July 2014 Prime

Prime FREE FOR YOU

Celebrating Midlife and Beyond

A Date

July 2014

With

Destiny

Explore the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village

On the Grill

Lemon-Herb Chicken Protecting Your Child’s Skin in the Summer Sun

2

July 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

July 2014

Table of Contents Editor’s Notes

4

Quick Reads

6

Yard ‘n Garden

8

A Gracious Plenty

9

Container Gardening

Herb-Lemon Grilled Chicken

A Date with Destiny

10

In Every Life

14

Money Wi$e

15

Tinseltown Talks

16

Making Sense of Smell

18

Medicare

22

Social Security

23

Puzzles

24

Scam Alert!

25

More Than “Wings”

26

Moving Free

28

Starting A Business

29

Prime Diversions

30

Off the Beaten Path

32

Calendar of Events

34

Your Beach Destin-ation

Financial Exploitation of Seniors Leave Something Behind Jane Powell: 85 and Active Your nose is more than a convenient place on which to rest your glasses. From enjoying food, to alerting you to danger, to its interaction with our sense of taste, a functioning sense of smell makes life more pleasant. (Spice of Life, page 18).

Why your nose is important.

Understand Your New Health Plan No SS Cards After August!

Who’s REALLY calling you?

Prime FREE FOR YOU

Celebrating Midlife and Beyond

A Date

July 2014

With

D e stiny

Explore the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village

On the Grill

Lemon-Herb Chicken Protecting Your Child’s Skin in the Summer Sun

Find out why Destin, Florida is called “The Luckiest Fishing Village.” Great beaches, shopping, dining, sail and power boating, and, of course, fishing. Plus, a museum with a deep sea rod and reel once used

by Pulitzer prize winner Ernest Hemingway.

What Buffalo Has to Offer Aqua-cising

July DVD Releases

Ghosts in the Grass

www.primemontgomery.com | July 2014

3

Prime I

Editor’s Note

Montgomery

July 2014 Vol. 5, Issue 4

PUBLISHER Bob Corley, primemontgomery@gmail.com EDITOR Sandra Polizos, primeeditor@gmail.com ART DIRECTOR Callie Corley, primemagdesign@gmail.com WRITERS Andrea Gross, Brian Hayden CONTRIBUTORS Niko Corley, Mark Glass, Mirabai Holland, Kylle’ McKinney, Bob Moos, Arlene Morris, Nick Thomas, Dave Toellner, Alan Wallace, PHOTOGRAPHERS Irv Green, Bob Corley SALES Bob Corley • 334-202-0114, primemontgomery@gmail.com Wendy McFarland, • 334-652-9080 mcfarlandadvantage@gmail.com Prime Montgomery 7956 Vaughn Road, #144 Montgomery, AL 36116 • 334-202-0114 www.primemontgomery.com ISSN 2152-9035

Prime Montgomery is a publication of The Polizos/Corley Group, LLC. Original content is copyright 2014 by The Polizos/Corley Group, LLC., all rights reserved, with replication of any portion prohibited without written permission. Opinions expressed are those of contributing writer(s) and not necessarily those of The Polizos/ Corley Group, LLC. Prime Montgomery is published monthly except for the combined issue of December/January. Information in articles, departments, columns, and other content areas, as well as advertisements, does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Prime Montgomery magazine. Items relating to health, finances, and legal issues are not offered as substitutes for the advice and consultation of health, financial, and legal professionals.

Consult properly degreed and licensed professionals when dealing with financial, medical, emotional, or legal matters. We accept no liability for errors or omissions, and are not responsible for advertiser claims.

f you mentioned the name “Destin” to me as a child, I’d throw a fit. Not a big fit; those weren’t allowed. More a a quiet fit my parents rarely paid attention to. Why couldn’t we go to Panama City, Pensacola, or Miami (the only other Florida destinations I knew)? Why wasn’t there a more viable option than desolated Destin, an uninspired beach with only endless white sand and sea to entertain us?

No Goofy Golf, just a sparse few motels.

Not even an arcade. To my eyes, Destin was a Florida wasteland.

Once, after Mom and Dad announced we were going to Destin I decided to run away. Declaring my eminent departure a better option than their planned destination, I packed a shirt, pair of shorts, and my brother’s rabbit foot into a red bandanna, and tied the small round bundle to a long stick. (In the ‘50s you had to mimic a hobo if you were at all serious about running away.)

Humphing out the door, I walked all the way to the Gorman’s house, three doors down. It was as far as I was allowed to go by myself. No one came after me, so I sat on the curb for what seemed like hours. More likely, it was a long 20 minutes. Once I thought I saw my mother’s face peer around a hedge, but blinked and her kind, concerned face was gone. Defeated, I turned around and headed back home.

Destin was, and still is, a premiere deep-sea fishing destination. That was the attraction that drew us there. My dad loved to fish, and he’d fish in every river, lake and pond around Montgomery. But deep sea fishing was his favorite.

Arriving in our red Rambler, we’d drop my father off at the Destin dock. While he held visions of snapper, trigger fish, and the pull of a blue marlin, I envisioned a miserable day in the hot summer sun, pounded by large ocean waves, my feet burning in the glaring white sand.

A little museum adjoined the dock, providing air conditioning and limited amusement. For a quarter, there was a machine that would press a copper penny into a flat, elongated souvenir disc. Mom surely thought the 26 cents was cheap entertainment, since I would ponder the former coin for hours, knowing I had quite a prize.

I’ll never forget Dad’s ear-to-ear grin, cigar-in-mouth, when we met him, hours later, at the dock. He’d be holding a newly purchased metal trash can with iceddown grouper, snapper and redfish. As we traveled on to some other beachside destination for the remainder of our vacation, our minds and mouths were set for good eating.

Dad often talked about buying beach property around Destin, but my brother and I always pooh-poohed the idea, knowing no one would ever find Destin’s isolation desirable. Apparently someone did. I think about those “miserable” Destin days every summer, as we peruse the long list of condos and houses, looking to trade hundreds of dollars for a day and night in the Destin sun. Had I only known...

Have a happy and safe July 4th!

Sandra Polizos, Editor 4

July 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

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5

quick reads E-Cigarettes on Fire E-cigarettes vaporize nicotine, the addictive ingredient in tobacco products. They first became available in the U.S. in 2007. Now, the first comprehensive survey of on-line sales of e-cigarettes found 466 e-cigarette brands sold online in 7,700 flavors, including candy flavors that may appeal to children, such as gummy bear and marshmallow. Traditional cigarettes sold in the U.S. can be marketed in just two flavors: tobacco and menthol.

Customizable e-cigarettes can look nothing like an oldfashioned tobacco cigarette, with some resembling pens and flashlights. The marketing messages for the older vs. newer e-cigarette brands are different. Older brands were more likely to claim e-cigarettes were healthier or cheaper than smoking, or that e-cigarettes could help people quit smoking. Newer brands focus their marketing message on consumer choice, such as flavors or models.

Smoking rates among American adults have declined from 42 percent in 1965 to 18 percent in 2012, but tobacco use in the U.S. is still responsible for nearly one in five deaths, according to the American Cancer Society. — Newsroom, June 2014. Provided by University of California, San Diego, Health Sciences.

Daytime Sleepiness & Osteoporosis Orexin proteins, blamed for spontaneous daytime sleepiness, play a crucial role in bone formation, according to findings by University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center researchers. The findings could potentially give rise to new treatments for osteoporosis.

Orexins have been found to regulate a number of behaviors, including arousal, appetite, reward, energy expenditure, and wakefulness. Orexin deficiency can cause narcolepsy – spontaneous daytime sleepiness. They also seem to play a dual role in both the promotion and blocking of bone formation.

The information offers hope for treatment of not only insomnia, but osteoporosis. — Newswise, June 2014. Provided by University of Texas, Southwest Medical Center.

July 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

Smoke Exposure and Hearing Loss A new study indicates giving up or reducing smoking, and avoiding passive exposure to tobacco smoke, may reduce your risk of hearing loss. A University of Manchester (UK) study, published in the Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, found that both active and passive smoking increased the likelihood of hearing loss by 15-28%. Study participants were 40 to 69 years old.

“We found the more packets you smoke per week and the longer you smoke,” said study leader Dr. Piers Dawes, “the greater the risk you will damage your hearing.”

The link between smoking and hearing loss is still unclear, but many smokers also often have heart disease. It’s uncertain if toxins in tobacco smoke affect hearing directly, if smoking-related cardiovascular disease causes changes that have an impact on hearing, or both.

Hearing lose is often viewed as a consequence of aging. This new research shows this may not always be the case. Giving up smoking, along with protecting your ears from loud noise, are practical steps to take to prevent hearing loss later in life.

— ScienceDaily, June 2014. Information provided by Manchester University, UK. 8 Tips to Protect Children’s Skin in Summer n Apply water-resistant sunscreens with UVA and UVB protection labeled 30 SPF or higher. n Apply 20-30 minutes before exposure. n Reapply at least once an hour. n Apply extra sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium oxide to nose and lips. n Talk with camp counselors to make sure they apply or supervise the application of sunscreen. n Keep babies younger than six months out of the sun.

Sunscreen can irritate, and their eyes are especially vulnerable to sunlight. n Make sure your child wears sun-protective clothing with a listed Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF). n Limit outdoor playtime when the sun is at its strongest (10am-3pm).

— Newsroom, June 2014. Provided by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

Depression and Memory If you’re depressed, don’t get enough exercise, or have high blood pressure, regardless of your age, you may experience memory problems. A new University of California, Los Angeles/Gallup study finds many of these risk factors increased the likelihood of selfperceived memory complaints in all adult age groups.

The study surveyed individuals age 18 to 99 about known risk factors including depression, lower education levels, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and smoking. The prevalence of memory issues among younger adults was surprising.

Depression was the strongest single risk factor for memory complaints in all age groups. Having just one risk factor significantly increased the frequency of memory complaints, regardless of age. Memory complaints rose when the number of risk factors increased.

Overall, 20 percent of those polled had memory complaints, including 14% of younger adults (18-39), 22% of middle-aged adults (40-59) and 26% of older adults (60-99).

The findings may help scientists better identify how early lifestyle and health choices impact memory later in life, helping pinpoint interventions aimed at lowering the risk of memory issues.

— ScienceDaily, June 2014, www.sciencedaily.com. www.primemontgomery.com | July 2014 7

yard ‘n garden

Garden in a Box

By Dave Toellner

I

have tried several types of gardening; tilling in the back yard, raised bed, and now container gardening. Each attempt has brought its own frustrations and victories.

After tilling a section of the back yard, tomatoes, corn and beans were planted. The tilling created a nice turned area with good looking rows to plant. The first issue was getting water to the area from the back of the house by hose, and then putting in a watering system so Mr. Lazy would not have to go out and water every day. The watering system used overhead sprinklers with the water directly hitting the leaves. I could have sworn I heard singing come from the leaves, but maybe not.

When the tomatoes began showing and ripening, they suddenly disappeared.

It was as if someone took out an ad inviting every bird, insect and squirrel for a free lunch. The corn was next, except this time I knew exactly what was happening – my Golden Retriever was having himself a good time knocking down the plants and eating the corn. It was time to move on to something else. This time it was raised beds.

We liked the way we could get to the plants without walking through the planted area. We used a soaker watering system. The problem was, we still had the birds, insects, squirrels and, of course, Man’s Best Friend to deal with. We have now made the change to containers, in this case, Earth boxes.

The keys to the Earth boxes is to get a good quality growing media for the plants, and follow the instructions to mound the soil and place the required band of fertilizer.

After that , just plant, cover the soil with the included mulch cover, water and enjoy. There are many advantages to Earth boxes.

You can put them near the house with the containers on a porch, table or outdoor structure. With the plants closer to the house, you can watch for growth and insect issues. It’s also easy to support the plants with stakes, cages and other innovative ideas. If there are issues with sunlight, just move 8

July 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

the containers.

Watering is done through a water-filled tube which eliminates water on the leaves that can cause disease.You cannot overfill the container because the drain hole will let you know you have enough water for the container. Automatic watering systems are also available.

With the mulch cover you are also protecting against diseases when it rains.You can protect the plants from birds, squirrels and other critters with a simple screen mesh around the supporting structure. Pruning is easy since the plants are within reach at eye level.

Picking and enjoying your harvest is the reward of some pretty easy work. Do some experimenting with the number of plants to each container, adding additional low growing flowers or vegetables. You will have a convenient and easy-to-care-for garden with a salad ready for the picking.

Dave Toellner is a Master Gardener with the Capital City Master Gardener Association.

For information on becoming a master gardener, visit the website, www.capcitymga.org or e-mail capcitymga@gmail.com.

School Supplies!

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a gracious plenty

Butterflied Herb and Lemon Grilled Chicken Yield: 4 servings Grilled Chicken n 1 whole chicken, butterflied (about 4 pounds) n 1/2 teaspoon salt n 1 head garlic n 1 tablespoon olive oil n 1 teaspoon pepper n 1 bunch rosemary (about ½ cup) n 1 bunch thyme (about ½ cup) n lemon slices and fresh parsley as garnish Herb and Lemon Sauce n 3/4 cup olive oil n 1/3 cup chopped parsley n 1/3 cup chopped basil n 1/4 cup chopped cilantro n 1/4 cup chopped chives n zest from 1 lemon n juice from 1/2 lemon n 1/2 teaspoon salt n 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Heat grill on high. Cut the top off the garlic bulb (not the root end).

Place the garlic on a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil, and close foil around garlic to seal.

Place on grill.

Close cover of grill and cook for about 20-25 minutes. Remove from grill and allow to cool until able to handle.

Squeeze garlic cloves out of bulb into bowl of a processor.

To garlic, add all ingredients for herb and lemon sauce. Process until smooth and reserve.

Place rosemary and thyme under chicken skin. Season chicken with

salt and pepper.

Place chicken, skin side down on grill. Grill for 5 minutes then turn.

Close grill, reduce heat to medium, and continue to grill for 25-30 minutes or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 170 degrees F. Remove from grill and place chicken on a cutting board. Allow chicken to rest for 15 minutes. Place on serving dish and drizzle generously with herb and lemon sauce.

Garnish with fresh lemon slices and parsley sprigs.

Serve.

Nutrition Information, Per Serving: 930 calories; 74 g fat; 14 g saturated fat; 4 g carbohydrate; 0 g sugars; 60 g protein www.primemontgomery.com | July 2014

9

feature

World’ s Luckiest Fishing Village

By Andrea Gross Photos by Irv Green, Bob Corley “I got one! What do I do now?”

Katherine’s voice is tight; her line is taut; she has a catch. Scotty, one of the two crewmen on our deep sea fishing boat, rushes over and helps her reel in a Threadfish. It’s so small it will be used as bait later in the day when we get out to where the big fish live, but no matter. Someone just like us — a newbie to the world of fishing — has caught a fish just

TOP: Village of Baytown Wharf. (B. Corley) ABOVE: Charter boat heads to sea. (I. Green). RIGHT: Destin, circa 1950 (Courtesy Arturo’s Studio, www.arturosstudio.com.).

OPPOSITE PAGE: Seafood! (I. Green) 10

July 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

minutes after leaving Destin Harbor, and we all rock the boat in delight.

Destin, a small, Florida Panhandle town mid-way between Panama City and Pensacola, is on a small peninsula that separates the Gulf of Mexico from Choctawhatchee Bay. It’s so

close to the deep waters of the Gulf anglers don’t have to go more than ten miles out to sea to catch the likes of Snapper, Grouper, Amberjack, Cobia, Triggerfish and Mackerel.

This proximity to fish-rich waters has earned Destin the name “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village,” a slogan bestowed

by Florida Governor Leroy Collins in the mid-1950s.

As legend has it, the governor was in Destin trolling for votes when a local fisherman invited him to troll for fish instead. When Collins stepped off the boat twenty minutes later, he was holding

aloft a 29-pound Mackerel.

“It’s hard to believe that you left the dock and returned so soon with a fish like that,” commented a reporter.

“It’s not hard to believe when you’re fishing from Destin,” replied the governor, sporting an ear-to-ear grin. “This is the world’s luckiest fishing village.”

The city found it easy to live up to its nickname.

Commercial fishermen realized they made more money catering to the leisure fisherman than to the commercial market. Now, approximately 100 charter fishing boats operate out of Destin, and its attractions have expanded

www.emeradcoastfl.com www.primemontgomery.com | July 2014

11

ABOVE: Destin History/Fishing Museum (B. Corley) LEFT TOP: Harborwalk Village. (I. Green) LEFT BOTTOM: Hemingway rod and reel, Destin History/ fishing Museum (B. Corley).

RIGHT: Catch of the day. (I. Green)

to include more than fishing. People can hike, bike and simply stroll along beaches that are known for brilliant white sand, radiant green water and, on most days, a cerulean blue sky.

Scientists say the sand is made from quartz, ground into fine particles as it makes its way downriver from the Southern Appalachians. They say the sea is green because light reflects off the submerged algae. Poets express it differently. The sand, they say, is like powdered sugar; the sea the color of emeralds. As for me, being neither scientist nor poet, I simply enjoy the private beach attached to our condo, take in the sights, and swoon.

Meanwhile, I realize that I have absolutely no idea what a 29-pound Mackerel looks like. Fins and tail, sure. But is it round and fat, or long and skinny? For fish identification, and to see an array of sea-related paraphernalia, my husband and I go to the Destin History and Fishing Museum. I look long and hard at the giant wall that features award-winning examples of fish that inhabit the nearby waters. Finally, secure that we can tell a 12

July 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

Marlin from a Mackerel, we examine the museum’s collection of rods and reels. I’m most fascinated by a stubby rod and massive reel that belonged to Ernest Hemingway. After all, a man who writes a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about an “old man and the sea” obviously knows something about fishing poles. But after two days on land, it’s time to get out on the water.

That evening we board an 80-foot glass bottom boat for a two-hour dolphin watch. As the sun sets, the captain steers the boat past multi-million dollar homes that line Destin’s harbor, and heads into the nearby waters. The dolphins put on quite a show, surfing the waves with abandon and seeming to dance to the music from the ship’s sound-system.

The next day we rise at six in the morning for a fivehour deep sea fishing expedition. Will we be as lucky as the governor? Actually, no.

Dolphins hover around our boat, jumping, diving and eating the small bait fish we’d hoped would attract the large trophy fish. But after the previous night’s display, I find it hard to be mad at these delightful creatures. Okay, so I won’t catch a trophy. I’ll be happy to catch anything. And soon I do.

I haul in an Amberjack. Katherine catches a respectably large Snapper; Dennis reels in a Bonito. By the time we head back to Destin, everyone on board has caught something — not the biggest fish in the world, but big enough to brag about.

For us, Destin is indeed the world’s luckiest fishing village.

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*Where Montgomery meets for Saturday breakfast. www.primemontgomery.com | July 2014

13

in every life

The Age of Exploitation F

amilies often visit out of town relatives during summer months, and when you do, it’s important to observe changes in personalities and abilities as comArlene Morris pared to a prior visit.

Noticing any of these changes may be a subtle sign of increasing risk for elder abuse in the form of financial exploitation. As noted in last month’s piece, June 16 was Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Physical or psychological abuse or neglect may be more commonly considered as abuse of older adults.

However, financial exploitation has been recognized as a growing concern.

Scams by a stranger or familiar person can involve telemarketing, promise of lottery or sweepstakes wins, soliciting funds for good causes, home repair, investments, internet, identity theft, or medicare abuse.

Additionally, older adults can trust friends, family members or other service providers who then exploit vulnerable individuals by misusing a Power of Attorney, a joint bank account, ATM card; refusing to provide needed care or medication; threatening abandonment or physical harm; paying their own bills with the vulnerable individual’s assets, or charging for care.

The individual may become increasingly vulnerable, resulting in feelings of fear, shame, depression, decreased trust in others, and inability to provide for own needs. Careful observation and frequent interactions with your family members can assist in early identifica-

14

July 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

tion of concerns.

Has someone you know voiced concerns about a person who has provided a service? Have there been changes in activities or social interactions, perhaps with increasing isolation or dependence on another person? Have bills gone unpaid? Are there physical concerns that could have occurred from not having money for medications or adequate nutrition?

Ask more questions. Accompany the person to obtain records of transactions from financial institutions. Report any suspicions to the Alabama Adult

Protective Service. Federal laws, including the Elder Justice Act, and increasingly stringent state laws apply.

Prevention and early detection can help avoid more severe physical and mental consequences. Maintaining autonomy to make their own choices, dignity, and the most independent functioning possible, can only be achieved by careful attention to subtle changes.

Arlene H. Morris, EdD, RN, CNE is Professor of Nursing, Auburn Montgomery School of Nursing. Reach her at amorris@ aum.edu.

See a ‘Resource List’ at PrimeMontgomery.com.

Your Eyes ar e

h i s tory

EYE

F A C T S

• Heredity can play a role in certain types of Macular Degeneration.

• Investigate your Eye History by asking questions of your relatives, including grandparents, aunts and uncles.

• Knowing your Eye History will alert ITEC doctors to potential problems.

Roy T. Hager, M.D., F.A.C.S. | James D. Izer, M.D. Charles N. Robbins, M.D. | Richard M. Murphy, O.D. 4255 Carmichael Court N. Montgomery • 334-277-9111

8007 U. S. Highway 231 Wetumpka • 334-567-9111

For a free copy of ITEC’s Viewpoint newsletter call 334-277-9111.

Visit ITEC’s website at www.eyes-itec.com

moneywise

Plan for the Inevitable L

ife is fragile. Brief. Uncertain.

None of us has a guarantee that we will be here tomorrow.

While facing our physical mortality may be emotionally unpleasant, it is wise to acknowledge the reality that death will inevitably come to us as it does to all men (and women), and make preparations to assist those who will settle our affairs.

Alan Wallace This fact was driven home to our CEO, Russ Crosson a few years ago.

One of Russ’s sons was getting married and the family converged on Atlanta for the happy event. During his regular daily jog one day before the wedding, Russ’s younger brother died suddenly. Russ was immediately thrust into the role of advising his sister-in-law, who had limited familiarity with her late husband’s planning and their family finances.

Out of that situation Ronald Blue & Co. developed a packet that we refer to as our “home going planning” kit. It includes a timeline that family members can follow after the death of a loved one, plus a questionnaire to complete during life to make management easier for survivors.

Compiling information for the use of those who will handle matters after you are gone—or getting a relative or friend to do so to make your life easier when they pass on—is far better than having to play Sherlock Holmes, searching for account information, insurance policies, safe deposit keys, etc. Suppose you have to take over for a relative or friend who has been incapacitated or has died and who has not pulled together this information.You can readily understand you will spend a considerable amount of time simply collecting information before you can begin to understand the situation you are dealing with. Then consider how much more manageable your work would be if all of this was already organized for you by the person most familiar with it all. Finally, think about the challenges your loved ones will face if you do not prepare this material for them.

As a starting point, here is a list of materials you can compile for your survivors or help someone collect to make it less troublesome for you to settle their affairs. n A list of current legal documents (will, power of attorney, advanced healthcare directive, organ donor, trust documents, etc.) and where they are located. n A list of your financial advisors (attorney, accountant, banker, insurance agent, investment manager, etc.) with the

Part I

address and phone number of each. n The location of your birth certificate, marriage certificate, military discharge papers, children’s adoption papers, Social Security card and passport. n The location and number of your safe deposit box, the location of the key, and an indication of who has authority to sign in and open the box. n The location of and combination to your personal safe (or where the key is located), if applicable. n Information on your medical insurance provider including the company name, policy number, contact information, etc. n Information on your life and disability insurance policies including the issuing company, agent name and phone number, policy number, benefit amount, beneficiary designation, etc. n A list of credit cards including account number, issuer and contact information. n A list of bank and investment accounts including the name and phone numbers for the institution, the account numbers, a description of the account type, and where you keep statements for each one. n A list of real estate that you own, the form of ownership, the location of records, information on related mortgages, etc. n The location of your income tax returns for the past 3 years, as well as any prior gift tax returns. n A list of any loans you owe (other than the property mortgages mentioned in #10 above) or notes owed to you. n A description of any business interests that you own, along with documents related to the business (organization documents, stock certificates, buy-sell or stock redemption agreements, operating agreements, employment contracts, etc.).

Once the data has been compiled, a copy needs to stay with the owner as well as the person who will take over. With the risk of identity theft, all copies should be kept in a safe place.

Next month we will look at other advance planning steps that you (and I) should take in anticipation of our inevitable departure from this life. If we love our spouse, children or other likely survivors who will have to sort things out, we can do no less.

Alan Wallace, CFA, ChFC, CLU is a Senior Financial Advisor for Ronald Blue & Co.’s Montgomery office, www.ronblue.com/location-al.

He can be reached at 334-270-5960, or by e-mail at alan.wallace@ronblue.com. www.primemontgomery.com | July 2014

15

tinseltown talks

Jane Powell

85 and Cooking

By Nick Thomas

M

ultitalented actress Jane Powell celebrated her 85th birthday in April. She and husband Dick Moore purchased a home in Wilton, Conn., about 30 years ago, dividing their time between Connecticut and New York.

“We found this perfect house which was built in 1875 and didn’t have to do much remodeling,” said Powell from Wilton. “I love to cook, so we added a new kitchen, built an office in the back and put a gazebo in the garden.”

At 85, she could be considered a role model for seniors’ health.

“I love to eat,” she said, “but have never eaten junk food.”

Standing just five feet tall and a slender 100 lbs. most of her adult life, Powell says keeping fit is important.

“I exercise several times a week, do Pilates and

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July 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

low impact aerobics. I’ve had arthritis, but it progresses more slowly if you look after yourself.”

Best remembered for two giant MGM musicals in the 1950s, Powell starred in just eighteen other feature films between 19441958, although in later years she played more dramatic roles on TV and in theater to great acclaim.

On the big screen, she was a reliable actress who could also sing and dance with the best. In “A Date with Judy” (1948) she held her own against the brilliant Elizabeth Taylor; she matched Fred Astaire step for step in “Royal Wedding” (1951); and she crooned alongside Debbie Reynolds in “Hit the Deck” (1955).

Born Suzanne Burce in Portland, Oregon, she first performed on radio and in local theater.

“I started professional singing training when I

was 10, and dancing when I was 2.”

Young Suzanne expressed little interest in an entertainment career, but her mother had other ideas. While vacationing with the family in Hollywood in 1943, she won a talent contest and signed a contract with Universal Studios the next day.

She was just 14.

“I didn’t particularly want to do it,” she says, but her parents “had this planned.”

Within months she was preparing for her first film, “Song of the Open Road,” in which she played, quite prophetically, a child film star named “Jane Powell.”

The character’s name appealed to the studio heads, and young Suzanne was re-

christened Jane. Today, her most known films are the musical hits: “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” with Howard Keel, and “Royal Wedding” which features two famous solos by Fred Astaire dancing on a ceiling and with a coat rack.

And in a charming six minute vaudevilliantype skit*, Powell and Astaire go head to head, matching witty banter, singing and dancing to a song with the longest title in any MGM musical: “How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Love You When You Know I've Been A Liar All My Life?” That routine perfectly showcased Powell’s on-screen energy, enthusiasm, and comic

* Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Xxi7cGZq7Y

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talent. Of Astaire, Powell says he was the consummate performer.

“After you worked with Fred, you just didn’t want to work with anyone else.”

However, life for young stars in the ‘40s and ‘50s could be tough. The major studios dominated the film industry and actors had little say about role selection and were readily typecast. They could be “rented out” to other companies at the studio’s whim.

“The studios groomed young actors to be stars,” said Powell. “It was hard to make friends socially. I never had any ‘girls’ nights’ or sleepovers.”

Despite being pushed into a Hollywood career and the pressures of work, the stress never showed in her performances which were always upbeat and energetic. But as the ‘50s drew to a close, so did the era of lavish Hollywood musicals.

“They were expensive to make and the studio system dissolved,” Powell said. “Audiences became more sophisticated and wanted more of a story plot.”

Nevertheless, the MGM classics remain popular today with older audiences who look back on that film period with fondness, as well as younger viewers who are fascinated by the early Hollywood era.

“People still love to watch the old musicals,” said Powell.

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala., and has written features, columns, and interviews for over 400 magazines and newspapers. Web site: www. getnickt.co. www.primemontgomery.com | July 2014

17

feature

Spice

of

Life:

Smell and Taste

“When you can’t smell, food may taste bland, and you may lose interest in eating.”

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July 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

D

o you look forward to a meal, only to be disappointed when the food doesn’t taste good or tastes different than you think it should? The problem could be your sense of smell. It’s a very important sense, providing not only a great memory of your dad’s cologne or mother’s perfume, but alerting you to danger such as smoke from a fire.

When you can’t smell things you enjoy like morning coffee or flowers, part of life seems very dull. As you get older, your sense of smell may fade. Since your sense of smell is closely related to your sense of taste, when you can’t smell, food may taste bland, and you may lose interest in eating.

n

n

What Causes Loss Of Smell?

Some things can cause a longlasting loss of smell. A head injury can damage the nerves related to smell. Protect yourself by wearing a seat belt in the car and a helmet when biking. Some problems with smell only last for a short time and may be due to: n a cold or flu that causes a stuffy nose that blocks your sense of smell. The ability to smell will come back when you’re better; allergies that block your sense of smell. Try to avoid things you’re allergic to, like pollen and pets. Talk to your doctor about how to manage your allergies; a harmless growth (called a polyp) in the nose or sinuses that gives you a runny nose.

Having the growth removed may help;

some medications like antibiotics or blood pressure medicine may affect your sense of smell. Ask your doctor if there is another medicine you can take; n radiation and chemotherapy treatments (your sense of smell may return when treatment stops).

Sometimes, loss of the sense of smell may be a sign of a more serious disorder, such as Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease. Be sure to tell your doctor about any change in your sense of smell. n

Smells Can Keep You Safe It’s important to be aware of odors around you.You need to be able to smell: n smoke – check your smoke detectors once a year to make sure they work; n gas leaks – make sure you have a gas detector in your home; n spoiled food – throw out food that’s been in the refrigerator too long; n household chemicals – make sure there is fresh air where you’re working.

www.primemontgomery.com | July 2014

19

Your Sense Of Taste There are tiny taste buds all over your mouth — on your tongue, in your throat, even on the roof of your mouth. What we call “flavor” is based on five basic tastes — sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and tangy. How food smells also makes up its flavor.

When food tastes bland, many older people try to improve the flavor by adding more salt or sugar. This may not be healthy, especially if you have medical problems like high blood pressure or diabetes (high blood sugar).

When food doesn’t taste right, you may not eat the foods you need to keep you healthy. This can cause health problems such as weight loss, social isolation and depression.

Eating food that is good for you is important to your health. If you have a problem with how food tastes, be sure to discuss it with your doctor.

What Causes Your Sense Of Taste To Change?

There are many things that can cause you to lose your sense of taste. Most of the time, you can do something to regain taste.

Some medications can change the way food tastes.

These include some antibiotics and medicines to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Other medications can make your mouth dry. Having a dry mouth can cause food to taste funny and make it hard to swallow. If you think a medicine is changing how your food tastes, talk to your doctor before you stop taking your medicine.

Gum disease, dentures, and some infections can leave a bad taste in your mouth that changes the way food tastes.You may prevent this problem by brushing your teeth, flossing, and using mouthwash. If you have a bad taste in your mouth that won’t go away, talk to your dentist.

Alcohol can alter the way food tastes. Cutting back or stopping drinking may help. Also, smoking can reduce your sense of taste. Quitting may help.

Cancer Treatments And Taste People who are having cancer treatments might have a problem with taste. These treatments can make food taste bad or “off.” Some say that food tastes metallic.

This funny taste may keep some people from eating healthy food.

If this happens to you, try: n eating four or five small meals during the day instead of three large meals; n eating cold food, including yogurt, pudding, and jello. They may taste better than hot food; n eating fresh, uncooked vegetables (cooked vegetables often have strong odors that are not appealing); n drinking lots of fluids including water, weak tea, juice, and ginger ale; n tasting new foods to find ones that you like.

Your sense of taste will usually return once your treatments stop.

Colors And Spices Can Help If you’re having trouble smelling and tasting your

STOP! And smell the roses!

If you can’t smell the roses, see an ENT Specialist.

EarNose &Throat

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July 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

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food, try adding color and texture to make your food more interesting. For example, try eating brightly colored vegetables like carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, broccoli, yellow squash, tomatoes, and red and green peppers. Also, if your diet allows, flavor your food with a little butter, olive oil, cheese, nuts, or some fresh herbs like parsley, rosemary, or sage.

To put a zing in your food, add mustard, hot pepper, spices, or lemon or lime juice. Choose foods that look, smell, and taste good to you.

Information for this article provided by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institutes of Health, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. For NIA e-mail alerts visit www. nia.nih.gov/health.

A Special Doctor for Smell and Taste There are doctors that help treat problems with smell and taste. They are called otolaryngologists (oto-lar-yn-gol-o-gists).

These doctors can help you cope with the loss of smell and taste. When you visit an otolaryngologist they may ask: n Can you smell anything at all? n Can you taste any food? n When did you first notice the problem? n Is the problem getting worse? n Have you been told that you have allergies or chronic sinus problems? n What medicines do you take?

Getting Help We all have foods we like. If the foods you enjoy don’t smell or taste the way you think they should, talk to your family doctor. There may be several things you can do.

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21

medical

Understand Your New Health Plan

I

By Bob Moos f you’re one of the 8 million Americans who signed up for or clinic.

Once you’ve settled on a provider, see your primary care coverage during the Health Insurance Marketplace’s initial doctor regularly, even if you see a specialist for a particular open enrollment period, how do you get the most out of illness.Your primary care physician can help answer questions your new health plan? Follow these steps to understand how about your health, change medications if they make you feel your plan works. sick, and schedule your next visit should be. Don’t let excuses First, find out from your insurer: prevent you from make your next appointment. If you’re not n your share of the cost for a doctor or hospital visit; sure what to do next, talk to your doctor or have someone n if your share is higher for using an out-of-network proyou trust come with you to your next appointment and help vider; you understand. n what you’ll pay for prescription drugs.

We’re all managing families, jobs and other things, but you When you first got coverage, your insurance company can’t do these if you’re not in good health. It may be possible should have sent a membership package, including a proofto schedule a follow-up visit after hours or on weekends. of-insurance card. The card will answer some of those basic Check with your physician’s office. questions and tell you how to contact your insurer.

Don’t put off seeing your doctor or getting a medical test Second, choose a doctor with whom you can have an ongobecause you worry about hearing bad news. Regular doctor ing relationship. Look at your insurance company’s website visits and health care screenings let you detect problems early, or handbook for providers near you who accept your health when they’re most treatable. plan. Also ask friends and family for suggestions. Narrow your Visit www.healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596 if you have choices by calling the doctor offices you think might work for other questions about your new insurance coverage. Nothing you and asking the staff a few questions: is more important than getting healthy – and staying healthy. n is the provider accepting new patients; n is the office open at hours convenient for you; Bob Moos is Southwest public affairs officer for the U.S. Centers for n which hospitals does the provider use.

Medicare & Medicaid Services.

If you like what you hear, make an appointment. Be prepared to provide your name, address, date of birth, Social Security number and information about your insurance. Have your insurance card with you when you call.

You may need to wait a few weeks for a regular check-up.

For your first visit, bring your insurance card, a photo ID (such as a driver’s license), any forms you were mailed and asked to complete, and a list of your prescriptions. Show up early for your appointment and check in at the front desk.

The office staff will make a copy of your insurance card and ID in order to bill your insurer. If you owe a copayment, the staff will collect it when you arrive or leave. Don’t be shy. Ask if you don’t understand something your doctor says. Before you leave, you should know the answers to these questions: n How is your health? If you have a medical condition, what is it? What will happen if you don’t take care of it? n What should you do to get healthier? n If you take medicine, do you know how much to take and when to take it? n What are you supposed to do next? (For example, do you need blood work or additional testing?) Where do you go to get it done? When do you need to see your doctor again? n What should you do if you have questions once you get home?

If, after the first couple of visits with the doctor you’ve selected, you’re not satisfied with your choice, it’s okay to keep looking. Try someone else.You may prefer another doctor in the same office or clinic or another doctor at another office 22

July 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

social security

No SS Card? No Problem!

T

o help combat the rising threat of fraud and identity theft, Social Security will no longer issue Social Security number printouts beginning in August 2014. If you need written confirmation of your Social Security number—perhaps your new employer needs Kylle’ McKinney verification—and you can’t find your Social Security card, you can apply for a replacement. But do you really need a replacement?

In most cases, you don’t need your card as long as you know your number. For all intents and purposes, your number is your card. Usually providing your number and identifying information is enough.

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In the event you really do want or need a replacement card, either for yourself or for a child, you can find the details you need at www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber. The “Social Security Number and Card” page provides information on how to obtain a replacement card and what specific documents you need to provide.

Need a Social Security card for your new baby to claim him or her as a dependent on your tax return? Need a card to apply for government or social service benefits? In most cases, an application for your newborn’s Social Security card and number is taken in the hospital when you apply for your baby’s birth certificate. If not, you can request one for your child the same way you do for yourself.

Whether you need a Social Security card for yourself or your child, it’s easy, and free, to apply for one. But consider whether a new Social Security card is really in the cards for you. It may be that your “card” is already with you — in your head.

While you’re at our website, open your free “My Social Security” account at www.socialsecurity. gov/myaccount. It can help you plan for retirement, check your earnings history, request your Social Security Statement, and more.

Learn more about your Social Security card and number at www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber.

Kylle’ McKinney, SSA Public Affairs Specialist, can be reached in Montgomery at 866-593-0914, ext. 26265, or by e-mail at kylle.mckinney@ssa.gov. www.primemontgomery.com | July 2014

23

games

Across 1 Actor Damon 5 Like unfizzy soda 9 Relatively cool heavenly body 14 Suffix with buck 15 Grocery section 16 "All done!"

17 Long-running musical variety TV show 19 Hunter's hides 20 Spiral-shaped __ fries 21 Fair-hiring abbr.

23 Wiesel who said, "Indifference, to me, is the epitome of evil" 24 "Just __ suspected!"

25 Pre-playoffs baseball drama 29 Work on, as a vintage auto 31 Sudoku grid line 32 Honorary legal deg.

33 '30s-'40s film dog 34 Logger's tool 36 Man and Capri 38 Final triumph after apparent failure 42 Fancy mushroom 45 Metric distances: Abbr.

46 Roadies' loads 50 Prefix with sex 51 Yale student

54 Kevin Kline's "French Kiss" co-star 56 Offensive in the First Gulf War 59 __-Caps: candy 60 Bug-killing brand 61 Deer daughter 62 How some stock is sold 64 Sent to the unemployment line 66 Retrace one's steps, and what ends of 17-, 25-, 38and 56-Across can literally have 69 Key in 70 Mine, to Mimi 71 Java Freeze brand 72 Swiped 73 Tree anchor 74 Breakfast, e.g.

Down 1 Eyelash application 2 Stirs to action 3 One of a vacationing busload 4 Turnpike fee 5 Pres. on a dime 6 "Glee" actress __ Michele 7 Sci-fi invader 8 Karaoke singer's ineptitude, to the chagrin of the audi-

ence 9 Gas additive letters 10 See-through 11 Revealing, as a celeb interview 12 "An" or "the" 13 Tends to a lawn's bare spot 18 AutoCorrect target 22 John's Yoko 26 Distinctive periods 27 Bagel shop call 28 Itty-bitty branch 30 Fish story 35 Moose relative 37 __-Pei: wrinkly dog 39 Angel or Athletic, briefly 40 Rifle range need 41 Laptop operator 42 Confuses 43 Price of bubble gum, once 44 Trattoria rice dish 47 Leader in social networking until 2008 48 Cure-all 49 Enjoy coral reefs 52 Inc., in the U.K. 53 Meteorologist's pressure line 55 Future MBA's exam 57 Actress Georgia of "Everybody Loves Raymond" 58 Julio's "I love you" 63 Quick haircut 65 Profitable rock 67 Suitor's murmur 68 Model-ship-to-be Š 2014 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, INC.

Answers on page 31.

24

July 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

protect yourself

Caller I.D. scam alert C

“...callers can deliberately falsify the telephone number and/or name relayed as the Caller ID information.”

caller ID spoofing so it appears they’re calling from your bank, credit card company, or a government agency.

Consumer Tips n Don’t provide personal information in response to an incoming call. Identity thieves are clever – they often pose as representatives of banks, credit card companies, creditors, or government agencies to get people to reveal their account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden names, passwords and other identifying information. n If you get an inquiry from a company or government agency seeking personal information, don’t provide it. Hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the phone book, or on the company’s or government agency’s website to find out if the entity that supposedly called you actually needs the requested information. n Inform the FCC know about ID spoofers by calling 1-888-CALL-FCC or filing a complaint at www.fcc.gov/ complaints.

FCC Caller ID Rules for Telemarketers n Even before passage of the Truth in Caller ID Act, FCC rules required telemarketers to pass accurate caller ID information. FCC rules specifically require that a telemarketer: n Transmit or display its telephone number or the telephone number of the seller on whose behalf the telemarketer is calling, and, if possible, its name or the name Lake Martin’s BEST Marina! and telephone number of the company for which it is selling products or services.

• Crest Pontoons, Four Winns plus n Display a telephone number that you other brands of quality boats can call during regular business hours to ask to no longer be called. This rule ap• Boat Sales & Service plies even to companies that already have • Wet & Dry Storage an established business relationship with you.

• Ship Store For violations of these rules, the FCC can seek a monetary fine. If the violator is not an FCC licensee, the FCC must first issue a warning and the telemarketer may be fined only for violations committed 397 Marina Point Rd. after the warning.

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aller ID allows you to identify a caller before you answer your telephone, displaying their number and/or name on your phone. It’s a convenient way to identify telemarketers. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) passed a “Truth in Caller ID Act” which prohibits “... any person or entity from transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value.”

Penalties are up to $10,000 for each violation. There is an exemption for “...authorized activities by law enforcement agencies and situations where courts have authorized caller ID manipulation to occur.”

This FCC rule, and the penalties it can impose, has not deterred telemarketers from exploiting a technical opportunity to ‘hack’ your Caller ID. Using a practice known as “caller ID spoofing,” callers can deliberately falsify the telephone number and/or name relayed as the Caller ID information to disguise the identity of the calling party.

For example, identity thieves who want to collect sensitive information such as your bank account or other financial account numbers, your social security number, date of birth, mother’s maiden name, etc., sometimes use

Harbor Pointe

For additional information visit www.harborpointe.net

Taken from the FCC website, www.fcc.gov. www.primemontgomery.com | July 2014

25

feature

Shuffle Off to Buffalo

By Brian Hayden

A

t the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, you can see one of the world’s most impressive collections of modern and contemporary art, including works by Van Gogh, Picasso and Warhol.

Across the street is the stunning Burchfield Penney Art Center committed to the art of Buffalo and Western New York.

Walking in Buffalo highlights some of the finest architecture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, H.H. Richardson, Richard Upjohn, and Eliel and Eero Saarinen.

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July 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

The emerging Canalside district showcases the waterfront and history of shipping along Lake Erie and the Erie Canal, the centerpiece of which is the re-excavated and restored 1825 commercial slip that was the western terminus of the canal. The Outer Harbor has bike trails, parks and boardwalks offering views of the lake and city skyline.

History abounds in Buffalo. You can stand where Teddy Roosevelt took the oath of office at the recently renovated Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site, and learn about Buffalo’s

Native American, ethnic and industrial heritage at the Buffalo History Museum.

Mark Twain was a newspaper editor in Buffalo in the late 19th century, and pages from the original manuscript of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are on display in the Mark Twain Room at downtown’s central library.

The city is also filled with African American heritage, including the Colored Musicians Club, now a museum, where Duke Ellington and Dizzy Gillespie performed. The club still hosts regular gigs by area musicians.

If performing arts are your thing, visit one of Buffalo’s two dozen theaters, anchored by the magnificent Shea’s Performing Arts Center, which hosts an annual Broadway Series.

The Grammy Award-winning Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is led by JoAnn Falletta, hailed by the New York Times as one of the finest conductors of her generation.

No trip to Buffalo is complete without a stop at the Anchor Bar, where chicken wings first took flight 50 years ago this year.

Add to that 400 independently-owned restaurants, delicious local specialties, a pair of wine trails and vibrant farmers markets, and sample some Western New York culinary favorites including beef-onweck sandwiches, sponge candy, and charcoal broiled hot dogs. Several brewers make Buffalo their home, among them Flying Bison Brewing Co. and Hamburg Brewing Company. The first distillery in Buffalo since Prohibition, Lockhouse Distillery, opened in 2013.

Shoppers can find everything from trendy, hip boutiques at Elmwood Village, to all the major department stores at shopping centers and malls around the city.

Sports fans can sample the NFL’s Bills, NHL’s Sabres, AAA baseball’s Bisons, world-class fishing, great skiing and fantastic water sports. Kayakers can glide through the city’s historic grain elevator district on the Buffalo River or rock climb up those elevators on Silo City Rocks, set to open this year.

Spend a day in the natural splendor of the Tifft Nature Preserve, just minutes from downtown Buffalo, or admire floral beauty during a stroll in the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. A series of parks and parkways throughout Buffalo designed by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted provide a scenic respite in the heart of the city.

Our region also offers a host of family-friendly activities, from The Buffalo Zoo and Buffalo Museum of Science, to the Explore and More Children’s Museum in East Aurora. Military buffs will be amazed at the submarine, destroyer and cruiser permanently docked at the Buffalo harbor, part of the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park, the largest inland naval park in the country.

Festival hosted in the city include the National Buffalo Wing Festival, the Allentown Art Festival, and the Taste of Buffalo, the largest two-day food festival in the country.

GardenWalk Buffalo, the nation’s largest free garden tour, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, while the Erie County Fair celebrates its 175th. There are also numerous ethnic celebrations, from St. Patrick’s Day parades to the Galbani Buffalo Italian Heritage Festival, along with Dyngus Day, following Easter Sunday, when polka bands, Polish food and a parade ring in the end of the Lenten season.

Just 20 minutes away is one of the wonders of the world, Niagara Falls, where you can get up-close with the roaring waters at the Cave of the Winds, or venture to the base of the falls on a Maid of the Mist boat tour.

Information provided by Visit Buffalo/Niagara. For more information visit www.visitbuffaloniagara.com.

www.primemontgomery.com | July 2014

27

moving free © with mirabai

Aqua

Exercise

W

es at local rec. cenater ters everywhere. babies, It’s done in about that’s 4 feet of water so us. We’re at home there’s no need to in liquid from preswim. And, if you birth and we seem have access to a to naturally gravipool or calm water tate to it. We love along with a tablet the ocean, the lake Mirabai Holland computer, you can the pool, the hot prop the tablet on tub, and the bathtub. a chair, stream a workout, and What is it about water that exercise your brains out. means so much to us? It surAging Fit rounds us, it cradles us, and Even if you’re pretty active, it supports us. We’re nearly getting older can make it hard weightless in water. The largto do land based exercise on est of us can glide with ease a regular basis. and grace, feeling minimal Luckily, water is also a great resistance. And, I think it’s those endearing properties of medium for vintage bodies that simply can’t take the water that make Aqua Exerimpact of other types of exercise pleasant and effective. cise, at least not every day.

Fitness Swimming is the most com- And water is fun.You don’t know you’re exercising until mon form of Aqua Exercise. you get out and your body It’s good for all ages. It uses all your major muscle groups, tells you “ooh, that was a workout” strengthens, tones, and helps As our health conscious build aerobic capacity. There’s population lives longer and almost no impact, so it’s kind longer, I think Aqua, with its to your joints while it gets ability to surround and supyou in shape. port our aging bodies while I swim laps for 30-40 minwe keep them operational, is utes 4 or 5 times per week. I the wave of the future. Get find it relaxing and stimulatthose creaky bodies in the ing at the same time. Some water. Try it.You’ll like it. days it melts my stress and puts me in a meditative state.

Mirabai Holland, M.F.A. is a pubOther days I do some of my lic health activist and authority best thinking during my swim in the Health & Fitness industry, workout. If you’re a beginspecializing in preventive and ner, start slowly with a few rehabilitative exercise. Her Movminutes a day. Stay in your ing Free® approach to exercise comfort zone and build up. is designed to provide a moveCan’t Swim?

No worries. There are Aqua ment experience so pleasant Cardio, Strength, Stretch - just it doesn't feel like work, www. about Aqua everything - class- mirabaiholland.com.

28

July 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

Start Your Own Business “The highest rate of self-employment are those 65 and older.”

– U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics

“Entrepreneurs between 55 and 64 years old saw the largest growth of any age group over the last 18 years.”

– The Kauffman Foundation, April, 2014

A

re you ready to start your own business? Do you have a great business idea or a business you want to expand? The Entrepreneurial University is the place to start.

Offered through the Small Business Resource Center of the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce, this 13-week, nationally recognized curriculum provides a solid foundation to help you start your own business or grow an existing one.

The course fee of $200 includes textbook, workbook, resource guide and class materials.

Classes start Tuesday, August 5, and meet each Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. at the Small Business Resource Center, 600 S. Court St., Montgomery.

Deadline to register is July 23.You can register on-line by visiting www.montgomerychamber.com/EU, or call 334-8324790.

Courses include: n planning & research n legal structure and management n market research n marketing plans n financial planning & budgets n using financial statements n managing cash flow n financing your business n negotiating & deal-making Whether you have a great idea for a new business, or want to move your existing business to the next level, EU is a great way to improve the odds that your business will be successful.

For more information or to enroll, contact Heidi Powers (334) 832-4790, or hpowers@montgomerychamber.com. www.primemontgomery.com | July 2014

29

prime diversions

Recent dvd releases Bad Words, The Face of Love and Sabotage

Bad Words (R) Starting a title with “Bad” has led to other dark and/ or snarky comedies, ending in words like Santa or Teacher. In this one, Jason Bateman directs himself through another amusingly understated performance to fine effect. He plays a 40-year-old drone who finds a loophole in the rules for a hallowed, nationallytelevised spelling bee, to compete against the nation’s best middle-school word mavens. His presence angers the promoters and the parents even more than his kiddie competition.

We’re kept in the dark about his motive, but he’s obviously trying to settle some type of old score that left significant inner scars. He’s also damned good at spelling, to the consternation of everyone rooting against the taint his mere presence inflicts on the contest.

Bateman’s character is not only an enigma, but something of a jerk, as he resorts to some hilariously fiendish tactics to psych out a few young scholars he considers the most serious rivals. The acerbic wit of Andrew Dodge’s screenplay is especially praiseworthy for a feature debut. The same can be said (or written) for Bateman’s first time behind the cameras.

A few scenes stray into cringe-inducement, partly in pursuit of physical energy to offset the staid milieu of spellers sitting on platforms awaiting their turns at the microphone. But the overall production is well-paced and highly entertaining. If you improve your vocabulary or spelling a bit while you’re at it, the perk is included in the ticket price.

The Face of Love (PG-13) Admittedly, I’m not part of the target demographic for romantic dramas among the AARP set, despite having reached that age range. But I still think I can spot a dud, even when it’s not in my wheelhouse. Annette Bening has been joyfully married to architect Ed Harris for 30 years. While vacationing in Mexico, he drowns. Five years later, she’s moping around in the lovely home he’d designed for them, finding partial solace in her grown daughter and the solicitous widower across the street (Robin Williams). The two couples had always been close. Williams silently yearns for something beyond platonic to emerge from their shared losses. She’s still mourning her lost love too 30

July 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

much to get enthusiastic about anything.

One day Bening sees her late hubby’s apparent Doppelganger (also Harris), who turns out to be a painter and art Mark Glass professor. She essentially stalks the guy until they start dating. He’s been divorced for a decade and falls hard for her. But as Bening spends months doing all she can to keep him in the dark about why she pursued him, the relationship grows ever more creepy. Harris #2 is an incredibly nice fellow who deserves the truth about why she’s always looked at him so lovingly from the get-go. We’re not sure of the extent to which she’s depressed from prolonged grief, delusional, or even dangerous.

At times the film feels as if a Brian de Palma is setting us up for something tragic, along with the suspense element of whether and how new Ed will discover her motives, and how he’ll react to it. The brooding tale drags annoyingly, seeming much longer than its 92 minutes, as Bening’s prolonged deception makes her ever less sympathetic. The ending rings false and forced, as if someone decided in mid-production which way they wanted to end it, all preceding content notwithstanding.

The best news may be that Harris, after earning an Oscar nomination for his compelling portrayal of artist Jackson Pollock in 2000, has now learned how to pretend to paint actual objects! Hone that craft, dude, but don’t forget to aim for scripts that deserve your talents.

Sabotage (R) Arnold Schwarzenegger gamely slogs his way through in this attempt at an action flick, playing the head of a special DEA undercover team that also does the SWAT thing when they feel like it. After a big bust in which $10M of cartel drug money vanishes, Ahnuld and his squad are all suspended for six months of investigation. Even though the money is still missing and no one’s cleared from suspicion, the honchos decide to reinstate the crew. Just when they have a reason to celebrate, someone starts knocking them off in variably grotesque manners. Could it be retaliation by the drug lords? Is there a thieving rat among their seemingly tightknit ranks? Were they set up by someone else who lusted for the money and/or other motivating factors?

The action sequences and other gory bits are generally satisfactory for splatter fans. But the screenplay is awful; the

characters are poorly conceived variations on all the standard stereotypes. The who and why of where the money went may have been chosen by throwing darts at a board of possible endings - missing several better options. Ahnuld isn’t necessarily too old for the genre. But maybe he shouldn’t be trusted with script selection. I would worry that this role is a sign of career dementia, but many of his earlier choices like Red

Sonja or Junior, indicate that was never a big part of his skill set.

Mark Glass is an officer and director of the St. Louis Film Critics Association.

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31

off the beaten path

Ghosts in the Grass "I don't believe it," the old man said. "A retriever is not a bird dog. A fine water dog, yes, but no bird dog."

The boy shook his head in respectful disagreement, smiling at his grandfather. The old man grumbled something about self-respecting bird hunters, then turned his attention to the tea pot on the stove, steam streaming from the spout.

Any moment a sharp steady note would signal the water's readiness.

"Why don’t you use the microwave Mom bought you?" The boy gestured to the small black box which sat, unplugged, in the corner of the tiny kitchen. "It's a lot faster."

"Speed," the old man said, clearing his throat for effect, “does not dictate supremacy of technique.

Anticipate the song of the pot. Besides,” he paused, “that thing gives the tea an odd taste."

He smirked, pleased with himself, and leaned back in the wooden chair. It creaked like his aged knees.

"You probably hunt birds over Labradors,” he said playfully, smiling at the boy. "I bet you shoot an auto-repeater."

The old man loved to hunt birds more than anything, holding strong opinions on the subject.

He pined after that gentleman bird of the southern woodlands, the true bird of sport. At one time it was his livelihood, raising pointers and chasing birds at every opportunity, in the company of good friends through great stands of tall pine, through cutovers, along old fencerows, pea patches and in the grass. Beggar’s lice on the wide, pine-planked floor of his home were a fact of life.

The old man especially loved a good point in the grass, where he could spread out his party around the dogs. Those riding in the wagon could see the whole production and the work of his fine canines.

He loved a good covey rise where he could see each bird get up, in slow motion. He preferred hunting in the grass whether or not he toted a gun.

"Where's the sport in simply flushing birds for a shot?" he asked his grandson. "There's no style to it."

More than once on that now long-gone family homestead, his pointers had locked down a point 32

July 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

so solid you'd have sworn they were staring Medusa herself in the face. Their bodies didn't move but for short, nearly imperceptible rhythmic breaths, years of good breeding and hours of training culminating in a perfectly orchestrated choreography of dog, bird and hunter.

"A flawless point is prettier than even the most colorful sunrise," his grandfather would say to friends and clients after one of his dogs made an especially fine job.

It was as if the years of training in the heat, the cold, the rain, the snow, were building to that one, solid, single moment in time. The point of it all was, in the end, the point. It wasn't for the birds; yes, the shooting was usually good over his dogs. But for the old man, it was all about the point. And a point in the grass was all the better.

That old home place wasn't a great amount of acreage, but it was good land, soil black as coal dust, good for crops and consequently, good for bobwhites. Their ancestors had put their lives into the farm. Most who were born there, died there; the small cemetery at the crest of the hill filled with people who shared his name.

They'd had countless hunts on the place during the old man's life. When he was a boy, family, friends, dogs, all would load up in mule-drawn wagons, and later in trucks or ATVs. The faces in the wagons, the dogs in the brace, even the guns changed, but the birds, the birds never did. And the hunt, well, it was never anything short of magical.

"There's nothing like a truly wild bird," the old man had said many times, "the kind that can hide in the briars between your feet or fool your best dog with a flush a hundred yards out of range."

He often reminisced about the hunts of yesteryear and the hunters, the dogs and the immovable points, the unexpected flushes and shots that made the outings memorable. He had met his wife on one such hunt, back when inter-family bird hunts were as common as backyard barbecues. He'd first seen her as she rode up on her own horse, alongside her family wagon. The onyxcolored mare stood out starkly against the pale sage.

More beautiful than any woman he'd ever seen, he froze solid when he saw her, like one of his own dogs with a nose full of bird. His father, the boy's great-grandfather, asked if he'd seen a ghost.

"No," was all he could muster, but he couldn't take his eyes off the young lady.

They were introduced later that day after she'd made an exceptional shot. She became a regular on family hunts and before long they married. She and the old man had several children, four boys then a girl, the boy's mother.

All were "raised in the kennel" the old man would proudly say, amongst the very dogs which were his livelihood and greatest passion. She'd been dead several years and their children had departed, like a morning fog in the

warming sun, slowly and imperceptibly dissipating until no fog remains. In the silence, the boy sensed a growing chasm between himself and the old man and he tried to close the distance.

"Gramps, tell me about all the wild covey-hunting you did when you were my age," he said, expecting the request to lighten the mood and get their visit back on track. The old man smiled a half smile and looked down at the rug.

For some time, no wild birds had existed in hunt-able numbers. The culprits were many. Changes in farming, the explosion of deer hunting and the land management practice paradigm shifts it had brought, even the price of fur. It was a subject dear to the old man's heart and one that usually got him to talking during one of these visits.

There were still coveys here or there, but you couldn't hunt them right, he would say. Coyotes were another culprit, and they had spread, near as quickly and just as devastating as fire ants.

The friends had disappeared too, as had the dogs.

Not all at once, but rather slowly, scattered like a wild covey. With fewer friends to hunt with he didn't need such a large brace of dogs.

With fewer dogs he couldn't take as many friends afield. Though times and circumstances changed, the old man's zeal for the birds remained, at least until his last dog died.

He never told anyone how much it tore at him inside, like the death of close family, Â because he knew that as he dug that shallow grave he was in fact burying a part of himself. After that last dog he never hunted again. He blamed it on his knees, his unsteadiness, his failing eyesight - that he was a danger, a liability to others - but the truth was he couldn't bring himself to go.

"Gramps," the boy said, "you feeling OK?" "I'm fine," the old man said, letting a half-smile creep across his face. "I was just thinking about your grandmother. Â She was one hell of a shot, you know."

"I remember," the boy said, lying. If it made the old man feel better to remember it that way, it was better for them both for him just to shake his head and agree.

The old man sank a little deeper in his chair, and the boy could tell he was slipping off to that melancholy place he went sometimes when talk turned to dogs and birds and times gone by. The boy knew nothing of that place, except that the old man went there from time to time.

From the deep distance in his grandfather’s eyes, the boy could tell that ghosts walked there, in the grass.

Niko Corley spends his free time on the water or in the woods, and earned his charter boat license in 2012. He can be contacted at cootfootoutfitters@gmail.com.

Niko Corley

www.primemontgomery.com | July 2014

33

In July...

Free Guided tours, Museum of Alabama, AL Dept. of Archives & History. Mon-Sat, 1 p.m.

(1 hr. tour). No registration needed. For information call 334-242-4364 or visit www. museum.alabama.gov/

Senior Seminars, Wed. 10 a.m. CaraVita Village, 4000 Fieldcrest Dr., Montgomery.

July 2: Montgomery Area Council on Aging July 9: Central AL Aging Consortium July 16: Legal issues for seniors July 23: Central AL Aging Consortium July 30: Bureau of Health Provider Standards 4th of July Celebration, 5 p.m. Riverfront Park, Montgomery. Music, food vendors, kids inflatable. Picnics and coolers allowed; no alcoholic beverages. Fireworks show after Biscuits game. For information call 334625-2100.

Beatles’, A Hard Day’s Night. 50th Anniversary. Capri Theatre. July 4-10. Fri, Sat. 7 & 9 p.m.

Sun-Thurs. 7:30 p.m. $7/members, $9/ non-members, $2 children. For information call 334-262-4858 or visit www. capritheatre.org.

Free Docent Tours. Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. 1st Sunday, 1 p.m. (July 6). More Information visit www.mmfa.org Children’s Matinees, Capri Theatre, Thurs., Fri., 10 a.m. & 1 p.m. Tickets $1. For information call 334-262-4858, or visit www.capritheatre.org Jam Sessions, Old Alabama Town. 2nd & 4th Sat. (July 12, 19), 9 a.m.-noon. Bring your instrument or come to listen.

34

July 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

Toulouse Fest, July 12, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park. Art and music festival, fundraising event for Friends of the Forts/Fort Toulouse Foundation. Food and drinks for sale. $4/ adult, $2/child (6-18 years old). For information call 334-567-3002.

Riverfront Park Second Saturday. July 12.

Family-friendly event, 5-9 p.m. Live entertainment, games, food vendors. $1/person. For information call 334-625-2100, or visit www.funinmontgomery. com Singer/Songwriters In-The-Round, Joe Thomas, Jr. Guitar Pull, Tues. July 15, 7-9 p.m. $10.

Cloverdale Playhouse 960 Cloverdale Road, Montgomery. Regional songwriters perform original music. For more Information visit www. cloverdaleplayhouse.org Alabama History: Architreats: Food for Thought. July 17, AL Dept. of Archives & History.

Noon-1 p.m. Civil War Mobile, Lonnie Burnett.

Bring your lunch. For information visit www.archives.alabama.gov/ Summer Dance Seminar, AL Dance Theatre. July 21-Aug. 4.

Intermediate and Advanced. Classical ballet, modern, jazz classes. Two free performances, “Stars on the Riverfront,” Aug. 3, 4, 7:30 p.m., Riverwalk Amphitheater. For more information call 334-241-2590 or visit www.alabamadancetheatre.com.

Vicarious Vacations, Old Alabama Town, Sat. July 26. See the world from the comfort of an airconditioned seat as experts talk about exotic locations. Themed refreshments provide a cultural treat.

Free. Time TBA. For more information call 334-2404500 or visit www.oldalabamatown.com.

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At Eastdale Estates, you’ll enjoy: • Three daily meals prepared from scratch by an executive chef • Full calendar of engaging activities and social events • Dedicated live-in managers available 24/7 • Regular housekeeping and linen service • Scheduled shuttle transporation • Exclusive travel program with access to 300+ locations nationwide • Pets warmly welcomed • And so much more!

Call 334-651-0666 today to ask about our $750 Move In Special!*

5801 Eastdale Drive • Montgomery, AL 36117 334-651-0666 www.eastdaleestates.com * Offer expires July 31, 2014. See management for details. www.primemontgomery.com | July 2014

35

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