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Hoopla February 2021

Senior care residents celebrate vaccine

Also inside: • Servolution Network a blessing to many • Local “Jeopardy!” champion remembers Alex Trebek

AMANDA SCOTT

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

February 2021

Senior care residents, workers rejoice as vaccinations are administered Pharmacists recently set up vaccination clinics at senior care facilities throughout the county. “Never in a million years would we think we’d be using this fun, happy space (the activities room) to save our residents’ lives,” said Outreach Coordinator Amanda Scott at Legacy Oaks. One memory care resident (below) even asked if he could wave the American flag while the vaccination was administered. People 65 and older (and those with chronic medical conditions) can schedule their vaccination through the Parker County Hospital District website at www.pchdtx.org. If you need assistance or do not have access to the internet, call the district at 817-341-2520.

AMANDA SCOTT

Hoopla February 2021 Volume 5, Issue 3

© 2021 Hoopla. All rights reserved. Hoopla is published monthly and available at more than 45 locations in Parker County. For a complete list of distribution points, go to our website at www. hooplamagazine.com. We no longer offer home delivery. You can contact us at Hoopla, P.O. Box 305, Weatherford, Texas 76086.

817-894-1822

seniors@hooplamagazine.com

Publisher

Cynthia Henry

Contributors

Lara Cook • Bob DeLaurentis • Rick Mauch Neil Sperry • Dick Wolfsie

Copy Editor

Jean Henderson SANDY COOPER

February 2021

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

Local ‘Jeopardy!’ champion recalls moments with the late Alex Trebek by Rick Mauch Hoopla Correspondent As a youngster Buddy Wright would scurry home from school for his favorite part of the day – watching “Jeopardy!” with his mother. “We’d have it taped on the VCR. She and I would both have hand-held calculators, tallying up our score against each other,” Buddy recalled. “He was always very competitive with me and loved playing ‘Jeopardy!’” added his mother, Margaret Wright. From there started the dream of someday being a contestant on the show. And, the more he grew, the more he proved himself worthy of that opportunity. One of the smartest students at Weatherford High School (Class of 1991), he was a member of the academic competition team, a captain, in fact. “A couple of my high school teachers, Gail Shewmake and Janice Smith, were hugely influential and helped develop my love of learning,” he credited. As life will do, it went on with Buddy going to college at Texas A&M, moving on to life as an engineer at Lockheed Martin, and now living in Willow Park. But he never stopped watching his favorite show. One day his wife Jill she suggested he try out for the show. That bit of encouragement was all he needed to take the first step toward realizing his dream, and thus began the long process. “The first step is to take an online test, consisting of 50 questions – not multiple choice. They don’t give you a score, or tell you what the cutoff is,” Buddy said. “I took the test with my wife helping keep my score on the ones I was sure I was right on, the ones I thought I knew, and the ones I missed. I thought I’d done well, but you never know.” Indeed he did do well. He got an email invitation for an in-person audition in Dallas, along with nearly 200 other hopefuls – and Dallas was just one of numerous stops across the nation for the show. They also held auditions in Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Miami, DC, Chicago, among others. Buddy wasn’t confident in his chances. But again, he thought he’d done well at the in-person audition, which included a mock contestant interview, as if talking to the late host Alex Trebek after the first commercial break. “‘Jeopardy!’ isn’t just looking for the smartest peo-

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Buddy Wright with family and friends (including wife Jill to his left) on the set of ‘Jeopardy!’ in 2011. ple – they’re also looking for good TV,” Buddy said. “After the audition, we were told that we would be in the contestant pool for 18 months. If we were not called in that time frame, we were welcome to try out again.” Almost a year and a half passed and Buddy had put the audition out of his mind. Then, on a Friday afternoon while he was out running errands, he received a phone call from a Los Angeles area code. “I answer and the person tells me congratulations, I’ve been invited to be a contestant on ‘Jeopardy!’,” he said. “I thought it was a prank call.” Buddy listened carefully as a contestant coordinator relayed when he needed to fly to LA, along with verifying information on his application. “I start to realize that he only has information I provided to ‘Jeopardy!’ This is real,” Buddy said, still excited all these years later. “I pull over to a parking lot, finish the conversation, and for about three minutes, I am dancing in my car. I’m sure the people at that particular Sam’s Club thought I was crazy. Then, I called my wife and told her. Three weeks later, we’re in Los Angeles with her parents and some close friends to tape the show. “I sat through each taping session, watching them film an episode and wondering, ‘Am I going to be next?’” Eventually, his time came, and he made the most of it. He started his long run by winning a close game.

“After that, it was time to go to lunch in the Sony Cafeteria. I wanted to throw up,” Buddy said. “Competing on stage like that, under that kind of pressure, is a huge adrenaline rush, and I knew I’d have to go back in after lunch and do it again.” He changed his shirt and tie, went back and won a second game. A little later, another change of shirt and tie, and he won his third game. He and Jill flew back to Fort Worth, where they lived at the time, knowing they’d return the next week with Buddy now as a defending champion. Buddy won a fourth game, lost in the fifth, but qualified for the Tournament of Champions – something he would learn a year later. “What people do not realize about “Jeopardy!” is the filming schedule, and the intensity of the environment. I am amazed at people who go on to win multiple episodes, because it is just extremely difficult to go out there, under the lights and cameras, perform to the best of your ability, and then go out 10-15 minutes later and do it again, repeatedly,” he said. “By the fifth game, I was utterly exhausted, and just didn’t have anything left in the tank.” Fast forward to September 2011. Buddy is at work and gets another phone call from a LA area code. “I’d been watching ‘Jeopardy!’ religiously since my appearance, and I’d been tracking who could potentially get invited back for the tournament. I knew I See WRIGHT, P. 4

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

WRIGHT From Page 3

was on the bubble, and when I got the phone call from Maggie Speak (contestant coordinator), telling me that I was the final qualifier, and I was coming back for the tournament, I was thrilled,” he said. He called Jill and they immediately made plans to fly back to LA. “One of the best parts of the Tournament of Champions is meeting the other contestants. I had watched all of them play, and recognized many of them in the hotel where they had put us up. We all quickly became very friendly, and bonded over the shared experience,” Buddy reminisced. “Returning to the ‘Jeopardy!’ green room was awesome. It was familiar, and yet you knew the level of competition was going to be that much harder. I was selected to play the fourth quarterfinal match, and I was on my game that day.” Buddy advanced to the semifinals the next day, where the competition got tougher – but so did he. “I’m playing against two really strong players – and the categories are just a mess for me. Somehow, I end up winning, and I’m about to cry on the ‘Jeopardy!’ stage, as Alex tells me that I’m about to play for a quarter of a million dollars,” he said. In the finals, Buddy faced Roger Craig and Tom Nissley, the Nos. 3 and 4 all-time money winners on the show. “I know I’m just lucky to be here, and hopeful I can hold my own against them,” Buddy said. “And for the first half of the first game, I’m right in there with them. Until Roger Craig does the now famous back-to-back True Daily Doubles in the Double ‘Jeopardy!’ round to put the tournament away before it even really starts. After that, I knew I was playing for second place.” Buddy actually finished in third place, but he said it was hardly a disappointment, having advanced that far. Also, he brought home $50,000, which he chuckles and says helped pay for the house he and Jill now live in. Well, that and the $88,804 he won from previous

Alex Trebek and Buddy Wright

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appearances. He also found a special friendship with the late Trebek, who passed away in November of 2020. Though they never hung out together away from the set, Buddy said the legendary host made it a point to be genuine around contestants, and the more you competed, the more they learned about Trebek just as he did them. “After each game was complete, you’d get to stand on the stage and chat with Alex while the credits are rolling. I distinctly remember him telling us that he had gotten up on the roof of his house that weekend and cleaned out his gutters,” Buddy said, smiling at the memory of his host and friend. “I asked him, ‘Surely you can get someone to do that for you,’ and he explained that he liked being handy and useful around the house, even if it meant climbing up on the roof.” In all, Buddy was on stage with Trebek nine times, and he said the host always seemed truly interested in the contestant interviews. “Whether I was talking about a picture of my dad flying on Space Shuttle Columbia, playing ice hockey, talking about my kids, or working for Lockheed Martin, he gave you the feeling, for those 15 seconds, that you were the most important person in the world,” Buddy said. There was, however, no talking to Trebek off the set during competition, Buddy said. “Alex would get advance copies of the questions in his dressing room, so

he could ensure he knew the correct pronunciation, and would not stumble over the words. As a consequence, we were told strictly do not talk to Alex, unless he talks to you,” Buddy said. “You can only interact with Alex on the camera. It turns out, he was afraid that he might accidentally give away information that he had just read in conversation, and was very cautious in terms of the integrity of the show. He did not want to say or do anything untoward that might provide an advantage.” Now, with his friend gone, Buddy, like many others, wonder who will be his permanent replacement. “Alex had a manner, a gravitas that made him trustworthy,” he said. “I know he had the answers in front of him, but you felt like he knew them anyway. I think that there are very few

February 2021

people who can pull off that level of intellect, while still delivering a heartfelt ‘Ooh, sorry’ when a clue was missed. “It will be difficult to find someone who can deliver the clues as well as Alex did, and can keep the cadence of the game on track. It’s a specific skillset, and it will be interesting to see who they choose. I think that LeVar Burton could potentially be an excellent choice.” Whomever takes over, Buddy will continue watching. “I still love the show. It sounds silly, but I still get goosebumps sometimes when I hear the contestants hit the Daily Double,” he said. “While I know it’s not going to be the same without ‘Uncle Alex’ (as the contestant community calls him), he wanted ‘Jeopardy!’ to go on. I’ll keep watching.”

February 2021

Crossword ACROSS 1 Happy as a ___ 5 Coffee concoction 10 Question starter 14 Direction at sea 15 Cupid's projectile 16 Eagle's roost (var.) 17 Sit for a photo 18 Factory feature 20 Well-kept, to a sailor 22 To the point 23 Studio stand 24 Wise teacher 26 Baseball deal 28 Potential lifesaver 32 Mudbath locale 34 Out of shape? 36 Hard to come by 37 Sight starter 39 Parade proudly 41 Sign of sadness 42 Egg on 44 One more time 46 Monet's forte 47 Vegetable skinner 48 Disneyland shuttles 50 Eventually 53 Out, in a way 56 Metamorphosed insect 59 Put on a front 61 Worsen 63 Castle surround 64 Black cat, to some 65 Race official 66 Cough (up)

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

by Margie E. Burke

(Puzzle solution is on P. 12) 1

35 39

36 40

45 48

47 50 57

25 28

34 38

10 16

51 59

46 49

67 Totally confused 68 Comment to the audience 69 Sinister look DOWN 1 Memory mishap 2 Halawa hello 3 It's measured in ohms 4 Legal-sized fish 5 Strike with a whip 6 Military strength 7 Figure of speech 8 Subway fare 9 Woolly mama 10 Marsh rodent

11 Preside over 12 Parentheses, e.g. 13 Daycare denizen 19 Hard to rattle 21 Generous serving 25 Sampling specialist 27 Abandon 29 Sternum 30 Enterprise Rent__-___ 31 Drew's "E.T." role 32 Model in a bottle 33 Lodgepole, for one

35 38 40 43 45 49 51 52 54 55 56 57 58 60 62

"La la" lead-in Steadfast Not tried out Mortise's partner Stroll in the shallows Warm-blooded sort Elba of "The Dark Tower" Dolphins' home Put on cloud nine Prevent One to worship Staff note Years and years Dried out Posting at JFK

Cowboy Beans 1 pound ground beef 1 pound bacon diced 1 medium onion diced 1 tablespoon minced garlic 28 ounce can Van Camp’s Pork & Beans 15 ounce can beans any kind, or a blend 1 tablespoon liquid smoke 1 tablespoon Worcestershire 1/4 cup brown sugar 18 ounce bottle barbecue sauce 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon butter Cook bacon and set aside. In a skillet, saute onions in butter. Add ground beef and cook until browned. In a 5-quart casserole dish or dutch oven, combine remaining incredients. Drain beef and onions and add to the pot. After a quick stir, place it into a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes.

n Find The Frog Mitch Daniels of Weatherford found him. Did you? The frog was in a photo on Page 8 (in the upper left window pane) of last month’s issue. To enter this month’s contest, submit your name, address, phone number, and a brief description of where you find the hidden frog (not the frog at left) to Hoopla, P.O. Box 305, Weatherford, Texas 76086 or e-mail seniors@hooplamagazine.com. Contestants will be entered into a drawing for one of three $25 gift certificates. Read next month’s issue to see if you’ve won. Winners must contact Hoopla within 90 days to claim their prize.

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

February 2021

Good Neighbors

Bruce Adams and Jason Milewiski continue building and repairing with the Servolution Network by Rick Mauch Hoopla Correspondent Throughout history, change has come in the form of revolutions. Jason Milewiski and his father-inlaw Bruce Adams had a better idea – so, in 2013 they started Servolution. “Several years back we cast a huge vision to not be only about [fundraising and educational] events, but to change a culture,” Milewiski said. That vision was to build an alliance between Servolution Network, the city, local businesses, community churches and nonprofits who have a heart and desire to build community together. “Good Neighbors enables the blessed to be a blessing by helping homeowners who are unable to make the required home repairs. Good Neighbors energizes teams of community volunteers to revitalize homes and build a stronger sense of community through these acts of kindness and compassion.” Adams, 64, directs the Good Neighbors division of the network. The idea for Servolution started when he helped Milewiski and his wife, Krystal, repair their own home after it flooded. They spent a tremendous amount of time together, several weeks, and it planted some seeds concerning what they could to do help others. Adams began thinking of a previ-

ous project he’d worked with when he lived in Willow Park and attended the Baptist church there. “Every year they called it Christmas in April, and we would go out and work on the elderly’s front porches, the yards, building wheelchair ramps and doing maintenance outside the house,” Adams recalled. “I’ve been in construction all my life and I like working with my hands, so that’s kind of the vision I gave Jason. “We started out with our neighbor’s house, working on her front porch, and it’s grown from there.” The Christian-based program is a pay-it-forward sort of format designed build an alliance to meet the needs of the community, especially the elderly and those facing major challenges. In fact, one of their many programs is indeed titled Pay It Forward. “I cannot fix anything at all, and this man can fix everything,” Milewiski said with a laugh about Adams. However, Milewiski certainly does his part in the program, as do the many volunteers coming together to make it a reality. Milewiski spent two decades in the military, 13 of which were as an acquisition program manager, which he said trained him well to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars and maxiSee SERVOLUTION, P. 7

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Bruce Adams, above, and his son-in-law Jason Milewiski (pictured right in the photo below) co-founded the Servolution Network, which helps area residents in need with everything from home repairs to clothing, including many elderly.

COURTESY

February 2021

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+ 7

SERVOLUTION From Page 6

mize them to the best extent possible. He is now using that experience to lead Servolution. “We have invested in tools and equipment to continue to serve this great community more efficiently,” he said. Over the past few years he said the network has purchased two box trucks, a pickup, one cargo trailer, a 40-foot sea container, and a landscape trailer. The Pay It Forward program collects gently-used furniture and appliances with a goal to give it all away for free. Likewise, the New Beginnings Clothing Closet provides free clothing, and the Fill the Bin program collects items for different nonprofits in the Azle area. “Servolution is an awesome organization. They help people who would otherwise be overlooked in our community,” Lynn Grant said. “The volunteers show God’s grace in an amazing way.” Though Servolution works with area churches, the network has its own 501(c)3 certification as a nonprofit, Milewiski said. He also stressed that while based in Azle, they won’t turn away folks from elsewhere. “We’ve worked hard to remove that stigma that we ‘only serve Azle,’” he said. The board of directors for the Ser-

volution Network consists of nine members featuring a diversified group of community leaders from multiple churches and business sectors. “United we can do more, reach more, serve more, and love more,” Milewiski stressed. Milewiski said he prays that eventually Servolution Network will become an umbrella under which many churches, service organizations, food banks, governments and even school districts from other areas can come onboard and join forces to operate to serve the needs of numerous communities from a united front. “As more communities get on board the resources continue to grow and the community (he stresses unity in that word) continues to build,” he said. “We’d love to see Springtown, Weatherford, Lake Worth, Saginaw, Reno,

and Boyd all jump in.” Among the many programs the Servolution Network offers are: *Good Neighbors Housing Revitalization Program. Teams of community volunteers revitalize homes and build a stronger sense of community. *Pay It Forward Furniture and Appliance, Household Items Ministry. Donations from the community are used to help families in need. *New Beginnings Clothing Ministry. Free clothes for those in need. This program features a no-contact dropbox at 609 SE Parkway. *Blessing Boxes. Small boxes in neighborhoods in which folks can take things they need or leave something to help others. “Our goal is to be the hands and feet of Jesus. There is no greater joy and no closer connection to Christ than to

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serve others,” Milewiski said. Also, Milewiski added, “We have many amazing donors that come together to support these programs with both monetary donations as well as the donations of their time, services, and materials. Without the support from all of these partners and the manpower of our awesome volunteers we could not do what we do.” If you’d like to become a part of the Servolution Network, Milewiski said to simply “Jump in and serve one another in love.” Also, get linked in on the website at www.servolutionnetwork.com and on their Facebook page at www.facebook. com/servolutionnetwork. You can also call 1-833-4-WE-SERV. “I always enjoyed helping older people,” Adams said, adding with a laugh, “And now I am one.”

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Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

Many happy returns I’ve missed doing a number of things this past year. I used to love going to the movies with my wife, going out to dinner with my wife, and going food shopping WITHOUT my wife. She is meticulous about what she buys and spends more time squeezing a melon then I spend picking out a new car. When I did go with her to a grocery, she was judgmental about my choices. No matter what I would sneak into in the cart, she’d notice those items at the check-out. That’s when I would hear one of three things: 1: You’ll never eat that. We threw away the last two bags. Return that to the shelf, please. 2: If you buy that horrible snack, you’ll just eat the whole thing and hate yourself. Let’s put that back in the candy section. 3: There’s been a jar of that in the fridge for a year. Please, take it back. Then I would have to go around the store, trying to find where things belong. After a while, the store personnel recognized what I was doing during each visit. Dang security cameras! “Hi, Mr. Wolfsie. Doing a little reverse shopping again today? Not to be critical, but last week, we saw you cram some Pop-Tarts on top of the energy bars. We found a dozen glazed donuts stuck in between the everything bagels and the seven-grain bread. Please don’t confuse the other husbands in the store who are lucky enough to be shopping alone.” Mary Ellen is now doing all her food buying online. With the pandemic, she thinks this is a much safer approach, so I have been forbidden to

Carry On by Dick Wolfsie Humorist wander around any stores on my own. This has drastically cut down on my intake of frozen pizza, ice cream and potato chips. I watch “Sesame Street” now, just so I can see someone eating a cookie. The other day, I asked Mary Ellen if I could do the ordering myself, so I could be of some help. “Okay, but please order exactly what I tell you. We have been eating much healthier lately because you are not tempted with impulse buying.” Mary Ellen then shouted her shopping list from the bathroom while she was drying her hair. Later that day, I picked up the order. Mary Ellen was not happy. “Let’s see, I said macaroni; you got baloney. I asked for guacamole; you got cannoli. We needed noodles, you bought strudel. In the morning, there will be no coffee, but plenty of toffee. Finally, dinner tonight will not be low-fat turkey, but a bag of beef jerky.” I told Mary Ellen I had not done this on purpose — that I had simply forgotten to put in my hearing aids and I must have misunderstood her. “Okay, but I am proud of you for getting the organic broccoli, just as I requested. Did you get it because it is so nutritious?” “No, because it doesn’t rhyme with anything.”

817-894-1822

February 2021

FINALLY a way to fix the PAIN of a BULGING DISC Are you suffering from back pain, arm or leg pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arms or legs? Then it’s likely you’re suffering from a Bulging DISC. That’s when one of your spinal discs are bulging and causing these, sometimes severe, symptoms because of the effect it’s having on your nerve system. You may have already had this diagnosed on an MRI and thought that there is little that can be done about it. That’s a major problem: bad information, because in the right hands, a lot can be done for you. To end the misery caused by Bulging DISCS, you must have the right information. Pay close attention because I’m going to destroy some important myths and give you the facts. MYTH: Bulging DISC problems will just “go away” with some rest. FACT: If you are dealing with leg pain, then you must seek help from a Bulging DISC specialist immediately. If left untreated, the problem can lead to permanent nerve damage - and lifelong pain. MYTH: Pain is the only problem associated with Bulging DISC problems. FACT: In severe cases, this problem can lead to the inability to control your bowels, bladder and sexual potency - leading to embarrassing situations. MYTH: You must take pain medications to deal with Bulging DISCs. FACT: Drugs like muscle relaxants, pain killers, narcotics, antidepressants, and anti-seizure medications have serious potential side-effects and do not cure Bulging DISCs. MYTH: “I must have done something wrong to damage my DISC.” FACT: Physical work or simply sitting at a desk for long periods can lead to Bulging DISCs. Accidents and trauma can also be the culprits. Pregnancy can cause damage. DISC bulges can happen to anyone - including super-fit celebrities like Tiger Woods, Sylvester Stallone, and British Olympic medalist Ian Wynne. MYTH: Stop exercising and get several weeks of bed rest to let the Bulging DISC recover… FACT: Staying active can help to relieve the pain and prevent the pain from getting worse. Staying inactive in bed could be the worst advice - based on a recent study in the Netherlands. MYTH: DISC Bulges or herniations require surgery. FACT: No! There’s been a huge breakthrough in the treatment of Bulging DISCs.

MYTH: “There’s nothing anyone can really do. I’m just stuck with this for the rest of my life.” FACT: With the correct treatment from a healthcare professional who specializes in Bulging DISCs, you can find relief from the core cause - and the symptoms. MYTH: Getting a Bulging DISC properly diagnosed is expensive. FACT: Not true. Dr. Carl McAfee in Weatherford is currently offering an initial consultation with one of their specialists for just $29. Dr. Carl McAfee, D.C. is a Bulging DISC Expert in Weatherford. This procedure does not require a hospital stay and, in most cases, you’ll be able to continue with your normal daily activities with little interruption. The focus is on finding - and correcting - the original cause of the Bulged DISC. According to Dr. McAfee, “We use a specialized digital x-ray motion study analysis to precisely diagnose the cause or your Bulging DISC. This means superior, longterm results for most people.”

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Because the treatment is non-surgical, safe, and easy, most patients report relief from their pain and associated symptoms early in the process. Take the Next Step - END the Suffering … Initial Consultation Just $29. The first step is to secure a thorough examination with Dr. Carl McAfee, DC. Call 817-594-0281 to schedule this article (CODE: 02HOOPLA2018) and they will happily reduce their usual consultation fee of $275 to just $29! Only 100 reader consultations are available at this exclusively discounted rate. Call them now and get a full and thorough examination to pinpoint the cause of your problem for just $29. The normal cost of such an exam is $275, so you will save $246! Call them now at 817-594-0281 and cut out or tear out this valuable article and take it to your appointment. You’ll be on your way to safe, lasting relief ! You can even call on the weekend and leave a message on their answering machine to secure your spot, and they promise to return all calls. During the week, staff can be very busy helping patients, so if they don’t pick up straight away, leave a message. Quote this special discount code: 02HOOPLA2020.

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

February 2021

Three simple tips you need to look marvelous on Zoom by Bob DeLaurentis Guest Columnist People value looks. We dress, we groom, we strive to look good. Yet the care we take to look our best is often lost when we flip open a laptop and start talking. To make a great impression on a video call, you need to pay attention to three basic things: camera position, sound, and light. Camera position is the easiest to get right. Stop making your nostrils the center of attention! Place the camera at the same height as your eyes. This angle cuts down background distractions, helps you sit up straight, and encourages you to look directly into the camera. You can make this work with a stack of books. Position your camera to look you straight in the eye, and you will be one step closer to looking like a TV star. People forgive fuzzy video if the audio is good. Clear sound brings you closer to the listener, and it is easy to do. Cardinal Rule: never use the built-in microphone. It can make you sound like you’re inside a cave. Plus every dog bark and email chime will echo in your listener’s ears with annoying regularity. Crystal clear sound requires a microphone close to your face. Those tiny mics you’ve seen on TV clipped to someone’s lapel are lavalier microphones. And while professional mics can cost thousands, this is one of those magic occasions when a $25 lavalier mic from Walmart will make you sound a thousand times better. When it comes to microphones, wired is always better than wireless. Whichever model you choose is fine. Just make sure the cable is long enough to be comfortable and that it uses a connector that matches your phone or laptop. Third on the list is lighting. Get light right and you will look ready for the red carpet at the Emmy Awards. Rule number one is no windows behind you. A bright light in the frame turns you into a silhouette, or worse. If you have window, face it. In a room with two windows face one and let the second window light the side of your face. But when the windows are in the wrong place or it is simply nighttime, fetch a ring light. I use a Neewer 10-inch LED ring light (about $25 on Amazon). Rule number two is that bigger lights are always better. As big as your space will allow. Lights smaller than a 10-inch ring exist, but avoid them. Small light sources sharpen the texture of skin, exactly the opposite of the look you want. A 10-inch (or

12-inch) ring light is flattering but not so big that it overwhelms a small room. Position the light as close to the camera as you can. If you use a phone to make video calls, pick a ring light that has a bracket for the phone inside the ring. For a laptop, place the light on a stand behind the lid, centered near the camera. It is ok if a bit of the ring is hidden behind the lid. The goal is to get a big bright light near the camera to splash on your face head-on. We live in stressful times. Most Zoom-like apps sport playful features that can help lighten the

mood. Explore what is possible – from novelty backgrounds to face smoothing to my personal favorite, the floating moose antlers. Play with the app’s menus to add whimsy to your online persona. Once you mix good light and sound from the right camera angle, you will look and sound like a TV star, ready for your close up. Bob has been writing about technology for over three decades and is currently developing an educational app. He can be contacted at techtalk@bobdel. com.

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February 2021

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Adults 55+

Free Tax Preparation by AARP Tax-Aide Foundation AARP Tax-Aide volunteers will once again offer free tax preparation for Parker County residents. You do not have to be an AARP member or over age 50, but an appointment is necessary. This year, volunteers will be operating under strict COVID guidelines to minimize in-person contact. An initial interview and document scanning will take place during your appointment. Preparation will be done remotely. Clients should plan to return for a followup visit to finalize the tax return. Tax envelopes may be picked up at Weatherford Public Library or Azle Library. The envelope contains complete instructions and required forms, which must be completed before your appointment time. Clients residing in Weatherford, Hudson Oaks, Willow Park, Brock

and Aledo will be seen at Weatherford Public Library on Fridays 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., Saturdays noon to 4:30 p.m. and Mondays 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from February 12 until April 10. Call 817-631-3176 to make an appointment, and a Tax-Aide representative will return your call. Volunteers ask that you do not call the Weatherford Library. Residents in Azle and Springtown will be served at Azle Library on Tuesdays from 2:30 to 7 p.m., Wednesdays 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursdays 2:30 to 7 p.m. from Feb. 16 until April 15. Call Azle Library for an appointment at 817444-7216. Tax preparations are done by trained volunteers who must complete training and pass IRS certification annually to assist in tax preparation.

February 2021

SUDOKU nDifficulty: Sudoku Easy (Puzzle solution is on P. 12.)

Edited

E cont 1 to m num ea box the

(An w

Difficulty: Easy

4 6 8 9 3 February 2021 7 1 2 5 9 4 8 3 1 7 5 1 6 7 4 9 7

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

How to respond when risk tolerance is tested When you begin investing, you’ll genUnderstand that the Dow isn’t your erally assess your comfort with risk, as portfolio. When the Dow Jones Industriyour investment choices will be guided al Average and the other major market at least partially by your risk tolerance. indexes such as the S&P 500 fall precipiBut once you actually experience the tously (or shoot up), it makes headlines. ups and downs of the market, this tolerBut the Dow and the S&P 500 only track ance could be tested. the performance of large U.S. companies Risk tolerance may appear less both– and while their performance may be ersome in the abstract but seem quite an indication of the U.S. economy, they different in reality. For example, you aren’t going to track the results of your might initially think you wouldn’t be portfolio, which should ideally include fazed by short-term market downturns, a personalized mix no matter how of large-company severe. However, stocks, small-comwhen the financial pany stocks, internamarkets really detional stocks, bonds, cline, as happened by Mary H. McDow government securiwhen the COVEdward Jones Adviser ties and other investID-19 pandemic ments. struck last March, Keep your emotions out of your inyou might find yourself being more con- vestment moves. The market will fluctucerned than you thought you would be. ate constantly – but you should always Before you change your investment try keep your emotions in check. Excess strategy, it’s important to understand exuberance when the market rises, or the potential tradeoffs. By limiting your extreme despondency when the market downside risk by investing less aggresfalls, can lead you to make poor decisively, you may also limit your upside sions. Specifically, we may buy when we potential. You might need to change feel good (when the markets are up) and your strategy in other ways, such as savsell when we feel badly (when markets ing more or working longer. That said, are down). Your heart and your emothe tradeoff involved in reducing your tions may drive your financial goals downside risk may be worth taking, if it – creating a comfortable retirement, helps you cope better with wild market sending your kids to college or leaving swings, as the best strategy may be one a legacy for your family – but when you you can stick with through the inevitainvest for these goals, you should use ble ups and downs of the markets. your head. Because market fluctuations are a Your risk tolerance is a key part of normal part of investing, here are some your investment strategy. But by taking additional suggestions that may help the steps described above, you can gain you focus on your long-term strategy. a broader understanding of how risk fits Look past the immediate event. into your overall picture – and a better While the market’s pandemic-driven fall understanding of yourself as an investor. was sudden, its recovery was also fairly quick. Eight months after its March meltdown, the market had regained all the lost ground and reached a new record high. During the midst of what appears to be a real threat to your investment portfolio, it can be difficult to anticipate a more favorable environThis article was written by Edward ment. Yet, while past performance can’t Jones for use by your local Edward guarantee future results, every historical Jones Financial Adviser, Mary H. market decline has been followed by a McDow, 102 Houston Ave., Suite 203, recovery. 817-598-0882. Member SPIC

Jack’s 80 Cafe

COURTESY

Remember the long ride from Fort Worth to Weatherford before suburban sprawl? Nothing but fields until you rolled up to Jack’s. Did you fill up on chicken-fried steak while you browsed the miniature jukebox on your the table? Maybe you spent the entire meal trying to decipher that sign: Seville Dar Dago Tousin Busses Inaro Nojo Demstrux Summit Cows In Summit Dux. It’s all gone now, but the memories remain for longtime residents. Send us your memories at seniors@hooplamagazine.com.

Money Matters

Solution to Sudoku:

Solution to Crossword: L A P S E

A L O H A

S H I P

P I N E

I D O L

M E M O

R E S I S T A N C E A G E S

K L E A E S P S H E L R A D B E D S I T E L E R I N T G O E N E N T T A

A R M A M E N T

I D R I S

T R O P E

T O K E N

T R U A N T M E I S A T M E I D

E W E S T T O A I S C T E W R A D S E E R E

W A T E R R A T M A M M A L

H E A R

A R C S

T Y K E

B R E A S T B O N E

A C A R

G E R T

E L A T E

D E T E R

1 2 8 3 9 4 5 7 6

4 9 7 5 6 1 8 3 2

5 3 6 7 8 2 4 1 9

6 5 4 2 3 7 1 9 8

2 8 1 9 5 6 7 4 3

9 7 3 1 4 8 6 2 5

7 6 2 8 1 3 9 5 4

8 1 9 4 2 5 3 6 7

3 4 5 6 7 9 2 8 1

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BUTANE CO. INC. PROPANE SALES & SERVICE

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8 February 2021

HOW TO SOLVE:

Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3 by 3 boxes must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Adults 55+

Find your sisters 5

9 2

(Answer appears else-

There were also some women looking on from a diswhere in this issue) tance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome. When He was in Galilee, they used to follow Him and minister to Him; and there were many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem. Mark 15:40-41

7 1

When I was a little girl, I always wanted a sister. I wanted to have that unique bond and share special secrets in the middle of the night when we were supposed to be sound asleep. I wanted someone to teach me how to put on my makeup, curl my hair and tell me how to deal with boys. As a mother, I saw the light shining underneath my daughter’s bedroom door late at night and I heard them whisper and giggle. Hearing the fun they were having made me happy and felt like l was experiencing something I always wanted through them. In the male dominated culture of biblical times you don’t read a lot about the women who followed and loved Jesus. However, in the text above we read, there were many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem. Mary and Martha were sisters and close friends with Jesus. They were opposite in nature, as sisters often are. Mary was the quiet, contemplative one who sat at Jesus’ feet while He talked. Martha was the worker bee who worked hard to prepare the meal and clean the house. Despite their differences in opinions and personality, they were bound deeply by their love for Christ, as we are with our “Soul Sisters.” I am glad my girls did, and still do have each other to lean on. I hope they will stay close forever; that they will always have a special relationship with a special person who knows them better than anyone else. Someone who truly understands them. Anyone can have a biological sister who shares the same gene pool. What women are all searching for though, is a Soul Sister. A soul sister is that special someone we can share our deepest thoughts with. It is the person we can be real with and air our frustrations with. It is someone we can cry and laugh with. It is someone we can pray with, and who we know is praying for us. As women, whether or not we have a biological sister, we need these kinds of friendships. We need

the support and unconditional acceptance of another woman who understands us and what we are going through. Only another woman can truly comprehend and provide this special friendship. Women can identify with each other over the frustrations and concerns of caring for our families, health issues or sibling rivalries. They can bond over the experiences they have in common such as being a wife, mothering and the different seasons we go through in marriage and motherhood. Good or bad, these are the trademarks of womanhood, and having the support of a soul sister makes

bearing the burdens easier and the rejoicing sweeter. The Women’s Ministry at North Side Baptist Church has some very exciting things coming up in the next couple of months. We will be launching some new and exciting events you won’t want to miss that will provide opportunities for women to by Lara Cook build these kinds of friendships. North Side Come and see what we have in Baptist Church store! Embrace your soul sisters and your biological sisters. Lift each other up, help when you can, and love with abounding grace.

Life in Grace

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

February 2021

Gearing up for growing season The signs of spring abound. Birds are singing. Buds are swelling. Flowers are popping. Gardening time is at hand. Let’s get right down to grass facts. Plant: • Mid- to late February: Irish potatoes, Cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower). Leaf and root vegetables including radishes, carrots, spinach, leaf lettuce and others. • Frost-tolerant annual flowers such as snapdragons, stocks, sweet alyssum, petunias, wallflowers, English daisies, larkspurs and ornamental Swiss chard. • Nursery stock as you re-do parts of your landscape. Growers tell me that supplies may be short this year, so wise gardeners will be shopping early. • This is your last chance for this season for digging and relocating established trees and shrubs. It must be done while dormant. Prune: • Evergreen shrubs to reshape them before they put out new growth for the spring. Try to maintain plants’ natural growth forms. • Summer-flowering shrubs and vines to guide their growth. Do not ever “top” crape myrtles for any purported purpose. There is no justification to do so. • Finish pruning peaches and plums before plants start to bud out and bloom. Goal is to remove vertical shoots to maintain bowlshaped habit and keep trees 9 or 10 ft. tall. • Grape vines to remove 80 to 85

Timely Tips

by Neil Sperry Gardening Expert

percent of cane growth. Finish before new growth commences. • Mow lawn to prevent weeds from growing tall and unsightly. Fertilize: • Winter annuals with high-nitrogen, water-soluble plant food each time that you water them. • Ryegrass with high-quality, allnitrogen lawn food to stimulate new growth during late-winter warm spells. • Newly transplanted trees and shrubs with liquid, high-phosphorus root-stimulator fertilizer monthly for first year to encourage new root development. On the Lookout: • Aphids on tender new growth of flowers and vegetables. They can be in a variety of colors, but green and black are common. They are pear-shaped and most are pinhead-sized. They will usually congregate in large numbers. Try blasting them off with a hard stream of water. Most general-purpose insecticides will also eliminate them. • Control henbit, chickweed, clover, dandelions, thistles, plantain, dichondra and other non-grassy weeds with a broadleafed weedkiller spray (contains 2,4-D). Read and follow label directions.

NEIL SPERRY

It’s time to transplant and plant frost-tolerant annuals, like these larkspurs.

SMALL ELECTRICAL JOBS Serving Parker & Palo Pinto counties

at reasonable prices (817) 673-7345

JAMES ANSLEY

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Licensed electrician •• 27 years experience

February 2021

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Adults 55+

n Neighbors We’ll Miss n Hilda Rose Seely Barton Jan. 20, 2021

n Carolyn Louise Morse Jan. 14, 2021

n Richard James Marx II Jan. 8, 2021

n Shannon Joyce Martin Jan. 2, 2021

n Debbie Turner Jan. 19, 2021

n Norma Jean Goddard Jan. 13, 2021

n Delane Atchley Jan. 8, 2021

n John Herbert Mize Dec. 31, 2020

n James Edgar Freeman Jan. 16, 2021

n Christine Vanderpool Jan.12, 2021

n Lyla Lee Stoner Jan. 6, 2021

n Rick Joe Fleming Dec. 30, 2020

n Beverly S. Oakley Jan. 16, 2021

n Anna Wilson Davis Jan. 12, 2021

n James Lawrence Shawver Jan. 6, 2021

n Steven William Cosper Dec. 30, 2020

n David Eugene Nichols Jan. 15, 2021

n John L. Marsh Jan. 12, 2021

n Kenny Edwin Letson, Jr. Jan. 5, 2021

n Melba Nadine Marr Dec. 29, 2020

n Nancy Lois Rickman Beaty Jan. 15, 2021

n Kenneth Clyde Haas Jan. 9, 2021

n Mema Lee Curry Jan. 3, 2021

n Robert Pritchett Dec. 29, 2020

n Judy Henderson Jan. 14, 2021

n Arthur Franklin Tinney Jan. 9, 2021

n Glenn McCarty Jan. 2, 2021

n Jim Warvell Dec. 27, 2020

n Carl LeRoy Janssen Jan. 14, 2021

n Patricia Nell Grams Jan. 9, 2021

n Jo Ann Rouse Jan. 2, 2021

n Dora Ray Belew Dec. 27, 2020

“Serving every family as part of our own for over 60 years” “Serving every family as part of our own for over 60 years”

913 N. Elm St., Weatherford, TX 76086

817-594-2747 | 800-593-2747 913 N. Elm St., Weatherford, TX 76086 817-594-2747 | 800-593-2747

James R. Plowman - jamesplowman@gpfcnet.com James R. Plowman - jamesplowman@gpfcnet.com Misty Engel – mistyengel@gpfcnet.com Misty Engel – mistyengel@gpfcnet.com Norma Plowman normaplowman@gpfcnet.com Norma Plowman – normaplowman@gpfcnet.com

Our newest additional location Galbreaith Hilltop location Chapel Our newestPickard additional 4941 I-20 Frontage Road | Willow Park, TX 76087

Galbreaith Pickard Hilltop Chapel

4941 I-20 Frontage Road | Willow Park, TX 76087

Hoopla: News and Entertainment for Parker County Residents 55+

February 2021