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

Look: Grandma Just Got a Tattoo. ( Would You Go For One? )

PLUS Issue 39 June / July 2012

For Active Adults in Central New York

Looking for a New Hobby? Many Are Taking Up Scuba Diving William Shatner: At 81, No Signs of Slowing Down

The

Rebel

More Boomers Part of The Sandwich Generation

Dave Frisina has become a legend for his institutional knowledge of classic rock. At 56 he just found a new home — start-up classic rock station 106.5, The Rebel

David Zumpano: When It’s Too Late to Protect Your Assets

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55 PLUS

June / July 2012

on a new adventure: scuba diving

16 My Turn 14 GRANDPARENTING

Golden Years 22

• Survey shows grandparents providing more care, advice

Aging 40 18 CHANGES Consumers Corner 46 • Grandma just got a tattoo. Why Druger’s Zoo 48

33 38

Health Watch 6 11 ACTIVITIES Gardening 8 • Several active adults embarking Financial Health 10

CONTENTS

11 16

more adults are going for it

27 COVER STORY

• Rock ‘n’ roll DJ Dave Frisina ﬁnds a new home

33 PERSONALITY

36 CARGIVING

• The Sandwich Generation —more boomers are caring for their parents and children

38 PROFILE

• World traveler George Harrer, 99, recounts his trips around the globe

42 VISITS

• 10 things to do in Niagara County, NY

50 LAST PAGE

• Barry Leeman, former chairman of Oswego County Legislature, talks about retired life

• At 81, actor William Shatner continues to wow audiences June / July 2012 - 55 PLUS

HEALTH WATCH

55PLUS

One in 4 Grandparents Store Prescription Drugs Where Children Can Find Them

nintentional poisonings from medicines cause more emergency room visits for young children each year than do car accidents. One key reason may be that nearly one of every four grandparents says that they store prescription medicines in easy-access ways, according to a new poll. A national poll by University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital national poll showed 23 percent of grandparents and 5 percent of parents reported storing prescription medicine in easy-to-access places, including daily-dose boxes that

55 PLUS - June / July 2012

Wagner Dotto

Associate Editor Lou Sorendo

Writers

Sandra Scott, Suzanne Ellis Deborah Jeanne Sergeant Joyce Gramza, Mary Beth Roach Jessica Spies, Kathi Gunio

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

children can open. Eighteen percent of grandparents and 8 percent of parents said they store over-the-counter medicines in easily accessible spots.

Sex After Heart Attack? Doc’s OK May Be Key eart attack survivors are more likely to resume their sex lives if doctors reassure them it’s safe, a new study shows. But that’s not what happens. A study by the University of Chicago Medicine surveyed nearly 1,900 heart attack survivors for the study. Among patients who were sexually active before their heart attack, those who received counseling about sex before they were discharged from the hospital were 1.5 times more likely to carry on with their sex lives. Patients who did not receive medical advice about their sex lives often either unnecessarily delayed their return to sexual activity or refrained from sex altogether. The study also found that less than half of male patients and about

Editor and Publisher

one-third of female patients recalled receiving pre-discharge instructions on when to return safely to sexual activity. One year after being discharged from the hospital, only 41 percent of men and 24 percent of women said they’d had a discussion with their doctor about sex since their heart attack. “Receiving instructions prior to hospital discharge about resuming sex was a major predictor of whether patients resumed sexual activity in the year following [heart attack],” said the study’s coordinator. If heart attack survivors don’t receive professional advice, they have to make their own, often incorrect, assumptions about the risks associated with sexual activity, according to the study.

Layout and Design Chris Crocker

Cover Photo

Chuck Wainwright 55 PLUS –A Magazine for Active Adults in Upstate 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 Published at 185 E. Seneca St. PO Box 276 Oswego, NY 13126. Subscription: $15 a year

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

Know you can get help when you need it most

Protect the ones you love June / July 2012 - 55 PLUS

Gardening

By Jim Sollecito

Knowledge Worth Handing Down

I If you or someone you love is unable to shop for or prepare their own meals, contact Meals On Wheels.

300 Burt Street, Syracuse, NY 13202 (315) 478-5948 • www.meals.org

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55 PLUS - June / July 2012

’ve observed crowds strolling through my 6-acre garden center every spring for the past 39 years. Usually folks are browsing the newer varieties of plants, hoping to solve old site problems. Hope is not a strategy for success. It may be true that a person who never made a mistake never tried anything new. There is something to be said for considering a situation from a couple of perspectives before taking action —especially before spending folding money. My father used to preach that we should measure twice and cut once. Although he is long gone, his message lives on through his words, but more importantly, through his deeds. He did his graduate work at MIT in electrical engineering back when John Nash was his chum. You might recall Nash from the movie “A Beautiful Mind.” Although their minds may have been something to behold, their home landscapes were consistently balanced, predictable and bland, usually consisting of 85 percent evergreens. Nice to cover construction defects and for hanging Christmas lights, but not very exciting the rest of the year. So let me review some of the things resonating inside that have served me well during more than half of a century on this planet. Maybe some of them can be useful to you, as well. • There are no dumb questions, just stupid answers. • You don’t choose a life, you live one. • Coffee isn’t a drug, it’s a vitamin. • In the end, you’re measured not by how much you undertake, but by what you ﬁnally accomplish.

That goes back to using the brain that the good Lord gave you to figure things out before starting on a project. Or better yet, find someone that has already done this repeatedly and successfully, and seek out their solutions. I don’t believe any of us would want to have open heart surgery on a surgeon’s first day on the job. Likewise, you should be able to find an experienced and certified professional that can help with creative design or planting solutions for your home. You don’t have to go through the learning process yourself. The end result should add solid, lasting value to your property. Something you shouldn’t have to re-do in a few years. If you’re still just “hoping” that this “might” happen to you, then give me a call. I’m sure I can make it happen for you. Jim Sollecito is the first lifetime senior certified landscape professional in NYS. He operates Sollecito Landscaping Nursery in Syracuse. Contact him at 4 6 8 - 11 4 2 o r a t jim@sollecito.com.

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financial health

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55 PLUS - June / July 2012

When Is It Too Late to Protect Your Assets? Spending Almost All Your Assets Before You Qualify for Medicaid

hirley and her two sisters recently came into the ofﬁce. Their mother had been admitted to a nursing home several months before and they were told it was “too late” to do anything to protect her assets. After attending a two-hour educational estate planning workshop that we sponsor regularly, Shirley and her sisters were shocked. Several things stood out they never knew. First, that to pay for the nursing home there were three options. Her mother could pay, long-term care insurance could pay or the government could pay in the form of Medicaid. Since Shirley’s mother did not have long-term care insurance and had more assets allowed than Medicaid permitted, they were told they had to spend all of their mother’s assets until there was none left so she could qualify for Medicaid. Medicaid law permits individuals to protect assets even after they are admitted to a nursing home facility. However, Medicaid does not permit you to give all your assets away and then ask them to pay. In many circumstances we can protect between 50 and 75 percent of an individual’s assets even after they have been admitted to a nursing home. In some circumstances we are able to protect 100 percent. Shirley wasn’t sure how what she learned applied to her mother. Medicaid has extensive rules and exceptions. Eligibility is determined on a case by case basis. Most protections come from the exceptions. For example, I explained to Shirley that Mary — whose mother and father had combined assets of $423,500 — was able to immediately qualify her mother for Medicaid to pay

for her nursing home without losing any of their assets. Similarly, Mr. and Mrs. Richards, who were healthy and concerned about losing their assets if they went into a nursing home, were told that they would have to wait 60 months. The Richards had $577,000 of assets. With planning they were able to protect $449,000 immediately and the remaining $128,000 was only at risk to a nursing home for 37 months. If they stay healthy 37 months, they will protect an additional $5,400 per month until month 60, when it would all be safe. Shirley learned education is critical to protect what her parents had worked a lifetime to save. Make sure you get properly educated so you have the maximum options available. After coming into the ofﬁce Shirley also learned that there are options to bring her mother home and Medicaid would pay for individuals to care for her mother in the home. In addition, as a surviving spouse of a World War II veteran, Shirley’s mother was also entitled to up to $1,094 a month from the Veteran’s Administration to help pay for any healthcare-related costs. Shirley and her sisters went from being overwhelmed to being excited about the possibilities that could occur. So, if crisis strikes, don’t get scared, get informed, it’s never too late. 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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activity

How About Scuba Diving Lessons? Tim Corcoran, with yellow tank, demonstrates equipment and breathing techniques to Alanna and Bill Boudreau. The Boudreaus, both 60 years of age, drive from Cortland to North Syracuse to learn scuba diving techniques.

Several active adults taking lessons at Aquatic World in North Syracuse in search of a challenge and a fun thing to do By Mary Beth Roach

lanna Boudreau, 60, is diving right into her fears. She and her husband, Bill, also 60, are taking scuba diving lessons, and traveling from their home in Cortland to do their pool dives at Aquatic World in North Syracuse. “This is overcoming a huge fear for me,” Alanna said with a smile, as she prepared to put on her wetsuit and mask. It’s “one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever done.” One would think Alanna is quite a natural, as she slides into the water,

adjusts her gear and begins practicing some breathing techniques, alternating between her snorkel and regulator with the assistance of instructor Tim Corcoran, 61. Corcoran is also the general manager of Aquatic World, and his wife, Sharon, 60, is the travel coordinator with the company. Alanna and Bill decided to take up the sport to share the underwater experience with their son, a marine biologist in Florida. Yet, they plan on getting in a few dives before going with him. June / July 2012 - 55 PLUS

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activity

Tim Corcoran, far left, and Sharon Corcoran, third from left, pose with a group of divers at a party they hosted prior to their upcoming diving excursion. With them is Karen Komarnicki, second from left; Les and Maria Osiecki; Richard Law and Sandy Lucianatelli. The Corcorans operate Aquatic World in North Syracuse. They said many people who just retired or are about to retired enroll in their scuba diving program. Like the Boudreaus, many of the divers that Tim and Sharon work with Aquatic World are 55 years of age or more. “People are coming into the sport as empty nesters, people who are retiring, people who are looking for something to do as they get to retirement. They want to start traveling,” Tim said. “The theme of our advertising campaign is ‘It’s something you’ve always wanted to do, so why not do it.’” “It’s a wonderful sport to start after you’re 55,” Sharon added. “ It’s absolutely beautiful under the water. It’s peaceful, it’s quiet, it’s like watching a ballet. And we travel in groups so every time we go on a trip, we’re making new friends.” “You can add just a whole dimension to your life — something fun and exciting to look forward to,” she continued. “There are so many different places in the world to travel to, and you’re not only experiencing different diving under the water, but different cultures above.” T h e C o rc o r a n s d i s c o v e re d scuba diving on their 25th wedding 12

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anniversary and became involved with Aquatic World after Tim retired from National Grid.

And they are seeing the world now — both above and underneath the water. They have done about 50 dive trips, including those to some exotic locates in the Caribbean and the Pacific, according to Tim. A map on the wall in their classroom pinpoints the various exotic locales to which they’ve traveled, and one need only check out the photo gallery on their website to get a little bit of wanderlust for the water. While divers do not necessarily need to be strong swimmers, they have to be able to swim and either tread water or float for at least 10 minutes, Tim said. Alanna admits that her skills will get her from point A to point B, and Tim, himself, claims not to be a strong swimmer. “I’m not a fan of the water unless I’m diving,” Tim laughed. A q u a t i c Wo r l d i s a PA D I (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) shop, and the five-session course includes both classroom study and time in the shop’s onsite pool. Students learn theory in the classroom, and then practice their skills in the pool. At the end of the five weeks, students need to do four open-water

Bill Boudreau adjusts the scuba tank on his wife, Alanna, during a recent scuba dive lesson. Instructor Tim Corcoran is a far right.

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For comprehensive, quality care from physicians you can trust, turn to University OB/GYN Associates Tim and Sharon Corcoran, the operators of Aquatic World in North Syracuse, discovered scuba diving on their 25th wedding anniversary and became more involved with the sport after Tim retired from National Grid. He says they have done about 50 dive trips, including those to some exotic locates in the Caribbean and the Paciﬁc. dives over two days and then they go on to be open-water certiﬁed. There are a variety of ways students can opt to take the classes — private, semi-private or e-learning, in which they do the classroom online and then do their pool and open water dive at Aquatic World. Before beginning, students are given a questionnaire, asking them their medical history. If they answer “yes” to any of the questions, they must consult with their physician, who makes the decision as to whether they can dive safely. In her third year of diving, Karen Komarnicki, 58, of Liverpool, was inspired by her son, Michael, who had been an instructor with Aquatic World. Although her son has been diving since he was young, Karen admitted that she had never thought she would take up the sport. But she has now found an activity she intends to do as long as she can. “I like being with the people. I love the serenity of going underneath and the things that you see, Karen said. “It’s a great way to meet people. It’s a great way to take a vacation.”

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my turn

By Bruce Frassinelli Email: bruce@roc55.com

The Comfort of the Same Daily Routine

e older Americans are constantly being told we are set in our ways. I guess there is a comfort level in order and familiarity. I find myself at age 73 engaging in the same routine day after day. I get up around 6 a.m., pee, wash my hands and face, gargle with mouthwash, take off my pajamas, weigh myself, round up the six items I will be taking on my morning walk and head downstairs. Once there, I turn on the heat (if necessary), take four swigs of water from my water bottle (never three or five), fill the bottle, put it on the table with the other items that will

be going with me, grab the keys and add them to the pile, then head to the basement. In the basement, I turn on The Weather Channel to determine how many layers of clothing I will need and dress accordingly. I then do 25 situps, 16 backstretches (never 15 or 17) and 25 jumping jacks to warm up before my walk. I leave the house, sweep the leaves in the alcove if any accumulated overnight because of gusty winds, then do the ﬁrst phase of my walk — six miles — after which I wind up at a local supermarket for breakfast where I get a bagel with cream cheese

and honey and a medium Colombian coffee, black. I always pay by credit card. Sometimes, when I really feel daring, I will order my morning bagel with butter instead of cream cheese. I sit at the same table, where I pull out the morning paper, which I have brought from home, and check my emails and calls on my smart phone. About 45 minutes later, I walk the perimeter of the store on my way out the door — same route every day — and complete the rest of my nine-mile walk, taking the same route home. The rest of the day is similarly structured except for any needed deviations that can’t be avoided.

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The Magazine For Active Adults in Upstate New York

Central New York’s ﬁrst publication to celebrate life after 55. Don’t miss out future issues. Focus on health, ﬁnances, travel, housing, family, leisure. Subscribe today and get 55 PLUS magazine mailed to your home! Name ____________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________ City / Town ________________________State ________Zip ________

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This inflexible routine drives my youngest son, Paul, crazy. He constantly tries to take me out of my comfort level. We went hiking in Yosemite National Park and in the Grand Canyon, walked the streets of San Francisco, explored the desert and rock formations around Sedona, Ariz.; snorkeled in the pristine Xcaret Park and explored the ruins of Tulum, both near Cancun, Mexico. We also hiked to the top of Mount Mitchell, N.C., the highest point east of the Mississippi River. This summer, we will drive a Lamborghini Gallardo on a four-lap, closed course at speeds of up to 105 mph. Each year, Paul has one or two new aces up his sleeve to push me out of my comfort zone. Last fall, he gave me a new Motorola Droid smartphone, which is simply light years ahead of the rather prosaic instrument I had previously. I am still trying to master the functionality of this wondrous technological marvel. I must constantly remind myself that I have a camera and video camera with me at all times within my phone. I can give it voice commands, and I

can track my daily walk. I can see our home from space. If I need to find a bagel shop, a Wendy’s or a Macy’s, it’s there on my screen in a matter of seconds. If I need to look up a fact to settle an argument, Google is at my beck and call. Next up is a television, which will stream Netflix movies directly into our living room without the need for a DVD or a computer. We now have home phones that announce who is calling after the second ring — last name first. My son, Mike, got into the act last fall when he persuaded me to play in a competitive softball game against players from the former newspaper where I worked for more than 25 years. Although I was 30 years older than most of the players, I played the entire game at second base, going 4 for 10 with two RBI and two runs scored. I had two decent plays and committed one error. My defensive highlight was tracking down a pop fly between second base and right field. I went back, back, back, reached behind my head and made the catch, then

went sprawling ﬂat out on my back. Good news: I held onto the ball for the dramatic out. Yes, my back hurt, but, thankfully, only for a minute or so. Of course, most of these innovations have required a sharp learning curve on my part. While I moan and groan about trying to master anything new, or about any deviation from my daily routine, I secretly take great pleasure and satisfaction when I do. I wonder sometimes, though, whether my wife, Marie, might not have the right idea. She can upgrade her phone at any time but refuses, just as she refuses to learn the functionality of the computer or any other of the available technological wizardry. When I asked her about an upgrade, Marie replies: “As long as my phone can make a call, that’s all I need.” Unlike the success my sons have had with taking me out of my comfort level, Marie resists any efforts to stray from hers. “I have learned enough in my 69 years,” she says with an air of ﬁnality as she returns to watching Match Game ’72 on the Game Show Channel.

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grandparents

Grandparents Open Their Wallets AARP survey also shows grandparents providing more care, advice

new poll of grandparents by AARP ﬁnds that they have spent $500, on average, on their grandchildren in the past 12 months. And that money is going beyond traditional gifts: In addition to educational expenses, grandparents are helping to shoulder the cost of everyday living expenses and medical or dental costs. Sixteen percent are providing daycare for their grandchildren while the parents work or go to school, and 11 percent of those surveyed have a grandchild living with them. AARP’s telephone survey included 1,904 grandparents aged

N o t o n l y d o g r a n d p a re n t s provide a ﬁnancial safety net, they’re providing a great deal of care for their

Spoiling is Role No. 1 S u r v e y e d grandparents were asked about their roles and the importance of their relationships with their grandchildren. Spoiling the grandkids is by far the tops (36 percent) — that view has stayed consistent over the years. It’s the only role that grandparents seem to think is more theirs than that of parents or shared between grandparents and parents. Coming in second is teaching their grandchildren about family history (28 percent), although 66 percent see sharing family history as a dual role between parents and grandparents. Another role grandparents see for themselves is giving special treats and gifts (28 percent). Results show that g r a n d p a re n t s s t i l l s p e n d significant dollars on their grandchildren: 40 percent report spending more than $500 on their grandchildren over the last 12 months. The most common reason grandparents say they spend money on grandchildren is birthdays and holidays (95

55 PLUS - June / July 2012

Providing care

50 and older with a 2.2 percentage-point margin of error. It was released in March.

Money and the economy

percent). No big surprise there. But a signiﬁcant number of grandparents also provide necessities and critical needs of their grandchildren, which creates a safety net for grandchildren when parents can’t quite take care of the basics, including: • 53 percent contribute to education costs • 37 percent help with everyday living expenses • 23 percent pay medical or dental bills

grandchildren: Nearly one in six grandparents p ro v i d e d a y c a re s e r v i c e s f o r grandchildren when their parents work or are at school, and on average expect to provide care for about six years. Many provide “back up” care such as before/after school, holidays, summers and sick child care. • Thirty-six percent have provided such care in the recent past. Nearly half said they provided care just because they wanted to. • Eleven percent have a grandchild living with them; this jumps to 13 and 19 percent for Latinos and African American grandparents, respectively. • T h i r t y - f i v e p e rc e n t h a v e had grandchildren living with them more than ﬁve years, and 47 percent

also have the grandchild’s parent living with them.

Communication Grandparents aren’t just telling silly jokes these days. More than half report conversations with their grandchildren include meaningful topics such as morals and values (78 percent), religion and spirituality (66 percent), and illegal drugs and alcohol (50 percent). Even 37 percent talk about dating or sex with at least one of their grandchildren. They also talk about key issues such as staying safe (73 percent) peer pressure and bullying (53 percent) and health/obesity (61 percent) .Almost half (45 percent) talk about issues their grandchildren have with their parents. A grandparent can be the caring adult who loves unconditionally and provides that listening ear that all kids need, which helps shape who they become as adults.

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And how are they talking? More than 80 percent report speaking to their grandchildren on the phone at least once a month or more often, with almost 60 percent phoning at least once a week. A surprising 32 percent never send “snail mail” to grandchildren, such as cards and letters, although 23 percent do so once very few months. More than a one-third have moved into the technology age — they communicate t h ro u g h n e w such as Facebook, Skype, email and text messaging at least once a month.

Activities and fun The main activity grandparents report is watching TV and videos (75 percent) with the grandkids. They also love shopping (63 percent), outings such as movies and museums (55 percent) and playing video games (35 percent). But they do engage in more traditional activities like cooking/ baking (58 percent) and attending religious services (47 percent).

Other highlights • Average age of a first-time grandparent is 47; about half are under age 50 when their ﬁrst grandchild was born • Average age of a grandparent surveyed is 69 June / July 2012 - 55 PLUS

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changes

Grandma Just Got A Tattoo! For older tattoo “virgins,” their new tattoos not only tell stories, they make stories By Joyce Gramza

“

It makes me feel wonderful that I accomplished something and it took 67 years, but I accomplished it,” says JoAnne Galoni of Liverpool. “It was my 60th birthday present from my kids,” says Nancy Weber of Mexico. “It was the No. 1 thing on my bucket list — I wanted one for a very long time.” “When I was thinking about the ﬁrst one, I started to research this one because I knew I would get another one,” says Paul Mazza, of Liverpool. Galoni, Weber and Mazza all got their very ﬁrst tattoos after age 55. And they love them. For them, getting “inked” was liberating, meaningful and thrilling. The increasing popularity — and social acceptability — of body art has more 55-plus tattoo “virgins” opting to put a permanent statement on their 18

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skin, says Kim Leach, owner and operator of Phoenix Rising Tattoo and Body Piercing in Liverpool. “Because tattoos are now so prevalent in society, we all want to express ourselves and tell the world who we are,” says Leach, a 37-year-old registered nurse who also has a practice devoted to breast reconstruction patients in Central New York. Those medical credentials lead folks to trust Leach in applying her art to older skin (see side story). Leach says “people with some mileage on them” are her favorite clients because she believes tattoos should have meaning, and “the older the client, the better the story… you know how wine ages?” she says. “They share, they talk, they have a story. The history of tattooing is storytelling, it’s supposed to record milestones. The mature

client knows their milestones and they know what they want to say.” “They’ve earned their skin,” Leach says. “If you’re 18 and you want a butterfly it’s like, ‘My boyfriend broke up with me.’ But if you’re 60 and you want a butterfly — life happens — you know why.” “It’s like a kid going into a liquor store and buying bottom-shelf liquor. The older generation is going to select a fine wine. They want to sit down, cultivate, discuss and create. They don’t want to just pick number 47 off the wall.” “A tattoo is forever — nobody can take it away, it is there after you die, it is there as long as your body exists, it’s not going away, and I like putting something on you that has some ‘oomph’ behind it,” says Leach. “Tattoos are supposed to give you a ‘You can be whatever you want.’” Leach says. “You can wash society off of you in the shower, but the tattoos you can’t wash off. When older people come in, it’s like, ‘I lived my life, did my job, did everything the way I was supposed to, survived this and

55+ survived that and now I’m gonna do what I want and nobody can tell me I can’t.” That sums it up for Galoni, a housekeeper at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse for 29 years, who waited until she’d retired to get exactly the tattoo she wanted on her left bicep: a cowboy hat perched atop a pair of red cowboy boots, with the caption, “Walkin With Him” underneath. She went to Leach with not only a picture of what she wanted, but with the actual boots and hat as well. “She walked in and I couldn’t understand a word she said,” Leach says. “She had boots in her hand, a cowboy hat and was deaf and wanted a tattoo.” “I waited a long time for this… It’s me — it’s all me!” says Galoni. “At the senior center, they all say, ‘Where’d you get the idea?’ It’s my hat and my boots!” she says. “Why I put the text on is because I’m a Christian and I wanted to have that put on my arm. It means walkin’ with the Lord.” “When I was small, I grew up on a farm in Thompson, Pennsylvania and when I was around 21 I came to Syracuse and started working at St. Joe’s. The reason I wanted this tattoo was, I was a country girl all my life… I knew I couldn’t have one because when I was younger, I’m Italian and it was a thing you didn’t do. You didn’t mark your body up.” “When I became 67 I wanted to do my own thing. Now, nobody can tell me I can’t have anything,” Galoni laughs. “It’s on my arm where people can’t always see it but I know it’s there.” Galoni, who has diabetes, talked to her doctor ﬁrst. “She told me Kim is the best one to go to because she’s a nurse and if there were any problems, she would know what to do. And I had no problems with it.” She was surprised that it didn’t hurt. “I never felt a thing!” Galoni says. “Everybody told me, ‘Oh, God!’ But I never felt a thing.” “Actually, I was surprised that it did hurt,” says 58-year-old Paul Mazza, who is retired from New York State Department of Transportation

and now does landscaping. “But it didn’t hurt as much as I thought. It was kind of like a good pain — exhilarating. And when it stops because she’s gotta get some ink, it’s like, ‘That’s good.’ And she’d start again and it’s, ‘That’s good!” For Mazza, tattoos are not about him, but about those near and dear. He was persuaded to get his first by his 26-year-old daughter,

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Cassandra, who, at age 20, came home with her ﬁrst tattoo, afraid to tell her parents. “I said, ‘I have something to tell you,’ and they said, ‘Are you pregnant?’ ‘Did you get a DUI?’ ‘No, I got a tattoo!’ Instead of the expected imprecations, Cassandra says, her dad “was so inquisitive — did it hurt? And asking all these questions.”

Nancy Weber, a diary farmer in Oswego County, has a tattoo recently. “It was my 60th birthday present from my kids,” she says. “It was the No. 1 thing on my bucket list — I wanted one for a very long time.” June / July 2012 - 55 PLUS

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“She was afraid to tell me and I told Cassie I was ﬁne with it,” Mazza says. “I’ve always been fascinated with them anyways. I’ve always been amazed at the artwork you could see.” “As much as I thought they were nice to look at, other things were going on and now that I’m 58, I don’t care what anyone thinks,” he says. “Cassie kept on saying we should get one together, and she ﬁnally talked me into a birthday/Christmas gift — this one here.”

She brought Mazza to Leach, and he knew what he wanted, on his left bicep. “It’s a tribal heart and Kim put in the E for my daughter Elissa and the C for Cassie, and they keep me going with the ﬂame.” That was in December 2011, and “My wife, Diane, said ‘I don’t believe you got one. Where’s mine?’ And so I got that one” on his right bicep in January. It’s a band resembling a claddagh ring — “I’m not Irish, my wife is” — with a red heart topped by a crown, held by hands braceleted

Sixty-seven-year-old JoAnne Galoni of Liverpool commenting on her tattoo, which she got after age 55. “It makes me feel wonderful that I accomplished something and it took 67 years, but I accomplished it.” 20

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by the traditional Irish love knots in green. In the center of the heart is the initial, “D.” “My hands are holding her heart, the crown is the promise of loyalty, and Kim added the love knots.” Leach, who is Irish, also made sure the colors were those of the Irish ﬂag. Mazza says his mother, who is in long term care with Alzheimer’s disease, began saying ‘Where’s mine?’ when he visits her. “I joke that the ‘D’ is for Dolores — I tease her all the time,” he says. Today he is at Phoenix Rising for a third tattoo, on his left forearm. Leach warns him that this spot hurts more, but he exhibits no pain. This one is for both his mom and dad — an eagle holding a heart and a pink ribbon. Mazza’s father, who died last April, served in the 17th Airborne in World War II, surviving, among other things, the Battle of the Bulge. Its symbol is an eagle talon. His mother survived both breast cancer and a heart valve replacement. Mazza admits that he may be addicted, and as Leach inks the eagle onto his left forearm, his right one already looks empty. “I’m not going to get another one until next fall or winter because I work outside and you have to keep it out of the sun for awhile,” he says. “But, yeah, I can see how everyone says it’s addicting.” “I want all my tattoos to have meanings,” Mazza says. “There’s a reason for each one.” “I might run out of reasons,” he laughs. Nancy Weber, who owns Mexican Pride Farm in Mexico with her husband, Sam, says she bought her adult kids their first tattoos, but waited to get her own. “Why I didn’t get one then, I don’t know — do you want to feel that hurt? And then the concern about needles — in the ‘80s, AIDS was a fear.” But when her kids told her a tattoo would be her 60th birthday gift, “I had no fear. My kids and I watched them open the sterile needles.” When the gift was offered, Weber “didn’t know what I wanted or where I wanted it. My son, Sammy,

55+ said, ‘Before we go, you gotta have a design.’” “Here’s where the Hell’s Angels come in,” says Weber. Sammy took her to the International Tattoo Festival in Syracuse at the Holiday Inn on Electronics Parkway— sponsored by the Hell’s Angels, she recollects. “The parking lot is full and there are hundreds of tattoo artists. You have to pay to get in and I walk in and they’re all old—my age! I’m not afraid of these guys—old bikers! So I’m going down memory lane— growing up in the ‘60s. They’re regular guys. Doctors, businessmen, just Hell’s Angels when they get on their bikes.” “Sammy said, ‘You need to know what you want and where you want to have it.’ I decided my calf would be a good spot. My daughter’s is on her back and she can’t see it and it annoys her. I thought my leg would be good because I could see it, but I wanted to be modest and not have it close to a private part,” Weber says. Weber, a former art teacher, “just sat down and started sketching what I thought might be good.” “Having an art background makes you want to carry something with you,” she says. She loves sunflowers, so she decided to make that the theme, and she’s also Irish, “so I combined sunﬂowers and Celtic and came up with a drawing.” She says she wandered for more than an hour looking at the work displayed at each artist’s booth. She chose an artist from Vermont “who did a lot of ﬂoral, his artwork was nice, his colors were very soft and he seemed pleasant.” Weber’s daughter, Bethany, sat at her head as she lay back on the table, while Sammy “was down there at my leg watching the guy and every poke was pre-approved.” “It took more than two hours so Bethany and I visited, my son watched, and my husband was nowhere to be found.” Weber says her husband didn’t mind—“he would never say ‘don’t,’ but he has no interest.”

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Tattooing Older Skin

attooing in the older population does come with some special precautions, according to Kim Leach, a registered nurse who owns and operates Phoenix Rising Tatoo in Liverpool. As we age, our skin breaks down, and if we live long enough, it becomes so fragile that it can tear easily, and heals much less quickly than younger skin. “I have an 86-year-old client and I can only do him a half-hour at a time because the skin is like the outside of an onion,” Leach says. “I tattoo him a half-hour, I dress it, wait a couple of weeks, and then tattoo him a little more.” Leach says skin breakage is just one issue “you want to be markedly more cautious about when clients are over 50.” Some others are: • Diabetes: People with diabetes are more susceptible to infection, so, “You have to worry about healing, especially in dependent areas — lower areas and extremities — anything distant from your torso,” says Leach. “I have them come back She says getting the tattoo was not painful, “but the next day I thought I was gonna die, it hurt so bad. You have to keep putting ointment on it and you don’t want to rub it.” “It was throbbing, so I took Tylenol or something,” she laughs. “My son came in and I said, ‘You didn’t tell me how bad it was gonna hurt.” “He said, ‘You’re not allowed to take medication.’ “Why? ‘When the pain is selfinﬂicted, you are not allowed. You have to suffer, it’s part of getting a tattoo.’ I didn’t realize you have to enjoy the pain!” Weber says. Her reaction? “Love it, love it, love it!” she says. “I have not had a single person say, ‘What are you doing?’ Even my mom, who is 86

in every week until it’s healed, and I modify their healing regimen. There are ways to dress that don’t impede circulation.” • Blood thinners: People on blood thinners should avoid breaking their skin, and that includes tattooing. • Other medications: “We have a waiver system where people tell us the meds they’re on and we can check interactions. We base our aftercare ointment and dressings to help them heal based on their medical needs.” • Co-morbidities: “Something else going on at the same time,” explains Leach. “For example, if you are diabetic and you have a sinus infection going on, that’s a co-morbidity” that would rule out tattooing at that time. As for pain, Leach says “the older they are, the better their reaction to the pain.” “They’ll say, ‘I gave birth to three kids,’ or ‘I lost my kid.’ I have a T-shirt that says, ‘Life hurts more. Get a tattoo.’ It’s true. The more you have cataloged in your life, the less a tattoo hurts.” years old!” And the idea that tattoos are addicting also applies to Weber. “I have thought about getting another, but so far I have not taken the leap because I’ve been busy doing other things on my bucket list.” Last December she traveled to Pasadena to fulfill her dream of building a float for the Rose Bowl parade. Her next item is to learn to make cheese. But for Galoni, ink may be not only addicting but also contagious. She’s got her next tattoo planned — a portrait of a famous thoroughbred for her left bicep. And “I got two people who want to have a tattoo since they saw this one. One is 75 and one is 70.” June / July 2012 - 55 PLUS

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

The Sun Also Rises

he highlight of our winter dalliance in Florida is Easter sunrise service at the Passionist Monastary of Our Lady of Florida in North Palm Beach. This quaint adobe chapel is reminiscent of the many missionary churches located throughout the Caribbean, and its beautiful expansive lawn slopes gently down to the water’s edge. Sunrise service begins a little after 7 and is programmed to coincide with the rising of the sun, which usually bathes the temporarily constructed outside alter with its ﬁrst rays. Nowhere on this planet are the sunrises’ more spectacular than in Florida’s East Coast during the winter when the sun

is still low on the horizon. Church attendance has risen sharply during the past few years. Most of the attendants are in their golden years, and many are experiencing anxiety and worry about the condition of our country, and the world today. Many have children or grandchildren ﬁghting wars in foreign lands (they say there are no atheists in foxholes). Many have families that have been upended by the Great Recession. Some of the children have come home to live with their parents because they have lost their jobs, lost their homes or cannot ﬁnd jobs after graduating from school or college. Additionally, we septuagenarians,

and octogenarians have made a deal with the devil by living long enough to contract the diseases of the aged, which deteriorates our bodies, our minds and our spirits. For many, the main tool to cope with life’s ups and downs is prayer, and more and more are discovering this age-old remedy of sharing some of our problems with a higher power. I have had a particularly arduous year trying to repair, rebuild and rehabilitate my musculoskeletal system having spent far too much time in hospitals, rehabilitation centers and physical therapy. The culmination of this quest to regain my mobility and rejoin my schedule of exercise

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and active lifestyle was Easter sunrise service, which encompassed my healing, the promise of springtime, and a new beginning. Sunday April 8 dawned cloudy over the outdoor altar on the lawn of the monastery church, but the rising sun poked holes in the clouds, which in turn produced brilliant rays of

sunlight splaying over the landscape. At the conclusion of the service the sun completely burst upon the scene and bathed all who were there in a ﬂood of sunshine. Dawn has always been my favorite time of day. The demons that swirl around in the pre-dawn hours and ﬁll the soul with anxiety seem to

melt away in the light of day. There is a lesson to be learned here. Mother Nature’s way shows us mere mortals that clouds may mask the dawn, but the sun also rises, and often evaporates the clouds to give us hope for a brighter day, and a brighter future. Without hope we cannot survive.

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most difﬁculties. A sense of humor is a trait of a harmonious person. • M a k e a n e ff o r t t o t ru l y understand and empathize with your conversation partners. • Don’t be afraid of situations that haven’t even happened yet. By avoiding fear of the unknown, you can better focus on a positive solution, rather than the problem. • Optimism and humor will make

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The

Rebel Dave Frisina has become a legend for his institutional knowledge of classic rock. At 56 he just found a new home — start-up classic rock station 106.5 The Rebel By Aaron Gifford

ave Frisina may very well be the hippest granddad in Central New York. He has become a legend in this town for his institutional knowledge of classic rock ranging from the mid-’60s to the early ‘90s. He’s a walking encyclopedia on the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Bruce Springsteen and countless other artists. And ironically, the vinyl junkie had a radio career that spanned exactly 33 1/3 years before he was let go by his last employer, classic rock station TK 99, in January. When that happened, the 56year-old Eastwood resident was considering his other interests, possibly teaching at a community college or voiceover work. Then came a phone call from start-up classic rock station 106.5 The Rebel. The management there wanted Frisina to be the centerpiece for a station that appeals to a wide demographic of listeners but with a special emphasis on empty nesters or aging rockers who resist peer pressure to gravitate toward oldies, adult contemporary or country. 26

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A week after he thought his radio career was over for good, Frisina was back on air. But that second chance also made Frisina realize that he’s not too old to do other things he’s always dreamed about, whether it’s learning to play the guitar, ride a motorcycle or champion a local vinyl revolution. “I’ve never really thought of myself of a guy who is into his middle ages and getting older,” he said. “I think music keeps you young. It’s funny because I’ll be in the car behind a slow driver and I’ll mumble, “C’mon Grandpa. And then I realize, wait a minute, I’m a grandpa!” Frisina, the oldest of four siblings, grew up in a middle class household in St. James, Long Island, about an hour away from New York City. His father was a basketball coach. As a youngster, Frisina listened to Motown music and whatever else was in the top 10 formats on New York radio stations. The Beatles made a huge impression on him and to this day he still has all of their releases on vinyl. Frisina

played the trumpet all through school and was inspired by a widerange of artists, from Chicago, to Santana to Tower of Power. Aspiring to become a coach and teacher like his father, Frisina attended SUNY Cortland and majored in physical education. It was the early ‘70s, and the diversity of rock music had exploded. Frisina was turned onto Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and the Grateful Dead. It was a thrill for him to look at the album artwork and read the liner notes about the band members, studio musicians and anyone who was credited for mixing, producing and engineering a great record. “In college I got into the more album-oriented bands. I remember the concept albums — there was so much about vinyl to love. It’s nice to get together with a group of people and listen to one entire side at a time. There was a social aspect to it,” Frisina recalled. “In my group of friends, we’d be able to talk to each other about the artists. I absorbed it. It was a source of camaraderie.” The other nice thing about

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attending a SUNY school in the days before music downloading, Frisina recalled, was witnessing the regional fanfares of different artists. He and other Long Islanders turned their classmates onto Billy Joel, and they in turn were introduced to bands with Upstate New York roots like Blue Oyster Cult. His interest in rock inspired him to work at the campus radio station. That opened up a whole new world to him. “I had no idea,” he said, “that the average person could spin records.” He remained in the Central New York area after his May 1977 graduation, paying the bills by making pizza or washing dishes as he continued to search for a teaching job. That went on for nearly a year when he heard Syracuse radio station 95X was looking for a weekend disc jockey. Frisina gave it a shot, and was hired for overnight and weekend shifts. Back then, disk jockeys were equipped with two turntables and a tape deck. Frisina could drop the needle on the precise start of a song — even on the deeper cuts. The job required more improvisation and concentration that it does now. Today, most stations program their music arrangements in a computer, giving the radio personalities more time to think about what they going to say. “It’s like having your own engineer,” Frisina said. “I see good and bad in it. You can program your music before a show. However, there are fewer opportunities for new guys to get into the business. A lot of stations don’t staff overnight shifts, which is where I broke in. And with too much programming, you’re no longer connected to the audience.” Frisina established his trademark “Sound Check” program just a year into the job, and the show has run continuously in the Syracuse radio market since 1979. The initiative began as a tool for Frisina to get more hours or work. But he kept it going even after he was hired full time because he enjoyed 28

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“That’s what makes radio just as thrilling for me now as it was when I started. Where else can you find a local band that can perform right in the station?” going to club shows and wanted to publicize the local rock music scene. Joe Whiting, one of his all-time favorite local musicians, still enjoys playing live in Frisina’s studio. “That’s what makes radio just as thrilling for me now as it was when I started,” Frisina said. “Where else can you find a local band that can perform right in the station?” Frisina was at 95X for 25 years before he parted ways and made the move to TK99. At that time, 95X was playing a mix of new rock, hard rock and classic rock, while TK99 stuck with a format of songs that were at least a decade old. Frisina said he does check out new and emerging artists, but he still prefers the classics. “It’s the music I grew up with. You hear a song and it brings you back to a special place, makes you remember special moments. That kind of music never goes out of style,” he said. “Most of the music I play now was new when I started to play it back in 1978.” It’s also very difficult for rock musicians these days to find an innovative sound or something that does not resemble a type of music that has already been invented. “Compare Led Zeppelin to The Police — think about how much diversity there was in rock 30 years ago,” Frisina said. “After all that’s been done since then, it’s very difficult to come up with something different.” Frisina has been privileged to meet countless rock stars over the years, usually before they performed in Syracuse. He lists Jon Bon Jovi, Cortland native Ronny James Dio, Dave Matthews, Greg Allman and

Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler as his favorite personalities. Some of the front men he interviewed were still cutting their teeth at club venues. “It was kind of cool to speak to these guys, and a year later they’re stars,” Frisina said. “A lot of these bands, even after they got very popular, were very nice and very accessible. Jon Bon Jovi, he treats you like he’s your best friend.” And aside from making a living in the music business, Frisina remained a fan and a collector. He has six crates of vinyl records and 2,000 CDs. He does not download music however, because he prefers to purchase an album in its entirety as opposed to one song at a time. Frisina was hesitant to declare his 10 all-time favorite records of all time, but when hard pressed to list the works that really stand out to him, he noted the following: Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run,” Led Zeppelin’s “Physical Grafﬁti,” The Who’s “Who’s Next,” Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon,” and the Beatle’s “Abbey Road.” A great album obviously has great songs, Frisina explained, but it also has excellent sound quality and good arrangements; the order of the songs makes a difference. As with the way technology has changed radio, the implementation of computers in recording music also has positives and negatives, he said. “I think the artists didn’t have some of the tricks they have nowadays,” he said. “They could produce it live, which was great, but they also didn’t have things to correct the music.” Now, Frisina’s mission is to incorporate the best of both worlds into radio — the great music of decades past, the knowledge and passion or rock and roll, and the technology for a quality production. He hopes The Rebel develops a reputation for playing deeper cuts on a record, not just the songs that made a band famous. He also brought his trademarked “My Three Songs” segment where callers who identify the commonality

between a trio of tunes win a prize. And he introduced the Thursday night vinyl program where one album is played in its entirety — one side at a time. One of the station’s major sponsors is the HIONFI store in Shoppingtown Mall, which sells vintage stereo equipment and offers repair service for stereos and electrical instruments and recording devices. “We’re really starting from scratch,” he said. “It’s a handson, open environment. It’s what we want to make it.” Frisina started a family immediately after beginning his radio career. He has four grown sons, ages 22, 24, 26 and 28. They, too, were involved with sports and music. He has a 2-year-old granddaughter and a second grandchild on the way this summer. Frisina coached baseball and basketball and fell in love with game of lacrosse as soon as he arrived at SUNY Cortland. “It has aspects of so many different sports. It’s fast and high-scoring. And this [Central New York] is a world Mecca for lacrosse,” he said. The unusual hours of a radio career, which requires weeknight and weekend promotions and club shows, can wreak havoc on a healthy lifestyle. Frisina says he’s stayed in shape by running, biking to work, maintaining a healthy diet and competing in a Friday night basketball league with some of his long-time hoops buddies. One of those hoopsters, Don Swete, a Syracuse attorney, describes Frisina as an “intensely competitive guy who loves the game and the camaraderie.” He said the guys love to talk about rock shows over beers after the games, and they love to test Frisina’s encyclopedic brain on rock music. So far, none of them have seen a show that Frisina wasn’t at. “He’s probably our oldest guy,” Swete said with a laugh, “but also one of the best and probably the most ﬁt. He likes to get in his run on Friday nights. We like to win, and he exempliﬁes that. And he’s probably been to more [rock] shows than everyone combined. He’s a lot of fun.”

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Q&A

Social Security

Q: I currently receive Social Security disability benefits. I now have a second serious disability. Can my monthly benefit amount be increased? A: No. Although your Social Security disability benefit eligibility is based on having a severe disability, the benefit amount is based on the amount of your lifetime earnings before your disability began and not the number, degree, or severity of your disability. For more information, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/dibplan/dapproval2.htm.

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Q: Is there a time limit on how long I can collect Social Security disability benefits? A: Your disability benefits will continue as long as your medical condition has not improved and you remain unable to work. Your case will be reviewed at regular intervals to make sure you still are disabled. If you still are receiving disability benefits when you reach full retirement age, we will automatically convert them to retirement benefits. See www. socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10153.html#6 for more information on disability.

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personality

Age is No Number for William Shatner At 81, he shows no signs of slowing down and is continually surprising his audience and fans with his unexpected career moves. By Jessica Spies

y mom and I made a trip to New York City in March to see William Shatner’s one-man show, “Shatner’s World: We Just Live In It.” We went on a whim after we saw a segment with Shatner on a morning talk show. My mom has been enamored with Shatner since his Captain Kirk days and suggested the tickets could double as her birthday present. As the daughter of Trekkies (Star Trek fanatics), I know who William Shatner is. But I didn’t know if he could sustain a 100-minute one-man show. My mom assured me he would be fascinating. I went willingly only because I don’t mind the occasional trip to New York City. The show turned out to be the highlight of the trip for both of us.

Sure, we saw Times Square and the American Museum of Natural History, but Shatner was the cherry on top of the proverbial sundae. After dinner and a slice of strawberry shortcake cheesecake from Junior’s on 45th, we headed across the street to the site of Shatner’s show, the Music Box Theater. I’ve never been to a one-person show so I didn’t know what to expect. As Shatner himself explains in the Playbill: “A one-man show by deﬁnition is one man. I know we are all alone in life, and as much as we try to reach out to other people, fall in love, have children and keep social contacts alive, still we are alone and we die alone. Our life is pretty much a one-man show. And yet...we mask it with our ﬂurries of activities and meetings, and texting and jokes and gossip and Pilates, all of it to hide our

essential aloneness.” The stage was mostly bare except for a giant moon projected on a screen in the middle of the stage with two desks on either side. Shatner sprinted onstage to deafening applause. He looked as debonair as ever in a suit coat and pushed a wheeled computer chair which doubled as a prop onto the stage with him. He was full of energy as he launched into an abridged version of his life story. The Canadian actor got his start in Shakespearean theater appearing in the Stratford Festival of Canada and found prominence in his iconic role as Captain James T. Kirk in “Star Trek.” The three-year run of the series spawned a feature film franchise where he returned as Captain Kirk in seven “Star Trek” movies, one of which he also doubled as the director. June / July 2012 - 55 PLUS

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personality

In the 2011 documentary “The Captains,” Shatner interviewed Sir Patrick Stewart who played the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” When Shatner is interviewing Stewart, they agree that despite Stewart’s extensive theater acting, he will likely be most remembered as Captain Picard. “I have a lot of respect for Patrick Stewart, and [it was seeing] the gravitas that this great Shakespearean actor gave to his role that I suddenly realized that this guy is taking Capt. Picard every bit as seriously as Macbeth,” Shatner told National Public Radio. “And I used to. And I stopped. And what the hell’s the matter with me? It was a great piece of work. Everybody contributed to it for three years, and it has lasted 50. It’s a phenomenon. Why aren’t I proud of it? And that’s when I had a moment.” B u t f o r S h a t n e r, there was life after “Star Trek.” He went on to star in T.J. Hooker in the ‘80s and has continued to stay in the spotlight over recent years, appearing on “The Practice” as the eccentric Denny Crane, an Emmy-winning role that he would carry over to and relish in “Boston Legal” until 2008. He even appeared on a Comedy Central Roast in which roastees are “lovingly” mocked mercilessly. During his one-man show, Shatner showed footage of the roast and also of his appearance in the 2005 AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to George Lucas. Shatner critiqued his appearances in an honest and shameless way — a treat for his fans in the audience. Shatner has become 34

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somewhat of an ironic superhero, and he poked fun at his role as “Priceline Negotiator” for the past 14 years, a gig that recently ended. Shatner ’s career has taken so many paths because, as he told the audience, he’s never been afraid to say “yes.” In a March 6 interview with National Public Radio, Shatner says: “It’s very easy to say ‘no’ to leaving the house. I’m happy with what I got. No, I’m not going there. No, I don’t want a new idea — the old idea is ﬁne. No, I don’t want a new thing — whether it’s a president, an idea, a concept. No. And you’re safe. You’re right in your little hole; you haven’t moved. And what you’re doing before

is what you’re doing now. And that’s safe. That’s comforting, and you’re going to die that way. ‘No,’ and you’re put in your hole and that’s fine and you’re dead. ‘Yes’ requires you to move out of that hole. ‘Yes’ is like those little animals that pop their heads out and look around. But some of them don’t go.” Shatner also touched on death calling it “the final frontier,” a take on the opening line of “Star Trek” — “Space: The Final Frontier.” “Love is the difference between the cold light of the universe and the warmth of the human spirit. And life doesn’t have to end when love is present,” he said. While watching Shatner on stage, I couldn’t help but be struck by his vigor, animation and joie de vivre. At 81, Shatner shows no signs of slowing down and is continually surprising his audience and fans with his unexpected career moves. In addition to finishing the run of his one-man show, Shatner has more recently interviewed other celebrities in “Shatner’s Raw Nerve,” which is currently appearing on Bio; released his fourth studio album “ S e e k i n g M a j o r To m , ” and has written almost 30 books, the most recent being “Shatner Rules.” He is married, has three children, and is a philanthropist and longtime horse breeder. For someone in their 20s or 30s, juggling this many commitments would be a challenge. But for someone in their 80s, it’s admirable. Shatner is an inspiration to young and old alike. In a way, he has transcended age and continues to amaze us all. Jessica Spies is a 55 PLUS contributing writer who lives in Hamlin.

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caregiving issues and the Sandwich Generation, took the term even farther, and breaks the sandwich down as follows:

What’s on the menu

The Sandwich Generation More people taking care of their parents as well as own children

By Kathi Gunio

was reminded of a conversation recently I had with my friend, Linda. Linda was living in Kissimmee, Fla. at the time, with her three children and parents—all in the same house. Linda told me it was the best scenario offered to her while she recovered from her divorce. Her parents’ house was big, she could help with cooking, her kids could help with the chores, and she would be able to have live-in childcare for her kids. But a few years into the living arrangement, the matter of who was taking care of who changed when Linda’s 72 year-old father was diagnosed with lung cancer. In addition to transporting her kids to their school concerts and after-school baseball practices, Linda was now taking her father to all of his appointments. Her mother never learned how to drive and her father was too uncomfortable and weak to 36

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do so. When Linda’s mother hurt her back in the interim, Linda suddenly found herself being caregiver to not only her own children, but her father and mother as well. “Everybody wants a piece of me,” I recall her telling me, laughing ironically as she did so. “I feel like I’m a sandwich.” She was. Linda had become a member of what society refers to as the “Sandwich Generation.” It’s a term that was coined by author Dorothy Miller in 1981 in her book, “The Sandwich Generation: Adult Children of the Aging.” Simply put, the term refers to an individual who is “sandwiched” between and taking care of members from two generations—that of their kids and elderly parents. It is a term that Merriam-Webster ofﬁcially added to its dictionary in July 2006. H o w e v e r, C a r o l A b a y a , a nationally recognized expert and journalist on aging and elder care

• Traditional sandwich: those sandwiched between aging parents who need care and their own children. • Club sandwich: the most popular sandwich with those in their 50s or 60s sandwiched between aging parents, adult children and grandchildren. Many are in their 30s and 40s, with young children, aging parents and grandparents. • O pen faced: any one else involved in elder care. Whatever way you look at it, or whatever sandwich you may consider yourself, being part of any of these “sandwiches” is not easy. In addition to the trials and tribulations of raising one’s own children, members of the Sandwich Generation also struggle to provide the necessary care and needs for an aging loved one. Taking on both these endeavors is one of the most difﬁcult balancing acts to perform. Ironically, this balancing act is one that occurs in more American homes than you might expect. It has been estimated that approximately16 million Americans—more than all the people living in New England—are feeling the squeeze of being sandwiched between two generations. B ro k e n d o w n , t h a t m e a n s approximately one out of every eight Americans between the ages of 40–65 is raising a child as well as caring for an aging parent (or parents) and the number is on the rise. According to a CBS News report in 2009, in 25 years, that number will increase to an overwhelming 60 million Americans or one in every four. My friend Linda had become one of those statistics. Just a few short months ago, so did my husband and his family. It’s why I remembered that conversation I had with my friend Linda because I found myself in that same position. M y f a t h e r- i n - l a w ’ s h e a l t h suddenly began to decline, and in the midst of taking care of our four kids (two of whom are out on their own),

55+ we found ourselves unexpectedly taking care of Dad. We drove dad to his doctor ’s appointments, and accompanied him to several tests. When Dad insisted on staying home, his children abided by those wishes. Everyone wanted to make Dad feel as comfortable as possible. It did not make things any easier.

Family needs to step up We all had kids. Jobs. Houses. But since my mother-in-law had passed away six years ago, there was no one to be with Dad 24/7. The responsibility to provide him with care fell on the family, whether we chose to provide direct care ourselves, or sought the services of someone else to do so. There was no doubt about it: We were a club sandwich, and were deﬁnitely “sandwiched” in. To be honest, it can become a burden. While taking care of our kids is our understandable obligation, no one is ever really prepared to take care of a parent. Whether it’s ﬁnding an appropriate residence— assisted living center, long term care facility, or hospice—it is something of which we baby boomers were not thinking. Scheduling a parent’s doctor ’s appointment around our child’s wasn’t either. However, the reality is that our parents will age and people are living longer. Therefore, when the tables are turned so to speak, providing care to an aging parent, while admirable, can be tough. It can also be frustrating, sorrowful and stressful. But no one should take it on alone, and no one has to. The good thing about being sandwiched is that there are excellent services to ease the burden. Whether or not you choose to do in-home care, or place your parent in another facility, in Monroe County alone, there is an extensive list of agencies, programs, and services available to members of the Sandwich Generation. These programs and services will not only help you in the care of your elder parent, but there are also programs to help you and your children stay focused on day-to-day issues while adding to the care of an

caregiving

aging parent. These days, all one needs to do is simply Google “elder care,” or ask a friend or co-worker. Chances are he or she has probably been where you’re going. Knowing that can be comforting, too. It can also be comforting, rewarding, and satisfying providing care to your aging parent. During the last week of Dad’s life, my husband

was there around the clock, positioning Dad so he could look out the window; making Dad comfortable by placing the pillows just right in bed; sharing conversations with Dad that are now sacred; and seeing to it that Dad had his favorite Scotch nearby (even if he didn’t drink it). I was so proud of my husband, who wouldn’t have changed those seven days for anything.

Personal Support for Better Living

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profile

World Traveler Utican George Harrer, 99, recounts trips around the globe By Patricia J. Malin

I old.

t’s tempting to call George Harrer a living legend. Nevertheless, it’s hard to escape the description when one gets to be 99 years

Apart from the usual questions about his healthy lifestyle, most people are anxious to hear about the historic events he has witnessed in his lifetime. First off, Harrer doesn’t have any extraordinary advice on how to become a centenarian. He attributes it to family genes, plus an inquiring mind that refuses to quit, even if his body has slowed down. Harrar, whose birthday was Jan. 11, lives on the outskirts of Utica with his wife Virginia (Ginny), 91, and their daughter, Jane Clemmons, who moved here from California two years ago. George and Ginny’s son, Mark, and daughter-in-law live nearby. Harrer designed the house and actually assisted in its construction 38

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in 1948. That’s another element in this portrait of a diversified gentleman. He’s an author, musician, World War II Army Air Corps veteran, world traveler, former pilot, outdoor enthusiast/hiker, community activist, amateur historian and antiques collector. He is a still a hardy conversationalist. The spacious, two-story home with picture windows that overlook the city is filled with two organs (his and hers), hundreds of books, as well as ornate antiques, mostly Chinese, of all sizes and shapes. Of course, they weren’t antiques when he first acquired them during an around-theworld trip in 1936. That leads us to the rest of the story. About 15 or 20 years ago, Harrer began to document his travels, beginning with a 1933 excursion to the Chicago Exposition. The last vacation he and Ginny undertook together

was a cruise on the Great Lakes in 2004. However, in both 2002 and 2003, they had sailed around South America. After years of toiling on the manuscript and enlisting the help of family and friends to type his manuscript, Harrer ﬁnally captured his reminiscences in 2006 in an autobiography called “Horses to Uno: 70 Years of Worldwide Travel.” The title harkens back to his youth when four-legged transport was common. As for “uno,” it’s a word he coined that is equivalent to “you know” or et cetera. All told, he took 45 d o m e s t i c a n d f o re i g n trips in his lifetime, not counting business trips and elderhostel. Today, even local trips are rare because of his poor eyesight and a “bum” right knee. Ginny, his wife of 67 years, has health problems, including dementia, according to Jane. Harrer is a native Utican. As a youth, his grandfather, Charles Harrer, emigrated from Germany to Utica, where his brother was living. His grandfather lived to the ripe age of 95.

Father was inﬂuential He believes he inherited his love of travel and history from his father, Garﬁeld. He had regaled the family with tales of his service in the Philippines during the SpanishAmerican War, plus his travels to Japan and Hawaii before the turn of the 20th century. Harrer has a display of the saber and a sword his father acquired while in the military. While in the Philippines, George’s father contracted jungle fever. It affected him throughout his life and he died while in his mid-60s, Harrer pointed out. While he was growing up, though, his father operated a grocery store on Oneida Street in Utica. “I was in charge of the candy counter,” Harrer chuckled, explaining his popularity among his school chums. He graduated from Utica

55+ Free Academy in 1930. Only one other member of that class is alive, he noted. Harrer had hoped to apply for an engineering scholarship to Cornell University, but when he missed the application deadline, he decided to embark upon an around-the-world trip by himself. As foolish as it might have sounded, he set his mind to it. Thanks to a series of part-time and fulltime jobs, including one as a door-to-door vacuum cleaner delivery boy, he saved his pennies. By January 1936, he had earned $1,000. “Prices were down because of the Depression,” he explained. “Everyone was broke.” With his father’s blessing and National Geographic as his guide, he set off from New York City on a steamship run by the Dollar Line Company. The ship would generally arrive at a new port every two weeks and stay a few days, allowing for leisurely travel. He took six months. “Our ﬁrst port of call was Cuba,” Harrer said. He then arrived in Tokyo. From Japan, he traveled to Korea, Manchuria and China. While in Peking (now Beijing), he met a Norwegian who taught him some Chinese phrases. Harrer learned enough to spend a delightful few hours bidding for artworks at an auction.

on the west coast. Once again meeting up with an impromptu traveling companion, this time a man from China, he crossed the country to the Bay of Bengal and Rangoon by train and bicycle. By that time, Harrer was running out of funds. Through the steamship’s ofﬁce and American Express, he sent a telegram to his father, who wired him $75 in return. Undeterred, Harrer borrowed money from a friend while en route to Egypt. They took a train to Cairo, but slept outside next to the Sphinx to save money. The American dollar unquestionably packed a greater wallop in those days. Seventy-five dollars was hefty enough to carry him across Europe (Italy, France, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and Holland) for another few weeks. Armed with interesting knickknacks, but without a hint of the future, he headed home aboard a German steamship, Berlin. The crossing took 11 days. Remarkably, throughout his 1936 adventure, he captured three hours of home movies and about 1,000 photographs that as recently as two years ago, he avidly shared with community groups. To 21st century eyes accustomed to rapid technological and cultural change and globalization, the world of the 1930s is as distant as the moon.

Time of global change

Film recaptures history

He did notice political upheaval throughout the region due to the Japanese invasion of northern China and Korea, but Harrer could generally travel unimpeded. He found passage aboard a Japanese passenger ship to Hong Kong, Shanghai and later Singapore. “I met this German man,” Harrer said. “We were the only Caucasians on the ship. There were hardly any tourists around at that time.” In Singapore, Harrer was invited to stay at the home of the American counsel. He toured Burma (Myanmar) and India, exotic places unknown to most Americans. From Calcutta (Kolkata), he took an English ship to Bombay (Mumbai)

In Harrer’s film, Chinese peasants toil in rice fields and rickshaws fill the crowded streets in what seemed a backward country. Beggars dominate rural India, instead of the workers, cars and factories of today. In prewar Berlin, Nazis ominously patrol the streets. “In 1936, we had no idea what was going on in the world,” he commented. “There were some restrictions on passengers. I remember that when we arrived back in New York, some people were not allowed to get off the ship.” In 1936, many of his souvenirs had to be shipped home: elaborately carved chairs, a 19th century handmade wooden chest and large

profile

statues from China. He acquired many other intriguing items through subsequent trips to Europe and Asia in the 1960s. In 1993, on an around-the-world airplane trip accompanied by Ginny, Harrer needed just 34 days. They took two more around-the-world trips by cruise ship, in 1996 and 1998. Harrer was drafted in World War II. He hoped to become a pilot, but his eyesight was poor even then. He ended up with a desk job in the Army Air Corps and was stationed in Miami. After the war, he did get his pilot’s license. He even set up a modest airﬁeld on 50 acres of property on which he later built his home. During a trip to Miami Beach, Harrer met Ginny, who was working as a typist for the Army. A native of New Hampshire, her family had a vacation home in Miami. Harrer also earned a degree in industrial relations at the University of Miami. Before his trip, Harrer had worked for Savage Arms, a local gun manufacturer, as personnel director. Harrer later spent 35 years in the same capacity at Chicago-Pneumatic, an industrial tool company in Utica. After he retired, Harrer didn’t sit still. He and a friend started the Miller-Harrer Music Company, and he sold pianos and organs from his home. George and Ginny were longtime fans of the Utica Symphony Orchestra. Harrer was also active in the Players Theatre, the Organ Society of Central New York, Dunham Library in Whitesboro and the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce. Harrer belonged to the American Legion for 57 years. Two years ago, Utica Post 229 named him the Senior Legionnaire of the Year as the oldest veteran in Oneida County. Harrer said China was always his favorite destination. Through the years, he became a collector of dragons. Even his mailbox features a dragon emblem. Perhaps his interest in dragons was accidental. According to legend, the reptile is a symbol of good fortune, and Harrer certainly has cashed in. June / July 2012 - 55 PLUS

aging By Marilyn L. Pinsky

Searching For a Faith Community (Second of a two-part series)

ow does “a nice Jewish girl” become a practicing Catholic with a strong afﬁnity for nuns? “I grew up in a secular Jewish household, the grandchild of Russian immigrants, with parents who were more cultural than religious. It was a very humanistic environment. I went to the Ethical Culture School where we were taught kindness to people, but were not taught religion.” “I have always been a spiritual searcher. During this search, I felt sort of comfortable in Quakerism but for a long time I didn’t do much of anything about religion. As a historian teaching in the history department at Syracuse University, I became very interested in nuns, both from a scholarly perspective as well as having d e v e l o p e d friendships with sisters. I was at home in their version of Catholicism, which had an interfaith and feminist Thompson dimension. And so in 1984 I felt myself called to become a Catholic — albeit a progressive, secular, feminist, intellectual Catholic!!” “I sometimes say that my becoming a Catholic is proof of the existence of God, because such an action would never have been my own idea. Though I’m sometimes critical of institutional religion, I love the community at St. Lucy’s where I now attend church. They are welcoming of all religious traditions and I always leave there smiling.” “I am also an “associate” of a congregation of nuns in Michigan. I have learned so much from the sisters I know, that if I had decided 40

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to become a sister, I would have had great difficulty in choosing an order because I know wonderful women in so many of them.” “In the Gospel of John, Jesus says that ‘Yahweh’s mansion has many rooms’, and I think those represent the different religions, the different paths to holiness that various people find comfort in. As a feminist, I am very attracted to the story of the Canaanite woman in Matthew’s Gospel. She was a poor, anonymous woman who was told to ‘shut up and go away’ by Jesus’ disciples, and Jesus himself even called her a “dog.” Yet the story ends with Jesus calling her a “woman of great faith,” and changing his mind in response to her plea for help. How inspiring to all of us who find ourselves in hot water with religious authorities!” “Some people’s religious problems are caused by their image of God. When I give sermons, called Dvar Torahs in the Jewish tradition, I remind people that their image of God is one they themselves have created.” “I started life as the child of a Catholic mother, who picked and chose the parts of the religion she was comfortable with, and a Lutheran father who, though not Powell very religious, was values-oriented, kind and had good ethics. I went to Catholic grade schools and to McGill University in Montreal but drifted away from religion. Then I married in the Catholic church to a more observant Catholic man and, while we brought our children to church, we really did not push them

to be religious.” “I went to a Jesuit school for a master’s degree in religious studies and chaplaincy. One time when I was working on an assignment, I asked my 7-year-old son if he thought people who did bad things went to hell? No, he said, they just get recycled until they get it right. Yet he had never been taught about Karma or reincarnation.” “In my religious journey I drifted away from Catholicism for many reasons and joined University Methodist Church for several years. However, much of Christian theology did not feel right to me. While I treasured the people I knew and loved, I was searching for a theology that I felt more comfortable with.” “Jesus’ message of love and caring toward one’s neighbor I could accept. I also saw that Jesus was a Jew and was speaking to the Jewish community at the time. While I accept the message of love in the Gospels, I could not any longer accept concepts like original sin, purgatory, the trinity, the saints and the infallibility of the Pope.” “I explored Judaism more formally and converted over 10 years ago. I did not reject Jesus, but I left behind much of what I saw as the Christian concept of Jesus.” “I feel that God is an all powerful intellect or energy that is infused in all of us and holds the universe in place. It is up to us to tap into that energy, intellect or wisdom through study, meditation, interaction with others, and even through prayer. My image of God is constantly evolving as I absorb the wisdom from all of these sources.” “My comfort in conservative Judaism lies in my being able to explore religious ideas and in questioning, which seems to be more a part of reform and conservative

Jewish life. The synagogue I belong to has openness and tolerance for persons who question and struggle to ﬁnd the level of spirituality that supports them best. It is like a large welcoming family that encompasses conservative and liberal points of view, so one is free to explore new ideas and discuss issues that seem to be problematic.” “Along with my transition to conservative Judaism, I also began going to the Zen Center. The practice of daily meditation increases my insight, makes each day clearer in terms of how I use my time, what decisions I make, and it blends well with my Judaism.” “As I grow older, each day presents new challenges, gives me new wisdom and points me in new directions. I consider myself more spiritual than religious but my Judaism gives me a comfortable base upon which to learn and grow.” “My spiritual journey began during my early years, with many pauses along the way. I grew up going to a traditional Methodist church in a remote village in Northern New York. Looking at my life in retrospect, I can see something was always pulling me spiritually in a different direction.” “After collage I moved to North Carolina and became associated with the Southern Baptist church. I moved back north after marriage and reestablished myself with the Methodist church eventually becoming the director of education at our local church. While I found contradictions between the teachings of Paul and Jesus, I continued my search for answers. I became interested in Islam while working for a Muslim doctor who came to our area. I started to study the Quran where I found many similarities between Islam and Christianity and many answers to questions I had been seeking. I saw in the teachings of Islam a continuation of Jesus’ teachings. After a great deal of study and prayer I converted to Islam.” “Originally I became a little rigid in my Islamic practice thinking it helped my religious journey at the time, but I was wrong — it wasn’t right for me. Even though I’ve come farther along in my spirituality, I feel

I need to be a voice for some Muslim women who have lost their voices over the centuries due to cultural changes to the religion of Islam.” “In 2003 I lost my adult daughter in a car accident, lost my job and my husband left. This all happening within a six-week period. Through all that grief, a shift in my soul occurred which forced me to search deep within myself and an inner feeling of peace began to permeate my being and help me move forward. I had seen another relative going through loss whom had become very angry and I made a conscious choice to not be like that but to be grateful for what I have — a wonderful granddaughter and two great children and the most caring friends ever.” “My spiritual journey has been helped along by the gifted and talented women of Women Transcending Boundaries, a nonproﬁt organization founded over 10 years ago by myself and Betsy Wiggins. These women take interfaith to a whole new level of education and faith in action. Though we all have different religious beliefs, there is a common thread among all of love, compassion and mercy.” “A major question for many is how to reconcile spiritualism with our individual faith traditions. I believe it is our own personal journey and no one has the right to criticize another’s personal journey. In my religious practice I incorporate meditation and have learned to listen deep within myself, to the essence of my soul, where the answers to my questions live, and where gratitude, compassion and love help to guide my life.” “I was raised in the Catholic faith by my ﬁrst generation Irish family. From 1946 to 1958, I attended Catholic elementary through high school. Unfortunately, most of the nuns and priests at the elementary school were abusive and ultra-controlling, all in the name of ‘the Catholic religion being the only true religion.’ “By the second or third grade, I felt uncomfortable and angry with the church telling us that babies in Africa and in China, who died without being baptized Catholic would forever live in limbo, while the rest of us would live with Jesus in heaven. I couldn’t accept that Jesus and his

mother would do that to children. The atmosphere of this school pervaded my growing non-acceptance of the Catholic church. To me the real God was in the ﬂowers, trees and animals. And that Jesus loved us all.” “After high school, I met people in the workplace and in college of several different religions. After being brought up in such a prejudiced environment, I was in shock to see so much diversity. Through discussions on religion, college courses and personal readings, I learned that there were many faiths to choose from, some of which I Gillen explored.” “One factor stood out for me: each religion believed that theirs was the one true faith, with little or no acceptance of others who followed a different path. The pervasiveness of racial discrimination in religion was unacceptable to me. What I was searching for was a religion or place where all are accepted, where there is recognition of our divinity and oneness, an inclusion of nature and animals and, most importantly, a release from an outside or other-directed force ruled by fear and guilt.” “Letting go of Catholicism was difficult and confusing. The peer pressure from relatives and friends to ‘be a good Catholic’ kept me tied to the church mainly to have their approval and for peer inclusion. Would they still love me if I left? Would they understand that I’m drawn to the more ancient, natured-based practices that include a connection to and love of animals?” “Then again, what if the church is right about sin and damnation? I was so indoctrinated with fear in my earlier years, that even though I knew I was a lesbian, I ﬁrmly believed that I could overcome homosexuality by marrying and having children.” “Of course in the end this didn’t work for me, and after 27 years we divorced. Though we raised our children Catholic, whenever I found the opportunity, I’d skip Sunday mass continued on page 45 June / July 2012 - 55 PLUS

55+

visits 10 Things to Do in Niagara County, New York

Niagara Falls is a great year-round destination. It takes on a different appearance in each season. In the dead of winter it is magical when parts of the falls turn frosty and rimmed with ice. During the fall the brilliant foliage is reflected in the water. But there is more to see and do in Niagara County than Niagara Falls. By Sandra Scott

Niagara Falls: No matter how many times you may have visited the falls it never fails to impress. Experience the falls from above with a trip up the 230-foot observation tower. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss the iconic boat ride on the Maid of the Mist to see the falls from the bottom and from the Cave of the Winds one can feel the power of the water from the side. Also of interest is The Niagara Legends of Adventure Theater, located in the visitor center. 42

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It is a visual trip through the history of the falls.

Robert Moses Niagara Hydroelectric Power Station: Niagara Falls is extremely important for its role in generating electricity. At the Discovery Center, learn about the geology of the area, how electricity is generated, the importance of the hydroelectric project, and get a great view of the Niagara River. Hands-on

displays engage visitors of all ages.

Lewiston: Located between Niagara Falls and Old Fort Niagara, Lewiston is a lovely historic town with great accommodations, dining and history. Lewiston played critical roles in the War of 1812 and the Underground Railroad. Nearby is the National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima. The shrine has 15 acres of gardens with over 100 life-sized

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statues, a natural pond and a heart shaped Rosary Pool. The shrine is highlighted by a glass dome basilica topped with a 13-foot statue of Our Lady of Fatima.

Old Fort Niagara: Located at the critical juncture where the Niagara River ﬂows into Lake Ontario, the fort was part of the struggle between France, Great Britain and the United States for control of the Great Lakes. Start with a visit to the museum and then explore the various buildings of the fort. On display is Fort Niagara’s immense garrison ﬂag that fell into British hands during the War of 1812 and was returned to its home at Fort Niagara in 1994. Check for the schedule of demonstrations.

Lockport: Lockport exists because of the Erie Canal. Learn about this engineering marvel at the Eire Canal Discovery Center and view the Flight of Five Locks. Take a cruise on the canal and then explore Lockport Cave where you can take an underground boat ride. Visit the Kenan Center, an 1850s house that is one of Lockport’s architectural treasures that now serves as a center for arts and education and Market Street Art Center, a renovated old factory, is home to art galleries, artist’s studios and unique gift shops.

Freedom Crossing: The Underground Railroad in Greater Niagara features videos, artifacts and audio stations explaining the importance of the area and those who helped slaves escape to freedom.

Farms: The area along Lake Ontario is the perfect micro climate for growing apples, peaches, grapes and other produce. Murphy’s Orchard, north of Lockport, is more than farm produce. It was a stop on the Underground RR and they offer tea

in the historic brick house. Nearby is the Honeymoon Trail Winery where visitors can relax by the large ﬁreplace while sipping wines and sampling some of their gourmet cheeses and fine chocolates. Roadside stands feature the area’s local produce.

Underground Railroad: The Underground Railroad is a series of people, farmhouses, river crossings and church basements where runaway slaves found help on their way t o f re e d o m i n C a n a d a . To d a y visitors are able to tour numerous Underground Railroad sites to get a better understanding of this amazing chapter in American history. Niagara University’s Castellani Art Museum houses the permanent exhibit, “Freedom Crossing: The Underground Railroad in Greater Niagara” featuring videos, artifacts and audio stations explaining the importance of the area and those who helped slaves escape to freedom.

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N a t u re a c t i v i t i e s : T h e proximity to Lake Ontario and the Niagara River means that there are a variety of waterrelated activities including ﬁshing and boating. Niagara State Park has 400 acres of protected wildlife and lush landscape. A variety of hiking trails are offered throughout the Niagara Gorge and range from 1 hour to 2.5 hours long. Plus, there are several golf courses.

Gaming: The Seneca Niagara Casino is more than gaming. The accommodations are excellent and its Western Door Steakhouse is only one of three AAA Four Diamond Restaurants in Western New York. The entertainment is first-rate featuring many wellknown performers.

Shopping and more: Niagara County offers many shopping venues from small boutiques to a designer outlet mall. Fashion Outlets of Niagara is one of the top ten rated outlet malls in the country with over 150 stores with merchandise to suit everyone’s shopping needs. The Herschell Carrousel Museum in North Tonawanda is where “once around is never enough.” There are art galleries, historical museums, an aquarium, a zoo, and plenty of other activities sure to meet the fancy of any visitor. For more information on Niagara County check www.niagara-usa.com

Visit Us at

cny55.com 44

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National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima. The shrine has 15 acres of gardens with over 100 life-sized statues, a natural pond and a heart shaped Rosary Pool.

View of the Robert Moses Niagara Hydroelectric Power Station. The place is extremely important for its role in generating electricity. At the Discovery Center you may learn about the geology of the area, how electricity is generated, the importance of the hydroelectric project, and get a great view of the Niagara River.

Searching For a Faith Community

Has your Hearing Aid Provider been sold to an expensive franchise or are no longer in business?

continued from page 41 with my two kids and find a beautiful tree to sit under (or a stretch of beach or a field) and talk about love, treating others well, the beauty around us and the God within.” “It wasn’t until my late 30s that I began to study paganism, Buddhism, Celtic and Native American spirituality. I never formally joined a particular group and it took me a number of years to find a comfortable path. The relief of no longer struggling to reconcile my sexual orientation within the Catholic church or any other organized religion was a tremendous relief. I felt like shackles and chains had been pulled off of my body.” “Today I am married to a fantastic woman and practice and teach reiki from an ancient Japanese esoteric system. Reiki is a deeply spiritual practice where we use our innate ability to connect to the spiritual life force energy that surrounds us all. This tradition draws on Shintoism, Buddhism and other ancient religions such as Native American spirituality. I love this practice because its interconnection to nature, animals and people is gentle and simple. Five precepts form a reiki practice foundation: let go of anger and fear, be humble, be true to our original nature and have compassion for ourselves and others. Yes, I definitely call this practice my home.” At this point another participant said: “Among intellectuals in the ‘60s, the feeling was that God is dead. But now seeing how close our connection with animals really is, this has changed. For example, the Jewish view of man and animals has been revised. The Bible said God gave man dominion over animals, but that is now changing to mutual respect and sharing the planet with them. This has engendered a whole discussion of the meaning of dominion. In concluding this two-part series, my wish for those of you also on a faith journey, is to find the fondness and understanding a group of strangers felt for each other during an afternoon sharing their journeys together.

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Stay Healthy with Food Stamps • Food Stamps is a great way to help feed your family fresh fruits and vegetables. Effective 10/1/2011 to 9/30/2012 • Food Stamps can also help stretch your food dollars. To see if you may be eligible contact:

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315-437-1899 ext 224 Prepared by a project of Hunger Solutions New York, USDA/FNS and NYSOTDA. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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consumers corner By Eva Briggs

Understanding Aneurysms

erhaps I am dating myself, but I was eager to purchase tickets to an upcoming Syracuse p e r f o r m a n c e b y s i n g e rsongwriter Gordon Lightfoot. One of the amazing parts of his story is that he survived a ruptured abdominal aneurysm 10 years ago and was able to return to performing. An aneurysm is a balloon-like bulge or widening of an artery. Most aneurysms initially cause no symptoms, although in certain locations they might be discovered on physical exam when a doctor feels an abnormal pulsation or hears a sound called a bruit caused by turbulent blood ﬂow. When an aneurysm forms, it thins and weakens the wall of an artery. If the wall tears the artery can bleed sometimes slowly, sometimes in a catastrophic rupture. Although any artery could be affected, the most common aneurysms affect the aorta and brain arteries. The aortic is your largest artery, leaving from the left ventricle of the heart and traveling through the chest (thorax) and abdomen to distribute oxygencontaining blood to the body. Abdominal aortic aneurysms, often abbreviated as AAA, the type that almost killed Lightfoot, are usually due to deterioration of the wall of the aortic. Atherosclerosis can cause the media, or middle layer of the aorta, to weaken and dilate. An increase of the diameter of the aorta by more than 50 percent above baseline deﬁnes an aneurysm. This translates to a diameter greater than 3 centimeters. Smoking is the No. 1 risk factor for AAA. Other risk factors include age, male gender and white race. There also seems to be a familial predisposition for AAA in some cases. Other less common causes of AAA include infection, arteritis (various 46

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types of artery inflammation often of auto-immune origin), trauma, and inherited connective-tissue disorders. AAA can be identified by ultrasound. Current recommendations are that men aged 65 and older who have ever smoked should be screened once with an ultrasound. Others who may be at increased risk are people who have had an aneurysm in another artery, or who have heart disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, or high blood pressure. Significant AAA may be repaired electively because the prognosis for an AAA that ruptures is dismal: 50 percent mortality before reaching the hospital, and even those who do make it to the emergency department may not survive. A leaking or ruptured aneurysm can cause pain in the abdomen, back or chest. There may be low blood pressure and other signs of shock such as weakness, dizziness, or loss of consciousness. Thoracic aortic aneurysms form in the segment of the aorta that is within the chest. As with abdominal aortic aneurysm, they may be asymptomatic. Risk factors include a bicuspid aortic valve (the heart valve leading from the left ventricle to the aorta forms with only two segments rather than the normal three) and Marfan’s syndrome. Marfan’s syndrome is a genetic disorder that can weaken the connective tissue. Many patients are identified due to family history or due to physical findings such as a tall thin build with long arms and fingers, and certain eye anomalies. But not everyone with Marfan’s syndrome is identified before running into trouble. A famous example is the sad case of Jonathan Larson, the playwright who authored the musical “Rent.” Larson had undiagnosed Marfan’s syndrome and died at age 35 the

night before the premier of “Rent,” from an undiagnosed leaking thoracic aneurysm. Cerebrovascular aneurysms form in blood vessels inside the brain. Ninety percent are estimated to be congenital, called saccular or berry aneurysms. These are prone to rupture and bleeding, causing a type of stroke caused a subarachnoid hemorrhage. These are catastrophic, killing 60 percent of victims and leaving 50 percent of the survivors with severe neurologic deficits. Symptoms of a ruptured cerebral aneurysm can include headache, often sudden and severe; seizures; signs of irritation of the meninges or membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord such as neck stiffness; autonomic nervous system dysfunction such as nausea, vomiting, sweats, or chills; focal neurological deficits such as weakness or trouble speaking. Most but not all bleeding within the brain will show up on a CT scan. If the doctor has a high suspicion, a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) might be needed to establish the diagnosis. A ruptured berry aneurysm often requires surgery or treatment from a catheter threaded into the artery. When am unruptured cerebral aneurysm is discovered, many factors affect whether the best course is to treat or to observe. If your family history includes someone who had an aneurysm, it’s important to try to find out where the aneurysm was located (abdomen, chest, brain, somewhere else) and if possible whether a cause was identiﬁed. This will help your doctor determine whether you are at increased risk and whether you should be tested for an asymptomatic aneurysm.

savvy senior

Access Lifts and By Jim Miller Ramps Expands into Central How to Choose a Medicare New York Advantage Plan ccess Lifts and Ramps has

recently expanded into the Central New York area. The company, owned by Mike and Deb Leary, specializes in the designing and installing of stairway lifts and other home accessibility options for senior citizens. The business, based in Rochester, started in 1991. Other products offered by Access Lifts include porch and home wheelchair lifts, home elevators, modular ramp systems, door operators, dumbwaiters and portable ramps. “We have always been involved in the Central New York and we are licensed to service throughout the region,” Mike said. “We have become fairly busy in the region and recently ordered a space in order to dedicate more time there and help people faster.” It recently partnered up with Autocrafting in Syracuse, which focuses its services on van conversions, wheelchair lifts and installing handicap mobility equipment for vans. The two companies work together and share a location at 2211 Erie Blvd. East in Syracuse. Mike says he receives phone calls from senior citizens who are having trouble walking up and down the stairs, but don’t want to be forced to move. He also says he receives calls from children of elderly parents who are looking to make their parents home more accessible in order for them to be able to take care of themselves. “We try to provide services to help people out who need to be helped,” Mike said. “It’s all about the lifestyle these people are trying to live. People want to live where they desire and don’t want to move to a one-level house or apartment because of the stairs in their house.” For more information, visit www. accessliftsandramps.com. (By Steven Joao)

edicare Advantage plans have become increasingly popular among retirees over the past few years. In fact, around one-fourth of all Medicare recipients — nearly 13 million Americans — are currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. Here are some tips and tools to help you choose the best plan for you.

Medicare Advantage Sometimes called Medicare Part C, Medicare Advantage plans are government approved health plans sold by private insurance companies that you can choose in place of original Medicare. The vast majority of Advantage plans are managed-care policies such as HMOs or PPOs that require you to get your care within a network of providers. If you join an Advantage plan, the plan will provide all of your Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) coverage – some plans even offer extra beneﬁts like vision, dental and hearing. And, most plans include Part D prescription drug coverage too. You also need to be aware that the monthly premiums for many Advantage plans are cheaper than if you got original Medicare, plus a separate Part D drug plan and a Medigap policy, but their deductibles and co-pays are usually higher. That makes these plans better suited for healthier retirees.

How to Choose To help you choose a plan, a good first step is to call your doctors and find out which Advantage plans they accept, and which ones they recommend. Then go to the Medicare Plan Finder tool at “http://www.medicare.gov/find-aplan” www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan and compare those options. When comparing, here are some key points to consider: Total costs: Look at the plan’s entire

pricing package, not just the premiums and deductibles. Compare the out-ofpocket maximums plus the copays and coinsurance charged for doctor office visits, hospital stays, diagnostic tests, visits to specialists, prescription drugs and other medical services. This is very important because if you choose an Advantage plan, you’re not allowed to purchase a Medigap supplement policy, which means you’ll be responsible for paying these expenses out of your own pocket. Drug coverage: Check the plan’s formulary – the list of prescription drugs covered – to be sure all the medications you take are covered without excessive co-pays or requirements that you try less expensive drugs first. Extra benefits: Many Advantage plans include dental, vision and hearing benefits, but they are often limited. Get the details on what exactly is covered. Out-of-network coverage: Since most Advantage plans limit you to using in-network doctors only, find out what’s covered if you have an emergency outside your network area. This is especially important if you travel extensively or live part of the year outside your network. Locations: If you don’t use any particular doctors and you live in a rural area, make sure the doctors in the plans you’re considering are located near you. Also check to see if the hospitals, home health agencies and skilled nursing facilities that the plan covers are nearby too. Retiree benefits: If you have coverage from a former employer, be sure you speak with the benefits manager, because signing up for Medicare Advantage may void your retiree coverage.

Get Help If you need more information and don’t have a computer, call Medicare at 800-633-4227. June / July 2012 - 55 PLUS

druger’s zoo

By Marvin Druger and Robert Druger

Technology and the 55-Plus Generation Wired telephone, radio, pens and inkwells, black and white TVs (can you believe that?) — how technology has changed and how it has affected different generations

he 55-plus crowd remembers the technologies of other generations. I recall actually writing things on paper with a pen that was dipped into an inkwell on my desk in elementary school. It was very prestigious to be chosen as the ink monitor who filled the inkwells with ink. Pencil and paper were the modes for creative writing and communication by mail. As the years passed, a new device came into popular use — the typewriter. I still have an electric typewriter in my attic and a stack of pencils in my desk drawer just in case my computer crashes. Corrections were made with white correction fluid, and there was even a typewriter ribbon that could be used for corrections. I recall rushing home from school to listen to the radio. Wonderful programs

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were on the air that stimulated the imagination. I listened to “The Lone Ranger,” “Lorenzo Jones,” “The Adventures of Superman,” “The Shadow,” and other classics. I remember “Hi Ho Silver, Away!” and “Look, up in the sky. It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Superman,” and “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!” These programs created images in my mind that stay with me to this day. In the old days, the phone was actually attached to a socket in the wall by a long wire. I still have and use this relic in my home. I remember the thrill of watching something called television. I sat holding hands with my girlfriend, Iris, (whose wealthy parents could afford a TV set), while we watched the Milton Berle show and the Ed Sullivan show in blackand-white on a tiny screen mounted in a large console. “We are the men

of Texaco…” What proved to be even more amazing was the development of color TV. Life was no longer in black-and-white. When I was a Ph.D. student in zoology (genetics) at Columbia University, I needed square roots to analyze some of my data. I had to interpolate from Fisher’s book of square roots. Then I heard about an instrument that could give a square root by simply pushing a button. My wife also needed this device to help teach mathematics as a graduate student at Syracuse University. We bought the Texas Instrument device for $150 and we could actually get a square root by pushing one button. Now, we can buy a solar calculator with many scientific functions, including square roots, for $1 at the Dollar Store. My first car was a used 1951 Chevrolet sedan. The car was built so well that I’ll bet someone is still driving it today. Development of computers, particularly the desktop and laptop computers, and development of cell phones revolutionized civilization. The world is, indeed, different today than it was in my youth. Vi r t u a l l y e v e r y child knows how to use modern technology. I was chatting with a 6-year-old girl at the Syracuse University book fair one day last summer. I told her about the arguments I had with my wife when we got lost driving somewhere. I always open the widow and scream at the ﬁrst person I see, “Hey, Do you know how to get

to..?” My wife refuses to ask people for directions. She always reads her maps. I asked the this 6-year-old girl, “What would you use if you were lost driving in a car?” Without any hesitation, she replied, “GPS.” I’m impressed that almost every child that I meet knows how to use the computer, a cell phone, and how to text message. But not enough of those children know geography, history, basic arithmetic, etc. Perhaps one reason is that there is peer pressure to use technology, and it’s embarrassing to friends not to be able to do so. That relevance factor is lacking in learning many school subjects. I also wonder about the spelling and grammar competencies in today’s children. They can text message with shortcuts, and not be able to write a literate sentence. I did a poetry reading for my 11-year-old granddaughter’s class. After the class, the teacher presented me with a digital photo frame. I looked at it with bewilderment. My granddaughter saw my puzzled expression and said, “Don’t worry, Grandpa. I’ll show you how to use it.” Another outcome of modern technology is the lack of appreciation of solitude. Children and adults alike have to be constantly in touch with someone somewhere. Facebook, Twitter, emails, cell phones, etc, are in constant use. One day, I watched a man and woman having lunch at Wegman’s. They were sitting at a table and each was text messaging someone. Greta Garbo’s famous movie quote, “I want to be alone,” does not apply in today’s society. I don’t want to downplay the advantages of new technologies. When my wife and I lose each other in the supermarket, it’s great to call her on my cell phone, “Where are you?” Why should I be struggling with tables in Fisher ’s Tables of Square Roots when I can simply push a button on a calculator? Technology has made life easier to live, maybe too easy. Is there such a thing as overuse of technology? Maybe, we need a more balanced approach to life? I needed to multiply seven

Pat and husband Marvin Druger having dinner recently at the IHOP Restaurant in DeWitt. While he is on his cell phone, she is checking text messages on her smart phone. “Development of computers, particularly the desktop and laptop computers, and development of cell phones revolutionized civilization,” says Marvin. “The world is, indeed, different today than it was in my youth.” times eight. I had memorized such multiplication numbers in my childhood, but now I never need to recall it. I can simply press a button on a calculator. So, I made a list of eight sevens on a piece of paper and I added them up. The answer is 56. I was proud of my ingenuity. I taught science to more than 40, 000 students in my career. And I am often asked what is the biggest difference between ﬁrst-year college students of today and college students in earlier years? Unquestionably, it is the use of technology. Electronic gadgets rule! It is truly amazing to observe the technology in our modern world. I can be sitting in the back of a car in Syracuse and phone or text message my son in Chicago. I can walk on the street and be carrying a device that connects me with the

Internet. New technologies have inﬂuenced medicine, transportation, space exploration and every other aspect of life. There seems to be some new advance in technology every day, and the younger generation doesn’t miss a trick. In Washington D.C., I observed a line of mostly teenagers that stretched around an entire block. They were waiting for the store to open that was selling the latest electronic communication device for $500. What does all this mean for the 55-plus generation? It means that we must make decisions about whether or not to join the technological revolution. There is great social pressure to become up-to-date on the technologies or be left behind in the Dark Ages. The choice is ours! June / July 2012 - 55 PLUS

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By Lou Sorendo

Barry Happy

Former Legislature chairman in Oswego County enjoying the retirement life

arry Leemann served on the Oswego County Legislature for 10 years, two as majority leader and then four as chairman. Today he is working his farm in Amboy Center on Northern Oswego County. Q. Are you ofﬁcially retired or are you still engaged in work? A. Now I only work at the farm. That may change in the future. I miss public interaction.

Q. Are you still actively running your farm? How many acres do you have and what are you producing? A. The farm is approximately 300 acres with only about 100 tillable. I am actively running the farm. My biggest product is grass hay. I like to raise beef cows, primarily whiteface herefords. I do sell some pumpkins in the fall. Q. What do you enjoy most about farming? What are the keys to doing it on a successful level? A. I don’t know that there is a successful level to running a farm like mine. It takes a lot of time and hard work, but I just enjoy being outdoors and experiencing nature at its best. Q. How did serving as chairman of the Oswego County Legislature help you develop as a professional? What do you consider to be your foremost accomplishments as chair? A. My prior work experience helped me a lot when working as chairman of the legislature. Being chairman was challenging and a major 50

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learning experience. I enjoyed the interaction with people and believe I made a positive difference in our county’s government and in the lives of our county’s residents.

Barry Leeman spends some quality time with one of his granddaughters, Reese LaRock, 2.

Q. What did you enjoy most about serving in the public sector? A. What I enjoyed the most in the legislature was being able to assist people and help solve their problems. Some people called the chairman’s ofﬁce as a last resort and usually I was able to assist them with their problem. Usually it involved some government red tape bureaucracy that we were able to satisfy together. I believe a politician’s job is to help the people, not themselves. Q. What do you do to keep yourself in shape? Do you adhere to any special kind of diet regimen? How about exercise? A. With a farm, you don’t have to do any extra exercises. Work will give you all the exercise you should need. Just keep moving to stay young. I do have an outside wood boiler that requires me to put away a lot of ﬁrewood for use in the winter. Q. Are you still a motorcycle enthusiast? What kind of bike do you have and how often do you get out to ride? A. I still love riding motorcycles. I have a Harley-Davidson Road King

touring model and ride it as often as I can. Q. Do you have any favorite destination points to ride your bike to? A. I like to ride in the rural areas and make a lot of trips to the Redﬁeld, Lowville and Adams areas. Alexandria Bay is an excellent area to spend time on a motorcycle. Q. What is it about motorcycling that has spurred your passion for riding? A . The thrill of riding is heightened by the smells and open air you experience on a cycle. It is the “back to nature” feeling. Q. Any there other interests or hobbies that you are pursuing in your retirement years? A. Now I can spend time on my farm, with my wife and enjoy my grandchildren. I have been guilty of neglecting all of these due to the time required at the chairman’s ofﬁce. I love to go to auctions of machinery and cattle. I also have a mechanical side of me. I love to work on different kinds of equipment and repair some of the things people say can’t be repaired.

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