Maximum Living Nov/Dec 2014

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COZY! Try these ideas for cherishing your loved one. 4 Turn old sweaters into blankets, pillows, rugs and stockings. 8

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

MORE INSIDE

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Definition of ‘organic’ hazy for cleaners, textiles and cosmetics. 12

Humor

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2 | Maximum Living | November/December 2014

Call Pam at 765-962-6546 www.ffcinc.org A Community for Carefree Living‌ It’s just nicer here!

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LIVING INSIDE THIS ISSUE Good marriages can be made even better ........................... 4 Special needs we all share.................................................... 6 What hours in your life do you savor? ..................................7 Recycle old sweaters into new items for your home ........... 8 Seasonal Affective Disorder more than blues ....................9 Lip balms, treatments in the spotlight...............................10 Meaning of ‘organic’ hazy for nonfood items..................12 Whole grains, honey combine for snack cake...................14 10 tips to keep slim during holidays ..................................15 Gift ideas for the challenging recipient .............................16 Hiding Christmas presents is a GIFT ....................................17 Local events calendar.......................................................... 18 ‘Someday’ is closer than you think .....................................21 3 ways crooks attack you using public Wi-Fi......................22

Palladium-Item Media Group EDITORIAL Millicent Martin Emery, Special Content Editor (765) 973-4468, mmartin@pal-item.com Joshua Smith, Photographer (765) 973-4487, jossmith@pal-item.com

ADVERTISING Sharon Brandley, Advertising Manager (765) 973-4442, sbrandle@richmond.gannett.com

CONTACT US EDITORIAL: For comments about editorial content or suggestions for the next issue, contact Millicent Martin Emery at (765) 973-4468. ADVERTISING: To advertise, contact Sharon Brandley at (765) 973-4442. SUBSCRIIPTION: To request additional copies of the magazine, contact Heidi Lipscomb at Heidi.Lipscomb@indystar.com or (765) 962-1575 © 2014 Maximum Living This lifestyles magazine is a product of the Palladium-Item Media Group. These materials are the sole and exclusive property of the Palladium-Item Media Group and are not to be used without written permission.

November/December 2014 | Maximum Living | 3

‘Did I say

THAT?’

4 | Maximum Living | November/December 2014

Love isn’t magic — it’s choice, commitment, hard work

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By Judy Martin-Urban o honor and to cherish ... Boomers and all others, do you remember when your heart knew you would cherish this person before you forever? Maybe it was at the altar. At the first kiss. Or at final goodbyes, after a lifetime

together. But, did you say you would do this for the rest of your life? You probably did or at least some version of it. Oh, maybe the bloom on your face and the passion of youth have turned a dull sheen, but neither age nor beauty requirements are necessary to cherish a partner or to practice intimacy. Wherever the time of your journey, you can still cherish the loved one in your life and you can still live in intimacy. That intimacy might simply be watching the morning news together and beauty comes to wear different faces for different people. You must commit to the job of cherishing though and a wee bit of work is required. Well, to be honest, a good bit of work is required. Love isn’t magic. It’s a commitment, a choice, an action and hard work. Our Creator knew what He was doing when He designed the family, but, truthfully, I sometimes wonder how any marriage ever works. Two completely different individuals join together and total harmony is expected. Nothing short of a mini miracle. Right? Understand why work is required? A marriage that works seems a wonderful oddity, doesn’t it? Oh, the fun of it all!

GETTY IMAGES/BANANASTOCK RF

WAYS TO CHERISH YOUR LOVED ONE » Say “I love you” every day. » Kiss or hug when you leave or greet. » Get caught praising them in public. » Share joy at their accomplishments. » Tell them how important they are to you, how you value them, what a difference they have made in your life. » Be generous with your compliments. » Study your loved one. Find all about them. Have favorites songs, names, foods » Ask how you can help them.

The mission is how to keep the intimacy in marriage and how to continue to cherish another individual for the rest of your life, year after year. There is a lot of advice out there, a lot of written information, which you might or might not explore. This following online site seems to offer sound advice on the subject: http:// www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/ staying-married/wives/how-to-cherish-your-husband#. VDqLZPldV1Y. I also can personally vouch for Gary Chapman’s marriage workshops on “The Five Love Languages” as an excellent tool and resource to help have the marriage you’ve always wanted (www.5lovelanguages.com) So, you’re not alone in your desire to value your marriage, but every good marriage can be made even better. In the quest of how to cherish another individual, it helps to have role models and they aren’t always our parents. It’s great if your parents cherished one another, but others might well fill this role. Scout about for happy marriages, emulate and learn from them. I have adopted a few solid marriages and the word “respect” sums up the basic ingredient needed for cherishing another person, another soul. Respect for your partner creates value of his or her personhood and certainly influences your attitude and treatment. Spouses are granted value whether they want it or deserve it. It’s important give that respect and to keep sight of a spouse’s value. Otherwise, it’s easy to ask, “Did I say that?” We know you did. We all did. In one version or another. Judy Martin-Urban of Muncie is published in both fiction and non-fiction. She uses Jude Urbanski as her fiction pen name and can be found at http://www.judeurbanski.com. Her blog site, Wordsmith Woman, is http://www.judeurbanski.com. November/December 2014 | Maximum Living | 5

Special needs we

ALL SHARE

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was late to church. So I sat in the back row. My seat on the very end of the last row gave me the great and pleasant distraction of a wide view. It also put me adjacent to, and several rows behind, a family with a young adult daughter who is severely disabled. Her wheelchair was in the aisle. Her father was next to her and they were doing the dance — the one that parents of special needs children often do. She’d bob her head and her father would lean forward and whisper in her ear. She’d LORI turn her face toward him, he’d lift a BORGMAN small towel and dab at her mouth. The bob, the lean, the turn and the touch. One, two, three. One, two, three. They are movements unconsciously synchronized through unspoken needs, knowing and time. The father and the girl danced a bit and then the girl’s mother cut in. She whispered to her husband and they changed places. The mother was next to her now. The young woman in the wheelchair lifted her arm overhead. It looked like an involuntary reflex, but her mother knew 6 | Maximum Living | November/December 2014

its true meaning. The mother reached over and smoothed hair that had strayed from her daughter’s ponytail. The young woman raised her arm again, the mother smoothed the hair again, a second time and a third. One, two, three. One, two three. Contemplating how much that young woman is dependent on others, it dawned on me that while most of us can walk, talk and smooth our own hair, we are probably more like her than we are different. We all share the same need for someone to sit beside us, to whisper in our ear, to make sense of what is happening, to help unravel events as they unfold. We all share the same need for kindness, tenderness and a gentle touch. Not only from those we are closest to, but even from those who are strangers, the ones who help clear a path and open a door. We all share the need for someone to help clean up after us, big messes, small messes, the tangible and the abstract. We all share the need for someone to engage with, someone to crack us open and pull us out, to discover what we have to offer. Maybe it is the similarities, not the differences, which often prompt us to turn aside from those afflicted and dependent. Instead of locking eyes, smiling and saying hello, we look away — not because it’s hard to look at them, but because deep down we know what we are really looking at is a partial reflection of ourselves. Could it be those whose needs are displayed on the outside, remind the rest of us of the needs we cloak on the inside? We all share similar needs; some of us just wear them inside out. Lori Borgman is the author of “The Death of Common Sense and Profiles of Those Who Knew Him.” Contact her at lori@loriborgman.com

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eturning to Central Standard Time, I lose the joy of October and accept the point of November. November means darkness after 4 p.m., the chill of fall lessened by our warm furnace, but not yet cold enough for a fire in the fireplace. We gain a “magic” extra hour in the return to standard time from daylight saving time. Most of us sleep the excess away, more rested on Sunday until our biological clocks catch up to nature. In an alternate universe, what would you do if magically given an extra hour of your choosing? Would you choose something new, or would you bring back an hour from your past, and savor, redo, or simply review? How many hours in the far-distant and recent past I would recapture and enjoy again — dinner at the Eiffel Tower with my love as the twinkling lights of Paris illuminated the night, the sunrise in triumphant pastel pinks and blues over a simple wooden cross at the Grand Canyon,

our infant son’s three shocked blinks as the pastor made the Sign of the Cross and said “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” at his baptism. These moments play over and over in my mind like unending reels on old, sepia-toned home movies. There are moments I would do over, given the chance for another 60 minutes. I wouldn’t be as nasty to my mother as AMY we prepared to pick ABBOTT up my wedding dress. My mother could not be hurried. I pushed her on a day that should be a lovely memory. Now she has been gone from this world for more than two years. I miss her every day. High school for many people represents a set of replaceable moments. Would I have slipped on a piece of chocolate cake in front of the entire athletic banquet crowd? Should I have been kinder and not shot off my mouth so much to peers? As we age, we learn time — not

money — is the most desired commodity. Unlike money, we cannot hoard precious hours away in a bank or under a mattress. We can lose time far more easily than economies can collapse. The falling leaves and the transition back to standard time remind us to spend our time wisely. Soak in the colors and richness of life. While the memories tucked away in snapshots and our minds are wonderful, nothing is as good as the real thing. When I am worried, I go to a happy place in my mind, an hour in time from a decade ago. I sit in an Adirondack wooden chair on a Florida Panhandle beach. Our son creates sand castles at the water’s edge on this warm spring day. My husband, clad in a baseball hat and beach clothes, reads a paperback in the chair next to me. My happy place brightens my dark November day. What hours in your life do you savor? Amy McVay Abbott is a southwestern Indiana writer whose books are available on Amazon and other major book sites. November/October 2014 | Maximum Living | 7

Fall, winter decor

Gets Cozy By Kim Cook

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Associated Press

ozying up in a favorite sweater is one of the distinct pleasures of autumn and winter. This year, designers and retailers are stitching up sweater motifs on an array of home décor. So while you’re wrapping yourself in a big, soft cardigan, you can also grace your space with a dollop of knitted comfort. Hannah Millman, executive editorial director of crafts for Martha Stewart Living, says knitwear is a trend with near-universal appeal. She suggests some do-it-yourself projects. “Almost everyone has a memory of a sweater that makes them feel good. What’s so great about repurposing one of your own is that you get to keep it and enjoy it,” she says. “And if you’ve found one at a market that someone may have knit back in the ’40s, you can give it the opportunity to be loved again by making it into something new.” One of Millman’s favorite ways to reuse sweaters: Collect a bunch of creamy-hued ones, in one type of knit or perhaps several, and cut them up to make a blanket, pillow or rug. You’ll find project ideas and instructions at Marthastewart.com as well as Countryliving.com, where there are also how-tos for lamps, bowls and sconces. “Creating a little story on pillows using pieces of old sweaters is a big trend,” she says. Look for pieces in gradations of color — perhaps pale pink to deep cherry, or sky blue to indigo. Or search tag sales and thrift stores for sweaters with nature motifs to create a group of woodland pillows. Those dreadful Christmas sweaters of old can be 8 | Maximum Living | November/December 2014

transformed into new Christmas stockings; other heavily patterned and colorful sweaters make great rugs. Millman suggests using a rotary cutter and anchoring the edges of a loose knit with masking tape while cutting, to reduce fraying. She also advises washing any woolens in hot soapy water in case there are moths. If you then machine-dry the sweater, you’ll end up with a “felted” material, popular in crafting circles, where the fibers smush together. If you line-dry the garment, the knit pattern remains and the fibers stay separated. If you aren’t up for a craft project yourself, don’t worry — there are lots of stores offering sweaterthemed items.

LAURENMARY DESIGN, LAUREN WEEGE

Two sweater vases by Lauren Weege.

GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO

Seasonal Affective Disorder more than just

Winter Blues

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his time of year when the weather is cold, wet and dreary, there are many days when we’d like to pull the covers back over our heads and stay in bed, rather than get out and face the day. We often loosely blame the winter months for sapping our energy, leaving us tired, irritable and moody. But did you know there is actually a very real, disabling form of depression that can take hold this time of year, called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD? Seasonal Affective Disorder can significantly impair one’s quality of life, including overall health and mood. This winter, don’t SUSAN brush off a bad case of “seasonal funk” and GILLPATRICK tough it out. It might be a larger, but very treatable, issue.

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder? Seasonal Affective Disorder (also called SAD) is a type of depression that follows the seasons. It has been linked to a biochemical imbalance in the brain prompted by shorter daylight hours and lack of sunlight in winter. The experience of SAD can be more than just the “winter blues,” and it is treatable.

Symptoms of SAD Symptoms of SAD usually begin in October or November and subside by March or April. December through February is often the toughest time, and holiday loneliness and stress can increase symptoms. Symptoms of SAD include: » Feelings of depression, hopelessness, sadness, loss of self esteem and irritability » Sleeping more than usual, yet still feeling tired » Increased appetite and cravings for carbohydrates and sweets » Weight gain and heavy “leaden” feeling in the arms and legs

» Loss of energy and concentration » Loss of enjoyment and lack of motivation or interest in activities and socialization If these symptoms last for more than two weeks, or your daily living is impacted, contact a professional.

Who is at risk? • Younger people and women are most commonly affected by SAD. Women make up 75 percent of those diagnosed, yet men exhibit more severe symptoms. • 10-20 percent of the U.S. population is affected by SAD (as many as half a million people per year). • Individuals who live in northern regions or farther away from the equator experience SAD more often. • Individuals who have a family history of SAD are more likely to be affected. • If you already have clinical depression or Bipolar Disorder, depression may worsen seasonally.

Treatment options • Exposure to sun or other light. Try opening the blinds for natural light or going for a walk outdoors. Light therapy called Phototherapy can also help. This includes close exposure to a special florescent lamp. Sessions begin at fifteen minutes and increase to a few hours. • Individual counseling sessions can help individuals learn healthy ways to cope, reduce stress and recognize and change negative thoughts and behaviors. • Medication such as prescription antidepressants. • Self care such as exercise, being social, healthy diet and stress management or interventions with employee assistance programs can help. Avoid turning to alcohol or excessive eating. Susan Gillpatrick, MEd, LPC, CTS is Centerstone’s Crisis Management Specialist. If you or someone you love needs immediate assistance, contact Centerstone at (800) 832-5442. For more information or to make an appointment, call (800) 344-8802. November/December 2014 | Maximum Living | 9

Pucker UP Lip balms, treatments having a moment come in a range of price points, from $1 or so at the drugstore all the way up to fancy Creme de la Mer’s The Lip Balm at $55. High EW YORK — Artisanal or end or economical, consumers oozing with luxury, lip are interested year-round. balms are having a “Everyone’s looking for a moment. little bit of fun,” said Tad KitJoining cutesy offerings tredge, a spokesman for Burt’s intended for kids and go-to Bees in Durham, North Carolistandards around for years na. “It’s a healthy alternative to are newer lip scrubs, color candy or gum as a treat.” tints and balms that ask buyFlaherty’s magazine recently ers to put their money where asked about 20,000 readers their mouths are for good about lip balm and other beauty causes. tools, tricks and tips. She said The world market for lip 48 percent cited lip balm as care products is projected to their must-have beauty solution reach $1.7 billion by 2015. In at the office. Hand cream was a the United States, lip treatdistant second. ments were valued at $534 Asked for the one beauty million in sales last year. AP product they’d want on a “There’s definitely an Dior’s Addict desert island, other than sunexplosion in popularity. It’s Lip Glow Sheer screen, 36 percent said lip sort of the Angelina efbalm. fect,” said Erin Flaherty, “Women wear a little bit less beauty and health director for makeup now than they used,” FlaMarie Claire magazine, referring herty said. “There’s more of an to the lip-endowed Angelina Jolie. emphasis on great skin and looking “Moisturized lips look plumper, effortless. And a lot of women are so it’s a cheap and easy way to intimidated by lipstick.” make your lips look bigger and Here’s our liptacular look at sexier,” Flaherty said. treatments for the mouth: Balms and other treatments By Leanne Italie Associated Press

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Tints abound but clears are popular, too Treating lips with some bonus color is definitely happening, Flaherty said. But she finds it telling that 35 percent of respondents in Marie Claire’s “most wanted” survey picked the clear, medicated Maybelline New York’s Baby Lips Dr. Rescue as their favorite product launched between October 2013 and October 2014. Flaherty likes the Sugar balms from Fresh for sunscreen and tint. She’s also a fan of Dior’s Addict Lip Glow Sheer. It reacts to the wearer’s pH balance for a customized, long-lasting flush. Burt’s Bees balms, now iconic after more than 30 years, come in about 10 flavors, but the original beeswax balm with vitamin E and peppermint oil remains the most popular, Kittredge said.

Fashion designers do lip balms As in nail polish, fashion designers are fond of lip balm collaborations. See LIP BALMS, Page 11

Lip balms Continued from Page 10

Rachel Roy is among the latest, according to Flaherty. There’s a limited edition set of four for EOS, the company that brings you those unique egg-shaped balms. Not the first designer to team up with EOS, the Roy-inspired balms are intended to evoke travel with flavors called Indian Summer, Orange Blossom, Aloha Hawaii Strawberry Kiwi and St. Barth’s Sunrise Pink Grapefruit. Some designers have struck out on their own with branded balms, including Anna Sui’s in a distinctive rose-motif tin. “The fact that you’re seeing designer collaborations in lip balms proves just how much of a moment lip balms are having,” Flaherty said.

Lip balms and the luxury market Plenty of balms are available at drugstore checkout, but luxury treatments have reached the lips. The geisha-inspired company Tatcha offers a touch of gold with its Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm — actual gold. There’s a hand-laid, 24-karat gold leaf that sits across each $36 jar. The idea is to drag a finger across the balm and the leaf, which crushes on contact and offers an added shimmer. “It’s sort of a bridge between skin care and cosmetics,” Flaherty said.

AP

Stewart & Claire, a Brooklyn-based newbie founded by Kristin Donnelly, blends natural ingredients into Mint Julep and Old Fashioned flavors.

small-scale farmers for certain sustainable ingredients she sources in those countries. About 5 percent of each $4.99 balm goes to the nonprofit Smile Train, which provides the surgeries. Why lip balm? MesnikGreene said 7 of 10 people use lip balm every day and have three or four products at a time. “They pull it out between one to 12 times a day, so why not a product that is so accessible and so affordable?” she said.

Lip scrubs and plumpers

In addition to balms, other lip treatments have multiplied. Fresh sells a Sugar Lip PolEco chic lip balms ish with brown sugar crystals for AP Many lip products tout Maybelline exfoliating. At the higher end, natural ingredients and lots of Baby Lips Kaplan MD has its Lip 20 Mask beauty companies give back to Dr. Rescue for $48, instructing users to let it sit on the lips for three to five mingood causes. But newcomer Zoe utes for a tingling sensation from Mesnik-Greene, a 21-year-old senior papaya enzymes. at the University of Washington in Seattle, has taken that a step furLip balms and men ther. She debuts her Fair Trade lip Stewart & Claire, a Brooklynbalms Nov. 1 as a way to help chilbased newbie founded by Kristin dren in Peru, India and Burkina Donnelly, sees hope in guys and Faso receive surgery on cleft lips balms. About 30 percent of her and palate birth defects, using customers are men and one of their

favorites is a floral called La Nuit, with jasmine. “In the way that coffee has gone very specialty and ice cream has gone very specialty, more micro lip balms are following suit,” Donnelly said. She blends natural ingredients into Mint Julep and Old Fashioned flavors. Her Autumn balm was inspired by Indian Chai and includes ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and black pepper. “I tried to think about it like a perfumer where you have top, middle and base notes,” she said. “I wanted to do something more grown up.”

AP

Balms and other treatments come in a range of pricepoints, from $1 or so at drugstore checkout all the way up to fancy Creme de la Mer's The Lip Balm at $55.

November/December 2014 | Maximum Living | 11

SUSAN WALSH/AP

According to the Organic Trade Association, sales of nonfood organic products were about $2.8 billion last year. That’s a small share of the overall organic market, but it’s growing rapidly.

The meaning is hazy for nonfood items and there’s little government regulation over use of the word

‘Organic’ By Mary Clare Jalonick

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Associated Press

ASHINGTON — There’s a strict set of

standards for organic foods. But the rules are looser for household cleaners, textiles, cosmetics and organic dry cleaners. Wander through the grocery store and check out the shelves where some detergents, hand lotions and clothing proclaim organic bona fides. Absent a U.S. Department of Agriculture seal or certification, there are few ways to tell whether those organic claims are bogus. A shopper’s only recourse is to do research. “The consumer should not need a law degree to read a label,” said Laura Batcha, president of the Organic Trade Association, the industry’s main trade group.

Soap to T-shirts According to the Organic Trade Association, sales of nonfood organic products were about $2.8 billion last year — that’s a small share of the overall organic market, 12 | Maximum Living | November/December 2014

but it’s growing rapidly. Among the most popular items: household cleaners, cosmetics, gardening products, clothing, sheets and mattresses. The USDA doesn’t regulate any of those items, though, unless they’re made entirely from food or agriculture products overseen by its National Organic Program. The rules are murkier when the items have ingredients that aren’t regulated by USDA. Some examples: » Personal care products. Companies can brand any personal care product as organic as long as they don’t use the USDA organic seal or certification. Some retailers like Whole Foods Market have stepped in with their own standards requiring organic body care items sold at their stores to be certified. » Clothing, sheets and mattresses made from organic cotton or other organic fibers.Some items are certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard, a third-party verification organization that reviews how the products See ORGANIC, Page 13

SUSAN WALSH/AP

According to the Organic Trade Association, sales of nonfood organic products were about $2.8 billion last year. That’s a small share of the overall organic market, but it’s growing rapidly.

Organic Continued from Page 12

are manufactured. Like body care, most consumers don’t know about it. » Gardening products. Some gardening products may be approved by the USDA for use in organic agriculture, but not be certified organic themselves. There are clear standards for items within the scope of the USDA’s regulation, said Miles McEvoy, the head of department’s National Organic Program. “The areas that are outside of our scope could cause some confusion.”

products are often more expensive and the market is continuing to grow? Right now, retailers are the first line of defense. David Bronner, the president of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, has fought for years to get the USDA to expand its powers on organics to include personal care products. He said Whole Foods’ standards have helped clean up the market, but there are still less-scrupulous companies that stretch the meaning of the word organic. Bronner advises shoppers to read labels carefully and scan lists of ingredients. If you find several unpronounceable ingredients that sound like chemicals, “it’s probably not organic,” he said.

Through the cracks The Federal Trade Commission normally investigates deceptive claims. But the agency demurred in its “Green Guides” published in 2012, saying enforcement of organic claims on nonfood products could duplicate USDA duties. A claim is only deceptive if it misleads consumers, the agency says. So, it will study consumer perceptions of the word organic. But officials weren’t able to say when such a study might begin.

Dry cleaners Some dry cleaners promote “organic,” but there is no legal definition for that practice. Mary Scalco, CEO of the industry group Drycleaning and Laundry Institute, said some of those businesses may actually be using petroleum-based chemicals, which are not generally perceived as organic by the general public. “The difficult part is the scientific meaning of organic and the consumer perception of the word,” she said.

Smart shopping So what’s a consumer to do, especially when organic November/December 2014 | Maximum Living | 13

Whole grains, honey combine for healthy

SNACK CAKE By Melissa D’Arabian

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Associated Press

y grandma Ursula relied on honey to solve nearly any culinary or health problem. Have a nagging nighttime cough? Swallow a spoonful of honey. Chocolate sauce not smooth enough? A dab of

honey will do it. My mom loved honey, too, favoring the creamy spun variety, which she smeared on toasted hunks of white bread slathered with butter. And her go-to dessert was a sweet apple-honey torte. Now in my own home, I add a dollop of honey to sweeten smoothies or iced tea, steep it with rosemary and brush it on salmon, or drizzle it on top of ricotta or Greek yogurt with roasted fruit for a quick dessert. I’m back in the business of baking up one of my kids’ favorites — a simple snack cake inspired by the applehoney torte my mom used to make. Because it’s technically a quick bread, the whole thing takes just 10 minutes to assemble (mix wet and dry ingredients separately, then together) and about 30 minutes to bake. The hardest part of this recipe is getting the ingredients out of the cupboard. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll make a bright citrusy glaze, which is a nice counterpoint to the warm notes of autumn spices and honey. It’s a perfect not-too-sweet dessert, a great dunking companion for afternoon tea or espresso, and an ideal after-school snack with a tall glass of milk. I use whole-wheat pastry flour for a little extra fiber and nutrition, and with the beautiful spices, the slightly darker color seems right at home in this cake. Most of the oil has been pulled in favor of applesauce. To keep it easy, I use pumpkin pie spice, but you could easily substitute a combination of nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice. The resulting cake captures all the floral goodness and nostalgia of honey in one tender bite. But if you prefer, feel free to replace half of the honey with brown sugar. 14 | Maximum Living | November/December 2014

HONEY APPLESAUCE SNACK CAKE WITH ORANGE GLAZE Start to finish: 40 minutes (10 minutes active) Servings: 10 1 cup white whole-wheat flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 ⁄4 teaspoon baking soda 1 ⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 ⁄4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1 ⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 egg 1 ⁄2 cup unsweetened applesauce 1 ⁄2 cup honey 2 tablespoons butter, melted (or vegetable oil) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon grated orange zest 3 tablespoons orange juice, divided 1 ⁄2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Heat the oven to 350 F. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with baking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, applesauce, honey, butter, vanilla, orange zest and 1 tablespoon of the orange juice. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk using a gentle folding motion until the batter is uniform. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is golden and the cake springs back under light pressure, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, to make the glaze, in a small bowl whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of orange juice and the powdered sugar. Once the cake is cooled, drizzle with the glaze. Nutrition information per serving: 160 calories; 25 calories from fat (16 percent of total calories); 3 g fat (1.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 25 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 21 g sugar; 2 g protein; 190 mg sodium.

AP

Honey applesauce snack cake with orange glaze has loads of fiber, healthy whole grains and a good taste.

Stuff the turkey, NOT yourself 10 tips to keep slim during holidays

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By Justine SanFilippo

hanksgiving is almost here, which means football, family, food, food, and more food. According to the Calorie Control Council, the average American might eat more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat. These figures don’t count breakfast or late-night snacking on leftovers, so many people probably eat more than 5,000 or 6,000 calories. The average person needs only 2,000 calories a day to maintain their current weight. Here is a breakdown of the calories in some favorite Thanksgiving foods: » 6 ounces of turkey — 340 calories » ½ cup stuffing — 180 calories » ½ cranberry sauce — 190 calories » ½ cup mashed potatoes — 150 calories » ½ cup gravy — 150 calories » ½ cup green bean casserole — 225 calories » ½ cup candied sweet potatoes — 150 calories » Glass of wine — 120 calories » Cup of eggnog — 340 calories » 1 slice pumpkin pie — 180 calories » ½ cup whipped cream — 75 calories » ½ cup ice cream — 145 calories » 1 slice apple pie — 410 calories » 1 slice pecan pie — 480 calories Rather than expanding your waistline during the holidays, let’s keep it slim instead. Follow these easy 10 tips: 1) Keep up with your exercise routine — Just because it is a holiday doesn’t mean it’s an excuse to stop exercising. Staying consistent will prevent expanding your waistline! Do your usual workout so when you are watching football and nibbling on snacks, you’ll feel good knowing you already burned extra calories for the day. Better yet, put the turkey in the oven, then go on a nice walk in the morning with the family. 2) Serve healthy snacks while watching football — Instead of heating processed, frozen snacks that are high in sodium, provide no nutritional value and are loaded with unhealthy fats, serve a raw vegetable platter with healthy dips or hummus. For a fun, lightly salted and crispy snack, bake kale chips. They actually taste like potato chips. 3) Drink lots of water — Thanksgiving dinner is typically high in sodium, so drink eight glasses of water (or more)

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to reduce the excess water weight and bloat. 4) Watch the alcohol — Excess alcohol adds empty calories and lowers inhibitions. 5) Skip the eggnog — Eggnog is extremely high in calories — 1 cup could have 360 calories and 60 grams of sugar. 6) Pay attention to portions — Even if you want three slices of pumpkin pie, you’ll regret it the next morning. Instead, enjoy a sensible portion or just take a few bites of your favorite foods. You won’t feel like you’re missing out on anything, but your waistline and stomach will thank you. 7) Cook more of the “good” foods and less of the “bad” foods — Leftover are inevitable, so why not have more healthy leftovers than the unhealthy ones? Cook more of the foods that are good for you, so the next day you have healthy choices without all the temptation. 8) Eat your Thanksgiving meal early so it has time to digest — Try to eat in the afternoon so that the heavy meal will digest long before bedtime. 9) Freeze excess leftovers — To avoid feeling the need to eat all the leftovers in a few days before they go bad, freeze some of them. Plus, you’ll have more room in the fridge. 10) Enjoy time with your friends and family — The purpose of the holiday is to relax, have fun, and spend time with those you care about. University of Notre Dame graduate Justine SanFilippo is a certified health coach, nutritionist, and author of the book “Lose Your Inches Without Losing Your Mind!” To purchase the book and for more free resources to lose your inches, check out her website at www.happyhealthypeople.com

KRISPY KALE CHIPS Ingredients: 1-2 bunches of kale, washed and dried 1-2 tbsp olive oil Pinch of sea salt Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove kale from stalks. Keep the greens in large pieces Place a little olive oil in a large bowl. Dip the kale in the olive oil. Mix with your hands until kale is evenly covered with olive oil. Put kale on baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until kale starts to turn brown. Keep and eye on it because it can burn quickly. Turn kale pieces over midway through cooking. Remove, sprinkle with sea salt, and serve!

November/December 2014 | Maximum Living | 15

Gift ideas for the challenging recipient

I

f those on your shopping list say they don’t want presents, try one of these ideas. » The 10th annual Alternative Gift Fair will be from noon to 3 p.m. Dec. 6 at Morrisson-Reeves Library, where you can buy gifts starting at $10 from local charities. Your recipient will get a certificate showing what the donation purchased (such as food for shelter animals or light bulbs for Habitat for Humanity). » Gift certificates for groceries, department stores, restaurants, beauty salons, movie theaters or movie rentals, gas stations, car washes, book stores, dry cleaning, pharmacy, taxi rides or senior transportation » Tickets to a Richmond Symphony Orchestra concert, Richmond Civic Theatre play, Civic Hall Performing Arts Center show, sporting event or other attraction. Tickets could be bought for events in their hometowns if they live far away. » Membership to a local non-profit such as Wayne County Historical Museum, Richmond Art Museum, Hayes Arboretum, Cope Environmental Center, etc. » Fill their pantry, buying canned fruits and vegetables, soups and meats and packages of pastas, crackers, cookies and other foods they might not ordinarily buy for themselves » Pay for help with housekeeping a few times a year » Make a payment on one or more utilities » Tell them to pick a date and you’ll take them out for a meal once a month on that day for the rest of the year » Postage stamps, stationery, pens and pencils » Homemade items such as a scrapbook of memories, needlework or food with recipes » Personal care items such as shampoo and conditioner, lotions, soaps, toothbrushes and toothpaste, make-up, hair accessories, brushes and combs » Cologne/perfume if you know the person likes it » Lions Club sells cases and baskets of fruit » Replace worn-out cookware or food storage boxes » Books, movies, CDs » Jigsaw puzzles or puzzle books » Bag that attaches to a walker to hold things » A framed family photo » Pay for Internet access » Answering machine » Gym membership » Computer games and software » Coffees, teas and/or hot chocolate mixes » Vacation package for a cruise or short trip » Snacks such as nuts, microwave popcorn or candy 16 | Maximum Living | November/December 2014

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Gift certificates can help the person who has everything.

(bags, bars, boxed) » Headset radios, MP3 player, iPod, etc. » Bird feeder/seed » Paper towels, tissues, plates, plastic bags, napkins » Pajamas, sweatsuits, cardigan sweater, lap robe » Supplies for their pet » Cell or cordless phone (or pay their phone bill) » Digital camera » Winter hat/gloves/scarf » Calendar for their wall or pocket/purse » Large-print items such as playing cards, address book, talking scale, large-button TV remote, large display clock » Purse or wallet » Slippers with nonskid soles » Newspaper or magazine subscriptions » Fleece throw for the couch » Electronic medication reminder or containers » Supplies for their hobbies such as gardening, arts and crafts, stamp collecting, sports watching, etc. » Add to their collections

Hiding

Christmas presents is a

I

GIFT

have perfected the art of hiding Christmas gifts. I can hide them so well that not even I can find them. When the kids were little, hiding gifts was easy. I could have slung snow shoes around the vacuum cleaner and they would have gone unnoticed for months. Years, maybe. I once considered hiding gifts in the cabinet beneath the kitchen sink where we keep dishwashing soap, glass cleaner and furniture polish. It would be the last place any of the kids would have looked. Kids, nothing. It was the last place I liked to look. Laundry baskets and the dishwasher would have been safe stash spots as well. The freezer, however, was off limits. It was their home away from home, fanning the door looking for Bagel Bites. I’ve heard of people hiding gifts in trash bags, but it sounds like a recipe for disaster. LORI Now the kids are grown and have BORGMAN homes of their own, hiding spots have multiplied exponentially. Closet shelves, dresser drawers, under beds, obvious spots as well as nooks and crannies are potential hiding spots. The problem is not hiding the gifts; the problem is finding them. I have a central hiding spot, but sometimes when in a hurry, which is to say most of the time, I have been known to tuck a gift in a spot that is perfectly logical at the time, but makes absolutely no sense later. Finding them becomes a cross between buzzing in on Jeopardy and playing Scattergories. Bedroom slippers in a drawer with swimming suits: “Seldom worn things for $500, Alex!” A sketchbook hidden beneath a paper cutter: “Things that start with “P”—paper for drawing, paper for cutting. The youngest stopped by the other day as I was wrapping a small gift for a grandbaby. “How many gifts do you think you’ll forget about this year?” she asked. It has become a Christmas tradition. We finish our gift exchange, I look around, take inventory and realize something is missing.

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The crowd, always helpful, offers suggestions: “Check the linen closet behind the towels. You hid body wash there once.” “How about beside your dresser? You always think nobody can see large boxes because there’s a surge suppressor in front of them.” “Did you look in the utensil drawer? Remember the time—” I think it’s nice to run across little treasures during the course of the year. It’s a way of keeping Christmas in your heart, not to mention your closet shelf, in the attic and the garage, all year long. Lori Borgman is the author of “Catching Christmas.” Contact her at lori@loriborgman.com.

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November/December 2014 | Maximum Living | 17

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Arts and crafts » Richmond’s Own Society of Embroiders, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Nov. 25 (last Tuesday each month), Richmond Senior Community Center, 1600 S. Second St., Richmond. Projects and lessons on various types of needlework are given. Needleworkers of all skill levels are welcome. Bring a sack lunch. Also, on the second Monday of the month, a stitch-in takes place at a ROSE member’s home or senior center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring a sack lunch. » Quilling ornamant adult craft, 4 p.m., Nov. 25, Preble County District Library, 150 N. Main St., Eldorado, Ohio. Quilling uses strips of paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together for decorative designs. » Cork and Canvas, 6-9 p.m., Nov. 28, Room 912, 912 E. Main St., Richmond. Instructors provide step-by-step instruction to create your own masterpiece while sipping a favorite drink. Gather your friends for a colorful group experience. All painting supplies are provided, including an apron to keep you looking your best. Cost: $35/person (does not include alcohol; beverages, alcoholic and non, are available for cash purchase). Usually offered monthly. Must be 21 or older to participate. Reservations limited: (765) 966-0256 » Free adult and teen painting sessions, 2-6 p.m., Saturdays, Hagerstown Museum, 96 1/2 E. Main St.,

Hagerstown, Ind. Materials and classes provided for first three sessions. New participants encouraged to come at 1:30 p.m. Those who continue after three lessons are encouraged to purchase their own basic art supplies. The Arts Place art gallery is open from 1-6 p.m., Wednesdays through Saturdays. Members can paint anytime during open hours. (765) 489-4005 or find updates on Facebook.

Christmas and holiday events » “The Real Meaning of Christmas,” 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5, Centerville Christian Church, 111 N. Morton Ave., Centerville. Fundraising event for Hope House. A fast-paced yet poignant comedy highlighting different perceptions of the holiday season. Written and directed by Shannon Nevels, featuring Jared Adamson, Andy DeHoff, Brian Jackson, and Lizzy Walther. $10 ticket includes dessert and Starbucks coffee. Sponsored by the Nevels Family so that 100 percent of ticket price goes directly to Hope House. Gentlemen of Hope House will serve at tables. For information or to purchase tickets, contact Shannon Nevels at shannon_nevels@yahoo.com, Sally at Centerville Christian Church (765) 855-5176, or Trinity Gifts & Books, 4623 National Road E. » Christmas Craft Bazaar, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Dec. 6, See CALENDAR, Page 19

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18 | Maximum Living | November/December 2014

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Continued from Page 18

Hillcrest Baptist Church , 3469 Hillcrest Road, Richmond. Do that last-minute Christmas shopping. Many craft vendors, wood crafts, crochet, food vendors, and direct sales companies like Thirty One and Scentsy with cash and carry items. Mini Christmas photo sessions available. » Rosemary Weigel Frostbite 5K, 5 p.m., Dec. 6, Glen Miller Park, 2200 E. Main St., Richmond. Registration 3:45-4:45, race at 5 p.m. » Celebration of Lights, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., Dec. 6, Glen Miller Park, Richmond. Free. » Christmas with Dino piano concert, 7 p.m. Dec 6, First Baptist Church, 1600 S. A St., Richmond. $20. Tickets: (765) 962-3074, (765) 977-3001 or Trinity Gifts & Books. » Lynn & Friends Christmas Special, 7-9 p.m., Dec. 7, First Presbyterian Church, 100 N. 10th St., Richmond. Lynn & Friends annual Christmas special featuring Rusty Ammerman, Ann Frost, Kim Giesting, Teresa Jackson, Lynn Kennedy, Cindy Oler, Brian Rodgers and Carol Lou Woodward. Free. All welcome. Wassail to follow. » “The Family Tree: A Christmastime Concert,” Dec. 12-14 and 19-21, Richmond Civic Theatre, 1003 E. Main St., Richmond. Shows at 7:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Additional shows planned for the 2014-2015 season are: “The Great Gatsby” on Feb. 6-8 and 13-14, 2015; “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” on April 10-12 and 17-19; and “The Three Musketeers” on May 15-17 and 22-23. Information or tickets can be obtained at www.goRCT.org or (765) 962-1816. » Holiday Ice Spectacular, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12, Civic Hall Performing Arts Center, 380 Hub Etchison Parkway, Richmond. A touring ice skating presentation on the

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stage using synthetic ice. Combines skating and theater. Adults $25, students $18. (765) 973-3350 » Cookie Walk, 9 a.m.-noon, Dec. 13, Edwards Memorial United Methodist Church, Liberty, Ind. You will choose delicious homemade cookies and candies from a huge variety of approximately 450 dozen to fill the box you purchase. Splenda and gluten free varieties available. Proceeds are used for local missions. Delivery in Liberty available. » Christmas Candlelight Service, 8 p.m., Dec. 15, Stout Meetinghouse, Earlham College, 801 National Road W., Richmond. A combination of scripture readings, congregational carols and Concert Choir selections. The service concludes with everyone lighting candles and luminaria around the Heart of campus. Following the service, everyone is invited to Earlham Hall lobby for cookies and hot chocolate. Free.

Faith » 170th Anniversary of St. John Lutheran Church, 10:30 a.m.-noon , Dec. 7, St John Lutheran Church, 501 S. Seventh St., Richmond. ELCA Bishop Elizabeth Eaton will be the guest preacher and special music will be presented. The Indiana-Kentucky Bishop William Gafkjen of Indianapolis will take part along with local pastor James Culver. Everyone is invited. (765) 935-2481 » Gospel Revelations Winter Concert, 7 p.m., Dec. 7, Goddard Auditorium, Carpenter Hall, Earham College, 801 National Road W., Richmond. Join Earlham’s largest and most multicultural group at their end-of-the-semester concert. High-energy soulful gospel tunes on a Sunday evening. Free admission, no tickets required. (765) 983-1410 or earlham.edu

Family fun » Crafting with Connie, Noon-3 p.m., Dec. 20, Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church, 1004 N A St, Richmond. Must sign up one week ahead of workshop. For ages kindergarten and older. $10 fee includes materials and a snack. Send check, name and age to Connie Wood, 1311 Harris St., Richmond, IN 47374. (765) 966-0277. Number of crafts depends on difficulty. » Train Rides and Model Train Display, Noon-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Richmond Furniture Gallery, 180 Fort Wayne Ave, Richmond. Free vintage kiddie train rides. (765)939-3325 or richmondfurnituregallery.com

Music » Senior Fun Bunch, 1-4 p.m. Thursdays, American Legion, 1477 Ohio 503 S., West Alexandria, Ohio. Meet for old-time Country and Western music. Coffee and snacks are provided. No cover charge. Featured singers include Jack Fluty, Eddie Collett, Stoney Newman, Red King, Paul Boyd, Keith Brown, and Judy Lay. Guest singers welcome. See CALENDAR, Page 20 November/December 2014 | Maximum Living | 19

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Continued from Page 19

» Gamelan Concert, 7:30 p.m., Dec. 5, Lingle Hall, Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, Earlham College, 801 National Road W., Richmond. Students and community members present traditional Indonesian music on Earlham’s central Javanese bronze gamelan. A gamelan is a large set of melodic percussion instruments led by drums that can also include a bowed lute, a plucked zither, a bamboo flute and singers. For this concert the group will be lead by Heri Purwanto, a visiting artist-in-residence from Java funded by a Fulbright Scholarship grant. Free admission, no tickets required. (765) 983-1410 » JazzCussion Concert, 7:30 p.m., Dec. 6, Lingle Hall, Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, Earlham College, Richmond. The jazz and percussion groups of Earlham join forces. Performing jazz and pop standard to dramatic novelty percussion pieces, the concert is open to people of all ages. Free admission, no tickets required. » Richmond Symphony Orchestra: Movies IV, 3-5 p.m., Dec. 7, Civic Hall Performing Arts Center, 380 Hub Etchison Parkway, Richmond. Pops concert that ranges from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma” to John Barry’s scores for the James Bond movies. This concert features the RSO Singers, the Orchestra-Within-an-Orchestra, and the 2014 Young Artist Competition winner. Adults, $15; students in grades K-12 admitted free. (765) 966-5181 or http://richmondsymphony.org » Eaton Area Community Chorus Concert, 3 p.m., Dec. 7, Preble County Performing Arts Center, 600 Hillcrest Drive, Eaton, Ohio. (937) 456-6608

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» Live music, 7:30 to 11 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, Taffy’s, 123 E. Main, Eaton, Ohio. Concert calendar at http://taffysofeaton.com. Featuring Grammy Award winners, national and international artists, regional and local artists. Most concerts do not require a door cover. (937) 456-1381

New Year’s Eve » Party , 9 p.m., Dec. 31, Veterans of Foreign Wars, 213 S. Eighth St., Richmond. (765) 966-6441

Home » Homespun Programs, 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m., Dec. 17, Cope Environmental Center, 4910 Shoemaker Road, Centerville. Program on conserving energy in your home. $5 per class. Reservation: (765) 855-3188 or email a.blue@copeenvironmental.org

Dances » Thursday Night Dances, 4-7 p.m., The Gathering Place, 501 Nation Ave., Eaton, Ohio. Country and bluegrass music$3 per person or $5 per couple. Door prizes, a 50/50 drawing, a dollar food menu, and dancing instructions during intermission. Adults of all ages are welcome to attend. Organized by Preble County Senior Center. » Interaction Singles Dance, 8-11 p.m., Fridays, Eagles Lodge, 75 S. 12th St., Richmond. Must be 21 or older and single. Social hour from 6-7 p.m., discussion from 7-8 p.m. and dance from 8-11 p.m. Eagles membership not required. Cost: $6. (765) 966-8893 Find more events in the daily Palladium-Item calendar and Thursday’s Get Out! arts and entertainment coverage as well as www.pal-item.com. Email your group’s events to palitem@pal-item.com. Listings are free and run as space permits.

20 | Maximum Living | November/December 2014

‘Someday’ is closer than you think

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or many people, Someday is an elusive day on the far-off horizon — always close enough to see, but too distant to touch. Perhaps Someday you plan to go skydiving. Or enter a hot dog-eating contest. Maybe Someday you plan to ride a mechanical bull. Or travel around the world. Or visit all of America’s national parks. Someday, you may want to retire. If you are mid-career, Someday, you may need to start planning for retirement. Even if you are just now starting your career, Someday, you’re going to want to see what your future benefits will be and check your earnings for accuracy. Well, get ready, because Someday has arrived. Open a my TERESA Social Security account at BRACK socialsecurity.gov/myaccount, and you’ll see what we mean. Millions of people have already opened an account, taking advantage of the benefits of my Social Security. Why are so many Americans opening accounts? Because my Social Security is fast, easy, and secure. It’s a convenient way to check your earnings record, get up-to-date, personalized estimates of retirement, disability, and survivors benefits, and access your Social Security Statement. With a my Social Security account, you can plan for your retirement and get help figuring out how to save for your future. If you already receive benefits, you can manage them online by starting or stopping your direct deposit, changing your address, and getting an instant proof-of-benefits letter. Someone opens a new account just about every six seconds. Considering there is only one skydive every 16 seconds, opening a my Social Security is even more popular! That elusive Someday that you thought might never come is here now. You’ll find it at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. Teresa Brack is Social Security manager in Richmond.

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November/December 2014 | Maximum Living | 21

3 ways crooks attack you using public

Wi-Fi

W

hen you’re on the go and running out of data on your cellular plan, finding free public Wi-Fi is like receiving a fantastic present on Christmas

morning. However, crooks have several ways to snag your information using a Wi-Fi hotspot. Here are three of the most popular methods and how to protect yourself.

Honeypot Wi-Fi networks Most free Wi-Fi is courtesy of a coffee shop or hotel. However, that free network might actually be a hackerrun router. Hackers have no problem setting up a router in a public area and naming it something like “coffee shop Wi-Fi” or “free hotel Wi-Fi.” It might even use the name of a business in the area. Plenty of people will connect without thinking. Even worse, a hacker might set up next to a legitimate Wi-Fi network and name their network the same thing. Even if you spot the duplication in the network list, you won’t know which one is safe to connect KIM to. KOMANDO Once you connect to the hacker’s network, they can start probing your gadget for weaknesses to slip in viruses or spy on your browsing. They can also redirect your browsing so you end up on malicious websites. How do you stay safe? Make sure you check with the business you’re visiting to verify the name of the Wi-Fi network — many places will require you to get a password anyway. Then, make sure you scroll through the list of networks in the area. If you spot more than one with the same name, let the business know. In most cases, it will be because the business has a dual-band Wi-Fi router, which creates two networks — one at 2.4Ghz and one at 5Ghz. You can’t be too careful, though. Make sure your gadget’s operating system is up to date, along with the browser and security software. That way there won’t be holes for hackers to exploit. You can also grab a VPN app like Hotspot Shield VPN to encrypt your Internet connection. Hackers won’t be able to snoop on what you’re sending and receiving.

Packet sniffing Of course, you don’t have to connect to a hacker’s rou22 | Maximum Living | November/December 2014

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ter for them to snoop. Being on the same legitimate network is enough to cause trouble thanks to packet sniffing. When you send and receive data over the Internet, the information is sent in millions of tiny packets. Packet sniffing just means that hackers are intercepting these packets and reading them to see what you’re doing. That includes snagging usernames and passwords, reading your email, texts or social media posts, and seeing what sites you’re visiting. This does take some tweaked hardware and special software, but it isn’t anything a halfway competent hacker can’t put together. To protect yourself, you can use a VPN app or site to create an encrypted connection, as I mentioned above. You’ll also want to avoid visiting any important sites, such as banking sites, on public Wi-Fi. If you must do banking on the go, use the bank’s app on your smartphone or tablet over a cellular connection.

Shared folders Most people use Wi-Fi networks to access the Internet. It’s easy to forget that the whole point of networking is sharing information between computers or gadgets on the same network. If your gadget is set to automatically share folders, then anyone — not just hackers — can see what you’re sharing. Fortunately, Windows Vista, 7 and 8, make it simple to automate your sharing settings. When connecting to a public hotspot for the first time, Windows asks for a location type. Make sure you set it to “public.” This will automatically modify sharing settings for maximum safety. On a Mac, go to System Preferences>>Sharing and make sure all the sharing boxes are unchecked. You’ll have to turn on the controls again when you want to share files on your home or work network. For now, you don’t really need to worry about this on a smartphone or tablet. Of course, it works the other way. An enterprising hacker or prankster might share a “honeypot” folder on a public network. If your computer is connected, you might see it under your “shared” folders as something that might fool you into opening it. For her daily tips, newsletters and more, visit www.komando.com. E-mail her at techcomments@usatoday.com.

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