fiftysomething | January 2012

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January 2012

Mike Wellman tries to avoid the laughs

SKATE TOWARD HEALTH THROW A WINTER MOVIE NIGHT

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January ’12 LIFE’S MOMENTS

fiftysomething

4 Mike Wellman finally gets his surgery and lives to (try to) laugh about it.

EDITOR

DINING

STAFF WRITERS

7 Five to-go meals that provide lots of fresh veggies, fast!

Ellen Modersohn

Patt Johnson Jennifer Miller

DESIGNER Amanda Holladay

FITNESS

10 Ice skaters rediscover the fun of youth while boosting their fitness.

PHOTOGRAPHERS

ENTERTAINMENT

COPY EDITORS

PEOPLE

TO PLACE AN AD CALL SHANE MORRIS

Andrea Melendez David Purdy

13 Throw a winter movie night with a summery twist and serve up food, drinks that match the flicks.

16 An expert on colored gems comes to work in Des Moines after pursuing his passion around the world.

EVENTS

20 Best bets for entertainment this month, from theater to monster trucks.

23 Investing in the stock market may seem scary, but now is not the time to bow out, advisors say.

JAMES D. FIDLER/SPECIAL TO FIFTYSOMETHING

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2 fiftysomething | January 2012

On the cover: Darlene Lewis is skating director at Benton Skating Plaza.

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Des Moines Register Magazine Division

VICE PRESIDENT CONTENT Rick Green

PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER © 2012 Des Moines Register and Tribune Co. fiftysomething is published monthly by The Des Moines Register and Tribune Company. Our offices are at 715 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309. Contact us at emoderso@dmreg.com.

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January 2012 | fiftysomething 3

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life’s moments

Laughter isn’t always the best medicine

Author Mike Wellman found that recovering from hernia surgery is a side-splitting matter

BY MIKE WELLMAN SPECIAL TO FIFTYSOMETHING

T

here was a time when folks just couldn’t get enough of what I had to offer. On busy nights at the local pub I owned for many years I’d ferry beer — four cases of bottles at a time — from the back of the house to the bar several times. It was gut-busting work, literally.

I shoulda used a twowheeler.

When my saloonkeeper days were over and I went for a physical exam before taking a desk job, my doctor noticed that the inner tube was popping through my spare tire. I’d sprung an inguinal hernia.

The doc said it was nothing medically urgent; if/when it started bothering me, he advised, just say the word and he’d refer me to a surgeon for a patch job.

I used the condition to my advantage, promoting myself to foreman on heavy lifting jobs around the house and begging off when friends needed a piano moved upstairs. It was a good excuse not to go to the gym and pump iron, something I’d never done anyway. Occasionally a jag of sustained, hard laughter reminded me that my innards were coming untucked, but a few minutes off my feet

always put them back in their place. I grinned and bore it.

Then one Saturday last October I scheduled a round of golf that turned out to be painful from start to finish in ways having nothing to do with the scorecard. On every swing I grunted like Rambo on maneuvers or Monica Seles returning a serve.

When a round of golf played from a cart on a beautiful day feels grueling, it’s time to go in for repairs.

A consultation was arranged with a surgeon who outlined a laparoscopic procedure he said he could do in his sleep.

Still, I asked if I could be the unconscious one. He showed me on some anatomical diagrams what he had in mind, seeming quite sure of himself. He looked to be about my age and everything he said was punctuated with a wide grin that I started to imagine as a facial incision. It was meant to be reassuring but served instead to suggest that he anticipated some macabre pleasure, not to mention a tidy profit, from my dissection.

We scheduled for the day before Thanksgiving so I’d have a long weekend to recuperate, and while I fretted, he vacationed in Peru, sightseeing at some

4 fiftysomething | January 2012

Author Mike Wellman reenacts how he watched Thanksgiving Day football on a couch at home after his hernia operation. BOB MODERSOHN/SPECIAL TO FIFTYSOMETHING other ruins.

When next we met I was trussed in the wrinkled, backless garb of the outpatient surgical center wearing a hair net that made me resemble a pale, green acorn. He

smiled right away upon seeing me. Then he cheerfully issued warnings about what to expect in the aftermath of the procedure. Without getting too graphic, let me just mention a couple of

things: a logjam and overripe avocados. This disclaimer phase of the process was sort of like the rapid-fire, mumbled side effects that run beneath the spectacular, Utopian video on pharma-

ceutical commercials like sewers do beneath city streets. His parting shot before suiting up was to mark my right thigh with a big ‘X’ so as to head off any possibility of getting me mixed up with the guy

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Author Mike Wellman underwent hernia surgery in November 2011. BOB MODERSOHN/SPECIAL TO THE REGISTER who was there for transgender work.

Any thoughts of a getaway were thwarted by a chatty anesthesiologist whose own hairnet sported the colors of the Pitt Panthers. He started dripping something into me that quickly rendered our conversation as one-sided as those struck up by dental excavators as soon as they’ve cluttered your mouth with tools.

The next thing I knew, everybody in the place wanted to know how my pain rated on a scale of 1-10. Whoever had “5” won the office pool.

Actually, looking back it was top-notch pain;

certainly worthy of a 9 or 10 but I’m passiveaggressive and didn’t want to offend the Pitt Panther, especially in my weakened condition (I was feeling like Samson after a haircut).

They whisked me aside in favor of whoever was next in line and my poor, devoted wife took me home to moan and hobble while she prepared the holiday meal. That night we all watched, as per the occasion of Thanksgiving Eve (the busiest night of the year in the pub business, coincidentally), “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.” It was side-splittingly funny and I writhed from start

to finish; turns out that hernia repair is no laughing matter.

The next day I manned up to the feast table and strapped on the feed bag, but my diet in the days following the procedure consisted mainly of softeners and painkillers washed down with milk of magnesia.

I’d been told to expect that residual blood from the surgical field would find its way to the lowest extremities of my groinular regions making them a tad uncomfortable, much like oppressive heat and humidity descend upon the Florida Keys, and so it did.

When the family fanned out on the opening days of shopping season I stayed behind, unable even to go for a stroll with my nursemaids, the dogs.

Their sufferance of my howls was negated by utter inability to be of any help. I’d hoped The Herniator would make a new man out of me, but instead I felt like a very old one for a week or so.

Gradually the malaise gave way to a sense of restoration. All of my systems are go(ing) again. I’m out of the sewers and just look at me there effortlessly swatting drives straight down the fairways on a sun-splashed golf course somewhere in the Keys.

Now I’m starting to wonder what I should get done for an encore.

Michael Wellman, 57, is a lifelong Des Moines resident and author. His 2008 memoir, “Far From the Trees,” about growing up on Des Moines' west side, was a finalist in the 2009 Indie Book Awards contest (in the regional nonfiction category).

“STUBS: A Father’s Tickets to the Greatest Shows on Earth” was published in 2010 and was recently named a finalist in the category of parenting/family for the USA Book News Best Books of 2011 contest.

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January 2012 | fiftysomething 5

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dining

Fast, fresh and loaded with

veggies

BY W.E. MORANVILLE SPECIAL TO FIFTYSOMETHING

PHOTOS BY JAMES D. FIDLER SPECIAL TO FIFTYSOMETHING

If you have time to sit and dine, vegetableloaded fare can be inexpensive and abundant, thanks greatly to the many local Southeast Asian restaurants that pile on the produce.

But where, in the middle of winter, do you get veggie-chocked dishes when you’re pressed for time? Options continue to improve. Here are five order-at-the-counter metro-area spots that will give you a good helping of great things from the garden — and get it into your hands fast.

Jason’s Deli 3910 University Ave., No. 90, West Des Moines; (515) 222-9797 When it comes to fresh, fast and varied, Jason’s Deli may be the king of quick, especially if you choose the salad bar. Skip the long lines by ordering at the to-go counter, where you can pick up the container, then fill it up with fresh spinach, field greens, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, peas, cherry tomatoes, plus plenty of extra fixings, including hummus. You can be on your way in minutes.

Also try the vegetarian vegetable soup or a fabulous veggie muffaletta sandwich. While those will take a little longer, ordering at the to-go counter can definitely speed things along.

The vegetarian vegetable soup from Jason’s Deli.

January 2012 | fiftysomething 7

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dining

The Leonardo Da Veggie sandwich at Bruegger's is chock-full of vegetables stuffed into a sliced bagel.

Bruegger’s Several locations The line also moves pretty quickly at this order-at-the-counter operation. When you’re looking for veggies, opt for the Leonardo Da Veggie sandwich, which piles roasted red peppers, Muenster cheese, lettuce, tomato and red onion into a sliced bagel. For more of a veggie-boost, add on some cucumbers, green peppers and sprouts.

Another option here is the Garden Veggie sandwich, available with vegetable-studded cream cheese and any of the aforementioned vegetables.

Noodles and Company

The most veggie-filled dish at Noodles and Company is the Bangkok Curry.

8 fiftysomething | January 2012

1551 Valley West Drive, No. 237, West Des Moines; (515) 223-6121 The fast-casual chain from Colorado specializes in noodles, with offerings divided into Asian, Mediterranean and American preparations. On a recent visit, the Pad Thai and the Thai Curry Soup both brought a great windfall of sparkling, fresh veggies. However, according to the counter help, the most veggie-chocked dish on the menu is the Bangkok Curry, which actually has more veggies than noodles.

More good news here: You can add on a vegetable to any dish for 75 cents. So if you’re really craving mac-and-cheese, you can feel a little better about it by adding in some broccoli, if you wish. If you’re really pressed for time, phone in your order.

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The hearty grilled vegetable salad from Noodle Zoo brings plenty of marinated, grilled veggies to the table, including snow peas, sweet peppers, carrots, broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms and more atop lettuce.

Noodle Zoo

Ted’s Coney Island

6750 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines; (515) 440-0411; 601 E. Locust St.; (515) 282-6281; and 2785 N. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny; (515) 965-2099 You can order vegetable-loaded noodle bowls here, too, but owner David Vanderpool also points to the hearty grilled vegetable salad, which brings plenty of marinated, grilled veggies to the table, including snow peas, sweet peppers, carrots, broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms and more atop lettuce. The same selection of marinated, grilled veggies go on the Sicilian Vegetable Sandwich, along with some feta cheese.

Is it fast? Vanderpool says, “We’re quicker than standing in line at McDonald’s.” However, don’t be surprised if you decide to slow down and eat-in here — these venues are nicely styled.

3020 Ingersoll; (515) 243-8947 2667 86th St., Urbandale; (515) 276-2558 Two top sandwiches for vegetables include the red-pepper hummus pita wrap and the falafel sandwich. While neither bring a remarkable variety of vegetables, both load up the sandwich experience with plenty of color and crunch in the form of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and, in the case of the red-pepper wrap, onions.

The Ingersoll location has one thing none of the above options has: a drive-through window. This might be the speediest option yet.

The red-pepper hummus pita wrap at Ted's Coney Island packs in the veggies.

January 2012 | fiftysomething 9

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fitness

STORY AND PHOTOS BY BOB MODERSOHN SPECIAL TO FIFTYSOMETHING

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Skating tones muscles, clears minds 10 fiftysomething | January 2012

John Benton skates last month at the Brenton Skating Plaza, for the first time in about 25 years.

ohn Benton, 51, made it through his return to the ice without falling. So after his 30-minute skating lesson he practiced falling as part of a two-hour add-on session. “You want to crash and burn with technique,” he joked.

It was a nippy Monday night in December at Brenton Skating Plaza in Des Moines where Benton and other adult students were either skating for the first time or returning to the ice after years of absence, like him.

“Here Comes Santa Claus” was ringing so clearly over the loudspeakers that you could picture Cousin Eddie driving his RV down Santa Claus Lane in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” The rink ice was smooth and the skaters at one end were learning an important skill — how to stop.

The plaza’s skating director, Darlene Lewis, 53, was ducking in and out of the warming house, making sure lessons were progressing as scheduled.

She has her own ideas about why ice skating appeals to junior boomers, and physical fitness is only part of it.

“Skating is such a live-in-the-moment feeling,” Lewis said.

“You’re rarely thinking about what you’re going to have for dinner, or what the latest crisis at the job

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March 7th “What to do with all the Stuff “ Darlene Lewis, skating director at Brenton Skating Plaza, says she often sees first-time skaters over age 50 who are crossing the sport off their “bucket lists.” is. It’s very therapeutic.

You get off the ice after skating and you wonder what all the worry was about.”

Lewis happily watches folks 50 and over adding ice skating to their “bucket list” of experiences. It helps recall times when they were younger, regaining a feeling of youth, she said. It’s also a challenge, something to do that they’ve never done but always wanted to do.

The grandkids are doing

it, why not us?

“I love our generation.

We don’t know what ‘old people’ are supposed to do, so we just keep living and trying new things and revisiting old things of youth,” Lewis said.

She feels that folks who are not skating are missing a lot, and should at least try it once. That it may bring a “triumph of the spirit,” she calls it.

And whenever that spirit soars, how can you beat that, she asks.

Benton, of Urbandale, first learned to skate on roller skates, moved on to figure skates, then wound up on hockey skates. But that was 25 years ago.

Now he’s back for a refresher course, and a bit worse for wear. A ladder accident four years ago left him with an “exploded” leg and broken spine that kept him flat on his back for 90 days, so he’s focusing on low-impact fitness activities these days. He feels “grateful”

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January 2012 | fiftysomething 11

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fitness

Back on the ice for the first time in about 25 years, John Benton, 51, shares a laugh with instructor Jenifer Nutting at the Brenton Skating Plaza last month.

to be able to skate.

Ice skating also is a way for Benton to keep in stride with his warmweather fitness passion.

“I was dreading winter, when I’d be losing my workouts on the Trikke,” Benton said. “The gym is no fun.” The back-andforth gliding motion of skating is similar to riding the Trikke, which has two foot platforms, handlebars and is propelled by leaning from side to side.

Longtime skating national champion, coach and instructor, Burton Powley of Des Moines, addressed the fitness pluses of his sport following a recent evening skating session at Brenton.

“Skating is the perfect sport for cardio, flexibility and power,” said Powley, 55. “You can burn from 500 to 1,000 calories per hour skating at a moderate pace. And more aggressive skaters — hockey and

“Skating is such a live-in-the-moment feeling. You’re rarely thinking about what you’re going to have for dinner, or what the latest crisis at the job is.

It’s very therapeutic. You get off the ice after skating and you wonder what all the worry was about.”

— DARLENE LEWIS figure skaters — burn over 1,200 calories per hour.”

Twenty-five laps around the rink here is a distance of a mile.

All the muscles of the body are used for skating, Powley says. Only swimming is better for overall fitness because of the lack of impact on knees and potential for falling on skates.

But many skaters

aren’t likely to give the sport’s fitness attributes much thought. It’s a day or night out in fresh air, a chance for a little skating backwards, maybe some cross-skating.

From a challenge perspective, though, “this is a sport you can never truly conquer. It just presents you with more challenges, more new things to learn,” skating director Lewis says.

She’s seen people come to ice skating as older adults with skating forward and backward their only goals. The sport pulls them in, and one day they find themselves doing a waltz jump, which had never entered their mind.

“And if they can do that, they can meet other challenges in life,” Lewis said.

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entertainment

Hot flicks

Warm up with summery movie nights

By PAULA REECE Special to fiftysomething

When the weather outside is frightful, nothing sounds better than cozying up inside with a good movie. Except maybe adding some good friends and good food (and possibly a roaring fire in the fireplace).

Instead of grabbing any old Blu-Ray or DVD, why not choose a movie that will fast-forward through the blustery doldrums of winter straight to summer? We’ve chosen 10 movies that will deliver summer to your family room, as well as suggestions for food and beverages.

Grease (1978) Inspiring stage productions, sing-along theater versions and one pretty awful sequel, “Grease” tells the story of a good girl and bad boy who, after falling in love over the summer, discover they are attending the same high school. Can they keep that summer love alive? Teen love in the 1950s has never been more fun than at Rydell High.

Refreshments: Serve this classic drink with the same name as Rizzo and Frenchie’s “girl gang.” The cocktail has many variations, so feel free to put your own twist on it.

Pink Lady INGREDIENTS 1 ½ ounces gin ¾ ounce applejack ¼ ounce lemon juice 1-2 dashes grenadine 1 egg white DIRECTIONS Add the ingredients and ice cubes to a cocktail shaker.

Shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

From left, Jeff Conaway, Olivia Newton John, John Travolta and Stockard Channing star in the movie “Grease.” PARAMOUNT PICTURES

Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo starred in the 1983 film “National Lampoon’s Vacation.” GANNETT

Vacation (1983)

The Sandlot (1993)

Chevy Chase plays Clark Griswold, who is determined to take his family on the ultimate summer vacation as they drive cross-country to the Wally World theme park. Things don’t go exactly as planned, however, as they encounter Cousin Eddie, a dead great-aunt and a theme park closed for repair.

Refreshments: Although not quite a Hamburger Helper burger, a hamburger and cherry Kool-Aid drink will make your guests feel like they’ve been invited to a picnic at Cousin Eddie’s. Order takeout (perhaps the Trailer Trash Zombie Burger?) from Zombie Burger + Drink Lab (300 E. Grand Ave.), and don’t forget the Cherry Kool Aid Shakes (Transport them in an ice-filled cooler.). See the full menu at www.zombieburgerdm.com or call (515) 244-9292.

Set in 1962, this movie is told from the perspective of a young boy whose family moves to a new neighborhood in Los Angeles. He meets a group of boys who play baseball at an improvised field called the “sandlot,” and with Gourmet hot dogs, from Capital these boys he finds adventure and Pub & Hot Dog Co., kick up the acceptance. fun of watching "Sandlot."

Refreshments: Go with a DAVID PURDY/ THE REGISTER take-me-out-to-the-ballgame theme for food and drinks. Make hot dogs and brats on an indoor grill, or get takeout from the downtown eatery Capital Pub & Hot Dog Co. (400 S.E. 6th St.). Check out their menu at www.capitalpubandhotdog.com or call (515) 246-8364. Serve with peanuts (still in the shell), Cracker Jacks and your favorite beer or root beer.

January 2012 | fiftysomething 13

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entertainment Paul Le Mat, Cindy Williams and Ron Howard in a scene from “American Graffiti.”

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME VIDEO

American Graffiti (1973)

It’s 1962, and two high school grads decide to spend one last summer night cruising the strip before heading off to college. This iconic film directed by George Lucas includes an all-star cast — Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Cindy Williams and Harrison Ford, to name a few.

Refreshments: Head over to the nearest B-Bops or Sonic and load up a big to-go bag with burgers, fries and malts.

Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation (1962)

“Jaws” provides thrills and chills in a warm summer setting. GANNETT

Jaws (1975)

Duh-nuh. Duh-nuh.

Duh-nuh-duh-nuh-duh-nuh-duh-nuh … Admit it, after seeing this movie, you were a bit more wary the next time you took a dip at the beach (or for some of us, even the local swimming pool). Winner of three Oscars, “Jaws” is a classic Stephen Spielberg thriller, following three men who hunt down a killer great white shark one hot summer on fictional Amity Island.

Refreshments: Serve takeout sushi from your favorite sushi restaurant or one of the newest sushi bars in Des Moines, Sakari Sushi Lounge, 2605 Ingersoll Ave. Check out their menu at www.sakarisushilounge.com or call (515) 288-3381.

Grilled Scallop Teriyaki Salad INGREDIENTS 1 cup teriyaki sauce ¼ cup fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced 1 tablespoon garlic, minced 12 large sea scallops (1 ½ pounds) 1 cup broccoli floret 1 cup snow peas 2 cups prepared coleslaw mix ¾ cup chow mein noodles ½ cup pineapple chunks ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped Preheat grill to high.

DIRECTIONS 1. Whisk teriyaki sauce, lime juice, ginger and garlic together in a bowl. Reserve half the mixture for the salad; pour the rest over the scallops in a resealable plastic bag. Marinate 20 minutes, chilled.

2. Blanch broccoli and peas in boiling salted water for 1 minute.

Transfer to ice water, then drain. Toss blanched vegetables in a large bowl with remaining ingredients and reserved dressing (marinade).

3. Grill scallops until cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side, brushing with marinade. Remove from grill and serve on top of salad.

Meatballs (1979)

What could be more quintessentially summer than summer camp? Bill Murray plays a camp counselor whose sense of humor may be a bit warped but whose heart is in the right place when he helps his ragtag bunch of campers to have a good time, try their hardest and feel better about themselves in the process.

Refreshments: For an easy (and yummy!) spaghetti and meatballs recipe, make this one from Kristin Porter of www.iowagirleats.com. Start with Graziano Meatballs, which you can find at Graziano Bros. Italian Foods (1601 S. Union St.) or in select metro supermarkets (check your local Dahl’s). Simmer in Gino’s Marinara Sauce, another local ingredient that Porter says is “juicy, fresh and delicious.” Porter suggests serving over Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta. Voila!

14 fiftysomething | January 2012

When Roger Hobbs dreams of escaping the harried city life for a relaxing vacation on the seashore, he doesn’t count on his dysfunctional family tagging along. James Stewart and Maureen O’Hara star in this classic summer comedy.

Refreshments: Serve this summery Grilled Scallop Teriyaki Salad from Jody Halsted of Ankeny, owner of food blog Fab Food Friday (www.fabfoodfriday.blogspot.com). If your outdoor grill isn’t winter-accessible, use an indoor grill pan.

Of course, this is the perfect meal accompaniment to the movie “Meatballs.” GANNETT CONTENTONE

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Pizza goes perfectly with the high school-themed “Summer School.” FILE PHOTO

Summer School (1987)

No Oscar-winning film here, but a good, no-brainer comedy that will whisk you off to warmer months. See what happens when a high-school gym teacher, played by Mark Harmon, has to cancel his big summer plans to teach a English class for misfit students and he discovers that he unwittingly begins to connect with, and even inspire, them.

Refreshments: Order up a pizza from your favorite joint. Wash it down with a 2-liter pop — something you can spike with vodka.

Adventureland (2009)

Having just graduated from college but with no clue about how to be a grown-up, James finds himself working a summer job at his hometown amusement park to save up for grad school. This charming, funny movie, set in the late 1980s, tells a universal tale of how real-world lessons can often be found in the unlikeliest of places.

Refreshments: Serve up corn dogs (you can buy them in grocers’ freezer sections) with fresh-squeezed lemonade (also spike-able).

The Seven Year Itch (1955)

When Manhattan husband Richard Sherman sends his family to the country for the summer, he intends to stay behind with his nose to the grindstone and vows not to run around on his wife like some other men. But when a sexy blonde, played by none other than Marilyn Monroe, moves into the apartment building, Sherman’s imagination goes into overdrive. This refreshing, innocent comedy is the source of Monroe’s famous blowing-skirt subway scene.

Refreshments: Make your guests feel like they’re spending a hot summer in New York, too, with takeout from local favorite (and “Man vs. Food” stop) Manhattan Deli (3705 Ingersoll Ave.).

Call (515) 274-1208. For drinks? A Manhattan, of course, made with Iowa’s own Templeton Rye Whiskey (www.templetonrye.com).

2 ounces Templeton Rye ¾ ounces sweet vermouth 2 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters Serve stirred, never shaken. Kiss with cherry.

Marilyn Monroe in a scene from “The Seven Year Itch.” GANNETT

January 2012 | fiftysomething 15

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new in town

BY JENNIFER MILLER JENMILLE@DMREG.COM

J Jim Fiebig, Josephs Jewelers’ new West Glen sales manager and manager of training and education for the company, previously sold Zultanite, a precious gem shown here in raw form and cut for a ring. Fiebig is a world expert in colored gemstones.

RODNEY WHITE/THE REGISTER

A colorful career

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but for Josephs Jewelers’ newest hire, Jim Fiebig, nothing beats a colored gem.

16 fiftysomething | January 2012

im Fiebig, 55, has a familiar story: Boy grows up in the family business; boy swears he will never make a career of the family business; boy becomes man; man goes into the family business.

How he got there, however, is anything but a straight line.

In Fiebig’s case, the family business is jewelry, and he started when he was 10 by engraving trophies at their Jonesville, Mich., store. After filling a gigantic order of 300-plus trophies, the boy decided maybe doctoring would be the way to go.

So he was off to the University of Michigan to begin his pre-med curriculum. Which led — naturally — to a degree in music composition. After graduation, Fiebig went to Detroit to pursue a music career. He worked writing commercial jingles (he helped with the very first Little Caesar’s jingle and can still sing it all the way through) and played in a band. Fiebig even scored a musical.

But by 1979, Fiebig says, music gigs in Detroit were drying up, petering out along with the city itself. Re-enter Fiebig Jewelers. Art and Ila Fiebig opened their first store in 1949 and wanted to open a second store in Sturgis, Mich.

Jim Fiebig signed on as that store’s director.

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About the same time, he noticed a decline in engagement ring sales and lots of unsold ring settings, Fiebig also started to see the popularity of colored stones rise. “So I started to combine the colored stones with the settings I already had,” he says. It seemed logical. Fiebig began going on gemstone buying trips around the world, and traveled frequently to Madagascar, where many of the world’s colored stones (and half of all sapphires) are mined.

Buying them directly from the independent miners he says, was a “win, win, win” situation.

“I pay less for them, my customers pay less for them and the money stays in that community.”

Fiebig added Madagascar and the Malagasy people to his list of passions. “I really prefer to engage in people-to-people business. Eighty percent of the gems are artisanally mined by little guys.

There are no De Beers like there are in diamonds.” Fiebig helped establish a nonprofit foundation for the people of those Malagasy mining communities.

Business in colored stones soared. In 2005, Fiebig sold the Sturgis store as a successful enterprise so he could travel the country, converting America’s jewelers to colored stones.

He also planned to lead groups to Madagascar to show them the possibilities.

“I was on a mission to preach the gospel of colored stones” Jim Fiebig, sales manager and director of company education for Josephs Jewelers, joined the business in October. Fiebig is a world expert in colored gemstones. RODNEY WHITE/THE REGISTER

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January 2012 | fiftysomething 17

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new in town

Jim Fiebig, Josephs Jewelers’ sales manager and director of company education, right, shows gems to Hailey Kronlage, left. RODNEY WHITE/THE REGISTER Though Fiebig realizes diamonds and gold are the business’ bread and butter (90 percent of it, he says), he has become a champion of colored gemstones and an acknowledged expert in them. Which is why Josephs Jewelers hired him as the sales manager for the West Glen store and as the training and

education manager of the whole company. “Jim has a very good reputation in the industry,” says John Joseph, co-owner of Josephs Jewelers.

“I was on a mission to preach the gospel of colored stones,” Fiebig says. Once he showed the jewelry retail world the beauty and salability of colored stones, he was

18 fiftysomething | January 2012

sure “that all the jewelry guys would want to do it.”

Not so much.

His first year after selling the store, Fiebig managed to get one client and make $500. He began working with GemsTV, a British shopping channel, where he got some notice as an expert, leading him to start a training and education business.

Which is how Josephs came on the scene.

John Joseph hired Fiebig, who started at Josephs in October 2011.

“He came in the spring of 2011 to do a training and motivation. We took him out to dinner every night, and we just hit it off,” Joseph says. “I halfjokingly said something to him about working for us.

When he came back in August for our 140th anniversary — the staff was really excited about him — we revisited the topic. The timing just worked out. He was wrapping up some of his other things and was ready to get off the road.”

Fiebig corroborates. “I had signed on with a company to sell Zultanite,

a new gemstone mined in Turkey and found in an area only 1,400 acres big.

It is beautiful, natural, undergoes no treatments and is the poster child for ethical mining,” he says, pulling an enormous, $48,000 ring out of a jewelry case and demonstrating how, depending on light and background, the stone

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“I love this place, this town, this job.”

Jim Fiebig, Josephs Jewelers’ sales manager and director of company education, holds Zultanite, in raw form and cut as it appears in a ring. RODNEY WHITE/THE REGISTER changes color. “After four years on the road with it, I had only about 10 viable accounts. I was just about to give up jewelry altogether and go back to school for a nursing degree (remember that pre-med year?) when John brought this opportunity up. He was one of the first guys we sold to, who saw the potential in Zultanite. ...

“I realized that I had spent all this time and money and energy and had gotten nowhere. It takes work to sell colored stones — they come with a story — and no one wanted to do that work.

This industry, as a whole, lacks initiative. Realizing this was like finding out my parents were first cousins.

“I’ll never work on that side of the industry again. This is my last gig,”

Fiebig says with confidence. “Josephs is a perfect fit for me. I’ve visited more than 100 jewelry stores and this family, more than any other in the U.S., understands that what they’re selling every day is a legacy. Their customer service is amazing.”

That’s fine with Joseph, who says, “He’s like the third leg of the family (with Joseph’s brother Toby).”

In spite of leaving a granddaughter (“the hardest part”) and a home close to

the beach in North Carolina to come to Iowa just in time for winter, Fiebig is ready to declare it a match made in heaven. “I love this place, this town, this job,” he says.

January 2012 | fiftysomething 19

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best bets

Top entertainment picks this month ‘Blind Date’ Through Jan. 22 — Experience the excitement and awkwardness of blossoming love as a Parisian temptress goes on a blind date with a different man every night — plucked right out of the audience. This fusion of improvisation, theater and social experiment boasted sold-out runs in New York and Toronto. $25-$37. 7:30 p.m. Jan. 6, 11-13, 18-20; 5 and 8 p.m. Jan. 7, 14, 21; 3 p.m. Jan. 8, 15, 22; 2 p.m. Jan. 13. Civic Center’s Temple Theater, Temple for Performing Arts, Tenth and Locust streets. Purchase tickets at www.civiccenter.org.

World’s Toughest Rodeo Jan. 13-14 — The Made in America Tour brings patriotic pageantry, comedy and rodeo entertainment to Wells Fargo Arena, including bareback riding, bull riding, barrel racing and more. See Team Ghostriders as they bring their talented border collies and their favorite cowboy monkey partners to Des Moines for the first time. Enjoy the free pre-show with ticket purchase from 6-7 p.m. $20-$57 adults, children half-price. 7:30 p.m. 730 Third St. Order tickets at www.iowaeventscenter.com.

Iowa Home Show Jan. 13-15 — Explore more than 250 booths featuring new and innovative products and services to update your home, tour a decorated and landscaped Lincoln Home and meet Gator Queen Liz from the History Channel’s hit TV show “Swamp People.” Bring your antique treasures to the show for free appraising all weekend. $6.95 adults, $5.95 ages 62 and older, free ages 12 and under. 4-8 p.m. Jan. 13, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Jan. 14 and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Jan. 15. William C. Knapp Varied Industries Building at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, East 30th Street and East University Avenue. Visit www.iowahomeshow.com.

USHRA Monster Jam Jan. 6-7 — If you think the bigger and louder, the better, then you won’t want to miss seeing (and hearing) trucks like Grave Digger, Maximum Destruction and El Toro Loco compete in one of the world’s premier monster truck events. $22-$27 adults, $7 ages 2-12. Ticket prices increase $2 the day of the event. 7:30 p.m.today, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Wells Fargo Arena, 730 Third St. Order tickets at www.iowaeventscenter.com.

USHRA Monster Jam comes to Wells Fargo Arena Jan. 6-7.

ANDREA MELENDEZ/THE REGISTER

20 fiftysomething | January 2012

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‘Parade’ Jan. 13-29 — StageWest brings this epic American musical, winner of two Tony Awards, to the Stoner Theater as it tells the true story of the trial and lynching of Leo Frank in Atlanta, 1913. It combines all the best elements of a murder mystery, courtroom drama, love story and social commentary, all underscored with award-winning music. $22-$25 with student, senior and group discounts available. 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 13-14, 18-21, 25-28; 3 p.m. Jan. 15, 22 and 29. Civic Center’s Stoner Theater, 221 Walnut St. Order tickets at www.stagewestiowa.com.

BOTANICAL BLUES Jan. 8-29 — Each Sunday in January escape to the tropical environment of the Des Moines Botanical Center and listen to local artists perform in the Dome.

Jan. 8: Bob Pace; Jan. 15: Cindy Grill and Alan Smith; Jan. 22: The World’s Most Handsome Duo; Jan. 29: Bryce Janey. $5 per person. 1-3 p.m. 909 Robert D. Ray Drive. Visit www.botanical center.com.

Monty Python’s ‘Spamalot’ Jan. 14 — Based on the classic film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” this show won the 2005 Tony Award for Best Musical. Don’t miss this one- show-only performance. $47 and $51 adults, $28 age 18 and under, $20 ISU students. 7:30 p.m. Stephens Auditorium, Lincoln Way and University Boulevard, Ames. Order tickets at www.center.iastate.edu.

Making a Difference, An Evening with Dr. Jane Goodall

DM-9000318692

Cindy Grill laughs as Alan Smith sings a song during a previous Botanical Blues session at the Des Moines Botanical and Environmental Center. FILE PHOTO

Jan. 19 — Listen as Dr. Goodall recounts her experiences with the Gombe chimpanzees while sharing her concerns about the current threats facing the planet and her reasons for hope in these complex times. SmartTalk Connected Conversations brings monthly speakers, January-May, to the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines. Tickets are available for the series (five events) and start at $99. 6 p.m. sponsor exhibits and free hors d’oeuvres, 7:30 p.m. presentation. 221 Walnut St. Order tickets at www.civic center.org.

January 2012 | fiftysomething 21

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best bets ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

The Irish Comedy Tour

Jan. 20-Feb. 5 — Based on the classic novel by Harper Lee, this play follows young girl Scout and her family as her father, a lawyer, defends a young black man wrongfully accused of a grave crime. Set in the south in 1935, this play explores moral themes of right and wrong. $20-$29 adults, $20=$27 ages 62 and older, $20 students.

7:30 p.m. Jan. 20, 21, 25-28 and Feb. 1-4, 10-11; 2 p.m. Jan. 22, 29 and Feb. 5, 12. Des Moines Community Playhouse, 831 42nd St. Order tickets at www.dmplayhouse .com.

Jan. 21 — You’ll feel like you just stepped into a Dublin pub at this comedy show, featuring three Irish American comedians. $15 advance, $20 day of show. 7 p.m. doors open, 8 p.m. show.

Val Air Ballroom, 301 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines. Get tickets at www.valairballroom .com.

Peter Yarrow Jan. 24 — Peter Yarrow, the “Peter” of legendary trio Peter, Paul & Mary, brings his guitar to the Civic Center’s Temple Theater for a solo performance.

His hits include “Puff, the Magic Dragon” and “Blowin’ in the Wind,” among many others. $45. 7:30 p.m. Temple for Performing Arts, Tenth and Locust streets. Purchase tickets at www.civiccenter.org.

John Mueller’s Winter Dance Party Jan. 31 — See John Mueller perform as Buddy Holly and Jay P. Richardson, Jr. as his legendary father Big Bopper in the official live and authentic re-creation of the final tour of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. $10-$25. 7 p.m. Prairie Meadows, 1 Prairie Meadows Drive, Altoona. Purchase tickets at www.prairie meadows.com.

CRAIG FERGUSON Jan. 26 — KCCI welcomes the star of the Emmy-nominated “Late Late Show” for a live performance at Hoyt Sherman Place. The Scottish actor, who played the boss on “The Drew Carey Show” among many other parts, has set all-time viewer records for his time slot since taking over the CBS talk show. $54-$64. 7:30 p.m. 1501 Woodland Ave. Purchase tickets at www.hoytsherman.org.

Craig Ferguson of “The Late Late Show” performs Jan. 26 at Hoyt Sherman Place. FILE PHOTO

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money

Don’t let fears over the economy send you to investment sidelines

T

hese days, discouraging economic news can drag someone down. After all, national unemployment is still high, the housing market is still weak and economic growth is still slow. So, would now be a good time to take a break from investing?

Actually, such a “vacation” could prove to be a mistake. To understand why this is so, you‘ll need to look beyond the headlines. Once you do, you’ll find the following: » Slow growth is not a recession. While the economy is not growing as rapidly as we might

like, it is still growing — not contracting. And at this stage, most economists do not foresee the country falling into a “double-dip” recession. » Corporate earnings are strong. As of mid2011, we’ve seen five consecutive quarters of double-digit earnings growth, despite the sluggish economy. » Stocks are priced attractively. Remember, if stocks have dropped considerably, for example, the 7 percent the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell from late April to mid-June 2011, many stocks become more

affordable as measured by the price/earnings ratio of the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index.

Given our current situation — a slow-growth economy on the one hand, positive incentives to invest on the other — what moves should you consider making?

For starters, if you’ve been investing regularly, don’t stop. No one can predict when a new market rally will begin, but once it does, the biggest gains are typically achieved in the early stages. So if you’re on the investment “sidelines,” you could miss out on

some good opportunities.

A long-term perspective is imperative, as, if you follow the news, it’s easy to get a “gloomand-doom” feeling about the country’s prospects.

America is still the most powerful economy in the world, and, as a nation, we’ve weathered every financial storm we’ve encountered — which means that you’ve still got good reasons today to invest for tomorrow.

Finally, know that making decisions of this nature does not have to fall solely on your shoulders. Consider speaking with a financial advisor

who can provide knowledge and resources to help you invest in a way that enables you to make progress toward your financial goals in all economic environments.

They can help you diversify your holdings among stocks, bonds, mutual funds, government securities and other vehicles, and can help you reduce the impact of market volatility on your portfolio while giving yourself more chances for success.

There’s a saying that “tough times don’t last, but smart investors do.”

Take these words to heart.

This article is provided

by Mark Atkinson, a Financial Advisor at RBC Wealth Management in Clive, and was prepared by or in cooperation with RBC Wealth Management. The information included in this article is not intended to be used as the primary basis for making investment decisions nor should it be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any specific security. RBC Wealth Management does not endorse this organization or publication. Consult your investment professional for additional information and guidance. RBC Wealth Management does not provide tax or legal advice.

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24 fiftysomething | January 2012