55 Plus by 55 Plus: For Active Adults in Central New York

TV Personality Mike Price Keeps on Dazzling Fans

Lucille Ball: Two Museums in Jamestown Bring Her To Life

PLUS Issue 44 April / May 2013

For Active Adults in Central New York

JOB MARKET Over 50? Experts: expect to earn less

RICH SETTEMBRE

Maureen Green

As she turns 55, former anchorwoman talks about being away from TV cameras and her new life, split between Syracuse and Cape Cod

Liverpool man keeps on invent things

ONLINE DATING

‘My own experience’

RACQUETBALL Syracuse phenom shares his passion

Marilyn Pinsky: My Fixation With Black Clothes

April / May 2013 - 55 PLUS

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Protect the ones you love 4

55 PLUS - April /May 2013

55 PLUS

April / May 2013

CONTENTS

34 50

Financial Health 8 My Turn 13 Gardening 25 Aging 26 Visits 38 Consumers Corner 41 Golden Years 46 Druger’s Zoo 48 Last Page 50

10 IN-STEP

• Mike Price: Still dazzling fans with his zany approach to life

14 ROMANCE

• Looking for dates online: for friendship, long-term commitment • Online dating: “My own experience”

20 COVER

• Maureen Green: Former TV anchorwoman who just turned 55, now splitting time between CNY and Cape Cod

28 LUCILLE BALL

• Jamestown feature two museums honoring the life of Lucille Ball

30 JOB SEARCH

• Over 50? Expect a lower salary and a harder time finding a job

32 PROFILE

• Liverpool resident has a slew of inventions under his belt, and he continues inventing more things

34 ZOO LIFE

• Tom LaBarge talks about the job he had for the last 27 years: taking care of animals

36 HELPFUL HINT

• How to save money in auto insurance by attending online defensive driving classes

42 ACTION

• Jim Winterton, a Syracuse racquetball phenom, shares his passion, knowledge April / May 2013 - 55 PLUS

from the

editor

Upgrades to 55 PLUS

More color, better paper starting this issue

he print media is going down the drain, correct? See what happened to the Pennysavers? All gone. Overnight. And how about The Post-Standard, which is now delivered to subscribers only three days a week? Magazines are folding — remember Newsweek? US News & World Report? Not in print anymore. The general feeling is that print media is doomed. So why are we at 55 PLUS making a major upgrade, adding color in every page and printing the magazine on a glossy, expensive paper far superior than the previous format? Aside from our passion about publishing a quality magazine, the answer is, we feel encouraged by readers, advertisers and the results of a recent audit our our sister publication in Rochester. • Readers: The feedback we have received has been tremendous. Readers like the content, the format and the fact that 55 PLUS is a free publication. As soon as we distribute an issue, it disappears from the more than 1,000 drop-off locations in a matter of days. We have to keep replenishing most locations in order to keep the magazine available. • Advertisers: Over the last few years we have been able to maintain and increase the number of advertisers. This is a tough job in a soft economy, but advertisers like the fact this is a magazine with a very deﬁned target — active adults in the Central New York area (the fastest growing population in the region). Advertisers also like the shelf life of the publication, two months, which means their ads are out there for a long period of time. They also like the fact 55 PLUS is available 24/7 in all Wegmans stores in the region. • Auditing: The Circulation Verification Council, a reputable 6

55 PLUS - April /May 2013

auditing company based in St. Louis, Mo., did an audit of our sister magazine in Rochester. We will conduct a similar audit of our CNY publication but we believe the results will mirror that of Rochester. The results we got from 55 PLUS Rochester are impressive. Each edition of 55 PLUS is read by more than 60,000 readers, most of them (61 percent) females and most of them reasonably affluent — households with income above $75,000. More than 50 percent of our readers attended or have graduated from college, and tend to keep an issue of 55 PLUS for a month or longer. In a survey with readers, CVC said readers are likely to buy products and services that are advertised in the publication. Another important finding: Nearly 90 percent of our readers fall into the age group between 55 and 74. The exact ﬁgures: 39 percent of readers are between 55 and 64 and 36 percent are between 65 and 74. In other words, advertisers who want to reach baby boomers don’t need to waste money on general interest publications that reach too broad of an audience. We reach baby boomers, almost exclusively. We’re encouraged by all this and we believe in adding value to our product. Publishing a magazine that is visually more attractive and with strong content tends to attract more readers and, we hope, advertisers. We’re also helped that the vast majority of boomers remain loyal print media readers and favor that format over online news. We want to give them more reasons to stick with print media, although they always have an option to visit us online at cny55.com.

55PLUS Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto

Associate Editor Lou Sorendo

Writers

Deborah Jeanne Sergeant Sandra Scott Aaron Gifford, Mary Beth Roach Matthew Liptak, Barbara Pierce Suzanne M. Ellis

Columnists

Eva Briggs, M.D., Bruce Frassinelli Marilyn Pinsky, Harold Miller Jim Sollecito, David J. Zumpano Marvin Druger

Advertising

Jasmine Maldonado Marlene Raite Tracy DeCann

Ofﬁce Manager

Laura J. Beckwith

Layout and Design Chris Crocker

Cover Photo

Chuck Wainwright 55 PLUS –A Magazine for Active Adults in Central New York is published six times a year by Local News, Inc., which also publishes In Good Health–CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper.

Health in good

CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper

No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher. Third class postage paid at Syracuse, NY. Permit Number: 3071

How to Reach Us P.O. Box 276 Oswego, NY 13126 Phone: 315-342-1182 Fax: 315-342-7776 Email: editor@cnyhealth.com Editor@cnyhealth.com

Christine Lightcap Executive Producer

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ver the last decade a lot of confusion has occurred with individuals in understanding the difference between asset protection and tax planning. Many people who come into our office want to avoid taxes. Many others want to protect their assets from the government, lawsuits, nursing homes and family predators. The difference, though, is rarely understood. There are two types of tax planning: minimizing income taxes and minimizing estate taxes. Since most people interested in tax planning are retired, they’re more concerned about estate planning than income tax planning. With the passage of the new economic recovery act in January, the question of estate tax planning has finally been settled. The laws of 2001 that had been set to expire twice have finally been made permanent. What do they mean? Quite simply, individuals will not owe a federal estate tax unless they die with assets in excess of $5,250,000.00. If you are a couple, you can die with $10,500,000.00. Since this has been made permanent, the need for estate tax planning has virtually been nullified for 99.5 percent of Americans. For the one-half of a percent with taxable estates, tax-planning strategies are still available. For the rest of us, asset protection planning becomes even more relevant. Asset protection planning is actually less restrictive than tax planning. Tax planning requires you to create trusts that require you to give up your right to your assets, your right to control them and your ability to change the trust. Asset protection planning doesn’t. In an asset protection trust, you can be the trustee. You can distribute

assets to anyone you choose, and you can even change it. The one restriction on an asset protection trust is you must give up your right to that which you want to protect. For example, if you want to protect your assets (i.e., a CD), the CD could go into the irrevocable trust and you would agree never to be able to get the CD back. But, you can still retain the rights to all the interest earned on the CD and you could still invest the CD any way you want and use the CD as trustee to purchase a home or other asset you could benefit from. What would be prohibited? The only thing prohibited would be that you cannot liquidate the CD and give it back to yourself directly. It can only be utilized on an asset you purchase that you benefit from or to be distributed to someone else in the family or whomever you intend to benefit. So, it’s important to realize tax planning is really no longer the tail wagging the dog, but rather asset protection planning from nursing homes, lawsuits and predators really has become the predominant planning tool in this new estate planning environment. It’s important to note a revocable living trust does not provide asset protection until after you die and, even then, only if you set it up to do so. The majority of plans we review do not do what the person who created them thought. It’s important you understand the differences and get your current plan reviewed to determine if it accomplishes your goals and objectives. David J. Zumpano is an attorney and a certified public accountant (CPA). He operates Estate Planning Law Center. He can be reached at 793-3622.

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55+

in-step

s s e l e c i

Former TV personality continues to dazzle fans with his zany, lively approach to life

n his 40-plus year career, local TV personality Mike Price had traveled to nearly every corner of Central New York. But now, at 75 and retired, he is crisscrossing the globe, a surprise opportunity that came about the same week he retired from WSYR-TV in July 2008. He was approached by Holiday Vacations to become a spokesman for the guided tour company. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be going to these different places, like Ireland, London, Italy, Australia, Hawaii twice, Alaska, 10

55 PLUS - April /May 2013

By Mary Beth Roach southern California, the Canadian Rockies, and the Southwest,” he said. These trips also give Price a way to stay connected to his fans. “The idea is that when I’m on the air, doing commercials for these trips, because they [the fans] remember and know me, they might think, ‘I’d like to travel with him,’” Price said. Some of his fans have traveled with Price on several of these adventures. When he’s not journeying around the world, Price loves to visit area senior citizen homes and centers, showing old ﬁlms and reminiscing

with the folks there. The movies come from his personal collection, which numbers nearly 800 ﬁlms. Price’s fans may come from several generations and must number well into the thousands, since he had been on television for 46 years, and prior to that, at the former WSOQ radio station. Over the 46 years with WNYS, which became WIXT, and now WSYR, Mike wore many hats, and even a cape.

Multi-talented guy He was a sports announcer, a

55+ weather reporter, the star of a local children’s program, a talk show host, and a news reporter. His ability to speak many dialects—a talent he perfected at the Academy of Broadcasting Arts, a former trade school in New York City—led to the creation of several characters. But the most popular of his alter egos was “Baron Daemon,” who Price himself described as “a clown in a vampire suit.” Anyone growing up in Syracuse in the 1960s knew the Baron, with his exaggerated eyebrows, cape and slapstick comedy. The Baron started out emceeing late night movies on then-WNYS, but he became so popular that the station developed a daily children’s program. Price tells how the Baron was born, so to speak. “When I did the character, they said that’s like a Dracula. But Dracula

was Dracula and Bela Lugosi had that sewn up,” he joked. So Mike looked up the word “demon” in the dictionary, and found daemon to be one of its variants. And because Dracula was a count, Price decided he couldn’t be a count, so he chose another royal title—the Baron. But the Baron was not just a popular local television icon—he was a recording “artist” too. He and The Vampires recorded “The Transylvania Twist” in 1967, and there was a vinyl 45 of it on eBay recently, with an opening bid of nearly $100. Price became one of the most endearing local TV personalities as the host of “Good News,” a segment that closed out WIXT’s 6 p.m. newscast ﬁve nights a week for 25 years. Through “Good News,” Price brought “a smile to Central New York each day,” according to WSYRTV’s website, www.9wsyr.com. The

in-step

Syracuse Press Club said the segments show a “cross-section of life in the region.” Whether he was broadcasting from inside a mesh sphere with a daredevil motorcyclist zipping all around him or reporting on something more poignant, Price covered it with the appropriate measure of zaniness or sincerity.

Price is right Price isn’t able to pinpoint the most outlandish or most heartwarming story from all the “Good News” pieces he did, but he shared what he considers one of the most memorable. It was 2001. He was eager to test out a new attraction at an area water park. He got atop the ride, slid down into a funnel-shaped bowl, swirled around a few times, then dropped into a chute and ended up in a pool of water. After doing the ride twice to get

Mike Price travels the world as a spokesman for Holiday Vacations, a guided tour company. Here he is at Stonehenge, England April / May 2013 - 55 PLUS

the shots just right, the cameraman expressed his amazement that Price would even attempt this feat. Price had been back to work only two days, having been out for six weeks recovering from openheart surgery, which involved six bypasses. In that same year, Price also received a career achievement award from The Syracuse Press Club. What accounts for his achievements, his longevity? “I am a hometown guy and I decided to stay here,” he said. “I think

they recognize me and after you’ve been on the air for a few years, people get to know you.” Likening himself to “the guy who lives across the street or next door,” he said, “People look at me and say, ‘He looks like a nice guy.’” A native of Syracuse’s Valley neighborhood, he attended Syracuse University for one year and played freshman football. Price also served as a chief petty ofﬁcer in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve from 1955 to 1961, with two years of active duty in the Great Lakes, and Price with Marilyn Monroe in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood. again from 1973 to 1997. In his latter tour, he served during the first Gulf War with the Joint Combat Camera Unit throughout the Gulf region. He also received two Telly Awards for “Into the Gulf,” a documentary produced for the Coast Guard. He lives in LaFayette. “I’m hanging in there,” he said, chuckling. And that’s “good news” for all of his fans, to be sure. Any senior facility interested in having Price visit, show films and reminisce may call 315-677-5323 or contact him through his email: mprice10@twcny.rr.com.

Price: in Hawaii, one the places he has traveled recently. Other regions include Ireland, London, Italy, Australia, Alaska, California and the Canadian Rockies. 12

55 PLUS - April /May 2013

my turn

By Bruce Frassinelli Email: bruce@roc55.com

My Last April Fools’ Joke

shake my head in embarrassment when I think of some of the hare-brained things I did to commemorate April Fools’ Day. To this day, I marvel at my parents’ patience and restraint. I pulled the “standard” pranks — putting salt into the pepper shaker and vice versa, pouring water into an empty milk carton and returning it to the refrigerator so that when mom went to add milk to the mashed potatoes she got water instead, and calling mom or dad to the phone when no one was there and crying out in delight “April Fool” after they said “hello, hello.” Fifty-seven years ago this year, in 1956, I crossed the line. And that is what this is all about — my last April Fools’ joke. Just two months shy of my 17th birthday, I had gotten my driver’s license a few months earlier, and, once in a blue moon I would be given permission to drive my father’s pride and joy — our 1955 Buick Roadmaster. On April 1, 1956, I had permission to use the car. My friends and I went to an ice-cream stand about 10 miles from my home in Eastern Pennsylvania for ice cream cones. At about 9 p.m. I realized that it was April Fools’ Day and I had not deviled my parents with my annual antics. How could I get a rise from my mother with me so far from home? I got it: I would call my mom from a pay phone, disguise my voice, tell her I was a state policeman and give her the bad news that her son had been in a serious auto accident and that the prized family car had been demolished. Then, after a pause, I would shout “April Fool” (as I always did) and break into hysterical laughter (as I always did). My friends were wary that the idea might backfire. I couldn’t see

how. I went to the pay phone booth in the parking lot and made a personto-person call. I figured getting the operator into the act would make the call seem even more authentic. I had had an older-sounding voice since about eighth grade when my voiced changed, so I was sure I could pull this off. My mother answered on the second ring. “I have a person-toperson call for Mrs. Frieda Frassinelli. Are you Mrs. Frassinelli?” the operator asked. “Yes…I am,” I heard my mom say with some hesitation. “Go ahead, sir,” the operator told me. “Mrs. Frassinelli?” I asked in my deepest-sounding voice. “Yes,” she replied. “This is Trooper Jones at the Lehighton State Police barracks,” I said. “Who?” she exclaimed, her voice becoming instantly agitated. “State Trooper Jones,” I continued, still sounding most official. “I am sorry to have to let you know about this, but your son, Bruce, has been in a very serious car accident, and your car has been demolished.” Then, as I had laid out in my plan, I paused, stifled the laughter and prepared to shout “April Fool.” Suddenly, I heard this ear-splitting scream and the clunk, clunk, clunk of the phone bouncing on the floor. In the distance, I heard the sound of running and my mother ’s screams trailing off. I was horrified. She was taking this seriously. “Mom, mom,” I

called frantically, but I realized what was happening. She was running from our home into the connected grocery store that my immigrant Italian parents operated to get my father. In about a minute, I could hear the approaching rushing of feet. My mother’s sobbing was getting louder. I could hear my father breathing hard and saying something to himself in Italian. My dad picked up the phone. “How serious is my son hurt?” he asked excitedly. “Pop, uh, this is me,” I said. “It was a joke, pop.” Silence. “Pop?” I croaked. “Here, your son wants to talk to you,” I heard my father say to my mother.” “Hello,” my mom said weakly in a quavering voice. “Uh, mom, this is Bruce,” I said cleverly. “Look, this is a big mistake. It was only an April Fools’ joke.” I wouldn’t dare quote my mother at that moment. Usually, an impeccably proper woman, she rattled off a string of epithets in Italian, which invoked everyone’s and everything’s instant retaliation and wrath against me. What had started off as one of my all-time great April Fools’ jokes had turned into one of the most mortifying episodes of my then-young life. I also knew that when I would arrive at home later that night, life would never be the same. Bruce Frassinelli is the former publisher and editor of The Palladium-Times in Oswego and an online adjunct instructor for SUNY Oswego. You may write to him at bfrassinelli@ptd. net. April / May 2013 - 55 PLUS

55+

romance

Looking for Dates Online

Whether it’s for a long-term relationship or just a chat over coffee, more people are finding companionship through the Internet By Matthew Liptak

ow hard is it to ﬁnd that special person you want to spend your life with? It’s always hard no matter how old you are, but if you’re over 50, that can be a bit trickier. Some local residents have been turning to the Internet to reach out to others on new dating sites, specialized for older singles. “Some people come because they are looking for a life-long companion that maybe even leads to marriage,” said Erica Davis, the director of integrated marketing for People Media, the owner of OurTime.com, which maintains several websites specializing in online dating. “Some people are coming because they want someone to go out with, maybe dinner, or even a travel companion. Other people are just looking for friendship. It really does run the spectrum.” Jack, a 62-year-old salesman from Liverpool took the plunge into Internet dating about a year ago. He was watching TV late one night and saw a commercial. It was for OurTime. com. He liked the idea that the site caters to the 50-plus set. “When I saw that I said ‘maybe I’ll try it,’” Jack said. “So I just went online and signed up. Been doing it for almost a year now. It’s been fairly positive, I would have to say. I’ve talked to quite a few people. I’ve physically met four people either for coffee or out for dinner, lunch or something like that. It’s been a good experience.” OurTime.com is a site that began operation at the end of March 2011. In 14

55 PLUS - April /May 2013

Eugene Loucks of Baldwinsville celebrated his 81st birthday last year. He is one of many in the area who have met a signiﬁcant other through online services.

55+ the last year it has had more than two and half million singles join, Davis said. She estimates almost 10,000 people join per day. She places a lot of the reason for the growth of the site on People Media being at the right place at the right time. Older singles are growing in number. “Several years ago all these trends are emerging as far as the number of boomers in general and, of course, the number of single boomers which are becoming the fastest number of singles growing,” she said. “Right now a third of singles are actually over 50. It just started to make sense that creating this very special and explicit online dating community where people of similar age and similar really place in their lives could ﬁnd each other.” Another reason for the growth of Internet dating for those 50 and over is what Davis called the “graying” of divorce. More baby boomers are getting divorced at a later age after their kids have grown and left home. Davis said 57 percent of their members are divorced and 20 percent are widowed. “It’s really that unifying factor of age that drives people to OurTime,” she said. Jack, the Liverpool resident who didn’t want to reveal his last name, said he was married to the woman who had been the love of his life until that marriage ended 20 years ago. He’s found since then that he likes his freedom and independence but wants someone to be able to go out with. “When I was younger...the bar scene was ﬁne,” he said. “You had a good time, meet a lot of people and do a lot of things. When you get 50 I think your activities are curtailed a little bit. Where you are going to meet people? I no longer want to go to a bar and just sit at a bar and have drinks and maybe meet somebody. That’s I think the difference is, there’s not as many avenues to meet other people. Plus you have more vitality when you’re young. You feel like doing more, trying more things. When you’re older you get a little more set in your ways.” Barbara is a 64-year-old

romance

Tips for safe and successful online dating • Not Internet-savvy? Consult friends, relatives or co-workers when writing your profile, and for other ways to make the Internet work for you. • If you file a personal profile and photo, be honest. You don’t want to start a relationship with a lie and have to answer for it later. • Many online dating sites are designed for those who have specific interests or characteristics. Look through the Internet for sites that are right for you. • Protect your identity. Give only your first name initially. If you give out your phone number, make it that of your cell phone. • Do not give your last name, address, or other personal information, financial information, or the address of your job to someone you have not met. • Take it slow. Let an online conversation develop to one conducted over the telephone, and wait at least a week before meeting the person face-to-face. • You know what’s in your best interest. Stick to that, and don’t allow yourself to be talked into anything else. Source: Dr. Terri Orbuch, psychologist and marriage and family therapist based in Detroit. The University of Michigan researcher has studied marriage, divorce and relationship patterns among thousands of individuals nationwide. She has her own radio show in Detroit, where she’s known as “The Love Doctor.” entrepreneur from Syracuse. She is a widow and she said it has gotten hard to meet people the same age. She likes the alternative of Internet dating. “I think it gives you an opportunity to meet people that you would not normally meet,” she said. “As you age it’s more difficult to meet people that you want to spend time with. [Internet sites] give you an idea of what people’s interests are. It kind of gets through that first stage of getting to know you because you know what people’s interests are and they know what your interests are. It’s an easier selection process.” Both Jack and Barbara have had some success with Internet dating, but they said they hadn’t found someone that they had a special chemistry with yet. They would recommend it to others. By looking through profiles, dating online offers a person the chance to get to know about others before they meet. You can weed out a lot of bad prospects that way. You can learn about what common interests and background you may have with someone else.

Not everyone meets online through the traditional proﬁle-driven website though. Eugene Loucks, 81, of Baldwinsville met his former girlfriend of over a year through a chat room. He had just lost his wife and was looking for someone to talk to. “I wasn’t looking for a date,” he said. “I looked at the chat rooms. I was curious but I didn’t go in. I was seeing what they were talking about and everything and I said ‘I can’t understand...this different kind of language.’ You know, they use abbreviations and all this, so didn’t go in the chat room. I went back to being online, playing the games, and I got a message from a lady who said ‘I saw you. Why didn’t you come in?’” That one little message led to a long-term relationship of over a year. They traveled extensively around the country and shared a lot of happy times together. The two only went their separate ways when Eugene’s girlfriend decided to move to Michigan to be closer to family and he decided he wasn’t ready to follow. April / May 2013 - 55 PLUS

55+

romance

Online dating: My Own Experience Be well informed before jumping into new social craze By Barbara Pierce

n just a few weeks, I’ve had a steep learning curve on online dating. Online dating is huge, especially for seniors. My friend, Carol, 72, is head over heels in love with a man she met online. So, after 20 years of not dating, I thrust myself back into the dating world. Back when I last dated, you got dressed up and went out there. Out to the singles dances, the church singles groups, the seminars for singles. Each was a crapshoot. Maybe you met someone who you wanted to see again, maybe not. If not, the next night you dressed up again and went out. Now I can sit at my laptop and I search through volumes of men. In an hour, I can sort through hundreds, looking at their photos, reading what they say about themselves, and select potentials that I might want to meet. I quickly screen out those who don’t look like my kind of man, those who are much shorter or much younger than I, those who are looking for a woman who shares their passion for biking, boating, religion, dancing, or golf. And he can screen me out if I don’t look like his kind of woman, or he doesn’t like my lifestyle or my dog. There are many dating sites, most charge. I chose one that was identiﬁed as the biggest database for seniors. But it didn’t have many men in my area. A friend recommended another that has worked much better for me and is free www.PlentyofFish.com. One of the ﬁrst things I learned 16

55 PLUS - April /May 2013

Barbara Pierce is a contributor to In Good Health in Mohawk Valley. She lives in Florida.

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romance

was not to be so quick to jump in my car and travel to meet him halfway. I wasted too much time and too much gas on the Interstate going to meet men who turned out to be duds. And if we had hit it off, long distance dating would mean way more driving than I want to do. And I’ve become more selective in noticing his intentions. I want a long-term committed relationship. If he says he is only looking for someone to date or be friends with, I will be ultimately disappointed. Better to rule him out before the beginning. I’ve met several men for coffee. An hour may not be enough time to tell if you have met your soul mate, but it is enough to tell when you have not. There is that elusive thing called “chemistry.” No picture or words online, no voice on the phone—nothing but an in-the-ﬂesh meeting can predict who we will have chemistry with. And chemistry is the ingredient that makes relationships work. I’ve had good chemistry with a few of the men I met, and we’ll keep seeing each other. The others were nice, reasonably OK, but didn’t stir my interest to get to know them better. Helpful online hints If you’re thinking of getting your feet wet in online dating, here are some things I’ve learned that may be

“What I also learned about online dating is to beware. Proceed with caution on any online dating site. Be skeptical, as online daters are easy prey. Move slowly, with caution. But be ready to drop your caution and know when to move ahead.” helpful: • Before you sign up, have a good current digital headshot of yourself, maybe two or three. Make sure it’s a good photo, as no one will read further if your photo doesn’t piqué his or her interest. • Have a positive emotion on your face; look approachable. If you have to take a picture of yourself in the mirror, you need more people in your life—make that your ﬁrst priority. If you misrepresent yourself with an outdated photo, whomever you meet wants to meet the person in that photo and will be angry at you and disappointed if you are different.

• Be prepared with a user name, as this will be the second-most important thing about you that people notice. Advertise some quality about yourself or something that is important to you, like “Funtobewith,” “Woodstock,” “BeachBum,” “Oneofakind,” or just your ﬁrst name. • Be prepared to list the things that interest you, so that you and potential partners can find some common ground. Hobbies, music, how you spend your time, what’s important to you. • Be prepared to describe yourself and what you are looking for in a partner. You can always go back and edit this information, so don’t let that hold you up. If you’re stuck, ask a friend how they would describe you. What I also learned is to beware. Proceed with caution on any online dating site. Be skeptical, as online daters are easy prey. Move slowly, with caution. But be ready to drop your caution and know when to move ahead. Barbara Pierce is a retired licensed clinical social worker who lives in Florida. She writes a monthly column for In Good Health — Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper. Contact her at BarbaraPierce06@yahoo.com

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Boomers Zero In on Health at Age 50 and 65, Study Says

aby boomers’ interest in health issues peaks at about age 50, wanes after that, and then peaks again near age 65, according to a new study. The findings may help doctors and other health professionals target boomers with health messages when they’re most receptive to hearing them, according to the Ohio State University researchers. Their study, based on a survey of nearly 500 Americans aged 45 to 65, found that people in their late 40s had the lowest levels of interest in health issues. Interest rose rapidly after that and peaked in the early 50s, then dropped slightly and ﬂattened out during the rest of the 50s and early 60s. Another peak was seen near age 65. The study is the first to identify specific age points when people are most interested in health issues, said study lead author John Dimmick, an emeritus associate professor of communications at the university. The peak interest in health issues when people are in their early 50s is likely due to what they hear from their doctors and the media. “Fifty is the age Americans are told they need to undergo a variety of health screenings,” Dimmick said in a university news release. “For example, people are often told that they should get a colonoscopy, mammogram and — until recently — a PSA test for prostate cancer when they turn 50.” “People start really paying attention to their health when they are encouraged to get all of these various screening tests,” he noted.

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Golden Career for

n e e r u a M reen G

Former TV anchorwoman, who just turned 55, now splitting time between CNY and Cape Cod By Aaron Gifford

or Maureen Green, there was nothing magical about her ﬁrst days on the job as a TV news reporter. She does not have fond memories of the ﬁrst time she broadcast live on scene. There were no early indications that she would become an anchorwoman someday, no signs of eventual fame. “All that I remember,” she said with a laugh, “is that I was really bad at it. I mean, really bad. I looked back on those days and I can’t believe they kept me on. But I loved it.” It’s that same sense of humor—and a willingness to try new things—that helped Green continually improve and accomplish so much by the time she turned 55 last year. She has worn many hats— journalist, regional TV media p e r s o n a l i t y, w o r k i n g s i n g l e 20

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mother, blogger, realtor, artist, and spokeswoman for an innovative facelift procedure. And yet, she does not rule out exploring additional interests in her next 55 years. “She is a shining example of someone who is reinventing herself,” said Green’s longtime friend and former colleague, WSYR anchorwoman Carrie Lazarus. “It’s such a gift to be able to try something different. She’s fearless in that way.” Green grew up in Worcester, Mass. She was the oldest of three sisters that were close in age. Her mother, Elisabeth McCann, immigrated to the United States from Germany in the late 1940s. Her father, Matthew McCann, was an attorney who argued a police search and seizure case (Ventresca-1965)) in the U.S. Supreme Court before he went on to become a judge. Elisabeth and Matthew met

at the Worcester Tennis Club. They bought a small farm and raised a family there. “In some ways we were conventional, and in some ways we weren’t,” Green said. “We didn’t have boys, so dad has us throwing baseballs and footballs. We learned about hard work early.” The sheep helped the Greens to maintain four acres of grass. Elisabeth maintained a 50-by-50 foot garden and pickled most of the vegetables. When she ran out of time or jars, her three daughters sold whatever was left from the garden at a roadside stand.

‘True New Englanders’ In the winter, Maureen and her sisters would slide down a big hill on their property, and Dad would tow them back up on his tractor. “We were,” Green said, “true New

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Englanders.” In school, Green enjoyed writing but had no plans to make a living at it. She attended Salve Regina University, a small Catholic liberal arts college in Newport, R.I., from 1975-1979. She then returned to Worcester for a year before enrolling in a master ’s degree program at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications. “I loved the big urban campus,” she recalled. “Newport was nice, but it wasn’t like the campus environment you see in the movies. I enjoyed the worldly diversity, the unique architecture. I loved the college pride.” Green enjoyed the area so much that she bought a home in the university neighborhood that she still has to this day. She splits her time between that property and a home in Cape Cod she bought several years ago. To get her foot into the news business, Green worked as a non-paid, non-credit intern at WSYR Channel 9 in Syracuse. A full-time position became available after a staffer there went on maternity leave. Green says she was not particularly good at the job, but gradually became more skilled at interviewing and reporting on camera. At that time, channel 9 was

the newest and lowest-rated station in Central New York. “Back then,” she said, “people used to say that channel 9 was the fourth-rated station in a three-station market.” During her third year as a TV news reporter, Green jumped ship to WTVH Channel 5 when a noon co-anchor position there became available. WTVH was the “powerhouse” of the Syracuse market, largely because of its popular anchorman, Ron Curtis. “Everything Channel 5 did,” she said, “was gold.” But in the early ‘90s, Green explained, Channel 9 “started to get its act together.” The station hired a consultant who tirelessly researched what local audiences wanted and what worked in similar markets. Lazarus, Green’s co-worker at the time and still her close friend, was lured over to WSYR. The station put a greater emphasis on weather coverage and hired Dave Eichorn. It also began incorporating “franchise reporting” into its newscast with materials like Consumer Reports and the family health cast. “It was almost like a magazine or a newspaper with different sections,” Green said. “They really came up with an alternative model. They owned the weather and business reporting, and then they went after sports and

anything else they didn’t own. They got to the top and have stayed there ever since.”

High-level competition Green said Channel 5 changed its strategy to compete. She became the station’s evening anchor after Lazarus went over to WSYR, but was later fired. Within two weeks of the termination, Green had offers from both rivals—WSYR and WSTM Channel 3—and in 1993 went back to work at channel 9, where she served as the 5 p.m. news anchor and a general assignment reporter. By this time, she was married with four children. When they ﬁrst met, Lazarus was working for channel 5 and Green for channel 9. Though competitors, the two became fast friends and used to get together for meals after work. They rarely discussed the news business, Lazarus explained. In the ‘80s, they chatted about clothes. In the ‘90s, they talked about their kids. And they still imagine the two of them chatting away as old women in rocking chairs someday. “Maureen is the kindest person I know,” Lazarus said. “She always thinks the best of someone. It is unusual for two women to be such good friends who competed with each other for so many years. I’ll give her the credit for that.”

A Green Perspective Maureen Green chatted about the sights and sounds of Central New York and Massachusetts.

new each time.”

• On walking:

“I love birds. I guess I’m becoming my mother. There’s a lot of the same species here (Central New York) as there is in Cape Cod. But in Syracuse they’re larger. You would think it would be the reverse because the growing season there is longer and the climate is milder. In Syracuse, the woodpeckers are especially much larger and have brilliant colors. Raptors, there’s a lot more of them at the cape. Blue birds? I’ve never been able to get one to come to my house in Syracuse, but they’re all over at the cape. There’s also a bird there that I can’t identify. They need a birdcall app where I (tablet computer or phone) can hear the call and identify it. I’ve heard this bird’s call all my life and I still don’t know what it is!”

“I’ve always been into walking. When my kids were younger, it was the only (ﬁtness) activity I could squeeze into my schedule. You can just open the door and go. Now I always go with my German shepherd and mini dachshund, which is about the size of a squirrel. I walk the two of them, and it’s hilarious. Oakwood Cemetery (Syracuse) is our favorite place on the planet. It’s hilly. It has windy roads, beautiful monuments. It’s always new to me. It doesn’t matter if we spend 40 minutes or two hours there.” “I’m a village walker—Skaneateles, Cazenovia. I love the side streets. I love it when I can walk and take a different road or a side street and discover something 22

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• On bird watching:

Maureen Green with former colleagues and friends Dan Cummings and Carrie Lazarus during a wedding in 1994 (top left). Below is the sign at Harpo Studio in Chicago welcoming her when she interviewed Oprah Winfrey in the mid ‘90s. The portrait above is from the the ‘90s. In 1995, WTVH offered to double Green’s salary if she returned to that station. She took the offer. She was divorced the same year, and worked a split shift to fulﬁll her responsibilities for work and for family. “I was lucky that the managers let me do what I needed to do to manage a household. I did that for 19 years,” she said. The technological changes in the decade that followed were staggering, Green explained. From the ‘80s to the ‘90s, the biggest change was how stations’ increased their ability to report live from a scene several times a week without any technical difﬁculties.

Whirlwind pace In the ‘90s, the cameras became increasingly smaller and lighter, and the clarity of broadcasts continued to improve due to satellite enhancements.

After the millennium, computers played a major role in speeding up the editing process for newscasts. Now, it has come to the point where a reporter who has had brief training sessions with a hand-held camera and editing software can put together a better quality program compared to what an entire production team would have created 20 years ago. “It’s amazing,” Green said. “They can edit it with a laptop or a tablet right on scene.” G re e n s a y s s h e n e v e r f e l t threatened when Time Warner ’s News 10 Now (now YNN) 24-hour local cable news station debuted in the Syracuse region. “I still think the evening news is appointment television. You make plans to tune in. YNN is a different beast,” she said. In 2007, Green was fired from

WTVH as part of the station’s restructuring plan. Two years later, channel 5 news entered into a shared services agreement with WSTM Channel 3, which today is known as CNY Central. Green didn’t panic after hearing the bad news. Several years prior, she obtained a real estate license to fall back on. Green still smiles when she thinks about her career behind the camera. She says the most rewarding part of the job was to watch the newsmakers excel and succeed in their careers. She recalls lawyers who became judges, and James Walsh’s climb from city council to Congress. Green also misses the thrill of covering spot news events like crime, accidents or major announcements. “I liked dropping into chaos and trying to find neighbors and witnesses,” she said. “I always liked April / May 2013 - 55 PLUS

Gardening

working under pressure.”

Life away from the camera Green stayed busy after her TV career ended. She worked in social media management and did some freelance writing. Her work included several essays as a guest columnist with The Post-Standard, where she enjoyed providing constructive criticism of things she liked and didn’t like in the community. Among them were the city stop lights that keep motorists idling even when there are no other cars around. “You want the community to do well,” she says, “so sometimes you need to point out the things that are holding the community back. I really love being able to do that. When I was on TV, you had to be objective.” She also works as a spokeswoman for Dr. Douglas Halliday, a cosmetic plastic surgeon who performed a facelift on her. Green says it makes her look about 15 years younger. More recently, Green launched a website—“Maureen on the Cape. com,” which she has used as a vehicle to promote her real estate trade in Massachusetts while also writing about local events or blogging about whatever is on her mind at the time. Now that the youngest of her four children is out of the house (all are in their 20s now), Green has elected to spend more time in Cape Cod while returning to Syracuse for extended stays during the warmer months. The first few weeks as a true “empty nester” felt a bit strange, Green said, but she’s ﬁnally starting to enjoy the leisure time. “At first I was thinking, ‘OK, now what do I do?’” she said. “Now it’s more like, how much can I do today?” True to form, Green has found herself engaged in news writing lately. Following a recent blizzard that pounded Cape Cod to the point where many residents couldn’t open their front doors, Green managed to slip out of her back door and get pictures of the sky-high snow for the “Front Yard Blizzard Updates” on her website. “I like having so much new material to write about,” she said. “I want to keep up my Newhouse training.” 24

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By Jim Sollecito

Spring Cleaning & Fresh Discoveries

o how old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? Spring is a good opportunity for a fresh assessment. Get rid of old stuff and old ideas. We are starting our 40th year in business. That’s a substantial build of knowledge, experiences, clients and, of course, accumulation of stuff. Forty years of staying current means a steady influx of new books, references, tools and all manner of materials. It’s time for some serious spring cleaning. With my personal goal to stay current, I finally decided to have my hearing tested. My wife Megan knew the answers even before I took the test. Just as she suspected, 40 years of outdoor work and activities, plus all of those college concerts, took a toll. Along with bifocals to see the landscapes I love so much, I now wear two new ear ornaments that allow me to hear the rustle of leaves and swish ornamental grasses. Disappointed that I need them? Certainly. Who wants to admit their age anyway? Of course I’d rather not, but once I became accustomed to the ease of hearing what I’ve been missing, the technology quickly became second nature. The improvement was significant. There are times when people want only what they’ve always had. They may merely be stuck in a rut or maybe they find exploration too daunting. It’s my joy and privilege to expose clients to simple pleasures that will grow exponentially and with ease. Lilac shrubs that flower from spring through summer. Dwarf shrubs and trees that don’t outgrow their position. Hydrangeas that bloom reliably every year. Hardy rose shrubs that thrive without winter protection or fussy pruning. Flowering shrubs with more flowers. Deer-resistant perennials, shrubs and trees. Easy, organic, low-maintenance solutions.

Plants to attract butterflies. We shouldn’t complain about aging. It’s a privilege denied to a lot of folks. This year I am even more eager for the sights, sounds and smells that Earth offers in springtime. I have plans to convert areas of my own yard into butterfly gardens. I consider butterflies to be “flying flowers” of another dimension, adding movement and even more color to my view. With a two-fold result: my own enjoyment as well as improving the curb appeal of the old ranch. Plants improve our quality of life. They connect us with the deepest parts of ourselves and give our lives more meaning. They are dynamic, but also reach the end of their maturity and should be edited out. Newer varieties offer features unheard of the last time you did this. Different, brighter colors and longer lasting bloom. Easier to grow for longer periods of time, and, of course, easier to maintain. If you are motivated to mow less and enjoy your space more, then pick an area, any area in your front yard or back yard and convert it into a colorful, low-maintenance landscape feature that will stop traffic with its brilliance. It doesn’t have to be large, but it should happen this spring. Don’t belong to the stale old GranTorino-Get-Off-My-Lawn-Club. You can create something your whole ‘hood will appreciate. You can show them you’re a chronologically gifted person with your best still ahead of you. Who says we have less to offer as we age? Really, we have so much more. So how old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? Jim Sollecito is the first lifetime senior certified landscape professional in NYS. He operates Sollecito Landscaping Nursery in Syracuse. Contact him at 468-1142 or at jim@sollecito.com.

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aging By Marilyn L. Pinsky

My Black Clothes Fixation ... and what I need to do get out of it

ven though my closet does contain other clothes, I mostly wear black, often looking like the bad witch from a lowbudget production of “Wicked.” An intervention was needed, which for me was a call to Angel Broadnax. Angel and I belong to a group of women who get together once a month, and whenever Angel comes in the door the subject immediately changes to what she is wearing. She was the person I turn to for help dressing for a big family event I was attending and she chose my makeup, clothes and jewelry. I never looked better — at least for a day. She is one of those women who seem to have been born with a sense of style. Their hairstyles work for them, their makeup is always perfect, and their clothes seem to have more oomph, even if they’re just wearing sweatpants (not that Angel would ever be caught wearing sweatpants). Though she’s often been told she should be a stylist, it was not the path she pursued. Her professional career included more than 39 years with a large federal agency providing economic and demographic data. The last three years of her professional life were spent with Syracuse University as director of strategic initiatives with the College of Visual and Performing Arts. In desperation to break out of my clothing rut, I sat down with Angel to see if I could ﬁgure out her secret to always looking chic. MLP: Was there anything in your background that would have predicted your sense of style? AB: I grew up with five aunts on my father’s side and two on my mother ’s, all of whom were great cooks and seamstresses, two of whom were home economics teachers. My 26

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paternal aunts grew up on a farm and learned to sew at a young age. People used to joke that my mother, who, as an outlier, couldn’t sew herself, was the most critical of others’ work. Because sewing involves activities that bring the left and right brain together, perhaps that is where fashion intersects for someone like me who has a mathematical mind. My main attraction to sewing has always been in choosing the fabric and then measuring and working with it.

go looking for a specific piece of clothing? AB: Because I’ve lived in so many metropolitan areas, I have a lot of clothes. So I am at that point in my life that I primarily look for new accessories to wear with an old garment. I love belts and, particularly, I love scarves, as a new scarf can make an old outﬁt look new. In a scarf, I look for color and texture, like the new woven scarves. Interestingly, the colors I’m more

MLP: How did your sense of style evolve? AB: I grew up in Louisiana where every community had at least one or two dressmakers, and because of Mardi Gras and lots of social events, dressmaking had always been an important part of community life. Particularly for blacks growing up in the south, who for decades couldn’t just go into a store and try on clothes (until the late 60’s,) dressmakers were very important in our lives and still are in many communities. Picking out the right fabric, going for fittings and watching how the clothes themselves were constructed, all contributed to developing my sense of style. To this day, one of the best afternoons I can imagine spending would be at a fabric house — in New York City at Mood, in San Francisco at Britex, or at the Promenade in New Pinsky: “Angel Broadnax is the person I turn to for help when it comes to clothing.” She is Orleans. the former director of strategic initiatives with MLP: When you shop, the College of Visual and Performing Arts, do you just browse or Syracuse University.

haven’t worked in the past. It might not be the color itself, but the intensity. You may not look good in medium or light orange, but a dark orange, say rust, might work very well for you. Revisit your clothing colors when your hair color changes. Often when you get gray, colors that looked good on you in the past may not work for you anymore. Caucasians who formerly wore black, might want to consider trying navy or midnight blue, colors that might work better with their gray hair.

attracted to usually are not the ones that are the best colors for me. Though people are often aware what the best colors for them are, it is also important to know what colors actually work against them.

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MLP: I have beige and taupe outﬁts in my closet, but they just hang there because I don’t like the color on me. Should I get rid of them? AB: Just because a color is not good for you doesn’t mean you have to get rid of all the clothes you have in that color. Find a scarf with colors that do work for you, but that have just a touch of the outﬁt color. Being careful to keep the good colors next to your face can work to neutralize the wrong color. For instance, I know I should avoid earth colors, like gold, but with the right scarf, I can wear it. And don’t give up on colors that

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MLP: Let’s discuss my black clothes ﬁxation — how do I get out of it? AB: Though black is a color most of us think we look good in, it is often not the best suited for us. If the color is so strong that the viewer’s eyes are drawn to the outﬁt, not the face, which is washed out by the intensity of the color, that color might not be your best choice either. Instead of buying more black, perhaps a shade of brown or navy that has a lot of black in it, would be a better choice for you.

MLP: I know you feel strongly about makeup. Let’s talk about your views. AB: Everybody needs a touch of makeup to glow, whether it’s lip gloss alone or combined with a little mascara. You don’t need to go heavy on the makeup and if you don’t want to use blush, why not try a nice bronzer? The bronzer tip works for all colors and shades of skin. There are certain colors that naturally enhance mature women’s complexions and, in fact, there are shades that are made just for mature women. A good way to check it out is to look online. Also important is the right shade of lipstick. Maybe you have one that you like the color, but it is just too bright; the secret is to ﬁnd a gloss that tones it down, but still keeps the basic color. It doesn’t need to be the most expensive around — Maybelline and Revlon have glosses you can ﬁnd in drugstores that will do the trick. Another idea is to give one of your older, darker lipsticks a new life with a brighter gloss. The most important part of a person’s look is a good haircut and, of course, the right hair color. Hair color should provide warmth and hair and skin should not be the same color, which is why blondes often have brown streaks added for warmth. Gray hair should be kept shiny gray — either with a whitening shampoo or an aspirin in a bottle of water as a conditioning rinse — an old fashioned trick that works. And, of course, conditioners really make a difference.

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noteable native

General admission of $15 ($14 for seniors) gets visitors into both the Lucy-Desi Museum and Desilu Studios in Jamestown. Visitors can thoroughly enjoy everything in both museums in three hours or less.

Jamestown is Home to Two Lucille Ball Museums More than 10,000 flock to the town in August to celebrate ‘Lucy Fest’ By Suzanne M. Ellis

f you’re a “Lucy” fan who isn’t aware of the gem we have just a few hours down the road, this spring or summer do yourself a favor and make the pilgrimage to Lucille Ball’s native land. Heading west from Syracuse, the 215-mile trek to Jamestown, New York, takes less than four hours via the Thruway and state Route 60 South. Driving through miles of pristine farmland and along Chautauqua Lake, it’s a part of our state that offers beautiful, panoramic vistas. 28

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The Lucy-Desi Center for Comedy opened in 1996 but it wasn’t until recently that Jamestown became home to the “I Love Lucy” 50th anniversary tour sets that had traveled the country. Exhibited at convention centers, state fairs, music festivals, casinos and other entertainment venues, the traveling “museum” featured exact replicas of the original sets from the most popular program ever televised. When the cross-country tour was over, and prior to moving to Jamestown, the exhibit was stored in Houston,

Texas. Eight years ago, in 2005, five tractor trailers were loaded with “I Love Lucy” treasures and moved across the country to a permanent home in Lucille Ball’s hometown of Jamestown. The facility housing them is called Desilu Playhouse, named after the rented Hollywood studio at 847 Lillian Way where the first episodes were ﬁlmed. There are two museums in picturesque downtown Jamestown, the Lucy-Desi Museum and the Desilu

Playhouse, and they are next door to each other on West Third Street. There’s no dedicated parking for either, but there’s ample parking for visitors on surrounding city streets and in nearby municipal lots. Even the most rabid Lucy fan can thoroughly tour both museums in a total of three hours or less, reading everything there is to read, watching all the video clips, perusing the gift shops and soaking up the scenery of days gone by in photographs and reconstructed television sets. You can even put yourself on the set of Lucy’s ill-fated Vitameatavegamin commercial and let your friends make a video. The Desilu Playhouse is devoted exclusively to the “I Love Lucy” television series and houses original props, furniture, cameras, costumes and photographs. There are exact replicas — the originals no longer exist — of the Ricardos’ New York City kitchen, living room and bedroom as well as the Hollywood hotel suite where, in two 1955 episodes, Lucy enacted the famous “mirror pantomime” with Harpo Marx and set her nose on fire when she met William Holden. Other Lucy must-sees in the city of Jamestown and the village of Celoron are so downplayed, however, that my search for her grave, the house where she was born and her childhood home turned into treasure hunts. Free maps are available at the museum, but that’s about it; there are no special signs or historic markers to guide you — and a GPS is relatively worthless — so persistence is a must. The good news is, Jamestown is not a very large city and Celoron is a small, lakeside village, so you won’t get too far off the mark during your search. There are ample accommodations in Jamestown, including a Ramada Inn, a Best Western, a Hampton Inn & Suites and a Comfort Inn. Nearby Chautauqua Lake offers plenty of all-season lodging and lots of restaurants, and the famous Chautauqua Institution is a short drive south from the city. Every summer during the first week in August, thousands of Lucy fans ﬂock to Jamestown for the annual Lucy Fest. During the 1980s, Lucille Ball worked closely with the arts continued on page 44

The Lucy-Desi Museum features an exact replica of the kitchen and living room where Lucy got into some of her worst predicaments (larger photos). The apartment building where the Ricardos and Mertzes lived was at the ﬁctional address of 623 East 68th St. on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Smaller photo on the left is the home in Jamestown where she was born. The other is the home in the village of Celoron where Lucille Ball spent most of her childhood. April / May 2013 - 55 PLUS

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job search

Looking for a Job Over 50? Opportunities are out there but expect a lower salary and a harder time finding a job

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

ant or need a job? The Urban Institute reported last year that unemployed workers in their 50s were about one-fifth less likely to become reemployed over a three-year period than those age 25 to 34. Adding insult to injury, they “experienced steep wage losses” too, up to 21 percent lower, compared with only 7 percent lower than the younger age group, according to the Washington, DC-based non-partisan, economic and social research group. Whether you’re looking for a new full-time job or just want to supplement your income and keep busy during retirement, it’s not impossible to get a job after 55. Despite the economy and the statistics, you can find employment. At Michael J. Willis & Associates, career management consultants in Syracuse, Michael Willis said that most of his clients, who are whitecollar professionals, continue in their same career path but perhaps in a different industry if they cannot find a job in the same industry. “If they’re an accountant in manufacturing, maybe they’ll switch to being an accountant in a service industry,” he said.

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Stay open to changing to a different industry. You may have a learning curve to overcome; however, your experience can make it easier than you think. One way to do this is to seek temporary employment. Temporary employment agencies can also provide a means of obtaining supplemental income. Whether to ﬁll in for an employee on leave or to bolster the workforce during a seasonal busy period, employers like using temps for the ﬂexibility they offer. “We have had no issues at all placing people who are 55-plus, both parttime and full-time,” said Don Unger, senior branch manager at Adecco Employment Services Center in Fulton. “Some companies want people one or two days a week. Some are happy to take on experienced people for longterm or temporary assignments to direct hire.” T h o u g h many of Adecco’s assignments are Unger

in light industrial and entry-level positions, these openings may offer a change of pace you want. But if not, you can always seek a different assignment. In service industries, your people skills can be a great advantage over less experienced workers. “You can step in and have a good, working knowledge of how to treat people,” Unger said. “And if you’re interested in long-term, you may have a good chance. If you’re ﬁlling in for someone on leave, they need less training.” Freelancing or consulting in your ﬁeld may also provide you with retirement income and satisfaction. But keep in mind that you are the c o m p a n y. Yo u will need to do the marketing, tech support, billing, and every other facet of the business, in addition to making money. You may need a business license, liability insurance, and zoning approval, Behm

depending upon the type of business you wish to operate. Consider seeking a paid position at a nonprofit organization. Paula Behm, a certified career and job transition coach and owner of Careers by Design in Syracuse, believes that selling your dependability to a recruiter can land you a position. “I often suggest they add a ‘mature work ethic’ on their resume,” Behm said. “The older workers are used to working overtime and stay there to get the job done instead of speeding home to their young and needy family. “Be able to project the conﬁdence that you’re willing to learn and share your knowledge, ‘I want to be part of the team.’” Asking for a tour of the facility and asking a lot of questions can help interviewers infer that you view the screening process as a two-way street. Consider that you may need to spruce up your skills or education. It’s never too late to learn. Behm herself earned her bachelor’s degree in human resource management with a focus in adult training from SUNY Empire State College and a master’s degree in professional education from Le Moyne College when she was over age 40. “State that whatever computer systems or software you use,” she said, and that you can learn whatever else you need to learn.” You need to identify the skills you have, the skills your desired job requires, and either attain any lacking skills or look for a different job. Behm uses O*NET Online (www. onetonline.org) to peruse up-to-date job descriptions developed by the US Department of Labor and give job seekers a realistic idea of what jobs now require of applicants. Local resources such as the Women’s Opportunity Center in Syracuse (315-446-0550), the Department of Labor ’s Senior Community Service Employment P ro g r a m ( 2 0 2 - 6 9 3 - 3 8 4 2 ) , a re a community colleges, your county’s department of aging, agencies such as Adecco and consultants such as Behm may also help you discover where your talents may be best used and how to gain any employment skills you need.

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April / May 2013 - 55 PLUS

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profile

Rich Settembre shows his creation, “Sidewalk Blasters.”

The Unstoppable Rich Settembre Liverpool resident has a slew of inventions under his belt, and he continues inventing more things By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

e just can’t help himself. Rich Settembre, 64, has always loved tinkering. He patented the ﬁrst releasable safety binding for cross-country skis, for example, and holds a few other US and foreign patents. When he thought of another potentially useful product two years ago, he

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made a prototype and has since sold hundreds worldwide. His line of Blaster snow and liquid pushing blades is the catalyst behind starting Way Cool Product Co. from his home in Liverpool. Previously, Settembre had worked in various roles in training for Welch Allyn in Skaneateles and Carrier Corporation

in Syracuse before retiring. He thought of the original Blaster when he was trying to figure out an easy way to push snow off his home’s roof. As a visual thinker, Settembre can picture the items he has invented and how they work “just as if you were watching a computer-generated film,” he said. “I had it designed in my mind and just had to look around my shop and put it together.” He found that its lightweight handle and large blade were easy push around. The edge of the blade, which he lined with rubber, did not catch on every groove and bump. He could either push or pull snow and use either the rubber edge or flip it to use the metal edge. Settembre finished the job in onequarter of the time it normally took. Settembre’s son suggested that he go into business. “They say that necessity is the

mother of invention,” Settembre said. “Oftentimes, I think that’s true.” Eventually, the Blaster proved more useful and marketable as a means of clearing snow and liquids off horizontal surfaces. As he struggled with how to market Blasters, a chance comment from an adviser at the Syracuse SCORE chapter advised him to check at skating rinks since he had seen items like the Blaster used to clear the ice. Settembrew inwardly groaned, thinking someone already beat him to the punch. “I wasn’t happy about it, but I went to a rink in Baldwinsville and sold my ﬁrst one,” Settembre said. As he carried a sample Blaster into Greater Baldwinsville Ice Arena, “Mike Chapman, the manager said, ‘Don’t say anything. That is mine. I have been looking for something like that for a long time,” Settembre recalled. Settembre began marketing to the rink management industry and has sold hundreds of Blasters worldwide to the likes of the US Figure Skating Championship 2013 in Omaha, Boston College, and for several National Hockey League teams. He makes several sizes and styles for different applications. His gross sales so far this year (mid-January at press time) are equivalent to one-third of his ﬁrst year of sales in 2011. Yet Settembre still assembles Blasters in his garage from parts made from his specifications by parts manufacturers in Syracuse and Pennsylvania. He is open to mass production someday. Showing the Blaster’s prowess on bumpy sidewalks usually wins over potential customers, since the rubber edge prevents it from skipping and also cleans surfaces more cleanly than a metal blade. And Settembre isn’t above adding a little drama to his demonstrations. “I cleared the front steps at City Hall in Syracuse running down the sidewalk with the [Blaster’s] handle against my solar plexus and my hands out,” Settembre said. “The maintenance guys were amazed. You don’t have to worry about it jabbing

Rich Settembre’s Way Cool Products, Inc. include a variety of snow movers and skating rink clearing devices (top photos). At the bottom left is a safety binding for cross country skis, the Avant 1. The Avant 1 weighs 2.9 ounces and operates with only one moving part. The United States Patent ofﬁce granted all 18 of Settembre’s claims and issued not only the patent for this binding, but also for the next generation of the releasable binding which he called the Beta Binding. Canada, Norway, and Sweden also granted him patents. “The DuPont company awarded this binding a special prestigious award for the best use of one of their engineering plastics, Delrin 100A, in a new product,” Settembre said. you in the gut.” Some customers use Blasters on oil rigs, in water treatment plants and to clear the deck on aircraft carriers. He hopes to get them into breweries and marine applications. He also dreams of demonstrating them for the Today Show. “I’d love to go to Rockefeller Center on a slushy day and have a race with Al Roker, pushing sidewalk blasters down the sidewalk,” he said. Though busy thinking of ways to promote his latest product, Settembre isn’t done inventing yet. “I have 50 different products I want to put out on the market,

including some I’ve been asked to created for specific industries,” he said. He thinks that many people hold the misconception that successful people were “lucky” or “at the right place at the right time.” “That is a sad lack of understanding of the general public,” he said. “You have to constantly be doing something so when the right thing happens, you created your opportunities. They don’t randomly fall out of the trees.” Settembre dreams to someday sell the company and then “buy a 150-ft. yacht and park it in the Grand Cayman islands and have a Vespa chained to the light pole near the yacht.” But for now, he gets his kicks from motorcycling, reading, playing guitar, collecting and repairing older automobiles. He has also piloted planes as a hobby. His son works as a nuclear sub operator for the US Navy. Settembre is engaged to Theresa Cangemi, 46, of Brewerton, who operates My Medicare Made Simple and is a licensed agent for Medicare and long term care insurance. April / May 2013 - 55 PLUS

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zoo life

Curator of Creatures Tom is shown with some of the guanacos, which are smaller than but similar in appearance to llamas.

Longtime Syracuse zookeeper reflects on his career with animals By Mary Beth Roach

recent visit to Tom LaBarge’s office finds the 58-year-old on the Internet searching for the right scales for lions. That’s right, lions. Sounds a little different than a typical day at the office, but when you’re a curator at a 43-acre zoo, with 700-plus animals, there probably aren’t many typical days. As curator, LaBarge supervises the animal staff, handles supplies and logistics, helps to schedule health checks, and keeps current on the safety procedures for employees and animals. To work in a zoo was something that had appealed to LaBarge since he was a youngster. 34

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“When I was a kid, I was always interested in visiting the zoo and being around animals,” he said. He has turned this interest into his life’s work. Although he hails from Stillwater in Saratoga County, LaBarge came to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse in an international roundabout kind of way. He attended SUNY Morrisville, studying animal science, before going into the Army for four years and serving in Germany. Upon his return to the United States, LaBarge went to Colorado, where he enrolled at Fort Lewis College and earned his Bachelor of Science in biology, concentrating on

zoology and genetics. He had intended to go onto graduate school, but shortly after earning his undergraduate degree, he got a job at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado. He liked working in a zoo, and when he learned of a job opening in Syracuse, he applied, got the job and made the 2,500-mile trek. While his specialty is hoofed mammals such as markhors, bighorned sheep, and reindeer — he admits they are probably his favorite — he likes all the animals. “They all have different interesting aspects to them. If you stay curious, there’s always something to learn about all the different animals here,” he said.” In his nearly 27 years at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, LaBarge has seen and been involved with a lot of changes.

Progress at zoo He expressed enthusiasm over the animals that have been added

to the zoo family—pandas, tigers, and snow leopards, for example— and the many new facilities and attractions, including the Penguin Coast, the Elephant Preserve, the Carrier Conservation Education Center, Primate Park, and an octopus display due to open later this spring. “When you ﬁrst walk into the zoo, it’s a very welcoming place,” he said. “You walk into that front lobby and it just gets better. You go around to the different areas, and each area has a unique part to it.” His primary tip to make the most out of one’s visit to the zoo is to take one’s time. “Don’t walk by an exhibit and think you don’t see something. Natural exhibits have a lot of space and hiding places. See what the animals are doing; they’re not just buzzing around the place. They have lives of their own,” he explained. While walking through the paths that meander through the zoo, LaBarge will call out to the animals by name, and he is able to distinguish

one from the other by their eyes, their body marking, facial features, or even their personalities. Some are grumpy, some friendlier; and some are a little friskier than others, he noted. “They all have their own particular way of doing things. You can’t work around these animals for any length of time without realizing that. Once they ﬁgure you out, you begin to wonder who’s training who,” he laughed. Yet there is so much more to the zoo. The staff tries to balance all the needs of research, entertainment and conservation, he explained.

Venue for interaction, learning “The zoo is like a learning microcommunity,” he said. “It’s a place where people meet. It’s a place where people not only see animals, but learn about animals. They also learn about the natural world. There’s nothing to really replace the actual experience of coming into the zoo and immersing yourself in the natural world around you.” The zoo’s recent facility

improvements all underscore the commitment to conservation. For example, two of the larger buildings have “green roofs,” and some of the construction projects at the facility are part of Onondaga County’s “Save the Rain” initiative. “Everything we do has been geared to save water and save energy,” he said. LaBarge has shared his love of the zoo and the animals with his children. He and his wife, Andrea, have two children, Laura, 20, and Tommy, 14, and both have been involved with projects at the zoo. Laura is particularly fond of the birds, while Tommy recently volunteered at Zoo Camp. It appears that Laura is following in dad’s footsteps, as she is attending SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and majoring in conservation biology. “I’ve had a lot of fun over the last 27 years,” he said. And he looks forward to the next 27, he added with a chuckle.

Tom feeds a red panda.

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helpful hint

DMV Online Course How to save money on auto insurance by attending online defensive driving classes By Suzanne M. Ellis

was never a fan of sitting still for long periods, especially in a classroom setting, and the older I got, the less I liked the idea. So over the years, whenever I’d hear about the opportunity to get a 10 percent discount on my auto insurance by attending defensive driving classes, I never gave it a second thought. But as it tends to do, time passed and along came retirement and the sometimes harsh reality of living on an income that is pretty well ﬁxed. As many of us begin to live life within those financial confines, we soon become masters of coupon clipping, senior discounts and a never-ending search for ways to save money here and there. Before long, we realize that the old adage is true: Every little bit does help. Contrary to the way I felt in my younger years (with a goodpaying job), I recently decided that a savings of $60 or so a year on my auto insurance would, indeed, be a good thing, even if it meant I’d have to spend six hours or more in one of those dreaded classroom settings. During my research on defensive driving classes, I learned that the course is now offered online and has been for some time. I also learned that once I registered for the online version of the class I would have 30 days to complete it at my leisure and in the comfort of 36

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my own home — where I could pretty much work at my own pace and never have to sit still any longer than I cared to do so. Once I made the decision to plod ahead and take the course, the initial problem I encountered was that there is far too much misinformation out there. My ﬁrst Google search — for “nys defensive driving course” — yielded a staggering 53,600 links. There were links to sites like “idrivesafely,” “safetycouncil,” “transact.dmv.ny” and “trafficschool.com.” I’ve been around the Internet long enough to know that for every legitimate site, there are a hundred others that will take me down the long road to nowhere. Knowing that government sites, which are those ending with “.gov,” are relatively safe and reliable, my next search was for “nysdmv.gov” which took me to a dizzying array of links, none of which addressed online defensive driving courses. I ﬁnally spotted a link (in very small print) on the top, right-hand side of t h e DMV

page that allowed me to type in a search for “online defensive driving courses.” That took me where I needed to go, to a list of approved courses that would insure receipt of the aforementioned discount on my auto insurance. The list is short, just four sites, and they are www. NewYorkSafetyCouncil.com, www. MyImprovNewYork.com, www. idrivesafely.com/NY and www. NewYorkDefensiveDriving.com. I had been told by my insurance agent that I could save $25 on the second one if I used the special code he gave me, so I chose that one. There was, however, no place to enter a code, and the cost of the course was just $26.95 so I doubted I’d be given a $25 discount on that. I clicked on the “MyImprov” link for a free trial and was immediately urged to register for the course, with a promise from the cyber gods that I’d be credited for any work completed during my trial run. In less than ﬁve minutes, I was working on the ﬁrst chapter of I-PIRP, the Internet/ Alternate Delivery Method

Point and Insurance Reduction Program, a fancy name for the defensive driving course. Completing the ﬁrst chapter took less than a half hour and I have to say, the format was quite enjoyable. This site offers students three options for study: reading the text (which has a printable version), listening to audio, or watching some pretty cool instructional videos by the IMPROV Comedy Club. You can also do all three. The course, regardless of which of the four approved options you select, consists of 10 chapters with a minimum amount of time you must spend on each chapter; conversely, you can spend as much time as you need on each chapter. The required time you must spend on the entire course — six hours — is the same requirement for classroom study. But unlike the classroom setting, your coursework is available to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With the user name (your license ID number) and a password you will create when you register, you can do the work on any computer with Internet access, on tablets (like iPads

or the Kindle Fire HD) and on smart phones (like Android and iPhone). During the 30-day timeframe, you can log on and off as often as you wish, so if unexpected company shows up, the dog suddenly needs a walk or you suddenly need a nap, you’re good to go. There are short quizzes at the end of each chapter but they are for review purposes only; there are no grades given. Immediately upon completion of the course, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles will be notiﬁed and you’ll receive a certiﬁcate of completion. After that, it’s your responsibility to notify your insurance company in order to receive the 10 percent discount, which is good for three years. Completing the course also reduces the number of points on your license, if you have any, by up to four points received in the past 18 months. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m heading for the couch, coffee mug and laptop in hand, to get started on my course and a 10 percent reduction in the cost of my auto insurance. Every little bit helps.

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visits

Historic Sylvan Beach Amusement Park is a blast from the past.

10 Things to Do in Western Oneida County Close to home, region has something for everyone By Sandra Scott

he western part of Oneida County is deﬁned by Oneida Lake. The area was the homeland of the Iroquois Six Nations, which in the 1700s became an important frontier settlement built around Fort Stanwix. In the 1800s it was where the digging of the Erie Canal began, and in the early part of the 20th century it was the “in” place to summer. Today all those aspects come together to offer a variety of experiences for all ages with something to offer every season.

The Turning Stone Golf Course. 38

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Fort Stanwix: Known as “the fort that never surrendered” was instrumental in winning the Revolutionary War. In

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visits

August 1777 the troops at the fort were successful in holding off the army of British General Barry St. Leger and Native American warriors. The invading force was turned back at the battle of Oriskany, located nearby, thus eliminating one arm of the British three-pronged attack on New York. Stop at the Willett Center for a better understanding of the fort. Within the fort learn about the daily life on the frontier in war and peace. Programs and demonstrations are offered at various times.

Erie Canal Village: Erie Canal Village in Rome is the only place in New York state where people can ride on a horse-drawn canal boat. A video in the Orientation Building offers an excellent background on the construction of the Erie Canal, which has been compared to the building of pyramids. The village is home to three museums along with a school, blacksmith shop, a church, livery stable, Ft. Bull Railroad Station, a canal store, and a settler’s house.

Beaches: Sylvan Beach on Oneida Lake is the quintessential beachfront resort community with locally-owned

H. P. Sears Oil Gas Station Museum in Rome where gas was once 12.9 cents a gallon. lodging, restaurants and a classic amusement park. Verona Beach State Park, located on the eastern shore of Oneida Lake, and Delta Lake State Park, on Delta Reservoir, have shaded picnic areas, camping, nature trails, and an excellent beach. During the summer it is a great place to camp, boat, swim, ﬁsh and picnic.

Get Wild: Fort Rickey Children’s Discovery Zoo visitors will get a chance to pet a snake, feed the deer, and watch the monkeys cavort. Looking for a walkabout? Head to Rome Sand Plains, one of the few pine barrens in the nation. The two state parks — Delta Lake and Verona Beach — offer boating, fishing, camping, and beaches. Snowmobiling and cross-country skiing are available during the winter. Sherrill is home to Aqua Vita Farms and the place to learn about aquaponics, which combines fish farming with hydroponic farming. Learn about the fish at the Rome Fish Hatchery.

At the Fort Stanwix Trading Post.

Golfing and Fishing: Oneida County boasts 29 public golf courses, including five at Turning Stone Resort where their Golf Dome has a two-tiered hitting area and people can test their skills at St. Andrews or Pebble Beach or any of 38 different courses on their virtual simulators. If fishing is for you take note that Oneida Lake is on the list of “Bass Masters Top 100 Lakes.” Plus there are several rivers, streams and ponds with fish just waiting for you to catch. April / May 2013 - 55 PLUS

At Your

e c i v r Se

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HOUSEMATES

Have you ever considered living with a person with a developmental disability in their home? In return for your support and companionship, you will receive free rent, utilities, and basic phone. You would be able to maintain your current life style such as work, school or volunteerism and still MAKE A DIFFERENCE in a person’s life. You must be caring, committed and responsible. If this sounds like something you may be interested in, give us a call to learn more. (315) 434-9597 ext. 210.

For the fun of it: Historic Sylvan Beach Amusement Park is a blast from the past that has been providing fun for the kids, parents and grandparents since 1917. Don’t pass up on the chance to ride the historic Carello’s 1896 Carousel and have your fortune told by Zoltar, the animatronic fortune teller. Peterpaul Recreation Park has bumper boat rides, go-karts, and more. The area is also home to Turning Stone and Vernon Downs casinos both offer great gaming.

Arts and entertainment: The Rome Art and Community Center is a multi-art facility featuring visual arts along with musical and theatrical presentation. Pick up a driving tour brochure to view the art work at The Griffiss International Sculpture Garden on the former Air Force Base. Rome’s Capitol Theater presents special shows during the summer. Turning Stone Casino and Resort features a variety of entertainment often including international celebrities. During the summer Yesterday’s Royal in Sylvan Beach is home to a variety of entertainment, dinner theater and polka dances.

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Get Wild: Fort Rickey Children’s Discovery Zoo visitors will get a chance to pet a snake, feed the deer, and watch the monkeys cavort.

S h o p p i n g : T h e a re a i s a shopper’s delight. The Turning Stone Casino has some high end shops along with a great sports store. The Oneida Company Store features their famous flatware along with other excellent brands such as Anchor Hocking. If it is good enough for the White House it should look perfect in your house. Harden has been crafting fine furniture for five generations. Take their factory tour and visit the showroom.

Dining out: The area has something tasty and unique to whet the appetite of everyone. Rome is home to Nora’s Candy Shop where they make turkey joints, a wonderfully unique confection with no feathers made of decadent chocolate and Brazil nuts. Join the throngs of people who have enjoyed Harpoon Eddie’s signature hot ham sandwich made with capicola. For another local delicacy, try the riggies, a blend of peppers, mushrooms, onions, and rigatoni in a spicy, creamy tomato, cheese sauce. Accompany it with another local specialty — Rome Greens.

Unique: In 1969 part of the movie “The Sterile Cuckoo” was ﬁlmed in Sylvan Beach’s Union Chapel. It is where Liza Minnelli had her ﬁrst on-screen kiss. The Chapel, built in 1887, still holds services during the summer. Unique to the building are the pulley operated side walls that open like wings to allow air circulation on hot summer days. And don’t miss The Shako:wi Cultural Center near Turning Stone Casino. It tells the story of the Oneida Nation using a variety of displays and a nice gift shop of items made by Native Americans. Rome is also home to the H. P. Sears Oil Gas Station Museum where gas was once 12.9 cents a gallon. The corner station is a pristine preservation of a service station from 1929.

For more information check oneidacountytourism.com or call 800426-3132.

consumers corner By Eva Briggs

Getting Your Heart Back Into Shape New studies point to new treatments, including the regrowth of heart muscles

bout a year ago, one of my close friends became sick. After a bout of pneumonia, she just couldn’t seem to bounce back. She was tired all the time, out of breath with the least exertion, and her legs became severely swollen. It turns out that the infection triggered heart muscle damage — cardiomyopathy — and she became one of six million people in the U.S. suffering from heart failure. For many people, heart failure is the long-term outcome after being saved from acute heart attacks; we’ve improved our ability to treat the acute condition only to have a legion of survivors with long-term sequalae. My friend began a long saga of multiple drugs to stave off the symptoms — diuretics, beta-blockers, digoxin, calcium channel blockers. A long balancing act followed, trying to kick the heart muscle into shape while avoiding a slew of side effects that were at times as debilitating as the disease. Wouldn’t it be terriﬁc if we could just grow some new heart cells to supplement or replace the damaged cells? Traditionally scientists believed that the adult heart had no capacity for regeneration. New studies in animals and human suggest that there may be more potential for repair than once believed. Current research is investigating several questions. Is cell therapy aimed at growing new heart muscle cells safe? What is the best source for new cells? And do the progenitor

cells that are administered work only in the heart or do they exert effects at other locations within the body? So far the data suggest that this will be a safe therapy. The largest study to date delivered autologous (the patient’s own) bone marrow cells to patients after a heart attack There seemed to be fewer adverse events in the treated patients compared to the controls. New heart muscle cells — cardiomyocytes — might come from existing cardiomyocytes, from stem cells in bone marrow or from progenitor cells in the heart. Obtaining cells from the heart requires a heart muscle biopsy or harvesting samples during heart surgery — more invasive than obtaining bone marrow. Are the cells obtained from the heart superior? We don’t know yet. It seems intuitive that adding new cells would work by taking up residence in the heart to grow new heart cells that replace or augment damaged heart cells. But it turns out that there are other possible mechanisms. Perhaps stem cells stimulate angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels that allow damaged heart cells to recover. They might encourage survival of damaged heart muscle cells after a heart attack. Or they could promote regeneration by existing cardiomyocytes. It’s exciting to think that perhaps someday patients with damaged hearts will be able to regrow new heart muscle. That would beat taking a slew of medicines, disability due to heart failure, or undergoing heart transplant. April / May 2013 - 55 PLUS

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action

Quite a Racquet Syracuse racquetball phenom shares his passion, knowledge By Matthew Liptak

“J

ust when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!” So goes the famous line from Al Pacino’s character Michael Corleone in “The Godfather” movie trilogy. The same could be said for the career of racquetball coach Jim Winterton of Syracuse. After a decade decorated with undefeated coaching seasons with the USA national team starting in 1990, Winterton went to Mexico to take that country to its ﬁrst racquetball gold medals in international competition. Then he came back to the USA to restore America to the world championship in 2002. But some of the luster was gone. He found that he was just managing the talent of the American team, not coaching; and coaching was what he loved to do. “It wasn’t very gratifying to me,” he said. “My second time around was not much fun. I wasn’t really coaching. I like coaching. So I decided I was going to get out of coaching racquetball and go back and coach football, which I always loved. I went back and coached high school football at North Syracuse. I started going to football seminars.” It was then Winterton realized he was being pulled back in. Not by other people, but by his own nature. While 42

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he studied football, he kept coming back to how some of the dynamics of the game resembled racquetball. He couldn’t get away from the game, even though he thought he had left it. “When I was translating running backs’ footwork to racquetball, I knew that I really wasn’t a football coach anymore,” he said. “I was a racquetball coach.” But for Winterton, the relationship between the racquet sport and football are intimately related. He ﬁrst picked up racquetball in the military to train for an Air Force football team while he was stationed in Germany in 1967. Just six years later, he began his career coaching racquetball. “I understand what the players are going through,” Winterton said. “I demanded a lot out of myself when I played. I didn’t want anyone to ever work harder than me. I tried to be as prepared as I possibly could be to play a tournament. I investigated anything and everything and kept trying to learn every year. As a result, when I morphed into coaching it was something I’d already been doing. I’d already been preparing.” Winterton, 66, guesses that his introduction to the sport of racquetball goes back to his childhood. As a kid growing up on a farm in Vernon Center, he practiced fielding for baseball by throwing a ball against

the side of a barn. “That kind of skill, reacting to a ball off a wall, is racquetball,” he said. “I think without knowing it, as a little kid, I’d been training for racquetball when I thought I was training for baseball.”

Global impact The coach has brought his passion and expertise to other players through his training both internationally, nationally and locally. While he does a camp in Denver, Colo., and teaches juniors (players 7-to-18 years old) at a racquetball academy in Bolivia, he also teaches lessons at Gold’s Gym in Dewitt as its director of instruction. He’s also a customer at the gym. As a player though, he said his talents have declined, but not his enthusiasm for the game. “I was at the top of the mountain and now I’m down at the bottom,” he said. “I’m a hacker. I’m in there with C players and they’re beating me. I got two hip replacements and I’m in there, but I still love the game. Win or lose it’s still an unbelievable workout and a lot of fun.” Having fun through the accomplishments of his racquetball students is also something Winterton enjoys. He has taught many locally, including older adults. “Coaching gives me a chance to compete vicariously,” he said. “I get the biggest charge out of taking people that some other people discount or don’t think they’re good enough or think they’ll never be that good or whatever and watching them progress. My biggest joy is taking people and watching them go up two or three levels of play. That’s the most fun. Surprising people, inspiring people and motivating people, that’s really the thing I really like about coaching. Getting on the court with people--challenging them.” Steve Rowan, 66, has a residence in Rome, N.Y. He has only been seeing small improvements in his work to try and get back some of the athletic prowess he had as a younger man. He said even that may not have been possible without Winterton’s help. “Well, once I made the decision

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to subscribe and consequently pay for his coaching plan it became a rewarding experience,” he said. “Jim Winterton’s coaching has become a self-determining growth in my personal skills and attitude. Jim has remained a gentle beacon of support.” Karen Simon of Cortland has been challenged by Winterton and excelled. She is a 57-year-old former middle school principal. Since she started working with Winterton after retirement, she has won three national titles in her age division. “What I love about Coach Winterton is that he takes a player’s uniqueness into consideration and can modify what needs to be done to suit the player’s needs,” Simon said. “Being a former teacher, Coach Winterton has a great way of explaining what one needs to do. Some people may be great players, but not great teachers. Coach Winterton, when he played competitively, was a great player but he is also a great teacher and coach.” To learn more about Winterton’s racquetball programs, go to www. wintertonracquetball.com.

Coach Winterton’s Tips for Older Players • Train smarter. Find low-impact ways to practice for shorter, more intense periods of time. “It’s quality, not quantity.” • Don’t forget your back. “I’ve noticed weak lower backs because people take care of the front but they don’t take care of the back.” • Know when to rest. “Train hard. Rest hard.” • Start slowly if you’re starting or restarting to play the sport. “Try not to judge yourself by somebody else. It’s hard to do when you compete but the object of the game is to get a great work out. That’s the appeal of racquetball. I call it ﬁtness with a stick.” • Don’t chase the ball. “Let it go. There’s another one coming.”

Racquetball coach Jim Winterton works with students at Gold’s Gym in DeWitt.

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Museums feature Lucille Ball continued from page 29 council in Jamestown to develop a comedy and comedy-ﬁlm festival in her hometown. In 1989, she planned to attend the ﬁrst-ever Lucy Comedy Fest and accept an honorary degree from Jamestown Community College. Unfortunately, she died in April of that year, a few months before the premiere of a festival that now draws more than 10,000 people. Events include performances by some of the hottest rising comedians, live bands, live comedy theater, some of the best impersonators of Lucy, Ricky, Fred (William Frawley) and Ethel (Vivian Vance), late-night, standup comedy in the Tropicana Room, Lucy Town Tours, Party on the Plaza, a critically-acclaimed kids comedy show, grape-stomping contests and more. Over the years, celebrity guests included Ray Romano, Ellen DeGeneres, Paula Poundstone, Joan Rivers and Lewis Black. The dates for the 2013 festival are Aug. 1-4. Visit www.lucycomedyfest.com for more information. The museum and playhouse

The gravesite where Lucille Ball’s ashes, along with those of other family members, are buried is in Lake View Cemetery on Lakeview Avenue in Jamestown. in Jamestown are open seven days a week, and more information is available by calling 716-484-0800 or visiting www.lucy-desi.com. “We’re fortunate to have the privilege of preserving the memory [of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz] and the impact they’ve both had on the

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world, through all the fun costumes and memorabilia, awards they were given, photographs of their personal and TV lives …” says the website. “We’re constantly swapping out exhibits for new ones, so even if you’ve visited the center before, it’s always a new experience.”

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golden years By Harold Miller Email: hal@cny55.com

Jim’s Story

ersonal courage takes many forms. It can vary from people who will lay down their life for a loved one to a person who simply faces reality and recovers a useless life. Jim’s story is of the latter. He rebuilt a lost life after a difﬁcult upbringing, a failed marriage and an escape from reality. Jim was a baby boomer born in 1957 into an average post war family. His father served in the U.S. Army Air Force during WW II. His mother, a war bride, was a local woman born and brought up in Auburn. He pretty much lived a normal life until his father got caught up in gambling debts, and owed money he could not pay back. Consequently, Jim’s father took his own life. His sensitive son could not process the tragedy. He went into his bedroom — closed the door — and entered into to a world devoid of reality. Jim’s life continued on, seemingly normal to the outside world. He attended SUNY Oswego studying broadcast communication. After graduation he joined the Sterling Renaissance Festival doing magic shows and acting in plays. From there, Jim traveled to Baltimore where he performed magic acts on street corners. He met and married a young woman of means, but the marriage did not last. Jim had become an alcoholic and eventually his wife threw him out on the street. Consequently, he ran away with a circus. The circus did not formally hire Jim, but rather supplied a cot, two meals a day, and a quart of rot-gut liquor as ‘pay’ for setting up and breaking down the tents and assembling and disassembling the lighting. This life ended when Jim was no longer able 46

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to function in his job. When the circus next started north from its winter headquarters in Deland, Fla., they literally dumped him at the curb in Greenville, S. C., which was their ﬁrst stop. This beaten down young man was admitted to a local hospital where he partially recovered from his palsy. From there he went to an alcoholic rehab center to “dry out” and from there to a Methodist Home for Wayward Men who had lost their way in life (thank god there are such facilities largely run by volunteers). He was given a cot in a dormitory, served breakfast and supper, and allowed to be free during the day. Each day upon return Jim was tested for signs of alcohol or drugs. If he failed the test they would discharge him. I visited Jim a couple of times during his stay at the home. His quarters were clean and neat. A steamboat trunk was placed at the foot of his bed with all of his worldly possessions (mostly a change of clothes and some reading material). We would go out to lunch and talk about things. Jim was an intelligent and articulate person. He was also a good conversationalist and a good writer. I lauded him about his miraculous recovery and encouraged him to look for a job in order to be free from his incarceration. He had become a pack-a-day cigarette smoker. I warned him that this habit could kill him as surely as the alcohol almost did, but he looked at me with his sad eyes and retorted; “Unk, I gotta have something for my nerves.” I obtained a computer for him and we emailed frequently from then on. Jim did get a job with a local Target store and moved to a halfway house. Then he forged an alliance with a local Baptist

Church and became a voluntary member of the staff serving on its technical ministries team, which locally broadcasts a radio reading service for the visually impaired. Jim also supplied his musical talent and graphic skills for several other church programs. He also resurrected his talent for origami (the traditional Japanese art of paper folding) and made some beautiful ﬁgurines, some of which adorn my den. In turn for his dedicated work the church helped him to obtain an apartment close to the church and also helped him to buy a motor scooter so that he could commute to his job. Life blossomed for Jim as his self esteem returned. At last his talents had created a comfortable life and he loved his work. Then, Jim developed a chronic cough and consequently discovered that he had throat cancer. A surgery removed the tumor, his voice box, and inserted a feeding tube. Although his cancer was terminal, and he lived in pain most of the time, Jim never lost his love of life or his sense of humor. At this point the church stepped in and a dedicated church lady — who worked with Jim in his many church programs — became his prime caregiver. Since Jim had little or no insurance coverage through his part-time job with Target, the church funded his care. Were it not for the various religious and voluntary care organizations our health care programs would have been bankrupt years ago. During this agonizing period in Jim’s life I was only able to communicate with him by email since it was painful for him to talk (although he did master the use of an electronic voice box). At ﬁrst we emailed a couple of times a

week but as he grew weaker the communication grew less frequent. Even so Jim never lost his positive attitude and sense of humor. Finally hospice took over his care. Again, few people realize or understand the important role this mostly voluntary organization provides to overall health care. As our population age’s statistics indicate that the major cost of life-long medical care occurs in the last few years of our lives. My nephew Jim, in the loving hands of his care giver and hospice, passed away peacefully Jan. 23. In an excerpt from one of his last email’s Jim writes: “I am often reminded how often we need to be reminded that we love each other. I seem to work on the silly notion that I can tell someone that piece of information, from the heart, and that should do it. In that I am sadly mistaken, as in good faith, we do need to hear it repeated, in that respect I am a fool. “I love you. “I love you very much.”

Healthy Older Women Advised Against Taking Calcium

ealthy older women should not take calcium and vitamin D supplements to prevent fractures, according to a final recommendation issued in February by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. In healthy adults, lower doses of calcium and vitamin D seem to be ineffective. As for higher doses, it’s still up in the air, the government group said. The new recommendations do not apply to people who are known to be vitamin D-deﬁcient or who already have osteoporosis, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) noted. Calcium is one of the main building blocks of bone growth, and vitamin D (sourced via sunlight’s

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action on the skin, or through diet) helps bones absorb calcium. But at issue is whether people receive enough of these nutrients in their daily diet, or if supplements would help protect them. Virginia Moyer, a physician serving as chairwoman of the USPSTF, said experts know that a “medium dose” of supplements — less than 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D and less than 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium ± does not work. As for higher doses? “We simply don’t know. There are reasons to think they could work, but unfortunately, even though there are a bunch of studies, there are problems with them,” Moyer said.

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druger’s zoo By Marvin Druger

My Take on Sports Golfing? Not my favorite sport; biking? I don’t do it anymore; basketball? Only on TV. I can still do sports activities, but the periodic pain in my knee reminds me of the aging process

his article is not intended to question or insult the views of fans of different sports. It is intended to convey my own personal perspectives, but a number of people may have similar views. I am a strong advocate of exercise and sports. I exercise regularly at the Aspen Athletic Club and I even do yoga there, but we don’t have to be exercise fanatics to enjoy being sports fans. Many sports involve getting some sort of ball into some sort of hole or goal. These include, among others, basketball, hockey, golf, soccer and water polo. Although I know some devoted golfers, golf is not one of my favorites. I did try playing golf once. It was a bad experience. I was very good at hitting the ball, but I didn’t know the etiquette, and I think I embarrassed my two friends who took me along (They aren’t my friends anymore). I talked loudly all the time; I dragged my golf cart onto the green; I found a ball in the grass that was closer to the hole than mine, so I picked it up and asked, “Can I use this ball instead of mine?” I also worried about 48

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the remote possibility that I might get hit with that hard ball, or get struck by lightning during a sudden thunderstorm. That was my first, and last, golf outing. Now, I regret not having persisted in this sport. I know many people who glow at the thought of being on the golf course and experiencing the friendly, challenging and relaxing outdoor atmosphere. Someone asked me if I like hockey? I went to a hockey game once in my life. It was a memorable experience. There were several fistfights among the players. There were all sorts of bizarre, noisy gimmicks. My wife, Pat, and I had to point two fingers down and yell, “Fang! Fang! Fang!” We were sitting in the section where we probably would have been attacked if we didn’t yell, “Fang!” The experience was memorable. Some sports are rough and I always worry about someone getting hurt (especially me). Being a sports enthusiast, I have had my share of injuries. For example, I hit heads with someone while playing basketball and split open the area below my eyebrow. This injury required many stitches. I did this twice at different times and was wondering whether a zipper was needed. I also tore ligaments in my knee twice. I can still do sports activities, but the periodic pain in my knee reminds me of the aging process. Many sports injuries come back to haunt you in older age. Some especially rough sports include football, wrestling, and boxing. Football requires certain skills and stamina, but is a good example of a rough sport. I can imagine what it must be like to be tackled and crushed by hundreds of pounds of muscle and bone, and then get up in one piece, only to undergo the experience again

and again in the game. I used to have SU football tickets on the 40-yard line, but I had difficulty following the ball. So, I retired to watching football on TV where I could easily see replays and if I missed a play, I could listen to the sportscaster tell me what happened. Boxing requires a lot of skill and coordination, but a boxer can suffer serious brain injuries. I did boxing when I was in the Coast Guard Reserve many years ago. I recall being particularly proud when I soundly defeated one opponent. His friend wanted revenge and he challenged me to a match. I still remember the stars that flashed at the back of my head when he landed a super uppercut on my chin. That ended my potential boxing career. Soccer is an extremely popular sport, especially overseas, and I do like to watch soccer games. However, they are too low-scoring. Watching a game for so long, and having a final score of 1-0 is frustrating for me as a spectator. Running appeals to me as a participant sport. This is healthy exercise, until your knees and legs start aching as you approach older age. Now, I have slowed down to a point where, when I jog, I’m not sure whether I’m jogging or walking. Bicycling is a very popular sport and physical activity. I used to ride a bicycle, but my interest in doing so came to an abrupt end due to an accident. I was bicycling along a road when I started going down a steep incline. I quickly decided to apply the brakes, so I pushed back hard on the foot pedals. Suddenly, I realized that the brakes on modern bikes were on the handlebars and not on the foot pedals. I lost my balance and tumbled over the front of the bike. It seemed like an eternity as I fell to the ground and badly scraped both knees

and my elbows. I have avoided bikes ever since, but I encourage others to partake in this healthy activity. Now, I occasionally use a stationary bike at the health club. I pretend that I’m going somewhere, but I know that I’m really not going anywhere. Billiards is a fascinating sport. It requires hand-eye coordination, concentration, strategic thinking, and you do get some exercise by continually walking around the billiards table. We have a pool table in our lake house and I enjoy a friendly game of pool … as long as I win. Rowing is an invigorating and demanding physical activity. When I was in the Coast Guard Reserve, I was the No. 1 starboard rower on our rowboat racing c r e w. Each crew member manned one oar. We had a coxswain who yelled out the pacing of the rowing. In one of the races, the coxswain saw t h a t w e w e re behind and he speeded up his cadence. “Stroke, and stroke, and stroke, and stroke, stroke, stroke….” he yelled. It was impossible to row that quickly, so I stopped rowing and started laughing. We lost the race. Water polo

is a vigorous and rough sport. My sons played water polo in college and I occasionally watched some games. I was surprised to discover that the goalie was not standing on the bottom of the pool. How could the goalie tread water for so long? How could a player rise two feet above the water to throw the ball at the goal? Water sports are not my thing. I learned how to swim in college and I have always been afraid of drowning ever since. As a youth, I played a lot of basketball. I still recall some of the shots that I made to win certain games. My ultimate goal was to jump up and dunk the ball, but I could never do much more than barely touch the rim. I’d still like to dunk the ball, but the only way I can ever do it now is if they lower the basket. Basketball requires athleticism, hand-eye coordination, running, jumping, strategy and high scores. I like to watch basketball games on TV. Pat doesn’t like basketball. She thinks it’s “10 players running around in their underwear.” Tennis is an interesting sport that requires skill, strategy, hand-eye coordination and athleticism. I’m always puzzled about the strange scoring procedure in tennis. When I hear it’s 15-Love, I always have a vision of romance in my mind. Baseball is our national pastime and requires a variety of skills. The pitcher and catcher are in constant action, but things can be very slow for the outfielders. The outfielder generally springs to life when a ball comes his or her way. Otherwise, I often wonder how an outﬁelder can stay awake a n d a l e r t

during the game. To me, watching sports events on TV is preferable to actually attending the games. Sports arenas tend to bombard the fans with flashing lights, advertisements and deafening music. Some people thrive on this exciting atmosphere. Not me. I simply want to concentrate on watching the game. Also, fans in front of me are constantly jumping up and down, blocking my view. Prices for food and drinks are high. If I buy a soda, I sip it very slowly to make it last. It’s similar to buying a small bag of popcorn in a movie theater. When I buy a bag of popcorn, I eat one popcorn at a time. Eating the food in arenas is not exactly a gourmet experience. So, I find that watching sports on TV is a more pleasant experience than actually attending the games. Pat and I differ in what we like to watch on TV. Who controls the TV is a major problem in many marriages. Pat always wants to watch something educational, while I simply want to watch a ball game (any ball game). We have a TV in our bedroom and I defer to her tastes in TV, unless she goes to the bathroom or falls asleep. Then, I can switch the station and watch “the game.” In fact, I do like most sports and have played many of them. I admire athletes in every sport. They stay physically fit and are generally good models for healthy living. As a former member of the freshman basketball team at Brooklyn College, I know about the demanding schedule of college athletes. As a science student, I had labs at 8 a.m. in the morning and we practiced basketball from 5–8 p.m. every day. When was I supposed to do my homework, study, and write my papers? So, there were many allnighters to keep up with academics. When I quit the team, my grades went from Bs to As. So, as a professor, I was sensitive to the special pressures facing team athletes, as well as other students. I am now retired, but I wish I could have made as much money as professional athletes do. It makes me wonder why we don’t pay those kinds of salaries to teachers and others who help shape our lives and careers? An interesting question to think about. April / May 2013 - 55 PLUS

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By Lou Sorendo

Isreal Hagan, 58

Native Syracusan has entertained audiences for decades as a solo performer and with his band, Stroke. Q. When did you start playing music? A. Started playing an instrument at age 9. It was actually just a plastic toy guitar that someone had thrown out. I put rubber bands on it. And I got a tune out of it. Q. When did you get your ﬁrst real instrument? A. My father bought an electric guitar. Maybe 10. And I started singing in third grade. Q. When did you know that this is what you wanted to do? A. When I got paid for doing it. I was 12 years old. I think it was $13.50 per man because I went out and bought a pair of Converse sneakers and had change left over. Q. Where were you playing? A. It was called the Westside Center on West Street. The father at St. Lucy’s [a church in the near westside neighborhood] heard us rehearsing. Father asked if we would play that night. We knew three songs. We just kept playing them over and over. I got paid so I was good with that. That’s when I said to myself, ‘This came so easy. So I’m gonna keep doing this.’ And it felt good, too. Q. You have the band Stroke. When was that formed? A. I formed it back in 1981. We didn’t come out of the basement until 1982. Q. And you have a solo career? A. Started that when I was about 40 years old. I ﬁgured solo would be easy, and it’s the hardest thing I ever did. Q. Why’s that? 50

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A. You have no other musicians to hide behind. You are truly solo on stage. My first solo gig was at Happy Endings downtown and I sucked. It was terrible. I was so scared. I couldn’t even form a chord. I was that scared. I wasn’t going to ever play solo again. But [local guitarist] Jerry Cali came into the picture and told me ‘You need to do this. Not quit.’ Q. Good advice? A. It was real good advice. There was a coffeehouse in Fayetteville called Roasters. I asked them for the worst night they had. It was Tuesday night. The last Tuesday of every month I played there for five years learning how to play solo. Q. Do you have recordings? A . You can go to CD Baby. You can find my latest solo record “Balance.” I had a collaboration with Jack Penetrator. We did a record last year — “Broke Down Piece of Man,” a cover song of Sam and Dave. That song went to No. 1 on the CDBaby R&B charts in July 2012. First time I’ve ever been on the charts. It felt good. Then I just re-released a couple of days ago my very first album with Stroke – “Accept No Substitutes.” Q. To what do you attribute your longevity in the music business? A. Me being honest. What you see is what you get. I don’t dye my hair. I don’t try to come off as a 20-year-old. I’m not trying to play the latest. I’m just Isreal. Q. Your biggest accomplishment? A. Maybe I would have to say my parents seeing my success is big. Both of them are still living. My biggest

accomplishment? I’m still trying to make it. I’m still trying to get there. Q. Are the members of Stroke still the original ones? A. No. The band’s been around in one way, shape or form for 31 years. My drummer, Buke Babikian, has been with me the longest, been with me 29 years. Bill Barry has been around about seven years. John Kelsey been around a little over a year. Q. What’s next for you in your career? A. More recording, more videos, more shows. I’d like to play bigger venues, more well-known regional and national venues. Travel more with it. A. Still loving it? Yes. It’s what I do. It’s who I am. We talked about retirement. How do you retire from yourself? I can’t retire from being Isreal til I’m dead. And then if there’s an afterlife, I’ll meet Jimi Hendrix and see if I can join him. Check out the latest on Isreal and Stroke at www.ihagan.com

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