Connections Magazine - February 2015 Issue

PERENNIAL BACHELORS: Can They Change Into Husbands – P 6

I LOVE MY FRIEND...

But I Hate Her Kids – P 8

RELATIONSHIP REALITY CHECK: 6 Ways 'Silent Agreements' Are Undermining Your Life – P 10

FEBRUARY 2015

Since 1998

Vet Ask the

Acetaminophen Toxicity In Dogs & Cats

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february ‘15

contents

departments ArtScene

28

Ask the Vet

24

Behavioral Medicine

12

Book Corner

18

Classics

22

Events Calendar

25

Film Review

19

Finance

16

Healthy Geezer

13

Living Green

15

Our Towns

4

Outdoor Ramblings

20

Pocono Secrets

17

Reflections of Prison

14

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connectionsmagazine FEBRUARY ’15

VOL. 17 NO. 2

features

6 8 10

CAN PERENNIAL BACHELORS CHANGE INTO HUSBANDS? As one of the most famous bachelors took his wedding vows this past summer, the question seems rather pertinent. Can perennial bachelors like George Clooney change and become longstanding husbands – able to weather the rough seas that accompany the great times?

I LOVE MY FRIEND BUT I HATE HER KIDS Isn’t that the worst thing- to have a friend you adore but you cannot stand her kids? No doubt this puts a strain and wedge in the relationship. You have to decide when and how to spend time with her. It isn’t always easy loving other people’s children, but there are truly some children that are impossible to like, and the reality of the matter is that it comes down to the parenting. Children, in reality, are a reflection of the parenting, time, love, and attention they are receiving from home.

RELATIONSHIP REALITY CHECK...

If you have engaged in relationships of any kind, you have experienced and likely battled against “silent agreements.”

While most have never used or even heard of this term, silent agreements are present in our everyday lives where they lurk in the shadows of our relationships—at home, in social circles, and in the workplace.

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[YOUR] NEPA MAGAZINE president • publisher • editor in chief deborah bailey production manager meica drake account representative barry weiss editorial correction services sandi scull assignment writers robin scandura allison mowatt contributing writers al hoff, Movie Review lucille norella, ArtScene barry & hillary anthony, In the Company of Books joseph tellish, PhD, Positive Behavior in Children fred cicetti, The Healthy Geezer charles curtin, Finance mark uricheck, Musically Speaking terry mooney, Reflections of a Prison Inmate arthur middleton, MD, FAPA, Behavioral Medicine michael krupa, Finance terri schlichenmeyer, Book Review la guzda, Pocono Secrets arnie milidantri, Classic Cars bill deaton, Outdoor Ramblings pike county conservation district, Living Green amy platko-williams, D.V.M, Ask the Vet mike jones, Gun Zone

connectionsmagazine 3305 Lake Ariel Highway Honesdale, PA 18431 570.647.0085 • Fax 570.647.0086 cmag@ptd.net • thinkconnections@yahoo.com www.connections-magazine.com

Connections Magazine is not responsible for typographical errors, mistakes or misprints. All advertising, including photographs, is the property of Connections Magazine and not that of the advertiser. The advertiser has purchased the right of reproduction only in Connections Magazine and does not have the right to reproduce the ads in any other place or publication. Connections Magazine reserves its rights to exercise its discretion in the selection of advertisements. © COPYRIGHT 2006 CONNECTIONS MAGAZINE

WHAT A DILEMMA To laugh is to risk appearing a fool.

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach out for another is to risk involvement.

To expose feelings is to risk rejection.

To place your visions before the crowd is to risk ridicule.

To love is to risk not being loved in return. **To go forward in the face of overwhelming odds is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.

We may avoid suffering and sorrow, but we cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love or know GOD. Chained by our own self-assurances, we are a slave. We have forfeited our freedom.

Only the person who dares to take risk and to trust in their GOD will ever be made FREE.

In 1997,Rev. Edwin E. Bailey, father of the editor, gave this poem to his daughter 8 days before he had a stroke and 3 weeks before he died. The poem was adapted from works by Leo Buscaglia. Edwin hand wrote this on a scrap of paper and gave it to his daughter, Deborah, saying the words, “Someday you’ll understand these words and use them. God bless sweetheart.” **These words were used in making the decision to purchase Connections Magazine in 2002.

CONNECTIONS COPYRIGHTED 2007

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long-term success

BY D.H. BARKLEY

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long-term success

love

s one of the most famous bachelors took his wedding vows this past summer, the question seems rather pertinent. Can perennial bachelors like George Clooney change and become longstanding husbands – able to weather the rough seas that accompany the great times?

A

Remember those snippets of advice our mothers offered on our love life? My mother’s wisdom was that you should never marry a longstanding bachelor as they were set in their ways, too used to getting their own way and unaccustomed to compromise.

But leopards can change their spots, as demonstrated by Warren Beatty who, after a string of relationships with beautiful women, married in his mid-50’s. More than twenty years and four children later, he and actress Annette Bening are still together – no small feat in Hollywood.

Apparently, many a middle-aged bachelor finally decides to settle down as they realize time is running out to fit in a wife and family before the ‘Grim Reaper’ calls. So if my mother’s advice on perennial bachelors is not universally applicable, what do they need for long-lasting love? In the end, they probably just need the same as the rest of us – although it may be harder to achieve when you have been single so long.

Seven all-purpose ingredients for long-term romantic success

1.

Similarity

Research shows that if we want our romantic relationships to last, we should search for ‘homogamy’ in a partner – that means someone similar to us, particularly in values. Born out by several studies, showing that similarity between partners for various characteristics, including age, background, intelligence, socioeconomic status, and values, predicts greater relationship success.

2.

Realistic expectations

Realistic expectations of our partner and the relationship is another key ingredient for long-term success. It’s important we recognize that no one is perfect; it won’t always be clear sailing, and it is quite normal to feel we don’t like our partner from time to time. According to the so-called ‘Disappointment model,’ if individuals start out with extreme positive beliefs, disappointment frequently ensues.

And such feelings of disappointment do not bode well for the longer term.

3.

Friendship

Hardly surprising this one ranks as important – after all, we will spend plenty of time with that ‘significant

other,’ so after the first flush of love is over, we need a true friend to weather day-to-day life. According to Franz Schubert, “Happy is the man who finds a true friend, and far happier is he who finds that true friend in his wife.”

4.

Equality

We need to believe we bring as many desirable qualities to the relationship as our partner. Equality means we have balanced power in the relationship, that we can act independently of our partner’s control, influence their actions, and participate equally in decision-making.

5.

Commitment

Commitment is the most powerful predictor of relationship stability.

But it’s not about a marriage ceremony - it’s about making the relationship a priority and being willing to sacrifice for it, invest in it, link our personal goals to it, and seek the other person’s welfare, not just our own.

It’s about having ties together, such as joint possessions and family, which help keep us glued together during rocky times.

6.

Understanding

As mentioned in the best-selling relationship book, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, many of our relationship troubles start because men and women are more different than we may think. When women have problems, we want care and understanding, but our partner offers solutions, and resentment builds as we feel we were not listened to. To help solve his problems, we try to be supportive by offer comforting, unsolicited advice, but our good intentions make him feel smothered and controlled. Then we have to contend with each other’s cycles. After getting close, men need to feel independent again and become distant for a time, whilst women go up and down emotionally like a yoyo. We need to talk and talk around our problems, whereas men prefer to be alone to mull over solutions in their ‘cave.’

7.

Conflict resolution

According to researchers, “The mere presence of conflict may reveal less about the quality of a relationship than does the way in which the conflict is handled.” Conflicts are normal and inevitable in any partnership, and it seems that mutually satisfactory resolution to dis-

agreements is key to the continued harmony, satisfaction, and even survival of the relationship.

And for Mr Clooney and Ms Alamuddin?

She certainly ticks more of the boxes for similarity than many who have come and gone before. But he may need to work hard to ensure they are equal co-directors of their movie, given that he likes to be the ‘guy’ and his fame means that his partner’s identity inevitably becomes associated with him. In the past, he didn’t seem to have a big appetite for commitment - it was once said of him, “In marriage, you’re bound by what’s expected of you; he doesn’t want to be expected to do anything.” But he is older and perhaps more ready for the sacrifice and constraints that are key to commitment. As a macho man, he could be quite far up the ‘Martian’ scale, so a good understanding of gender differences could come in handy. And maybe a bright young lawyer is just the ticket to hone one’s conflict resolution skills, given that in his first marriage, “Instead of figuring out how to make it work, I looked for a way to get out of it. The truth is, you shouldn’t be married if you’re that kind of person.”

Only time will tell whether George Clooney can change from long-standing bachelor to long-standing husband. Let’s hope so for their future happiness.

After her interest was piqued by encounters with a number of women who clearly found George Clooney fascinating but were so different to the women he has dated, D.H. Barkley settled down to write her first book, George Clooney: From Bachelor to Betrothed.

She lives in Switzerland with her husband.

To learn more about Barkley, visit

www.clooneythebook.com.

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I

coping

Love My Friend but I Hate Her Kids:

By Dr. Sherrie Campbell

Five Ways to Cope

sn’t that the worst thing- to have a friend you adore but you cannot stand her kids? No doubt this puts a strain and wedge in the relationship. You have to decide when and how to spend time with her. It isn’t always easy loving other people’s children, but there are truly some children that are impossible to like, and the reality of the matter is that it comes down to the parenting. Children, in reality, are a reflection of the parenting, time, love, and attention they are receiving from home. We all have stories to tell and to share and to keep secret.

I

So, here are five ways to cope if you have a friend you love with kids you don’t:

children and your opinion of her has deeply affected your ability to see her the way you used before children, this may need to be a friendship that you back away from.

1}

Don’t spend time with her if her kids are around:

5}

2}

Avoid play dates between your children/child and hers:

The easiest solution is to not spend time around your friend if her children are present. Ask to go out to girls’ lunches, girls’ nights, and times to exercise or go to an adult movie. This way, you get the benefit of your friend without having to deal with her children rubbing your last nerve.

The situation is even more challenging if you have a child in an age range where there can be play dates. It is very likely that if you do not enjoy her children that your children will complain to you that they also do not enjoy time with them. It is your responsibility to take care of your children in this situation while also maintaining your friendship.

Distract her with trying to plan adult time instead of play date time with the kids.

3}

Discuss parenting techniques that have worked with your kids:

4}

Put distance in the friendship:

Being a parent is no small job. It is the toughest job out there. One great way to enhance your friendship with your friend and possibly help her with her children is to talk about parenting skills that have been life-savers for you.

Usually, parents know when their kids are out of hand and even annoying, so if you bring these things up casually, you may find they are helpful to your friend, who just may not be a natural when it comes to parenting.

When someone clearly is not parenting their children to be respectful, polite, and decent human beings, it can change the respect you have for your friend. If it becomes the case that there is too much tension around her

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Be honest with her:

If things are tense and your avoidance tactics are not working, gently express your thoughts and emotions with her in a way that isn’t too cutting to her children but rather simple and truthful like: “I love our adult time together and want to continue to nurture that, but I have a hard time being around your children as do my children as it seems they have not yet learned to respect other people’s boundaries, which I am sure you are working on.” In this way, you are stating your need and also letting her know that her children are emotionally out of control, which is hard for you and your children to be around.

The apple usually doesn’t fall from the tree. Parents whose children are not disciplined tend to come from parents who have a hard time disciplining themselves. But give your friend the benefit of the doubt and see if there are any tips you can gently put out there that could help. If she seems oblivious, then limit your time with your friend to “adult time” only.

Sherrie Campbell, PhD is a veteran, licensed Psychologist with two decades of clinical training and experience providing counseling and psychotherapy services to residents of Yorba Linda, Irvine, Anaheim, Fullerton and Brea, California. In her private practice, she currently specializes in psychotherapy with adults and teenagers, including marriage and family therapy, grief counselling, childhood trauma, sexual issues, personality disorders, illness and more.

She has helped individuals manage their highest high and survive their lowest low—from winning the lottery to the death of a child. Her interactive sessions are as unique and impactful as her new book, Loving Yourself : The Mastery of Being Your Own Person.

She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 2003 and has regularly contributes to numerous publications, including Intent.com, Beliefnet.com, DrLaura.com and Hitched.com. She is also an inspirational speaker, avid writer and proud mother. She can be reached at Sherriecampbellphd.com.

Loving Yourself: The Mastery of Being Your Own Person is available on Amazon.com and other fine booksellers.

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love

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relationship reality check

BY MERILEE KERN

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relationship reality check

love

f you have engaged in relationships of any kind, you have experienced and likely battled against “silent agreements.”

While most have never used or even heard of this term, silent agreements are present in our everyday lives where they lurk in the shadows of our relationships—at home, in social circles, and in the workplace. They are those unspoken “rules” of our relationships that grow from the topics we don’t talk about—the needs, wishes, and expectations that we don’t share but hold others accountable to anyway. Most often the other party is doing the same thing, which adds layers that make silent agreements even more complicated and challenging to uncover and rectify.

I

Sometimes the unspoken expectations of two people line up, and when they do, their silent agreements line up as well. Then the relationships can hum along without drama, stress, or misunderstandings. Often enough, this does not happen organically. Because many silent agreements can be completely out of line and given their sometimes clandestine nature, silent agreements are sometimes problematic for our relationships. With the litany of unspoken expectations people often have of one another on any front—money, commitment, intimacy, kids, jobs and careers, health issues, technology and social media connections—silent agreements can exist in all aspects of life. Sometimes unawareness of these values or expectations can naturally result in long term complications or even outright relationship chaos.

“Whether in alignment with others or not, in many cases the silent agreements we have with one another, or towards another, are not acknowledged or openly discussed,” notes clinical psychologist, Michele L. Owens, Ph.D. “This is largely due to the fact that we, ourselves, may not be consciously aware of the expectations we harbor. Other times, we feel that we have too much to lose if we talk openly, or we regard silence as less frightening than what would happen if we tell the ‘real’ story about what we are thinking and wanting from another person. So, we avoid discussing the real issues because we are afraid to upset the status quo.

Each of these scenarios creates the opportunity, and some might say the likelihood, for disappointments, misunderstandings, distortions, false assumptions, and resentment between individuals. The more a relationship lacks awareness of these silent agreements, the more pervasive the silent agreements are, and the more likely we risk losing authentic communication.”

“Often, we erroneously believe our silent agreements with others to be understood or implied, thinking we share the same understanding or meaning of an unspoken expectation,” reveals clinical psychologist, Linda Anderson, PhD. “One person can have a particular perception about an unspoken issue while the other is experiencing something entirely different. The result can be debilitating and downright deadly for relationships. Silent agreements that don’t match typically come to the fore eventually because of the complications and challenges they present to the relationship.

And in the meantime, they’re growing and potentially taking their toll on you in other unknown ways.

Avoiding communication is not a healthy way to deal with it, and as time goes by, the harder it becomes to hide behind the silence.”

“Silent agreements are not just about communicating poorly in your relationships,” says Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Sonia R. Banks, PhD. “In contrast, a silent agreement is a situation where you have consciously or unconsciously agreed to something with another person without discussing it at all. That unspoken agreement and missed conversation shows up in your interactions and can have ramifications not only for your relationships, but for so many other aspects of your life. Once you become more aware of your silent agreements, you can identify and make choices about the ones that are prohibiting you from realizing your relationship potential. You’ll be much better equipped to actually begin breaking the silence and talking. Unfortunately, relatively few have the awareness and insights needed to recognize and address the silent agreements that adversely affect their relationships and lives overall.”

Silent agreements often revolve around those issues that people do not recognize or are too uncomfortable to acknowledge and “put on the table” to openly discuss.

Sometimes individuals remain silent to protect themselves from exposing their insecurities or fears.

Consider these six examples of some typical land-mine issues at home, play, and work that often result in, and are exacerbated by, detrimental silent agreements:

1

Change and Stagnation: Changing the hardest paradigm you fear.

People who have been dissatisfied in their jobs and stay anyway often create silent agreements resulting in missed opportunities. Perhaps they are loyal to a person or cause that no longer fits them. The type of agreement they are living with undermines pursuing the career course they truly desire. This silent agreement starts with yourself and the fear of change. A more enriching silent agreement must first begin with a conversation with yourself. Acknowledge the challenge in moving on and create a way to leave even while you are feeling the discomfort.

2

Flexibility and Inflexibility:

3

Creative Freedom and Stable Tradition:

When roles limit us.

He washes dishes and she cooks. Then one day he comes home and cooks and she doesn’t wash the dishes. The expectation that she would silently switch roles was part of his silent agreement but not part of hers. Inflexibility can undermine the goals of relationships when unexpected shifts occur without an open discussion of the issue. Here his agreement involves an exchange of duties, while hers is less flexible and focused on a predictable division of labor.

Building blocks that sustain us.

Some couples are inseparable, and yet that intimacy works to keep each from being their “best independent self.” Their silent agreement maintains the intense closeness by avoiding any pursuit of individual fulfillment. Consider how this agreement develops. She does not apply for the job promotion because of how it will make him feel. Later, she resents him for it. We sabotage each other’s ability to explore enriching options and reach our true potential when we sign on to silent agreements that neglect the desire for creative freedom.

4

Commitment: Feeling secure in the face of insecurity.

The cheating boyfriend married his longtime girlfriend, each with different notions of their commitment to each other. He thought, “Now she’ll never leave me,” and she thought, “Now he’ll never cheat again.” They weren’t aware of their differing silent agreements and were unable to talk about what they needed to feel secure in the relationship. So, he cheated and she left, and locked in their silence, neither got the relationship they sorely hoped for, NOR the chance to achieve that goal together. When misaligned silent agreements are uncovered, it can prevent outcomes like these.

5

Favoring Perception Over Reality: Debilitating agreements with yourself.

This silent agreement is sure to undermine us when we are committed to the trappings of success at any cost. It takes emotional maturity to recognize that what is truly important is not always what others approve of or perceive as important. Credit cards maxed and income squandered suggest that your emphasis on appearances has undermined your actual security. When maintaining excessive spending habits, financial insecurity, and monetary chaos is more important than reality, it is likely that you are in a depleting silent agreement with yourself. In contrast, an enriching silent agreement is the commitment to confront the conflicting identities being created at the literal expense of financial ruin, allowing you to make friends with the truth of who and where you are in your real life.

6

Self-Care and Neglect: Denial does wonders for your health.

Communication is often undermined in relationships by counterproductive and contradictory actions that grow out of silent agreements. A silent agreement evolved with the couple that doesn’t talk about how their weekly baking of cakes and sweets impacts the husband’s diabetes. With this silent agreement, they won’t have to face the fact that both of them have agreed to undermine his health. One baked and the other ate. While they talked about the impact of cakes on his diet and health, they never uncovered the real silent agreement. Rather than talk about the silent agreement that would require them to acknowledge the impact of sweets on his illness, he blames her for baking and she blames him for lack of self-control. As long as they don’t cooperatively acknowledge their mutual investment in the neglect of his self-care, they can point the finger at each other for the chronic disease that becomes life threatening. If they could imagine that their relationship could be enriched by acknowledging their silent fears about his illness while supporting each other, perhaps then they would prefer a relationship of open agreements.

Anderson concludes, “We convince ourselves that it’s safer to avoid bringing up sensitive issues in order to keep the peace. So we simply go on as if we have already communicated when the fact is that we have not. Meanwhile, in fact, our relationships continue to be unfavorably affected by this silence that’s bolstered with a poisonous undercurrent of expectation. After all, there are some things just not worth talking about, right?

Wrong! Once you become more aware of the agreements that are keeping your life from flourishing, you can begin to uncover what is actually going on in your relationships.”

Doctors Linda Anderson, Sonia Banks, and Michele Owens are licensed clinical psychologists with private practices and a consulting agency, “Sessions: Innovations in Psychology.” Reach them on line at www.SilentAgreements.com and follow them on Twitter @agreements101.

Freelance writer, Merilee Kern, is a wellness industry veteran, consumer health advocate and influential media voice. She may be reached online at www.LuxeListReviews.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LuxeListEditor and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TheLuxeList.

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valentine’s fun facts

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pocono secrets

did you know? ristine natural beauty, outdoor adventure, quirky historical contributions, literary significance, mixed with some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, are what makes the Pocono Mountains an exciting destination to visit and to live. –By LA Guzda

P

The Zane Greys The Zane Grey House, a National Park overlooking the Lackawaxen and Delaware Rivers in prominent view of the Roebling Bridge, is a must see in the area. The boat launch directly in front of the home is ideal for eagle viewing. But the unusual love story behind the scenes is the most engaging part of Zane Grey.

I first fell in love with Zane Grey’s writing when I read “Riders of the Purple Sage.” His descriptions are so vivid and rich; you can smell and taste the landscape. Like Louis L’Amour, Grey is credited with romanticizing the cowboy mystic. He’s written 89 western adventure books, and of those, 112 films were adapted.

Grey was born Pearl Zane Grey in January 1872 in Zanesville, Ohio.

Zane attended Penn State in State College on a baseball scholarship where he studied dentistry. He graduated in 1896. Grey was an avid sportsman with a passion for fishing.

Opening his office in New York City, Zane would write at night to offset the tediousness of dentistry. He and his brother would often set out for camping in Lackawaxen where they would fish the Delaware River. In 1900, he met a local girl, Lina Roth, but known as “Dolly.” They married five years later and settled in the house in Lackawaxen. They had three children, Romer, Betty, and Loren.

Dolly came from a successful family of physicians and had studied to be a teacher. Once married, she left her teaching position and was instrumental in building Zane’s writing career.

Her inheritance allowed Zane to leave dentistry to pursue writing full time.

Dolly was a sharp businesswoman who served as Zane’s editor and negotiated all of the contracts with publishers, agents, and film studios.

They shared the proceeds fifty-fifty of

which Dolly covered the household expenses out of her share.

While Dolly managed Zane’s career and raised a family, Zane was often gone for long periods of time. He enjoyed fishing and the company of women. He had a number of mistresses. Dolly accepted his behavior. He was a passionate man with deep inner turmoil, a deeply flawed artistic soul, but he never apologized or made excuses for who he was. He was brutally honest and upfront before they married as to the kind of husband she could expect. Their love story is evident in the letters shared across time and distance. A great read is Dolly and Zane Grey: Letters from a Marriage, 2011 by Candace Kant. It’s a penetrating analysis of an odd marriage as well as insight into the early 20th Century publishing and film industries.

Not only did Zane pen a plethora of western adventure novels but was equally a distinguished writer of two hunting books, six children’s books, three baseball books, and eight fishing books. Many of them became bestsellers. It is estimated that he wrote over nine million words in his career.

From 1917 to 1926, Grey was in the top ten best-seller list nine times, which required sales of over 100,000 copies each time. Even after his death, his publisher, Harper, had a stockpile of his manuscripts and continued to publish a new title each year until 1963.

Through Zane’s writings and Dolly’s business acumen, the Greys enjoyed a spirited life. They lived most of their adult years in California. They traveled all around the world. But they are buried for eternity in the land of their heart… in Lackawaxen.

For information on The Zane Grey House visit http://www.nps.gov/upde/historyculture/zanegrey.htm Visit www.PoconoSecrets.com for past articles.

Do you have a Pocono Secret to share? Send an email to: PoconoSecrets@aol.com.

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money

annuities

Annuities: A Financial Love Potion?

Charles Curtin, JD, LLM – Trust Officer, The Honesdale National Bank

he Feast of Saint Valentine or as it is more commonly called, Valentine’s Day, is annually celebrated on February 14th.

The day originally honored the Christian Saint, Valentinus. It was not until the 18th Century in England that Valentine’s Day became associated with romance. Since then, Valentine’s Day has been devoted to love. Roses, chocolate, and greeting cards are likely now populating the shelves of your local drug store. In finance, one particular product stands out as the apple of many an investor’s eye. Advisors for years have been telling clients sweet nothings regarding the amazing benefit of annuities, which are a staple in scores of retirees’ portfolios. But, just like any investment, annuities have both benefits and drawbacks and should be understood before falling head over heels.

T

An annuity is an investment contract between an individual and an insurance company in which a lump sum is paid to the insurance company in return for a stream of income payments made over a set of future dates. Generally, there are three different types of annuities:

fixed, indexed, and variable. Fixed annuities agree to pay the customer no less than a specified rate of interest over the contract’s life. An indexed annuity provides the customer with a return that is based upon a certain benchmark, like the S&P 500. A variable annuity permits the individual purchaser to invest the up-front proceeds within a specified range of mutual type funds made available to them by the insurance company. A variable annuity’s payout then varies on the underlying investments performance.

Annuities have become one of the most recommended options for retirees because they have consistent payments and have so-called “limited down-side risk” of losing principal. Additionally, the rate of return/interest of an annuity is normally far greater than a certificate of deposit or short term Treasury note or bond. Annuities are frequently utilized to supplement a retiree’s income from other sources like social security or a pension. They provide stability and safety.

What is not to love about receiving a reliable source of income?

When shopping around to purchase an annuity, if the deal seems too good to be true, it likely is. Caveat Emptor! Here are a few things to consider before you buy. First, the initial investment paid will likely be locked into the insurance company coffers for at least several years. If the money is withdrawn during that period, the insurance company will charge a surrender fee, which is often over 10%. This makes annuities “illiquid,” meaning that the purchaser does not have immediate access to his or her investment money without paying a surcharge.

Second, annuities are sold by brokers. Brokers normally receive a commission on the sale. Any commission paid to the broker will cut into the profit that the annuity pays in the future. It is highly advised to discuss with the broker his or her commission structure because annuities are known to be some of the most expensive investments.

Finally, the terms of annuities are often quite complex. In my mind, when I think about annuities, I imagine a traditional fixed annuity where the principal is guaranteed. Yet, as described above, there are numerous types of annuities for sale on the market, whose terms and fine-print are hard to decipher. If you cannot understand the terms of the investment, you may not be getting exactly what you intended.

Before jumping into a relationship with an annuity, recognize that its beauty may be skin deep. If you need help making the perfect match, contact one of the many great local advisors here in northeastern Pennsylvania because “local advice is often best.”

The Honesdale National Bank and its employees do not render legal, tax, or accounting advice. Accordingly, you and your attorneys and accountants are ultimately responsible for determining the legal, tax, and accounting consequences of any suggestions offered herein. Furthermore, all decisions regarding financial, tax, and estate planning will ultimately rest with you and your legal, tax, and accounting advisors. Any description pertaining to federal taxation contained herein is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used by you or any other person, for the purpose of avoiding any penalties that may be imposed by the Internal Revenue Code. This disclosure is made in accordance with the rules of Treasury Department Circular 230 governing standards of practice before the Internal Revenue Service.

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retirement plans

money

Retirement Plans Can Be

SIMPLE Provided by Michael Krupa

f you’re a small business (or a self-employed individual), there are many retirement plan alternatives available to help you and your eligible employees plan your financial future. One popular option for organizations such as sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, and non-profit organizations to consider is the SIMPLE (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees) Individual Retirement Account (IRA).

I

Unlike some retirement plans, there are specific criteria a business must meet to participate in a SIMPLE IRA plan. Here are the answers to some commonly asked questions about this type of retirement plan:

1

Can any business establish a SIMPLE IRA plan?

Self-employed individuals and employers with fewer than 100 employees may adopt a SIMPLE plan.

However, the business must not maintain any other employer-sponsored retirement plan where contributions are made or accrued during the calendar year in which the SIMPLE plan is effective. (This does not apply to plans that cover only union employees who are excluded for the SIMPLE plan.)

2

What is the deadline for establishing such a plan in order for it to qualify for the 2015 tax year?

The IRS deadline for establishing SIMPLE IRA plans for the current year is October 1. After October 1, plans can only be established for the next tax year. An exception to October 1 exists if the business is a newly established company and has never sponsored a SIMPLE IRA plan.

3

Which employees are eligible to participate in this type of plan?

ing any two prior calendar years (does not need to be consecutive years) and who is reasonably expected to receive at least $5,000 compensation during the current year. In the plan’s initial agreement, the employer is able to reduce the amount of compensation and the number of years required. However, there is no required participation for this plan – eligible employees can choose whether or not they want to participate and contribute.

4

How much can employees contribute to the plan through salary deferral?

The maximum salary deferral limit to a SIMPLE IRA plan for 2015 cannot exceed $12,500. If an employee is age 50 or older before December 31, then an additional catch-up contribution of $3,000 is permitted.

5

What are the maximum employer contribution limits for a SIMPLE IRA?

Each year the employer must decide to do either a matching contribution (the lesser of the employee’s salary deferral or 3% of the employee’s compensation) or non-matching contribution of 2% of an employee’s compensation (limited to $265,000 for 2015). All participants in the plan must be notified of the employer’s decision.

6

When must contributions be deposited?

7

Can there be a vesting scheduled with a SIMPLE IRA?

Employee deferrals should be deposited as soon as administratively feasible, but no later than 30 days following the last day of the month in which the amounts would otherwise have been payable to the employee. These rules also apply to self-employed individuals. The employer contributions deadline is the due date of the employer’s tax return, including extensions.

There is no vesting scheduled with this type of plan – both employer and employee are immediately 100% vested.

8

How are withdrawals from SIMPLE plans taxed?

Withdrawals from this type of account are taxed as ordinary income. However, if a participant is younger than age 59-1/2 and makes a withdrawal within the first two years of plan participation, he or she will owe a 25% IRS penalty and ordinary income taxes on the amount withdrawn. After the initial two years of plan participation, the 25% IRS penalty is reduced to 10% for pre 591/2 withdrawals. Exceptions to the 10% penalty on traditional IRAs are also exceptions to the 25% penalty on the SIMPLE. Direct transfers to another SIMPLE IRA will not be subject to this penalty.

9

Can the assets in a SIMPLE IRA be rolled over?

Participants are able to roll over funds from one SIMPLE plan to another at any time. And after two years of participation, employees may roll assets to a traditional IRA without tax penalties.

As with any investment alternative, you should check with your Financial Advisor to evaluate the best option for your financial situation.

Wells Fargo Advisors does not provide legal or tax advice. Be sure to consult with your tax and legal advisors before taking any action that could have tax consequences. Please keep in mind that transferring or rolling over assets to an IRA is just one of multiple options for your retirement plan. Each option has advantages and disadvantages, including investment options and fees and expenses, which should be understood and carefully considered.

This article was written by Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Michael J Krupa, Financial Advisor in Honesdale, PA at 570-253-0121.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Member SIPC. Krupa Wealth Management is a separate entity from WFAFN. ©2014 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved. 111400895 [86912-v5] 11/14 e6828

An eligible employee is one who has received at least $5,000 in compensation from the employer dur-

C O N S U L T I N G and CONSTRUCTION SERVICES Residential / Commercial Building Inspections Construction Management Renovation Planning & Building Design

30+ years design & construction experience.

SANDI SCULL

570-253-5788 Honesdale, PA

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15

reflections

from inside

“The Skating Guy” – Part II Reflections of a Prison Inmate

By Terry Mooney he following story is told by an articulate, energetic inmate who has embraced the programs at the Pike County Correctional Facility as he has embraced the many adventures in his life, with enthusiasm.

T

My Story I juggled everything, family, work and partying, which started to become not a party, but I was the last guy to find out.

When I would show up, people would ask me to leave. I was there to go on a binge, or I was going to ask somebody for money and not come back. The people who were formerly my friends found out that the person who was their friend was now an addict. This started to destroy my family life as well. I was being a part time dad, and more or less a full time screw up. I went from job to job, not even waiting to be fired because there was always a job when I wanted one.

I would set up huge decorations for Halloween and Christmas, even Easter, and then I’d end up in jail, mostly for DUI or not paying the fines on them. My wife’s parents picked up the slack. They put food on the table, clothes on the kids, and Christmas presents under the tree. The typical grandparents going overboard turned out to be a blessing to us. My children were like three and four years old, and it got to be that they wanted to know where their dad was.

I was a binger, going out for a few days at a time. There’s always someone willing to hang out with you. Then I would go back home, full of remorse. I hugged my babies and swore to never do it again, and they believed me until the next time and the time after, and their belief wore off. The magic was going away. The guilt for me was overwhelming, so much so that I would seek relief from what I told myself was a family party, but they weren’t buying it. It would start with “a couple of beers,” and eventually I went looking for the car keys. As much as my wife would say that she hid them where I’d never find them, I suddenly would become clairvoyant and go straight to where they were. It was uncanny how I would just know exactly where to find them. If the devil exists, he was pointing me right to them.

Welcome to the next legal altercation. It just brought me to more fines that I couldn’t pay. Off to jail again. I tried working off the fines by doing community service, then a warrant would pop up for a different one. At some point, I had fourteen warrants out for my arrest for unpaid fines. This lifestyle went on until I was sentenced to three years, which made me realize just how alone I was. I met a world of pain from the results of addiction in prison and realized after talking to many other inmates how lucky that I wasn’t in for accidentally killing someone.

When I was released, it was Christmastime and everybody was happy, hugging and kissing each other. They were happy for me to be home. It wasn’t long after that everyone went back to their work or school. I realized that I had nothing. My wife and kids had moved in with the grandparents, so I was left in their house alone. One day, some goofball across the street invited me over to listen to music. He threw a can of beer at me that I caught as if a magnet was attached to my hand. It was like I stood looking at it for an eternity, wallowing in enormous emotional pain. Even my clothes didn’t fit me anymore. But the one thing that did fit was that can of beer. I opened it and drank it and started the party.

True to form, I went for the car keys, like I always did. Sitting in plain sight, I hadn’t done this in three years, so I guess my wife was out of practice at being one step ahead of me. Off I was to one of the most dangerous cities in the country to treat myself to a fun night out. Then it hit me. I’d been in jail for

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three years and I’d changed nothing. Four years earlier, my second oldest brother committed suicide by jumping off the sixth floor of a parking lot garage. A year later, my oldest brother disappeared after crying to my father over the phone “They’re coming to get me. I’m dead meat!” The phone disconnected and we never saw or heard from him again. So here I am contemplating all this on the third floor of an abandoned tenement.

I decided to jump. Suddenly, this woman I didn’t even know yelled, “Stop!” And I said, “Stop what”? And she said, “Stop what you’re thinking! You go home and let your wife decide what you should do.” I did exactly what she said. I went home, tired and stinking. And my wife asked, “What happened?

Where have you been?” And I said, “What happened will never happen again.” And she said, “Okay, it’s over,” and brought me a glass of milk.

My life was like Macbeth. Every morning I painted the room white to cover the drawings of my past; and the next morning every memory was again written on the wall. Every morning I washed the blood off my hands, and the next morning the blood returned. The guilt returned again and again. I was addicted to pain. No matter how many things I put away, they relentlessly and violently jumped out at me. No matter how much people forgave, no matter how clean and sober I was for a total of seventeen years, I never put down the baggage of the past.

I tried to make right what I did wrong – I DJ’d for free; I worked for the church for free; I did good deeds for citizens and thought it would atone for the guilt that would never go away.

They might as well have left me there in the urban county jail.

Every day I woke up to the same stain of the past. I was locked up in my own filthy prison.

If guilt was a balloon, mine finally blew. Divine intervention was about to take place for me. This time God said, “Enough.”

What I thought was the worst day of my life, I didn’t see as an opportunity. I didn’t see it as something that would turn into a miracle. My whole life I’d wanted to help people with their problems and their spiritual faith, but couldn’t find my own way. I truly hit bottom, and I gave up.

Here in the Pike County Correctional Facility, I’m freer than I’ve been in my entire life because guilt is no longer my prison.

This jail is unique to others I’ve been incarcerated in. There are programs offered here that are meant to help with forgiveness, healing, personal and spiritual growth. Santa Claus came to the facility last week to deliver a gift bag of treats to each and every one of us.

That was unheard of in the urban jails.

Christmastime in there meant that you could send your underwear to the prison laundry and Santa returned your bag to you.

Any other day, no one brought it back. This meant that if you wanted underwear, you never let it out of your sight, and that meant washing it in the shower and waiting two days for it to dry, unless it was Christmas.

Dedicated volunteers come to the Pike County Correctional Facility to talk to us every week. A very special priest heard my confession here and facilitated the deepest emotional catharsis of my life. What I let go of has weighed me down like a sinking ship. It is a safe and nurturing environment that allows us inmates feel free to let go. I now understand that not only do we have to forgive each other, but we must first forgive ourselves. I truly believe that this is the last jail I will ever again live in, but when the time comes, I will go back in as a free man to help my brothers find the way out.

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musically speaking

If you run through the first line of Wilkes-Barre-based roots/pop purveyors Cherokee Red’s bio, you’ll see that the band tells of coming together as “a collective of composers and multiinstrumentalists, each with a creatively unique voice and means of expression.”

A truer description could not have been concocted, as Cherokee Red is a band that takes the listening experience quite seriously and molds a sound that is custom built for audiophiles, as well as passionate music lovers of any ilk.

– By Mark Uricheck Cherokee Red has just wrapped up a banner 2014 – a year that saw the band release a new EP titled “The World Is My Oyster, You’re The Pearl,” play high-profile gigs all along the East Coast, and further dedicate itself to audio excellence (the band simply does not do “basement tapes,” which you’ll soon discover). Connections had the chance to chat with Cherokee Red guitarist/keyboardist/ vocalist Charles Davis about the year that’s past – one that dotted the band’s name across the map as much as it’s ever been – with seemingly, much more to come in 2015.

“2014 has been really kind to us,” Davis admits of the band’s recent fortunes. “Peach Fest was definitely a notable experience; it’s a huge event with a huge amount of great bands. Playing outside is always invigorating,” says Davis of the now-annual event began by The Allman Brothers and held at Scranton’s Montage Mountain. “To that end, we also got to enjoy playing (Wilkes-Barre’s) Kirby Park at May Day this year.”

For Davis, the real highlight of 2014 was the release of the new EP through Philadelphia-based label Magic Death Sounds. The EP was introduced as a cassette single and contains the tracks “The World Is My Oyster, You’re The Pearl” and “Far From It.” Though the EP clocks in at barely eight minutes, the sound quality is anything but hurried.

“I don’t necessarily approach it, rather I wait for it to come to me and catch what I am able,” says Davis of the band’s songwriting process. “In this band, we all write, and carry a great deal of respect for one another’s work.

So, if we’re all into devoting ourselves to a piece, we consider that a great piece.”

Cherokee Red is also known for recording in a tuning known as A=432Hz audio. This format, used to great effect by classical composers like Verdi and Mozart, is said to transmit beneficial healing energy, because it is a pure tone of math fundamental to nature. There’s also been a growing musical and metaphysical movement within the music industry and spirituality through the 432Hz tuning – though it’s ultimately up to the listener to interpret the would-be ear candy and decide if the results are indeed as good as the buildup.

“There is a lot of lore and a great many philosophies behind A=432Hz, but I would say it is most certainly a rabbit hole worth venturing down,” explains Davis. “The main theory is that the frequency has a harmonic resonance more conducive to a pleasurable listening experience. Our experimentation came about through Dirk Dekker, our guitarist/multi-instrumentalist who also records all our music (with a little help from our friends), and we’ve been rehearsing, recording, and performing in that frequency ever since.”

Davis is especially excited to point out this musical science when asked how this latest EP stacks up against the band’s past work, which includes their eponymous debut album and “432” EP. “We’ve progressed in all directions,” he answers, “so the new material is further sharpening the collective sword. Since last year, when we decided to work in A=432Hz, rather than the standard A=440Hz, we’ve been riding a nice wave of new music that has a great, positive atmosphere, and a more upbeat, energetic vibe.”

That vibe of which Davis speaks, was borne out of a myriad of musical influences. Cherokee Red’s sound has often been described as “psychedelic folk,” which in all actuality, is quite fitting – the band’s ambient keys and pristine guitar wisps intertwine with lead vocalist Brittany Thomas’ dream-scaped musings to create sheer aural nirvana.

“As you could probably imagine, we have a wide range of influences,” Davis points out. “On the road this past Autumn/ Winter, we listened to a lot of ‘70’s west African funk, traditional Samoan folk, and our friends, the amaz-

entertainment

ing (Delaware Water Gap-based folk artists) Lewis & Clarke. We are also very influenced by our surroundings, so naturally, the NEPA and Philadelphia music scenes are going to inspire.”

Cherokee Red is also fast becoming synonymous with a great live experience. The band’s work ethic, combined with its heightened sense of musical experimentation has been dazzling audiences as of late.

“We are a collective of artists who have individual ideals to which we try our best to remain true,” says Davis of the band’s mantra. “I believe, given the amount of care each person is putting into their part and their performance, the work ethic is extremely natural, even to the degree of defying the common definition of ‘work’.

This is the greatest part about playing with this group; I know that everyone’s heart is in it, and they are enjoying it as much as I am, which I think translates to audiences.”

To the outside observer, it appears that Cherokee Red is a band with infinite possibilities ahead of it, and refuses to limit the scope of its musical exploration.

“We desire only to create, and continue to create, articulate and unique music,” says Davis. “We will also do our best to bring it to the ears of as many listeners as a DIY band is capable of reaching. The various scenes are certainly important, it definitely helps spread word and create bonds. I’m not sure we fit in any current major scene right now, outside of the one happening here in NEPA. Genre-related or not, I think quality and artistic integrity are our main measurements.”

So what is it that drives the band to keep creating and performing in a business that’s more unpredictable than ever, often with diminishing returns? For Charles Davis, the answer is simple.

“Cliché or not, we do music because we love it,” he replies. “If the definition of success is the quality of your art, then the business end is inconsequential, so long as you have enough to devote. It is definitely a different world today than it used to be, but due to this, it is more important to stick to your creative guns than ever before.”

Raw talent, combined with a certain level of humility and respect for their art, should take Davis and Cherokee Red well past the benchmarks achieved in 2014.

“We’re grateful to anyone and everyone who’s given us their time or support for us to get this far.”

For more on Cherokee Red, visit the band online at www.cherokeeredband.com.

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17

entertainment

book/film corner

FOXCATCHER

“H2O”

By Virginia Bergin Reviewed by Terri Schlichenmeyer

ain, rain, go away. That chant never worked when you wanted it to, did it? Yes, the rain eventually stopped and the sun eventually shined, but in the meantime, many of your childhood plans were ruined. Still, a little rain never killed anyone – or did it? Find out in “H2O” by Virginia Bergin.

R

Your first official kiss should be one that’s memorable – and for fifteen-yearold Ruby Morris, hers absolutely was.

Just not for the reasons you’d think.

There she was at Zak’s party, in his parents’ hot tub with Caspar McCloud, the boy she’d had a crush on forever. It was exactly like a movie kiss: Caspar scooted over, put his arm around her, and it actually happened – until Zak’s dad, Barnaby, yanked everybody inside, screaming something about the water, and it started to rain.

That was weird. Nobody could understand what Barnaby was babbling about, and nobody was scared one bit. But then Caspar went outside because his MP3 player was on the lawn, getting wet.

He was bloody when he came back in.

It was the rain. The rain was the whole reason there were bodies everywhere, as Ruby learned later, after Zak’s mother tried to get Caspar to the hospital, after Zak’s mom picked up a damp towel and started to sweat, after she dropped Ruby off at home. Ruby learned that it was poisonous bacteria-filled rain after her mom tossed the neighbor some medicine and accidentally got wet, then touched Ruby’s baby brother…

Ruby’s step-father, Simon, tried to do his best.

There was once a time when she and Simon didn’t get along. He was bossy and tried to get her to learn the dumbest things. Usually, he made her roll her eyes til they hurt, but when the rain came down in sheets and there was nothing left in the house to drink, Simon was the one who figured out how to get water.

When he died, too, Ruby decided she’d miss him, but she hadn’t time to waste. She was terribly, horribly thirsty, and besides, there was no way everybody could be dead, right? Her father lived in London, and he was probably okay, right? And so, she found a car and started to drive…

Confession Time: at first, I was no fan of “H2O.” Author Virginia Bergin’s catalyst of a bacteria-laden asteroid is a bit of a cliché, and Ruby is initially quite hard to take as she immediately, urgently launches into a tale that tumbles out like spillage. I wasn’t expecting that, but as you’ll come to see pretty quickly, abruptness is exactly what’s needed to fully feel this story. By the middle of the book, the lack of preamble was hardly an issue; as Ruby dodged raindrops and hysteria, I was busy flipping pages and thinking OMG, OMG, oh-my-goodness, what next?!

While this is an excellent book for teens ages fourteen and up, I think adults will enjoy it, too. Don’t walk past it if you’re a fan of post-Apocalyptic novels because “H2O” is definitely not all wet.

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In the mid-1980s, wrestler Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum), an Olympic medalist, is adrift, overshadowed by his older, more gregarious brother, David (Mark Ruffalo), also a wrestling Olympic medalist. So he’s flattered and intrigued when John du Pont (Steve Carell) — of the super-rich chemical family — invites him to reside at the wrestling facility he’s built on his country estate, Foxcatcher Farms. The goal is to build and train teams for the 1988 Olympics, and in time, Mark convinces David to join Team Foxcatcher as a coach.

On the one hand, Foxcatcher is the true story of three men, two wrestlers and their oddball benefactor, whose relationship ends in tragedy. It’s also an examination of money and power; of how men struggle to define themselves; and of how such institutions such as work, patriotism and sports can mask cultural and individual pathologies.

This is to say that Bennett Miller’s finely crafted drama is really about a lot, even as it doesn’t have a lot of plot and lacks easy emotional toe-holds. It’s among this year’s best films, featuring great work by the actors, and a sure hand intertwining storytelling and more layered myth-busting. But be forewarned: It’s chilly and bleak. out of 4

THE IMITATION GAME Morten Tyldum’s bio-pic about the influential mathematician, Alan Turing, is a sturdy British crowd-pleaser: a period dramedy, with tip-top actors, perfectly aged tweeds, and a lightly inspirational and/or educational vibe. During World War II, Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch, mastering a number of vocal and physical tics) is hired to help break “Enigma,” a code-generating machine with which the Nazis are sending their strategic commands. Turing is an odd sort to lead a military team — he has no social skills and is secretly gay — but he’s undisputedly the best nerd for the job: It’s he who correctly realizes it will take another machine — not a human or even a 100 humans — to defeat Enigma.

The egghead thriller narrative is entertaining, as a tea-drinking crew in hand-knit sweaters takes on a tricky bit of German engineering, with the stakes being hundreds of thousands of lives saved. The film is murkier on Turing, whose personal life was marked by depression and presumably a lot of conflicted feelings about his identity. I say presumably, because while the film drops hints and Cumberbatch finely emits a lot of buttoned-up something, Turing’s inner life remains unexplored. But still a mostly solid piece of entertainment. out of 4

All of these ran previously in the Pittsburgh City Paper.

classics

1966

lifestyle

Ford

Thunderbird Coupe

By Arnie Milidantri

ust by looking at certain cars, you can tell why they were made! Some cars were built for speed, some to provide the ultimate in comfort, some for its unique style, and then there were a few classics that were built to provide their owners with speed, comfort, the ability to reflect their sense of style. One of those instantly recognizable special classics is a beautiful Raven Black 1966 Ford Thunderbird coupe. Owned by Sal and Joann Pizzo, this month’s featured car is an outstanding example of the effort car enthusiasts will expend in Sal’s words, “Keeping the old cars alive.”

J

BACKGROUND The Ford Thunderbird is an American automotive icon first introduced in 1955 in response to what was felt as a strong market for an American small sports car, a market created during the early 1950’s by military men returning from fighting in World War II after being exposed to a style of vehicle (the graceful but sporty MG, Triumph, and Jaguar to name a few) that was very different from the Detroit American cars. The American automobile manufacturers noticed this trend and were quick to respond.

GM’s Chevrolet division was one of the first of the Detroit auto manufacturers to test the market in 1953 with the introduction of their Corvette. Not wanting to be left behind, Ford entered with their Thunderbird in 1955.

The Thunderbird, though similar, was different in many ways to the Corvette and the rest of the small sports cars being offered. The Thunderbird was created as a ‘personal luxury’ car and even to the last production version, has never been designed as a sports car. Instead of fiberglass, the Thunderbird was constructed of metal. Instead of six cylinder engines, Ford upped-the-ante with a V8. To keep cost and development at a minimum, it used as many parts as possible from the other Fords of that era. The result was a two-seater with many creature comforts and impressive styling. Manual and automatic transmissions were both available. The instrument panel was home to a tachometer, clock, and a 150 mph speedometer. The suspension was comprised of a ball-joint in the front, offering a plush ride.

The 1955-1957 Thunderbirds (the “Little Birds”) were initially offered with a 292 cu in V8 and by 1957 an optional 312. The cars were only available as convertibles and were famous for their optional pothole removable hardtops.

Small body changes were offered during this three-year series. In 1956, ventilation was improved with operation side vents and a continental kit added to reclaim some trunk space. In 1957, the Thunderbird received a reshaped front bumper, an enlarged grille, the rear tailfins grew in size and became more pointed, and the round taillights grew in size. The spare tire was again housed inside the trunk. On December 13, 1957, the last of the first series of Thunder-birds was produced marking the end of two-seater until a retro two-seater Thunderbird would appear until 2002.

The second series of the Thunderbirds was produced from 1958-1960 and are commonly referred to as the “Squarebirds” due to their design. The new design addressed the major complaints (no back seat and limited trunk space) of the “Little Bird” Thunderbird size. From this point in time, the designs of the Corvette and the Thunderbird went in different directions with the Thunderbird continuing to further evolve into the luxury car segment. The Thunderbird was now built with a unitized body replacing the traditional body on frame construction.

The interior had four bucket seats and a center console.

The 1958-59 Thunderbirds were offered as a hardtop or a convertible. A 352 cubic-inch 300 hp V8 was offered cou-

pled to either a three-speed manual transmission that was standard with overdrive or an optional Cruise-O-Matic. The vehicle’s luxury ride was created by front independent suspension and a live rear axle, both with coil springs. In 1959, Ford began offering leather seats in the Thunderbird.

Ornaments could now be found on the exterior of the vehicle. Though little was changed in regards to aesthetics, there were many new mechanical components. The coil springs in the rear were replaced with a Hotchkiss drive unit and parallel leaf springs. 1960 marked the final year for the second generation Thunderbird.

The 1961-1963 Thunderbirds were known as the ‘Bullet Birds.’ This series introduced a new and much sleeker styling for the Thunderbird, as well as several firsts for the automotive market. The most distinctive feature of the 1961 to 1963 Thunderbirds was the highly touted ‘Swing Away’ steering wheel. With the transmission in the park position, the steering wheel would slide approximately 18 inches to the right allowing the driver to exit the vehicle easily. Other innovations included a floating rear view mirror (common on all autos produced today). Starting in 1961, a Thunderbird could be purchased with options like air conditioning, power windows, power seats, AM radio, fender skirts, and white wall tires. Several standard features such as power steering and power brakes, back up lights, and bucket seats were costly options on most other autos. In 1962, a limited production of The Sports Roadster convertible was offered featuring 48 spoke Kelsey-Hayes designed wire wheels, special badges to the front fenders, and a passenger side grab bar to the front dashboard. The most striking addition to the Sports Roadster was a fiberglass tonneau cover, which covered the back seat of the car and created a two-seater appearance. Changes for 1963 were relatively minor. Some additions to the option list included vacuum assisted door locks and an AM/FM radio; an AM radio and a remote driver’s side mirror became standard.

The 1964-1966 fourth series Thunderbirds were also called the ‘Flair Birds’ or ‘Jet Birds.’ They had the same basic structure and dimensions as before, and the exterior was restyled in favor of a more squared-off, “formal” look.

The Thunderbird’s sporty image had by that time become only an image. A 390-cubic-inch 300 hp V8 engine was standard for 1964. The softly sprung suspension allowed considerable body lean, wallow, and float except on smoothly surfaced highways. The revised model was initially offered as a hardtop, a convertible, or Landau, with vinyl roof and simulated landau irons. The tonneau cover and wire wheels of the Sports Roadster remained available as a dealer-installed option. The 1964 Thunderbird was the only car to have the word ‘Thunderbird’ on the front hood instead of the image of the Thunderbird. Several features introduced in 1965 included front disc brakes as standard equipment and sequential turn signals. The latter feature flashed the individual segments of the broad, horizontal taillights in sequences from inside to outside to indicate a turn.

For 1966, the 390-cu in V8’s power was increased to 315

hp, and a 428-cu in 345 hp V8 became optional.

Ford Motor Company continued to offer their Thunderbird series: fifth 1967-1971, sixth 1972-1976, seventh 1977-1979, eighth 1980-1982, ninth 1983-1986, and tenth 1989-1997. After Ford discontinued the Thunderbird in 1997, it reintroduced it as a retro two seater roadster model in 2002, but due to poor market performance, it once again discontinued the Thunderbird model in 2005.

FEATURED CAR The beautiful 390 cu in V8 Raven Black original 79,000 mile 1966 Ford Thunderbird Coupe is owned and was restored by Sal Pizzo. Sal’s two favorite cars, which he owned during his youth, were a 1964 Pontiac Bonneville 2 door hardtop with a tri-power V8 and a 1966 Thunderbird convertible. He found and restored a 1964 Bonneville (he has since sold it) and as any true “motor head” does, he was scanning the Paper Shop Classified paper and spotted a 1966 Thunderbird for sale by its second owner in 49 years.

A deal was struck and in the fall of 2013 Sal started the car’s restoration. The car mechanics were refreshed including a recent transmission rebuild. Sal, along with his friend, Johnny Chandler (owner of Johnny’s Auto & Collision located in Eynon, PA), took care of all the body imperfections and applied the “foot deep” Raven Black paint job. The car’s original interior was in excellent shape and only required the driver’s seat to have new foam padding installed and the stitching replaced. Compared to today’s sparse dashes, the Thunderbird’s looks like a jewel display case; its bright chrome-work and sliding wheel are things of the past! Sal’s Thunderbird’s options/features include power steering, power brakes, power six-way seats, power antenna, AM/FM radio, power windows, air conditioning, and genuine leather interior. The final touches that add just the right amount of glitz to this Black Beauty are the chrome wire wheels and new black vinyl roof. The car’s features, finish, stance, and style are what make this uniquely packaged “T- bird” one very classy car!

THE OWNER Sal, originally from Brooklyn NY, is a retired businessman currently living in Throop, PA. He has been involved in the car industry since he was 15. Working at his brother’s gas station/repair shop, he not only did mechanical work but also became proficient in bodywork including the lost art of “leading.” Sal owned and operated his own gas station/repair shop in Brooklyn, NY from 1975-1988.

Within one year of selling the business, he brought a PA muffler franchise and ran that until 1996. In 1997, he again opened a gas station/repair shop and added a Mini Market.

He retired in 2002. Sal is a member of The Villa Capri Cruisers Car Club and along with his wife, Joann, attends car shows and cruises throughout Northeast PA. So if you happen to see a beautiful Raven Black Thunderbird with a grey haired guy with a twinkle in his eye, stop and say hi!

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19

lifestyle

outdoor ramblings

Cold weather camping is neither on the interior of the tent floor for added heat reflection. for the novice nor the faint of Now for the tent. A 3-season tent can be used in the dead of winter. The big drawback is that most heart. It takes preparation and a tents have a lot of mesh screening nowadays and rely good set of outdoor skills to be on the rainfly for weather protection. Tents made for winter use are generally solid with only a small comfortable in the winter woods. amount of mesh for ventilation and have full rainflies create a double-wall. These tents are rather expenNonetheless, if you are already to sive and are designed mostly for use in high altitude somewhat experienced with and open tundra settings where there are no wind As long as you have a full fly and choose a warm weather tenting, blocks. good location, most quality 3-season tents will suffice transitioning into a four-season in the winter wilds of the Mid-Atlantic. camper isn’t all that difficult. Location, Location Essential Items The top three items to consider are your sleeping bag, insulated mat, and tent…in that order. There are a lot of 3-season sleeping bags that are rated to 35°F. By itself, it probably won’t cut it, but add a few blankets or even another sleeping bag and you might be OK. However, the thing to have is a “zero” bag.

Synthetic fill sleeping bags with a 0°F rating can be purchased for around $125. Down or mixed-fill bags will be in the $225 and up range. The materials of the fill do make a difference so do some comparing before you buy.

Between your bag and the tent floor, you should have a closed-cell foam sleeping pad. Air mattresses and even the air/foam style pads don’t give the insulation a solid foam pad provides. Some are dirt cheap and do the job nicely, others have a Mylar surface that reflects some heat back and can be bought for $20-25.

A heavy duty emergency blanket can also be placed

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Picking a campsite is also key. Your first winter venture should be in your backyard. Test out your gear; figure out what you need to fix and remember what worked. Next, find a place where you can car camp. Look for a spot that has some evergreens or rock outcrops that can give your camp some natural cover. Also look for unfrozen water because it’s easier to boil than melting snow. The downside to streamside camping in winter is that cold air settles in lowlying areas. Avoid lakeshores and ridges because they are too open. You’ll also want a place with a good supply of firewood or bring your own.

Fire Away Big campfires might be necessary for emergency warmth, but provided you’re dressed for the weather and have extra, dry clothing, building a fire for the expressed purpose of heat is not the thing to do. A moderate sized fire that produces a lot of hot coals is more ideal. Pots and kettles can be placed on the coals and a supply of hot water can be maintained. A

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good base of coals can last the night, and when you wake up, you’ll still have hot water for your coffee and oatmeal. Before going out and buying an expensive set of cast iron cookware, see if you can pick up some old steel or aluminum pots at a yard sale or thrift store.

If you have coals, you can also cook. Add a grill to the fire ring and you can cook anything normally prepared over a barbeque pit. Eating well is essential for a fun experience. You burn a lot of calories by being outside in the cold. Steaks, burgers, and fish are great grilling foods, and they provide the protein and fats you’ll want on this type of outing. Carbs are essential, too, and you can easily boil water for pasta or rice.

Cooking over an open fire is more time consuming, and thus it keeps you near the fire so chances are you’ll stay warm during meal prep.

It’s All on You Most clothing designed for skiing or snowmobiling will keep you warm when camping in winter. Avoid cotton, keep down dry, and don’t try to dry synthetics near the fire. Wearing several light or moderate weight layers is generally better than wearing one heavy garment, especially if you plan to do some hiking during the day. Change everything before crawling into your sleeping bag and only sleep in your base layer. Your sleeping bag should keep you warm enough. Sleep with a hat on as well, especially if your sleeping bag doesn’t have a hood or you don’t like using it.

By no means is this a be-all list of what you need or how to go about doing it. Rather, it is a glimpse into what is possible and should serve as inspiration, not necessarily instruction. There are many books and websites dedicated to cold weather camping, and they are all worth checking out before you head out to enjoy the winter woods.

pet column

lifestyle

ASK THE VET: EMAIL US YOUR QUESTIONS FOR DR. PLATKO AT CMAG@PTD.NET

Acetaminophen Toxicity in Dogs and Cats

Diagnosis and Treatment

We hate to see our pets in pain, but it can be dangerous to give our furry friends human medication.

Overview and Risk When your pet is in obvious discomfort, it can be tempting to give him or her a pain reliever like Tylenol®.

However, although it works when you yourself are in pain, it can be fatal to your pet.

The active ingredient in Tylenol® and other commonly used over-the-counter medications, such as Percocet®, aspirin-free Excedrin®, and various sinus, cold, and flu medications, is acetaminophen. Pets most commonly receive toxic amounts of acetaminophen because owners medicate them without first consulting a veterinarian.

Pets have also been known to consume tablets that are dropped on the floor or left lying around. While dogs are more often exposed to acetaminophen, cats are much more sensitive to this drug than dogs, and a single regular strength tablet can be fatal.

If you believe that your pet has ingested acetaminophen, seek emergency veterinary attention immediately.

Your veterinarian will perform a chemical blood profile, a complete blood count, and a urinalysis to determine the level of toxicity so that a potential treatment can be prescribed.

In order for treatment to be successful, it needs to be immediate and intensive.

Treatment may include intravenous fluid therapy, oxygen support, and/or medications to reduce the effects of the acetaminophen and treat any damage that has been done.

Your pet may be hospitalized for ongoing supportive treatment and to monitor the longterm effects, especially liver damage.

Prevention Pet owners should never attempt to diagnose and treat their pets with human medication and should take precautions to keep household medications out of their pet’s reach to avoid a potentially harmful or fatal reaction.

Never use human medications with your pet unless specially directed by your veterinarian.

If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian – they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets. www.pethealthnetwork.com

Symptoms The effects of acetaminophen poisoning are very serious, often causing permanent liver damage with fatal consequences. The most common signs that you may notice in pets suffering from acetaminophen toxicity include: • Brownish-gray or “muddy” colored gums, tongue, or mucous membranes • Labored and rapid breathing • Swollen face, neck, or limbs • Hypothermia (reduced body temperature) • Vomiting • Jaundice (yellowish color to skin, whites of eyes) due to liver damage • Lethargy, seizures and coma

–Amy Platko-Williams, D.V.M Dr. Platko is one of the four full time veterarians at Cherry Ridge Veterinary Clinic in Honesdale.

Send your questions to Dr. Platko, c/o Connections Magazine, 3305 Lake Ariel Highway, Honesdale, Pa. 18431 or e-mail them to cmag@ptd.net and type 'Ask the Vet' in the subject line.

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21

wellness

behavioral medicine

When Life Becomes

Unlivable

By Arthur Middleton, M.D., FAPA

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we’re here, we should dance. ~Author Unknown

hile the tragedy of suicide may not be personally experienced, sadly, it is something with which we are all too familiar. The issue of suicide is now seen frequently in the news. The reporting of a completed suicide by an individual who is famous and often well off financially is not met with surprise. We have learned that individuals at all levels of society are not immune to the complex emotional dynamics that contribute to the decision that one may make to end his or her life.

W

Statistically, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2010 there were 33,687 deaths from motor vehicle crashes and 38,364 deaths by suicide. The CDC reports that suicide rates among middle-class Americans has risen substantially since 1999. While the suicide rates have not changed substantially for those aged 10 to 34 as well as the population aged 65 and older, there has been an increase, by 28%, in the population aged 35 to 64. While this increase is significant, there is a 48% increase in suicide in the population aged 50 to 54 years of age and an increase in suicide by 49% in the population aged 55 to 59 years of age.

In a New York Times article by Tara Parker-Pope titled: Suicide Rates Rise Sharply in U.S. (May 2, 2013), the article addresses a significant increase in the rate of suicide in the American middle class population. The article goes on to state that this is the baby boomer generation. Analyzing this phenomenon, the article makes the observation that suicide rates in this population have increased during financial and economic distress. While we have become familiar with death attributed to suicide as a result of firearms, it is also noted that overdoses of prescription pain medications has been on the rise. Accordingly, it is not a surprise that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has made substantial changes in regulations requiring physicians to monitor and more carefully prescribe these medications. The following fictional clinical vignette is presented to demonstrate how far reaching the consequences of suicide can be.

JT is a 57 y/o physician. He is a primary care physician in a rural setting who has been in practice for 26 years.

The practice, by most standards, has been successful. It was originally his father’s practice, also a primary care physician, who opened his primary care office 40 years ago. While this would appear to be a wonderful tradition, new patients are not immediately aware of the fact that his father ended his involvement in the practice when he committed suicide.

JT had barely finished his residency when he took over the practice. Having little time to grieve, he provided support to his father’s many patients after the suicide. Over the years, he was often counseling many patients in the practice who were still traumatized by his father’s decision to end his life. As an only child, JT felt that loss acutely and was sad that his father had not confided in him. He did not share his feelings with his mother, who had worked as a nurse in the practice and completely withdrew after

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her husband’s suicide.

While there was widespread speculation about the reason for his father’s suicide, JT always felt that it was his father’s reaction to a patient event; a young man in his 20’s, who had seen his father several times before he took his life.

His father counseled the young man’s parents to accept the fact that they would never really know why their son chose this path but to try to heal and move on. Unbeknownst to the parents, his father held himself responsible, feeling that he should have been able to intervene and prevent the tragedy. The family of the patient was able to move on, but his father did not. Despite the fact that he treated and helped thousands of patients, he could never absolve himself of the guilt that he felt. In the months before his death, he gradually reduced his hours and ended his life one evening by taking an overdose of pills. His wife assumed that he was working late. When he did not return home she went to the office where she found him.

JT often felt that he had avoided the stress that he believed had contributed to his father’s death.

Increasingly, after reaching the age of 55, he began to feel that he did not have the same interest in practicing. The demand for more information and the extraordinary cost of modernizing his practice to meet the need for computerized billing and record keeping was not what he had envisioned in the senior years of his practice. He was divorced, living alone, and estranged from his children.

Despite the fact that the practice was doing relatively well financially, he did not enjoy the same personal income that he had years ago.

Emotionally, he had been feeling badly after one of his patients had died of cancer. JT felt that he had missed the diagnosis and worried that he would be sued. Apart from the financial issue, JT felt that he had lost his passion for treating patients. He considered suicide, feeling that his father had probably reached the same conclusion when he lost the desire to continue living. JT began to prepare to end his life. He didn’t feel that he would be able to sell his practice, but he prepared a letter that he planned to send to his patients.

In the next few weeks, JT struggled with the desire to end his life and the will to continue on. On an impulse, he called a colleague and stated that he needed a referral to a psychiatrist, for himself. His colleague didn’t know that the issue was serious but decided to call the psychiatrist himself to see if this request was unusual. The psychiatrist made himself quickly available, and JT was able to see the

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psychiatrist that day. The psychiatrist quickly concluded that JT was seriously depressed and began treatment with an antidepressant medication and psychotherapy.

Hospitalization was discussed, but JT assured his psychiatrist that he was not actively suicidal.

He was seen on a twice weekly basis. JT had sufficient support in his practice, which allowed him to further reduce his hours. With therapy and medication, he was able to realistically deal with his stresses, both financial and emotional. He also reached out to his children. With the benefit of therapy, JT was able to see how profoundly he was affected by the suicide of his father. As a caregiver, he had minimized the importance of his own mental health and now felt that he could help many of his patients who had expressed feelings of stigmatization as a result of a family suicide. JT now acknowledges that he is also a suicide survivor. He realizes that the impact of his father’s suicide affected his patients and him as well. JT continues in therapy. He is more cognizant of the warning signs of depression and suicidal risk in his patients. As a result of his experience, he now has a mental health clinician incorporated in his office practice and feels that he is a better physician.

The fictional clinical vignette is presented to highlight several important factors. Suicide can be prevented.

Clinicians focus on warning signs and risk factors as areas that can be crucial in determining what can be done to prevent the tragedy of suicide. With respect to risk factors, firearms in the home, a family history of suicide, a prior history of a suicide attempt, depression, as well as other mental disorders and even being exposed to the suicidal behavior of others, such as a completed suicide in a college dorm, are major considerations when assessing the degree of risk.

The statistics concerning the population at risk for suicide are alarming. There has been widespread attention to the military and the increase in the suicide rate following deployment in active war zones. A report by the National Institute of Mental Health (March 3, 2014 press release) reports that 13.9% of solders considered suicide at some point in their lifetime, 5.3% made a suicide plan, and 2.4% attempted suicide. It is now an established fact that the suicide rate in the Army exceeds the civilian rate.

It may come as a surprise to some that physicians, as a professional occupation that typically enjoys a high social status, have a significantly higher rate of completed suicide, compared to the general public. Individ-uals in law enforcement, dentists, and even lawyers have a higher risk for suicide. Studies have shown that physicians have a rate of completed suicides that was over twice the rate of suicide in the general public. Female physicians had a completed suicide rate that was 2 1/2 to 4 times the rate of the general public. In a New York Times article by Pranay Sinha, M.D. titled: Why Do Doctors Commit Suicide?, the

wellness

smoking author cites statistics which show that 400 doctors commit suicide every year and that a recent study found that 9.4% of 4th year medical students and interns reported having suicidal thoughts in the previous two weeks.

Medication alone may not prevent a suicide, but therapy, in particular short-term psychotherapy, has been demonstrated to be effective in treating individuals who have a history of repeated suicide attempts.

In another New York Times article, by Nicholas Bakalar (December 1, 2014), the author writes about a Danish study that involved 5,678 individuals who had attempted suicide. These individuals received short-term psychotherapy, which included crisis intervention, cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, and both psychodynamic and psychoanalytic treatment, based on clinical necessity. A 20-year follow-up estimated “that therapy had prevented 145 suicide attempts and 30 deaths by suicide in the group studied.”

In conclusion, the reasons why one individual versus another would commit suicide often cannot be easily explained.

However, there are identified risk factors that are generally agreed upon; depression, mental illness, and the possession of firearms as examples. While treatment is available to those who accept help, sadly for those who choose to remain silent about their intentions, it remains a difficult task to prevent a suicide attempt. A completed suicide can have psychological consequences for family and friends for years.

Suicide is not limited by social status, affecting physicians, as an example, who commit suicide at a statistically higher rate than the general public. If you are concerned about someone who may be at risk for suicide, follow your instincts and con-

tact the National Suicide Prevention Line at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Suicide is a Preventable Mental Health Problem.

The Healthy

Gee z er

By Fred Cicetti

The following references are provided for the informed consumer: NIH – National Institute on Aging: Talk Therapy Linked to Lower Suicide Risk http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_149638.html U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/App_Fi les/Media/PDF/NSPL_Consumer_Brochure_1-3006.pdf Centers for Diseaase Control and Prevention: Preventing Suicide http://www.cdc.gov/Features/PreventingSuicide/ Dr. Middleton is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, and a Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. He received his undergraduate training at New York University and an MD degree from Rutgers Medical School. Dr. Middleton completed his psychiatric residency at St. Vincent’s Hospital & Medical Center, in NYC. He is on the honorary medical staff (retired) of Hackensack University Medical Center in NJ, where he is also Chairman Emeritus of the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine. Dr. Middleton has been on the voluntary teaching faculty of Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Brown Medical School.

He is currently a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Middleton is retired as an Associate in the Department of Psychiatry in the Geisinger Health System formerly practicing at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Dr. Middleton lives in Dingmans Ferry, PA, and Manhattan, NY.

Effects of Smoking – Part I uring my research on many health topics, I have been amazed repeatedly by how pervasive the effects of smoking are on the body.

D

I quit smoking cigarettes in 1969, five years after the U.S. Surgeon General’s first report said that smoking causes lung cancer. I was convinced the report was right when it came out, but it took me five years to develop the willpower to give up my Marlboros. But, at the time, I didn’t realize that smoking could harm you in so many more ways.

The most recent Surgeon General’s report on the health consequences of smoking said, “Smoking harms nearly every organ of your body, causing many diseases and reducing your health in general.” The report also said, “Quitting smoking has immediate as well as longterm benefits, reducing risks for diseases caused by smoking and improving your health in general.”

If you smoke, you owe it to yourself to quit. And I believe you have an obligation to try to help others to quit. I’m going to do my part with this unusual three-part series. No scolding or exaggerated scare tactics. I’m going to give you just the facts in a chain of bulletins.

You can tack these columns up on bulletin boards and refrigerators. I recommend giving them to a smoker you love.

Here goes: damages the immune 1} Smoking system and increases the risk of infections.

2}

The general health of smokers is inferior to the health of nonsmok-

ers. illnesses in smokers last 3} Many longer than in nonsmokers. surgery, smokers have a 4} After greater risk of complications and a lower survival rate.

5}

When smokers get skin wounds, they take longer to heal than those in non-smokers.

6}

Women who smoke usually reach menopause sooner.

7}

Smokers tend to have lower bone density.

8}

Postmenopausal women who smoke have an increased risk for hip fracture compared to women who never smoked.

cigarettes causes heart dis9} Smoking ease, the leading cause of death in the United States.

10}

Smokers who have a heart attack are more likely to die within an hour of the heart attack than nonsmokers.

11} 12}

Cigarette smoking doubles a person’s risk for stroke.

13} 14}

Smokers commonly suffer from chronic bronchitis.

Cigarette smoking causes emphysema, which destroys a person’s ability to breathe. An early warning sign of emphysema is “smoker’s cough.”

Smoking causes peripheral artery disease that can affect the blood flow throughout the entire body.

15}

Smoking causes many types of cancer, the second leading cause of death in the United States. These include cancer of the lung, esophagus, larynx, mouth, bladder, pancreas, kidney, and cervix.

16}

Smoking increases your risk of developing sciatica, a pain that runs down the back of your leg from spinal-disc pressure on a nerve. Smoking can block the body’s ability to deliver nutrients to the discs of the lower back.

17} 18}

Smoking causes cataracts.

Smoking during pregnancy is linked with the higher risk of miscarriage, premature delivery, stillbirth, infant death, low birth weight, and sudden-infant-death syndrome.

19}

Smoking dulls your senses of taste and smell. makes your 20} Smoking skin age faster. increases 21} Smoking the risk of sexual impotence.

[In the second installment of this series on smoking, we’ll report on nicotine, cigarettes of all kinds, cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco.]

If you would like to ask a question, write to fred@healthygeezer.com.

All Rights Reserved © 2014

by Fred Cicetti

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23

get connected

area events

a+r+e Y O U

C O N N E C T E D

Ongoing Events DAILY

Public Art Displays Nature’s Grace, Dime Bank & Wayne Bank, Wayne Memorial Hospital, Harvey Insurance, Honesdale. & Pocono Lake Region Chamber of Commerce, Hawley. Wayne County Arts Alliance artists display their work monthly.

TUESDAYS

Bingo American Legion Post 311, Hawley.

Doors open 10:30 a.m., games begin at Noon. Info: truck48@ptd.net.

FRIDAYS

Live Music Friday 8–11 p.m. Glass — wine. bar. kitchen. at Ledges Hotel, Hawley. No cover charge. Info: info@ledgeshotel.com or 570-226-1337.

SATURDAYS

Winter Farmers Market 8 a.m.–Noon. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg. Monroe Farmers Market offers preserved goods, jams & jellies, baked goods, maple syrup, farm fresh eggs & produce (while available).

Info: 570-595-2321.

SATURDAYS

FREE Tastings and Demos 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Mill Market, in the Hawley Silk Mill, Hawley.

Info: info@MillMarketPA.com or 570-390-4440.

SATURDAYS

Glassworks Demonstration 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. B. Madigan, Hawley.

See glass stretched & made into beautiful items, including watching the glass worked, learning how glass is made & what creates the colors.

Info: 570-561-3629.

SATURDAYS

Live Piano Music at The Settlers Inn 6–9:30 p.m. The Settlers Inn, Hawley.

Live music & farm-to-table cuisine, & an award-winning wine list. Info: 570226-2993 or www.thesettlersinn.com.

SATURDAYS

Live Music at Barley Creek 8–11 p.m. Barley Creek Brewing Company, Tannersville. The Pocono Mountains’ Original Brewpub. Great food & handcrafted beer brewed onsite. Free brewery tours daily at 12:30 p.m. No cover charge.

Info: 570-629-9399.

THROUGH FEB. 8

ARTS, RECREATION & ENTERTAINMENT

FEBRUARY ’15

ing the fine arts & crafts of more than 50 regional artist members of PCAC with many original handmade crafts for holiday shoppers: jewelry, pottery, textiles, wood craft, cards, prints & lots of original paintings & photography.

Reception, Dec. 13, 4–8 p.m.

Info: 570-409-1234 or www.arterygallerymilford.com.

Crystal Cabin Fever – Under the Sea FEB. 6-22 11 a.m. Sculpted Ice Works Factory Tour and Natural Ice Harvest Museum, Lakeville. Made from over 100 tons of ice & features a 50-foot dual-run ice slide, ice carving demos, interactive ice displays, & ice-carving competitions.

Complimentary hot chocolate & wine tasting. Live woodcarving & glass blowing, food, music & many photo opportunities in the courtyard. Museum included with admission. Info: 570-226-6246 or tour@sculptediceworks.com.

THROUGH FEB. 22

Selections from the Art Collections Suraci Gallery, Marywood University, Scranton. Featuring recent works on paper, including photos & prints, drawn from the Suraci Collection & The Maslow Collection.

Info: 570-348-6278 or www.marywood.edu/galleries.

February 1– February 9 FEB. 1, 6, 7, 8

The Dead Indian Museum Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee On Delaware. Time is running out on Lucky & Wayne’s dilapidated roadside Indian Museum & with it their dreams of opening a petting zoo for children.

Info: 570-421-5093 or www.TheShawneePlayhouse.com.

FEB. 4

Tastes of Wayne County Trackside Grill, Honesdale. Support the Wayne County Historical Society while enjoying a fabulous meal picked from a great menu. Info: 570-253-2462.

Pretty Woman Noon & 7 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Starring Richard Gere & Julia Roberts. Purchase tickets at www.dietrichtheater.com or the ticket booth. Info: 570-996-1500.

FEB. 4

Distinguished Visiting Artist Lecture Series — Melissa Meyer 3 p.m. Learning Resource Center, Marywood University, Scranton.

Reception following in the Visual Arts Center. Lecture & reception free & open to the public. Ms. Meyer shows images of her work & speaks about her life, ideas & working process. Info: Steven Alexander, 570-348-6211 x 2691.

FEB. 4

Performance Music: “In Recital” 7:30 p.m. Houlihan-McLean Center, The University of Scranton. Featuring pianist Donald Boomgaarden, Ph.D., provost & senior VP for academic affairs at The University.Free. Info: 570-941-7624 or music@scranton.edu.

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Eagle Watch Monroe County Environmental Education Center, Bartonsville. Field trip to upper Delaware River in search of the Bald Eagle. Many wintering & resident eagles call this region their home. Meet at EE Center at 8:30 a.m. & return 5:30 p.m. Cost includes bus transportation.

Pack lunch & binoculars & dress for the weather. Stops made for coffee & snacks. Pre-registration & payment required & limited. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org.

FEB. 6

FEB. 4

64th Annual Pike County Arts and Crafts Exhibit The ARTery Gallery, Milford. Exhibit-

FEB. 6

Donna The Buffalo 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. Their feel-good, groove-oriented, danceable & often socially conscious music began over 20 years ago with roots in old-time fiddle music that evolved into a soulful electric Americana mix. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

FEB 6

Broadway Theatre League presents 50 Shades! The Musical 8–9:45 p.m. Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton. Info: 570-344-1111 or www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.

FEB. 7

Boarding for Breast Cancer Camelback Mountain, Tannersville.

Support a great cause & have some fun.

Raffles all day, with great prizes like a pair of skis or a snowboard. Live DJ, live band, games, & plenty of pink swag to purchase. Wear pink to support the cause. Free admission.

Info: 570-629-1661.

FEB. 7

Cross Country Skiing 9 a.m.–11 a.m. Pocono Environmental [ www.connections-magazine.com ]

Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. See description at Feb. 1. Info & registration: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org.

FEB. 7

Vintage Costume Jewelry Show 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Sparta Avenue Stage, Sparta, NJ. Vintage dazzling necklaces, brooches, rings, bracelets & earrings available. Open to public; no fee.

Handicapped-accessible.

Info: Joyce Simmons, 201-213-2146 or simmonsjo@yahoo.com.

FEB. 7

Shawnee Mountain’s Paint the Mountain Pink 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Shawnee Mountain, East Stroudsburg. Dress in pink & participate in fun activities throughout the day. Weather permitting, Margaret the Pink Fire Truck will be on display in the ski area courtyard. The Hope for Strength Breast Cancer Fund is running a benefit raffle & prize winners will be drawn at 5 p.m.

Info: 570-421-7231 or info@shawneemt.com.

FEB. 7

Free Public Building Tour 10–11:30 a.m. Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton. Tours meet in the main lobby & take approx. 11⁄2–2 hours.

Tours are free; donations to the Cultural Center accepted.

Info: 570-344-1111 or www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.

FEB. 7

Animal Tracking 10 a.m.–Noon. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry.

Explore PEEC’s natural areas for tracks, trails, scat, territory marks, eat marks, & other signs animals leave as they travel through the fields & forests of

area events the Poconos. Info & registration: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org.

FEB. 7

The Cooperage Farmers’ Market 11 a.m.–1 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Fresh produce, meats, breads, baked goods, candy, mustards, jellies, mushroom logs, soaps & teas from producer-only vendors located within 50 miles of Honesdale. Pick up a farm-totable meal at The Market Café. Info: 570253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

FEB. 7

Art Opening: TOALC Photo Club “Nature’s View” Monroe County Environmental Education Center, Bartonsville. Photo Club of the Older Adult Learning Center exhibition. Creativity & artistry are expressed through diverse subjects & the use of different photographic techniques. Opening reception: 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org.

FEB. 7

Northeast Pennsylvania Brain Bee 1:30 p.m. Loyola Science Center, The University of Scranton. Sponsored by the Neuroscience Program. Free. Preregistration required.

Info: 570-941-4324 or robert.waldeck@scranton.edu.

FEB. 7

Winter Beer Festival 2–5 p.m. Skytop Lodge, Skytop.

Admission includes unlimited beer during event, a Skytop beer sampling glass, food & live entertainment on & around Skytop Lodge’s frozen lake.

Info: 570-595-8924.

FEB. 7

The Honey Dewdrops 8–10 p.m. Hawley Silk Mill, Hawley.

With just a handful of acoustic instruments & two voices, this bluegrass duo hones the clarity of great raw music.

Info: 570-588-8077 or harmonypresents.com.

FEB. 7

The Jammin Divas with Long Time Courting 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. Traditional & contemporary original folk music from Ireland, Australia & the USA. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

FEB. 7

David Cook 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Seventh-season “American Idol” winner with fiery vocals & searing songwriting skills has entered an exciting new chapter. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

FEB. 7, 14

Intermediate Fly-Tying Course 9 a.m.–Noon. Monroe County Environmental Education Center, Bartonsville.

Two-day intermediate fly-tying course.

Instruction is free plus materials cost.

Space limited.

Pre-registration required by Feb. 4. Registration & info: 610-381-6188.

FEB. 7–MAR. 1

2015 Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition Mahady Gallery, Marywood University, Scranton. Gold & Silver Key award– winning work by junior high & high school students from the NE Pa. art region. Awards presentation: Feb. 7, 1 p.m. (severe weather date: Feb. 8, 1 p.m.), Free admission.

Info: 570-348-6278 or www.marywood.edu/galleries.

FEB. 7–MAR. 14

“Figuratively Speaking” Alliance Gallery, Narrowsburg, NY. Curated group exhibition featuring twelve artists. Tues.–Fri., 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sat., 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Info: 845-252-7576.

FEB. 8

Bus trip to Tri-Cities Opera in for Rossini's “The Italian Girl in Algiers” Includes hot brunch buffet. The Hawley Women’s Club trips raise money for scholarships for WAHS seniors & donations to local charities. Info & reservations: Judy, 570-226-6588.

FEB. 8

Winter Waterfalls 9:30 a.m.–Noon. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry.

It’s a great time of year to enjoy the waterfalls. See them as they cascade down through chunks of frozen ice & snow. Dress warm, wear sturdy boots & bring a camera. Call to reserve a seat in the van: 570-828-2319.

FEB. 8

Winter Festival Noon–3 p.m. Dingmans Ferry United Methodist Church, Dingmans Ferry.

Sledding, bonfire (weather permitting),

get connected

indoor activities & free meal of soup, cocoa & cake. Homemade Soup to Go on sale from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Proceeds from soup sale support local ministries.

Info: www.dfumc.com or 570-828-2288.

FEB. 8

Cross Country Skiing 1–3 p.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. See description at Feb. 1. Info & registration: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org.

FEB. 8

Public Bog Walk 1–3:30 p.m. Monroe County Conservation District Cranberry Bog, Tannersville. Wear appropriate footwear. Preregistration required.

Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org.

FEB. 8

Buddy Mondlock The Cooperage, Honesdale. Presented

by RiverFolk Concerts. Singer-songwriter with an introspective journey from childhood through to the disintegration of a marriage & beyond. BYOB. Info & reservations: Jill, 845-252-6783.

FEB. 8

Performance Music: “7th Annual Gene Yevich Memorial Concert” 7:30 p.m. Houlihan-McLean Center, The University of Scranton. Featuring David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band. Free. Info: 570-941-7624 or music@scranton.edu.

FEB. 10

Tuesdays with Nellie 5:30 p.m. Wayne County Public Library, Honesdale. Mystery Book Club returns with Annelle Snyder. Info & registration: Elizabeth, 570-253-1220 or ewilson@waynelibraries.org.

FEB. 11

Culinary Book Club: Latin Night 5:30–6:30 p.m. Wayne County Public Library, Honesdale. Everyone loves to eat & share recipes. Info & registration: Elizabeth, 570-253-1220 or ewilson@waynelibraries.org.

FEB. 11

Open Mic Night 7–10 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

Acoustic-style open mic led by The Crackers. Donations collected at door.

Come to perform or come to listen & watch. BYOB. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

FEB. 11

International Film Series: “The Big City” 7 p.m. DeNaples Center, The University of Scranton. Director: Satyajit Ray. Discussion follows showing of the film from India. Free. Info: 570-941-6330 or sharon.finnerty@scranton.edu.

FEB. 13

Eagle Watch Monroe County Environmental Education Center, Bartonsville. See description at Feb. 6. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org.

FEB. 9–MAR. 13

FEB. 13

Art Exhibit: “Cellblock Visions: Set Free in the Penitentiary” Hope Horn Gallery, The University of Scranton. Drawings, paintings & objects by inmates of penitentiaries in six states. Free during gallery hours.

Info: 570-941-4214 or darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

A FROZEN Festival 6 p.m. Community Library of Lake and Salem Townships, Hamlin. Ages 4–10.

Join us in their own little Arendelle.

You may come dressed as a character from the movie. There will be games, crafts, bingo, a picture wall, Shopping at Oakens, snacks & sing-a-long. Must register by Feb. 11; stop in or call 570689-0903.

February 10– February 19

FEB. 13 FEB. 10

Tree Tapping Day 10 a.m. Meesing Outdoor Site, Marshalls Creek. Watch preparation for the 2015 Maple Sugaring Season. Warm beverages provided. Dress in warm layers & wear boots. Weather permitting; pre-register to be updated on conditions. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org.

Sounds Like Teen Spirit 7–10 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

Presented by The Cooperage Project and HHS Keep on Rockin’ Club. Donations make this event possible. Info: 570-2532020 or thecooperageproject.org.

FEB. 13

Lee Brice 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre.

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25

get connected

area events

Country music’s newest superstar.

Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

FEB. 13

Book Speed Dating 11:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Wayne County Public Library, Honesdale. Teen program: age 13 & up. “Hook up” with a new book. Choose a book & “check it out.” Candy hearts, streamers & find a book date. Info: Natalie, 570-253-1220 or ndickinson@waynelibraries.org.

Ship Captain Crew — The Living Room Series 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

FEB. 13

Vaudeville & Burlesque — Dinner Show Series 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Dinner begins 6:30 p.m. Offering the mixture of Burlesque comedy-song & dance through Vaudeville entertainment which was featured at the Sherman back in the 1920s & ’30s.

Featuring Aerial Gypsy Burlesque.

Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

FEB. 13 & 14

TUSK The Fleetwood Mac Tribute 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. Authentic-sounding & always respectful while replicating the sounds of one of the world’s best-loved, topselling bands. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

FEB. 13, 14, 15

Little Shop of Horrors Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee On Delaware. An exotic plant with a mysterious craving for fresh blood grows into an ill-tempered, foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore.

Info: 570-421-5093 or www.TheShawneePlayhouse.com.

FEB. 13–16

“Winter Wonderland” Family Nature Getaway Weekend Bring your friends & family to experience PEEC in the wintertime. Cross country skiing, animal tracking, nature hikes, crafts, campfire & more! Price includes three nights of lodging & meals from Friday dinner to Monday lunch. Join us for a wonderful winter weekend!

FEB. 14

“Valentine’s Day for Wildlife” 10 a.m. Monroe County Environmental Education Center, Bartonsville. See how wildlife celebrates Valentine’s Day. Humans are not the only romantics. Dress to go outside.

Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org.

FEB. 14

The Cooperage Farmers’ Market 11 a.m.–1 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. See description at Feb. 7.

FEB. 14

FEB. 14

Orange Kellin and the New Orleans Blue Serenaders: A Night in Old New Orleans 7:30–9 p.m. Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton. From the Broadway production of “One Mo’ Time,” music arranger & clarinetist Kellin brings a trio of hot New Orleans musicians to play the elegant, thrilling & undeniably infectious Big Easy sounds. Info: 570-344-1111 or www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.

FEB. 14

GaGa for Gershwin 8–10 p.m. Hawley Silk Mill, Hawley.

Canada’s next top crooner, Ori Dagan, & world-renowned soprano, Dorothy Stone, bring you a night of your favorite American classics. Info: 570588-8077 or harmonypresents.com.

FEB. 14

Ballads and Bouquets — Dinner Show Series 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Dinner begins 6:30 p.m. Featuring Nancy & Spencer Reed, & Dennis Jeter.

Celebrate love & romance at the newly renovated Sherman. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

FEB. 14

The NEPA Philharmonic 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre.

A concert filled with Cinematic Love Stories from the silver screen. The perfect way to spend your Valentine's Day. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

FEB. 15

Hearts in Winter: Poetry at the Cooperage 2–4 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

Presented by The Cooperage Project & the Upper Delaware Writers Collective.

Members of UDWC read their original poetry. Poems will center on the many variations of love, as well as winter, the return of the light, & the promise of spring. Reception follows, with UDWC books for sale. Info: 845-252-7506.

Valentine’s Dinner Theater FEB. 13, 14, 15 8 p.m.–Midnight. Ehrhardt’s Waterfront Banquet Center, Hawley. Two shows for the price of one: “When I Snap My Fingers” & “Mary, Mary” presented by the Ritz Company Players.

Info & reservations: 570-226-7355 x 2.

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FEB. 15

FEB. 19, 26, MAR. 5, 12, 19, 26

Tedeschi Trucks Band 7:30 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, WilkesBarre. An 11-member collective, the band disproves the adage “less is more” while consistently delivering an electrifying blend of blues, soul, jazz, & rock. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

“Not Demons, But Genies: Leonardo and His World” 6 p.m. Weinberg Memorial Library, The University of Scranton. Schemel Forum Seminar Series, presented by Josephine Dunn, Ph.D., professor of art history. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email emily.brees@scranton.edu.

FEB. 17

Thailand/India — A Study in Culture 5:30 p.m. Wayne County Public Library, Honesdale. Sheila Vaswani presents a discussion of the religion, culture & architecture of India & Thailand. Info & registration: Elizabeth, 570-253-1220 or ewilson@waynelibraries.org.

FEB. 17

Broadway Theatre League presents The Australian Bee Gees Show 7:30–9 p.m. Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton. Info: 570-344-1111 or www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.

FEB. 18

Bill Blagg’s Science of Magic 10 a.m. F.M. Kirby Center, WilkesBarre. 4th–8th grade. Blagg takes students on a rare, exciting, never-beforeseen journey that explores, firsthand, how magicians utilize science to create the impossible. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

February 20– February 28 FEB. 20, 21, 22, 27, 28

Little Shop of Horrors Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee On Delaware. See description at Feb. 13.

Info: 570-421-5093 or www.TheShawneePlayhouse.com.

FEB. 20

American Song Book — Dinner Show Series 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Dinner begins 6:30 p.m. Bringing together some of the best jazz vocalists & instrumentalists on the international jazz music scene today, features selections from the Brothers Gershwin, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin & others. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

FEB. 20

The Breakfast Club Noon & 7 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Purchase tickets at www.dietrichtheater.com or the ticket booth. Info: 570-996-1500.

Shemekia Copeland 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre.

Blues vocal powerhouse whose passion for singing, matched with her huge, blast-furnace voice, gives her music a timeless power & a heartpounding urgency. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

FEB. 18

FEB. 20

FEB. 18

Acoustic Bluegrass Jam 7–10 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

Led by Buckshot Jenkins & Ron Penska.

All instruments welcome, but this jam is entirely acoustic. Donations make this event possible. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

FEB. 19

Family Game Night 6–9 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

Presented by The Cooperage Project.

Find a table of games waiting to be played, or bring your favorite.

Donations make this possible.

Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

FEB. 19

Jerry Seinfeld 7 & 9:30 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre. America’s premier comedian has been hailed for his uncanny ability to joke about the little things in life that relate to audiences everywhere. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

FEB. 19

Bad Movie Thursdays with Mystery Science Theater 3000 7–9 p.m. Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton. Cocktail hour, 6 p.m. “Giant Spider Invasion.” Any MSTie will tell you that watching the shows with a group is much more fun.

Info: 570-344-1111 or www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.

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Kevin Parker — The Living Room Series 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

FEB. 21

Cross Country Skiing 9–11 a.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. See description at Feb. 7. Info & registration: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org.

FEB. 21

“Ignite: Student Leadership Conference.”

9:30 a.m. DeNaples Center, The University of Scranton. Leadership development program open to NE Pa. college students. Fee includes program materials, refreshments & lunch. Pre-registration required. Info: 570-941-6233 or www.scranton.edu/leadership.

FEB. 21

Free Public Building Tour 10–11:30 a.m. Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton. See description at Feb. 7. Info: 570-344-1111 or www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.

FEB. 21

A Tropical Escape to T & T 10–11 a.m. Monroe County Environmental Education Center, Bartonsville.

Brian Hardiman shares the images captured from his seven visits to Trinidad & Tobago, a bird-rich country that hosts a diverse array of animal & plant life.

Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org.

area events FEB. 21

Wiggles and Giggles Workshop 10–10:45 a.m. Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton. Just for kids.

Participants create an artpiece/craft inspired by the morning’s show to take with them. Info: 570-344-1111 or www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.

FEB. 21

Children’s Series: “Shadow Stories” 11 a.m.–Noon. Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton. Just for kids. With Mock Turtle Marionette Theatre.

Info: 570-344-1111 or www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.

FEB. 21

Ecozone Discovery Room!

1–4 p.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Climb into a bald eagle’s nest, crawl into a bat cave & dig in a fossil pit. Explore the indoor discovery room & enjoy handson exhibits. No registration required.

Info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org.

FEB. 21

The Magic of Science Teach-In 1:30–2:30 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. taught by Prof. Bob Friedhoffer teaches you how to perform popular magic tricks. Learn the magic & the science. Donations collected. Show follows at 3 p.m. Registration required: 570-253-2020.

FEB. 21

Tricky Tray 2 p.m. Delaware Valley Elementary School, Westfall. Calling begins 4 p.m.

Features several big prizes & approx.

250 trays. Refreshments available for purchase. Benefits the 5th-grade student “reporters” of the DVE-TV/NEWS program. Admission free.

Info: 570-296-1822.

FEB. 21

The Magic of Science with Professor Bob Friedhoffer 3 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

Presented by The Cooperage Project.

Watch the magic & understand the science. Best suited for tweens, teens & adults. Donations collected at door.

Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

FEB. 21

Winter Jam 7:30 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg. Annual winter jam continues to be all about real music that gets your

feet moving. Featuring George Wesley Tribute to Bob Marley, Jon Kirkwood Band, Dillon Schmidt Project & Juggling Sons. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

FEB. 21

The Hallowed Roots — The Living Room Series 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

FEB. 21

Albert Cummings Band 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. When it comes to blues guitar, Cummings is the real deal, producing some of the most powerful blues-rock of the 21st century. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

FEB. 21

No Good Sister 8–10 p.m. Hawley Silk Mill, Hawley.

Lipstick-stained, honky-tonk, westernswing, bluesy trio is the epitome of tight three-part harmonies & femme fatale prowess. Info: 570-588-8077 or harmonypresents.com.

FEB. 21

Comedy Variety Show 8 p.m. Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton. Cocktail hour, 7 p.m.

Boisterous laughter & hilarious comedians in a cabaret-style comedy club.

Info: 570-344-1111 or www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.

FEB. 22

Wilderness Skills 10 a.m.–Noon. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry.

Ages 10+. Learn a variety of outdoor survival skills, ranging from fire building & camping preparedness to tracking & stalking animals. Info & registration: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org.

FEB. 22

Chili ~ Mac & Cheese Cook Off Noon–4 p.m. Ehrhardt’s Waterfront, Hawley. Enter Chili and/or Mac & Cheese recipes. Award presentation between 3:30 & 4 pm. Awards, music, & the ever popular People’s Choice.

Info: 877-228-7941 or www.northernpoconoschamber.com FEB. 22

Cross Country Skiing 1–3 p.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. See

get connected

description at Feb. 7. Info & registration: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org.

FEB. 22

Sunday Music Series: “Swing” afternoon of Gershwin Favorites 3–5 p.m. Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton. An afternoon of Gershwin favorites: piano solos, vocal selections, jazz arrangements & more, including a four-handed piano arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue. Info: 570-344-1111 or www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.

FEB. 23

the Menu — local.fresh.delicious 7–8:30 p.m. Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton. Cocktail hour, 6 p.m.

Provides fresh & exciting ideas to try in your kitchen any night of the week, & festive concepts for special occasions.

Info: 570-344-1111 or www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.

FEB. 25

Open Mic Night 7–10 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

Presented by The Cooperage Project.

Led by Mike Jung. Donations make this event possible. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

FEB. 27

“American Foreign Policy: Is History a Useful Guide?”

Noon. Brennan Hall, The University of Scranton. Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Series, presented by Fredrik Logevall, Ph.D. Registration required, fees vary. Info: 570-941-6206 or emily.brees@scranton.edu.

FEB. 27

Exhibit Lecture: “Cellblock Visions: Set Free in the Penitentiary” 5 p.m. Brennan Hall, The University of Scranton. Presented by Phyllis Kornfeld, guest curator & author. Public reception follows at Hope Horn Gallery. Free. Info: 570-941-4214 or darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

FEB. 27

Comedy Night at Cocoon Coffee House 8:30–10 p.m. Cocoon Coffee House, Hawley. Info: 570-588-8077 or harmonypresents.com.

FEB. 28

Cross Country Skiing 9–11 a.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. See description at Feb. 7. Info & registration: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org.

FEB. 28

Retain the Rain 10–11 a.m. Monroe County Environmental Education Center, Bartonsville.

Free workshop. Learn how to conserve water & minimize water pollution with a rain barrel & other practices to better manage stormwater. Refreshments provided. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org.

FEB. 28

Art Opening — Rain Barrel Art “Retain the Rain II” 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Monroe County Environmental Education Center, Bartonsville. Rain barrels beautifully painted by local artists as part of a water education project.

Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org.

FEB. 28

The Cooperage Farmers’ Market 11 a.m.–1 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. See description at Feb. 7.

Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

FEB. 28

Introduction to Snowshoeing 1–3 p.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Learn the basics of snowshoes & enjoy a winter stomp through the woods.

Equipment & lessons provided.

Register early to guarantee a spot.

Info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org.

FEB. 28

RUNA 7:30 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

Award-winning Celtic roots music presented by The Cooperage Project.

Donations collected at door. BYOB. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org or www.runamusic.com.

FEB. 28

Performance Music: “In Concert” 7:30 p.m. Houlihan-McLean Center, The University of Scranton. Featuring The Univ. of Scranton Jazz Band with guest soloist Eddie Barbash. Free. Info: 570-941-7624 or music@scranton.edu.

FEB. 28

Matt Nakoa 8–10 p.m. Hawley Silk Mill, Hawley.

His lush romanticism meets the texture & grit present in the most epic of indie & pop tunes. Info: 570-588-8077 or harmonypresents.com.

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27

the arts

artscene

For more information about CM ARTSCENE GALLERY, contact CM Artscene Coordinator Lucille Norella at 570.488.6742 or email Lnorella@echoes.net.

You may also contact Connections Magazine at 570.647.0085 or cmag@ptd.net

CALLING ALL ARTISTS! Artscene allows artists the opportunity to exhibit a piece of their artwork in Connections Magazine and on our website with the intent of selling their artwork and gaining exposure.

“Russian Crown Jewel” Art Type: Ceramic Artist: Larry E. Boss Size: 5" x 7" Price: $75 Available from: Larry E. Boss Pocono Lake, PA Phone: 215-620-9097 larryeboss@gmail.com www.mediaspots.com INSPIRATION: While I am content to make things

Art Type: Real Flower Pendant Artist: Lucille Norella Size: Approx. 11⁄2" wide x 2" long Price: $25 without black cord $30 with black cord Available from: Lucille Norella Waymart, PA Phone: 570-488-6742 Lnorella@echoes.net www.artbynorella.50megs.com INSPIRATION: This PENDANT is composed of three

from a wide variety of materials, it is in clay that I find the most satisfying properties and potentials.

There is a satisfyingly meditative consciousness which arises out of the process of centering, opening and forming of clay on a wheel. There is a grace which comes to form which is derived from direct and uncomplicated functionality. “Art for art’s sake” and functional craft need not conflict at a basic level.

However, I find I am fascinated with surface design as an atavistic voice which helps me make connections to distant and ancient promptings. I take my lead from the thousands of stylistic expressions throughout the history of art and culture. Often the myriad forms of nature will be my starting point.

“Real Flower” violas, a member of the Pansy family.

They are sealed in a copper bezel to preserve them for many years of enjoyment. The Victorian meaning of the Pansy is “loving thoughts.” These bring charm and grace to any attire. They have tri-colored blooms of purple, yellow and white; their leaves are heartshaped. Pansies are also flowers of remembrance. Give this pendant to someone you wish to know they are thought of in a loving way. The black cord enhances the look of the pendant … it is optional.

“Metallic Garden” Art Type: Acrylic (Metallic) Artist: Samantha Guzzi Size: 12" x 12" framed Price: $50 Available from: Samantha Guzzi Carbondale, PA Phone: 570-282-5211 strooski02@hotmail.com INSPIRATION: I am 12 years old and am aspiring to be an art teacher. I recently won 1st place for April 2015 for the Lackawanna and Susquehanna “Drug and Alcohol Stay Sober” billboard awareness. I have been recommended by my art teacher Carol Vitzacovtch for the “Scholastic Art and Writing” award through the Carbondale Jr. and Sr. High School.

The cost is only $105 for three months and will reach over 54,000 readers per month in Pennsylvania and parts of New York and New Jersey.

28 spread the word... full issues available online

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“Mountains in the Mist” Art Type: Acrylic Artist: John Spears Size: 36" x 24" framed Price: $500 Available from: John Spears Lake Ariel, PA Phone: 570-313-9095 jwilliamspears@gmail.com