1
2 BOOM!
December 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Helpful Hints for Your Home Sponsored by Capital City Ace Hardware, The Helpful Place By Chef Jason, Ace Hardware Executive Chef
Grilling Prime Rib for the Holidays! Understanding Prime Rib
First, let’s start off with the definition of Prime Rib. What is Prime Rib? Is it Prime? A standing rib roast, also known as prime rib, is a cut of beef from the primal rib, one of the nine primal cuts of beef. While the entire rib section comprises ribs six through 12, a standing rib roast may contain anywhere from two to seven ribs. Depending on the budget you have for this holiday or celebration treat there is a quality level to meet your needs. We find that by placing our orders before the holiday season starts, we are able to get better pricing and then pick up as we need. Check with your local butcher, grocery store, grocery club or meat counter and see if this is something they can offer. Prices do increase during high demand seasons and holidays. Here are the TOP 5 Quality Grades and some info for you to read: U.S. Prime – Highest in quality and Moderately Abundant Marbling, limited supply. U.S. Choice – Certified Angus Beef – This grade represents the upper 2/3 of the Choice range. Higher quality and Moderate Marbling. U.S. Choice – High quality and Modest Marbling. U.S. Select – Medium quality and Slight Marbling. U.S. Standard – Lower quality and Trace Marbling. Selecting The Perfect Prime Rib I am having 6 people over, how much The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
roasting pan to catch the drippings. Ribs are Rib Side Down. Fat Side Up. (Can be placed on a roasting rack in the pan.)
should I buy? Do I need to buy it with the rib bones on? A good rule of thumb is to plan on 1 bone per 2 people. That can equate to about 10 oz of cooked prime rib per person. Keep in mind, there will be a small amount of shrink while cooking, so buy a tiny bit extra to ensure you have some leftovers for those shaved prime rib sandwiches the next day.
For the oven, sear at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, then turn oven down to 325 degrees and cook until desired doneness is reached. For the grill/smoker, load at 350 degrees, sear at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then turn smoker/grill down to 325 and cook until desired doneness is reached.
Bone or No Bone? While the bones do add a great flavor, it’s not necessary to cook a bone in rib roast. If cooking a boneless Approximate Prime Rib roast, please follow the same methods as roasting timetable: above and reduce total cooking time by 20-30 minutes depending on cooking tool used. Weight with Bones Approximate Cooking Times When choosing a size, we don’t recommend buying anything under a 2-bone portion, as this is more of a thick, steak-style cut and will be difficult to roast and keep from drying out.
3 Ribs – 7-8 Pounds 4 Ribs – 9-11 Pounds 5 Ribs – 12-13 Pounds 6 Ribs – 14-16 Pounds 7 Ribs – 16 Pounds and UP
Prime Rib Cooking Perfection Remove from the cryo-vac package and put onto a large cookie sheet pan, allow any juice to drain and warm up to room temperature for 20 minutes Next, liberally rub on all sides with your choice of seasoning. Use our Prime Rib Rub-a-Dub or our Standard Rub-A-Dub or a blend of both. We do not recommend SALT CRUSTED for our cooking process. Allow the rub to sit on the Prime Rib for another 20 minutes, then wrap in plastic wrap and place on a cookie sheet pan and into the fridge. I suggest leaving wrapped for 16-24 hours. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Preheat your grill/smoker/outdoor cooking tool to 350 degrees. Do not cover the Prime Rib during the cooking process. Place Prime Rib into a
1 ½ – 1 ¾ Hours plus resting time 1 ¾ – 2 ½ Hours plus resting time 2 ½ – 3 Hours plus resting time 3 – 3 ½ Hours plus resting time 3 ½ – 4 ½ Hours plus resting time
Keep in mind, oven and grill temps may vary, so use a good quality digital thermometer to best judge doneness. If planning to smoke, start off on low temp smoke to build flavor, smoke as long as desired to reach the level of smoke you enjoy, then adjust temp to 325 and finish to desired temperature.
Other Tips and Suggestions Beef will continue to carry-over cook. Once removed from the oven, it will continue to cook another 15-18 degrees in 20 minutes of resting. Be sure to pull from oven slightly under desired doneness to allow the carry-over cooking to end up at the exact temp desired. Rest 15-20 minutes total. Watch the video of Chef Jason here https://youtu.be/0DqdLQ4GXMY We’re always here to help. We welcome our neighbors in Montgomery! Capital City Ace is a local, family-owned hardware store ready to meet all your needs in any area of improvement in your home or property. Come see us today, we are just a few miles from your Montgomery neighborhood. Our Hours are: Mon - Sat: 8 am - 7 pm and Sun: 11 am 5 pm. Capital City Ace Hardware, 3215 Taylor Rd (1 block from Vaughn Rd.), Montgomery, AL. capitalcityace.com
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
3
4 BOOM!
December 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
5
Genghis Khan Invades Downtown Mobile!
Discover the man behind the legend in the blockbuster exhibition experienced by over a million people around the world In the tradition of years past, the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center is proud to announce a return to major blockbuster exhibitions in the Spring of 2019. On the scale of its China and Pompeii exhibits, the Exploreum invites visitors to take a journey back in time with one of history’s most prolific and controversial figures - Genghis Khan. Through artifacts, performers, artwork, and other historically significant items, discover the eye-opening story of the world’s most well-known conqueror, civilizer and innovator in the exhibition Genghis Khan: The Great Civilizer – opening at the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center on Saturday, January 26, 2019. Curated and developed by dinosaur expert Don Lessem, the exhibition features more than 300 spectacular objects on display, including rare and sophisticated weapons, costumes, jewels, ornaments, instruments and numerous other fascinating relics and elaborate artifacts from 13th-century Mongolia. “I went to Mongolia to look for fossils and discovered the truth about Genghis Khan, a civilizing genius,” said Lessem. “It’s a great story best told in a major exhibition.” Experience life in 13th-century Mongolia, entering the tents, battlegrounds and marketplaces of a vanished world that was once the largest land empire in history. Explore Genghis Khan’s life and those of his sons and grandsons during the formation, peak and decline of the Mongol Empire. As the exhibit strikingly portrays, Genghis’s reputation as the greatest conqueror is well-deserved – he dominated three times more land in his lifetime than either Julius Caesar or Alexander the Great, a conquest attested to by the formidable array of swords, bows, arrows, saddles and armor included on display in Genghis Khan. In fact, the historic exhibition showcases hundreds of artifacts from Genghis’s 13th century Empire, the largest such collection ever to tour. However, this special exhibition presents a more complete image of the legendary leader whom Time Magazine and CNN named “The Man of the Millennium.” As visitors discover, Genghis not only created the nation of Mongolia and its written language, but his lineage established the modern borders of nations from India to Iran, Korea to China and opened the trade routes that united East and West, forever after. Visitors will experience the exhibition through the eyes of a Mongolian resident, receiving a civilian identity card at the beginning of their journey. From warrior to spy to princess, they will follow this character’s life throughout the rise of the great Mongol Empire across six key scenes: •The Grasslands: Discover the daily life of a nomad on the high plateaus of Central Asia and learn about the outcast Genghis Khan’s earliest struggles. Walk into an ancient Mongol ger (yurt) home. Stand in the midst of a herd of stampeding horses. • Rise of the Mongols: Learn how the young, charismatic Genghis Khan united warring tribes in order to form an unrivaled cavalry. Explore the equestrian culture and innovations in weaponry Genghis Khan mastered to conquer four times more land than any Empire in history. • The Walled City: Enter the recreation of Karakorum, the walled city, which became the capital of the Mongolian Empire after Genghis Khan’s son inherited the kingdom. See how life changed for Mongols once they had vanquished all of their enemies, and arts and diverse religions and cultures flourished as the need for war subsided. • The Silk Road: While Genghis Khan was a ruthless warrior, he was also a savvy statesman and benevolent ruler. He developed a written language and a sophisticated society with fair taxation, stable government, appreciation of the arts, religious freedom and open trade along the Silk Road. Explore this vital trade route which enabled the exchange of both goods and ideas between cultures. • The Palace of Kublai Khan - Enter the sumptuous Chinese palace of Xanadu, the center of the Empire of Genghis’s grandson, Kublai, who united China for the first time. See porcelain treasures and a sword with the emblem of a guardian of Marco Polo, among many others. • Mongolia Today: Trace the influence of Genghis Khan in images of modern Mongolian life. The distinctive horse-based culture of Genghis Khan’s time persists today as the nation and language he created lives on eight centuries after his rule. See how his legend lives on through the namesake of many modern Mongolian brands, and how he was revered as a god among the Mongolian people. Genghis Khan will open to the general public on Saturday, January 26, 2019. Additional details to come in the following months.
6 BOOM!
December 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
7
BOOM!, The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Contents
December 2018
Facebook.com/RiverRegionBoom
Volume 9 Issue 5
You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
C.S. Lewis
Thought Relationships Taste Inspiration
Humor Advice Health Community
“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.”
Carl Bard
3 Grilling a Rib Roast for the Holidays!! 6 Genghis Khan Invades Downtown Mobile! 10 Publisher’s Letter 13 AUM OLLI Winter Term 2019 Opportunities
Merry Christmas!
14 Fertilization & Mulching from an Italian Immigrant Vincent Speziale
page 18
Features
18 Changing Retirement
35 New Year Resolutions
42 Stress-Free Holiday Season
44 Awesome Alpharetta with Jeff Barganier
46 Relocating After 50
Departments 24 This and That Interesting Stuff
52 {12} Things For Active Boomers
16 New Physical Fitness Guidelines Released Leigh Anne Richards 20 This classic Christmas song is turning 60! 22 There is No Free Lunch McDonald Hagen
48 Greg Budell Bedford Falls, Alabama (Pt 2) page 24
24 The 10th annual 30A SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL 24 It’s A Wonderful Life and Sockball Fight 25 Exclusive Premier Showing of New Season of Victoria 27 Christmas for the Grandkids...and You!
page 36
page 25
page 44
29 The Atlanta Rhythm Section: The Authorized History 32 NOT WORTH FIGHTING Ask an Elder Law Attorney 36 BOOM! Cover Profile
page 50
page 29
page 30
page 25
51 Holiday Cookies Eating Smart with Tracy Bhalla
BOOM! The River Regions 50+ Lifestage Magazine is published monthly by River Region Publications, P.O. Box 6203, Montgomery, AL 36106. The phone number is 334.324.3472. Copyright 2018 by River Region Publications. No part of this publication can be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Opinions expressed in BOOM! The River Regions 50+ Lifestage Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the owners, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products and services herein.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
9
Publisher’s Letter
Christmas Letter The mission of BOOM! is to serve the folks of the River Region age 50 plus with information and ideas to inspire new experiences, better quality of life and new beginnings.
Publisher/Editor
Jim Watson, 334.324.3472
The holiday season is upon us. It's a wonderful time of year and probably my favorite. During the month of December everyone seems to understand that it's time to lower their "noise" for a while. I mean the political landscape has been determined for the next couple years, some won some lost, so it's time to take a breath and reflect. No matter who won or lost my life's direction is still mine to determine. I might even be able to help my wife with her life's direction but she's a got a mind of her own...one of the reasons I married her, at least one of the reasons most of the time :)
jim@riverregionboom.com
Contributing Writers Jeff Barganier Tracy Bhalla Kimberly Blaker Jason Bryant Greg Budell
Holly Lawrence Tom Maxwell Vanzetta McPherson Audrey Meinertzhagen Willie Moseley Leigh Anne Richards Vincent Speziale Nick Thomas Raley L. Wiggins
Cover Photography Shellee Roberts Total Image Portraits www.totalimage.com 334.261.2080
Advertising
Jim Watson, 334.324.3472 jim@riverregionboom.com Please Recycle This Magazine, Share with a Friend!
Facebook.com/RiverRegionBoom
BOOM!
Digital & Interactive “Free Subscriptions” www.riverregionboom.com
Jim Watson, Publisher
This Holiday Season brings me good cheer because Sandy and I have been celebrating our 14-month wedding anniversary and it feels just like yesterday when we tied the knot and started exploring life together, we are still newlyweds really and probably will never grow out of that state, our lives are too interesting to become complacent. We don't have time for that attitude to set in.
One of the coolest things about new love in older minds and bodies is it makes you more adaptable and flexible to growing. For the past 14 months we both have engaged many times with each other's families and I must say we both feel right at home. Yes, we've crossed some boundaries, we shouldn't have but how else do you grow into a new family and feel right at home. Unconditional love usually wins most hearts. We're growing in our love of new family members, family that were strangers to us just a few months ago. These new relationships enhance the importance of building a new family, new traditions...to replace those we once created and loved. Speaking of family, Sandy and I became members of another family during the past few months. Our Faith Family. We are now members of Christ Church Anglican, a most beautiful body of believers, who have welcomed Sandy and me with open arms and hearts. They have strengthened our Christian Faith and above all else the joy we experience as Christians. This time of year, I am thinking about family and the newness that idea brings to me, more this year than any other. My family has refreshed me time and again over the past year. Thanks for wrapping your arms and thoughts around me. Finally, thanks for letting me share these pages with you, our family of readers. Producing BOOM! each month is a labor of love and the comments I receive are very gratifying and inspiring. I appreciate each of you. This month’s cover profile is a woman who has presence. Vanzetta McPherson, who's home town is Montgomery, Alabama, is an accomplished Civil Rights Lawyer and retired U.S Magistrate Judge who loves collecting art, stamp collecting, and traveling almost anywhere, especially, Paris. Vanzetta is a captivating woman with something to share and most likely something you can learn. I hope you enjoy getting to know her as much I did these past few weeks. There are many other good reads this month, some involving learning to cope with the Holidays, making a move to a different city after 50, and Greg Budell's part 2 column on the Bedford Falls of Alabama. It will help you feel your heart, Greg's good at that! There’s plenty more in the River Region’s best reading experience for people over 50, so sit back and enjoy some BOOM! in your life, it makes you feel good about getting older! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Jim jim@riverregionboom.com 334.324.3472 cell/text
10 BOOM!
December 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
11
12 BOOM!
December 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
AUM OLLI Winter Term 2019 Opportunities The 2019 Winter Term schedule (January 28-March 13) provides some exciting new offerings and popular continuing classes for members of AUM OLLI. Study/discussion classes include a consideration of the nature of love, the history of freedom, perspectives (biographical, fictional, and dramatic) on the love story of Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis, leisure activities in antebellum Montgomery, investing, and a consideration of the imagination through a short story and a film. The hands-on classes continue to attract lively participants: zentangle, paper engineering, jewelry making, and pine needle basket weaving. Winter
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
term also brings a new computer class designed to help individuals enhance their documents. For those who would like to improve their culinary skills, OLLI is offering a class in sugar craft skills and cake decorating. For active OLLI members, the everpopular line dancing and ballroom dancing classes continue to be offered. A new class that will get members moving about is Argentine tango. We are excited to announce that a new dance floor is being installed in one of the classrooms. Also returning is the popular hiking class which will be offered on Tuesdays. Bonus opportunities include the Tuesday Book Discussion Group and
Brain Bowl, on first and third Tuesdays of the term. Brown Bag Lunch presentations feature an architectural artist, a novelist, a historian, and a journalist’s look at editorial cartoons. The potluck lunch, originated in the fall term of 2018, will be offered again. There will also be an informational session about the spring OLLI field trip to Selma art studios and galleries, a trip scheduled for April 12, 2019. For details and the schedule for all classes, refer to the new 2019 winter/ spring/summer catalog. This new catalog and registration are available to online at www.aum.edu/OLLI. If you have any questions, please contact Brittany Thomasson at 334-244-3804 or bthomass@aum.edu.
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
13
By Vincent Speziale
Fertilization & Mulching from an Italian Immigrant
I Learned About My Italian grandparents immigrated to the USA in the late 1800’s. They were farmers in Italy, but farming was not an option for my grandfather as a new American. He was lucky enough to get a job working for the railroad, but farming was in his blood and as far back as I can remember, they always had a large garden. When they retired, they moved from their original home and built a beautiful new house on the outskirts of Pittsburgh. There was one problem that they did not notice until the house was finished ----- the soil was not the usual rich dark sandy loam that is found in that part of Pennsylvania, but a shale and clay mixture (as best as I can remember). This is the point at which I learned about fertilization and mulching. My grandfather never knew those two English words but that is what he did---- he fertilized, mulched and amended this shale and clay. Here is how he did it; he had a truck load of cow manure delivered from a local meat processing plant. He had them dump it in the front right corner of what was to be a very large garden area. He turned the soil in that area. He next planted fruit trees in the garden area that would eventually provide shade and lots of fruit. The manure pile did not smell too
14 BOOM!
December 2018
bad and as time went on and as it “cooked”, it got better. At first grass clippings, grape stems and skins (left from wine making-- that is another story) and any organic material that was not consumable went on the pile. My grandfather turned the pile once a year and after a few years it just looked like a big compost pile. The garden produced well the very first year. There were very large tomatoes, Italian zucchini, Swiss Chard, many different melons, and different varieties of lettuce; mostly escarole. He was also able to grow beautiful carrots and beets. I still remember helping him pinch blooms off the tomato plants, so they would not bear fruit until the plant and root systems were large enough to support fruit. My grandfather turned the soil by hand and always worked the “compost” into the soil while my
not exaggerating when I say that the fruit and vegetables that he grew were always the largest and healthiest that I have ever seen. This could be attested to by thankful neighbors who were also recipients of this bounty. As the fruit trees matured, they produced large peaches, pears and
apples. I remember having to prop branches on the peach tree with 2x6 inch lumber with V notches cut into them to keep the tree branches from breaking under the weight of the fruit. A lot of this fruit was also available to their neighbors and my grandmother canned tomatoes, peaches, pears and made pickles and piccalilli. She always had full shelves in the wine cellar at the end of the growing season. To sum things up my grandfather grew a bountiful garden with a lot of hard work and constant tending. He never used artificial fertilizers or insecticides. He could have been one of the first “organic gardeners” in the USA!
grandmother planted flowers in strategic locations that would deter insects. I am
RiverRegionBoom.com
Vincent Speziale, an intern in the 2018 Master Gardener Class, lives in Pike Road. For more information on becoming a master gardener, visit www.capcitymga.org or email capcitymga@gmail.com. The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
15
New Physical Fitness Guidelines Released
Less than one third of Americans, meet the new physical fitness guidelines issued by the federal government November 12, 2018. The new guidelines are very similar to the old that were released in 2008. They call on adults to get at least 150 minutes of moderate –intensity aerobic activity and two sessions of total body muscle strengthening each week.
The guidelines and related reports just released and published by the Journal of American Medical Association, say the failure to meet the recommended levels of physical activity leads to nearly $117 billion in annual health care costs. Older adults are considered 65 years and older. The guidelines and recommendations are not that different from just active adult guidelines. Older adults are a varied group. Most, but not all, have one or more chronic conditions, such as Type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, cancers. These conditions vary in type and severity. Physical activity is key in preventing and managing chronic diseases. Other benefits include a lower risk of dementia, better perceived quality of life and reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression. Physical activity can also provide opportunities for social interaction. As we age, we all experience loss of physical fitness and function, but some experience it more than others. The diversity is that some older adults can run several miles, while some struggle to walk a few blocks. Examples of Physical Activities for Older Adults: Aerobic Activities • Walking or Hiking • Dancing • Water aerobics • Some form of yoga • Bike riding- outdoor or indoor • Yard work- raking, push mowing • Sports like tennis • Walking during golf
16 BOOM!
December 2018
Fitness over Fifty by Leigh Anne Richards
Muscle Strengthening • Using exercise bands, machines, weights • Body weight exercises- pushups, squats • Digging, lifting, gardening • Yoga postures • Carrying groceries, packages • Tai-chi
All these activities listed can be either relatively moderate or relatively vigorous, depending on the older adult’s fitness level. What is considered moderate-intensityActivities that require medium level effort. On a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is sitting and the greatest effort a 10. Moderate activity would be considered a 5-6 on that scale. Breathing rate and heart rate will increase. Vigorous is considered a level 7 or 8 on the 0-10 scale and it produces large increases in a person’s heart rate and breathing. A general rule of thumb is that 2 minutes of moderate- intensity activity counts the same as 1 minute of vigorous- intensity activity. An example would be 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity is roughly the same as 15 minutes of vigorous. Muscle strengthening should involve all the major groups. There are many ways to strengthen the muscles- hand weights, resistance bands, weight machines, and using the body weight for resistance. No specific amount of time is recommended for muscle strengthening, but The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 1 one set major muscle group and 8-12 repetitions.
RiverRegionBoom.com
Development of muscle strength and endurance is progressive over time- the gradual increases in the amount of weight, number of sets or repetitions, or the number of days will result in stronger muscles.
Balance activities to help prevent falls are also recommended in the guidelines to prevent falling. These balance sessions need to be included 3 days a week for a fall prevention program. Also included in the guidelines are flexibility activities to increase our range of motion and help with our mobility. Key Points for the Activity Guidelines for Older Adults: • Move more and sit less through the day • For substantial health benefits, 150-300 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity. • Muscle strengthening activities that involve all major muscle groups at least 2 times a week. • Older adults should do multicomponent physical activity that includes balance training and flexibility work. • Older adults should determine their level of effort for physical activity relative to their fitness level. It is not one size fits all. • If chronic conditions exists, understand how those conditions will affect your ability to do regular physical activity. • If, because of chronic conditions, one cannot achieve 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, they should be as physically active as their abilities allow. Physical Guidelines for Americans- pages 55-78 USA Today- 11/12/2018, Jayne O’Donnell “Federal government announces new physical fitness guidelines”
Leigh Anne Richards, MEd, Certified Personal Trainer, Group Exercise Instructor, General Manager- MetroFitness. For any questions or comments, contact Leigh Anne at LAMetrofit@aol.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Digital & Interactive
When you read the Digital & Interactive version of BOOM! on your digital device you will be interactive with every website and email link in the magazine. You can click through to a writer’s source, an advertiser, send comments and suggestions, request more info and share your favorite reads on Facebook and Twitter. The Digital & Interactive version was built for the new you so go ahead and sign up for a free subscription at RiverRegionBoom.com and enjoy “BOOM!, the best reading experience for the 50+ community”
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
17
How Longer Lives are
Changing Retirement
Aging Has A Deeper and Brighter Dimension Aging is breaking away from the cultural norms of the 19th and 20th centuries. We are challenging and discarding long held opinions and beliefs about aging. Fading from popular culture is the notion that our vitality has a limit. Better medical care, changing diets, and exercise have extended people’s vitality. After age 50, some complete their first marathon or hike the Appalachian trail. Others ski mountains or attend cooking classes in Oaxaca. Eighty percent of luxury tourism is done by people over the age of 55. People over the age of 50 start onethird of all new businesses. Whether you are an adventurer or gardener, aging has a deeper and brighter dimension. Never before have so many people, advanced in years with such a high level of health and wealth, been alive. Life expectancy in the United States is now 79. In Western Europe it is 84. Granted, there are millions in need for whom this is not an accurate scenario. But people around the world are living longer and healthier lives. Retirement With More Vitality Healthy longevity and falling birthrates create cultural, economic, and political shifts. Populations around the world are aging and this is a trend that is not going to reverse for generations. The notion of “old age” mirrors one’s mindset. Age is an attitude. A 27-yearold could be old. A 72-year-old could
18 BOOM!
December 2018
embrace life with an attitude and energy and joy that would exhaust a 30 year old. There is so much to appreciate as we advance in years. People are embracing each turn that they take around the sun with a sweet wisdom that has them come more alive. Life and usefulness do not come to a screaming halt when kids leave the nest or when one retires. This time of retirement is a new beginning, founded on a wealth of experience and reinvention. It is for many a time of transition, a renewal. Retirement is Changing, When Will Products? The current generation of retirees has rejected stereotypical marketing ploys. Business has been slow to respond to the needs and desires of retirees. Older adults have resisted classifications such as “old” and on the “decline.” Products sold as helpful prove to be insulting and condescending. These
RiverRegionBoom.com
include hearing aids, personal emergency systems, and cell phones with limited features. In his book, The Longevity Economy: Unlocking the World’s FastestGrowing, Most Misunderstood Market, Joseph Coughlin writes, “geriatric technology lavishes far more attention on basic needs like health and safety than higher-level needs like the desire for human connection, personal or professional ambition, contemplation, and yes, fun.” Big business lacks imagination when designing products for retirees. Few meet the needs of the elderly in a way that doesn’t exclude them from living fully. As Coughlin writes: “it’s easy to see why this approach has prevailed for so long. The alternative— favoring high-level desires like fun over physiological needs like medicine—seems frivolous, even dangerous. (You can’t eat ice cream if you’re dead, after all.)” The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
One great example of a company that gets it right is OXO. The company started with one product, a potato peeler for arthritic hands. The result is an extensive line of cookware that is intuitive and a complete game changer. It is a type of product that anyone who has peeled anything would want to use and own. It makes a simple chore easier for everyone despite your age. These are the sort of products that work. They are inclusive and transcend age. A Cultural Reshaping of Retirement We shouldn’t be so fast to believe what the media is offering us, that people over 50 are on a downward spiral. The media neglects us. Marketers still create a culture of eternal youth and ageism. Watch in the coming years how that begins to turn around. Those who now think of aging as a disease will embrace it as a privileged journey. And on this journey, by the way, we
Business is slowly waking up to us. We refuse to be set aside.
spend a little money. People over 50 outspend those in the 30-44 age range. According to Coughlin,
So, do that thing that is poking at you. Take that risk. Savor that trip. Embrace that person. Live and love on!
“The spending of the 50-plus, combined with downstream effects, accounted for nearly $8 trillion dollars’ worth of economic activity—nearly half of… gross domestic product (GDP).” Those of us who have been around the block a few times are going back to school. We are starting second or third professions. We invest time in our spiritual, physical, and social lives. We are politically active and engaged. We volunteer. We have a voice and we are not afraid to use it; even if the overarching media machine fails to listen. We are here and we are real. A cultural reshaping of retirement is emerging. Retirement is a passage to another vital and meaningful stage in life. It supports us in meeting the realities of aging. This is a new time.
Resources: AgeLab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The Longevity Economy Creating Authentic Rituals During the Journey of Life by Audrey Meinertzhagen About The Author Audrey Meinertzhagen As a Volunteer Caregiver to the Zen Hospice Project and a Course Manager at the CareGivers Project, Audrey is passionate about improving the standards of care for older adults and educating caregivers on the principles of mindfulness and self-care.
T This article is sponsored by Home Care Assistance, for more info visit www.homecareassistance.com
Live Well at Home with a Higher Class of Care We do home care differently • 24/7 Live-in and Hourly Care • Balanced Care Method™ to promote healthy longevity • Cognitive Therapeutics Method™ to boost brain health • Hospital to Home Care Call today!
334-593-3988 Changing the Way the World Ages The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
HomeCareAssistanceMontgomery.com R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
Call Kristy today for your free in-home consultation! December 2018
BOOM!
19
By Tom Maxwell
This classic Christmas song is turning 60! The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) turns 60 this year, regardless of your feelings about it. Since it will never go away, let’s take a look at this extraordinarily successful novelty single.
“Every time I write a song, I keep a mental picture of a housewife with her hands in soapy water, listening to the radio,” Bagdasarian once said. “I try to figure out how to get her hands out of the dishwater to turn up the volume, to hear my song.”
speed.
The song was written, produced, and recorded by Rostom Sipan “Ross” Bagdasarian, better known by his stage name David Seville. Bagdasarian was a California kid, born to immigrants from the Ottoman Empire. He wrote a hit (Come On-a My House) for Rosemary Clooney in 1951 and had a bit part in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window three years later, as the shadowy, distant, songwriter. In 1958, Bagdasarian scored a number 1 hit with his single “Witch Doctor.” According to his son, Bagdasarian— broke, heavily in debt, and with three babies—took his life savings of $200 and bought a reel-to-reel tape recorder, one which would allow him to vary the tape
20 BOOM!
December 2018
A voice recorded at half speed, when played normally, sounds like, well…a chipmunk. Or, initially to Bagdasarian’s ears, a witch doctor. That single stayed at number 1 for three weeks. Seizing on the formula, Bagdasarian created four new characters: Alvin, Simon, and Theodore the Chipmunks, as well as their frazzled producer Dave. The song was featured on American Bandstand, where it received the lowest possible rating. No matter: In commercial release it performed extravagantly well, going straight to number 1, garnering three Grammys, and selling 4.5 million singles in less than two months. The Chipmunks have been with us ever since.
RiverRegionBoom.com
“The Chipmunk Song” wasn’t just a one-off: it spawned an entire franchise. In 1959, The Three Chipmunks comic book was issued by Dell Comics, then the short-lived animated series The Alvin Show. A later series ran from 1983 to 1990, in addition to all manner of largely Christmas-related television specials. The Chipmunks continued to make albums, covering popular songs from the Beatles to Blondie. After Bagdasarian died in 1972, his son Ross Jr. took over voice acting duties. Oh, and there were also several major motion picture releases, direct to video movies, lawsuits, and a female version of the group called the Chipettes. If you’re reading the digital version of BOOM! click the link below and listen to this 60-year-old Christmas Classic, invite the grandkids! The Chipmunk Song https://youtu.be/wd N_8OlJGs0 (if you
want to receive the Digital version of BOOM! go to www.riverregionboom.com and sign up.)
Source www.considerable.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
21
There is No Free Lunch
Brandt McDonald introduces his guest columnist...From time to time, I will be introducing several of our advisors through this column. They will share their unique insights into financial markets, financial planning and overall wealth management concepts. At McDonald & Hagen, we have a deep bench of talent that is eager to serve our firm’s clients and our local community. This month’s column is written by Jason Bryant, Financial Advisor, McDonald & Hagen.
Retirees generally are not interested in taking a lot of risk with their money, and for good reason. You spent your whole life saving it and you do not want to lose it. You need it to supplement your income and be available to you for the rest of your life. So, retirees often look to investments that have performed well through bad times. The idea is that anything that could withstand turbulent markets is surely a safe bet. But that is simply not true. All investments carry risk. While that seems like a simple concept, many people tend to forget about it when looking at certain types of investments. Take gold, for example. If you have listened to the radio or watched TV in the past decade, you have surely heard a commercial encouraging you to invest in gold. These commercials tout gold as a safe asset that performed well during the economic downturns of the 21st Century. The price of gold did indeed skyrocket through the last decade and ultimately peaked in 2011 at nearly $2,000/ ounce. While global stock markets and real estate prices suffered, investments in gold thrived. But past performance is not indicative of future returns. That is a fact we financial advisors must disclose to our clients on a regular basis. The sheer volume of commercials advertising gold as an investment has caused investors to wonder. Many retiree investors have asked us about our thoughts on gold as an investment. My response is always the same. It is not as safe as you think it is. While the marketing behind the gold industry has made it sound like the perfect combination of safety and high returns, the reality is that it is a commodity, subject to massive price swings. From its peak in 2011 to its bottom in 2015, the price of gold dropped by roughly 45%. That is eerily similar to the kind of downturn the US stock market experienced during the financial crisis of 2008. Even today, gold is 35% below its highest price some seven years ago. So much for safety.
22 BOOM!
December 2018
Financial Thoughts with Jason Bryant
But gold is not the only investment that investors regard as both safe and opportunistic. Utility stocks are another example. Here in Alabama, we often hear questions regarding stock in Southern Company, the parent company of Alabama Power. Over the past 20 years, the stock has steadily increased in value with less volatility than the broad markets. Along the way, it has paid a nice dividend to its shareholders. The behavior of Southern Company stock is exactly what retirees are looking for in an investment. It has low volatility and high income. The safety of the company is something we can understand in easy terms. If you have to cut back on your expenses, you will probably still pay the power bill. Therefore, the stock should be fine even if we experience another recession. Not to mention, Southern Company, like most utilities, has the benefit of unique regulations which give them a near monopoly across a certain geographic area. But that does not mean there is no risk. Utility stocks tend to carry a higher amount of interest rate risk than other stocks. Similar to bonds, when interest rates go up, the income being generated from your investment is less attractive and so the price of that investment tends to drop. That is one of the reasons why Southern Company stock has fallen over the past two and a half years while the rest of the stock market has risen. Interest rates have been going up. Even if you ignore the effect of interest rate changes, you cannot avoid the unlimited amount of other possible risks. Many citizens of California have used the same justification to invest in their local electricity provider, Pacific Gas and Electric Company
RiverRegionBoom.com
or PG&E. It pays a sizeable dividend and being a utility, it is not as cyclical as most stocks. But that all came crashing down with the news of the wild fires throughout the state of California. It started last year when news spread that the October 2017 wild fires were likely caused by their power lines falling in the wind. The liability costs could be substantial. PG&E was forced to suspend its dividend and the stock took an immediate hit. Just when the stock was starting to stabilize, it happened again. Wild fires broke out across California this month and the likely culprit – PG&E. Now, the stock currently sits at a price 67% below where it was 14 months ago. And there is no dividend payment likely in the near future. If you ever feel that you have a safe investment, understand that there is no free lunch. You can only make money by taking on risk or giving up liquidity. Prudent investing requires that you manage that risk through diversification and always make sure to have enough cash on hand in case you need it in the short term. Jason Bryant, Financial Advisor Brandt McDonald, Managing Partner McDonald & Hagen Wealth Management LPL Branch Manager www.mcdonaldhagen.com Direct comments and questions to Jennifer.Hunt@LPL.com or 334.387.0094 Securities offered through LPL Financial. Member FINRA & SIPC. Investment advice offered through McDonald & Hagen Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor, and separate entity from LPL Financial.
Sources/Disclaimers:
This material was prepared for BOOM Magazine and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
23
i
This & tHAT
The 10th annual 30A SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL
The 10th annual 30A SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL – set for January 18-21, 2019 – has announced the initial HEADLINERS for the 2019 celebration of singers and songs. The festival, held in venues along scenic Highway 30A in Florida’s South Walton County, will feature main stage performances in presenting partner Grand Boulevard’s Town Center by esteemed artists including JASON ISBELL, BRANDI CARLILE, FELIX CAVALIERE’S RASCALS with his full band and horn section, ROSANNE CASH and LUCINDA WILLIAMS. Performing throughout the weekend are renowned songwriters including PATTY GRIFFIN, STEVE EARLE, LIVINGSTON TAYLOR,GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV, SUZY BOGGUSS, JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE, AMANDA SHIRES, SHAWN MULLINS, JOHN FULLBRIGHT, MARC BROUSSARD, MATRACA BERG, THE SECRET SISTERS, THE WAR AND TREATY, AARON LEE TASJAN, ROBYN HITCHCOCK, JEFFREY STEELE, CHELY WRIGHT, and RADNEY FOSTER. The 30A Songwriters Festival production team transforms amphitheaters, town halls, restaurants, theaters, bars and covered patios into unique music venues ranging in capacity from 75 to 500 seats indoors and 5,000 outdoors. For more info visit www.30asongwritersfestival.com Felix Cavaliere
Joyce Cadell Holiday Pops Concert Tuesday, December 18, 2018 at 7:30 pm, celebrate the music of the holiday season in extravagant style as the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra pulls out all the stops to make spirits bright. This annual Symphony tradition is sure to warm your heart and put you in a Very Merry Holiday mood. For tickets or more information, contact us at 334.240.4004 or visit www.montgomerysymphony.org
Capri Classics: It’s A Wonderful Life and Sockball Fight The Capri Theatre is getting into the spirit of giving. We've partnered with the Mid-Alabama Coalition for the Homeless (MACH) to host the Capri's second annual Sockball fight - I.e., a snowball fight, but with socks. To participate, the rules are simple: Bring clean, unused socks to It's a Wonderful Life on Saturday, December 8 at 7:30. After the pre-show talk is finished, participants will ball up the socks and try to protect their drinks as best they can. We'll do a countdown, and then everybody goes to town. It might be the closest thing to a snowball fight we get all year! After a couple minutes, volunteers will come by to collect the sockballs. All socks will be donated to MACH. One of the more uplifting stories about suicide that the Capri shows, James Stewart's George Bailey is about to throw himself off a bridge when an angel trying to earn his wings decides to show George what would have happened to George's hometown if George had never existed. George is shocked to find that as the man who saved his brother's life and helped everyone in his town stay out of debt, that the people he cares about might have been impacted by his no longer existing. Upon finding out that life really can get worse than he thought, George decides to live after all. For more info call 334.262.4858 or visit www.capritheatre.org
24 BOOM!
December 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
BOOMERS, share your stuff with BOOM! We Love to Bring BOOMERS Together, send info and pics to jim@riverregionboom.com
"Send them to Success" Fundraiser Local blues artists John Bull and Ed Pickett will be competing in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee in January 2019. Join us for a special benefit to help John and Ed defray their expenses for this event where they will be competing with solo/duo acts from all over the world! Sunday at the Capitol Oyster Bar, 617 Shady St, Montgomery, Alabama 36104, Sunday December 9th, 5-7 pm. Call 334.239.8958 for more information or visit www.facebook.com/ events/303061166962764/ or www.capitoloysterbar.com.
Exclusive Premier Showing of New Season of Victoria Join us at the Archives on Thursday, December 13 for an exclusive preview screening of the new season of the acclaimed PBS series "Victoria," presented in partnership with Alabama Public Television. Beginning at 5:30 pm, ADAH Chief Curator Ryan Blocker will present "Victorian Fashion: From the Skin Out" followed immediately by the screening at 6 pm. Admission to both the presentation and the screening is free! No advance registration or tickets required. "Victoria" Season 3 begins in 1848 as revolution is breaking out across Europe. In Britain, one woman stands between order and chaos: Queen Victoria. Jenna Coleman stars as the young but fearless monarch, facing a crisis that threatens to end her reign. Victoria, Season 3, will premiere on MASTERPIECE on Sunday, January 13, 2019, at 8 pm on Alabama Public Television (APT). This exclusive event will feature a screening the first hour of the season 3 premiere episode. A reception of light refreshments will also be provided to attendees. For questions or more information call 334.353.9270 or visit www.facebook.com/events/2271478106456456/
Christmas Clearinghouse The Christmas Clearinghouse keeps families from being overlooked and makes sure that all donated resources are used wisely. You can ADOPT A FAMILY...MAKE A DONATION... BUILD A CARE BASKET. Visit www.handsonriverregion.org to learn how you can help or call 334.264.3335
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
25
This & tHAT
i
More
Old Alabama Town Holiday Open House Saturday December 15th, 9-4 pm, Old Alabama Town would like to show their appreciation to the Montgomery community by opening their doors once again for Old Alabama Town’s annual Holiday Open House! Step back into the past with this special Old Alabama Town Holiday Open House. Enjoy traditional holiday craft making, stories of holidays past, live holiday music, and costumed villagers complete with cookies and cider. Admission is free with a canned food donation to the Montgomery Area Food Bank. Visit www.oldalabamatown.com or call 334.240.4500 for more information.
Old Alabama Town Revue presents Christmas Places
Saturday December 15th, The Old Alabama Town Revue will be part of the Holiday Open House at Old Alabama Town. The OAT Revue begins at 2 pm, but the Holiday Open House is 9 am to 4 pm. The theme is “Christmas Places” with both originals and old faves. Joining the Old Alabama Revue Crue will be guest stars Debbie and Bruce George along with Greta Lambert and Rodney Clark. If you’re just coming to the revue, enter through the gate at Columbus Street. Entry to the Holiday Open House is free with a canned food donation to the Montgomery Area Food Bank. It’s all merry and bright! Bring your whole family to this one-of-a-kind live show. Call 334.240.4500 for more information or visit www.landmarksfoundation.com/events/upcoming-events/
Alabama Emerging Artist Show
Fresh Talent, Fine Art. Come meet Nine Emerging Alabama artists: Carlee Arnold, Gina Budny, Ellen Davis, Carol Pugsley Jones, Jeila Martin Kershaw, Michelle Leach, Carrie Pittman, Rebekah Webb, Kimberly Zukley, Opening Reception: Friday, December 7th from 5:30 PM - 8:30. Sip, shop, and meet the artists! Hors d'oeuvres provided by The Tipping Point and Fridge to Fork. Live Painting & Artist Demos: Saturday, December 8th. Grab a coffee and chat with the artists about their process! Coffee and light bites provided by Prevail Union Montgomery and Fridge to Fork Location: Hampstead's Lido Pool Event Space, 4925 Lake Edge Street, Montgomery, AL 36116. Exhibit Hours: December 7th: 10 am - 8:30 pm, December 8th: 10 am - 5 pm. For more information, call Ellen Davis, MS, CMI 334.467.8990 or visit www.facebook.com/events/1868520486548763/
Digital & Interactive
f re e su bsc r i pt i on s at w w w.rive r re gio n b o o m.co m 26 BOOM!
December 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Christmas for the Grandkids...and You! Sensory Santa Experience G Biscuits with Santa G Brunch with Santa
Sensory Santa Experience: The Shoppes at EastChase is making sure that every child has time with Santa by providing a Sensory Santa Experience for those families with special needs children. Sensory Santa hours are from 11 - 7 pm on Wednesday, December 12 and from 11 - 7 pm on Thursday, December 13. Santa's Whimsical Wonderland will not be open for regular business hours on these days. To make an appointment, visit www. theshoppesateastchase.com/event/sensory-santa-experience/2145498312/ or call 334.279.6046. These sessions start at $20 for 20 minutes. There is no minimum time for each appointment as we give each family enough
time. Biscuits with Santa: Come out to Riverwalk Stadium for the first-ever Biscuits with Santa event on Saturday, December 8th from 10am - NOON! Get your picture taken with Santa while enjoying hot biscuits and cocoa along with rides on the Biscuits Express and a Christmas movie on the videoboard! Bring a NEW toy for donation to the Salvation Army and receive FREE biscuits and hot cocoa! For more information, call 334.323.2255 or visit www.facebook.com/events/1209084525896937/. Brunch with Santa: On Saturday, 9 -11 am, December 8th and December 15th, The Shoppes at EastChase is partnering with our friends at Bonefish Grill for a festive day for you and your family that includes a delicious brunch and kid’s activities, all benefiting Child Protect, Children's Advocacy Center. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children ages 3 and up. For the kiddos we have: Photo ops with Santa and his elves, Facepainting, Craft activity, Balloon Artist, Santa Photo Opportunity: Capture that perfect photo with Santa and our festive holiday backdrops. Ticket price includes brunch and kids’ activities, as well as tax and gratuity. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children ages 3 and up. For more information, call 334.517.1760.
Pike Road Author Releases New Book Richard Caldwell's new book, The Enemy of my Enemy is a thriller invloving the Middle East, POTUS and so much more to keep you glued to the pages until the final explosive conclusion! Check it out on www. amazon.com. Author's Bio: retired as an Airborne Army officer after twenty years' service which included combat tours in Vietnam with 2nd Field Forces and D-71st. He then served as a Hospital Administrator for twenty-four years before retiring in 2013. His education credentials include a B.S, an MBA, a post-graduate fellowship in Healthcare Administration and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. Mr. Caldwell holds a Black Belt in Taekwondo and is a certified SCUBA diver. He enjoys camping, fishing, kayaking, and his Harley Davidson Softail. He and his wife Patricia live in Pike Road, Alabama. You may contact Mr. Caldwell at rcaldwell36064@outlook.com
Thanks for Reading BOOM! The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
27
This & tHAT
i
More
Zoo Winter Holiday Full Day Camp. Date and Time: December 17-21, 8 am – 5 pm daily, 5-12-year-old. Camp divided into 2 groups: 5-8-year-old and 9-12-year-old. Montgomery Zoo, 2301 Coliseum Parkway, Montgomery, AL. Zoo holiday camp is a fun-filled, educational wildlife experience. Camp activities include scavenger hunts, behind the scene tours, live animal presentations, special one-on-one animal experiences, classroom projects, games, craft time, riding the train, and sky lift, zookeeper talks and so much more -- all wrapped around the theme of WINTER WONDERLAND. Parents can check out Facebook posts to see daily activities and see pics of their kids. Advanced reservations are required. Montgomery Zoo members: $162. Non-Montgomery Zoo members: $180. Pick up and drop off will take place at the Zoo's front admission gate. Drop-off will be from 7:30 - 8am. Pick-up will be from 5 - 5:30pm. Lunch and snacks: Morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and beverages will be provided each day of camp. Register for camp online at www.montgomeryzoo.com/announcements/zoo-holidaycamp. LAST DAY TO REGISTER FOR WINTER HOLIDAY CAMP IS DECEMBER 12 at NOON. For more information: Contact Montgomery Zoo's Education Department at 334.625.4900 or email at sfontaine@montgomeryal.gov.
AGAPE of Central Alabama Executive Director Jimmy Dobbs Retiring after 33 years Agape of Central Alabama announces the retirement of longtime Executive Director, Jimmy Dobbs. Jimmy’s leadership has helped expand services across the state of Alabama. Originally a small Montgomery based foster care and adoption agency, Agape now serves families across the state of Alabama. Mr. Dobbs says, “I feel blessed to have shared in ministry with so many special people for so many years and to have witnessed all the amazing and incredible things God has done.” Jimmy’s leadership has impacted lives of thousands of vulnerable children and is a respected member of the Alabama child welfare community. Jimmy is excited about spending more time with his family in retirement. “I am looking forward to reading and playing with my three grandchildren, finishing projects around our home and traveling with my wife, Judy.” For more info visit www.agapeforchildren.org
Jimmy Dobbs
Night at the Museum
Need a night on the town? Longing for a date night with your spouse or friends? Need to get some Christmas shopping done? Then drop your kids off at the Mann Wildlife Learning Museum at the Montgomery Zoo, Friday, December 7th for an evening of fun and adventure. A Night at the Museum will be packed with games, night tours of the Museum, movies, snacks, animal presentations, and fun, fun, fun! While mom and dad enjoy an evening out and about, the kids will have an exciting night of adventure, scavenger hunts, and making new friends. Each child will be provided a meal, beverages, and snacks. Drop-off will begin at 6pm, and pick-up will begin at 10pm. Drop-off and pick-up are at the Mann Wildlife Learning Museum located at 325 East Vandiver Blvd, Montgomery, AL 36110. This program is geared for boys and girls, ages 4-12 years old. Event fee: $50 per child (ages 4-12 years old), $45 for Montgomery Zoo members. Register online now. All spots must be reserved in advance at www.montgomeryzoo.com/announcements/night-at-the-museum. All reservations must be received by Tuesday, December 4 at 12pm. For more information, call 334.625.4909 or email at sfontaine@montgomeryal.gov.
28 BOOM!
December 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The Atlanta Rhythm Section: The Authorized History Great for a Rock n' Roll Christmas!
The thirteenth book of writer, Willie Moseley, is the authorized chronicle of the Atlanta Rhythm Section, the legendary Southern rock band that created such memorable hits as “Champagne Jam,” “So Into You,” “Imaginary Lover,” “Spooky,” and “Doraville.” Already seasoned studio professionals when they formed in 1970, the A.R.S. forged a new direction in Southern rock by focusing on the integrity of their music onstage and in the studio. Through platinum and gold albums—A Rock and Roll Alternative, Champagne Jam, and Underdog—as well as international tours, huge outdoor concerts, and personnel changes, the band has staunchly maintained its dedication to its craft over the decades. This story contains recollections from original and current band members, producers, technicians, other musicians, and fans, as well as more than 120 photos of band members from the early days as backup musicians for Roy Orbison and other iconic artists to the present day. Willie G. Moseley is the Senior Writer for Vintage Guitar Magazine and columnist/News Editor emeritus for Tallapoosa Publishers Inc. He resides in central Alabama with his wife Gail and their daughter Elizabeth. This is his thirteenth book. You can purchase his latest book at www.schifferbooks.com or www.amazom.com. If you'd like to contact Willie, send him an email at willie@vintageguitar.com "It's fair to say that writing about guitars and music has taken me further than playing music on guitars ever would have."
Willie backing up George "Goober" Lindsey
Willie with B.B. King
Willie's daughter, Elizabeth and wife Gail visit with Peter Frampton along with Willie
Willie Moseley, author
Capital City Master Gardener Association Presents Free Lunch & Learn 2018/19 Capital City Master Gardener Association presents Lunch & Learn 2018 the 1st Wednesday of Every Month from 12-1 pm. We meet at the Armory Learning Arts Center, 1018 Madison Avenue, Downtown Montgomery. Mark your calendars, December 5, Down to Earth Landscaping, Karen Weber, Horticulturist and January 2, Sex in the Garden/Plant Propagation, Lt. Col. Don Armstrong, Master Gardener. For information, please contact the Montgomery County Extension Office 334.270.4133. Also visit www.capcitymga.org. FREE GARDEN HELPLINE: Can’t find the answer to a home gardening question? Call our Free Help Line for the general public. 1-877-252GROW (4769), Mon-Thurs 9am-1pm I March-August. The help line is operated by Master Gardener Volunteers who use research-based information to best answer your gardening questions.
Digital & Interactive
f re e su bsc r i pt i on s at w w w.rive r re gio n b o o m.co m The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
29
This & tHAT
More
MANE’s 2018 “Raise the Roof”
Hundreds of River Region citizens gathered to show support for the area’s premier therapeutic riding facility known as MANE at the 10th annual “Raise the Roof” Seafood Celebration on Thursday, October 25th. MANE serves area children, adults and veterans, who have physical, cognitive, emotional, and developmental disabilities, using equine-assisted activities. All labor and fabulous seafood, which was freshly prepared in MANE’s Poarch Creek Arena, was completely donated by Wintzell’s Oyster House, courtesy of owners, Bob and Buffy Donlon, from Mobile. Baptist Health, MAX Credit Union, and Spire Energy (formerly Alagasco) sponsored the event. Toes tapped to country music favorites from the Trotline Band as guests dined, mingled and made new acquaintances. The volunteers are the backbone of MANE’s program. Volunteers of all ages and skills are needed each week to assist riders, help maintain the site, document progress, and work with horses. Often, volunteers are introduced to MANE by attending fundraising events such as “Raise the MANE Board Member Cindy Longshore and her husband Spencer Roof.” Others volunteer sponsored “Half Pint” for the coming year! (Photo credit: EM.T Photo) at MANE to fulfill their desire to help individuals with challenges, become better acquainted with horses, or share their love of the equine world. MANE’s equine-related activities can produce improved mobility, balance, posture, coordination, language development, motivation, independence, self-discipline, concentration, and life-skill competencies. These benefits are derived from the transfer of movement from horse to rider as well as from the opportunities for social Paul Langford, Chris Tippett, Puddin', Kate Chambers, interaction, education, and John Sease say "Hay" in MANE's stable area. (Photo credit: EM.T Photo) recreation, and therapy. For more information about MANE, please visit MANE’s website at www.maneweb.org. To volunteer or register for MANE’s programs, please call 334-213-0909 or email maneinfo@maneweb.org . Donations can be sent to: MANE, 3699 Wallahatchie Road, Pike Road, AL 36064. MANE holds a 501C3 corporation status and its instructors are certified through PATH Intl., a regulatory agency that assures stringent standards for quality therapeutic MANE relies on volunteers such as William Martin, Debbie horseback riding through instructor certification, site accreditation and program Schmidt and Richard Keeshan to be able to provide monitoring. thousands of individual sessions to program participants and their families each year. (Photo credit: EM.T Photo)
Caring for the Caregiver, Alzheimer/Dementia Support Group Meeting the 2nd Wednesday of each month, 1-3 pm at ChristChurch, 8800 Vaughn Rd. Montgomery, AL. A place for RESPITE: a pause or rest, EXCHANGING: practical information on caregiving problems, possible solutions, and resources in our community, SHARING: needs and concerns, TALKING: through challenges and discovering new ways to cope. Often, we hear caregivers say they are looking for support from people who “really understand because we have been there too.” This group offers just that-a safe place for caregivers, family and friends of persons with dementia to meet and develop a mutual support system. We welcome caregivers. For more info call 334.462.2613.
Digital & Interactive
30 BOOM!
f re eRiverRegionBoom.com su bsc r i pt i on s at w w w.r ive rre gio n b o o m.co m
December 2018
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
By Willie Moseley
Historic theater in Tallassee to stage original Christmas musical 2018 has been a memorable year for Tallassee’s Mt. Vernon Theatre, which re-opened a half-century after it closed in 1968. A years-long restoration initiative culminated with the January debut of an original play, Dear Mama: Letters and Music from World War II being presented at the theater.
The Magic of Christmas was written by local playwright Adrian Lee Borden, and will feature local actors and musicians, most of whom have participated in previous Tallassee plays. Borden also wrote Dear Mama, as well as other plays that were presented in Tallassee several years ago.
In the ensuing months, Mt. Vernon Theatre has maintained an active and diverse schedule of events. Numerous musical and comedic performances as well as religious seminars have been presented, and of course, movies have also been shown. The restored theater has been praised for its excellent acoustic properties.
Director Jeanna Kervin, who helmed several earlier plays, is onboard as co-director of the new play along with Borden.
And in a full-circle maneuver, the concluding presentation for the theater’s first year of revitalization will be another original play that alludes to previous theatrical productions in Tallassee, but the upcoming production also interpolates a Christmas theme.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
the musical ensemble will be utilizing mountain dulcimer, guitar, bass, banjo, concertina, and pennywhistle as authentic accompaniment.
The setting for The Magic of Christmas is in the Appalachian mountains of eastern Kentucky in 1918, near the end of World War I. The plotline chronicles the lifestyle of an impoverished family whose patriarch is fighting in Europe. Music for the play will include traditional carols and hymns, as well as lesser-known Appalachian Christmas music, which will be played on instruments associated with the era and location. Under the direction of Rose and Bob Taunton,
Borden noted her newest effort evolved as a Christmas play from its inception, and also averred that her writing was influenced by how the production would be staged in the Mt. Vernon Theatre. The play is being presented by the Friends of Tuckabatchee, an ancillary organization of the Talisi Historical Preservation Society. Kervin also is the publicity director for that group, and she described The Magic of Christmas as “…clean, family fun.” “Christmas is a special time,” she said, “and we hope this play will become an annual family tradition. The play is full of hope, as is the Christmas season.” Performances are scheduled for Saturday, December 15 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, December 16 at 2 p.m. Tickets $10; www.mtvernontheatre.org, WACQ or (334) 283-2722.
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
31
Ask an Elder Law Attorney
By: Raley L. Wiggins | Attorney at Law | Red Oak Legal, PC
“NOTHING WORTH FIGHTING OVER” Who is going to get what after you’re gone? I often hear clients tell me they’re not worried about who will get what after they’re dead and gone because, after all, “they haven’t got enough to be worth fighting over.” Well I’m here to tell you that there’s no such thing.
expensive and public court battle doesn’t mean that your family relationships haven’t been damaged. So, what can be done to prevent it? Here’s my simple two-step recommendation for avoiding these kinds of disputes. First: have a plan. Second: communicate that plan to your loved ones.
people die—you must formalize your wishes in your estate plan to ensure that they are carried out. Not to mention the fact that these kind of oral instructions or agreements are not enforceable after your death.
After you have a formal, written plan in place, now is a good time to communicate Certainly, the value of your with your loved ones earthly possessions can have Estate Planning and Asset Protection Workshop about why you made some impact upon whether the choices you made. Wednesday, February 20: Hosted by Red Oak Legal, PC: 1:30-3:30 a lawsuit is filed regarding Start with your executor/ pm at 322 Catoma Street downtown Montgomery. This educational your estate. But forget about agent, and then talk workshop presented by local attorney Raley L. Wiggins covers wills, lawsuits for a moment. Let’s with your children or trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, living wills, probate just talk about good ol’ family other closest relatives. feuds. If there is any property administration, protecting assets from creditors, bankruptcy, divorce that is divided in a way and remarriage, nursing homes, long-term care and Medicaid The root of these disputes that might be perceived qualification. Registration is required. Call 334-625-6774 today to may not be about the as less than equitable, reserve your seat or register online at www.redoaklegalpc.com. money or the property, explain your choices to per se. Instead, it may be your loved ones and give a feeling that one sibling them the opportunity to took advantage of an ailing parent’s ask questions. When the time comes, generosity (or absent-mindedness) and The first part is easy. Decide who you they will be less likely to read into each wound up with a vehicle, a piece of would want to manage your financial and every decision you made, because furniture, or other heirloom that was affairs if you are no longer able to do so. they will have had the chance to discuss “supposed” to go to them. On the other This person should be your agent under it with you face-to-face. hand, perhaps it is because the loved your Durable Power of Attorney. This one’s last will and testament didn’t treat person is probably also a good choice to There is no way to guarantee that everyone exactly the same, giving further serve as your Executor to manage your your loved ones won’t fight over your credence to one child’s suspicion that assets after your death, although your worldly possessions once you’ve passed their parent always loved their brother or executor and your agent do not need to on. However, communication goes a sister just a little bit more. be the same person. Then, determine long way in avoiding hurt feelings and how that person will manage your assets misunderstandings. Now that we’re in It doesn’t matter what the source of during your life (if the need arises) and the holiday season, take a moment to the perceived slight may be. Once the how they will divide your assets at death. discuss your plans with your family while damage has been done in the mind of you’re all together and in good spirits. the aggrieved family member, there may Next, decide how your assets should Raley L. Wiggins be no going back. The point is that after be divided upon your death. Do you Attorney at Law, Red Oak Legal, PC we are dead and gone, we can’t explain want any specific pieces of property to 334-239-3625 | info@redoaklegalpc.com 322 Catoma Street, Montgomery, AL 36104, the choices we made during the estate go to specific people? If yes, then the www.redoaklegalpc.com planning process. This often results in only way to ensure that they get it is to loved ones “reading the tea leaves” to make a gift of those specific items of draw their own conclusions about the property via your will or other estate meaning of every estate planning choice planning document. Don’t count on their loved one made while alive. Often, other family members to “take care of they see only what they want to see. it” based upon your conversations with Even if a dispute doesn’t wind up in an them. Over time, memories fade, and
Attend Free Workshop
32 BOOM!
December 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
33
34 BOOM!
December 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
New Year Resolutions: By Kimberly Blaker
Why they fail and how you can succeed “Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” --Hal Borland The New Year is a great time to take inventory, set goals, and take charge of your life. But if you’re like most, making resolutions is much easier than keeping them. Rather than focus on the idea of a new beginning, which can lead to disappointment at the first slip, keep in mind that self-improvement is an ongoing endeavor. Setbacks are not failure; they bring wisdom and insight for future success. Before making a split decision as to this year’s resolutions, make a list of goals and changes you’d like to make. Then review your list, and cross off any you do not feel truly devoted to. Whether you resolve to spend more time with your family, quit smoking, or lose weight, you’re more likely to succeed if you feel a strong personal commitment rather than 'I should.' One reason people don't keep resolutions they make is the resolutions are often made to silence the pestering of a loved one. If you decide to quit smoking to get your husband off your back, you’re less likely to succeed. If you decide to quit smoking to feel healthier and be able to enjoy physical activity without being winded, you're more likely to experience success.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
particularly during setbacks, could undermine your resolve. Determine how each family member can help you to achieve your goal perhaps by taking on additional household chores or through affirmations of your continued success.
Choose one or perhaps two of the resolutions on your list to which you feel most committed. Then choose one or two you feel confident you can do with ease. These last couple can be used as positive reinforcement for the more challenging first choices.
Adjust your environment to enable success. If eating healthier is your goal, don’t fill the cupboards with junk food for other family members. Find healthy snacks they’re willing to substitute. If you’re trying to quit smoking, avoid people, places, and things that remind or tempt you, at least until you have it well under control.
The next step is to make a clear plan for adhering to your resolutions. Put each resolution in writing, and detail the steps to achieve them. If your resolution requires a routine or schedule such as an exercise routine, a new diet, or steps toward completing your education, then create a goal chart, a detailed plan, and a checklist to track your progress.
Don’t go it alone. If you have a friend with a similar resolution, make a pact. Work together to create a plan, and then make a point to check in with each other regularly for encouragement, praise, and support. If you resolve to get more exercise, do it together. Having a commitment and someone to accompany you will go a long way in helping you to succeed.
Also, post notes in strategic places such as the refrigerator, bathroom mirror, or steering wheel as reminders of your resolutions with tips on how to overcome temptation.
Finally, reward yourself, not just once you’ve achieved your goal, but periodically for your success so far. Small, periodic rewards can be motivation enough to keep you strong when you’re ready to throw in the towel.
Make certain your family understands the importance of your resolutions. Family support and their positive reinforcement can be most helpful. If your resolution is something your family has been nagging you about, ask for their encouragement but explain that pressure and pestering,
Remember, whatever New Year resolutions you choose, success awaits you if you resolve to never give up trying. Copyright © 2018 Kimberly Blaker, All rights reserved. R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
35
BOOM! COVER PROFILE
Vanzetta McPherson, a Woman of Distinction This month’s BOOM! Cover Profile is Vanzetta McPherson. Her hometown is Montgomery, Alabama. Vanzetta grew up in a segregated Montgomery during the birth of the Civil Rights Movement in the 50's and 60's, and throughout her career as a lawyer she defended the rights of women and African-Americans. Vanzetta went on to serve as a United States Magistrate Judge for the Middle District of Alabama from 1992 through her retirement in 2006. She currently writes a column for The Montgomery Advertiser, where she speaks her mind about current events. She loves her husband Tom and the family they've created, enjoys very much her third-phase of life, called retirement! Along with her art and stamp collecting, she values traveling to faraway places, Paris is one of her favorites! We recently shared some time with Vanzetta and we discovered what others have already known, Vanzetta is a woman of distinction...who has aged gracefully well. We hope you enjoy getting to know her as much as we have.
BOOM!: Please give us a brief biography, i.e. where were you born, education, family, what brought you to the Montgomery area, etc.? Vanzetta: I am a Montgomery native, born in May 1947 at Oak Street General Hospital, second child of Luther Lincoln and Sadie Gardner Penn. My parents were educators; my Mother was a Montgomerian, and my father was from Union Springs. Although both graduated from ASU (then State Teachers College of Alabama), they met when Mother taught in Bullock County. I have two brothers - one, Ojeda Penn (now a retired college professor in Atlanta and a jazz pianist), is four years older, and the other, Wilbur Penn (a corporate supervisor and actor in Dallas), is seven years younger. My brothers and I spent the first ten years of my life living with my grandparents, Monroe and Luvenia Gardner, during the week while my parents worked in Shelby County (Montevallo). There, Mother was a Jeanes Supervisor of Education (essentially the black superintendent) while Daddy was a high school principal. We spent weekends with my parents in their home here in Montgomery. I started ballet and tap lessons at age three; piano lessons a few years later. In elementary and high school, I played
36 BOOM!
December 2018
Tom and Vanzetta enjoying the beach at Hilton Head
clarinet and oboe in the high school and college bands. I was on the student council, and I was president of our school's chapter of the National Honor Society. I was not particularly athletic, but I loved to swim, having spent much time at the Cleveland Avenue YMCA. I attended Alabama State Laboratory School (a teacher training, i.e., "laboratory" school) on ASU's campus from age two (nursery-kindergarten) through high school. I graduated from Lab High in May 1965 as valedictorian, leaving three months later to enroll as a freshman at Howard University in Washington, DC.
RiverRegionBoom.com
BOOM!: You served 30 years as a civil rights lawyer and United States Magistrate Judge, would you share your journey on how you became a lawyer and a U.S. judge? Vanzetta: In the tenth grade, I decided to become an obstetrician. Discovering later that I had very low tolerance for the sight of blood, I switched my goal to speech therapy. I was motivated in large part by two aunts who were mentally challenged (due to prenatal toxemia) and who had speech defects. So, I majored in speech pathology at Howard, graduating cum laude in 1969. I married my first husband and my son's father, the late
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Winston D. home from school, which excluded me protests, and because I Durant (a from certain seats and required me had personally witnessed native of to stand even when they were empty. and experienced racial Guyana) in Beyond that, I remember my parents= prejudice, I focused early 1968, and insistence on respect, weekly sightings on civil rights law. we moved of robed Klansmen on Dexter Avenue, to New and all the other senseless exclusions After practicing for 16 York City. I wrought by the immorality of racial years in Montgomery, I graduated segregation. was advised in 1991 that a in 1971 Magistrate Judge position from Our evolution, created mostly by would become open in the Columbia legislation and court decisions Middle District later that University (which desegregated schools, public year. I was not aware of (Teachers transportation, public accommodations, the position until August; College) parks, employment, the YMCA, etc.) is I harbored a desire to with a simultaneously palpable and tenuous. become a District Judge masters As current events demonstrate, we but had no specific plans in speech seem to be one accommodating leader to become a Magistrate pathology from a return to the manifest racial Judge. Nevertheless, and attitudes that preceded the Civil Rights I applied, seeking audiology. Movement. As a society, we are surely the intellectual and I practiced better off than we were 50 years ago. administrative challenge Grandchild Cullen, daughter-in-law Nefertiti, "speech of adjudication. grandchild Morgan and son Raegan path" My practice was for one year, before deciding that largely a federal practice, so law was a better fit. Simply (but not I felt suited to become a U.S. comprehensively) put, I chose to pursue Magistrate Judge. I joined the a profession that facilitated making a federal bench in April 1992. difference in many lives at once, rather than one life at a time. BOOM!: As a Montgomery native you came of age in the I attended and segregated South graduated from of the 1950's Columbia Law and 60's, what School in 1974. I are some of your (foolishly) applied recollections to only two law during that time? Tom and Vanzetta shopping for their art collection schools: Yale and How have we Columbia. Yale evolved and said "no", and Segregation is outlawed; blacks prevail progressed from that Columbia said as elected leaders in many venues; we historical time period? "yes." I absolutely have genuine inter-racial friendships and enjoyed law professional associations. But color bias Vanzetta: During school. and white privilege remain as tangible my childhood, I was Because I spent phenomena. certainly aware of the my childhood in prejudice that whites Montgomery, BOOM!: When you retired from the harbored against blacks the site of the bench in 2006, did you continue and the overt and lawful Montgomery practicing law or stay involved with the race discrimination that Bus Boycott and legal community? How do you view they practiced, but in the end stage retirement now? my day-to-day life, I was of the Selmasomewhat sheltered to-Montgomery Vanzetta: Since retiring, I have served from direct encounters March, among as (1) a member of a court-appointed with acts of racism. My Tom and Vanzetta sharing one of their other civil rights committee in 2007-08 in Indianapolis, most direct encounter favorite destinations, Paris, France. assigned to oversee compliance with was the daily bus ride The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
37
federal court orders in Vanzetta: Yes. I am a race discrimination a member of First class action; (2) a Congregational hearing officer in a Christian Church, federal employment a caring and discrimination lawsuit spiritually in Birmingham in 2009, nourishing assigned to adjudicate congregation of individual claims of fellow worshipers discrimination; and and friends. I (3) an independent am also on the investigator appointed boards of directors by the federal court in of Alabama Birmingham, assigned Shakespeare to evaluate allegations Festival and against the courtAlabama Heritage appointed receiver Foundation, and Vanzetta at the JFK Library in Boston and to recommend the Editorial Board a court order. I have not represented of the Montgomery Advertiser. clients during my retirement, but I have remained connected with the Bar My chief community or civic activity is by participating in bar associations, the bi-weekly column that I have written attending bar conferences, appearing on for the Montgomery Advertiser since bar programs, and serving on law-related July 2007. I also participate on public committees. programs and ad hoc committees. Retirement is the invaluable third phase of my life - following preparation for my career and actual engagement in my career. It is really the icing on the cake, and I enjoy it immensely. BOOM!: How do you and your husband like to spend time with family? Vanzetta: My husband, Thomas McPherson, Jr., and I are quintessential grandparents. We have four children: David, Jacqueline, Jennifer, and Raegan. We have five grandchildren, one of whom is an adult. The other four are indulged. With our linear family, we travel together; we attend school programs, athletic events, and arts events, and we spend weekends together in Montgomery, Birmingham, and Atlanta. Of course, we also enjoy downtime with our children throughout the year and especially on holidays. We also enjoy close relationships with our siblings, their families, and our extended families. BOOM!: Do you have time to be involved in community, civic or other activities? Faith based organizations?
38 BOOM!
December 2018
BOOM!: What are some of your favorite travel experiences? Favorite vacation spot? Any travel dreams planned? Vanzetta: Thomas and I are cruisers. Our favorite destination abroad is Venice (we’ve been three times); our favorite domestic destination is Hilton Head Island (I don't remember how many times). Some destinations have been "bucket list" items, like Mt. Rushmore and Alaska, while others have been "must-see" locations, like China and South Africa. We plan to visit Cuba next year. BOOM!: How do you like to relax and wind down from a full day's activities? Vanzetta: Throughout the year, I like to read, listen to music, indulge my stamp collection, and watch about 4-5 television shows that I wouldn’t miss for anything. From March to September, I really enjoy gardening.
RiverRegionBoom.com
BOOM!: You are an opinion columnist for the Montgomery Advertiser, how long have you been interested in writing and when did you begin writing for the Advertiser? Do you receive much feedback on your opinions? Vanzetta: My parents were the first sources of my interest in writing. I learned to type in elementary school, and they "exploited" my abilities fully. I typed - and later composed - correspondence, reports, and speeches. Secondly, my teachers inspired me to write. Reports were a frequent requirement in elementary school, and each year through seventh grade, we wrote our autobiographies within the first few weeks of school. I had the same English teacher from eighth grade through twelfth grade. Beginning in eighth grade, at least one day each week, Clara Davie would have an extemporaneously written subject on the board when we entered class. We spent that class period writing an essay exploring the subject.
Vanzetta with friends in Dubai
I began writing for the Advertiser in July 2007. I see less feedback now than before, perhaps because I am not on social media. Most of the feedback I get is via email and face-to-face responses. BOOM!: How would you describe the quality of life in the Montgomery/River Region area? What do we need more of?
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Vanzetta: The general Vanzetta: Other than the activities quality of life in described in my answers to questions 7 Montgomery is above and 8, I love analyzing the world’s fate average. It is an with Tom, attending arts performances, urban center whose shopping, regularly dining with citizens value peace girlfriends, and constantly commiserating and order. It is not with my best friend, Delores Boyd, about a dangerous place all things extant. to live. It is basically clean, and its physical When I’m alone, however, I enjoy environment is organizing and reviewing my stamp not threatening. collection and enjoying our art collection. People are caring, I began collecting stamps featuring helpful, friendly, and African Americans in 1982. I collect courteous. More sheets issued by the U.S. Post Office; often than not, the I have a complete set of every stamp city is well-governed issued by the Post Office that features Morgan, Grandmommy, Cullen and Granddaddy at Hilton Head and logistically an African American. The set began in well-managed. It 1940 with the Booker T. Washington people tolerant of outcomes that should has adequate retail and service outlets, stamp. Since 1978, the USPS has issued be intolerable. offering a variety of products. Because a Black Heritage Stamp every February. it is the capital city and home to the Air Beginning with Harriet Tubman, the Black BOOM!: As you’ve aged, how have your Force's Air War College, five four-year Heritage series has continued through priorities colleges, and a major auto manufacturer, this year with changed? its economy is on solid ground. Its the issuance of a infrastructure is not up to par but stamp featuring Vanzetta: also not jeopardizing. Its recreational Lena Horne. My resources make it friendly to children and Moreover, the Post priorities family life, and it is a faith community. Office issues other have The city is host to well-known historical stamps - called changed sites, world class live theater, a nationally “commemoratives” from renowned historical museum and center, - that feature proving and two nationally renowned public black athletes, myself to interest law centers. On the other hand, scientists, writers, others to there are more than 20 public schools entertainers, and proving described as "failing." Legislative "home artists. I enjoy myself rule" compromises self-government. We Vanzetta with grandchildren, Cullen and Morgan at Epcot Center looking at them to me. spend a lot of time trying to overcome and reading about Today, I value experiences far more our regrettable past and the national them, especially the text found on the than I value things. I scrutinize what and international presumptions that backs of some stamps. I also enjoy Tom and I are doing, almost to the we have not been successful. Public mounting and exhibiting them. Stamps exclusion of scrutinizing transportation are educational, and they are pretty little what others are doing. I needs much works of art themselves. strive to be content and improvement. to make others content, Tom and I are committed art collectors. Our tax instead of striving to be We collect graphic art, small glass and structure is professionally successful. bronze sculptures, fabric art, and pottery. remarkably I dine rather than eat. regressive We just think that art is a necessity for (see public a full life. Tom framed many of our BOOM!: Give us three pieces himself; he’s very proud of that. education and words that describe you? Our favorite artists include William your grocery bill). Live Tolliver, Jacob Lawrence, and Ed Dwight. Vanzetta: Curious, driven, The art collection brings us peace and entertainment creative. Fun with the grandchildren encourages quiet contemplation. Art is and dining such a great way to decorate a home; resources are limited. Community and BOOM!: Do you have any hobbies or every room assumes its own artistic civic life are not truly integrated. The other activities that grab your attention? personality. As an added bonus, the prevalence of conservatism renders The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
39
images provoke something new within us almost every time we encounter them. They create the kind of warm environment that we want for our home. In short, the collection has the same function for us in our home that an art gallery or museum has for the visitor. The added benefit is that we get to see it every day without going anywhere.
reminders, infinite repetition, and strategic consequences for misbehavior. BOOM!: "What you are is God's gift to you, what you become is your gift to God" is a favorite quote of yours, could you share more details on why it’s a favorite?
Vanzetta at the National Judicial Conference with college roommate, Judge Margaret Spencer, and best friend, Magistrate Judge, Delores R. Boyd
BOOM!: You mentioned once before that your favorite season was Christmas, please share what this special season means to you?
Vanzetta: Many people think of Thanksgiving as THE family holiday. For me, it has always been Christmas, for so many reasons: The story of Christmas never grows old, everyone wants to be home for Christmas, the seasonal music is moving and enchanting, the decorations (and decorating) are a source of renewal, and the utter contentment of witnessing the joy of those on the receiving end of my gifts is immeasurable. At Christmas, all of my deceased family members come alive again through memories and stories. BOOM!: What have you learned about your civil rights journey?
40 BOOM!
December 2018
Vanzetta: My answer is a sad one. Certainly, I have learned that missionbased perseverance and action can yield positive results, relieve oppression, and alter behaviors. In the meantime, however, I have also learned that too many Americans remain trapped in a web of behavioral biases from which they cannot free themselves. If you really read the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution, you can reasonably conclude that racial prejudice is un-American and at war with patriotism. I have learned that sharing ourselves with each other creates cultural understanding, a judgmentfree appreciation of differences, and a cleaner heart. But I have also learned that the achievement of civil rights is like rearing children: It requires universal identification of the mission, constant
RiverRegionBoom.com
Vanzetta: Actually, it is: "What you are is God's gift to you, what you make of yourself is your gift to God." The exact wording is very important. First, I believe that it is true. It is my favorite for these reasons: (1) It establishes the source of my being and the giver of my resources; (2) It affirms that my being is a spiritual gratuity, rather than an earthly or utilitarian mandate or happenstance; (3) It affirms my obligation to develop, improve upon and refine the raw material that define me and to refrain from mis-using or "wasting" myself; and (4) It declares that my relationship with God is reciprocal and that each of us has expectations to be fulfilled by the other. We want to thank Vanzetta for sharing some of her story for this month’s BOOM! Cover Profile. If you would like to reach out to Vanzetta please email her at mcphersonscribe@knology.net We also want to thank Shellee Roberts at Total Image Portraits for her quality work. If you have questions, comments or suggestions about our cover profiles, including nominating someone, please send them to Jim Watson at jim@riverregionboom.com Read all of the BOOM! Cover Profiles at www.riverregionboom.com/archive/
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
41
By Kimberly Blaker
Survival Guide For a Stress-Free Holiday Season Share in the preparation Ask for help. Enlist your family in preparing for the holidays and divvy up tasks. Don’t expect perfection from yourself or your family. Remember, you probably don’t notice or mind the imperfections in others’ holiday gatherings. They are just as unlikely to notice any in yours.
Do you dread the hustle and bustle of another holiday season? Between shopping, wrapping, baking, holiday cards, parties, and countless other obligations and tasks, just surviving the season can be quite a feat, let alone being in a frame of mind to enjoy the time with your family. So make a pact to eliminate stress this year by following these tips.
Early planning First, close your eyes and think back to the previous couple years and how hectic and stressful it felt. What percentage of holiday activities and tasks would you need to eliminate to make the season truly enjoyable for yourself and relatively stress-free? During this process, don't think about what you can't eliminate. Simply determine the percentage of reduction you need to make. Next, make a list of everything you need to do during the holiday season, to which parties you’ll be invited, and how much money you’ll spend. Now cross off the least important, least necessary, and least
42 BOOM!
December 2018
Keep in mind also, the holiday season isn’t the time to be head cook. Plan potluck gatherings. Then either suggest what each person should bring or, to avoid duplicates, ask guests what they will bring. desirable events and tasks. Then review the list, and roughly calculate how much time and expense you've shaved off. If you haven't reached your predetermined reduction, go through your list again. Once you've decided which parties you’ll attend and commitments you’ll make, plan specifically how you’ll say ‘no’ to all the others, so you’re not caught off guard.
RiverRegionBoom.com
Holiday time-and-energy savers Save time in gift-wrapping by setting up a station in a spare room or the basement. Or stock a box or basket with wrapping paper, ribbon, bows, tags, tape, scissors, and pens so everything is stored in one place. Have extras of everything on hand. Keep cleaning to a minimum during the holidays. Dismiss unused areas guests won't see or use, and clean only the obvious in
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
rooms that will be seen. That barely-visible layer of dust on your baseboards isn’t likely to be noticed with all the socializing and holiday decorations. Keep everyday meals quick and simple through the season. Soups, sandwiches, fresh fruit and vegetables, cottage cheese, pre-cut vegetables and dip, and other prepared or semi-prepared healthy foods will suffice for one month of the year. Do your holiday shopping early in the day on weekdays while your energy is high, and crowds are small. Shop online or by catalog. If an item lacks details, search for a manufacturer’s website to get the information you need. Give gift certificates. Hard-to-shop-for recipients will appreciate something practical. Certificates to restaurants, department stores, sporting goods outlets, and specialty shops, or for a massage, pedicure, or a round of golf make great gifts. Don’t overdo the baking. Your guests will likely have had their fill of holiday treats long before your gathering arrives. Find other
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
ways to show family, friends, or neighbors you care by visiting or phoning to wish them a happy holiday season. Money saver Does your gift list grow each year? Decide with whom it’s necessary or important to exchange gifts. Then talk to extended family, friends, coworkers, and others about forgoing the gift exchange, putting a cap on the price, or doing a drawing instead. You'll likely learn they feel the same as you do.
Also, purchase a label printing software program early in the year and enter all of the addresses on your holiday card list. When the holidays roll around, you can print the labels and eliminate the most timeconsuming aspect of sending out holiday greetings.
Caring for yourself Enjoy holiday treats in moderation. High fat and sugary foods and the lack of healthy meals can lead to tiredness and stress. Keep goodies stored in the freezer where they’ll be less of a temptation. Have plenty of convenient, healthy snacks such as raw vegetables and nuts on hand. Prepare lowfat meals that won’t bog you down. Pace yourself, and don’t try to do everything in one day. Finally, give yourself a break. Get plenty of exercise such as a brisk walk in the fresh air, and set aside time for relaxation, like a long bubble bath.
Things to do for next year Start your shopping early. Create a new tradition with a friend or family member and set a monthly shopping date for the upcoming year. By making a scheduled commitment, you’ll be more likely to follow through. Keep the early holiday shopping fun and choose a different town or shopping center for each trip focusing on unique malls or trendy towns.
Finally, remember the holiday season should be a joyful time for everyone to join in cheer and good fun with family and friends. Look for ways to ease stress to keep the ‘happy’ in your holidays! Copyright © 2018 Kimberly Blaker, All rights reserved.
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
43
Travel Experiences with Jeff Barganier
Awesome Alpharetta Part 3 of 3
Twenty years quite comfortable with one another. She ago, I published encouraged him to stay the weekend; a novel called so, he booked the last room at the Hotel The Slash Avalon. Next morning, he met her at The Brokers. Nest Café in Old Alpharetta for breakfast My main where they sat outside and enjoyed character was a coffee and beignets. They sauntered dashing young among the vendors of the Farmer’s businessman, Market where Anne showed him to her Stuart Dealier, favorite booth. “Ever heard of Southern who had Baked Pie Company?” she asked. “Taste fallen for a this.” Anne gave Stuart a sample of apple beautiful flight pie and watched his reaction. “Pretty attendant. tasty, huh? This is Alpharetta. Get used Stuart drove to it,” she laughed. “If you think the to Alpharetta, Farmer’s Market is great, you should just north return for Taste of Alpharetta when more of Atlanta, than 60 restaurants set up and serve stopped at a their signature dishes. You’re probably phone booth— wondering how I maintain my modelPastries from Douceur De France French Bakery & Café. remember like figure while living close to so many dining choices with world-class chefs those? —and called Anne Grey for amazing restaurants with such incredible like Luc Beaudet of Douceur De France directions to a French restaurant where food, right?” French Bakery & Café. So, I’m sure that they met for dinner. It was a romantic Stuart and Anne’s special place is there setting: …inlaid tile floors, small square “And you probably noticed how I wolfed somewhere or soon will be. tables for two or four, white linen down those mouthwatering beignets at table cloths, comfortable arm chairs The Nest! So, I’m thinking upholstered in rich, thick tapestries. A what shall we about rewriting small gold lamp with black linen shade do today? Will and updating sat in the middle of the table behind a you show me the novel. charming antique bud vase which held around, Anne?” In 2018, my a single yellow rose. The walls were Stuart asked. characters may adorned with European oils in heavy message on gold frames which reflected the light of “Absolutely. Facebook and, black candles in gold, double branched, Just follow me,” of course, use wall sconces. Soft music filled the room she smiled. smart phones. while quiet conversations here and there They returned When they created a warm, relaxed atmosphere. to her Tesla meet anew in The waiters seemed to float in and out. Model 3, Alpharetta, it’ll “I love this place. Do you come here zipped under read something often?” Stuart asked, helping Anne with Georgia 400 to like this: her chair. “Only on special occasions,” the Big Creek she said, smiling. At the time, I had no Greenway, Georgia 400 clue where Alpharetta, Georgia was, rented a The lights of Christmas in Avalon slices the heart nor did I know whether or not it had a Pedego electric of Alpharetta. Stuart’s GPS directed French restaurant. That’s what I love bicycle for two and spent the balance of him to take Exit 10. Within minutes, he about fiction. Anything’s possible. My the morning gliding effortlessly through arrived at Rumi’s Kitchen. They enjoyed book’s been called prophetic, perhaps towering hardwoods along Big Creek. a delicious dinner then strolled the justifiably. Today, a visitor to Alpharetta “Hungry?” Anne asked, when they boulevard at Avalon, hand in hand, may choose from a number of fabulous returned the bikes. Stuart replied that he
44 BOOM!
December 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
target and the was famished. screen behind “Good. I have a her registered special surprise 12 points. “You for lunch.” sure you don’t Minutes later play golf?” they were Stuart gushed. enjoying lunch But Anne at Topgolf only smiled where they demurely. watched aspiring golfers Afterward, hit microchipStuart watched implanted the rear-view golf balls mirror as Anne from climatedrove them controlled toward North hitting bays. Main. He felt “This is Hotel Avalon offers "Tuck ins with Santa and Mrs. Claus" confident he amazing; so, had not been followed. But his enemies you play golf, Anne?” were adept trackers of their prey. Science was their forte and Alpharetta was “No, actually, I don’t. I just enjoy the Mecca when it came to technology. The food and fun atmosphere here. Do you?” city hosted more high-tech companies Stuart was a stockbroker. A prospective than Atlanta. The slash brokers were client had offered to let him “run” his likely there, too. With the buildout of the millions if they could talk business on “Internet of things,” human knowledge the golf course. Unfortunately, Stuart would soon begin to double every 12 had to admit that he didn’t know how hours; and Alpharetta was, of course, to play. The man replied that he didn’t the epicenter of change. Anne parked at do business with people who didn’t play Four Fat Cows Ice Cream. They savored golf. So, Stuart spent hours on a driving cups of sherbet then strolled along North range hitting balls till his hands bled. “I Main, window-shopping, making small do, indeed. How about a lesson?” Stuart talk and falling in love. He gazed into her stood behind Anne, wrapped her in his hazel eyes. “Anne, where would you like arms and demonstrated how to properly to dine tonight?” hold the club and feel the swing. “Now, try hitting a ball,” he suggested. Using a “It’s on me. Something super special. six iron, Anne popped the ball up and 70 Pick me up at six,” she replied softly. yards down range. She scored an outfield
When he arrived, she was in jeans and had a picnic basket and folding chairs. They traveled backroads through thick forests, passing occasional horse farms. Stuart wondered where she was taking him but dared not ask. Miles up Birmingham Highway, they turned into scenic Chukkar Farm amidst the rolling foothills of Georgia where hundreds of concert goers gathered. There they lounged, under the stars, enjoying live music of Nashville songwriters, sipping wine, munching delicacies from the Wildflour Café. Enchanted, he squeezed her hand three times. She studied him in the glow of stage lights. “A penny for your thoughts,” she whispered. “I love…Alpharetta. It’s awesome. And it’s not all I love,” he replied. For more info visit: www.awesomealpharetta.com www.DouceurDeFrance.com www.rumiskitchen.com www.thehotelatavalon.com www.thenestcafe.net www.southernbakedpie.com www.alpharettafarmersmarket.com www.awesomealpharetta.com/taste-ofalpharetta www.topgolf.com/us/alpharetta www.fourfatcows.com www.pedegoelectricbikes.com www.chukkarfarmpoloclub.com/concerts www.wildflouratlanta.com
Jeff S. Barganier is a freelance writer and manages Cindy Barganier Interiors LLC in Pike Road, Alabama. (www.cindybarganier.com) He travels far and wide upon the slightest excuse for something interesting to write about. Contact him at Jeffbarganier@knology.net. Follow him on Instagram #jeffbarganier.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
45
10 Things to Consider When Relocating After 50 Age-friendly services, neighborhoods and city rankings are just a few elements By Holly Lawrence Deciding on a new city to call home after 50 can be best approached if you think like an informed consumer. That means doing your research. You are effectively buying an area’s offerings of a new lifestyle, and your new place in life. You may be a grandparent who wants to live near grandchildren. You may be a divorced or married empty nester, or a solo ager with freedom to choose any city. That freedom presents many opportunities, along with challenges in making your final selection. I’ve been developing a planning guide called Project MNP (My New Place) to help fellow 50+ers find a new place in life, including a new city if relocation is a goal. Short term rentals, AirBnB sublets and other arrangements can let you test out a place and live like a local, not a tourist. However, this becomes cost prohibitive if you have multiple cities in mind. To shorten your list, start with an online search. Here are 10 of my top recommendations for relocating after 50: 1. Get the most out of your Google searches. Be kind to yourself by keeping your online research of cities under a tight focus. You’ll avoid information overload and unproductive hours online. The goal is to curate the best information from the sources that provide transparency. 2. Ask a smart speaker for help. Alexa is
46 BOOM!
December 2018
becoming a trusted companion to older adults. This type of smart speaker and others like it (hands-free, digital voiceactivated assistants) could be your time saver in finding quality data about your city of interest. In a recent CityLab article, Have a Question About Your City? Ask Alexa, assistant editor Linda Poon described how local governments are starting to use smart speakers as “an easy way to connect people to services and information.” As Poon noted, local governments can communicate with residents and provide a city’s crime data, neighborhood arrests, zoning and more. 3. Be aware of the difference between city data based on transparency and destination marketing. Convention and visitors’ bureaus, chambers of commerce, tourist boards, city magazines, local hospitality industries and even local real estate companies have a common objective. They’re in the business of destination marketing. You will find beautifully styled websites, photos, videos and ads that promote the area as the ideal place to live, visit, work, invest and run a business.
RiverRegionBoom.com
These organizations will serve you well when you are looking for inspiration about the city’s best offerings. However, no city is 100 percent ideal. You will need to look elsewhere for full disclosure on the city’s weaknesses, or at least realities. For example, a convention and visitors bureau will not boast that its city has a high crime rate, an opioid crisis, an affordable housing shortage or few services for older adults. 4. Resist the temptation to compare your current city to your future city. Over the years I have met fellow NY-LA transplants. We regularly compared the two cities. One would favor the home city, and complain about living in the other. Looking back, I now see how this mindset can lead to becoming perpetually miserable with a relocation. Cities have their own unique quirks and qualities. Embrace the change, and look forward to your new lifestyle. 5. Rely on city rankings, but not just one. City rankings can make your research much easier, with caveats. There are multitudes of rankings out there, each with different results. And you may not find just one city ranking list with the methodology and sources that would match your unique preferences in finding the ideal place for you. Keep focused on what matters most for what you want and need. Here are several examples of popular city rankings, each with different methodologies and results: The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
U.S. News and World Report’s 2018 Best Places to Live methodology is based on good value, desirable place to live, strong job market and quality of life. (The summary mentions millennials.) U.S. News and World Report’s 2019 Best Places to Retire methodology is based on happiness of local residents, housing affordability, tax rates and health care quality. Milken Institute on Aging’s 2017 Best Cities for Successful Aging ranks large and small cities separately. 6. Go hyperlocal. If you are considering a move to a large urban area with distinctly different neighborhoods, you may have to dig deeper than the major newspapers and social media channels to get a feel for the city. In Washington, D.C., where I live, I tune in to the Twitter feeds of the D.C. police department, local news stations, the Capital Weather Gang from The Washington Post and Facebook pages for neighborhood groups. Neighborhood newspapers are usually free and accessible online and cover local
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
news that never hits the pages of large papers. Patch is a free online hyperlocal news platform that serves over 1,200 communities nationwide. Think of these small newspapers and sites as your magnifying glass to view neighborhoods within a large city.
neighborhoods using Google Maps. Type in an address, and in most cases, you can view streets and sidewalks.
7. Learn how much the city cares about older residents. When choosing a new city to call home after 50, we need to ask ourselves: Does the city pay attention to our demographic? What does the area have now, and what is being planned, for older residents? Atlanta sets a good example. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Aging in Atlanta provides online news and information for older residents. State and city aging services there are numerous, including the Georgia Department of Human Services’ Division of Aging Services and its Atlanta Regional Commission Aging Division. Research a city and state government’s Department of Aging. Look into issues that are important to you. 8. Walk the city, virtually. Before you visit, get to know streets and residential
9. Become a local resident online, ahead of your visit. Meeting like-minded people virtually will help you develop a sense of belonging. At the same time, you may also find that you don’t relate to locals. Exploring this early on can save you from making a mistake about your move. You can sign up online for meetup groups and receive newsletters for neighborhood associations, religious organizations and many other local community events. Let your interests guide you. 10. Listen to your emotions and instincts. Choosing a city to live in is an emotional decision, especially later in life. After all of the online research and local visits, the only task left to do is to have an honest discussion with yourself. You will be the one to find your own place. Source: www.nextavenue.org Holly Lawrence is a freelance writer covering aging, well-being and cities. Twitter: @hollyjlawrence
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
47
The Mayor of BOOMTOWN
Bedford Falls, Alabama
By Greg Budell
Part 2
Editor's note: This month is part 2 of a 2-part column from Greg. If you want to read part 1, visit https://issuu.com/riverregionpublications/docs/boom_november_2018/44 or borrow a November issue from a friend.
Every Christmastime millions of us make an emotional pilgrimage to Bedford Falls, the fictional town of the beloved film “It’s A Wonderful Life”. Haven’t we all had that moment at the Bridge? Have not most of us been overwhelmed by a sequence of discouraging events? I know I have. I’ve been in George Bailey’s shoes, contemplating that leap into an easy way out. In the movie, Bailey’s guardian angel, Clarence, intervenes to show George how many lives he touched. In “Wonderful Life’s” soaring conclusion, the people of Bedford Falls rally around George when they learn a good man was in deep crisis. Call me naïve but I believe there is a spirit of Bedford Falls in every community. I reached out to that spirit last year on behalf of cancer-stricken Sherri Rollan and her devoted husband Keith. On December 17th last year, Keith had every reason to see himself at that bridge. His wife was dying before his eyes. Circumstances compelled him to be her full-time caretaker, a mission from which he never wavered. He stood up to, and beyond his wedding vows to Sherri. That evening of 12/17/17 I stood next to Sherri’s bed at Baptist South Hospital. For the third time in 2 weeks, her pain at home had become so unbearable Keith had to rush her to the ER. I felt
pain, a devouring cancer, 41 year old Sherri suffered a stroke, the first of several. As I was driving back to Alabama Thursday afternoon, I received a text while passing through Tallahassee, Florida. “She’s gone”. so powerless. She had been through so much in her cancer battle. Months of chemo had not prevented the cancer from metastasizing. “I don’t want to die”, she said in an exhausted, exasperated voice. “Sherri”, I said. “You have touched so many people with your determination. You’ve inspired so many people to look in the mirror and be grateful for all they have. They’re helping you because your situation- your fight- should be done without worrying about bills at home. There are thousands of people rooting for you, praying for your recovery. It may not ease your pain but you’ve helped everyone who’s helped you”. “I hope”, she said. “I’ll never be able to thank them”. “I’m going to Florida to see my daughter for a couple days but I’ll be back Thursday and come by Friday morning after the show”. The next day, wracked by unimaginable
Keith was there for all of her final hours. Two women from my Newstalk 93.1 listener family, Rosie and Teri had helped minister to the forever newlyweds over Sherri’s final months. Before the loss could sink in, Keith had to make arrangements. Teri called to tell me the least expensive funeral option was $5000. Things had to be done quickly. The funeral home charged extra for each day. Deeply despondent, Keith signed an agreement with the mortuary, with no idea how he’d pay for it. The Rollans never used or had credit cards. They never spent on “stuff”. Keith couldn’t drape Sherri with jewelry or extravagancy- she’d never want it anyway- but he was going to give his bride a decent burial. Sherri’s funeral would be the next day, Friday the 22nd. That morning, I told our listeners who’d been helping, hoping and praying, that Sherri had passed, and of the dilemma now facing Keith. A Go Fund Me emergency page was set up by Rosie, so one more time, I reached out to
Greg Budell's column is proudly sponsored by McDonald & Hagen Wealth Management
48 BOOM!
December 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
In 24 hours, Keith Rollan went from the Bedford Falls spirit within the River a shellRegion. shocked, all I shouldn’t have too young been amazed widower with but I was. By an unpayable 9AM, there financial were dozens of commitmentcontributions to a man who totaling almost gave his wife $3,000. But it the decent didn’t stop at funeral with 9AM. the costs By the time I Keith and Sherri Rollan sharing a moment with Greg covered by returned for my the good afternoon show people of Beford Falls, Alabama. the fund had doubled! Listener Chuck Courtney, himself a cancer survivor, “I’ll never be able to pay all of these handed me a wad of cash. Chuck knew wonderful people back.”, he said. we’d covered the funeral expense but “There’s enough extra to give her a insisted- “give this to Keith. He doesn’t proper headstone”. realize it but he’ll need it moving forward”. The bare-bones funeral did not include a grave marker. During breaks on my afternoon show, people were meeting me outside our I’m no Clarence. My friend was paralyzed studio building on Carmichael road with by sadness and it was no time for clichés. money. One man, who was the walking I told him the truth. “Sherri fought like definition of a tough guy- meaning big, a tiger for every last second of this life burly, grizzled- came up with three $100 she could have-even when suffering. You bills, tears streaming down his ruddy can honor her and repay these generous face. “I lost my wife in July to cancer. Give people by trying to live every second of this to Keith, and tell him I know his pain. your life as best you can, one day at a My wife was only 43.” time.” The generosity was relentless and As Clarence reminds us every year, humbling. My friend and co-worker, “Remember, no man is a failure who has LaDonna Brooks and her husband Jeremy friends.” made the journey to Ft. Deposit for Sherri’s funeral. In doing so, they stood On Christmas Eve, I received a shocking for the hundreds and hundreds of people email from our company’s promotion who helped the Rollans through their director. An electrical fire had completely ordeal. They too, had also helped with generous donations.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
destroyed the home of Rick Walker, the traffic reporter for all our Bluewater stations. The photos were sickening. Another Go Fund Me emergency page was set up, and after the Christmas break, on the 26th the good people of Bedford Falls, Alabama, were there again. Big time. As we began the drive to help Rick, my phone “dinged” with a text. It was a $200 donation. “I have some extra money. I want Rick to have it on behalf of me and my wife”. The donation was from Keith Rollan. We had helped a good man. The “ding” reminded me of little Zuzu, from the movie. An angel had just gotten her wings. Once again I was reminded that for all its highs and lows, I’ve been blessed to live a Wonderful Life. A very wonderful life.
Greg Budell lives in Montgomery with his wife, Roz, and dogs Hershey and Briscoe. He’s been in radio since 1970, and is marking 12 years in the River Region in 2017. He hosts the Newstalk 93.1FM Morning Show with Rich Thomas, Jay Scott & Emily Hayes, 6-9AM Monday-Friday. He returns weekday afternoons from 3-6PM for Happy Hour with sidekick Joey Clark. Greg can be reached at gregbudell@aol.com
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
49
50 BOOM!
December 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Eating Smart with Tracy Bhalla
Happy Holidays (and Merry Christmas!) I wanted to share a couple of things with you this month, both of which I hope will help you to have a happy, but healthy (-er) holiday season.
parchment paper. 2. Place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop into pieces. 3. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in the nuts, oats, and dried cranberries or chocolate chips. 4. For large cookies, use 1/4 cup of batter (I like to use an ice cream scoop) and space the cookies about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the baking sheet. Then wet your hand and flatten the cookies slightly with your fingers so they are about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. 5. Bake the cookies for about 12 - 15 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges but still soft and a little wet in the centers. 6. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
First is one of my favorite recipe websites. I frequently use this as it has a great search tool, so you can search for recipes using a single ingredient or cooking method and it will give you a whole host of ideas and will even sort them into entrees, desserts, etc. You can also set up a free account, which is well worth it as then you can create your own folders and save and rate recipes. Ratings and comments go online for every user to see, but your folders are your own private selection. www.bbcgoodfood.com Yes, it is the very same BBC as in British Broadcasting Corporation, or British TV, so you know it has some good credentials. In addition to recipes there are whole sections on “how to…” organize events, cook for kids, etc. plus measurement converters, eating on a budget, eating while travelling, and SO much more! I guarantee that if you take a few moments to look around the site YOU WILL LOVE IT. They do have their own BBC approved recipes, which are tried and tested by their team, but they also have readers recipes which are posted and rated by other readers who try them out. Both sections are great. Now for my second share, which is actually a modified version of a recipe I found on www.bbcgoodfood.com, a reader’s recipe actually. It’s a recipe for healthy holiday cookies. As I said I modified it a little, so this is my version. I made them last week and they were absolutely delicious! Great to give as a gift this holiday season, or to share at the office.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
HOLIDAY OAT CHOCOLATE CHIP, FRUIT AND NUT COOKIES: Ingredients • 1 cup (110 grams) walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped (optional) • 3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature • 1 cup (210 grams) packed light brown sugar, or alternative sugar like coconut or date sugar • 1 large egg • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 3/4 cup (105 grams) all-purpose flour • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or nutmeg) • 3 cups (260 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats • ½ cup dried cherries (or other dried fruit) • ½ cup chopped walnuts • ½ - 1 cup good quality choc chips (Ghirardelli, for example) Method 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and line two baking sheets with
Tracy Bhalla, Independent Consultant with NYR Organics, website: us.nyrorganic.com/shop/ tracybhalla email: nyrbhalla@gmail.com You can also visit Tracy’s blog at Tracybhalla.com, Continuing my obsession with all things organic, I have been working with NYR for two years now, using their skincare products myself for over 25 years! Your skin is the body’s largest organ, it deserves to be well looked after. I am here to answer any questions you may have.
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
51
December 2018
{12 Things} for active boomers and beyond
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Alabama Governor’s Mansion Christmas Candlelight Tours Alabama Governor’s Mansion Mondays, December 3, 10, 17, 5:50 - 7:30 pm
The Alabama Governor's Mansion serves as the people's house. One of the most special traditions is opening it to the public for Christmas. Bring your family to this year's Holiday Tours: December 3, 10 and 17 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Admission is free, and tickets are available at the Governor’s Mansion Gift Shop. No reservations are required. For more information, call 334.834.3022 or visit website: governor.alabama.gov/governor-kay-ivey/governors-mansion
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Ladies Who Lunch hosted by Tasha M. Scott Martha's Place Buffet and Catering, Atlanta Hwy. Thursday, December 6th, 11:30-1:30 pm
Enjoy a home cooked lunch and connect, network, and learn from other professional and business women in the tri-county community. Date: Thursday, December 6, 2018 from 11:30-1:30 pm and here a guest Grace Harvey. Grace Harvey founded Pink and Pearls for Girls in 2010. It was created to provide hands on learning in enrichment activities, trendy intervention/prevention workshops, and social/emotional intelligence for girls ages 3 - 18 years old. Pink and Pearls also provides parent workshops as well to enhance family involvement. Tickets are $14 and include lunch, a beverage, dessert, gratuity, and convenience charge. Email tasha@tashamscott.com for more information or visit website: www.tashamscott.com/ladies-who-lunch/
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Harlem Globetrotters Garrett Coliseum Thursday, December 6th, 7 pm
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team. They combine athleticism, theater, and comedy in their style of play. Over the years they have played more than 26,000 exhibition games in 122 countries and territories. The team's signature song is Brother Bones' whistled version of "Sweet Georgia Brown". Their mascot is an anthropomorphized globe named Globie. The team plays over 450 live events worldwide each year. Get your tickets through Ticketmaster. $20-$55. For more information, call 334.356.6866 or visit website: www.facebook.com/events/702031713470727/
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Season of Light Troy Planetarium Monday-Thursday shows at 4:00pm. Sunday shows at 2:00pm.
52 BOOM!
December 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
SEASON OF LIGHT explores the reasons humans are so fascinated with lighting up our lives during the December holiday season. It's an exploration of the astronomical meanings behind seasonal traditions, including the "Star over Bethlehem". General Admission: $6.50 per person for ages 5 and above. Doors open 30 minutes before show for ticket sales. Show starts promptly. There is no admittance into building once a show has begun. No food or drinks in auditorium. Your Planetarium experience will last about an hour. Closed December 19 - January 2. For more information, call 334.625.4799 or visit Website: www.troy.edu/planetarium/currentevents.html
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Private Lives of Noel Coward Cloverdale Playhouse December 6 - December 16 various times Noel Coward is a playwright famous for using comedy and escapism in the face of dark and difficult times. His characters, while decadent and scathingly funny, live in a fantasyland limbo, disguising their deep unhappiness with champagne and nonsense. “What happens when the champagne runs out?” Elyot and Amanda, once married and now honeymooning with new spouses at the same hotel, meet by chance, and reignite the old spark. After days of being reunited, they again find their fiery romance alternating between passions of love and anger. A roundelay of affiliations ensues in this uniquely humorous play. For more info call 334.262.1530 or visit www.cloverdaleplayhouse.org
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
2018 Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting Capitol Building, Montgomery Friday, December 7, 5-6 pm You're invited to the Alabama State Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting. This year's theme is "Every Light a Prayer for Peace". The ceremony is Friday, December 7th at 5:00 p.m. on the front steps of the Capitol. There will be music from the 151st Alabama National Guard band and the BTW High School Choir. The event will culminate with the lighting of the tree
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
about 5:30 pm For more information, please call 334.242.3935 or visit website: ahc.alabama.gov/alabama-state-capitol.aspx
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
The Living Christmas Tree First Baptist Church, Montgomery Downtown Friday, December 7 , 7 pm, December 8 & 9, 4 pm and 7 pm
The Living Christmas Tree is truly a Montgomery Christmas tradition. Join First Baptist on December 7th 9th, and see the sights and sounds of Christmas come to life! Hear beautiful music from the choir of more than 150 singers with a full live orchestra and thousands of lights on the decorated tree! The Living Christmas Tree has been presented each year since 1981. The program varies from year to year, so even if someone has seen the tree in the past, there is new music and a new program to experience. A variety of styles of Christmas music are presented…from traditional Christmas favorites to new and exciting Christmas songs. For more information, call 334.241.5156 or visit website: www.montgomeryfbc.org/lcttickets
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Growlers for Good Benefiting Lighthouse Counseling Center Goat Haus Biergarten 532 Clay Street, Montgomery, Alabama 36104 Saturday, December 8, 4-7 pm
Saturday, December 8th, raise money for a local non-profit AND drink some of the region's best home brew ... how hard is that?!! For an entry fee of $10, you'll receive 8 tasting tickets to sample craft beer from local home brewers. Every penny of your entry fee goes to Lighthouse Counseling Center and your feedback to the home brewer is invaluable as they seek to continually refine their recipes. Come join us --- we promise those good feelings you'll have aren't just from the great beer. Call 334.625.9602 for more information or visit www.facebook.com/events/1949156921835901/
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Airmen of Note Glenn Miller Christmas Concert Troy University's Davis Theatre Wednesday, December 12, 7-9 pm Join the Airmen of Note at 35th annual holiday concert in Montgomery, AL! The "Note" will be paying tribute to the band's great legacy, featuring the music of Major Glenn Miller! Plus all your holiday favorites. Free and open to the public but tickets are required. Tickets are available on or after November 28 and may be picked up during normal business hours at: MAX Taylor Rd Branch, 3401 Malcolm Drive, Montgomery, AL MAX Eastdale Branch, 400 Eastdale Circle, Montgomery, AL MAX on Maxwell Air Force Base, 10 East Selfridge Street. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Seats will be released to non-ticket holders 15 minutes prior to downbeat. For more information, call the Davis Theater 334.241.9567. or visit www.facebook.com/events/318171238773992/
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Capital City Raycom Media Camellia Bowl Christmas Parade Downtown Montgomery Friday, December 14, 6:15-8:30 pm The Capital City Raycom Media Camellia Bowl Christmas Parade, scheduled for December 14 at 6:15 pm in the annual celebration of the holiday season featuring bands, fans and players in town for the 2018 ESPN Raycom Media Camellia Bowl. “Each year, the creativity, innovation and all-out enthusiasm of the floats and marchers brings a little bit of the North Pole down to Dexter Avenue,” Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange said. “We encourage everyone to join us this year for a celebration of holiday spirit and the pageantry associated with big-time football!" The parade will begin at the steps of the state capitol and will end at Court Square Fountain.
TALLASSEE, ALABAMA
The Magic of Christmas Mt. Vernon Theatre Saturday, December 15 at 7 pm, Sunday, December 16 at 2 pm It’s a cold winter in the mountain town where we find the Faulkner family struggling to cope without Dad, who is still off fighting somewhere in France. The Great War draws to a close as the quirky characters in our play draw one another closer. Even in the bleakest of midwinters, the children’s determined mother Cora will see to it that this is the most magical Christmas yet. Set in the backdrop of the mountains, filled with classic songs of the Christmas season from the musical stylings of incredible musicians, this production is certain to put the entire family into the holiday spirit! Presented by Talisi Historical Preservation Society’s Friends of Tuckabatchee, tickets are $10. Advance purchases: www.mtvernontheatre.net; WACQ or 334.283.2722.
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Midnight in Montgomery, starring Jason Petty Hank Williams Museum, Downtown Montgomery, AL Monday, December 31st 8:30-1 am New Year's Eve, at the Hank Williams Museum there will be music and storytelling by Jason Petty starting at 8:30 PM leading up to the midnight hour commemorating the 66th anniversary of Hank Williams death. We will leave the Hank Williams Museum at 11:30 PM to arrive at the Oakwood Cemetery Annex to bring in the new year with Hank! Weather permitting. January 1, 2019, New Year's Day, 10:00 AM at Oakwood Cemetery Annex for the Annual Wreath laying ceremony. This day in 1953, Hank Williams passed away at the age of 29. Join us as we celebrate the man and his music. Following the service, we will gather at the Museum for music by Mary Battiata and Pat Rance. Come hungry y'all! Museum tour is included in price of admission. Concessions available on the Eve. Black-eyed peas and the trimmings for New Year's Day lunch. Call 334.262.3600 for more information or visit website: www.thehankwilliamsmuseum.net/
Digital & Interactive
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
f re e su bsc r i pt i on s at w w w.rive r re gio n b o o m.co m
BOOM!
53
Tinseltown Talks By Nick Thomas
Christmas with Margaret O’Brien Adorable where Judy An avid reader as a child, little Margaret Margaret Garland sang was thrilled to tackle many roles based O’Brien began to me. That on the books she grew up reading such her big-screen film also had a as “Little Women,” “Jane Eyre,” and “The career at the beautiful house Secret Garden.” age of three and wonderful with a oneChristmas street “How many children get to play a minute spot in scenes they character from their favorite books?” she 1941’s “Babes created.” asked. “I knew them so well, it was just on Broadway.” fabulous to create them on the screen.” Her career Appearing in Margaret O'Brien in still from This is Our Christmas - Five Arts took off the almost 20 feature And unlike many child actors who strayed Films, provided by producer following films throughout into the darker side of Hollywood and year as the star of MGM’s “Journey for the 40s, O’Brien was one of only a dozen fame, O’Brien never did. Margaret.” Throughout the 1940s, she children to receive a Juvenile Academy continued to endear herself to millions Award when the prize was “My mother seeking Hollywood diversions as World intermittently given from raised me to War II came and went. 1935-1961. She astonished be pretty wellaudiences with a display of grounded,” Ms. O’Brien, now 81, is back this holiday adult emotions though she she says. “So, I season starring in “This is Our Christmas,” was not yet even a teenager. never had the a sequel to the popular 2015 TV movie problems that “Beverly Hills Christmas,” and follows the “I think movie kids are just a a lot of child Foxworth family 7 years after the original little more mature in some actors faced.” picture. ways,” she said. “I knew it O’Brien says was a job, not playacting, and she never The film had its broadcast premiere on that others depended on me watched her the UPtv network in early November, to know my lines. I took my own films, so followed by DVD work very will she tune distribution through seriously.” in to view her Walmart and Target, and O’Brien says new Christmas will be rebroadcast on she can still movie? UPtv over the holiday recall her “Actually, season (see www.uptv. first brief role I’m a little com). in “Babes” This is Our Christmas was released on DVD in November - a good stocking stuffer! Image starring better about provided by producer. “The film was set in watching Mickey a beautiful house in them now, but as I child I never did. Rooney. Beverly Hills, so it was So, I might watch this one to get in the Publicity still from Meet Me in St. Louis with Judy Garland - 1944, MGM very comfortable to “Mickey and I didn’t Christmas mood,” she said. “I watch a work in,” said O’Brien. “The cast and have any scenes together, but I can still lot of Christmas movies as the season crew were great, and everyone had fun remember him walking by and saying approaches and when scripts come up because it was a Christmas movie.” ‘Hello, what a with a Christmas theme, I love to do cute little girl!’ them because they’re just so much O’Brien is no stranger to holiday classics. I sort of have a fun. Acting has been a wonderful photographic career, and still is.” “I appeared in two big Christmas films, memory and can Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ (1944) and ‘Little remember all my Montgomery, Ala, and has written features, Women’ (1949),” and also ‘Tenth Avenue movies just like columns, and interviews for over 700 Angel’ (1948),” she said. “I have special I was back there newspapers and magazines. Margaret O'Brien early publicity memories of ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ now.” shot
54 BOOM!
December 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
December 2018
BOOM!
55
56 BOOM!
December 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine