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HealthNEWS
September 2016
for Boomers and Beyond
A Common, Painful Problem For Men Prostatitis
O
ut of sight, out of mind. That’s usually how it is with men and their prostate. But that’s not the case when a guy is coping with prostatitis, an often uncomfortable inflammation of the gland.
What prostatitis feels like Signs and symptoms of prostatitis can vary, depending on the type (one type doesn’t cause symptoms) and even from one man to the next. But they generally include the following: • Pain around the genitals, pelvic area, or the lower belly or back. • Painful urination or ejaculation. • A frequent or sudden urge to urinate. Prostatitis symptoms that are chronic may come and go, linger for months, or be mild all the time. Acute symptoms start suddenly and are severe. They can include fever and chills, nausea and vomiting, and a blocked urine stream.
September is PROSTATE CANCER
AWARENESS MONTH
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Acute prostatitis needs to be treated right away.
How It’s Treated Prostatitis may be treated with a course of antibiotics, either for several weeks or up to six months. Other treatments, which might help relieve symptoms or keep them from coming back, include: • Medications to improve inflammation or painful or difficult urination. • Warm baths or hot pads to ease pain. • Dietary changes that limit caffeine and foods that can irritate the bladder. • Fluids to help clear infections. To schedule an appointment with one of the specially trained and experienced urologists at The Jackson Clinic, please call 334-293-8888 or visit JacksonClinic.org.
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Together makes us better. And you, too.
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The new UAB Multispecialty Clinic at Baptist Medical Center South brings two names you trust together.
Together makes us happier, stronger, better. That’s why Baptist South has opened a brand new clinic that brings the best names in healthcare together. Nurses and staff from Baptist South will join specially trained doctors from UAB to offer advanced care in many specialties. It’s a partnership that’s going to make everyone better, including you. Call today and make an appointment at the new UAB clinic. Let’s get you better, together.
See a UAB doctor in one of these specialties UROLOGY GASTROENTEROLOGY ENDOCRINOLOGY RHEUMATOLOGY
MULTISPECIALTY CLINIC BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER SOUTH
More specialties to come
Knowledge that will change your world
334.613.7070 UABmedicine-Baptist.com 2119 East South Blvd, east of the Emergency entrance at Baptist South The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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It’s not just your joints that are suffering.
It’s your life.
Introducing the Joint Center of Alabama at Baptist South. Is joint pain making you miss out on life? It’s time to stop hurting and start living. The new Joint Center of Alabama at Baptist South offers joint replacement surgery, recovery and rehab all in one convenient
Joint Center of Alabama
AT BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER SOUTH
location. And our specialized doctors and surgeons know how to get you back to living. So call us today to schedule a visit.
Bring the pain.
BringUsYourPain.com (334) 273.4444
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Contents
September 2016 Volume 7 Issue 2
“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
Facebook.com/RiverRegionBoom Thought Relationships Taste Inspiration
Humor Advice Health Community
You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C.S. Lewis
3 Jackson Hospital’s Health News 10 Publisher’s Letter 13 Healthy Hearing Casey Gonzalez 14 Active Aging Leigh Anne Richards 16 The U.S Economy Under Hillary Clinton Brandt McDonald 19 Walk to End Alzheimer’s Rev. Tiffany Chaney’s Story page 54
Features
38 Professional Tiddlywinks 44 Unexpected Destinations
With (really good) vegetarian cuisine
The Dorkiest Sport Ever, Primed For A Hipster Revival
54 Weird Things
that happen to your body when you’re in love...
Departments 20 This and That
Now You’re “In the Know”
21 So You Want To Write A Book? 22 Blue Morpho Butterfly 26 Beauty Profile What RealSelf.com can do 28 BOOM! Cover Profile: 34 Morning Glory Ministry
52 {12} Things
Solutions for Bored Boomers
48 Greg Budell
36 4 Things You Don’t Know About Estate Planning Ask an Elder Law Attorney
“NOW I’m 64”
40 Two Easy Ways to PREVENT CLUTTER
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COVER PROFILE
41 The importance of having a discharge plan Ask Nancy
page 28
page 20
page 21
42 Eating Smart with Tracy Bhalla: Healing Food 43 Dating Coach: Creating a “love mindset” and using “love tools” 47 The Power Lunch Series Speaker MORRIS DEES Sandi Aplin: Art & Soul
page 22
page 43
51 “HandsOn” Approach to Police Appreciation: Back the Blue
BOOM! The River Regions 50+ Lifestage Magazine is published monthly by River Region Publications, 6398 Eastwood Glen Pl., Montgomery, AL 36117. The phone number is 334.324.3472. Copyright 2016 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.
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Publisher’s Letter
American Exceptionalism 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 jim@riverregionboom.com
Associate Editor Kelly Watson
kelly@riverregionboom.com
Contributing Writers Sandi Aplin Tracy Bhalla Greg Budell
Rev. Tiffany Chaney Lisa Copeland Casey Gonzalez Brandt McDonald Allison Pohle Leigh Anne Richards Nancy Stein Wina Sturgeon Raley L. Wiggins Kathy Witt Sieu Tang Wood
Cover Photography Kim Bethea Total Image Portraits www.totalimage.com 334.261.2080
If you haven’t started paying attention to the Presidential Race (it’s hard to ignore a good fight or a car wreck), I hope you will. It’s every Americans duty to be an informed citizen and vote their conscience on what kind of leadership our great country should have. With that in mind I believe it’s important to consider the idea of “American Exceptionalism”. American Exceptionalism is a concept born out of the American Revolution because the United States is inherently different than other nations, it was referred to as “the first new nation” and it developed a uniquely American ideology based on liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, democracy and laissezfaire for business. As an American, I identify and participate with this American ideology and to appreciate the value of American Exceptionalism, it’s important to participate in all its freedoms while in pursuit of your happiness. Our Cover Profile this month is Sieu Tang Wood. Sieu is the owner of Tang’s Alterations and has been participating in American Exceptionalism for many years...and she represents exactly what a unique country we all live in. Sieu has thrived because she was given the freedom to thrive. She has pursued her dreams, achieved many of them and she’s not slowing down much either with plans for business expansion in the coming year. I think you’ll enjoy getting to know Sieu in this month’s Cover Profile. There’s plenty more to enhance your reading experience this month and it begins with Leigh Anne Richards describing a new term for all of us over 50, Active Agers. I think she’s right on when it comes to what we all strive to be as we age. She also describes just how important your tongue is to balance, interesting. You didn’t hear it from me but Greg Budell’s got a birthday coming and he pulled out a classic Beatles tune to amplify it. Of course if you’re looking at the dating scene, our dating coach has some Love Tools for you to consider. I may start using some of them in my future. Speaking of love, when you’re in it, things happen to your body that’s good for you...It’s a healthy thing to be in love! I played Tiddlywinks as a kid...did you? Well there are professionals out there, true. They had a tournament of sorts and it was kind of interesting to hear about old men playing Tiddlywinks! Thanks for being part of the BOOM! Community. If you’re not a Digital & Interactive subscriber yet, please visit RiverRegionBoom.com and sign up, it’s free. I hope you enjoy this month’s issue!
Jim
Advertising
jim@riverregionboom.com 334.324.3472 cell/text
Jim Watson, 334.324.3472 jim@riverregionboom.com
Design & Layout Lake House Graphics
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2.6 Million Seniors are Victims
Are you protecting your parents from identity thieves? As Grandparents Day approaches on September 11, many may be thinking about how they can show their appreciation for all that the grandparents in their lives have done. And while that’s a wonderful sentiment, it might be even more important to instead think about how we can protect this increasingly susceptible group of individuals. In fact, while anyone can be a victim of identity theft, seniors may be at even more of a risk then the general population. According to the Department of Justice, the number of elderly victims of identity theft increased from 2.1 million in 2012 to 2.6 million in 2014. This increase is likely due to the fact that seniors often live alone and crave companionship, and also have fading memories, which makes them easy pray for identity thieves who take advantage of their loneliness and vulnerability. What’s more is that identity theft in seniors can be truly tragic as bank accounts are drained and retirement funds vanish, leaving these seniors without any resources in their golden years. Protecting our aging parents can be simple if you know where to start. Here are four ways to keep them, and their nest eggs, safe. 1. Give the gift of a shredder – Flowers are nice, but a small cross-cut shredder can really go a long way to protect your aging parents. With thieves dumpster diving for personal information, shredders can be used to destroy unneeded personal documents, receipts, pre-approved credit offers, unused or old checks and any other items that include personal information about your parent(s) or their accounts. 2. Protect their mail – Leaving outgoing mail in the mailbox for the postman is never a good idea. Thieves can quite easily snatch mail waiting to be picked up, including letters that include checks or other personal information – and since your parent is expecting them to disappear, they’ll never be the wiser. Encourage your parents to take their outgoing letters to the post office, and to purchase a mailbox with a lock for added protection. 3. Monitor their accounts – Your parents are likely not as computer savvy as you are. Help them to monitor accounts as well as their credit information online. You can even set up credit monitoring and bank alerts to make this a seamless process for you both. Products such as Experian CreditWorks is a great option for people looking for comprehensive credit monitoring. 4. Educate them about identity thieves – Remind your parents that thieves take many forms, and how detrimental losing their personal information can be. They should never give out personally identifiable information like a social security number or bank account number over the phone, and remind them a legitimate business would never ask for this type of information. For more info visit www.Experian.com
The Side by Side Singers are dedicated to sharing music to keep our minds strong. Music can improve our mood and boost cognitive skills. We invite those living with Alzheimer’s or dementia and their care-partners to join us for 8-week sessions each Tuesday, 1:00-2:00 pm at First United Methodist Church in Montgomery. The music we sing ranges from Sinatra to Elvis. photo by Mickey Welsh/Montgomery Advertiser
SIDEbySIDE singers singers
Please contact Jack Horner at ivortickle@aol.com or Laura Selby at 834-8990 for more information. 12 BOOM!
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NO FEE, PLEASE JOIN THE FELLOWSHIP!
First United METHODIST CHURCH
2416 W. Cloverdale Park Montgomery, AL 36106 334.834.8990 www.fumcmontgomery.org
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Overcoming Hearing Loss Stigma One in 10 Americans experience some level of hearing loss and the impact of this condition affects the communities that surround those people as well. Hearing loss can negatively affect relationships, workplaces and social interactions. The fear of being isolated or viewed differently by their peers because of hearing loss leads many people to have a negative attitude towards hearing aids. This is unfortunate considering hearing aids can effectively treat hearing loss in 95 percent of cases. According to a 2010 study published by Margaret I. Wallhagen, Ph.D., the embarrassment associated with the perceived hearing loss stigma leads many people to avoid treatment such as hearing aids. The study found that the reason so
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more discreet and even invisible. The study also found that the negative responses from study participants were greatly diminished once they tried the more discreet hearing aids!
many are reluctant to try hearing aids, despite the helpfulness of the technology, is the feeling that hearing aids will affect how others see them. The study found three factors associated with hearing loss stigma affected participants’ attitudes before trying hearing aids: altered self
Don’t let hearing loss stigma hold you back from hearing your best. Better hearing can allow more participation in daily activities and therefore an improved quality of life. By Casey Gonzalez, Au.D., CCC-A, FAAA
Healthy Hearing Montgomery Hearing Services
perception, ageism and vanity. People in the study tended to think more negatively about themselves, their age and their physical appearance when asked how others would view them if they tried hearing aids. While these are legitimate concerns, new technology has allowed for hearing aids that are customizable,
Casey Gonzalez received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Disorders from Louisiana State University, and earned her Doctorate of Audiology degree from Louisiana State University Health Science Center. Casey holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech and Hearing Association and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Audiology.
Free Hearing Screenings
Don’t shy away from effective hearing loss treatment. Montgomery Hearing Services is offering free hearing screenings and demonstrations of hearing technology. For an appointment, call (334) 239-0678.
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Active Aging I, along with one of my co-workers, attended an active aging certification in Atlanta a few weeks ago. She and I are both over 55 and we typically teach exercise classes to people over 50. I wanted to know if there was new information and research out there about our aging population. We are now called “Active Agers”- no longer seniors. The term active aging refers to people 50 years and older. The International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), which is based in Canada, defines this age group as the most heterogeneous group that may exist inside a gym or fitness/ wellness club environment at any one time. We need to look at our capabilities and not our age. Most experts agree that 5 types of aging exist. 1. Chronological Age - refers to the number of years we have existed on the planet from birth, which we cannot change nor train. 2. Functional Age - refers to our ability to be able to accomplish the activities of daily living. We train to perform tasks independently. We can actually decrease or improve our functional age 3. Biological Age - refers to how we stand up to standards and graphs put up from the medical community for others sharing similar demographics and chronological age. Exercise/ training can decrease our blood sugar, decrease blood pressure and cholesterol. We can also train to increase our muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility and gait efficiency. We can decrease our biological age with training 4. Social Age - refers to our
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and Toes awareness. These are our “roots.” • Tongue - Keep the tip of the tongue at the roof of the palate just behind the top teeth as an additional balancing aid to assist with neck flexors and upper stabilizers. Side bar- It works!!!! • Activate - The core’s pelvic floor muscles by closing the by Leigh Anne Richards pelvic floor muscles from the front and back of the body • Navel - Engage in drawing the naval in to help stabilize the spine, core and other major functions to accomplish movements using the transverse the tasks we need to demonstrate abdominal muscle (your corset). independence. Working the mind • Direct the Eyes - Look forwards and and body simultaneously decreases down as needed. or improves psychological age. I want to spend time in the One of the major things we see remainder of the article to talk happening as we age is the loss about the tongue and the vital role of our balance. Like riding a bike, it plays in stabilization. This fact is training balance requires hours of very fascinating to me. Learning to muscle memory, and there is no one stabilize with the tongue has many secret. One of the things I learned at benefits: my active aging conference is to refer • Biomechanical Purpose - The to balance training as stabilization tongue is a powerful muscle that training. Now we want to say “learn we can move at will. Anchoring the to stabilize” rather than find your tongue consciously behind the top balance. Remember when you teeth in the center not only gives learned to ride a bicycle, it took this moving muscle an anchored, hours of practice and you learned temporary insertion point, but helps the skill in small steps and you were centralize our center of gravity for assisted with “training wheels.” balance. Stabilization is the same way- you • Energetic Purpose - In T’ai Chi, must understand it is a learned the Chinese believe that we have skill that needs to be practiced 12 main meridians of the body and daily. I have written about balance these connect at the tongue. Not (stabilization) several times in recent anchoring the tip of the tongue publications, but I want to come at it wastes potential to bring balance from a fresh perspective. centeredness to the body. • Stability Purpose - Keeping the S.T.A.N.D- We want to use this tongue at the roof of the mouth can acronym to train our stabilization as assist the neck flexors in keeping the active agers. upper quadrant stronger, decrease • Standing muscles: Feet, Ankles, neck pain and maintain that forward interactions with those in our cultural framework. Working in small groups, social clubs, etc. improve our social age 5. Psychological Age - refers to our ability to use the brain’s
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Fitness over Fifty
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gaze focus (directing the eyes). • Yogic Purpose - Yogis make a connection between the lower locks of the pelvic floor which we keep closed (like holding urine) for more control during movement. The upper locks of the neck quadrant we keep open for better breathing during movement. When we anchor the tip of the tongue to the roof of the mouth, we make a “closed circuit” connection of energy created from the root of the spine and top of the head. Who knew the tongue was such a powerful muscle? I encourage you to try some of this with the tongue as you work on your stability. It really works!!! 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
October “Active Aging Course” Available Tiffany Higgenbotham, licensed Physical Therapist (that has been a guest writer), and myself will be offering a 6-week active aging course at MetroFitness beginning in October. We will be focusing on many things included in this article as well as the things mentioned in previous articles about the brain and movement. We are excited to offer this innovative course for ages 50 and beyond- our “active agers.” For more information, contact me, Leigh Anne Richards at LAMetrofit@aol.com or at 334.396.0040.
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The U.S Economy Under Hillary Clinton Ah, the polls! Polling data surrounding the head to head matchup between Trump and Clinton are coming at us rapid fire. Personally, I prefer to use the Real Clear Politics Poll that gives us a global view of the election and summarizes all of the individual polls into one snapshot of where the race for the White House truly stands. On July 28, Trump was leading Hillary by one point. And, as of this writing Hillary has surged to a six point lead. Obviously, she hasn’t done or said anything new; rather, Mr. Trump not-so-elegantly put his foot in his mouth and rightfully lost ground in quick order as a result. In a recent issue of BOOM I highlighted what a Trump Presidency would look like and this month I want to dive into what a third term of Obama would look like for the U.S. economy under Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton has unquestionably made a decision to build her campaign message around four more years of the Obama administration. Under Obama the United States has witnessed the worst economic recovery in history. Hillary has made it clear that she will continue with the same economic template of massive government regulations, more taxes, and huge government spending. She favors wealth re-distribution and seeks to “right the wrongs” of an unfair economic system that supposedly favors the rich. It’s amazing to me how people like Hillary Clinton and her ilk, who have never really committed capital to risk-based projects, somehow believe they know how to run the largest economy on earth. They portray themselves as the “angels” of society that somehow know what’s better for all of us than the power of a true free-market system. Milton Friedman discusses this in his now famous and powerful excoriation of Phil Donahue in a 1979 interview about the merits of Capitalism. That video is on oldie but still the best summary of why capitalism and free trade has been proven time and again as the best antidote to poverty. Hillary is not interested in economic growth. Hillary is interested in power and control of society. She wants to be the final determinant of who wins and who loses in America. Her platform, if implemented would raise taxes on individuals, small businesses, and corporations. She would push for more
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rules and regulations on the entire private sector in some form or another. All of these policies have put a noose around the life blood of our economy for the last 8 years. Continuing down this road of madness under Hillary for four more years will most assuredly exacerbate an already stagnant with U.S. growth and be Brandt McDonald a death nail to the American worker.
Financial Thoughts
For too long, public relations professionals have deceptively worked to change the way American people think about our way of life. As a nation we have subjected ourselves and our children to all forms of underlying messages and themes via television, movies, music, books, social media, and advertisements, all of which have contributed to a massive moral decay in our society. We wonder around like zombies in a trance or sheep being led to the slaughter. It’s as if half of the people in America have traded in their soul for the wider, easier path in their pursuit of daily sustenance. In other words, half of this country no longer understands America, its work ethic, it’s pathway to personal freedom both economically, spiritually and morally. This group of Americans prefer to rely on government and bureaucrats to make all decisions for them; to provide guaranteed income in the form of food stamps, disability benefits, and a whole host of other entitlement programs. To be clear, in a country as wealthy as America, there should always be help for those who find themselves in tough situations. But when the government and socialist/communist ideologues use these programs as bait to gain power, America and freedom suffers. Once a person is owned by government, there’s no way out. That person has sealed their fate from personal freedom and is suddenly relegated to a puppet on a string. To be clear, I am not enamored with either candidate. But, it’s my humble opinion that a vote for Hillary does not lead to more freedom. Rather, it leads to more death – death of jobs, wages, health care, innovation, and law and order. This election, let’s ask ourselves the
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question that Milton Friedman so eloquently phrased, “….Tell me where in the world you find these angels who are going to organize society for us?” I certainly don’t think its Hillary OR Trump. Regardless of who you vote for, I encourage you to get in the game. Together we can all be a part of the solution – to reshape this country from the grassroots level in a way that creates the conditions necessary for free market capitalism to once again take its rightful role as the fuel that will return America’s economy to greatness once again. Here at McDonald & Hagen, we are constantly monitoring markets and certainly keeping up with the election on behalf of our clients. Regardless of the future, we stand ready to assist you with your wealth management needs. As I always say, until next time, remember to never run with the herd, always be thankful, and look to the future with anticipation of what’s yet to come. Brandt McDonald, Managing Partner McDonald & Hagen Wealth Management LPL Branch Manager mcdonaldhagen.com Direct comments and questions to bailey.worrell@lpl.com or 334.387.0094 1Source: Social Security Administration. 2Source: Social Security Administration, Fast Facts & Figures About Social Security, September 2014. The opinions expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect the views of LPL Financial. Because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by Wealth Management Systems Inc. or its sources, neither Wealth Management Systems Inc. nor its sources guarantees the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or availability of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information. In no event shall Wealth Management Systems Inc. be liable for any indirect, special or consequential damages in connection with subscriber’s or others’ use of the content. © 2015 Wealth Management Systems Inc. All rights reserved. Securities offered through LPL Financial. Member
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FINRA & SIPC. Investment advice offered through McDonald & Hagen Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor, and separate entity from LPL Financial.
For your reading pleasure, a transcript of the Friedman vs. Donahue interview:
Phil Donahue:
When you see around the globe the maldistribution of wealth, the desperate plight of millions of people in underdeveloped countries, when you see so few haves and so many have-nots, when you see the greed and the concentration of power, did you ever have a moment of doubt about capitalism and whether greed’s a good idea to run on?
Milton Friedman:
Well, first of all, tell me, is there some society you know that doesn’t run on greed? You think Russia doesn’t run on greed? You think China doesn’t run on greed? What is greed? Of course none of us are greedy. It’s only the other fellow who’s greedy. The world runs on individuals pursuing their separate interests. The great achievements of civilization have not come from government bureaus. Einstein didn’t construct his theory under order from a bureaucrat. Henry Ford didn’t revolutionize the automobile industry that way. In the only cases in which the masses have escaped from the kind of grinding poverty you’re talking about, the only cases in recorded history are where they have had capitalism and largely free trade. If you want to know where the masses are worst off, it’s exactly in the kinds of societies that depart from that. So that the record of history is absolutely crystal clear that there is no alternative way, so far discovered, of improving the lot of the ordinary people that can hold a candle to the productive activities that are unleashed by a free enterprise system.
Phil Donahue:
But it seems to reward not virtue as much as ability to manipulate the system.
Milton Friedman:
And what does reward virtue? Do you think the communist commissar rewards virtue? Do you think Hitler rewards virtue? Do you think American presidents reward virtue? Do they choose their appointees on the basis of the virtue of the people appointed or on the basis of their political clout? Is it really true that political self-interest is nobler somehow than economic self-interest? You know, I think you’re taking a lot of things for granted. Just tell me where in the world you find these angels who are going to organize society for us.
Phil Donahue: Well --
Milton Friedman:
I don’t even trust you to do that.
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Walk to End Alzheimer’s B
Rev. Tiffany Chaney’s Story
y the time I was 18 years old, my mother’s mother had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. Several years later my dad’s mother was also diagnosed with the disease. I am 36 years old now, so, for half my life, Alzheimer’s has been a part of my family’s story.
my eyes and heart have been opened to see young adults experiencing Alzheimer’s for the first time in their families’ stories. I see people who are scared, confused, not knowing how to process this diagnosis. And I am aware of just how much they need to hear a word of hope. That hope is often found in knowing they are not alone, having someone to whom they can relate.
I watched both of my parents take care of their parents in Tiffany’s grandmothers, Rosie Chaney (2nd from l) and Verdelle Thomas (2nd from r), at her parents wedding in 1976. (Photo Source: Valencia Chaney) different ways. My mother’s mother lived in Birmingham, hours away from my with my parents for almost a decade. family in Mobile. I was as helpful as I Following my grandfather’s death, I could be when I was home but I also watched my grandmother transition felt a twinge of guilt that I wasn’t from staying at her house during the around more to help. While logically day and coming to my parents’ house aware that I was just where I was at night, to staying with my parents’ supposed to be and my family wouldn’t full time and going to adult day care have it any other way, I still felt this during the day, to ultimately living in a twinge. nursing home. I watched as, over time, she was able to do less for herself and needed more help with daily needs. My dad’s mother lived at home with my grandfather and aunt after her diagnosis until she had a fall and had to live in a nursing home. I watched my dad make going to his parents’ home and the nursing home to visit with and check on his parents a regular part of his routine. I learned about caring for a parent by watching my parents. I observed and listened, not really knowing how to process what I experienced. I also tried to process what I felt as a grandchild. By the time my first grandmother was diagnosed, I was already in college
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Rev. Tiffany Chaney (Photo Source: Darya Farsinejad)
All of these experiences, all of this processing has shaped me not just as a person but also as a pastor. I serve as pastor of Gathered by Grace, a new ministry serving young adults in the greater Montgomery area. This year
This year, as I walk in my first Walk to End Alzheimer’s, I walk not just as a person who lost her grandmothers to Alzheimer’s but as a pastor who wants other people, including young adults, who are trying to process all that is happening around them, to know they are not alone. As the Mission Co-Chairperson for this year’s walk, one of the areas I work with is our Promise Garden. This garden will give walkers an opportunity to lift up their reason for walking – whether as a person living with Alzheimer’s, a caregiver, a loved one who lost someone, or a supporter. Intermingled together, personalized flowers of different colors will remind us that we are on this journey together, all with different life experiences, all able to share our stories, all able to hold each other up. I will add my purple flower to the garden this year, honoring my grandmothers, simultaneously remembering I am not alone and reminding the same to those around me. This is why I walk. Rev. Tiffany Chaney is System Director of Business Development for Baptist Health and Pastor Developer of Gathered by Grace, a mission community of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
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This & tHAT Titus Bluegrass Festival
The toe-tappin’ and fiddlin’ will begin Saturday, September 24th, as down-home music will kick-off the 16th annual Titus Bluegrass Festival. Family-oriented fun and entertainment will be the order of the day as banjos, mandolins, fiddles, and guitars take center stage. Sponsored by the Titus Community Center and the Titus Volunteer Fire Department, the family event features a schedule of continuous music that runs from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Headlining the event will be Clear Blue Sky, (facebook.com/Clear-Blue-Sky-Bluegrass-Band); County Clare, (shannonandheatherslaughter.com); and the Dustin Benson Band. All the bands are family oriented, and enjoy meeting their fans. Visitors will also have a chance to browse arts and crafts booths. Amazingly creative and unique booths add extra sparkle to the event. If you’ve got such a booth, then you can earn a little jingle while Clear Blue Sky enjoying the day of great acoustic music. All types of crafts vendors are encouraged to apply—$25 per booth. Please call Judy May at 567.7327 for more information. Admission is $5 for age 12 and over, and free to children. Grab a lawn chair (for outside seating) and head to the Titus Community Center located approximately 10 miles north of Wetumpka on Highway 231, then six miles north on County Road 29. For more information, email titusbluegrassfestival@gmail.com, or like our Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Titus-Bluegrass-Festival.
Tickled Pink Women’s Expo To kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Alabama News Network is teaming up with the Joy to Life Foundation in the second Tickled Pink Woman’s Expo on Friday, September 30th at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl from 10 am – 6 pm. The event will feature vendors fit for a queen. Whether you’re into fashion, health, beauty or fitness, there is plenty to see and do! Visit alabamanews.net to purchase your tickets online today! We’re excited that American Idol Superstar Jess Meuse will be returning to Tickled Pink for another unforgettable performance along with Donica Knight and the True Divine Baptist Church Gospel Choir. Join the event on Facebook! All ticket sales will benefit the Joy to Life Foundation and will help provide free mammograms to medically under-served women and men throughout Alabama.
First Responders Brunch The Capital City Club is happy to host its first ever First Responders Brunch on Sunday September 11th, 11-2pm and we invite all area emergency medical technicians, police officers, sheriffs and deputies, and firefighters to enjoy brunch overlooking downtown Montgomery at 50% off. Club Members and non-Members who wish to show their gratitude and support are encouraged to sponsor a first responder and their family. 9/11 Memorial Stair Climbers will be a conducting their Opening Ceremonies and stair climb from 8am – 11am. For more information on the brunch or how to participate in the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, or to make brunch reservations, please contact Heather Logan at 334.834.8920 or heather.logan@clubcorp.com
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So You Want To Write A Book? Dream On! Write On! began as a group in the spring of 2016 because we too were asking ourselves, “So you want to write a book?” We spent the next several months learning from published authors the step by step process that would ensure we took that next step and would live our dream of seeing our books published. Little did we know how life changing Dream On! Write On! would be for us and now can be for you! Dream On! Write On! hosts Writers Workshop on October 1st, from 2 pm – 5 pm at the DoubleTree by Hilton, 120 Madison Avenue, Downtown Montgomery. There is a $25 registration fee and advance registration is encouraged, limited seating. To register or learn more visit www.dreamonwriteon.wixsite.com/montgomery or call Cindy at 334.546.0096 or Lakeisha at 334.313.8908. Don’t know how to get started? Come learn valuable information from Alabama authors. Cedric Threatt, Birmingham resident and author of thirteen books including “The Write Stuff” will show “From Head to Paper” each step of how to take your journey of sharing your writing with the world. Also, Tasha M. Scott, Montgomery resident, Certified Life Coach and author of several books including “Don’t Limit Me” will share how it all starts from inspiration. Sharmon Threatt, Birmingham resident and wife of Cedric will share The Book – It’s Bigger Than You! Join us for a small group learning experience to explore your writing journey. Bring your desire to learn and passion for writing.
Free Broadway Under The Stars Pops Concert The Montgomery Symphony will perform a free evening of Broadway showtunes on Thursday, September 8th, when the Orchestra presents its 30th annual Broadway Under The Stars Pops Concert. Picnic baskets, coolers, blankets, and lawn chairs are all welcome at this free, family-oriented event which is sponsored by Regions Bank. The concert will be held lakeside in the Blount Cultural Park in front of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival and will begin at 7:30 pm. Come early and pick a good spot to enjoy your family’s outing. The gates will open at 5 pm. For more information, or to order a Special VIP Dinner Package with reserved seating and parking, call 334.240.4004. For more info visit montgomerysymphony.org
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Blue Morpho Butterfly Month Enjoy our month-long display of nature at its finest! Marvel at the Blue Morpho as hundreds of these tropical butterflies fill the Day Butterfly Center with their iridescent-blue splendor. If the trend continues, visitors to the Day Butterfly Center will witness the largest display of Blue Morpho Butterflies on the planet during September. As one of the largest butterflies, with a wingspan of five to eight inches, the Blue Morpho makes a beautiful subject for photos and video. Yet normally throughout the year they maintain the reputation of being notoriously difficult to capture on film. Blue Morpho Month gives you the best opportunity to photograph these butterflies because of the tremendous concentration within the Butterfly Conservatory. Morphos do most of their flying between 10 am and 3 pm so for the best results, those looking to take photos should consider visiting when the butterflies are resting: before 10 am or after 3 pm. The Day Butterfly Center is open 9-5 pm. Fo more info visit www.callawaygardens.com or call 1.800.852.3810
House of Holidays Beautiful handmade Arts and Crafts, wonderful selection of Second Time Around Treasures, Frozen Entrees are always a big hit, visit our Sunflower Bakery for wonderful treats, cakes , pies and more. There will also be plants, toys and lots of fun, so come on out and find that special something you have been looking for...see you there Lunch $5.00 House of Holidays is located at First United Methodist Church, 306 W Tuskeena St Wetumpka. Saturday, October lstm 8 am – 1 pm.
Get Your Affairs in Order, FREE Estate Planning and Asset Protection Workshop Wednesday, September 28: Hosted by Red Oak Legal, PC: 1:30 - 3:30 pm at the Archibald Senior Center (MACOA) in Montgomery. This educational workshop presented by local attorney Raley L. Wiggins covers wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, living wills, probate administration, protecting assets from creditors, bankruptcy, divorce and remarriage, nursing homes, long-term care and Medicaid qualification. Registration is required. Call 334.625.6774 today to reserve your seat or register online at www.redoaklegalpc.com.
68th Annual Labor Day Greek BBQ Sale takes place Monday, September 5th, 9 am at Greek Orthodox Church, 1721 Mt. Meigs Road, Montgomery, AL. The offerings include a choice between three entrees: sliced pork or 1/2 chicken or lamb. Each plate comes with cole slaw, slow-simmered camp stew, bread and the church’s secret recipe barbecue sauce. Chicken and pork plates are $10; Lamb plates are $12. Quarts of the homemade camp stew are also available for $12 each. Event goers may also select from a mouth-watering array of Greek pastries, including baklava. (sold separately). Don’t miss this holiday feast! For more info visit agocmal.org
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On September 30th, Southern hospitality will meet Old World tradition at Landmarks Foundation’s 16th annual Tavern Fest! A variety of regional craft beers, local fare, and popular musicians will bring the streets of Old Alabama Town to life. The communitywide celebration draws crowds downtown for an evening of fun and fellowship, while serving as the biggest annual fundraiser for Landmarks Foundation of Montgomery. Follow Tavern Fest 2016 on Facebook or visit www.landmarksfoundation.com
Family Fun Fair
There will be Family Fun on Saturday, September 10th at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival! From 11 a.m to 2 p.m. families can enjoy a petting zoo, crafts, face-painting, games and snacks! There will also be a special appearance by Greg Taunton, the Balloon Man! Follow the event with the 2 p.m. performance of Charlotte’s Web, tickets available at asf.net
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Farm To Fork Food Invasion It’s that time again folks: the 7th Annual Farm To Fork Food Invasion returns Thursday, October 13th at Hampstead Farm! This year’s event brings our most acclaimed chef ever. Seriously, you do not want to miss this...We will be unveiling our “Invading” Celebrity Chef on August 31st, and tickets will go on sale Thursday September 8th on the Hampstead website. Follow us on Facebook for sneak peeks, updates, and more in the lead up to the event! www.foodinvasion.com
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Zoobilation Dance to the groove, delight in drinks and food samplings from the finest eateries in the River Region, try your luck at the vast collection of auction items and rub elbows with the area’s finest animal lovers. Zoobilation is a fundraiser geared for adults only. All guests must be 21 years old or older to attend. Tickets are $50 per person (all guests must be at least 21 years old to attend). Individual and table tickets may be purchased online at montgomeryzoo.com or at the Zoo’s gift shop and museum. . Any Zoobilation ticket(s) purchased online at montgomeryzoo.com will be available at the WILL CALL booth during the night Zoobilation, Thursday, Sept 15 beginning at 6pm. No tickets will be mailed and/or made available for pick up. On the night of Zoobilation, please bring your purchase confirmation and/or printed ticket along with a valid picture identification to gain access to the event. All guests must be at least 21 years old to attend. Identifications will be checked upon entry. Minor will be refused access and no refunds will be provided. Join us September 15th for the wildest party in town!
Community Foundation Fills Two New Positions Central Alabama Community Foundation (CACF) welcomes two new staff members. Eleanor Upchurch Lucas started with the Foundation in May as the new Donor Services Manager. “I was a bookseller at Montgomery’s historic Capitol Book & News in Old Cloverdale for nearly 30 years, and after enjoying a season of “practice” retirement was thrilled by the opportunity to work for the CACF. My job here as Donor Services Manager joins two of my passions: my community and providing outstanding customer service,” said Lucas. Lucas resides in Montgomery with her husband, Henry, and enjoys spending time with her family (son Luke and daughterin-law Jackie, son Thomas and grandchildren Rosemary, 6 and Jimmy 1.5). Whitney Griswold joined CACF in July as the Development Officer. Griswold brings a wealth Eleanor Upchurch Lucas Whitney Griswold of nonprofit experience working several organizations such as the United Athletes Foundation, Auburn University’s Cary Center for Advancement of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies, Montgomery Ballet, and the River Region United Way. “I grew up in the small town of Millbrook, a community where hard work and helping your neighbor went hand in hand. I believe that led to my interest in working in the nonprofit sector,” said Griswold. To learn more about The Central Alabama Community Foundation visit www.cacfinfo.org
Taste of Pensacola Beach If your ideal vacation is flip-flops and a fork, we’ll see you on the sugar-white sands of Pensacola Beach in September for Taste of the Beach! This annual foodie festival showcases taste-tempting coastal delights made by Pensacola Beach’s favorite restaurants. It’s Florida’s best seafood meets Florida’s best beach. Not just “with a beach view.” We’re talking feet in the sand, crashing waves, sunshine and shrimp. Taste of the Beach brings the restaurants right down to the sandy shoreline for a daylong celebration of all things Southern, seafood, savory and sweet. The 9th Annual Taste of the Beach opens Saturday, Sept. 24, at 11 am when 22 of the beach’s favorite casual and fine dining restaurants, stationed in booths overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, begin serving sample-size portions of their signature dishes for $5 each throughout Celebrity Chefs the day. This year, six Pensacola Beach and two downtown Pensacola chefs will be pitted against one another to see who can create the best seafood dish in less than an hour using a secret ingredient. From 5 to 7 pm, festival-goers can sample nearly two dozen beers from six different local breweries. Tagged as “The World’s Greatest ‘80’s Experience,” glam-rock cover band, The Molly Ringwalds, return this year to close out the festival, once again, with a free concert at 7 pm Taste of the Beach—it’s a foodie paradise wrapped in a beach paradise, with live music and a side of sunset. For more info, visit www.tasteofpensacolabeach.com
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ASF presents The Mousetrap Throw together a group of eccentric strangers trapped in a boarding house during a snowstorm, and murder and mayhem are sure to ensue! So goes the premise of The Mousetrap, the world’s longest running (62 years onstage in the West End) stage play by the greatest mystery writer of the 20th century, Agatha Christie. The audience will share the nerve-rattling suspense of the guests of Monkswell Manor as they try to determine who the killer is before he or she strikes again – but be prepared to keep the secret once you discover who is responsible for The Mousetrap! Recommended for ages 12 and up. For ticket info visit asf.net
37th Annual SAC’s Waterfront Show
Please join us for a Reception at our 37th Annual SAC’s Waterfront Show and Competition. The show is in Memory of Nell Hardeman, the founder of this competition. The Reception and Awards Presentations will be held Sunday, September 11th, from 1 to 3 pm with awards being presented at 2 pm. The awards and exhibit will be at Montgomery Visitor Center, 300 Water St. - Downtown in the Union Station. The exhibit will be on display through September 28th at the Visitor Center MondaySaturday 8:30 am to 5 pm. For more information, please call 334.265.9931 or visit www.sacsgallery.org/2016/08/01/2016-annual-waterfront-show-competition
BOOM! Now Available at
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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 “BOOM!, the best reading experience for the 50+ community” The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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Educational Focus from the Face MDs at RRFP
Beauty Profile What RealSelf.com can do for you! Internet research is growing at record speed. Although the term “Google it” has become a household phrase, the search return results are not always factual. We (at RRFP) have attended multiple seminars over our three years in practice and can help advise online shoppers of some sites we respect to give you an honest evaluation of a procedure.
and doing your own online research about a procedure before a consultation is the best practice. Our client base is well educated before they even come in for the consultation; sometimes, we just need to dispel the online myths and stigmas.
Satisfaction Scores on the Procedures Performed at
RealSelf.com is a platform where doctors in the field answer your questions about plastic surgery. You simply type in the search bar your topic of interest… then you can see average pricing (for the procedure in question) by geographic location, the approval/ satisfaction rating of those participating in that topic, before and after photos, and much more. Considering the old saying “we can’t make 100% of the people happy 100% of the time,” scores in the 90th percentile and above deserve a nod. See the RealSelf. com satisfaction scores on the procedures we perform at RRFP in the adjacent box. Our website www. riverregionfacialplastics.com was personally written in-house by
River Region Facial Plastics
The QuickLift® (lower facelift) Juvederm® Voluma® Kybella® Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) Botox® Cosmetic Restylane® Silk Laser Hair Removal Chemical Peels our highly educated staff and physicians. We pride ourselves on our “before and after” photos, which are never retouched. Knowing the right questions to ask
95% 91% 91% 90% 94% 95% 93% 91% 91%
A cute coffee cup once said, “Please don’t confuse your Google search with my medical degree.” Rely on board certified experts in the facial plastics field as a good first step.
Please contact us via email at RiverRegionFacialPlastics@gmail.com with your questions or comments!
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The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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BOOM! COVER PROFILE
Sieu Tang Wood, American Success Story the hospital, my youngest sister was only one month old. We lost everything personal and my father’s business, we had to start over.
This month’s BOOM! Cover Profile is Sieu Tang Wood. Sieu is one of the most inspirational people we have ever featured in BOOM! She is the model of what the American immigration process should look like. Sieu believes deeply in the American way of life and she has thrived in her pursuit of a successful life. Her contribution to our community is both compassionate and generous. Sieu’s business, Tang’s Alterations, has served the needs of many families in the River Region and she has ambitions to expand...her young heart and attitude will make you think twice about how you embrace “getting old”. We recently asked Sieu to share some of her journey with us and we think you’ll enjoy getting to know her as much as we have!
BOOM!: Give us a brief biography, i.e. where were you born, what brought you to Montgomery? Your life’s journey has been an American Success Story, please share your journey in starting and growing, Tang’s Alterations? Sieu: I am Chinese and was born in Vietnam in 1942. I am the oldest of seven children. My father was a merchant, so in 1950 when I was
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In 1953, I had a booth in the market where I worked after school to earn an allowance selling household items. A Christian couple worked in the booth next to me and they taught us about Christianity. My sister, brother and I were in the first group to be baptized in the Mekong river. They began teaching me English in our classes. I married in 1961 and had three children, two boys and one Sieu in the shop with her fashion designs in the background girl. I greatly admired my eight years old he moved our family husband, but our marriage failed and and his business to Laos. With the children and I moved to live with everything we owned packed on my parents. his truck, we had a terrible accident on the way. The truck rolled down In 1962, I began teaching at a an embankment, my mother was Chinese school and 1967 to 1973 seriously injured and she, my I worked for Air America, the CIA brother, my sister and I were taken to
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Airline for eighty dollars a month while I continued learning English. My mother said a dream is like a train, to begin the dream it starts with the engine, so in 1973 my sister and I started the engine to begin our dream of going to America to have a better life for our family and my children. On April 4th, I had to say goodbye to my three children who were five, seven and nine years old. They lived with my parents and I did not see them for six years. My heart was broken but they were the motivation to not only survive, but to succeed and to bring them all to America.
civilian alteration citizen, shop in Montgomery bought a at 500 Cloverdale house and Road. Over the next a second few years, I began hand car discontinuing the and sent for AAFES contracts and my parents opening other civilian and my shops at Zelda Road, children. Peppertree, Atlanta When I Highway, Dexter saw them, Avenue and Prattville. my broken If everything comes heart began together, summer to heal. Six 2017, the Decker years is a Lane shop will be in a very long new building at 8101 time. After Decker Lane. working in My sister and I arrived in San California Francisco, California with two BOOM!: Being an and Alaska, Sieu with her three children, L to R Yin, Fung and Nan suitcases and five hundred dollars entrepreneur and I worked between us. I called a friend who a woman, what were some of the briefly with my sister and brother-inhad worked at Air America and we challenges starting your business and law at Ft, Benning, GA. before getting stayed with them for two weeks. managing it today? What do you the clothing alterations contract with We found jobs, a place to live and consider the secret to your success? the Army and Air Force Exchange bought a twenty-eight dollar sewing Service (AAFES) at Maxwell AFB here machine. We worked all day and Sieu: I don’t think the challenges I in Montgomery. When I moved sewed at night. faced were any different than anyone to Montgomery in 1985, my older else starting a business. I had to be son went In 1975, my determined, work hard and deal with to Fresno sister and each situation in a professional and University I moved to business manner. I always strive to in California Anchorage, put my customers first, make the and my two Alaska, sacrifices or changes necessary at younger where times for things to work, but then children, Yin she was always believing with confidence and Fung married. I in what I am doing. Our motto or came with opened my slogan is that we provide: me and first Tang’s T - top quality remained Alteration A - affordable prices here until shop, it N - new fashions finishing had four G - great service school. hundred S - satisfaction guaranteed The next square feet our name says it all. few years I Bill and Sieu in their garden and the next expanded year it expanded to three thousand BOOM!: You are married to Bill my AAFES contracts to Ft. Rucker, square feet. Wood. Tell us about your husband Al, Panama City, Fl, Tampa, Fl, Bill. Ft. Stewart, Ga, Atlanta, Ga, and In 1979, I became a United States Hawaii. In 1994, I opened my first
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Sieu: I met Bill believe in giving back as my family in 1989 and and I have received many blessings we married and benefits from our community seventeen and this wonderful country. I am months later. also very involved with the College He had retired of Human Sciences at Auburn from the Air University, Auburn, AL. by serving Force and at on the Fashion Design Board and the time, was I am a member of the Women’s employed Philanthropy Board the flagship for as an the Cary Center for Philanthropic environmental Studies. I have mentored students engineer with and have tried to help them set goals sweetours.com the Alabama to have a successful future. My Department of youngest son, Fung was diagnosed Environmental Sieu’s son Nan Yuan with his company Sweetours in Las Vegas, NV with cancer. I went to California Management. where he lived to take care of him Before entering the Air Force, Bill had which included driving him to his passionate about? graduated from Auburn University appointments with the doctor as an aeronautical engineer. During and for his treatments. Sitting Sieu: Children and Senior Citizens. his Air Force career, he was a flight in the waiting rooms and talking I try to teach my children and instructor, returned to Auburn to other care givers, I realized grandchildren to be good and caring and obtained a master’s degree in one of the hardest things for citizens. To be successful, I feel Aerospace Engineering, spent a year patients is transportation to these we must always respect and help in Vietnam as a forward air controller appointments. My son lost his the younger and older generation. and served several more years as an battle with cancer and in memory I started with my parents and instructor pilot and engineer. It was of my precious Fung, I support grandparents and continuing through after his tour in Vietnam that he was the American Cancer Association my work with Montgomery Area stationed for two and a half years to help in the battle Council at the Manned Spacecraft Center in against cancer. Another on Aging Houston where he helped develop organization that involves (MACOA) and the equipment, write the procedures children that I am happy the Meals and train the Apollo II and 14 to support is Kid One. on Wheels astronauts for their excursions on They help children Program. the lunar surface. Bill has three get to their doctor Sue Groce children and four grandchildren from appointments. There are and I a previous marriage. so many children fighting founded the for their lives so I help International BOOM!: Favorite vacation spot? as much can. I also serve Tasting Event, Any travel dreams planned for the an annual future? fundraiser to help MACOA Sieu: I enjoy new adventures, visiting and meals the countries I haven’t seen, studying on wheels. their history, learning the language We take the Sieu’s daughter Yin Byrom and culture of the people. My lead and volunteering during the holidays husband and I are looking forward organize the to touring Germany, Austria and event, but now most of our roles Switzerland in the fall. are to support others and help Yin Byrom receives the trophy for through their contributions. I Volunteer of the year BOOM!: What are you most
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The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
BOOM!: Do you have any hobbies way Montgomery and the Military or other activities that grab your partner to attention? enhance the quality of life Sieu: Monday morning, I have a in our city and piano lesson and in the afternoon I our country. have a ballroom dancing lesson with So, I try to Our Mayor and my husband. Wednesday morning support as many City Council watercolor painting and afternoon charitable and are working a golf lesson. Driving to and from worthwhile hard with the work, I listen to books on tape in organizations as sport center my car. Sometimes during the I can. and downtown week, I have meetings with various riverfront Husband Bill was a pilot instructor organizations or lunch with friends or BOOM!: to make my husband. You have seen a lot of changes in Montgomery a Montgomery since 1985, especially destination, rather than BOOM!: As we in the downtown area, how would a place tourist just pass age, many of us you rate the quality of life in the through to other cities. are experiencing River Region? What positive changes a renewed sense do we need? BOOM!: As you have of purpose, aged, how have your new goals, Sieu: In general, I believe the quality priorities changed? new careers… of life in Montgomery is good. I have How would you lived here for thirty-one years and Sieu: Not at all, I am describe this found most of the people are very getting older, however sense of renewal hospitable, also, all of my friends my heart still feels as it in your life? ae here. Montgomery is very did 30 years ago. Any advice for supportive of Gunter and Maxwell Bill Wood in the astronaut’s suit the rest of us BOOM!: Give us three AFB, they bring positive elements seeking renewal? words that describe you? with the Command and Staff School, the Air War College and many Sieu: Simple, optimistic and curious. other schools. I am proud of the on the Air University Foundation Board and the Montgomery Symphony Board.
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Sieu: I feel we can still enjoy life, if we see the glass half full instead of half empty. Beauty is everywhere, all we have to do is open our eyes.
Sieu: Nelson Mandela served 27 years in prison, but in 1994’s election he led the ANC to victory and became President. Marie Curie was determined to go on working BOOM!: What do you enjoy after her husband about being a died in 1906. She received a second grandparent? What do they call Nobel Prize for you? chemistry in 1911. I have had Sieu: I have six many hardships grandchildren; in my life, I feel they call me sometimes grandma. Three difficulties are live in Manassas, an opportunity Grandson Mathew and Yin in Rome VA and three live to learn from in Las Vegas, NV. the experience. Step by step the problems work themselves out BOOM!: One of your favorite somehow. I am a Christian and God quotes is “If I hadn’t experienced has been there showing me the way. thunderstorms, I wouldn’t realize the I have worked all my life and God has sunshine is so beautiful.” Will you blessed me so many times. Now I share more of your thoughts behind have a comfortable life, for me joy this quote? is like the warmth of the sun on my face in the winter time. I think if you
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will just see the glass half full instead of half empty, happiness follows. We want to thank Sieu for sharing her incredible story with us, she is an inspiration to the active aging community. If you need alterations or custom designs for your wardrobe, we highly recommend Tang’s Alterations, for more info visit tangsalterations. net If you have questions or comments for Sieu, you can call her at 334.239.8258. As always, thanks to Kim Bethea, the award winning photographer from Total Image Portraits for her professional cover photo of Sieu. If you have questions, comments or suggestions about our cover profiles, including nominating someone, please send them to jim@ riverregionboom.com
Cover Profile Suggestions If you would like to nominate someone to be a BOOM! Cover Profile please share at jim@riverregionboom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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Morning Glory Ministry serves Hospice of Montgomery Joan Mitchell loves flowers and loves to arrange them…for others to delight in. A little over a year ago, Joan watched a video about a flower ministry in Birmingham called Perenity. Perenity is a flower ministry that serves individuals in hospice care. They describe their mission this way “Flowers are God’s gift to us to help us smile. Think about it. Whenever we see a beautiful flower something happens to us. We pick a bouquet of flowers to put in our home because it brightens the room. We send flowers to someone because we know they will brighten their day. When we receive flowers they brighten ours. Flowers lift us up. But for a person who has gone home to live their last days, flowers do even more. They give hope. They celebrate. They rejoice. They renew. They love. (From the website perenity.com). After seeing the impact that Perenity was having in the Birmingham area, Joan with the help of her husband, Bill, began a flower ministry for the River Region. Joan calls it Morning Glory because it represents God’s delicate beauty in all flowers. Joan’s mission today is to serve the patients of Hospice of Montgomery by providing a fresh flower arrangement every Monday morning. The caring staff at Hospice of Montgomery then delivers the flowers to each patient. Joan begins collecting and arranging her flowers each Sunday afternoon, creating 12-15 vases. Then either Joan or her husband Bill deliver the flower arrangements early Monday morning so the Hospice of Montgomery staff
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Joan Mitchell and her husband Bill share flower arrangements each week with the patients of Hospice of Montgomery
can share with patients each week. In addition to her Morning Glory Ministry, Joan and Bill volunteer their time each week with the Respite Ministry at First United Methodist Church in Cloverdale. The Respite Ministry serves the many caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients by caring for their loved ones while they take personal time to run errands or just take a break from their caregiving responsibilities. Joan helps out with the Side by Side Singers and Bill, who collects and sells vintage cars, will show off some of his classic automobiles!
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Joan and Bill have a true heart in serving the aging community of the River Region and we all benefit from the compassion of those in our community who serve the needs of others. Joan wants to do more, she wants to expand the Morning Glory Ministry to serve more hospice patients and those in assisted livings. If you would like to volunteer your time and service preparing flowers for those in need please send Joan an email and see how you can help. Send your emails to Joan Mitchell, lastowljcm@ gmail.com . Also, if you would like to watch the video that inspired Joan go to https://youtu.be/Hv4Vbdo_Zdc The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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Ask an Elder Law Attorney By: Raley L. Wiggins | Attorney at Law | Red Oak Legal, PC
4 Things You Don’t Know About Estate Planning 1. “Stale” Documents
Every adult age 19 or older should have a durable power of attorney. This is a document that appoints another person (called your “Agent”) to manage your financial and business affairs on your behalf, particularly if you are no longer able to manage them yourself. The same is true of an Advance Directive, which is essentially a Power of Attorney for Healthcare that appoints an agent to make medical decisions for you if you are no longer able to make them for yourself. Most powers of attorney do not expire on a given date. Instead, they are usually effective until you either revoke the document, or you die.
will names a guardian for your children, and those children are in their 30’s or 40’s, that’s probably a good sign that it’s time for an update.
The number one problem that will “break” your estate plan is the failure to consider how ownership of non-probate property will pass Protection Workshop after your death.
Attend Free Workshop Estate Planning and Asset
Wednesday, September 28: Hosted by Red Oak Legal, PC: 1:30-3:30 pm at the Archibald Senior Center (MACOA) in Montgomery. This educational workshop presented by local attorney Raley L. Wiggins covers wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, living wills, probate administration, protecting assets from creditors, bankruptcy, divorce and remarriage, nursing homes, long-term care and Medicaid qualification. Registration is required. Call 334-625-6774 today to reserve your seat or register online at www.redoaklegalpc.com.
As a practical matter, however these documents are only useful if the bank, hospital, physician or other third party will accept it as valid proof of the agent’s authority to act. For example, if you walk into a bank with a power of attorney that your mother gave you in 1981, the bank is more likely to scrutinize the document more carefully than they would if it were dated 2012.
Other reasons to update your estate plan may include marriage and divorce (of you or your children), the birth of new children or grandchildren, or the death of a spouse or other family member. Likewise, acquiring more wealth can be a reason to update your plan.
That’s what I call a “stale” document. Technically it’s as effective as the day it was signed. But practically you may run into some problems if it was typed on ancient, yellowing paper thirty years ago.
In sum, estate planning is a process, not something you do once, put in a drawer and forget about it. It needs to be updated from time to time to reflect your current financial and family situation, and your current wishes.
2. It’s Not a One-Shot Deal
3. Your Estate Plan Might Not Work
I often see clients who have previously drafted wills or other estate planning documents. But these documents are often seriously out of date. Unlike the powers of attorney discussed above, your last will and testament doesn’t really get “stale.” It’s a document that is essentially meaningless until your death. The law says that a will only “speaks” at death. This is because you can revise or revoke your will at any time while you are alive, so long as you’re competent to do so. I cannot tell you how often you should update your will, but I will say this: if your
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become the property of the surviving coowner at your death.
When I teach estate planning workshops to the public, I make a point to explain that your will may have very little to do with who actually inherits your property at death. In fact, it may have nothing at all to do with who gets what. That is because some kinds of property passes “outside the will.” For example, life insurance will pay the beneficiary named in the policy, regardless of what your will says. If you have a retirement account like an IRA, you probably designated a beneficiary to receive the proceeds at your death. Similarly, many jointly owned bank accounts and pieces of real estate will automatically
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4. You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know
When it comes to estate planning, don’t trust the advice you get down at the beauty shop or the coffee shop. The fact is every situation is different, and just because something worked for one person doesn’t mean it will be the same for you. I do estate planning work every day, and I’m always learning something new. Just recently I was surprised to learn that in most cases burial plots do not pass to the beneficiaries under your last will and testament. Instead Alabama law says that the plots go to the people who would have inherited your property if you had died without a will (unless you specifically reference and make a gift of the burial plots in your will). Most folks aren’t thinking about who will get the leftover cemetery plots after their deaths, and it’s commonly overlooked. But the lots can be valuable, and it can lead to a great deal of confusion over who gets to own them after you’re gone. Remember, estate planning is something we do for our loved ones—after all they’re the ones who will have to pick up the pieces after we’re gone. So dust yours off from time to time and make sure it’s up to date.
Raley L. Wiggins Attorney at Law, Red Oak Legal, PC 334-239-3625 | info@redoaklegalpc.com 445 Dexter Avenue, ste 9000, Mont, AL 36104 www.redoaklegalpc.com The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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Professional Tiddlywinks The Dorkiest Sport Ever—And It’s Totally Primed For A Hipster Revival by Allison Pohle Ferd Wulkan stands in Montague Common Hall in his hometown of Montague, Mass., as 30 grown men and women (just a couple of women, really) gather around five long wooden tables—their brows furrowed with determination, their gray hair sweaty with exertion—to flip plastic discs into tiny red cups. Welcome to the world of competitive tiddlywinks. Wulkan, 68, is a world title holder in this quirky game popularized as a children’s activity, featuring “winkers” engaging in maneuvers with delightful names like squopping, nurdling, and gromping; players use a small disc called a squidger to flip smaller colored discs called winks into a red cup known as a pot. Wulkan’s group has journeyed to this small town 90 miles west of Boston for a “golden jubilee” celebration: 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the North American Tiddlywinks Association, which Wulkan and his friends helped form in 1966 to foster competitive winks gameplay between students at American universities. The NATwA (tiddlywinks.org) and English Tiddlywinks Association (etwa.org) crown singles and pairs champions each year, who occasionally meet for the world title, when they’re able to pay for a trip across the Atlantic. “For us nerds, a game that doesn’t require you to run fast, but does need physical dexterity and strategy is incredibly appealing,” said Wulkun, who with partner Patrick Driscoll is the reigning North American pairs champion. In all, Wulkun is a four-time pairs titlist. The world-class winkers game is not child’s play. Tournament winks invokes a level of seriousness and dedication seen among professional athletes. “We have people from England and
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Ferd Wulkan, Alan Dean and Dave Lockwood play a heated game of winks.
the Grand Cayman Islands here to play, which speaks to the power of the game and how it brings people together,” Wulkan says of the event, which features the first gathering of so many master winkers in nearly a decade. “But, as you can see, it’s a bit of an older crowd. That’s part of the problem.” Tiddlywinks is a dying sport, and Wulkan has pinned his hopes on this event inspiring the next generation of winkers. He fears his beloved pastime might become part of the nation’s past. “We’re losing players every year,” he says. “There are probably fewer than 100 left.” Wulkan figured it would take a large public event to draw attention to this unconventional sport. So he planned his celebration to coincide with Montague’s annual “Old Home Days” festival. With its road race and parade, Wulkan knew he’d draw a big crowd of all ages. Wulkan arranged for a panel discussion with winking experts, as well as a display to explain the game’s long history and a how-to session for beginners. He was sure that if his neighbors saw what fun
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tiddlywinks could be, they would want to try it themselves. Wulkan secured his space in Common Hall and put a sign outside inviting anyone to come in and try out the game. The winkers keep the doors open, and, as passersby hear men shout about boondocking, a few pop their heads inside to witness the commotion for themselves. A few recognize the game from the bottom of their Trix cereal boxes or the Milton Bradley playsets they’d had as kids. Its simple premise and silly jargon have long made it a favorite of children. But for world-class winkers, this game is definitely not child’s play. Tournament winks invokes a level of seriousness and dedication seen among professional athletes, as well as highly technical rules and stipulations. One major distinction between the two types of play is a move called “squopping,” which happens when a player flings his wink on top of his opponent’s wink, effectively putting The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
it out of play. There are hundreds of variations of the squop, and dedicated winkers have played into the ridiculoussounding terminology by naming moves after innovative shots they’ve made themselves, all of which are listed in an extensive winks lexicon.
Cornell and MIT respectively, holding live demonstrations in the common rooms. They ended up finding dozens of classmates to compete with, and in 1966 helped form the North American Tiddlywinks Association to foster competitive play between universities.
In this way, these self-proclaimed nerds have turned the parlor game into something all their own, even though it was invented long before they were alive.
Wulkan hopes his old recruiting tactics— the flyers and live demonstrations—will work during the jubilee. But by the beginning of the afternoon, not too many outsiders have ventured into the hall to play. While they wait, the world-class winkers compete against some of their old college rivals, intent on showing off their skills in what is the biggest gathering of winkers since the last anniversary party 10 years prior in Ithaca, N.Y.
Tiddlywinks dates back to the late 1890s in England, though competitive gameplay didn’t begin until several decades later when college students organized tournaments at England’s Cambridge University in 1955. The sport made its way across the pond when a team from Oxford University took a tour of the United States in 1962. Life magazine chronicled these adventures, and childhood friends and then-high schoolers Wulkan and Severin Drix were hooked when they read the article. They decided tiddlywinks would be their sport. When they reached college in the mid 1960s, Drix and Wulkan recruited players by papering their dorms with flyers at
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to a table and grabs a red cup. Another winker shows Jonah how to hold the squidger, and they playfully toss discs into a cup. Two crucial games are happening within a few feet of each other—one amongst old friends who rarely get the chance to wink against one another, and one amongst new players seeing what the game was all about. After Wulkan’s game ends, he looks over at the Charneys and some other newcomers who have wandered in. He walks between the tables and shows the newcomers how to flip discs, and encourages other veteran players to do the same. Soon, the tables are filled with winkers—old and new—playing together and celebrating the game.
“I do hope we get some newcomers in here,” Wulkan says. “Maybe things will pick up soon.” After lunch, while the parade was going on outside, Wulkan and some of his old college rivals decide to face off in a game at one table. As they play, a few Home Days attendees wander into the hall. Among them is Noah Charney and his two-year-old son, Jonah, who walks up
As he watches, Wulkan smiles, knowing that one of the greatest lessons tiddlywinks has taught him still holds true: In a blink—a wink—everything can change. This article first appeared at Good.is Allison Pohle, @AllisonPohle Staff Writer @BostonDotCom. Dress Wearer. Native Clevelander. World-ranked tiddlywinker.
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Two Easy Ways to PREVENT CLUTTER I know of a woman who just underwent a startling, life changing discovery. She never threw anything out, and had allowed her home to fill with piles of paper that were basically just clutter. But she was so embarrassed by the piles of paper clutter on the floor and on every surface that she never allowed anyone, even good friends, into her home. Her mother was coming to visit for the first time since the woman had purchased her house. She was the one who always visited her mother. But now, Mom was insistent that she be allowed to see her daughter’s home. The woman couldn’t even cope with the idea of sorting through the piles of old mail and magazines. She just threw all the clutter into large plastic garbage bags and hid the bags in a corner of the shed in her back yard. For the first time in a long time, her home was clutter-free. Every surface had been cleared off and dusted. The woman was now proud to show off her now, beautiful home; not only to her mom, but to friends and neighbors. The woman really liked the new look. It pained her to even think of sorting through the stored garbage bags and bringing back all that clutter. But the most amazing thing was, there was nothing she missed. Months went by, and she felt no call to rummage through any of the garbage bags to find anything. Most of the clutter had built up over time, and was mostly just a problem of neglect. She now realized how little she needed all that old mail, the unread magazines and newspapers that she had let build up until it made her ashamed of her own home. She still had those untouched stored garbage bags a year after her mother’s
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visit. She had to break through her unwillingness to even go through them, but she forced herself to do so in a fairly cursory fashion. Very little of it came back inside her home, the bulk of it all was tossed into her recycling bin. The whole experience lead to a radical change in her life style. She started a new plan: on the first of every month, religiously, she would pick up every bit of gathered clutter, when it was
By Wina Sturgeon
getting rid of anything just makes the head whirl. There’s another place that always seems to collect clutter: your vehicle. For some, there always seems to be a collection of old sales slips, dried out beverage cups, kid’s toys and random bits of paper. Owners quickly stop seeing all the mess inside their car or truck; they no longer even notice any of it. Here’s a simple and easy way to change the habit of leaving messes in your vehicle. This will work, no matter how old or young you are, or how many people there are in your family. It comes down to one basic rule: Whenever you pull up to your house and turn your engine off for the night, you, or you and your family, clear out everything that was brought into the vehicle that day. From food wrappers to sales receipts, it all gets taken out of the car or truck, including that pretty stone your grandchild found or the shopping list you’ve already finished using.
still only a month’s worth, and thus a small amount easily sorted. Most of it got tossed. Who needs to keep years worth of invitations to renew magazine subscriptions? Instead of throwing it into a pile that just keeps getting higher, she sorted unwanted mail at the garbage bin, before ever even taking it into her home. By sorting clutter frequently, rather than letting it lay around for years, she kept surfaces clear and dusted. She no longer felt embarrassed to invite people over. It’s an easy solution to a problem many middle-agers have: letting piles of stuff build up for years, until the very idea of
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This should become a ritual. One of the good habits it instills is to make you thoughtfully consider the importance of any piece of car clutter. Do you really want to keep that old pair of shoes in the car? Why? How long has that old stuffed bear been hanging around? When you clear out everything every night, your vehicle will stay clean and uncluttered, and keeping it that way won’t even seem like work. Wina Sturgeon is an active 55+ based in Salt Lake City, who offers news on the science of anti-aging and staying youthful at: adventuresportsweekly. com. She skates, bikes and lifts weights to stay in shape. (c)2016 Adventure Sports Weekly Visit Adventure Sports Weekly at www.adventuresportsweekly.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Ask Nancy: Caring for Aging Relatives The importance of having a discharge plan
Q: My mother, age 78, had a stroke 3 recently. She was transferred to a rehabilitation center where she will stay 2-3 weeks. Her doctors are confident that she will be able to resume a fairly active and independent lifestyle. I’m prepared to get everything all set for my mother’s return to her home and fortunately, I have friends who have been in similar caregiving situations and they are giving me lots of advice. But I don’t know where or how to start getting things in order. Can you give me a list of what to do? _ Julie R., Westwood, N.J. A: A lot of what you need to know and prepare for will be included in the personalized discharge plan that the hospital or rehabilitation center prepares for patients and their caregivers when they’re ready to return home. Its purpose is to ensure that the patient is able to safely continue their physical improvement in their own residence, thus reducing the possibility of a hospital readmission. It’s a valuable service that should give you the specific guidance you need to help your mother continue her recovery in the weeks and months ahead. A discharge plan will include the type of care and services that will be required at home _ from help with personal care and meal preparation to home physical therapy; a list of medications your mother takes with specific instructions on how to take them; and it may also include a list of resources such as transport services and home health agencies that service your mother’s area. It is finalized just before your mother’s discharge from the hospital so it will take into account her progress through the last day. Professional discharge planners quarterback the home rehabilitation process with input from all professionals The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
who provide services to your mother while she is in the hospital. It’s a good idea for you to establish a rapport with this individual early on in your mother’s stay since they can keep you apprised of your mother’s progress and prognosis. Olga Manrique LCSW, the Director of the Social Work and Care Management Department at Baptist Hospital in Miami, Fla., explained to me how crucial your involvement will be to your mother’s recovery.” A family’s willingness and ability to support their loved one in these situations makes the difference between good and poor outcomes,” she said. “It begins with meeting with the treatment team, discussing mutual expectations and goals of care, and making sure the family understands what’s involved so that they can support their loved one in complying with the plan.” Manrique and the social work and care management team offered some specific examples of how you can begin to implement your mother’s postrehabilitation care plan at home. _Prepare the home environment and ensure adequate supervision is available _Schedule necessary follow-up appointments with the patient’s
physicians prior to discharge _Determine a plan for transportation to physician appointments _Make sure that you or professional caregivers you hire understand your mother’s medication requirements and that her nutritional and medical needs are properly met. _On your mother’s discharge day, allow plenty of time to review the discharge instructions with the nurse to make certain that you understand what needs to be done. If you are going to provide any hands on assistance, ask the staff at the facility to instruct you on the tasks that you will be responsible for. Medicare has a discharge planning work sheet that I recommend reviewing before you meet with the care manager so that you are prepared with questions and your concerns are addressed. You can find it on their website (https://www.medicare. gov/pubs/pdf/11376.pdf) Your mother is fortunate to have your support and involvement in her recovery. Nancy Stein, Ph.D., is the founder of Seniority Matters (senioritymatters.com), a caregiver advisory and referral service in South Florida for seniors and their families. You can contact her at nancy@senioritymatters.com. (c)2015, Seniority Matters, Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
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Eating Smart with Tracy Bhalla
Healing Food I first heard the mantra “You are what you eat” on a TV show, titled the same, aired in the UK about 20 years ago. Gillian McKeith was the holistic nutritionist who would take on the UK’s worst cases of poor nutrition and promise them that their lives would turn around in 6 weeks IF they promised to stick to her food and exercise regime. Each case was individually assessed and monitored and NONE failed! The nation was hooked. I was hooked! She now has a show here too, plus 9 internationally acclaimed books, five of which have gone to number one bestseller status. A bit about her background: After graduating from the University of Edinburgh (UK) with a Bachelors Degree, Gillian McKeith received a Masters Degree from the Ivy-League University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia (USA). After Gillian experienced a severe bout of personal ill health and recovery through nutritional medicine, Gillian embarked upon a new path which would change her life forever. She then spent several years re-training in Holistic Nutrition. All the nutrition information on her TV programs and in her books is supported by referenced and sound research. If you are interested in further nutritional information and studies you may refer to the Gillian McKeith Research Centre (powered by Health Notes) on the Gillian McKeith Website. Www.gillianmckeith. com. She also has a number of other addon sites with great information on health and wellness and, of course, a sign-up option for her “Club” if you need that extra help and encouragement to get in shape and lose weight (who doesn’t?!) For $16 a month, it’s actually a pretty good deal. Gillian McKeith points out that food is potentially an emotional issue. It can be uncomfortable for some people to have to give up certain junk foods to which they have become accustomed. Gillian’s goal is to make it easier for people to get onto the Path of a new life, keep them supported, motivated and inspired. Her life mission is to ‘empower people to improve their lives
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through information, food and lifestyle’. Gillian was my starting point with becoming concerned with what types of food I was eating and my general lifestyle, which, back then, was actually pretty active. Since then I have discovered nothing to dissuade me from this path and everything to convince me that our health absolutely depends on what we eat. We do also need to exercise, but that is of much smaller significance (some Dr.’s say 80/20, food to exercise.) Over the past 20 years there have been many other stories of illness cured by diet and nutrition, but one I’d like to share with you is that of Ella Mills. In her second year at University, in 2011, she got a relatively rare illness, Postural Tachycardia Syndrome. The illness had a pretty devastating effect on her life – she literally couldn’t walk down the street, slept for 16 hours a day, had never ending heart palpitations, was in chronic pain, had unbearable stomach issues, constant headaches and more. She tried healing through conventional medicine for about six months but it had little effect on her symptoms and she was still bed-ridden 95% of the time. So she decided it was time for something new and began researching holistic, natural healing approaches. Overnight she took up a whole food, plant-based diet and cut out refined, processed foods as well as wheat, dairy and refined sugar. It was a pretty drastic change as up until that point her diet had revolved around Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, chocolate, peanut butter and jelly eaten with a spoon, candy and lots of (sugarladen) cereal and pasta! She started a blog, www.DeliciouslyElla.com and everything you see there is part of her learning and
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healing process. She is not a trained chef or nutritionist – everything is self-taught and the result of lots of failed experiments. She also totally understands how daunting the idea of changing your diet so radically is, but is living proof that it is the best thing she has ever done. You can sign up for her newsletter (free), buy her cookbooks online, read her blog, follow her on Instagram, whichever you prefer to do. Just be inspired! She acknowledges that “Eating this way has allowed me to take control of my illness and manage the symptoms, stopping the constant pain, restoring my energy and giving me my life back again. After eighteen months of eating this way, alongside work with a nutritionist and an exercise program from my doctor, I was able to come off all my medication, which was amazing. I’d never have believed that I could come this far simply through a diet and lifestyle change; it is just incredible – better than any drug I tried by a long way. I’ve learnt more on this health adventure than I could have possibly imagined too and I really want to share it with you. It’s my way of turning something negative into something really positive. If I can spread health and happiness with anyone then this is a success!” Amen. Tracy Bhalla, Independent Consultant with NYR Organics, website: us.nyrorganic.com/shop/ tracybhalla email: nyrbhalla@gmail.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.
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DATING Coach
Creating a “love mindset” and using “love tools”
I’m a law of attraction kind of girl. I have seen over and over again how important it is to stay focused on what you want when it comes to making your dreams of finding love after 50 come true. Believe me, it’s easy to start thinking about what you don’t want versus what you do. But when you focus on what you don’t want that’s what shows up over and over again and that’s what keeps you alone and single. Creating a “love mindset” and using “love tools” to make it happen is the secret for making your dreams of attracting the right guy come true.
Feel this in your heart as if it’s already happening and keep focusing on your vision especially when dating gets tiresome or overwhelming for you.
LOVE TOOL NO. 2
I’ve used “love tools” for attracting love into my own life and I’ve taught clients how to successfully use them in their lives to attract and keep a good man.
Create a love blueprint. The law of attraction only works when you take action steps for making your dream come true.
And that’s why today I want to share 3 of them you can use right away to make your own dreams of finding love after 50 come true.
Now that you’ve imagined the relationship you want, your next step is figuring out where the two of you can meet.
LOVE TOOL NO. 1
Z You’ll want to start by making a list of all your, dating fairy godmothers. These are the people in your life who might know someone single. Ask them about fixing you up if they come across someone they think might be good for you. Z Next, you’ll want to find two dating sites you like. What works for your friend, might not work for you. So be sure to check out the site before you invest money to see if it has the kind of men on it that you’re attracted to. Z Next make a plan to look for single men in real life. Z Create a list but instead of using numbers, use the alphabet from A-Z. Then fill in the list and voila, 26 new places where you can meet men in your
Create your dream then imagine it! Get clear on what you really want to have happen in your love life. Do you want a friend, a boyfriend, a lover, a companion, or marriage? Get clear on what type of relationship feels right for you. Next, I want you to imagine what this relationship looks and feels like to you. Z Imagine yourself meeting that special man. Z Imagine how the two of you would have fun together. Z Imagine how you feel around him. Z Imagine the relationship you create together.
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local area. Here’s one to get you started, airport for the letter A. Everyday lots of single men of all ages are flying around the world. If you’re flying too, consider scheduling your flights early in the morning or between 5-7 p.m., which is when businessmen are traveling to and from their destinations.
LOVE TOOL NO. 3
Remember finding love after 50 is a process. I’d love to tell you that finding “The One” happens overnight. It rarely does. Sadly, thanks to fairy tales and Hollywood movies, you may think if you haven’t found the right guy within a month, you just aren’t cut out for this. You feel discouraged and you quit. And your dream ends here. This is exactly when you have to keep “imagining your dream,” that we talked about in love tool No. 1 and then take more actions steps to make it come true. It took me almost a year to find my guy. I did it using love tools like the ones I shared with you today. I know they can work for you too! Lisa Copeland, “The Dating Coach Who Makes Dating Fun and Easier after 50!” Find out more at Findaqualityman.com (c)2016, Lisa Copeland, findaqualityman.com Distributed by MCT Information Services
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Travel Trending with Kathy Witt
Unexpected Destinations with (really good) vegetarian cuisine
radicchio and Monte Veronese cheese; potato ravioli with pine nut and rosemary butter sauce.
Wild mushroom ragout with polenta. Breaded and fried Italian risotto balls, stuffed with peas and served with marinara sauce, basil cream and wilted spinach. Grilled vegetable stacks served on a nest of cilantro and peanut pesto noodles. Rabbit food? Hardly. These are gourmet vegetarian entrees whipped up by savvy chefs who understand that more and more people are eating a plant-based diet and want more than pasta or afterthought side dishes when they sit down for dinner. Here are several destinations that may surprise you with their inventive, colorful and, more importantly, flavorful vegetarian cuisine. Vegetarian delicacies by region with Costa Cruises Costa Cruises recently elevated its menu offerings to feature more dishes that cater to vegetarians and vegans. Developed by the Italian-flagged cruise line’s corporate chefs, the dishes are served fleet-wide, so no matter which of Costa’s 15 ships you board or destination you’re cruising to, Norwegian fjords, the Far East, the Caribbean, etc., you can enjoy meat-free cuisine each evening, presented to showcase a different region in Italy. Try a satisfying and original hamburger made with kidney beans and served with garden rocket and apricot salad;
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Hiking Maine’s Jessup Path with Country Walkers. (Country Walkers)
Non-meat-eaters will find lots of gourmet vegetarian cuisine on Country Walkers tours. One such tour is the Maine: Acadia National Park adventure. (Country Walkers)
Horseback riders will find dozens of beautiful horses at Smith Fork Ranch. ( Smith Fork Ranch)
cauliflower and fig tempura flavored with raspberry sauce; asparagus flan with cheese fondue; puff pastry strudel with
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“A restaurant should be a food experience, not to just come and eat,” said Gennaro Balzano of Naples, Italy, the chef aboard Costa Favolosa. “I want you to test our Italian food. It is always Italy’s finest. That is most important.” There are numerous vegetarian dishes in Italian cuisine that have always been part of the country’s culinary tradition. The chefs have enhanced these as well as created complete vegetarian and vegan menus with breakfast, appetizer, dinner and dessert dishes, including a soup called risi e bisi (rice and peas) and representative of Venetian cuisine; trenette (narrow and flat dried pasta) with pesto from the Ligurian region; and a dish consisting of celeriac and caciocavallo cheese, a favorite in Puglia in southern Italy. The cruise line’s up-charged pizza restaurant, Pizzeria Pummid’Oro, serves traditional and specialty pizzas that are perfectly sauced and piquant treats for the taste buds. Made with 100 percent natural yeast and all Italiansourced ingredients, they are wellworth the nominal extra charge. Delizioso!
Veggie dishes in the land of the lobster Vegetarians and vegans on Country Walkers’ Maine tour to Acadia National Park will find the itinerary’s restaurants
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selected for their fresh, organic ingredients and ability to cater to diverse tastes. Menus for included meals tend to spotlight the region’s specialties. In Maine, this might mean locally picked wild fiddleheads and mushrooms in the spring, fresh blueberries in the summer. Country Walkers provides active and experiential adventures to some of the most dramatically beautiful places to be found on the continents of North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia and Australia. An integral part of these guided and self-guided walking trips are impeccably prepared cuisine, authentic lodgings and immersive cultural and natural experiences. On the Maine tour, for instance, this means catching the mail boat to Little Cranberry Island to visit with a local lobsterwoman and hiking Flying Mountain for a chance to see Somes Sound, North America’s only true fjord, from above. Whether vegetarians choose a guided or self-guided adventure, their palates are always accommodated. Guests’ dietary requirements are shared with the hotels and restaurants on the itinerary and Country Walkers’ tour guide experts make sure guests are taken care of at every meal, both included and on own. On the Acadia National Park tour, one of the guides’ go-to recommendations for dinner on your own is Cafe This Way in Bar Harbor. This restaurant serves a number of vegetarian dishes, including Zucchini “Noodles,” a dish consisting of tomatoes, black beans, cilantro-lime mojo, cotija cheese, pumpkinseeds and sweet potato-quinoa cakes. The Burning Tree, a fan favorite among both guides and guests, specializes in gourmet seafood and vegetarian meals, The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
homemade pasta special for lunch and dinner, made fresh each morning, that can be served vegetarian.
so non-meat-eaters can revel in dishes like the minted edamame wontons in miso broth with shiitake, summer squash, tatsoi and spicy grilled tofu. Of course, vegetarians who eat lobster and other seafood will be very satisfied with the ocean’s bounty, it is Maine, after all. Vegetarian: it’s what’s for dinner at the dude ranch Mention “dude ranch” and the image that springs to mind is one of horses, cowboys and chuck wagon dinners featuring big beefy steaks. It’s a carnivore’s dream. Still, non-meateaters who have a hankering to hit the dusty trails can look forward to the menu, too. Smith Fork Ranch, a luxury guest ranch located in Southwestern Colorado between Telluride and Aspen, serves its share of heritage beef from local farms, but the ranch also has its own farmstead garden. The menu is strictly five-star farm-to-table delicious, with Chef Marcus Parrott creating what he calls artisanal food with a focus on local production. With just 28 guests each week, and a one-to-one staff to guest ratio, the experience at this all-inclusive mountain ranch is intimate, relaxed and authentic to the western lifestyle. The small numbers make it very easy for the chef to create vegetarian dishes, or other preparations to accommodate individual dietary restrictions. There is at least one vegetarian entree on the menu each day (think: saffron carrot tortellini with chevre) and Parrott offers a daily
New this year is a chef-led foraging-byhorseback experience. One of the ranch’s onsite chefs, who grew up in Colorado’s North Fork Valley, leads a small group into countryside rife with edible fauna: thistle, wild mint, choke cherries, raspberries and a large variety of mushrooms (porcini, boletes, puffballs). Once the items are amassed, everyone returns to the ranch and can either participate in a private cooking lesson utilizing the foraged goodies or sit back and enjoy a cocktail while the chef preps a fresh meal from the ingredients. The ranch is located just 20 miles from the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in an area with lots of attractions, including wineries, breweries, glass-blowing studios and art galleries.
INFORMATION Costa Cruises www.CostaCruise.com Country Walkers www.CountryWalkers.com Smith Fork Ranch www.SmithForkRanch.com Author, travel and lifestyle writer, and travel goods expert Kathy Witt feels you should never get to the end of your bucket list; there’s just too much to see and do in the world. She can be reached at KathyWitt24@gmail.com or KathyWitt.com. (c)2016 Kathy Witt Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
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September Featured Artists
Blue Azure 24x48 mixed media, Carol Barksdale galleryonefineart.com/Carol-Barksdale Eye Candy 20x20 oil on canvas, Anita Westerberg galleryonefineart.com/Anita-Westerberg
Sugar Daddy 20x16 oil on canvas, Anne Hugghins galleryonefineart.com/Anne-Hugghins
Poppies, 16x20 acrylic on canvas, Shirley Esco galleryonefineart.com/Shirley-Esco
Gaucho’s Sister 18x14 oil on canvas, John Wagnon galleryonefineart.com/John-Wagnon
Ambiguous 20x16 acrylic on canvas, Jane Segrest galleryonefineart.com/Jane-Segrest
Free Range 20x16 mixed media, Cecily Hulett galleryonefineart.com/Cecily-Hulett
Sunflowers 70x12 copper sculpture , Bradley Moon galleryonefineart.com/Bradley-Moon
In the Shadows, 24x30 oil on canvas Pamela Wesley Copeland galleryonefineart.com/Pamela-Wesley-Copeland
Spaced Out 3x7 wood sculpture, Ken Lever galleryonefineart.com/Kenneth-Lever
By Sandi Aplin
Art & Soul
LEADERSHIP MONTGOMERY The Power Lunch Series Speaker MORRIS DEES “Thirty-three years ago, four community leaders founded Leadership Montgomery. They were Mike Jenkins, Lanny Crane, Solomon Seay (deceased) and George Goodwyn Sr. Leadership Montgomery is dedicated to “connecting leaders to effect change,” bringing a diverse group of leaders together to learn, grow, connect and effect change in our community” says Debbie Richardson, Interim Executive Director Dottie Blair and Jimmy Pool, CoChairmen of the Power Lunch Series, invite interesting, informative speakers to share inside information on current events and perspectives on historical events. Leadership Montgomery is proud to offer The Power Lunch Series every third Wednesday of the month. The event is open to the public, registration is required, lunch is provided at a cost of ten dollars (discounts for members). Judge Jimmy Pool introduced their speaker, his longtime friend, Morris Dees. In 1971 Dees and Joe Levin, CoFounded the Southern Poverty Law Center located here in Montgomery, Alabama, which we all know is the birthplace of the civil rights movement. Two local lawyers shared a commitment to racial equality and they chose civil rights icon, Julian Bond to serve as their first President.
water to the people in the fields chopping weeds and picking cotton.”
I have known Morris Dees for at least forty plus years. It was such a pleasure to Dees started his first listen to him tell the business when he was story of his personal in high school selling journey. People who used tires. While at the grow up in the south, University of Alabama especially children of where he also obtained parents that survived his law degree, he the great depression, started two direct love to tell stories mail sales companies, with lots of humor, one specializing in what my dad called a Morris Dees book publishing. After dry wit. Dees talked launching a law practice in Montgomery about the publishing company Fuller and in 1960 and winning a series of Dees and some of his favorite cases. He groundbreaking civil rights cases that spoke in a soft sincere voice to a very helped integrate government and public quiet, mesmerized sold out luncheon. institutions, he served as finance director It was as though Clarence Darrow was for former President Jimmy Carter’s standing in the back of the room. This campaign in 1976 and for Democratic was the best ten dollars I have spent in a nominee George McGovern in 1972. very long time. He was named one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America by the Visit www.leadershipmontgomery.org to National Law Journal in 2006. see upcoming events and to register. Sandi Aplin, Director of Gallery One Fine Art sandiaplin@aol.com or galleryonefineart.com
Morris Dees is the living definition of an entrepreneur. Dees said “I was born in 1936 and my birthday is December 16th, so I’ve been around for a while. Thinking back when I was child, one of things that made a profound impression on me, I carried The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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By Greg Budell
The Mayor of BOOMTOWN
“NOW I’m 64”
“If I’d been out till quarter to three Would you lock the door, Will you still need me, will you still feed me, When I’m sixty-four “
I have played this Beatles song countless times for countless listeners. It’s charming, in its catchy soft-shoe, clarinet-driven melody. It’s was ingenious work of Paul McCartney thinking so many years ahead to life at 64. Getting there ain’t as easy as it must have seemed when he wrote it. Only 2 of the Fab 4 have lived to see it, and if I have to name them, you should be reading Tiger Beat and not BOOM! Am I being supremely presumptuous, assuming I’ll make it to the 27th of this month? Why not, though? The first 63 years have included 3 serious pedestrian-vehicle incidents, and I survived those. In another column, I’ll disclose why my liver should be a unanimous nominee for the Organ Hall of Fame. Heck, in 2014 alone, I missed a lightning strike (into my radio studio!) by inches, and escaped death when I slid 20 feet into a Montgomery sewer. All sober, too! Plus - the key word is “when” and as of this moment, it’s still ‘when’. How have 64 years treated me? Let’s use the actual lyrics to “When I’m SixtyFour as a guideline. “When I get older losing my hair, Many years from now” I did well here. My hairline hasn’t receded an iota, pretty good for a
Ha! I am out at a quarter to 3 every day! I’m walking the dogs, and then I leave for work. That work part I hadn’t figured on, as I expected to be kicking back a bit at 64. Not only am I not kicking back, I’m en route to work at a quarter to three - AM & PM.
guy with 2 totally bald grandfathers. The secret? Mane ‘N Tale shampoo! Originally formulated for horses, people began using it in the early 90s as a hair cleanser and body wash. That’s why you see it at Prattville Farm Center AND Publix. Oh, it leaves me feeling all silky! Kidding. Sort of. “Will you still be sending me a Valentine Birthday greetings bottle of wine. “ Well, I received lovely Valentine cards from my wife and daughter this yearso being unable to do the wine (my last wine had to be poured through a strainer to get the cork pieces out) is no great loss. For me, all wine is Vintage Death…12 steps and all, y’know?
“You’ll be older too, And if you say the word, I could stay with you. “ The “You’ll” here has changed over the years but Roz has told me I can stay in the house she just bought and she has 10 more years before worrying about 64. She’s kicked Father Time’s butt, too! “I could be handy, mending a fuse When your lights have gone You can knit a sweater by the fireside Sunday morning go for a ride, Doing the garden, digging the weeds, Who could ask for more?” This verse wore me out. I am not handy. In fact, I’d like to use this part of the song to ask why fuse boxes have sheets with numbers - and the corresponding appliances are written in with a golf pencil!? They ever hear of Sharpies? You can’t read them! So, when I blow
Greg Budell's column is proudly sponsored by McDonald, Barranco & Hagen Wealth Management
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a fuse, I blow a fuse! I don’t do much garden work but mow the lawn so that money can be used to pay someone to do the dirty work. It’s my knees - you know, the 3 vehicle-pedestrian incidents mentioned earlier? Damaged. So when I ask for more, I ask for Preston. He’s a Garden Artiste! “Every summer we can rent a cottage, In the Isle of Wight, if it’s not too dear We shall scrimp and save Grandchildren on your knee Vera, Chuck and Dave “ We have rented a cottage each of the last few summers and its Wright in the middle of North Carolina. Isle be doing it again in 2017. No grandchildren, yet. I have a Grand Dog, Bella, who loves her Grandpaw. Excellent practice for the real thing and I don’t have to sneak her money or anything! Vera, Chuck and Dave all call my talk show on a regular basis.
The Business Mini Directory
A Business Mini is a little fatter than your old business card and for a limited time we’re offering a Business Mini to fit your budget. Fifty dollars will get your business message in front of thousands of people over 50 who have the money to buy stuff. Every business needs one more customer, where will yours come from? Call today and get your $50 Business Mini, 324.3472 or jim@riverregionboom.com
My Grand Dog, Bella
“Send me a postcard, drop me a line Stating point of view Indicate precisely what you mean to say Yours sincerely, wasting away”
When I first came into the world, post cards were 3 cents. Now they’re 34 and I only get them from doctors reminding me about scheduled appointments. People state their points of view to me every afternoon on Newstalk 93.1FM at 2729228, free. As far as “wasting away”, my doc said I could afford to waste away about 40 pounds. That’ll teach me to leave my wallet in my pocket when I step on his obviously broken scale. FINAL VERSE“Give me your answer, fill in a form Mine for evermore Will you still need me, will you still feed me. When I’m sixty-four” Wrapping up, the forms come next year with (yech) Medicare. I signed the form for the “evermore” at the County Clerk’s office in March of 2014 and so far, so good. I like being needed, and am thrilled to report I don’t need help being fed. Just ask my doctor and his obviously broken scale. Greg Budell lives in Montgomery with his wife, children and dogs. He’s a 25 year veteran of radio who hosts the Greg & Susan morning show 6-9 am and Happy Hour 3-6 pm on NEWSTALK 93.1, Greg can be reached at gregbudell@aol.com The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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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 “BOOM!, the best reading experience for the 50+ community”
BOOM! Now Available At Publix
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“HandsOn” Approach to Police Appreciation: Back the Blue
Police officers risk their lives every day to make sure we are safe. Throughout the month of September, citizens have an opportunity to show their appreciation through a program called “Back the Blue”. HandsOn River Region has planned a month long initiative in honor of the anniversary of 9-11 to promote community appreciation of police officers actively working to keep Montgomery safe. HandsOn Executive Director Jo Ann Johnson says, “Throughout the month of September, we encourage area residents to express their gratitude for the selfless public servants who wear the badge and put themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe and pay respect for those who have lost their lives in the line of duty.” Churches, organizations, schools, businesses or individuals can participate by visiting the police station to provide whatever possible to say thank you - perhaps a home cooked meal, cookies or even a case of water. Blue ribbons will be available free of charge at the HandsOn office for residents to pick up and display on their vehicle antenna or wear on their shirt to show their support as well. Other suggestions include:
* * * * * * * * *
Wear blue clothing in support of law enforcement. Send a card of support to your local police department or state agency. Share a story about a positive law enforcement experience on social media. Ask children in your community to write letters in support of law enforcement. Proudly display a blue light in support of law enforcement. Organize an event or a rally in support of your law enforcement officers. Advertise your support through local media outlets/billboards. Restaurants can offer a free cup of coffee or breakfast to police. Most importantly, if you see a police officer, thank a police officer.
In addition to Back the Blue, HandsOn will be joined by area police to present assembly programs at four local elementary schools to help the students understand the importance of honoring the police and appreciating the significance of 9/11. “We’re just trying to promote the sense of volunteerism and community,” Johnson says. For more information, call 334.264.3335 or visit http://volunteer.handsonriverregion.org. The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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September 2016
{12 Things} for active boomers and beyond
PINE MOUNTAIN, GEORGIA Craft Beer Festival Callaway Gardens
Saturday, September 10th, 2-5 pm
Callaway Gardens® will host the second annual Craft Beer Festival on Saturday, Sept. 10, at Robin Lake Beach from 2 to 5 pm. This festival is an all-you-cantaste extravaganza with more than 100 craft beers from 25 different vendors. Beginning at 2 pm, guests will casually stroll from tent to tent sampling a variety of craft beers. Experts will be on hand to answer questions. Some of the featured breweries include Cannon Brew Pub, Goose Island, SweetWater Brewing Company, Jailhouse Brewing Co., Red Hare, Monday Night Brewing, Red Hook, Kona Brewing Co., Blue Point, Jekyll Brewing, Harpoon Brewing, Brooklyn Brewery, Anchor Brewing, Yuengling, New Belgium and more. The Barstool Prophets will entertain and college football will be on the big screens. For more info visit callawaygardens.com
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Family Guidance Center Walk/Run The Shoppes at EastChase Saturday September 10th, 7:30 am
This event offers many different activities for individuals and families. In addition to the 5K and 10K courses designed by the River Region Runners, many of the stores at The Shoppes at EastChase open early and offer deep discounts to participants. Gap, Williams-Sonoma, and Bath & Body Works are some of the many participating stores. Refreshments, Color Guard flag presentation, and DJ-hosted music add to the festive spirit. Age-level awards encourage best times among competitive runners, and door prizes allows everyone a chance of going home with a prize. More info visit familyguidancecenter.org
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Bacon Fest Blackfinn Ameripub Sunday, September 11th, 12-3pm
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Blackfinn Ameripub, 6854 Eastchase Pkwy, is excited to bring you BACON FEST, September 11, from 12 - 3pm, in conjunction with the kickoff to the NFL Season. We will be serving our favorite bacon recipes at multiple stations
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throughout!! You will get the opportunity to sample unique, savory bacon inspired appetizers, desserts and delicious cocktails...everything is better with BACON! 7 Food Tasting Stations: Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf Bites w/ Honey Chipotle Ketchup, Queen City Bites, Ultimate Bacon Jam Sliders, BLT Caesar Skewers, Beer braised, Bacon Wrapped lil’ Smokies, Bacon Goat Cheese Hush Puppies & Candied Bacon Insanity. 7 Drink Stations: Maple Old Fashioned, Bacon Bloody Mary, Coco Pig, Cinnamon Roll Shot, Bacon Beer, Jalapeno Bacon Margarita, & Applewood Smoked Bacon Cocktail. Get your tickets to Bacon Fest before it’s too late! $15 early bird and $20 at the door. For more visit: www.facebook.com/events/1158433874217584/
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Union Station Car Show Montgomery’s Historic Train Shed Downtown September 17, 9-6 pm
Car lovers--don’t miss the Union Station Car Show located under Montgomery’s Historic Train Shed downtown, 300 Water Street, Montgomery. Over 100 cars on display!! Awards will be given to the top 25 (People’s Choice) Best of Show, Best Paint, Best Int., & Best Motor. There will be fun, food, and activities for the whole family, as well as live music. Enter to win a 50/50 Drawing and plenty of door prizes!! FREE ADMISSION for spectators! Entry Fee for show: $25 minimum donation (must be entered to put car under train shed). To enter a car or for more information please call Ken Reynolds at 334-625-2125. More Information on Website: www.funinmontgomery.com
HARPERSVILLE, ALABAMA Grape Stomp Festival Morgan Creek Winery Saturday, September 17, 10-4 pm
Morgan Creek Vineyards--Visitors get to stomp grapes with their feet in wooden barrels, take winery tours, enjoy wine tastings, watch or participate in the Lucy look-alike contest plus other fun activities. Food available for sale. 10 am-4 pm. Event held annually on the third Saturday of September. Admission charged. For more info www.morgancreekwinery.com
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Theatre in the Mind and Bard Talk ASF Saturday, September 17th & October 1st, 12-1 pm Spend your Saturday gaining new insights into ASF productions through The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
the acclaimed Theatre in the Mind and Bard Talk lecture discussions! Designed around the plays presented each season, you can participate in free pre-show discussions, author, cast, designer and director talks at ASF, most Saturdays at noon. Hosted by Dr. Susan Willis, ASF’s resident dramaturg, these entertaining and thought-provoking lectures by noted theatre scholars complement a perfect Saturday afternoon at the theatre! Upcoming Theatre in the Mind Schedule September 17 – Charlotte’s Web, October 1 – The Mousetrap. Theatre in the Mind is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact the ASF Box Office at 334.271.5353
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
The Political Persuader: Cartoons by Frank M. Spangler Sr. Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts September 24 through November 27 During his forty-one years as the Montgomery Advertiser’s editorial cartoonist, Frank M. Spangler, Sr. (known by his byline “Spang”), explored the day’s issues with humor, insight, and significant artistry. Spang’s witty cartoons of contested and controversial politics, in particular the Presidential election of 1928 and Alabama’s state election in 1930, alongside his skewering of U.S. Senator Thomas J. “Cotton Tom” Heflin, strongly resonate with today’s charged political climate and Presidential election. Seen in this context, these drawings prove the old adage true: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, 1 Museum Drive. For more information, call 334.240.4333. More information visit mmfa.org
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
3rd Annual Brain Brawl Team Trivia AUM Taylor Center, 7440 East Drive #107, Montgomery, AL Thursday, September 29, 6-8 pm
The Montgomery Brain Brawl Team Trivia invites schools, companies, churches, PTA’s, civic groups and individuals to participate in an evening of trivia to raise money both for the Montgomery Education Foundation and the winning teams’ selected school. A contribution of $150 to the Montgomery Education Foundation serves as an entrance fee and entitles a group to field a team of up to 5 participants to play for a chance to win up to $1,500 on behalf of any Montgomery Public School of their choosing. Multiple teams may play for the same school. Food and beverages will also be available at this event. For more details visit mefbrainbrawl.com or contact Dillon Nettles at 334.647.1700 or by email, dillon@montgomeryed.org or visit www. mefbrainbrawl.com
WETUMPKA, ALABAMA Young Frankenstein The Musical
Wetumpka Depot September 29-October15th, various times Are you a Young Frankenstein film fan? Love Mel Brooks? If you answered yes, you are in luck! Young Frankenstein the Musical opens at the Depot September 29 and runs through Oct. 15th. For more information contact Kristy Meanor, at 334.868.1440 or kmeanor@ wetumpkadepot.com or visit www.wetumpkadepot.com
BIRMINGHAM/SHELBY, ALABAMA Alabama Wine Trail Excursions Alabama Wine Country
September 2016 Spend the day in Alabama’s wine country, taste traditional wines plus our southern favorites. Break the day with a great meal along the way, or bring a picnic and finish the day at a Bed and Breakfast or area hotel. Trail Maps available on the website wineries minutes away from the Interstates and Highways. Plan your trip now by visiting alabamawinetrail.net
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
Antiques at The Gardens Birmingham Botanical Gardens Friday-Sunday, October 7-9 Antiques at The Gardens will feature Tastemakers who are regionally and nationally known architects, interior designers and landscape designers. Each designer will curate themed areas with goods selected from the best of Birmingham and other sources around the country. The show will continue to include antique dealers from across the United States presenting antiques, furniture, porcelain, fine art, silver, garden accessories and jewelry. Come, shop and be inspired! Location address is Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road Birmingham, Alabama 35223. For more info visit www.bbgardens.org
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Sara Evans At Christmas MPAC-Downtown Montgomery Sunday, Dec. 4th, 7:30pm
Since emerging in the late 1990s, Evans has had a prolific recording career that has seen the sale of more than 6 million albums. She’s had five #1 songs, four others appearing in the Top 10, two #1 Billboard Country Albums, five appearing on Billboard’ s Top 200 all-genre chart and four consecutive RIAA certified Gold, Platinum or MultiPlatinum albums. She’s received awards from the Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, and Billboard Music Award and has garnered nominations for Grammy Awards (2), American Country Awards (10) and CMT Music Awards (5). For tickets and more visit mpaconline.org or saraevans.com
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 “BOOM!, the best reading experience for the 50+ community” The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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7 Amazingly Weird Things that happen to your body when you’re in love... Everything seems different when you’re in love. As it turns out, that statement is a lot more than just a classic cliché. There’s a lot of research that backs it up. Here are seven incredible ways your body changes when you’re in love. 1. Heart rate synchronization Some researchers from the University of California, Davis, got 32 heterosexual couples together and conducted an interesting experiment. First, they had the couples sit close together, facing each other, but without touching. Then, they asked participants to calmly look their significant other in the eyes for three minutes. While monitoring heart rates, researchers discovered that the hearts of couples in romantic relationships actually start beating together. They synchronize. Incredible, right? Researchers still can’t conclusively figure out why this happens. 2. Cuddling: the natural painkiller Another study shows there’s solid evidence that oxytocin (aka the “love hormone”) can relieve pain. This is the feel-good hormone that runs through your body when you’re snuggling up close to your loved one. So, if you’re out of Tylenol, get rid of that headache by snuggling up with your darling and getting that oxytocin pumping. 3. Pupil dilation It’s pretty common knowledge that human eyes dilate in dangerous or high-stress situations to heighten concentration and focus, BUT (are you ready for this?) more research indicates that our pupils dilate when we’re especially interested in someone. Early research ties this dilation to sexual attraction, but further study suggests the pupils may respond to attraction in general. So, the next time you’re wondering how someone feels about you, you might want to pay attention to those pupils. Oh, and if you’re wondering, even more
research shows that men are attracted to women with larger pupils. 4. Love: the natural sweetener OK, this one is crazy. Researchers took 197 student volunteers and asked them to write about an experience either involving romantic love, jealously or something neutral. Then the volunteers were given candy and asked to rate the treat based on sweetness, bitterness or sourness. The results? Participants who wrote about love ranked the candy as sweeter than participants who wrote about jealously or a neutral topic. But wait, there’s more. A similar experiment was then conducted, this time with new volunteers and distilled water instead of candy. They didn’t know it was just water. They were told it was simply a new drink product. Again, participants that wrote about love said the water tasted sweeter. 5. Hysterical strength You’ve heard the incredible stories about mothers that suddenly gain seemingly superhuman strength when their child is in danger. Well, it’s called hysterical strength, and it’s surprisingly underresearched (But understandably so. Who wants to replicate Hunger Games level situations for study?).
percent. Compared to those looking at an acquaintance, moderate pain was relieved by about 40 percent. So, if your loved one isn’t around for a cuddle session, try going through their profile pics on Facebook.
What we do know (from others’ experience) is that with the right combination of love and fear your body can do incredible things. Hopefully you never have to find out what your love is capable of in these scenarios.
7. Bones get stronger A UCLA study shows that men who are 25 years or older who marry a supportive spouse have stronger bones. Researchers also found that men in a stable relationship (not yet married) have stronger bones than men whose marriages failed.
6. Pictures ease pain This finding involved 15 participants who all professed to be in love. Researchers took each participant and put a heated probe in their hand. Then, participants looked at either a picture of their beloved or just an acquaintance. The results? Those who were looking at the picture of a loved one experienced relief of intense pain by about 10 to 15
While no correlation between bone health and women’s marriages were found, research did conclude that women in relationships with supportive partners did have stronger bones than women dating unappreciative partners. Weird, right? Science has yet to tell us why this is a thing, but I’m sure more research is to come. I can feel it in my bones. Source familyshare.com
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