Lovin' Life After 50 - Southeast Valley - May 2022

May 2022

‘Real, Raw, Relevant’

Passionate About Skin

82-year-old motivational speaker finds passion in poetry

Midwestern values pay off for Sarah Neumann

Team Player DeAndre Hopkins’ mom helps domestic violence survivors

Southeast Valley Edition

Comedian Leanne Morgan is relatable Page 16

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MEMORIAL DAY Remembering & Honoring Show Show Your Your Colors Colors

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10 Team Player

DeAndre Hopkins’ mom helps domestic violence survivors

Opinion

6 7 8

Leibo At Large Ask Marisa News Briefs

Features

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‘Real, Raw, Relevant’

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Honesty is the Best Policy

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Opinion

Leibo At Large

The latest sign of lost youth is pickleball’s popularity

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ

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Life sometimes presents signs that you have completely given up on your youth.

An example: you proudly present your AARP card to request a senior discount at the restaurant where you’re having dinner... at 4:45 on a Saturday afternoon.

Other telltale signs: You find it acceptable to wear socks with your sandals. You sing along in the car to The Monkees’ greatest hits. You have an AOL email account. Or you repeat dumb things like, “Well, age is just a number.”

Lately, I’ve noticed a new sign that you’ve quit on life. It’s all around us, people are raving about it and it looks utterly ridiculous to anyone who isn’t a freak for it. Yet, like folks who can’t stop talking about their keto diets, those who indulge and cannot stop chattering.

Enough with the pickleball stories already.

Trust me, no one cares that you almost made the Sun City Pickleball All-Stars. Because you look ridiculous playing midget tennis with a wiffleball standing on a lifesized ping-pong table.

No, I have never played pickleball. And yes, I still feel eminently qualified to comment on “America’s fastest-growing sport,” as christened by umpteen news outlets recently.

Industry stats show 4.8 million people played the game last year, double the number who played five years ago. There are an estimated 35,000 pickleball courts across the country. Last year’s national championships attracted 2,342 players competing for $90,000 in prize money.

There’s even a USA Pickleball Association, headquartered out of a P.O. box in that noted sports mecca, Surprise.

The most amazing statistic is that 4.8 million pickleball players told 480 million boring pickleball stories to the remaining 325 million Americans who don’t play.

Here’s a handy guide about sharing tales of pickleball hijinks. Ask yourself, “Did anyone playing pickleball in this story require a portable defibrillator or leave the court in handcuffs after committing felony assault or

murder?”

If the answer is “no,” do not tell your pickleball story.

Look, I get it. You’ve discovered a hobby you truly love, you’re an early adopter of a great awakening across the land and you want to share your pickleball passion. I felt the same way once. I was 12 years old, and my parents got me Electronic Battleship for Christmas.

That lasted three hours, until I lost half the pieces, or about as long as it takes your average 89-year-old pickleball aficionado to cover the game’s 20-foot-by-44-foot court. Incidentally, that’s one-third the square footage of a tennis court, a selling point often cited by pickleballers.

As in, “Dude, the court’s so small, anyone can play. It’s not even exercise. You barely have to move!”

Not that pickleball is all bad. The game does have controversy. Invented in 1965 by three boring rich families, the McCallums, Browns and Pritchards, who summered on Bainbridge Island outside Seattle, there is some dispute about the origin of the game’s name.

The Pritchards say wife JoAnn, an avid rower, named it. As she tells it, “the name of the game became pickleball, after I said it reminded me of the pickle boat in crew where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats.”

The more colorful legend, offered by the McCallums and Browns, is that the game was named after the Pritchards’ cockapoo puppy, Pickles, who loved to interrupt matches by running off with the wiffleball.

I love good dog stories. And when it comes to pickleball, I’m glad for two things.

One, that pickleball lovers didn’t instead take up fantasy football. Now those stories are godawful. And two, let’s be glad the dog wasn’t named Chewbarka or Poopsy. Then this column would have been a three-part series.

David Leibowitz has called the Valley home since 1995.

Contact david@leibowitzsolo.com.

www.LovinLife.com

Ask Marisa

Mom confused by daughter’s anger

BY MARISA PEER

Q

Dear Marisa, My two children are grown up and out of the house. They are both relatively successful, stable individuals who got a good education and now contribute to society in a positive way. As a result, I have always thought I did a pretty good job as a mother, and we’ve by and large had a stable relationship in the five or 10 years since they left home.

But recently, my elder daughter has been going to therapy and as a result, bringing up things from her childhood that she says affect her adult life now. She says there was a lot of unaddressed, simmering anger in our house, and the way we “brushed things under the rug” has caused her to struggle in romantic relationships. She also says it has manifested as anxiety in her daily life.

I am hurt by this. I know I was not perfect as a parent, but she could have had it so much worse. It seems that people in her age group are almost looking for reasons to feel hard done by, and therapy is often the place where they go and find it.

I’m not sure what she is trying to achieve by bringing this up with me and my husband, and to be honest, I do not know how to respond. What do you think?

Signed, I did my best

A

Dear I did my best, Here are two truths that can be said about nearly all parents. One, they do their best with the resources and awareness they have at the time. And two, they mess it up.

As a parent myself, I know how difficult it can be to hear about the ways you came up short as a parent. It can feel extremely unfair, especially if you are comparing it to your own childhood, which may have been materially much worse. It’s not unreasonable to feel some shame around these kinds of conversations.

But here’s the thing: You should try to see it as a good thing that your daughter is bringing up these topics with you now. www.LovinLife.com

It shows that she has a desire to remain close and connected to you in her adult life. I would imagine that for your daughter, part of doing that is to address some of the ways that her relationship with you as a child affects her now. In other words: she wants to stop sweeping things under the rug.

The reason she is talking to you about it isn’t because she wants to punish you, it’s because she wants to feel better understood by her parents, who she loves.

She wants more connection with you, not less. This is her way of showing that.

Keep in mind that you may not see the ways that your daughter has struggled in her adult life. Just because she is stable, employed, and not a menace to society doesn’t mean she hasn’t suffered.

Issues like anxiety and depression affect so many people, and our society has really not reckoned with their deeper causes, instead jumping to medication and quick fixes to keep them at bay. Try not to dismiss her suffering as something she’s making up for attention. She is trying to better her life, and this is likely part of that process.

When you find out your child is going to therapy, it’s easy to jump to a thought like: “I can’t believe I raised a child who was messed up enough to go to therapy.” I invite you to change that thought to something like “I raised a child who was intelligent, resourced, and emotionally aware enough to seek out growth and development with the help of a therapist.” As long as your daughter is being respectful in the way she brings up these topics with you, I would try your hardest to listen to her.

One thing that might make that easier for you is a practice of self-compassion.

Remember how I mentioned the shame many parents go through when met with the ways they failed as parents?

The best antidote to that is feeling compassion for yourself, both the present and prior versions of yourself. Absolutely no one on the planet is spared from

suffering, imperfections, shortcomings, and faults. That includes you, your parents, and their parents. The only rational response to that hard truth is to forgive yourself.

Cultivating a deep well of compassion for yourself through regular practices like meditation, hypnosis audios, or daily affirmations can help you show up to conversations with your daughter more willing to hear her truth, which will always be different from your truth. After all, the best way to feel compassion for others is to first feel it for yourself first.

Our children don’t see their childhood the way we as their parents do and that is normal. As a parent something I found immensely helpful was to apologise to my child, even if I felt I was not in the wrong.

When you can say “I am so sorry you feel like that, I am so sorry that affected you,” you are giving your child the gift of being heard and acknowledged and often, that is all they are asking for.

I wish you luck, Marisa “Tell Yourself a Better Lie: Use the Power of Rapid Transformational Therapy to Edit Your Story and Rewrite Your Life” is available on Amazon.

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...continues on page 9 MAY 2022

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7

News Briefs

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

Abrazo Buckeye hosting stroke risk screening

Abrazo Buckeye Emergency Center will hold a low-cost stroke and heart attack risk assessment event from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 18.

AngioScreen checks the body’s circulatory system and provides information about an individual’s blood flow in the neck and leg arteries, heart rhythm, blood pressure and fitness following an exam that takes only about 10 minutes.

Cost for the screening is $59 and includes a consultation to review results.

Participants get a confidential, color printout with exam results and photos of blood flow in the carotid arteries. A clinician provides a brief consultation to explain the results, and participants are encouraged to share with their personal physician for follow up.

“May is Stroke Month, and we are pleased to be offering this low-cost screening to the public. The AngioScreen information can be used by participants to share with their doctor examinations by their personal physician,” said Cindy Roberts, Abrazo outreach manager.

According to the CDC: • Someone has a stroke every 40 seconds.

• Someone has a heart attack every 30 seconds.

• Every year, nearly 800,000 people in the United States have a stroke.

• Approximately 8.5 million people in the Unites States have peripheral artery disease.

• Heart disease is still the leading cause of death for men and women.

Abrazo Buckeye Emergency Center is located at 525 S. Watson Road in Buckeye; RSVP for the screening event by calling 1-844-721-4068.

Westernaires Chorus readying for rehearsals

The Westernaires Chorus of Sun City West will hold its first 2022 fall season rehearsal in Back 40 of the Stardust Theater at 8 p.m. Thursday, September 8.

One of the oldest chartered clubs, the 85-member mixed chorus is directed by Sylvia Collins, who invites residents to attend and, if interested, audition to perform in its December 2 to December 5 shows in the Stardust Theater.

For more information, contact President Ken Kunze, 402-366-7377, or visit westernaires.scwclubs.com.

Carotid ultrasound exams are part of the Abrazo AngioScreen screenings, as shown during an Abrazo event earlier this year.

(Abrazo/Submitted)

Softball club hosts memorial service

The Sun Cities Senior Softball Club and the Angels in the Outfield hosted a memorial service on April 11 at Liberty Field in Sun City West in remembrance of players who have died.

Preceding the service, the community came together to enjoy a “golden oldies” softball game of players 75 years or older.

The memorial service included personal anecdotes about a few of the players who have died. They were not remembered in sadness but with love and laughs.

The service also honored the contributors of the original and former Angels in the Outfield, which support the softball community through awareness of support, prayer, encouragement and needs, including community fundraising.

The game and service were followed by fellowship and snacks. For more information about the group, visit azsrsoftball.com.

Grant goes toward new computers

The Sun City West Broadcast Club applied for and received a $20,000 grant from the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise (Desert Diamond Casino).

The funds will go toward 12 new Dell all-in-one touchscreen computers at the R.H. Johnson Library.

The computers were installed at the library in early April. All Sun City West members in good standing may use the computers for a variety of tasks simply by showing their rec card to the monitor.

The computers have Microsoft Office and access to a printer, which can be used for a nominal fee.

AARP Arizona appoints new state president

8

AARP Arizona appointed Joseph Marquart as state president.

Marquart replaces Daniel Martinez, who left after a six-year term.

“The state president plays a leadership role within AARP Arizona’s volunteer network, and also works closely with staff in our office,” says Dana Marie Kennedy, AARP Arizona state director. |

MAY 2022

“We are thrilled to have Joe Marquart as our state president. Joe will bring new ideas that will help us achieve our goals through 2023 and beyond.”

Marquart’s health care career spanned 41 years with hospitals and health systems in Iowa, Illinois, Florida and Arizona.

The seasoned human resources executive brings a long history of volunteering and serving on the boards of numerous not-for-profit organizations.

Upon retirement, Marquart became active with AARP in 2014 as a member of the Iowa executive committee. He joined the AARP AZ executive committee in 2017.

Desert Foothills Book Festival scheduled

The first Desert Foothills Book Festival will introduce readers to more than 50 local authors.

Presented by The Holland Center and Desert Foothills Library, the event is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 4, at The Holland Center in North Scottsdale. Admission is free.

Book purchases can be signed by authors who pen books in all genres — fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, romance, historical fiction and memoir.

Two award-winning authors, Karen Odden and Dan Baldwin, will discuss the the craft and skill of writing.

Odden will speak about the importance of setting for any novel, especially with historical fiction. Her passion is Victorian England, and she’ll share photographs of places in London that inspired her.

Baldwin will discuss his 20 years of experience with psychic detection and spirit communication, followed by how he structured his books to combine these realities with effective storytelling.

Info: desertfoothillsbookfestival.com

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Features

TEAM

Player

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI When Arizona Cardinals fans watch DeAndre Hopkins, they see a talented, spirited athlete who maintains a tough exterior.

His mother, Sabrina Greenlee, witnesses something a little different.

“He’s always been a momma’s boy — although he might not admit it,” the South Carolina resident says with a laugh.

“I’m definitely proud of him, not only on the football field but the businessman he’s become as well.”

Life wasn’t always so playful for their family. Greenlee’s story is filled with cycles of abuse, teen pregnancy and a violent attempt on her life that ultimately left her completely blind. Although her life has been “no crystal stair,” she credits her faith as the fuel that equips her with the confidence and tenacity to inspire others to repair, recreate and restore their purpose and infinite potential.

Greenlee will soon share her story through her memoir and is preparing for BRON Studios to make a movie about her life.

“It’s a little surreal that they would make a depiction about my life,” she says. “I’m embracing it each day. I’m even thinking about who’s going to portray me. When they asked, I says, ‘Taraji P. Henson.’ She’s the same age as me and has an amazing personality. I am excited, but now I can’t believe this is really happening.”

DeAndre Hopkins’ mom helps domestic violence survivors

Working on the memoir and film has been trying for Greenlee. They unveiled a lot of darkness, but it led to healing.

“Between the two, I did a lot of meditation and a lot of floating in the water to relieve stress,” she says. “Definitely, between writing the book proposal and the movie script, a lot of self-reflection and a lot of healing came about.”

S.M.O.O.O.T.H. operator

Greenlee is the founder and CEO of S.M.O.O.O.T.H. Inc. — Speaking Mentally, Outwardly Opening Opportunities Toward Healing.

Through this platform, she and her team aim to educate and empower as many women and children as possible through mentorship, counseling and outreach. She intends to continue raising awareness year-round by unmasking the myth and unveiling the many different shades of purple surrounding domestic abuse.

S.M.O.O.O.T.H. has started operating in Arizona, which marks its third state.

“I’m really ecstatic, with DeAndre having this amazing year coming up,” she says.

“We take women who are in shelters, as they’re transitioning into their own dwelling — whether it be a home, a condo, it doesn’t matter. My philosophy is if you have a key, we can help you.”

Greenlee and two S.M.O.O.O.T.H. mem-

bers are certified life coaches who set the women up for success.

“Most of the members of S.M.O.O.O.T.H. haven’t gone through domestic violence themselves, which is pretty amazing,” Greenlee explained. “I get to teach them and take them into shelters. It’s really great that they haven’t been through it, but they’re prepared Sabrina Greenlee, the mother of the Arizona Cardinals’ DeAndre and they did the train- Hopkins, founded S.M.O.O.O.T.H., which aims to educate and empower as many women and children as possible through mentoring to understand what ship, counseling and outreach. (Sean Coleman/Submitted) the ladies need to go She is the mother of four children — through to heal.”

Greenlee is a recipient of the 2020 Kesha Smith, who is a Houston-area ReHouston Humanitarian Awards. She has altor; musician Marcus Greenlee; Hopkins been featured on ESPN, USA Today and and model Shanterria Cobb. Cobb was the Emmy-winning “Living in Fear: Chron- named after Greenlee’s brother, Terry icles I and II,” and regularly appears on Smith, who died in 1997.

Besides her family, faith has helped local media outlets from South Carolina to Texas. Sabrina appeared on ABC news Greenlee through her turbulent life.

“Nine, 10 years ago, there was no way I with the CEO of the National Domestic Vicould have thought about faith,” she says. olence Hotline.

“The ESPN article was definitely amaz- “I was just so broken and really in a hurting,” she says. “It got so much exposure. ful place. Over the years, I did a lot of reWe had an outpouring of support from flecting, a lot of self-healing, realizing my the NFL and NBA. People knew who I was faith played a big part of who I am now. then. While we’re sitting in the airport, I “Had I not had faith, I would have crumget, ‘Is that…?’ My daughter just starts bled a long time ago. I would say my faith shaking her head like, ‘That’s her.’” is stronger now than it ever has been.”

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‘Real, Raw, Relevant’ 82-year-old motivational speaker finds passion in poetry

BY JORDAN HOUSTON A Scottish-born freelance writer and motivational speaker, 82-year-old Alice Scott-Ferguson is a testament that it is never too late to pursue your passions.

Her extensive resume boasts stints in a variety of fields, including working as a registered nurse in Scotland as well as in the realm of psychiatry. But it wasn’t until a few years ago that she took a leap of faith and explored her knack for poetry.

Now, the award-winning Phoenix writer is celebrating the release of her second published poetry book, “UNPAUSED Poems: Real, Raw, Relevant.”

The paperback, published in May 2021, is comprised of 76 poems and is available on Amazon for roughly $15.

“I think I am proud of the fact that at my age I did start a serious new career,” Scott-Ferguson says. “I am proud of that — it’s not a word I use a lot. But honestly, I am so grateful I have the ability. I am pretty disciplined. It takes a discipline, and I’m proud that I stuck with that discipline and proud of my editor and publishing company.”

“I am 82, so I was in my mid-70s when I first started writing poetry and getting published,” she adds. “That should be an encouragement to everybody.”

“UNPAUSED” divides its poems into the following sections: Hurting and Hoping, Ruminations and Reflections, Nourishing Nature, Takes on Theology, Voices of Women, The Darker Side and The Lighter Side.

According to its Amazon synopsis, the book “invites the reader to ease out of the safety zones and trust the open spaces, find fresh insights in entrenched views, share in the wonder of epiphanies encountered in both the sacred and the secular, and take the high road full of promise.”

Scott-Ferguson describes it as an expression of turmoil, felt by both the author and the global community, at the time of writing. “‘UNPAUSED’ was birthed out of a horrific interlude for all of us. There is a lot of lament in that one,” she says.

“I talk about my own struggles with depression, or an observation at (a) car dealer of a monk coming in, another one at the

12

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coffee shop and seeing a lady in red sequins and red long nails. (Those) kinds of observations. Literally, it can come from anywhere and anything.”

The writer notes her latest poetry book is a darker evolution from its predecessor, “Pausing in the Passing Places.”

Published in July 2018, “Pausing” features poems that “offer transparent reflections on life, loss, longing, and love.” It is more reflective and “calmer,” Scott-Ferguson says.

“The poems are reflective poems in ‘Pausing in the Passing Places.’ ‘UNPAUSED Poems’ — those are a little more intimate,” she says, describing the latter as an expression of “what was going on in the world” at the time.

“Pausing’s” title is inspired by the onelane roads that weave through the poet’s native land in the Shetland Islands. The narrow paths, which require drivers to pull off to let oncoming traffic pass, invite the space to pause, reflect and assess, she claims.

Both poetry books are standalone works, however, Scott-Ferguson says.

“You can read one without the other,” she says. “There is a difference in tone because of the times I was writing them.”

Long before Scott-Ferguson found her footing as a burgeoning poet, she was immersed in the worlds of writing and religion.

The author, boasting a bachelor’s degree in health sciences, has contributed to both the secular and religious press.

She has written and taught Bible studies and presented internationally at various venues’ women’s seminars, writers workshops, and conferences for both women and men.

Scott-Ferguson published her first book, “Little Women, Big God,” which tells the story of the women’s ministry she founded and directed in the United Kingdom.

Later, while living in Colorado, she authored “Mothers Can’t Be Everywhere, But God Is” and co-authored “Reconcilable Differences.”

But it’s the difference in poetry writing’s approach that truly captivates Scott-Ferguson, she explains.

“Poems will come, and I will jot down

Alice Scott-Ferguson, 82, is a Scottish-born freelance writer, poet and motivational speaker.

(Alice Scott-Ferguson/Submitted)

thoughts and form them. Other times I go looking for a title for thoughts I have and they get broken up into different sections or reflections,” she explains.

“There is an editing process in poetry, and I like it,” she says. “I write nonfiction, and when you write nonfiction, you have an endnote and footnote.”

Scott-Ferguson wrote and published her first poem, about the death of her father, in her early 60s.

She recalls traveling 5,000 miles back to Scotland to see him, but he had died just hours before her arrival.

“My father was an avid lover of poetry,” Scott-Ferguson says. “I grew up with poetry and grew up in a home with exciting poetry — and he had a phonographic memory.”

Her father loved literature and poetry, she says, and “readily recounted the magnificent in the mundane and the beauty in the broken things to me, throughout his life.”

That notion remains instilled in her and her writings, Scott-Ferguson says.

“I’m from the Celtic lands, and I’m a melancholic at heart,” she says. “I see the pathos of life, and I’m definitely one that sees the sacred and meaning in the most mundane. Writing is super, super hard work and it is lonely work, but hardly satisfying,” she says.

In continuation of her evolving writing career, Scott-Ferguson is now turning her attention toward completing a memoir.

“A memoir is taking a slice of your life,” she says, noting hers will be marked by her lifelong passion to empower women.

Scott-Ferguson attributes her justice-seeking tenacity to her grandmother, recalling a life-defining exchange during

her childhood.

“For me, it has always been a champion of women and women’s rights and finding the inequities horrifying,” she shares. “My grandmother, she grew up in a Victorian era, and in this moment, she leaned down to me and said, ‘You can’t love anybody else unless you love yourself first.”

“That, as a child, went deep inside of me.

So, my self-esteem was strong — not in a prideful way.”

Scott-Ferguson says she hopes to finish her memoir by the end of the year.

For more information about Alice Scott-Ferguson and her work, visit cladach.com/alice-scott-ferguson. www.LovinLife.com

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As you can see in Figure 2, as the blood vessels that surround the nerves become diseased they shrivel up which causes the nerves to not get the nutrients to continue to survive. When these nerves begin to “die” they cause you to have balance problems, pain, numbness, tingling, burning, and many additional symptoms.

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NOTE: Once you have sustained 95% nerve loss, there is likely nothing that we can do for you.

Aspen Medical will do a chronic pain and neuropathy severity examination to determine the extent of the nerve damage as a public service to you and/or your family and friends.

This neuropathy/pain severity examination will consist of a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and a detailed analysis of the findings of your neuropathy.

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(See the special neuropathy severity examination at the end of this article) In order to effectively treat your neuropathy three factors must be determined.

1) What is the underlying cause?

2) How much nerve damage has been sustained.

In addition, we use a state-of-the-art diagnostics like the TM Flow diagnostic unit to accurately determine the increase in blood flow and a small skin biopsy to accurately determine the increase in small nerve fibers!

The Sanexas electric cell signaling system delivers energy to the affected area of your body at varying wavelengths, including both lowfrequency and middle-frequency signals. It also uses amplitude modulated (AM) and frequency modulated (FM) signaling. During a treatment session, the Sanexas system automatically changes to simultaneously deliver AM and FM electric cell signal energy.

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Aspen Medical will be offering this chronic pain and neuropathy severity examination from now until May 31, 2022. Call 480274-3157 to make an appointment to determine if your chronic pain and peripheral neuropathy can be successfully treated.

Due to our very busy office schedule, we are limiting this FREE consultation offer to the first 15 callers. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ANOTHER MINUTE, CALL Call 480-2743157 … NOW! We are extremely busy and if your call goes to our voicemail, please leave a message and we will get back to you asap.

480-274-3157 4540 E Baseline Rd., Suite 119 Mesa Az 85206 www.LovinLife.com

MAY 2022

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13

Passionate About Skin Midwestern values pay off for Sarah Neumann

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Sarah Neumann is driven by her strong Midwestern values: family, religion and community; work hard and do it right.

With that, she’s celebrating a decade of success with her practice, Ahwatukee Skin & Laser. But during those 10 years, she has seen a sharp increase in skin cancer, which she finds daunting.

Neumann, an award-winning dermatology PA, wants to remind people to be get their skin checked during May for Melanoma Awareness Month.

“One in 3 Arizonans will be afflicted with skin cancer in their lifetime, but routine cancer screenings plummeted during the pandemic. Please take the time to get that spot that’s been bothering you checked,” says Neumann, the founder of Ahwatukee Skin & Laser in Phoenix and Sun City Dermatology in Sun City West.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, skin cancer is the most common cancer. Melanoma rates in the United States have been rising rapidly over the past 30 years, even doubling from 1982 to 2011.

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. It develops in the cells that produce melanin, the pigment that gives your skin its color. Nearly 20 Americans die from melanoma daily. In 2021, it was estimated that 7,180 deaths were attributed to melanoma.

The precise cause of all melanomas isn’t clear, but exposure to UV radiation from sunlight or tanning lamps and beds in known to increase the risk of developing melanoma.

People of color need to be especially vigilant, Neumann says. Most melanomas occur in people of color on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, under nails, and in areas like the mouth and even the nasal passages.

Melanoma can also occur on the nails.

While rare, subungual melanoma (melanoma of the nails) accounts for approximately 2% of all melanoma cases. It’s most diagnosed in the thumbs or the big toes, can appear as a brown or black streak under the nail, and usually affects only one nail at a time.

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screens containing titanium or zinc oxide as the active ingredient. Use a shot glass size of a minimum 30 SPF sunscreen for your full body, and make sure to reapply frequently during the day if you are outdoors or in or near water.

Sarah Neumann founded Sun City Dermatology and Ahwatukee Skin & Laser. (Sarah Neumann/ Submitted)

One of the best-known defenses to preventing skin cancer is using sunscreen, but Neumann says the hard part is getting people to consistently use it.

“Recent studies show that 56% of individuals rarely use sunscreen, 35% never wear sunscreen and only 19% reported wearing sunscreen daily,” Neumann says.

“We need to get more people to take this seriously and protect their skin.”

In addition to getting annual skin cancer screenings, Neumann has other tips for Arizonans: Be sun smart. Avoid the sun during the hottest times of the day (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.).

Not sure if you should be outside? Follow the shadow rule: If your shadow is shorter than you, seek shade. Always generously lather up with a sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 30; invest in sun-protective clothing that has SPF built in; and wear hats and sunglasses to protect your head, hair and eyes.

Be sunscreen savvy. In 2019, the FDA revealed it was formally investigating the safety of chemicals used in sunscreens and their impact on breast milk, blood and endocrine activity. Check product packaging and always look for sun-

Give yourself a check. Look for moles with changes in color, size, shape and texture. Sometimes the most serious problem areas aren’t as obvious as dark moles.

Be on the lookout for small patches that resemble scratches or flesh-colored or firm bumps. If you see something new that worries you, see a professional.

For those doing a self-check, Neumann says to follow the ABCDEs. A-Asymmetry: If it looks different from one side to the other. B-Borders: Check to see if the borders are irregular or have projections or missing areas. C-Color: See if there is a variation in color or if the mole is more than one color. D-Diameter: If the mole is bigger than the size of a pencil eraser, get it evaluated immediately.

Get treated. See something out of the ordinary? Call and schedule an appointment immediately. Early cancer detection saves lives, and skin care professionals can recommend the best preventive measures for your skin type.

Neumann also warns about use of tanning beds. “Having a glow may look great, but tanning beds radiate UVA rays, which can penetrate more deeply and damage collagen, the building block of our skin.

“I understand that the sun feels wonderful. Sunlight can help with stress, boost your mood, and getting as little as 5 to 15 minutes of sun each day on your arms, hands or face two to three times a week is enough to increase vitamin D in your body. You just must realize that you can get too much of a good thing.”

Neumann founded Sun City Dermatology and Ahwatukee Skin & Laser. Both practices employ Mohs surgeons, who provide state-of-the-art care for skin cancer patients and a dermatologic surgeon to treat other types of cases.

Neumann has been voted “Best Of” in the categories of medical specialist, for

physician assistant and for best skin care multiple years running in local polls.

“In Arizona we enjoy 300 days of sun each year, but everyone needs to be diligent about sun protection,” she adds.

One American dies every hour of malignant melanoma, but with early detection this condition is often treatable and curable.”

Sense of adventure

Neumann has long been passionate about skin.

“I got interested in dermatology, one, because I had very bad acne as a young adult and I had never heard about what a dermatologist was,” Neumann says.

“I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin.

I got to college, I met my first dermatologist, and it was life-altering for me. I took myself from someone who wasn’t real comfortable looking in the mirror to skin that I was proud to show off. So that was my first experience with, hey, this dermatology thing is pretty cool.

“And then, second, I worked and was an exchange student in Belize in Central America in my undergraduate years. I saw a lot of infectious disease. I saw a lot of parasitic infections. And then my love for dermatology just exploded. I saw stingray bites. I saw cellulitis because of living conditions in developing countries. So, it was pretty clear at that point that the skin, hair and nails was where my passion lie, and that’s where I focused when I came back to the States. I went to PA school and decided that dermatology was for me.”

She founded two dermatology practice — one in Scottsdale that she eventually sold and another in Sun City. She considers the latter an underserved market with an aging population with a high incidence in skin cancer. She’d come to Ahwatukee nearly 20 years ago, initially at a large-group practice.

“I wanted a more personalized approach to patient care,” she says.

“I wanted a higher quality standard.

And quite frankly, I wanted to do it my way, which was heartfelt, relationship

Neumann...continues on page 15 www.LovinLife.com

Neumann...continued from page 14 driven. I wanted to take care of people regardless of ability to pay. So, I made the leap of faith in 2010 and opened Ahwatukee Skin & Laser on my own.”

Ahwatukee Skin & Laser employs Mohs surgeons, who provide state-of-the-art care for skin-cancer patients.

“It was imperative for us to be a full-service cosmetic, medical and surgical dermatology practice, because we create relationships with people,” she says.

“The last thing we would want to do is have to send them outside of our four walls to a team they’re not familiar with to get their skin cancer treated.”

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May is Melanoma Awareness Month, and Sarah Neumann is urging Arizonans to get checked for skin cancer. (Sarah Neumann/Submitted)

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Entertainment

Comedian Leanne Morgan is bringing her show to Celebrity Theater Saturday, May 21. (Submitted)

Honesty is the Best Policy Comedian Leanne Morgan is relatable

BY LAURA LATZKO Since Leanne Morgan started her comedy career 22 years ago, women have applauded her for her honesty.

Hailing from Knoxville, Tennessee, Morgan shares her experiences with her husband and three children. She’ll do the same when she comes to the Celebrity Theatre on Saturday, May 21, as part of her Big Panty Tour.

Morgan didn’t take the traditional path to comedy, as she began touring after her children were grown. Instead, she performed at corporate and church events, as well as private gatherings, so she could be there for her kids.

“My husband had a big position — still does — with a big company,” she says.

“He works all the time and is a workaholic. So, I knew that I couldn’t work clubs and be gone all week long. Somebody was going to raise these children, and I wanted it to be me. So, I had to find another way.”

Initially, some audiences were responsive to her comedy, while others thought she was “different.”

“I had somebody tell me in LA a long time ago, ‘We thought you were a Southern comedian, but really, you’re universal because you raise a bunch of kids and are a woman. You just happen to have a thick Southern accent telling it,’” Morgan says.

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Morgan’s style is clean, although she has touched on topics such as menopause, martial relations and puberty. Her children inspired her to stay away from raunchy comedy.

“I didn’t want to say anything that I didn’t want them to say,” she says.

“I knew that they were looking at me.

I’m their mama, and I didn’t want to do anything that would embarrass them.

I’m not a prude. I watch a lot of different comedians that are blue, and I think they are hilarious. It’s just not what I do.”

When her children were teenagers, they didn’t appreciate being the topic of her comedy. As they have aged, her children accept it and suggest ideas.

“They’ve all got a really good sense of humor, all of my kids,” Morgan says.

Through her comedy, audiences have gotten to know Morgan and her family, including her “old soul” son, “mean” oldest daughter, and “spoiled” youngest daughter. She now has a grandchild, with whom she spends a lot of time.

“Things are so different, but being with my grandchild also brings back a lot of memories of what I went through,” Morgan says.

Morgan is relatable, and that led to success.

The comedian has 1.5 million social media followers and has appeared on “The

View,” “Dr. Phil,” and Nick at Nite’s “Funniest Mom” competition.

She’s inked development deals with ABC, Warner Bros., TV Land and Sony Television. Fans adore her.

“It’s just like we’re best friends and they know my family,” she says about her fans.

“I’m an open book, and they have listened. They are precious about it. During COVID, I had people sending my grandbaby things, my mama recipes of things she could eat. It was really sweet.

“After a show, I feel like I need to go home with every person, clean their house for them or make a casserole for them because they are so good to me.”

During the pandemic, she binged on macaroni and cheese, chicken casserole and pasta but didn’t write much. She tends to draw inspiration from her own experiences.

“For me, the best way to write is to do, go to a CrossFit class, go to a cheer competition, go to a Def Leppard and Journey concert,” Morgan says.

Leanne Morgan WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday, May 21 WHERE: Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd Street, Phoenix COST: Tickets start at $34.75 INFO: 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com

www.LovinLife.com

Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, $10 cash, 480-488-2286, hwurr@dfla. org, dfla.org

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pillars of U.S. and Arizona history.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4

Curtis Stigers, 7 p.m., Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, call for ticket info, 480-478-6000, mim.org

Maricopa County Home & Garden Show, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., through May 8, WestWorld of Scottsdale, 116601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, various pricing, 602-485-1691, mchomeshows.com. Seniors ages 60 and older are $1 from 10 a.m. to noon May 6.

Get Lit Book Club, 5 to 6:30 p.m., Mountain View Pub, 7033 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, 480-575-7782, hwurr@dfla.org, dfla. org. RSVP required by emailing hwurr@dfla. org.

Caring for the Caregiver, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, free, 480-488-2286, hwurr@dfla.org, dfla.org

Coffee and Cards, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., repeats May 20, Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707

Stephen Kellogg, 7 p.m., Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, call for ticket info, 480-478-6000, mim.org

Travel the National Parks: Yosemite, 10 to 11 a.m., Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707

Money Management Basics, 10 to 11 a.m., Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-3254707

Gentle Chair Yoga, 11 a.m. to noon, Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, $10 cash, 480-488-2286, hwurr@dfla.org, dfla.org

Charity Crafting, noon to 1 p.m., Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707.

Movie and Popcorn: “Just Mercy,” Humana, 1 to 3 p.m., 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-3254707

Veterans Coffee Chat, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-3254707

Gentle Yoga, 11 to noon Wednesdays, Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, $10 cash, 480-488-2286, hwurr@ dfla.org, dfla.org

Coffee and Crosswords, 10 to 11 a.m., repeats May 16, Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707

Meditation with Reiki Healing, 1 to 2 p.m., repeats May 18, Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, $10 cash, 480-488-2286, hwurr@dfla.org, dfla.org

Calendar of Events SUNDAY, MAY 1

Judith Hill, 7 p.m., Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, call for ticket info, 480-478-6000, mim.org

MONDAY, MAY 2

Craft N Chat, 1 to 3 p.m., Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, free, 480-488-2286, hwurr@dfla.org, dfla.org

Fall Asleep, Stay Asleep, 11 a.m. to noon, Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-3254707

TUESDAY, MAY 3

THURSDAY, MAY 5

Journaling and Exploring New Media, 1 p.m., Holland Center, 34250 W. 60th Street, Scottsdale, call for charge, 480-488-1090, hollandcenter.org. The class is two weeks.

Larry Charles: Traveling with Watercolor, 1 p.m., Holland Center, 34250 W. 60th Street, Scottsdale, call for charge, 480-488-1090, hollandcenter.org

Game Day: Mahjongg, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Thursdays, Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707

Game Day: Mexican Train Dominoes, 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays, Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707

Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m., Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, call for ticket info, 480478-6000, mim.org

Farm Basket Bingo, 1 to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707

Ted Blank, 7 p.m., via Zoom, secretary@ pasaz.org. The Phoenix Astronomical Society member and NASA Solar System ambassador gives a free talk entitled “Mankind’s ‘Wright Brothers Moment’ on Mars.” For the Zoom link, email the secretary.

Gentle Tai Chi: Qigong, 10:30 to 11:25 a.m.

Tuesdays and Thursdays and 1 to 1:55 p.m.

Fridays, Kaleidoscope Dance, 2848 S. Carriage Lane, Mesa, $14 per drop-in class, $48 per for a four-punch card, kaleidoscope-dance.com, info@kaleidoscope-dance.com, 602-3450496 Gentle Tai Chi Sequences, 1 to 1:55 p.m. Tuesdays, Kaleidoscope Dance, 2848 S. Carriage Lane, Mesa, $14 per dropin class, $48 per for a four-punch card, kaleidoscope-dance.com, info@ kaleidoscope-dance.com, 602-345-0496 Tai Chi: Qigong for Everyone, 9 to 10 a.m.

Tuesdays and Thursdays, Desert Foothills www.LovinLife.com

Moms, Memories and Mimosas, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Fellowship Square Phoenix, 2002 W. Sunnyside Avenue, Phoenix, free, reservations by May 4, 602-833-4330, fellowshipsquareseniorliving.org Yoga Fusion, noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays, Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, $10 cash, 480-488-2286, hwurr@dfla.org, dfla.org

FRIDAY, MAY 6

Exercise Over 50, 11 a.m., Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, $10, 480-488-2286, hwurr@dfla.org,

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11

Medicare Information Session, 2 to 3:30 p.m., Denny’s Restaurant, 5161 W. Thunderbird Road, Glendale, free, 602-427-9097, azblue.com/turning65RSVP Longevity Healthy Aging and Regeneration, 11 a.m., repeats May 25, Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, free, 480-488-2286, hwurr@dfla.org, dfla.org

SATURDAY, MAY 7

Mindful Art: Patriotic Craft, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480325-4707

Crane Dance: Gentle Tai Chi, 9:15 to 10:10 a.m. Saturdays, Kaleidoscope Dance, 2848 S. Carriage Lane, Mesa, $14 per drop-in class, $48 per for a four-punch card, 602345-0496, info@kaleidoscope-dance.com, kaleidoscope-dance.com

Ask an Agent: SilverSneakers, 11 a.m. to noon, Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480325-4707

Kentucky Derby Party, 2 p.m., Holland Center, 34250 W. 60th Street, Scottsdale, $50, 480-488-1090, hollandcenter.org

SUNDAY, MAY 8

Esteban Mother’s Day Concert, noon, Glendale Civic Center, 5750 W. Glenn Drive, Glendale, tickets start at $55, estebanmothersday. bpt.me. The flamenco guitarist will be joined by violinist/daughter Teresa Joy and his full band. Esteban’s son, Benjamin, will play bass along with Grammy award-winning drummer Joe Morris. VIP meet and greet tickets available. Mimosa bar at 11 a.m. before the concert. Net proceeds from Esteban’s concert go to Jerry’s Charities, jerryscharites.org, benefiting Glendale charities.

MONDAY, MAY 9

The Healing Pathway, 9:30 to 11 a.m., repeats May 23, Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, free, 480488-2286, hwurr@dfla.org, dfla.org Coffee and Sudoku, 10 to 11 a.m., Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707 Hello Game, 11 a.m. to noon, Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707

TUESDAY, MAY 10

Banking in America: Jim Sherbert Lecture Series, 4 p.m., Holland Center, 34250 W. 60th Street, Scottsdale, call for charge, 480-4881090, hollandcenter.org. Jim Sherbert, a top chief executive and business adviser, will take attendees through an exploration of several

Spanish Class with Juan, 1 to 2 p.m., repeats May 25, Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707

THURSDAY, MAY 12

Bruce Cockburn, 7:30 p.m., repeats May 13, Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, call for ticket info, 480478-6000, mim.org Medicare Information Session, 10 to 11:30 a.m., PORA Sun City West, 13815 W. Camino Del Sol, Sun City West, 602-427-9097, azblue. com/turning65RSVP Library Book Club, 10 a.m. to noon, repeats 10 a.m. to noon May 24, Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, free, 480-488-2286, hwurr@dfla.org, dfla.org. This month’s book is “Mao’s Last Dancer” by Li Cunxin.

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley’s “Jesus of Nazareth: A Jewish Reading,” 10 a.m., continues May 19, May 26 and June 2, Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley, 12202 N. 101st Avenue, Sun City, free, registration required, 623-977-3240, templebethshalomaz@ gmail.com. This four-week course is designed to enhance interfaith understanding between Christians and Jews. Led by Rabbi Dana Even Kaplan, the event explores a historical view of Jesus and the early Jesus movement, Judaism in the 1st century CE and the roots of the schism between Judaism and Christianity.

Calendar...continues on page 18 MAY 2022

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17

Calendar of Events ASK US HOW TO GET THE

AMAZING iPHONE® 11 FOR $0 WHEN YOU SWITCH TO AT&T

continued from page 17

FRIDAY, MAY 13

Bruce Cockburn, 7:30 p.m., Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, call for ticket info, 480-478-6000, mim.org Pastels with Beverly, noon, Holland Center, 34250 W. 60th Street, Scottsdale, call for charge, 480-488-1090, hollandcenter.org.

This three-week (three days) workshop will be using a landscape photograph supplied by the instructor.

Learn How to Make Colorful Copper Earrings, 12:30 p.m., Holland Center, 34250 W. 60th Street, Scottsdale, call for charge, 480488-1090, hollandcenter.org. Get started making jewelry for yourself or for friends/ family.

Medicare Information Session, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Denny’s Restaurant, 2717 W. Bell Road, Phoenix, free, 602-427-9097, azblue.com/ turning65RSVP Tips and Tricks to Help Reduce Sodium, 10 to 11 a.m., Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707 Cooking Demo: Low-Salt Recipes with Chef Melanie, 11 a.m. to noon, Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707 Movie and Popcorn: “Downton Abbey,” 1 to 2 p.m., Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707

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SATURDAY, MAY 14

Gold Mining Experience, 11 a.m., Cave Creek Museum, 6140 E. Skyline Drive, Cave Creek, $7 for adults and seniors, free for children younger than 12, 480-488-2764. This multipronged, interactive experience features a mine shaft that “explodes” with sights and sounds, a tramway that transports ore, the historic 10-stamp mill and gold panning skills at the “Long Tom” sluice (a water channel that can be controlled by a gate or lock, or an open channel, and which processes material).

SUNDAY, MAY 15

Makana, 7 p.m., Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, call for ticket info, 480-478-6000, mim.org

MONDAY, MAY 16 © 2020 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the Globe logo are registered trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

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MAY 2022

Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, call for ticket info, 480-478-6000, mim.org Hypertension: Strategies to Help Control Blood Pressure with Village Medical, 11 a.m. to noon, Humana, 5943 E. McKellips

Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707

TUESDAY, MAY 17

Vieux Farka Toure, 7 p.m., Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, call for ticket info, 480-478-6000, mim.org

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18

Gelli Printing 101, 1 p.m., Holland Center, 34250 W. 60th Street, Scottsdale, call for charge, 480-488-1090, hollandcenter.org.

Join award-winning fiber artist Mimi Damrauer for a fun class learning to paint paper in Gelli Printing 101. No experience necessary.

Heart of Afghanistan, 7 p.m., Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, call for ticket info, 480-478-6000, mim.org Maintaining Dignity and Memory Care, 1:30 to 3 p.m., Zoom, 623-584-4999, benevilla.org/event-registration. When caring for a person with dementia, there is a tendency to focus on what a person cannot do. Explore memory care options where the focus is maintaining dignity and celebrating abilities. Sponsored by Benevilla.

Movie and Popcorn: “Midway,” 1 to 3 p.m., Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-3254707

SATURDAY, MAY 21

Janiva Magness, 7:30 p.m., Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, call for ticket info, 480-478-6000, mim.org

SUNDAY, MAY 22

Lisa Hightower, 7 p.m., Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, call for ticket info, 480-478-6000, mim.org

MONDAY, MAY 23

Coffee and Trivia, 10 to 11 a.m., Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707 Skincare for Seniors, 11 a.m. to noon, Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707

TUESDAY, MAY 24

Celebrate your inner princess.

It’s International Tiara Day!

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25

Guided Meditation, 10 to 11 a.m., Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707

Medicare Information Session, 2 to 3:30 p.m., Denny’s Restaurant, 5161 W. Thunderbird Road, Glendale, free, 602-427-9097, azblue.com/turning65RSVP

Housing Options for Older Adults, 11 a.m. to noon, Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707

Meditative Coloring, 10 to 11 a.m., Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707

May Birthday Social, 1 to 2 p.m., Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707

THURSDAY, MAY 19

Villalobos Brothers, 7:30 p.m., Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, call for ticket info, 480-478-6000, mim.org Medicare Information Session, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Coco’s Bakery, 801 W. Bell Road, Sun City, free, 602-427-9097, azblue.com/ turning65RSVP Literary Salon, 10 a.m., Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, free, 480-488-2286, hwurr@dfla.org, dfla.org. The May salon salutes spring flowers.

FRIDAY, MAY 20

Roberto Fonseca, 7:30 p.m., Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, call for ticket info, 480-478-6000, mim.org Understanding Wills, Trusts and Advance Directives, 10 to 11 a.m., Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707

THURSDAY, MAY 26

Yum! It’s National Cherry Dessert Day!

FRIDAY, MAY 27

Coffee and Cards, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707 Protecting Yourself from Common Financial Scams, 10 to 11 a.m., Humana, 5943 E. McKellips Road, Suite 106, Mesa, free, reservations required, 480-325-4707

SATURDAY, MAY 28

Lisa Morales, 7:30 p.m., Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, call for ticket info, 480-478-6000, mim.org

SUNDAY, MAY 29

The Small Glories, 7 p.m., Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, call for ticket info, 480-478-6000, mim.org

MONDAY, MAY 30

Have a great Memorial Day!

TUESDAY, MAY 31

Be pleasant. It’s National Smile Day! www.LovinLife.com

Puzzles

GOby FIGURE! Linda Thistle

ANSWERS ON PAGE 25

ACROSS 1 Karate level 5 Caprice 9 Perch 12 Writer Wiesel 13 Car 14 Man-mouse link 15 Time between vernal equinoxes 17 “Viva -- Vegas” 18 Wesley of “Blade” 19 Striped critter 21 Symbol of strength 22 Chirp 24 Right on the map?

27 -- chi 28 Evening, in an ad 31 Duo 32 Grass shack 33 Feedbag tidbit 34 Big name in scat 36 Boom times 37 “Mad Money” network

38 40 41 43 47 48 51 52 53 54 55 56

Beetle Bailey’s boss Italian river “Untrue!”

“Jurassic Park” bird Paris pal Game for one Pouch Daring Knievel Village People hit Exist Fill fully Fashion line?

DOWN 1 Porgy’s love 2 Carolina college 3 Actress Taylor 4 Oolong brewer 5 Methods 6 Shade 7 Call -- day 8 Code name?

9 Puzzle answer 10 Persia, today

11 16 20 22 23 24 25 26 27 29 30 35 37 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 49 50

To-do list item “Toy Story” dinosaur Understanding Hosiery shade Funny folks Paris summer Piercing tool Start of summer or winter Hoodlum Bar bill List-ending abbr.

Small batteries Patients’ shares Kentucky Derby prize Bit of butter Houston acronym Actor Epps Anger Marathoner’s stat Killer whale 500 sheets Eggs Allow

SUDOKU TIME

The idea of Go Figure is to arrive at the figures given at the bottom and right-hand columns of the diagram by following the arithmetic signs in the order they are given (that is, from left to right and top to bottom). Use only the numbers below the diagram to complete its blank squares and use each of the nine numbers only once.

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK ★

★ Moderate ★★ Challenging ★★★ HOO BOY!

EVEN EXCHANGE

by Donna Pettman

Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK ★

★ Moderate ★★ Challenging ★★★ HOO BOY!

Each numbered row contains two clues and two answers. The two answers differ from each other by only one letter, which has already been inserted. For example, if you exchange the A from MASTER for an I, you get MISTER. Do not change the order of the letters.

SCRAMBLERS Unscramble the letters within each rectangle to form four ordinary words.

Then rearrange the boxed letters to form the mystery word, which will complete the gag!

www.LovinLife.com

MAY 2022

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19

Casinos Casino Calendar Soul Persuasion

8 p.m. Thursday, May 5, WKP Sports & Entertainment, 10438 Wekopa Way, Fort McDowell, free, 480-789-4957, wekopacasinoresort.com

Puddle of Mudd

8 p.m. Friday, May 6, Wild Horse Pass Boulevard, 5040 Wild Horse Pass Boulevard, Chandler, 1-800-946-4452, playatgila.com

Painted Cave

8 p.m. Friday, May 6, WKP Sports & Entertainment, 10438 Wekopa Way, Fort McDowell, free, 480-789-4957, wekopacasinoresort.com

Showtek & Gattuso

5 p.m. Saturday, May 7, Talking Stick

Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, tickets start at $30, 480-850-7777, talkingstickresort.com

¡Vive! Selena, A tribute to Selena Quintanilla

7:30 p.m. Friday, May 6, and Saturday, May 7, Casino Arizona, 524 N. 92nd Street, Scottsdale, tickets start at $15, 480-850-7777, casinoarizona.com

Celebrating the Music of Jerry Riopelle

8 p.m. Friday, May 6, Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, tickets start at $35, 480-850-7777, talkingstickresort.com

Nick Swardson

8 p.m. Friday, May 20, Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, tickets start at $35, 480-850-7777, talkingstickresort.com

Britain’s Finest Beatles Tribute

9 p.m. Saturday, May 21, WKP Sports & Entertainment, 10438 Wekopa Way, Fort McDowell, $20, 480-789-4957, wekopacasinoresort.com

Oliver Heldens

5 p.m. Saturday, May 21, The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, tickets start at $35, 480-850-7777, talkingstickresort.com

Juanes

Appetite 4 Destruction

Superhero

Matt Farris

Boombox Cartel

Pitbull

AZ-Z Top

3LAU: Summer Oasis Pool Party Series

8 p.m. Friday, May 6, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, 15406 N. Maricopa Road, Maricopa, tickets start at $64.50, 480-802-5000, caesars.com/harrahs-ak-chin 8 p.m. Friday, May 13, WKP Sports & Entertainment, 10438 Wekopa Way, Fort McDowell, free, 480-789-4957, wekopacasinoresort.com 5 p.m. Saturday, May 14, The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, tickets start at $30, 480-850-7777, talkingstickresort.com 9 p.m. Saturday, May 14, WKP Sports & Entertainment, 10438 Wekopa Way, Fort McDowell, $20, 480-789-4957, wekopacasinoresort.com

Smokey Robinson: Music and Memories

8 p.m. Saturday, May 14, Cliff Castle Casino, 555 Middle Verde Road, Camp Verde, tickets start at $50, 1-800-3817568, cliffcastlecasinohotel.com

7:30 p.m. Friday, May 27, and Saturday, May 28, Casino Arizona, 524 N. 92nd Street, Scottsdale, tickets start at $15, 480-850-7777, casinoarizona.com 8 p.m. Friday, May 27, WKP Sports & Entertainment, 10438 Wekopa Way, Fort McDowell, free, 480-789-4957, wekopacasinoresort.com 8 p.m. Friday, May 27, Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, tickets start at $35, 480-850-7777, talkingstickresort.com

2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 28, Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, tickets start at $40, 480-850-7777, talkingstickresort.com

Str8Up Band

8 p.m. Saturday, May 28, WKP Sports & Entertainment, 10438 Wekopa Way, Fort McDowell, free, 480-789-4957, wekopacasinoresort.com

The Police Experience

7:30 p.m. Friday, May 20, and Saturday, May 21, Casino Arizona, 524 N. 92nd Street, Scottsdale, tickets start at $15, 480-850-7777, casinoarizona.com

The Walkens

20

8 p.m. Friday, May 20, WKP Sports & Entertainment, 10438 Wekopa Way, Fort McDowell, free, 480-789-4957, wekopacasinoresort.com |

MAY 2022

Get your copy today! www.LovinLife.com

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21

Food & Drink What’s Cooking?

Chicken scaloppine a la Marsala

MOTHER’S DAY WEEKEND

CELEBRATE MOmS ROSE GOLD CAP

MAY 7

SATURDAY AT 5:10 PM

5,000 MOMS // COURTESY OF

BY JAN D’ATRI Every May, I feature a wonderful, original recipe from my momma to honor her and her great classically Italian dishes for Mother’s Day! She’s known for her foolproof dishes that we can count on for a delicious and memorable meal.

This month, it’s her chicken scaloppine.

This is the dish that put her famous restaurant in Lake Tahoe on the map. Once you taste it, you’ll see why.

When she created the dish in 1955, she prepared the dish with veal, but we have found that slices of chicken breast pounded into tender medallions are as flavorful.

I’m so excited to share momma’s scaloppine with you because this is a gourmet dish that is expensive at Italian restaurants, but now you can make it at

home anytime you like.

It really only takes about 5 minutes to make, once you have all of your items prepped. Preparation is important because it will sauté quickly. This was the first recipe we chose when creating our first cookbook, “Momma & Me & You,” and it was the first time momma shared her recipe from D’Atri’s Italian Restaurant in Lake Tahoe.

Momma’s Chicken scaloppine a la Marsala

CLEAR CROSSBODY BAG

MAY 8

SUNDAY AT 1:10 PM

FIRST 5,000 MOMS

Serves 4 Ingredients:

Ziploc bag. Gently pound slices to form medallions, about 2 inches in diameter.

Dredge each piece in flour.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil In a large sauté pan, add 2 tablespoons of • 4 medium boneless chicken breasts olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the chick• 1 cup flour for dredging en a few pieces at a time. Add a little salt • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt and pepper to each piece. Do not overlap • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper chicken.

• 3/4 cup Marsala wine Brown each piece quickly on both sides, • 1/2 cup butter, cubed about 1 minute per side, making sure the • 1 cup sweet yellow onion, chopped fine heat is on high.

• 1/4 cup green onions, sliced thin When all pieces are browned, add mar• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped fine sala. (Important! Use marsala from the wine • 4 cups white button mushrooms, sliced department of the grocery store and not thin the marsala from the baking aisle.)

• Salt and pepper as needed Turn heat down to medium and simmer • Uncle Ben’s white rice for serving with the for about 30 seconds until wine has evapscaloppine orated. Add butter, mushroom, yellow and green onions, parsley, salt and pepper. Do Directions: not cover.

In a pot, cook rice. (For more flavorful rice, Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve about 5 add a chicken bouillon cube to boiling wamedallions per serving. Place chicken meter.) Wash chicken and pat dry. dallions over a bed of rice, scooping sauce Remove fat. Cut each chicken breast into from pan over chicken. five or six slices. Place chicken pieces in a

Watch Jan D’Atri’s how-to videos at https://bit.ly/JanDAtri.

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www.LovinLife.com

www.LovinLife.com

MAY 2022

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23

Columns

Hospice Is Hope

Boxed Up Project helps children unpack grief

BY LIN SUE FLOOD Hospice of the Valley Most of us have difficulty accepting the death of someone we love, but that’s especially true for a child. At just 6, Milan Coraggio-Sewell didn’t understand how her best friend could suddenly vanish from her life.

“One day we were playing on the beach together in California, and then I never saw him again,” she recalls. “Being so young, I didn’t know how to express my sadness, anger and confusion. I kept all my feelings boxed up inside of me.”

That was the impetus for Milan, now 16, to help other children who hide their grief after experiencing the same kind of

loss. She created her own nonprofit, The Boxed Up Project, to help kids unpack their grief and heal.

The boxes are full of items that encourage kids to open up and share their feelings. It seemed only natural that she would donate them to young children and teens receiving support from the New Song Center for Grieving Children.

The nonprofit organization, a program of Hospice of the Valley, offers comforting and confidential support to families struggling with grief and loss. Special activities and support groups at six locations across the Valley are provided at no charge.

“Youth grieve very differently

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They saved what they could, and now retirement is around the corner.

Then 2020 arrived, and Covid19 swept the globe. At first, Ron and Mary thought worldwide fear and panic might keep things in perspective, but panic continued to escalate. Stocks were volatile, businesses feared forced closures, and everyone seemed shaken. Amid the panic and fear, Ron and Mary’s priorities became crystal clear; they needed safety and security.

For Ron and Mary, safety and security came in the form of a reverse mortgage recommended by their son-in-law. He insisted actuaries openly recognize the reverse mortgage as a method of reducing post-retirement risk, saying it provides security for individuals and couples 62 and older with equity in their home. It was exactly what Ron and Mary needed to relieve their anxiety.

Using a reverse mortgage, while continuing to pay their property taxes, insurance costs, and HOA fees, Ron and Mary are never required to make a mortgage payment for as long as either of them live in their home. The financial security it offered changed everything.

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This material is not provided by, nor was it approved by the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) or by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).

24

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MAY 2022

Friends Elina Ferrigno, center, and Sammi Hampton, left, are all smiles with Milan Coraggio-Sewell knowing they are helping kids heal from the death of a loved one. (Hospice of the Valley/Submitted)

than adults,” New Song Director Lisa Schmitt-Betcher says. “When Milan came to us with her idea, it was clear how much she wanted to help children who are mourning. We are so inspired by her heart and vision.”

New Song collaborated with Milan, providing a mentor to help with design and content development for two age groups (5 to 10 and 11 to 17). Each box contains items like cuddly stuffed animals, art supplies, journals, picture frames, comfort and exercise cards, and stickers. Their sturdy construction also allows children to fill them with special mementos that remind them of their loved one.

Schmitt-Betcher can’t wait to share Milan’s generous gift with families. “It’s so meaningful that someone so young wants to make a difference in the lives of others. This beautiful partnership is going to touch a lot of families in our com-

munity who have boxed up their grief.”

A Phoenix Country Day School junior, Milan has enlisted friends to help assemble and deliver hundreds of boxes. She feels honored “to bring a little light into a child’s life with her project.”

“I want to reach as many kids as I can, because I know what it feels like to have a broken heart,” she says softly. “Knowing I can play a small part in their healing is amazing.”

Lin Sue Flood is community engagement director for Hospice of the Valley. For more information, email info@ hov.org or visit hov.org.

The Boxed Up Project boxedupproject.org

New Song Center for Grieving Children 480-951-8985 newsongcenter.org

GET YOUR COPY TODAY! www.LovinLife.com

The Healthy Geezer

Hair loss can be avoided — maybe

BY FRED CICETTI

Q

What can you do to keep the hair you have?

A

Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss. Androgenetic alopecia, or pattern baldness, is the most common type of alopecia; it affects about onethird of us. I’m in that third with you.

Men start to get pattern baldness at the hairline and crown. This can lead to complete baldness. Women’s hair loss is usually limited to thinning; they rarely go totally bald.

There are a few steps you can take to preserve your hair: 1. Avoid tight hairstyles that pull on the hair. So, forget braids, ponytails, cornrows and tight hair rollers. The pulling causes some hair loss, especially along the sides of the scalp. This type of hair loss is called traction alopecia. If the pulling scars the scalp, it can cause permanent hair loss.

2. Brushing or combing too much can break hair, so keep them to a minimum.

Use combs with wide teeth and brushes with smooth tips. Wet hair is more fragile than dry hair, so show care when you do your hair after a shower.

3. Shampooing too often is bad for your hair. Use a cream rinse or conditioner after shampooing to make it easier to comb. And don’t dry your hair by rubbing it with a towel.

half years and grows about a half inch a month. In its fifth year, the hair usually falls out and is replaced within six months by a new one.

We lose hair as we age. Pattern baldness affects many more men than women. About 25% of men begin to bald by the time they are 30 years old, and about two-thirds have at least a balding pattern by age 60.

Androgenetic alopecia is caused by heredity; a history of it on either side of your family increases your risk of balding.

Medicines may help slow or prevent the development of common baldness.

Rogaine is available without a prescription. It is applied to the scalp. Men and women can use it. Propecia is available with a prescription. It comes in pills and is only for men. It may take up to six months before you can tell if one of these medicines is working.

Hair transplants and scalp reduction surgery are available to treat androgenetic alopecia when more conservative measures have failed. During transplantation a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon takes tiny plugs of skin, each containing one to several hairs, from the back or side of your scalp. The plugs are then implanted into the bald sections.

Scalp reduction, as the name implies, means decreasing the area of bald skin on your head.

4. Don’t use hot-oil hair treatments or chemicals in permanents. These may cause inflammation of the hair follicles, which can lead to hair loss.

There are about 100,000 hairs in the average scalp.

About 100 hairs are lost from your head every day. Each individual hair survives for an average of four-and-awww.LovinLife.com

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Gadget Gossip

Sensate: your key to calm

BY ANNIKA TOMLIN Welcome back to Gadget Gossip! Here we introduce readers to gizmos that can make life just a little easier — and healthier. Have an idea? Email editor@lovinlifeafter50.com.

Sensate

Sensate is a wearable, palm-sized device and audio app that tones a person’s vagus nerve to be able to naturally self-regulate stress responses and find an inner calm.

Created by Stefan Chmelick and Anna Gudmundson after years in the stress management field, Sensate centers around sound-based technology.

“Literally what happened was that we had been using sound-base technology in the clinic for a while,” Chmelick says about the mother company, BioSelf Technology.

“I had been using sound as a healing for decades. We were using meditation-type technology.

“It was using one of these when I sort of

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had this eureka moment where I realized we could get rid of most of the hardware by turning the body into the hardware, which is what Sensate does. It takes the concept of infrasound on a transceiver, and it miniaturizes them and puts them on your chest and uses the bone conductions phenomenon to relay this low-frequency sound into each user’s thorax.”

In simpler terms, the device works to create a sensation “similar to humming or chaunting” throughout the body that helps calm the nervous system.

“How it works is that you put in your headphones, you put the Sensate on your sternum and then you start a session in the app,” Gudmundson explains. “At the moment there are 14 different sessions between 10 and 30 minutes.

“Then either recline or lay down and just do your session. You don’t have to do anything, and I think that is what people really like is that it doesn’t require effort, you just do something that is very natural.”

According to Chmelik, positively interacting with the vagus nerve “appears to be that one thing that all human beings respond to equally” in terms of meditative medicine.

The vagus nerve’s tone influences longevity and health span, Chemlik adds.

“You can measure cholesterol, blood pressure and a bunch of different things but all of those are essentially controlled by the activity of the vagus nerve,” Chemlik says.

“It’s connection to the gut and the brain, the brain and the cardiovascular system,

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the brain and the immune system, nervous system and the connective tissue.”

Both of Gudmendson’s parents use Sensate.

“I’ve never had my dad doing anything like this,” she says. “Most of the users use it because they struggle to meditate yet find it really easy to relax with Sensate— that is worth so much for a lot of people.”

Baby boomers having problems sleeping — including post-menopausal women — find Sensate beneficial. About 44% of Sensate users are older than 45.

“Long term meditators are happier, healthier and have better outcomes for chronic degenerative diseases,” Chmelik says.

“The main core of our user group are people who don’t sleep well, struggle to relax and don’t really manage with a regular meditation practice,” Gudmundson says.

“It takes discipline. It’s great to start meditating at any particular point in time and my mother is also practicing that, but just to have something that helps with relaxing is really important.”

She says this is especially notable now because of pandemic-induced stress.

“That will age you, so to be able to manage all of these external stressors and not put all of that toxicity into the body (is very beneficial),” Gudmundson says.

Sensate getsensate.com Available on website for $249

Georgie & Lou pickleball bag

Pickleball is America’s fastest-growing sport. It’s no wonder that companies like Georgie & Lou are making moves.

This company’s bags are founded and designed by an all-woman team in Colorado.

The bags mix function and fashion, creating champions on and off the court.

The pockets are thoughtfully designed to hold a paddle, balls and pickleball essentials.

Some designs also feature an exclusive “carabiner system” that keeps the bag lifted off the ground and away from germs, dirt and bugs. The bag features vegan leather material that easily wipes clean.

Georgie & Lou georgieandlou.com Available on the website starting at $136

Check out these, too:

Bearback

Bearback can be called a Swiss Army knife for the back, whether it’s applying sunscreen or medication, or relief from an itch.

A perfectly curved 17-inch handler puts relief where needed.

Interchangeable tools include a scratcher, a lotion applicator, dry brush and a massage roller.

Bearback getbearback.com Available on the website starting at $22.97

TableTopics

TableTopics is great for parties and roadtrips and getting the conversation going.

TableTopics comes in a variety of specialized packs including dinner party, girls night out, book club, family gathering and even grandparents and grandkids.

TableTopics tabletopics.com Available on the website for $25 www.LovinLife.com

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