going out with the girls. Brandon/Seffner 4877 - i’m noT PeRFeCT! i am a WWF in my 70’s, a little overweight, blue/ gray eyes, and white curley hair. I like dancing to the 50’s & 60’s and country music. I’m a caring, giving person. I do look younger than I am, so people say.

I’m looking for a not so perfect man in his 70’s. Taller than me, likes to dance, NS, SD, a caring-giving person. So give it a chance. Send phone number. NPR-PR area.

4875 - SWeeT HoneST WomAn. ISO nice handsome man for loving/fun relationship. Reply with name and phone number. Will exchange with same. Must be 55+, stable and kind with a good sense of humor, and loves music and art.

SW Florida.

4864 - SWF Seeking SWm. 75-85 YY. I’ll be 79 next month. I’m 5’, 110 lbs. Enjoy country, movies and different activities.

NS, ND.

4868 - Looking FioR one SPeCiAL mAn. Attractive SWF, 70, 5’8”, physically fit. Easy going. Enjoy outdoors, beach, travel, laughter. ISO SWM, 55-75 who enjoys the same. Healthy, active. St. Pete, Seminole 4119 Seeking HoneST genTLemAn. Former airline stewardess and model, 5’4”, 104 lbs., slender, white with Ph.D. in healthcare. Fulbright scholar, eats healthy and exercises. Likes sports and animals. WW. Loves the Lord. Florida.

men Seeking Women 4847 - Seeking ReTiReD WiDoW. Widowed WM, young 70’s, NS, ND, NDrg, loves Busch Garden shows, RV lifestyle, exercise, country music, theater, movies & sports. Looking for a retired lady with similar interests. Plant City.

4901 - i Am 75 yo, 5’8”, brown hair, green eyes. I don’t drive. Looking for good lady to make a home. I have my own apartment. NS, ND, SOH, LTR. I don’t like women who smoke or have tattoos.

I am H. Tampa.

4878 - WiDoWeR Seeking 70-80’S WomAn. 5’3”, walk 2 hours a day, am physically fit. Likes concerts, plays, movies, dining out. Looking for active lady.

nice life. Must be fun. ND, NS, romantic, affectionate, easy going. I am same.

Please send letter & include description, photo and phone. Thank you.

4882 - i Don’T DRiVe. DWm iSo LTR. I am 70, 180lbs., 5’9”, blue eyes, brown/ grey hair, retired. I like church, flea markets. ND, NS, NDrg, HWP. Race, religion, age doesn’t matter. Send phone & picture. Tampa area.

4883 - HoneSTLy ATTRACTiVe genT. 70’s, 5’11”, 200 lbs., DWM, NS, SD, fun.

Loves dine, dance, travel. ISO attractive, HWP female for fun time. Hopefully LTR. Join me in happy times. Pasco.

4870 - TeST FATe. White male, 6ft., average shape, 56, looking for casual playful friendship. Likes quiet times, movies, simply activities. Text/Talk, take a chance. Possible LTR. Non smoker preferred. N. Tampa.

To PLACe An AD: Send your ad, stating what edition(s) you would like it placed in, along with a $6 fee for 30 words (25¢ for each additional word, abbreviations not charged) to the News Connection USA, Inc. address listed below. Ads received by the 15th of the month will appear in the following issue.

To ReSPonD To An AD: Write a letter to the person you want to contact. Place that letter in a stamped envelope and write the ad # on the bottom left hand side of the envelope. Place your stamped, numbered envelope(s), along with $2 for each letter enclosed, into another envelope and address it to: News Connection USA Seniors Getting Together P.O. Box 638, Seffner, FL 33583 CommonLy USeD ABBReViATionS: F-Female, M-Male, S-Single, D-Divorced, WWWidow, A-Asian, B-Black, H-Hispanic, I-Indian, W-White, C-Christian, J-Jewish, YO-Years Old, YY-Years Young, ISO-In Search Of, SOH-Sense Of Humor, SM-Smokes, S-Light Smoker, NSNon Smoker, ND-Non Drinker, SD-Social (Light) Drinker, DR-Drinks, NDrg- No Drugs, LTR-Long Term Relationship, HWP-Height & Weight Proportional, R-Retired, P-Professional, FF-Friendship First, TLC-Tender Loving Care.

Seniors Getting Together

Personal Ad Placement only $6 per month!

Deadline for ads is the 15th of the month prior to placement.

MArk The edITIOn(s) YOu WOuLd LIke TO run YOur Ad In: ❍ Tampa Bay & Suncoast (Hillsborough/Pinellas/Pasco) ❍ Lake/Marion/Sumter ❍ Southwest & Sarasota (Lee, Charlotte/Manatee)

Ad Copy ••• PLeAse PrInT neATLY ••• 30 Word Limit TITLE:

(First 4 Words)

4879 - CAn THiS Be mAgiC? DWM, attractive, 70’s, N/S, 5’10”, 175 lbs. Likes travel, exercise, movies, dining out. ISO attractive, good hearted woman for LTR. Dunedin 4880 - WHiTe mALe, 64, 5’9”, 165.

Looking for female, age 64-74, HWP, NDrgs, NS,. Likes fishing, beach, day trips, romance. Send letter and photo.

Madeira Beach.

4881 - SWm, 5’7”, 150#. Seeking female willing to relocate and share my home &

CITY:

(No Charge)

If more room is needed, please use separate sheet. Mail this form along with $6 for each ad per month (add $4 for each additional edition/market in the same month).

We cannot accept your ad without it. This information is confidential.

Name: Address: City: Phone:

State:

Zip:

Email: MAIL TO: ATTN. / SENIORS GETTING TOGETHER Lifestyles After 50 • PO BOX 638, SEFFNER, FL 33583 Lifestyles After 50 • Tampa Bay • March 2019 • page 31

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