LifeTimes June 2023

Living well after 50

Tampa Bay Times | Sunday, May 28, 2023

Carpe

diem

Bestselling author and motivational speaker Fawn Germer shares what it means to live life to the fullest.

Pages 4-5.

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CROSSWORD Labor Day Made Simple by Merl Reagle ACROSS 1 5 9 12 18 19 21

Robert, the would-be justice Vegas counter ___ diet Dipped out, as punch Actor Novello Stitch anew 1971 hit, “Baby ___ Want You” 22 Ten-hut’s opposite 23 What ditch diggers do on Labor Day? 26 Very healthy 27 Like some ink 28 Crude bunch: abbr.

29 Mr. Dailey 30 Actress Charlotte 31 Fitting 32 Greek letter 33 What fishermen do on Labor Day? 36 Black Flag rival 38 Old denial 40 Awfully long time, eh what?

41 Lieut.’s lieut.

42 Lots and lots 45 Out-and-out 48 Pasta sauce 51 What door-to-door salesmen do on Labor Day? 56 Equanimity 57 “Nonsense!”

58 Remove, as Odysseus from the mast 60 What projectionists do on Labor Day? 64 Ms. Dickinson 67 Fwy., e.g.

68 ___ to say (implying) 69 Wells’s race of the future 70 Leg part 71 Actor James 72 Soft touch

73 Ms. DeMille 75 What surgeons do on Labor Day? 78 1992 Wimbledon champ 80 Scorch 82 Exchange 83 What comedians do on Labor Day? 89 Sagebrush tale 90 Hang in the air 91 “We’re all ___ together” 93 On 96 End up with nothing 98 Compass dir.

100 Bear’s urge 101 What umpires do on Labor Day? 106 Shortfall 109 “That’s interesting” 110 Medicos’ org.

111 Superman foe Luthor 112 Song for Battle 113 Chili ___ 115 Mexican revolutionary 117 What security guards do on Labor Day? 119 Special forces 120 Sugar tail 121 Wake 122 Soccer great 123 Much of Arizona 124 End up with everything 125 “Shall we?” answer 126 “The ___ the limit”

DOWN 1 Elephant feature 2 Take too much on a trip 3 It happens as the world turns 4 Barbra’s A Star Is Born co-star 5 Wharf catches

6 Movie Van 7 “Ah ... say no more” 8 Sitting and singing site 9 3-by-5 items 10 Cocoon co-star 11 Courthouse VIPs 12 SoFi Stadium player 13 Make amends 14 Cotillion celeb 15 Palmer and Petrie 16 Cousins of editorials 17 Loathe 20 Impressed exclamation 24 Hour of down time?

25 Choose 29 Recipient 33 It means “cell” 34 2nd-yr. student 35 Cult film classic, Eating ___ 37 “A ___ golden sun ...”

39 Halo 43 Bus. course 44 Props for Picabo 46 Half of an ice cream flavor 47 Dukes of Hazzard spinoff 49 The art of harmonious building, feng ___ 50 Musical sound 52 Pale 53 Gratitude, memo-style 54 Abraham’s wife, in Genesis 55 Founded: abbr.

59 Coop group 60 Hemingway sobriquet 61 Custom 62 Missile moniker 63 Mr. Martini’s vermouth partner 65 Birds, at times 66 Conductor Solti 70 Noted ballet company 71 Summits 73 Between ports

The crossword puzzle solution is on Page 7

74 Surrounded 75 Africa’s Burkina ___ 76 Hawaiian island 77 Paradise 79 Mine excavation 81 Give confidence 84 Fax’s grandparent 85 “... pretty maids all in ___” 86 Kettle of fish 87 Jimmy Snyder’s nickname

88 Sans sound 92 Places for aces 93 Thunderstruck 94 Mexican treat 95 Giraffe cousins 97 Fashion designer Arnold (it’s just his real name spelled backward) 99 Self-centered one 102 Amend 103 Seder, for one

104 Permit: abbr.

105 Lion portrayer, 1939 107 Poker stakes 108 Interest rate, for example: abbr.

113 Whodunit game 114 Europe’s high points 116 Had ham 117 Impressed exclamation 118 “You’ve got mail” co.

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STEP BY STEP Sally Anderson

Photos by Dan Canoro

Your Move | Demonstrated by Barbi Bozich 1. Lunge with Spinal Twist: A core exercise that also includes glutes, quads, hip flexors and hamstrings.

Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart.

• Hold a medicine ball in front of you with both hands; bend elbows about 90 degrees.

• Step forward with your right foot, lowering your body into a basic lunge position.

• Turn your torso to the right, keeping core engaged.

• Slowly return arms back to the center.

• Bring your right foot back and return to starting position.

• Repeat eight to 10 times.

• Repeat pattern stepping out with left foot.

Tip: To lunge, keep your torso straight and abdominals contracted as you bend knees lowering toward the floor.

2. Piriformis Stretch: Stretches hips, back, and glutes.

Sit on the floor with both legs extended in front of you.

• Bend your right leg over your left leg and place your right foot flat on the floor.

• Place your right hand on the floor behind you.

• Place your left hand on your right quad or your left elbow on your right knee.

• Press your right leg to the left as you turn your torso to the right; hold 20 seconds.

• Repeat pattern on other side.

Tip: Piriformis crosses over the sciatic nerve and if it is tight, it can cause sciatic irritation.

3. Sphinx Stretch: Strengthens and stretches spine, buttocks and chest.

Lie on your stomach with your elbows under your shoulders and your hands extended in front of you with your palms facing down.

• Place your chin on the mat.

• Extend your legs behind you with your feet slightly apart.

• Press your forearms into the floor as you lift your head and chest off the floor.

• Press your pelvis into the floor, looking straight ahead.

• Hold pose for 20 seconds, repeat several times.

Tip: The sphinx stretch also helps ease lower back pain and stiffness.

4. Seated Hamstring Stretch: Targets the backs of your thighs.

Sit near the front edge of a chair.

• Keep your hands on the opposite leg you will be stretching.

• Place one leg out in front of you with your heel on the floor.

• Keep your leg straight and point your toes toward the ceiling.

• With a straight back, lean forward from your hips.

• Stretch each leg for 10 seconds; eventually work up to 20 seconds.

Tip: Avoid rounding your lower back.

STRETCH IT OUT

Flexibility, often called stretching, may be the “forgotten item,” even among regular exercisers. Many times, you will see people come into the gym and go back out without doing any stretching.

While people do aerobic activities to improve their cardiovascular endurance and weight training to maintain lean muscle mass, it is just as important to maintain flexibility with stretching.

Some people are naturally more flexible because of genetics, but as they age they tend to lose flexibility. Just what is flexibility? It is the ability to move muscles and joints through their full range of motion comfortably, without pain. Your muscles are less likely to be tight as stretching keeps the muscles flexible. If you avoid stretching, the muscles can shorten. The American College of Sports Medicine suggests stretching at least two to three times per week, and that daily stretching is most effective.

Benefits of Flexibility • Allows for more freedom of movement.

• Decreases muscle stiffness as it increases range of motion.

• Improves blood flow and circulation.

• Improves posture and balance.

Stretching the muscles of your lower back, shoulders and chest helps to keep your back in proper alignment. Overly tight muscles can cause an imbalance in muscles.

Dynamic Stretching vs.

Static Stretching Dynamic stretching is an active form of stretching that should be used before you begin a workout or any form of exercise.

Some examples include walking knee to chest, lunges, straight-leg kicks, torso twists and squats. Complete about 10 repetitions each.

Static stretching is when you stretch and hold and is used at the end of the workout when muscles and tendons are warm and have plenty of blood flow. Each stretch should be held for 15-30 seconds and repeated two to four times. Static stretching is good to perform throughout the day. A few examples of static stretching include chest stretches, hamstring stretches and quad stretches.

Check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

Sally Anderson is happy to hear from readers but can’t respond to individual inquiries.

Contact her at slafit@tampabay.rr.com.

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Seize the moment, seize the day, seize your life

Photos courtesy Fawn Germer

Kayaking near the Dunedin Causeway to catch the sunrise is a reliable source of pure joy for Fawn Germer and her friends.

BY FAWN GERMER It’s 5:15 a.m. and I’ve got three friends with me – ages 38 to 79 – as we launch our kayaks under a full moon as it begins to set into the Gulf. When it quietly vanishes, we turn around to catch an explosive, five-star Florida sunrise.

This show happens every month.

It is free, right off the Dunedin Causeway. Yet we’re the only people here.

There are almost a million residents in Pinellas County, but nobody else is ever out there when I head out for a sunrise paddle. I don’t get it. We were out of the water by 7:30 a.m. and easily back home and cleaned up for our morning Zoom calls. Time isn’t an excuse.

I post pictures of those experiences and always get hundreds of likes.

People say, “I want your life!” Or “You have the best life.”

But it is so easy to have what I have. You just have to decide to have it.

I’ve never once wanted to get up early for a sunrise, but I’ve never once regretted it, either. If I am on the East Coast, I will always, always get up for a sunrise over the Atlantic as my four-legged pit bull sidekick, Sonny, hikes the beach with his mommy. It is the most inspiring visual ever, made better by my dog’s joy. He actually stops to watch the sun come up.

Every day should be magnificent.

I start mornings with a hike in my spectacular neighborhood park, Hammock Park, which has miles of trails in the forest. There are

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hundreds of homes surrounding that park, but I always see the same 15 people in the morning and the same 25 people at night. I only see one of my neighbors there, and a few others from the broader neighborhood.

because I give them an escape.

I don’t get it. It’s all right there.

It’s free!

If you want a bigger life, choose to live a bigger life! Don’t watch somebody else doing fun stuff, just get up and do it yourself. If that is not your natural inclination, force yourself to do it once. It’ll be easier when you force yourself the next time. By the third, fourth or fifth time, you won’t be forcing yourself.

You will have grown more open to leaving your rut.

I post my activities on Facebook, mostly so I have all of my photos in one place. I think I have the most boring Facebook page ever because it is just pictures of my dog, kayaking at sunrise, kayaking at sunset, hanging out at sunset or camping.

But all of that repetitiveness still gets hundreds of likes and people write to thank me for posting my pictures

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Some get the impression that I have the most carefree and magical life ever – which I definitely don’t.

I have my obstacles and my issues, but they don’t stop me from living large.

But there is a catch. You have to do

all of this while you can. You will not get advance notice that something is going to happen to your health, and you will never run or swim or kayak again. Health is always the wild card. I learned that in 1991.

That was when, after my mother and I had the most amazing motherdaughter week, I went home to Colorado shortly before I got the call that my mom suffered the stroke that paralyzed her for the rest of her life. She was 66 and lived another 22 years, fighting so many health obstacles and then facing Alzheimer’s for the last 12 years of her life.

From the minute she suffered that stroke, I realized that I was running

out of time. We all are. I didn’t know how much good health was in front of me; I knew I was OK “right now” and I’d better bet on “right now” while it was good. So, I dove in.

Are you living your largest life?

Or are you waiting for something to happen (kids go to college, you lose weight, you retire) to let you finally do what you’d really like to do? Do you push yourself to do things that may be a little uncomfortable? Do you look at your life here in Florida as an opportunity to have a vacation experience every day? Because you can.

What really liberated me was the decision to make peace with doing some things alone. I love tent

Fawn and Sonny enjoy a bright day on the water.

Fawn shares a quiet moment with Sonny before they pile into her kayak.

I’ve never once wanted to get up early for a sunrise, but I’ve never once regretted it, either.

camping. Most of my friends hate it. I still go. I will kayak at sunrise alone. I’ll even do it alone in the dark – but very, very carefully. A lot of my friends are not as active as I am, so I have to be willing to go solo.

The surprise lesson was that my solo moments are usually the best of all.

I can think, pray, remember. I can be in the moment, enjoying dolphins or manatees that no one else will see. I love my own company.

that every day.

We live in paradise. Most people wait all year to spend a week on our beaches. You have the option to leave your rut immediately because there are so many options right here.

So, seize the moment, seize the day, seize your life.

There was a time when I worked a regular job and I would drive to the beach at lunchtime, swim for 20 to 30 minutes, then be back at work before my lunch hour ended.

Granted, living close to the beach made that quite doable. You also live close to something wonderful.

You can walk in one of our beautiful parks, go out and garden, sit on a bench and people-watch or do any of a million other things that you might find fun. Just leave your rut.

I have always done touristy things because they are so much fun. I have parasailed, gone fishing on party boats, taken dolphin boat tours, visited local attractions, rented chairs under umbrellas at the Rockaway, taken the ferry out to the beach, gone to dinner at waterfront restaurants and much of the other stuff that excites visitors when they come here. I like those things because they are fun and easy to do, because I just show up and everything is taken care of for me.

It takes so little effort to change everything. All you have to do is put on your shoes and walk out the door.

Or take a minute to figure out what it is that really makes you happy and find a way to do something like

If you are over 50 or 60 or 70 or even older than dirt, there is always something you can do to put more living into your life. Just decide to make every day a little different from the one before.

I’ve done five of my famous “reset” walks (I wrote a book on this), walking 7 to 13 miles a day on our beaches until I have hiked every inch of our coast. If I skip the barrier islands (which I can kayak

to or access by boat or ferry), the hike takes five or six days. And I can spread it out even longer. It is easy because I can walk as far as I want, then take the PSTA Beach Trolley back down to my car – everywhere but to Fort De Soto. What a luxury to get to know all of our beaches like that, and how empowering to turn around and know that I’ve hiked as far as I can see.

I have also joined a number of local adventure groups on Meetup .com. I’ve been a member of one for more than a decade and have gone on worldwide adventures with these people who all started out as strangers but wound up being dear friends who love to camp, kayak and explore.

I love camping, which opens up a ton of adventure here because Florida has GREAT state parks.

It may seem like I never work.

Not true. I’ve worked hard and

accomplished a lot in my lifetime.

Maybe I could have worked harder and played a little less, but I’ve lived the happiest life of anyone I know.

I am 62 years old and, if I were to die tomorrow, everybody who knows me would smile and say, “Well, she didn’t have unfinished business.”

Soon, Sonny and I will leave on a three-month camping adventure to Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Alberta, Canada. It’s a daunting thought, and I have to admit, I have moments when I think I have lost my mind. It’s intimidating.

But I’m going to do what I told you to do: I’m just going to go.

The first day will be nerveracking. The second day will be stressful. The third day will be less stressful. And on day four, I will be used to it.

I’ll be on my way.

Fawn Germer is the bestselling author of nine books and a global motivational speaker on leadership, change and life effectiveness.

Visit fawngermer.com or find her personal Facebook page.

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Lifetimes Diversions

St. Pete Beach Outdoor Craft Festival • June 3 & 4 From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, enjoy a fun and FREE event in the heart of St. Pete Beach. Discover the creativity and artistry of the nation’s best crafters. The event also features a Green Market, which offers a variety of exotic live plants, handmade soaps, savory dips, gourmet sauc-

es and more. Find a special something you won’t find anywhere else! 350 Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach.

Safety Harbor’s Market on Main • June 4 Every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., explore this lively outdoor market for handcrafted items, local food vendors, produce, fresh orange juice, pickled products, and much more! The selection varies each week. Stroll quaint downtown Safety Harbor after your visit to the market.

Tampa Theatre Summer Classics • June 4 Every Sunday at 3 p.m., starting June 4 until Aug. 27, catch a classic movie at the Tampa Theatre in downtown Tampa. The series opener is Mrs. Doubtfire with Robin

Williams. For info, call (813) 274-8286.

FREE Weekday Yoga June 13 & 27 Realign your week with Bella Prana Studios for our Weekday Flow Yoga class! Designed to calm the mind, challenge the

body, and support the nervous system. After your practice, head inside Heights Public Market for a breakfast and coffee. 9-10 a.m. Class is held on our South Lawn, facing the Hillsborough River. All skill levels welcome; early arrival recommended. Remember to bring a yoga mat, towel, and water bottle.

Armature Works, Tampa.

armatureworks.com

Line Dance Social • June 2 Join us for a fun-filled evening of line dancing in Largo! We will have someone playing music while you dance the night away. No instruction will be given; this will be pure dancing. First Friday of the month. June 2, July 7, Aug. 4. $5 per person. From 6-8 p.m. at the Largo Community Center. Call (727) 518-3131 for more information.

Juneteenth 2023 Cultural Festival & Celebration June 17 From 3-9 p.m. in Raymond James Stadium, the family-friendly festivities

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include live music, art, retail shopping, food trucks, a kids zone, bouncy houses, health screenings, a car show and a petting zoo! Tickets start at $10 on Eventbrite.com.

Tampa Bay Boat Show June 23-25 This FREE three-day event at the Florida State Fairgrounds showcases area boat dealers and manufacturers, from yachts to cruisers, kayaks to standup paddle boards along with multiple vendors for the latest in boating and fishing supplies and accessories. Educational seminars scheduled as well. Friday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Call (727) 893-8523 for more information.

MY FAVORITE CAR Don Massey, 83, Clearwater, FL

1979 Chevy Monte Carlo T-Top, Black

I am the original owner of a black 1979 Monte Carlo t-top with oyster interior.

I still regularly drive it around the beaches and continually get positive comments. The car is in perfect condition with the original V-8 engine.

When I purchased the car, I wanted a convertible but the only Monte Carlo they

made at the time was a T-Top.

older man yelled to him, “Hey Kid, nice car!”

When my grandson (then 20 years old) from California was visiting, he asked if he could drive it to the beach. I said I’d go with him. When we got to Clearwater Beach, he pulled over and got out at the curb. Right then, an

My grandson still tells me that the best part of his visits is driving the old car.

I don’t ever want to sell it!

The attached picture is from 1996 of me with my car. The car looks the same, but I look a little older.

CALL TO READERS Tell us your love story What’s the story behind your favorite or first car? We’d like to share it.

CROSSWORD ANSWERS

IVO GET ER ___ AP RA

Please send: • Your name, city where you live and your age (with your date of birth).

• The year, make and model of the car, with a description of the car and why you love it.

• A high-resolution photo or a scanned image.

(Must be of the actual car.)

• Send to drive@tampabay .com and put My Favorite Car or My First Car in the subject line.

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