THE HUB Magazine, January 2021

THEHUB FREE HALDIMAND & NORFOLK MAGAZINE

VOLUME 9 ISSUE 1

Cover Photo: Robin J Ramage www.HubMedia.info

JANUARY 2021

Plus, we have our new section of the show called Musical Notes, where we update you on events happening in the music industry, both on the home front and nationwide!

So send us an email at editor@hubmedia. info with your request and show ideas.

Let's get 2021 off to a great start!

Dave Scott As we rock and roll into 2021, Randy and I want to ask our readers and listeners about their favourite band or musician.

What would you like to see us cover in our Boomer Music Experience Audio Podcast?

Send us your musical request, anything from the '50s to the '80s, and we will try and get it on the air for you.

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Randy and I have expanded our format Individual as You Are” Phone: 519-426-4750 • Email: rh@klassyfmdj.com and are adding more of the tunes youRANDY HALMO 519.426.4750 MEMBER OF THE CANADIAN PROFESSIONAL DJ ASSOCIATION want to hear!

PROFESSIONAL D.J. or call 519.583.9771

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MeMber

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Welcome Dr. Matthew Czikk!

The doctors and staff at Simcoe Optometric Clinic are excited to welcome Dr. Matthew Czikk to our practice!

Dr. Czikk was born and raised in Jarvis, Ontario. He graduated from Hagersville Secondary School in 2012, completed a degree in Biomedical Science in 2016, and graduated with a Doctor of Optometry degree in 2020.

During his fourth year of optometry school, he completed an ocular health externship at Great Lakes Eye Centre in Brantford.

Dr. Czikk enjoys all aspects of optometry, especially primary care exams and fitting contact lenses, but

Serving the Eye Care Needs of Norfolk County Since 1947 has a particular interest in specialty contact lenses and myopia control management.

Outside of optometry, Matthew enjoys reading, playing sports, and video games, and he’s a die hard supporter of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Dr. Czikk would like to welcome you to make an appointment, for all of your eye care needs!

SIMCOE OPTOMETRIC CLINIC Dr. Michael Zona, Dr. Linda T. Hadaller, Dr. Amber McKnight, Dr. Allison VanBerlo 100 Colborne St. N Simcoe ON 519-426-3123 I www.SimcoeOptometrists.com

Time for a New Beginning!

I sat quietly, just looking at the blank screen, not sure where to begin or for that matter where it would all end.

The emotional cartwheel life dealt all of us this year was and continues to place us, as a society, in a difficult situation that basically changes every 24 hours.

I remember way back at the start of the pandemic, being kicked out of a county park for walking, but yet I was allowed to stand in long lines at the grocery store. I knew then that this was just the tip of the iceberg.

The health officials and the politicians were, and are, doing their best, but let us be honest, they have no real clue of just how deep this pandemic will go.

Lives are being lost at an alarming rate to which this generation has never experienced!

We are seeing folks now more than ever, struggling with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and substance abuse.

Small businesses are taking one of the biggest hits. How many more will close? If we lose many more, it will erode the base of the overall economy. Families sooner or later are going to be losing their homes. Where does it all end?

We all need to follow the guidelines to keep those around us safe, to think of how our actions may affect the elder or folks who are immunecompromised!

As crazy as this may sound, it appears we all may have to embrace a massive change to every aspect of our lives.

We need to continue to look forward. Our models for the many different aspects of life are going to need to be adjusted.

Jobs are going to be online, working from home will be the rule, not the exception. Trades are going to be done remotely, your plumber will figure out the problem on a video chat to limit the time in your home.

Multi-generational homes are going to be the norm. This is not a bad thing, learning from former generations in a home can lead to better problem solving, and a better understanding of one's heritage.

Health calls will be a video chat. Doctors need to protect themselves so they can continue to help you!

Individual greenspace will be a priority. We need to be outside exercising, working in the garden, playing, shovelling snow in the winter, anything to stay healthy and busy.

Small businesses will end up providing avenues of revenue (government get out of the way).

Our top priority will return to family and the importance of being close and together.

As a society, we need to understand that we need to change our thought process to continue to grow.

I get it, change is never easy, but when you love the ones around you, you find a way.

Hey, folks enjoy the day!

Dave Scott

144 Queensway East Simcoe • 519-426-3010 • DemeyereChrysler.com

IN THE

LONG

RUN

By CHARLIE UPSHALL

GRATITUDE “Enjoy the little things, for one day, you may look back and realize they were the big things.” ~ R. Brault “It is easy to love people in memory; the hard thing is to love them when they are in front of you.” ~ John Updike “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” ~ Willie Nelson Do you make a New Year’s Resolution? I do. This year it is my resolve to feel and express gratitude for what I have been given. Gratitude is the quality of being thankful. It is the readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. These days, it seems particularly appropriate to take stock of what we have, acknowledge our good fortune, and not spend an inordinate amount of time dwelling on the challenges, limitations, and hardships of the pandemic.

Gratitude does not make problems disappear. It does not cure illness, and it does not provide income. Life involves suffering. No amount of positive thinking exercises will change that truth. However, what gratitude can do is turn what we have into enough.

Be thankful for what you have. Grateful people take the good things as gifts, not as birthrights. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never have enough. Don’t compare what you have to what others have.

Personally, what I want to focus on is gratitude toward people. That being said, I realize, and am absolutely appreciative of my good health and good fortune to have the economic means to support a comfortable life.

I would say that if you are taking someone for granted, a partner, a family member, a friend, a coworker, anyone you rely upon, then you may want to

do the following. Take a step back and imagine your life without them. In general, if you are taking a good thing for granted, try giving it up for a while. Absence may make the heart grow grateful. The savouring of positive experiences makes them stick in your brain and increases their benefits to your well-being. If we do it enough, gratitude might become ingrained as a habit.

We thrive best with a combination of partners, family, friends and pets. Take that step back before it’s too late, or you may have regrets about your behaviour that you will never be able to reconcile. It is our responsibility to gain some wisdom and appreciation as we age and live through more experiences.

We need to show gratitude because it is the right thing to do and because it benefits its recipients. People appreciate an honest thank you. When you say thank you to a person, your brain registers that something good has happened and you become more integrated into a meaningful social community. The skilled grateful person will be specific, offering more than a general thank you. When focussed on the action you want to acknowledge, the expression of gratitude feels more authentic, as it reveals that the thanker is genuinely paying attention and not just going through the motions. People signal grateful feeling through more caring and attentive behaviour. We often need to work on becoming better listeners.

Mental and physical benefits will accrue to you as well if you embrace feeling and showing gratitude. It is an antidote to negative emotions as well as a neutralizer of envy, hostility, worry and irritation. Physically, you may find better health in general, better sleep, less fatigue and lower levels of cellular inflammation.

Mentally, you will be in a more positive frame of mind and have increased happiness. As well, you will become less materialistic and develop greater resiliency.

Less stressed, your chances of experiencing burnout are reduced. Feeling gratitude will encourage the development of patience, humility and wisdom. Prosocial actions will be more likely and, for sure, personal relationships will be strengthened. Gratitude is a most profound form of courtesy.

When we get in the habit of taking time to notice the things that go right and acknowledge them, it means we will likely get a lot of little rewards throughout the day. Every time a person expresses or receives gratitude, dopamine releases in the brain, thus making a connection between the behaviour and feeling good.

As an example, I had an old hockey jacket from four decades ago. I loved that jacket and wore it for many years. When it finally wore out, I kept wearing it at home for doing yard work. It was frayed, the pockets were torn, and one arm had a big hole in it. I made the tough decision recently to discard it and let go of the connection between the coat and certain memories of times gone by. Unbeknownst to me, it was rescued by

a friend who created a perfect design incorporating the league championship crest and the arm patch and then framed it. It hangs in my den and will go with me wherever I live. I get pleasure from looking at it as a reminder of my past. Much more than that, it elicits pleasure because I know I felt gratitude in the moment, and I expressed it to my friend.

It seems likely that gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home and a stranger into a friend.

Yes, we must work on gratitude. We can think of it as a type of strength training for the heart. But the more we practice, the more natural and easier it gets.

Feeling and showing gratitude for big and small things in life seems like the perfect resolution. Those you know benefit, and you benefit. Maybe we can make our world a little happier.

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Interview at Erie Music

AND THE

Hi, I am here with Charlie Dewit, owner of Erie Music located at 12 Norfolk Street South in Simcoe, Ontario.

For those who don’t know, what is it that you do here?

Erie music is a full-service music store.

We buy, sell, and repair instruments. We also sell parts and other music-related items. We also have a music school with around 250 students taking classes.

What type of lessons do you give?

We do piano, drums, vocal, and trumpet, to name a few.

What is the most popular musical instrument you give lessons for?

Piano is the most popular, and drums are pretty close in comparison.

How long have you been providing service here?

Erie Music has been here for 25 years.

However, I have been the owner for the past 17 years.

Do you play an instrument yourself?

I have played the guitar for about 20 years.

Have you ever met any famous musicians at your store?

Over the years we have had Colin James; Ted Dwane, the bass player for Mumford & Sons; Roger Banks, a very talented drummer who at one time played with Alanis Morissette. We also had George Canyon in who actually bought a guitar here from our manager Bob Boisclair, from his personal collection.

Other than instruments and lessons, what else do you do here?

We also host drum and guitar clinics, and sometimes have live music. However, due to COVID, we have had to put those things on hold.

Thanks for your time, and I hope to hear some of your music sometime.

I recommend everyone to check out Erie Music in Simcoe for all your musical needs!!

They are open Monday to Friday 11:00am 7:00pm and Saturdays 10:00am - 3:00pm.

BY KEVIN ROCKEFELLER

Podcast

I have to thank all of the businesses that participated in this year’s Hub Media and One Media Christmas video of the Twelve... Thirteen... Fourteen Days of Christmas.

As we were going to print the video was closing in on 30 thousand views on Facebook!

Chris, Joel and I enjoyed the opportunity to work with so many fantastic businesses and spread some good cheer as we brought 2020 to a close.

Our hope is to create a few more of these videos during the 2021 year. These videos are truly an excellent way to raise your business profile on various social media platforms.

It is great to sit with folks and brainstorm a fun video idea for their business. Chris and I have been working together for almost eight years, creating

videos locally for folks all over the area. Why not let us help you?!

VIDEOS Speaking of videos, Barb Anstead and I kicked off another year of Health Advice from Dover Apothecary. January's topic is, how to get your new year going in the right direction both physically and mentally. Check it out at our website HubMedia.info or HubMedia.info on Facebook.

AUDIO On the audio side, Randy Halmo and I are starting season three of the Boomer Music Experience! This year, our audio podcast is looking to have a few guests and hopefully be back in the studio together.

If you have any ideas for an upcoming show, drop me a line at editor@hubmedia.info. We thank you for listening!

Dave Scott

Chris Atkins

PAUSE & REFLECT: MENTAL HEALTH BARB ANSTEAD, Holistic Nutritionist

There was no sneak peek at 2020, for the majority, no warning or explanation of what the year would bring. 2021 is now upon us. We now have some expectation of the impact and reality, the vision of how our lives have required adjustments and how we are coping with these changes.

I feel it is extremely important that we start this year by pausing and reflecting honestly upon our mental and emotional health. I encourage everyone to check in on themselves and their loved ones to assess what is serving them and what is not, amidst the changes that have come to be our “new normal.”

Moving forward, it is important to understand that our mental/emotional well-being is affected by a broad range of “inputs and/or deficits.” We have so much more control over how we feel and respond than we realize.

Banking on our health means we have at least a rudimentary understanding of our needs and that we are empowered and educated in methods that will serve us as we explore the unknowns of the New Year. Preparing a well-researched tool kit, with deliberation and intent can be a life-changing process.

At Dover Apothecary, our mission of serving and caring for our community has never wavered. While we have had to make many unprecedented changes to adjust to the uncertainty and regulatory processes, it is important to reassure everyone that our commitment, services and products continue to be our priority. Your wellness is our focus.

As Essential Health Care Professionals, we are committed to meeting your specific needs and can guide you in developing effective and sustainable strategies to optimize your health and well-being.

Focus on the positive things you can control and avoid extremes by learning about practices that are health

supportive versus habits and behaviours that ultimately hijack our well-being.

Practices that support health, whether physical or mental/ emotional, will also boost our immune function!

Nutrient-dense whole foods are a powerhouse of cellular restoration and fuel us to support us on an anatomical and functional level. Proper sleep is critical for repair processes and rejuvenation, exercise, fresh air, good hygiene practices, adequate water intake, supplements where needed and good bowel habits, are all things we have the ability to impact.

Consider a high quality, B-complex Vitamin to support your Central Nervous system and help you manage stress.

Probiotics, Vitamin D3, Omega 3 and L-Theanine, are just a few of the very effective and supportive supplements you may consider. There are some fantastic wearable, neurotech products I use personally and offer my clients in my Practice.

Humans are social beings - we need to nurture a positive state of mind. Feelings of connection, community and having a sense of purpose, loving, learning and continuing to grow and develop are all critical components of overall wellness.

Health hijacking habits have been at an all-time high for many individuals. Excesses or extremes of substances such as alcohol or drugs, even poor food choices and overconsumption, can easily become a serious issue.

Negativity, frustration, fear, anger, loneliness/isolation, binge type behaviours and inertia are self-perpetuating and destructive. Having direction and support is critical to alter and find solutions to get back on track.

Most people will waver periodically on health benefiting practices, but finding a balance can be much easier when we understand and simply implement more supportive strategies than negative habits.

Let’s face it, none of us knows what tomorrow will bring,

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Sunny It was late November, early in the morning when I woke up to a sound. Hearing it, I sat up in the bed and said to my wife, Monica, "Something is wrong with Sunny (our dog)."

I had that feeling when your gut just tightens, and you can feel the pain of another. He passed the next day, and for the first time in close to thirty years, there wasn’t the love of a dog in our home.

Sunny just wanted to be with us (I don’t think he even thought he was a dog). If he was with you, he was happy, a big, goofy, clumsy galoot who just wanted to be loved!.

Sunny was always at the top of the stairs to greet you, no matter how early you got up, and he loved his walks. That is what I will miss most, no leash, he would just walk with me.

Sunny always went wild with excitement when one of our kids returned home from being away, running in circles, ears flopping side to side and a rather unique doggy smile. Our son, Lirum, would literally lay with him on the lawn. With our daughter, Erin, Sunny would roll from side to side as she called his name. With Monica well, he knew where to get extra cuddles when done with the kids.

When our other dog, Moca, passed away last year, you could see Sunny mourning the loss, and from that day on, he went everywhere with us.

Sunny was the most loyal dog ever. When Moca was alive and wanted to take off to the beach, Sunny

but should we be blessed with more days, the choices we make can be the healthy head start we need for an optimized future.

If you are ready, book a Nutritional Consult to get your New Year off to a great start. Tax receipts are provided, and consults may be covered by your insurance carrier.

Wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy, Empowered New Year!

Barb Anstead NNCP barb@healthywellandwise.ca | (519) 410-3544 Dover Apothecary | (519) 583-3784 customerservice@doverapothecary.ca

would try his best to fight his natural instincts and stay in the yard... he just loved being around us.

On the last day of his life, all he wanted was to go for one more walk. He was so weak, but I knew he needed to do it. It was a walk that will stick in my mind for a long time. He struggled but refused to stop, his pace weakened, he stopped to rest, I would wait, reminding him that I loved him and it was okay.

He would stagger and start again slowly, bringing his head to my hand, just one more pet, just one more step. Our time together was fading, we carried on.

My heart ached for him, he wasn’t ready to go, all he wanted was to finish the walk. As we climbed the last small hill, I could see the life slipping away from his body. He made it to the back yard, exhausted and laid down. It was time. I sat with him rubbing his ears the way he liked, his eyes tired and weak.

I wanted to be strong for him. I wanted a few more walks. I wanted his goofy look to return. I got up to go get a blanket to pick him up, but of course, he willed himself up one more time; he didn’t want to be alone. As I put him in the car, he dozed peacefully, a few hours later he passed.

In our family, our three dogs have given us so much, unconditional love, loyalty, laughter, and companionship. It seems the older we get, the harder it is to lose them!

To Sunny, I know you, Moca and Jake are always walking with us! We miss you!

Dave Scott

See you in the Spring!

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Please be aware that our clinic is taking precautions into consideration for COVID-19.

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If you have answered YES to any of the questions in this survey, please stay home and self-isolate.

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We also ask that you remain in your car when you arrive to the clinic and your practitioner will let you in for your appointment.

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"Resilience" and How it Affects Mental Health

BRANT ADMINISTRATION OFFICE 44 King Street, Suite 203 Brantford, ON N3T 3C7 HALDIMAND NORFOLK OFFICE 395 Queensway West Simcoe, ON N3Y 2N4 519-428-3424 Toll Free: 1-888-750-7778 Website: bhn.cmha.ca

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Resilience is what is getting most of us through the challenges of the pandemic, and it’s also a quality that will carry us forward into 2021.

Resilience is key to the connection between hope and mental health. Resilience refers to the ability to bounce back more quickly after difficult experiences and to learn from those experiences. Resilient people don’t ignore or suppress difficult emotions; they process them, learn from them, and take those lessons into the next phase of their life. Hope and optimism are closely associated with resilience.

5 Ways to Cultivate Hope, Reduce Anxiety and Build resilience Focus on your strengths. Tapping into our natural strengths cultivates a sense of hope and resilience. Remembering and using our personal strengths creates confidence that we can get through whatever comes our way.

Practice gratitude. Research shows that practising gratitude is very effective in creating hope for the future. Try keeping a gratitude journal in which you list big and small things you’re

grateful for each day. Or, at the end of every day, think back on three things you were grateful for. Families can do a gratitude practice together during meals, by going around the table and each sharing one thing you’re thankful for.

Reframe negative thoughts. When you feel afraid or hopeless, try zeroing in on what’s scaring you and looking at it in a different way. It’s natural to be anxious right now, but there are things you can do to make it better.

Limit media exposure. Both news coverage and social media can have negative effects on hope and mental health. News tends to focus on the most frightening and sensational aspects of what’s happening, and it can make us more vulnerable to vicarious trauma.

Spend time with hopeful, optimistic people. When you surround yourself with people who are hopeful and positive, you’re more likely to feel that way yourself.

In summary, hope and mental health are closely linked. We can strengthen both by taking small, daily actions that will help us thrive, even in the midst of uncertainty.

Happy 2021 from all of us at CMHA Brant Haldimand Norfolk!

The Olde Towne Gallery (519) 428-1329 • vlgibbons@live.com Painting by Vic Gibbons

Silver Linings The world has turned to fear and hate-mongering more than ever again, it seems. This is sad, you would think that we as humanity would have learned by now that hate just breeds more hate and fear more fear. We get stuck in these cycles and then wonder what happened to the world. Yet still, we hate. We swallow the poison being fed to us. No matter what news station you turn on today, you get bombarded with it. Of course, news stations love to sensationalize the dramatic because that is ultimately how they get viewers and money. Yeah, that's right, these people are exploiting and making money off of your fear. It's why the Hub is so cool.

My dad has always made an effort to make sure that when people pick up the Hub, they get to spend a moment glimpsing all the good that the world has to offer. I remember as a kid when my dad was kicking around the idea of starting a good news newspaper (for all the new readers, this very magazine used to be a paper). I had come home from school with an assignment to write about an article that I read in the newspaper. When I did, there was nothing but stories made to scare you, heck even the sports section... if you are a Leaf fan! It was what put the idea in his head, and he ran with it, which just goes to show that good can come from anywhere.

It is possible to step away from the hate and fear and focus on all the good in our community. Even in the darkest times, the good is there, we just need to pay attention.

Sometimes we need help to step away from all the negativity in the world and in our lives. Maybe reading the Hub does it for you, or dancing in the rain, or watching the greatest TV show of all time (clearly 30 Rock). The truth is though, that it's not always easy for some of us to turn those bad thoughts off, and that is okay.

I know it's something that I have always struggled with.

Sometimes we need help to change the narratives in our own head, and when we do, it is okay to ask for that help, whether it is from family members, friends

or even mental health professionals. There is no shame in asking for help.

If you broke your ankle then you would go to the doctor to have it put in a cast, well unless you are my dad then you finish playing the hockey game first‌ but the point is you know you need help to make sure the bone heals properly so you can get back out on the rink. It is the same when it comes to our mental and emotional health. Some traumas are just too much for us to deal with on our own, so we take a deep breath, hold our head high and say you know what, I'm going to go see my psychologist, and if someone doesn't like it well then the gloves are coming off (please don't actually introduce someone to what I am sure is a mean left hook).

The world is all about the bad lately, about spreading hate and fear, but it is up to you whether or not you let that negativity into your home and heart. You do have the power to turn the news station off and to watch something positive instead. There is a very distinct line between educating yourself on what is going on in the world and falling for their fear-mongering and propaganda. And no, my dad did not ask me to write a pro Hub propaganda piece, sheesh, he bribed me with a puppy, but don't tell CNN‌ Erin Scott

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