Inside:
Baseball — then and now
FamilyNow CAPITAL DISTRICT
Vol. 2, #3| MARCH 2021 |FREE
GENERATIONS TOGETHER
It’s report card time The importance of being seen Help managing your benefits
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Editor’s desk
In tough times, we turn to baseball B ear with me as I try to write a bit about baseball. America’s pastime is near and dear to so many, but I seem to have missed that boat.
Despite that, I understand its importance to those who love the game and all the stories of personal triumph that are a part of it. In fact, I enjoy listening to my husband passionately describing the players, their histories and rags-toriches backgrounds far more than I enjoy actually watching a game. He will always root for the underdog, and that is one of the things I love about him.
I also remember last spring when there was no baseball. It was a dark time for my in-laws, big baseball fans who found themselves isolated by the pandemic and without the comforting familiarity of following their favorite teams as spring rolled into summer. I remember their reaction when they learned there would be a 2020 season after all. It was such a joyful bit of news for them when everything else looked so dire. Baseball brought hope. I may not be a baseball fan, and yet I have so many fond memories of moments where baseball played a big part, such as watching minor league games and visiting Cooperstown with family and friends. This year, baseball’s back. Not back like in a pre-pandemic way, but enough to make us all feel like normal is just on the horizon. This issue of Family Now honors America’s pastime with memories shared by columnist Frank DeSorbo, who is embarking on a project to track down some former local players to learn more about their lives and careers. Read about it on Page 14. Also in the issue, Editor-at-large Michael Hallisey talks about how pandemic stress inspired him to return to his baseball card collection. Read it on Pages 10-11. It’s a heartfelt home run. Check out our articles and more at www.cdfamilynow.com and mail your story ideas and pictures to Capital District Family Now, P.O. Box 100, Delmar, NY 12054, or e-mail me at robertsk@spotlightnews.com. Kristen Roberts Editor, Capital District Family Now
FamilyNow CAPITAL DISTRICT
GENERATIONS TOGETHER
For every age and stage of family life.
March 2021 Features Comfort in the cards
10-11
Novel looks at online dating
12
Columnists Learning Center Triple Threat
4 6-7
A Patriot Remembers
14
Retiring Retirement
15
Social Security Corner
18
What’s new On the Bookshelf
5
She’s a dog’s best friend
9
Resources Senior Centers
13
publisher - John McIntyre editor - Kristen Roberts editor-at-large - Michael Hallisey advertising sales - Denice Mau art director - David Abbott graphic design - Martha Eriksen Engagement Coordinator - Kaitlin Lembo
Editor-at-large Michael Hallisey finds that rekindling an old pastime is a great way to cope with present times on page 10-11.
Capital District Family Now is a unit of Community Media Group LLC. Published monthly. Deadline for advertising and calendar events is the 5th of the month preceding publication. Display advertising rates are available on request. Capital District Family Now reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason. We do not guarantee any of the information, services or products published in this or any issue. The opinions expressed by the contributors do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this paper. © Copyright Capital District Family Now. No portion of Capital District Family Now may be reproduced without written permission from Community Media Group LLC.
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Learning Center
Education insight for parents
What’s the report?
R
Here’s what you need to know – whether the grades are good or not-so-good
eport cards … A time for high-fives or a time to set new goals? Either way, it’s a time to pause, reflect and perhaps re-set. It’s important to note that the move to virtual, or some form of hybrid schooling, for most schools this past year created significant changes to classroom management. You can also expect to see some changes in how your child was scored. Although times are tumultuous, and there’s likely been a lot of change in what your child’s education has looked like this year, we need to continue to put forth positive thoughts around learning for kids. Your child has worked hard to reach this point
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of the school year, so let him or to lower your expectations as a parent. If your sense is that your her know that you appreciate child isn’t where they should be, their effort but that continued learning is necessary to help keep don’t be afraid to ask the teacher or outside services to confirm up the momentum. whether your child is Report cards this year truly learning what may not give you the they’ll need to know by full picture of how for next year. A your child would response that have performed amounts to “We’ll in normal circumtake care of that stances, and more next year” should importantly, of your give you pause, and child’s full potential. it may strongly suggest This is a time to allow for that you need to do somegrace and understanding. It is thing additional this year (or likewise a time for you to trust over the summer). your own parenting instincts. Set expectations and goals. Expectations have, in some instances, been lowered to address It’s also important to balance the reality of virtual learning. understanding the struggles of That doesn’t mean that you need this year with being firm about your expectations. Make sure your child knows there will be a real conversation about schoolwork on a regular basis (every evening if there seems to be a problem, perhaps weekly if things seem to be going OK).
Patrick McNamara
2021
Ages 3-12
Woodland Hill welcomes you to play, cook, create, and invent! Explore nature, tackle design challenges, become a reporter, launch rockets and more!
Setting both short-term goals throughout the quarter and long-term goals for the quarter or end of the school year will help those conversations. Helping your child stay focused on goals can help to motivate him or her, but remember to praise your child in other areas that
Those conversations can start with “How was today/this week at school?” but they also need some directed questions and online check-ins. The following are all questions that can lead to an actual conversation about your child’s schoolwork: • How are you tracking progress to your goal? • What is the hardest part of your day/week? • Who is your favorite/least favorite teacher, and why do you like/dislike them? • Why do you think you did well/poorly on the test? • What is the most challenging piece of schoolwork scheduled for tomorrow/this week? At first, you might get oneword answers or rolled eyes, but if those conversations become part of your family’s routine, and you approach the discussion positively as an expression of real interest to help and not just an introduction to criticism, you will find that more than occasionally your child will open up
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are going well. Positive motivation from parents is a great way to build your child’s self-esteem and can lead to successful grades down the road.
GENERATIONS TOGETHER
picture books
On the Bookshelf
Reading is out of this world ‘Astronaut Training’
‘The Nice Dream Truck’
By Aneta Cruz;
By Beth Ferry;
illustrated by Olivia Aserr
illustrated by Brigette Barrager
When Astrid’s first space mission goes disastrously wrong, she realizes she needs a bit more training than she thought. Astrid turns to her loving and supportive Dad, who helps Astrid continue her astronaut training. Boyds Mills Press
Sample your choice of sweet dreams — from astronaut to making-the-shot and more — all served by a truck that flies on moonbeams. You may choose to swim; you may want to fly, there’s an endless assortment of flavors to try. HarperCollins
‘Dear Teacher’ By Paris Rosenthal; illustrated by Holly Hatam This colorful story is a heartfelt thankyou letter written to educators, coaches, leaders, role models, mentors and heroes everywhere. HarperCollins
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2021 Albany JCC Summer Camps
June 28-September 3, 2021. For kids 3 to 15. More info - www.albanyjcc.org, 518-438-6651 Follow us on @AlbanyJCC 113634_4
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Triple Threat
parenting triplets in the Capital District
Moved by Tikkun Olam Allowing yourself to really see someone in need is the first step in making it right
B
He quietly shuffled to the counter and emptied a pocket onto the clean surface and started counting his coins and a few dollar bills. Rebecca, Olivia and I tried not to stare. Out of the corner of my eye, I could by tell the money wasn’t going to be enough to fill his belly tonight. He looked like a man who hadn’t had enough food for some time. There was no eye contact made with the cashier, who looked a little unsure about what to do. She listened carefully because he talked in a hushed voice. He ordered his supper. He kept
his head down and didn’t move from the spot. He made sure his bag wasn’t far from him and that he didn’t lose sight of his supper. The cashier had asked for a name to put on the order. His response still echoes in my thoughts: “Don’t got one. Doesn’t matter.” I don’t know what the cashier put down on his receipt, if anything.
Jennifer Steuer
In a few minutes, his tray was pushed toward him by a boy who barely looked 18. The boy and cashier locked eyes and silently wrinkled their noses. I was embarrassed because I wit-
nessed their reaction and knew I probably did the same thing when I worked in food service. My embarrassment was because I had noticed the odor as well. It was clear that he hadn’t showered for a while, and his clothes hadn’t seen the inside of a washer for some time. My girls kept telling stories about school friends and different videos they saw on YouTube or TikTok. I could see him leaning against the table that was bar height right next to the garbage. He was able to guard his supper and his bag. I could see other tables of people not looking, not reacting. He meant nothing to them. They
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efore he walked in, I knew. I watched him check the garbage pails outside before he pushed open the first glass door. He was carrying a clear plastic bag that was in rough shape. The bag was stretched in spots. You could see that his possessions were in this bag and he guarded the bag even as he pushed the second door open. He shuffled into the restaurant. I could see how guarded and wary he was when he pulled his jacket tighter around him. The restaurant was empty except for four tables. It was a quiet night. His clothes didn’t fit very well. His hair was long and matted. His face was weathered, his mouth set in a straight line.
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other hot meal. He is a human being. Homelessness is a pervasive problem. Until our society sees that each person has value and each person needs a place to live and safety, homelessness will continue.
n Triple Threat continued from Page 6 just looked through him. Olivia and Rebecca watched me and how I was reacting to the situation. The chance to teach them was right there. I had to do something because he deserved to be seen. The choice between doing nothing and being true to myself was in front of me. In my bag were two sets of hand warmers and a few dollars. The evening was cold. Food costs money. There was no way to fix society tonight, but I could help him. As the other tables emptied and people tossed their wrappers and some food leftovers, I watched as he looked at the bin each time. He guarded his bag. He guarded his supper. As people walked by, the only acknowledgement to his existence were a few unkind remarks and silent judgement. He stood absolutely still. I didn’t know his story or what brought him to this point in his life. I did know
Homelessness is a pervasive problem. Until our society sees that each person has value and each person needs a place to live and safety, homelessness will continue. what brought me to this point in my life. I stood up and began to walk to him. His back was to me as he guarded himself. He saw my reflection in the window as I touched his hand and gave him the warmers and the few dollars that I had. There are points in my life that could have pushed me down this path. Being homeless, with all my belongings in a
garbage bag, is not unimaginable. The beginning of the slide down could be slicked up by drugs, alcohol, mental illness, bad circumstances or job loss. Life is hard, and no one knows what the future holds. This man probably needs more than the few dollars and hand warmers. I had to do what I could. Hopefully, he will find a warm place to sleep and an-
I had to do something because he deserved to be seen. Watching the world tumble out of control every single day is making me dizzy. Tikkun Olam, repairing the world, is a belief of Judaism that means so much to me. This repairing is not just about picking up litter off the shoulder of the highway. Repairing the world also includes helping make society a better place. Olivia, Benjamin and Rebecca have seen simple acts can help. My children will make the world a better place, and that makes me so proud. Jennifer Steuer is an Albany mom whose busy household includes her husband, Harlan, and 13-year-old triplets Olivia, Benjamin and Rebecca. Follow her on Instagram: jennifersteuer.
To all of our
A Heartfelt Thank You!
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ESSENTIAL WORKERS
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n u F s d i K e g a P
CROSSWORD
ACROSS 1. Sunlight unbroken by clouds 4. Work 6. No feeling 7. State of atmosphere DOWN 1. Season of the year 2. Water vessel 3. Power from resources 5. Cleanse in water
1- purple 2-blue 3-green 4-pink
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Crossword Answers ACROSS: 1. Sunshine 4. Labor 6. Numb 7. Weather DOWN: 1. Spring 2. Sailboat 3. Energy 7. Bathe
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Helping Hands
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A dog’s best friend
fifth-grader at Slingerlands Elementary School spent nearly all of the proceeds generated from her business making dog treats on supplies to care for animals at the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society in Menands. “I used the money to buy lots of different things they need like blankets and food and squeaky toys,” said Caolain Rosencranse.
Generally, when supplies are low, she and her mom, Siobhan, spend a day making more. Nothing goes out the door without being approved by two live-in, fastidious taste testers, Elisie and Emmett, the family’s two golden retrievers.
by
Jim Franco
She makes most of the product sold by her company Caolain’s Canine Cookies at her Slingerlands home but over the winter shipped products all over the country, including Florida, California and Colorado.
The first batch of cookies was turned out last August and it just kept rolling from there.
She got the idea of donating the proceeds to the humane society after her older sister Teagan’s Girl Scout troop volunteered at the shelter and saw the animals. “I remember that time when I saw all the dogs there, and I saw all those dogs in need so I wanted
Fifth-grader Caolain Rosencranse baked up batches of pet treats to raise money to support the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society. to help out,” she said. “I always have wanted to donate there, but I never had enough money to and decided that now is my chance with the money I made.” Caolain’s mom, Siobhan Rosencranse, who brought her older daughter’s Girl Scout troop to the shelter to volunteer, said she is ready to mess up the kitchen mixing peanut butter, chicken broth, flour
and water for the next batch of cookies. “They are all homemade with love,” she said. “It brings tears to my eyes to see what a generous and thoughtful girl she is. We hope the community sees what she has done and decides to do something to support the shelter however they can. It really is a wonderful place and they do a wonderful job.”
FamilyNow CAPITAL DISTRICT
GENERATIONS TOGETHER
The Capital District family has changed -- and we have changed too. In recognition of the multi-generational nature of the modern household, we’ve merged Capital District Parent Pages with Capital District Senior Spotlight to create Capital District FAMILY NOW, a monthly publication with timely features for every age and stage of family life. With Capital District FAMILY NOW, you will find all the great columns and features you already enjoy every month, plus so much more.
To advertise, please call Denice Mau at 518-439-4940 or email maud@spotlightnews.com. 113088_4
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What’s in t
T
A rekindled pastime brings c
he lull in conversation as my wife sets up for her workday affords me the opportunity to scroll through eBay. It’s a routine that has developed over the months we’ve sequestered ourselves inside our home to avoid catching the coronavirus. We each start our days at 6:30 a.m. While she sets up her laptop and paperwork at the dining room table, my start is less evident. I’m on the couch, reading the day’s news on either my laptop or phone. Sometimes, however, I cheat. OUR NEW NORMAL also involves guiding our 7-year-old daughter through her distant learning schedule. Second-graders have a propensity for yelling out of turn during class. The habit is exacerbated by online conference calls involving 20 more students and her teacher. It’s jarring when you’re trying to interview someone for an important article. Having them over as unexpected guests in your home is another issue. My daughter’s teacher may or may not have caught me wearing nothing but my bath towel the other day. So, there’s that, too. LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, virus-related shutdowns have altered my way of life. Before the pandemic, I’d look through the calendar each Tuesday to plan a night at a live show to capture pictures for The Spot 518. My intent for each show would be to capture the mood. If I could catch John Drabik standing on his toes as he squeezes a few more notes from his guitar, or the strain on Arielle O’Keefe’s face as she belts out the words to “Heavy Heart” to a crowd stunned in silence, then I did my job. But, I’ve gone months without seeing many faces, let alone theirs. DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY associated with this virus are both very real, enough so the Center for Disease Control has a webpage devoted to sharing resources and words of encouragement. The obstacles presented in my life contrast with the people I have met covering the scene for the better part of a decade, so I dare not complain. Nonetheless, we’ve all had to make adjustments, and with such change comes the need to cope.
Mich Hall
OUTSIDE OF MY TIKTOK WATCHING HABIT, I reopened my eBay account. Prior to this year, I may have bought five items in as many years. The most recent of those items were vintage Sports Illustrated posters. There was once a time when I wanted to be a baseball player. When I was a kid, all my heroes wore numbers on their backs. Two years ago, I scored a Michael Jordan poster for $3.25. Somewhere between then and now, ABC aired a mini-series about him, and now everything with his name on it is worth more money. Today, my poster sells for 20-times more. Sports memorabilia is mainstream again. I’VE RETAINED MY CHILDHOOD CARD COLLECTION, a behavior my wife does not understand, especially for a man of my age. I ignore that last part. Instead, I explain to her how they are all connected to a dream I once had. As I got older, and the players started to look my age (or younger), I stopped. But, as I write this, I’m sitting on a bid for a 1954 Bowman issued Omar Lown baseball card. A few hours ago, I didn’t know who Omar Lown was, but I proceeded to read his story on the back of the card. TOM NARDACCI AND I STARTED CHATTING ONLINE about his baseball card collection back in the spring. The CEO of both Aurelius Coworks and Gramercy Communications is a busy man, but he’s a recovering ex-jock with a love for baseball. He shared a few images of his cards and the stories behind the players that he fell in love with. The players were of a day in which time has forgotten all but a few whose names are now etched on a plaque in Cooperstown. Rediscovering those
10 Family Now — March 2021
by
the cards?
comfort during a pandemic
y
stories was something to which I could relate. I rekindled my writing career while researching a semi-professional baseball team that played locally before the Great Depression. Those stories brought the past back to life. OMAR “TURK” LOWN was predominately a relief pitcher for the Chicago Cubs in 1954. He’d later move Southside to play for the White Sox. According to baseballreference.com, he managed an 11-year career during a time when relievers weren’t sexy. I’ve spent the past several months buying cards of Sandy Koufax, Roy Campanella, Bob Gibson and others whose playing days ended before I fell in love with the game. Mickey Mantle. Willie Mays. Bob Feller. Sexy. But, who was Omar Lown? FROM WHAT I FIRST GLEANED from the back of his card, Omar Lown was once a strong-armed catcher and outfielder from Brooklyn where he attended Franklin Lane High School. He’s not listed among its notable alumni on Wikipedia, but John Gotti and DJ Spinderella both are. Nonetheless, he grabbed the attention of the Brooklyn Dodgers after striking out 17 batters while playing semi-pro ball. This thin piece of cardboard, with a colorized portrait of him, caught at the end of his pitching delivery, best captured his story in nine lines of text. Included in that text was the name of his semi-pro team, the Ridgewood Bears. Ridgewood is my mother’s hometown.
hael lisey
RIDGEWOOD IS A PART OF QUEENS. It was a neighborhood of mostly German immigrants, a few of whom were my great-grandparents. They owned one of the many rowhouses that distinguished Ridgewood from Brooklyn. My cousin and I would marvel and laugh at the grotesques carved in the stone facade above each window. I remember my uncle teaching us a baseball-themed game. It involved one of us throwing a racquetball against the stone steps leading up to the front door while the other stood in the street to field.
ASIDE FROM BEING FIVE MILES AWAY from where Ebbets Field once stood, Ridgewood also played a part in a well-regarded semi-pro league. Omar’s Bears played in the Queens Alliance, a league that boasted more than 100 teams before World War II. The professional teams in the area kept tabs on their games. According to baseball historian Adam Ulrey, they even purchased uniforms and equipment for a few of the teams. It produced a handful of major leaguers, including Lown and Hall of Famer Phil Rizzuto. ASSUMING I WIN THIS AUCTION, Omar will join my collection along with other names time has forgotten. Eddie Stanky — a diminutive second baseman whose unwillingness to walk away from a fight earned him the name “Brat.” Snuffy Stirnweiss — a Bronx kid whose moment in the sun came after Rizzuto went off to serve in World War II. Al Rosen — another fighter who once stood in front of an opposing team’s dugout to challenge the coward who called him a “Jew bastard” as he sat behind the anonymity of a team bench. These stories draw tangible connections. There’s a thin veil that separates the dreamers from those fighting to make a dream come alive. It’s those kinds of people who inspired me to write again. MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY a few years ago, and it still affects me at times. To help me through, I sometimes read up on Ridgewood. I’m familiar with the area and had visited several times as a kid. But, finding new things about where she grew up helps draw a connection to her. Omar Lown is another one of those connections. SO, NOW I SIT on a $1 bid for a card of a baseball player who I never knew, until now. EDITOR’S NOTE: The writer did, in fact, win his bid. March 2021 — cdFamilyNow.com 11
The Write Stuff
Not out of date
Local author’s debut novel tackles the perils and parameters of online dating in your 50s
You’re usually meeting up with someone you’ve never met. You need to ascertain pretty quickly if you are comfortable enough not to leave immediately. Many people are wishing for a drink just to ease the awkwardness as your date sizes you up across the table. How are you supposed to decide if this person is worthy of a second date in the time it takes to eat your chicken? Cari Scribner knows this all too well. The former Saratoga reporter for Spotlight News has dabbled in the online dating world enough to write a tale, titled “A Girl Like You,” inspired by a 50-somethingyear-old woman’s foray into the abyss after a divorce. The novel was released last month and is available at Northshire Books in Saratoga, Barnes & Noble and on Amazon. The story, published by Circuit Breaker Books, centers on the fictional Jessica Gabriel as she begins her journey into dating. Gabriel, under the screen name “ariesgirl,” runs into a bunch of studs and duds
Photo provided by Cari Scribner
during her time on the web. validate right away. Helping Gabriel along are her “I think so many of us are two children, both in in such a hurry to find their 20s, who are love quickly, whether also dealing with by they are just out of the perils of ona marriage or are line dating. As still trying to find she gets more the right person,” familiar with Scribner said. “I the process, feel like something her kids act as I’ve learned in my her guide, often own life is older people reminding her what tend to walk into it with to do and not to do when many more expectations.” chatting with people you can’t
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“The story of Jessica was so fun to write because she’s such a warrior,” Scribner said. “While many people will give up, she’s able to laugh at her experiences and keep taking that risk.”
Cari Scribner, whose debut novel “A Girl Like You” came out in February, says she enjoyed writing from her protagonist’s perspective because “she’s such a warrior.”
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Scribner is already hard at work on the book’s sequel, “A Place Like This,” and is excited to keep putting her heart into her craft. “This book isn’t about the world of dating for someone in their 20s,” Scribner concluded, “and I think the world definitely needs more of that representation.” For more information, visit cariscribner.com.
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Expectations in dating are always prevalent, but the obstacles for those jumping in later in life tend to be more daunting. You’ve been married, sometimes more than once. You have children; you might even have grandchildren. Unlike the 20-somethings online dating tends to market to today, those in their later years often walk in with more history, which can mean hoping five plates stay spinning instead of one when finding a potential match.
ven for seasoned veterans, online dating is terrifying.
Colonie Senior Services Center 6 Winners Circle, Albany (518) 459-2857 In the interest of everyone’s health and safety, March events will be held virtually. CSSC has a limited number of laptops to lend for anyone who does not have a computer. All Zoom events are free and for Center members only. Zoom instruction by appointment: Meet with our staff for a one-on-one session on how to use Zoom to stay connected to friends and family. Zoom BINGO: Mondays March 8 and March 22, at 1 p.m. Everyone’s favorite game is back, this time via zoom. Prizes for winners. Zoom Happy Hour: Felt Shamrocks: Wednesday, March 10, at 1 p.m. This month, we’ll gather over Zoom to make felt shamrock pins. We’ll deliver a kit to you, and then use Zoom to assemble and sew them. Irish Heritage with Elizabeth Strack: Friday, March 12, at 1:30 p.m. Elizabeth Strack, executive director of the Irish American Museum in Albany, will entertain us with history, stories and Irish folklore, in her witty and engaging style. Zoom Cooking Demonstrations with Diane: Classic Irish Soda Bread: Tuesday, March 16, at 11 a.m. Follow along via Zoom and work alongside Diane Conroy LaCivita, CSSC’s executive director, or just watch and learn something new. Ingredients delivery, $10. Zoom Book Club: Fridays,
Zoom Crochet Coral Reef: Monday, March 22, at 2 p.m. Join us for a presentation and craft circle to crochet hyperbolic corals for the Saratoga Springs Satellite Reef at the Tang Teaching Museum. Completed corals will be a part of Radical Fiber: Threads Connecting Art and Science, opening in early 2022. If you’re ready to crochet, bring yarn and a crochet hook, or come to learn more about the project.
In Home Personal Training • Is balance an issue? • Do you need someone to keep you motivated to stay active?
Stephanie Hutchins Certified Geriatric Personal Trainer through A.A.H.F.
Want to “draw“ more business online? To advertise on our website, call Denice Mau at 518-439-4949 Visit us at:
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FamilyNow CAPITAL DISTRICT
For information about the resumption of in-person activities at the Center, visit www. niskayuna.org/senior-center. In the meantime, bus/delivery service continues to be available for Niskayuna residents for grocery, pharmacy, post office runs or delivery of masks. You can reach Matt, our bus driver, at (518) 495-6202.
GENERATIONS TOGETHER
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The Gershon’s lunch program continues Tuesday and Thursday with drive-through pick-up. Menus are online or you can call to have the menu emailed/ mailed directly.
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Zoom Exercise Schedule • Mondays at 11 a.m.: SilverSneakers Zoom Zumba Gold • Tuesday at 1 p.m.: MVP Zoom Chair Moves • Tuesdays at 7 p.m.: BlueShield of Northeastern NY Zoom Gentle Yoga
• Thursdays at 1 p.m. The Eddy Health Alert Zoom Chair Yoga
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Niskayuna Senior Center 2682 Aqueduct Road, Niskayuna (518) 372-4969
• Wednesdays at 11 a.m.: CDPHP Zoom Zumba Gold
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For information about current services and programs, please visit cliftonpark.org/ index.php/services/senior-services/senior-center.
March 19 and April 2, at 1 p.m. Our March Book Club will read Fredrik Backman’s “Beartown,” a story about a town and a game, but even more about loyalty, commitment and the responsibilities of friendship.
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GIVE YOURSELF A CHANCE TO IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE!
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room, Fitness room, Library/computer room For more information please call 518-952-6314 or stop by the Rental office for an application
March 2021 — cdFamilyNow.com 13
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or email: maud@spotlightnews.com 113091_4
by
Frank Desorbo
lmost every family in America has a story or an experience of baseball. Baseball is our national pastime, but let’s hope it is not having a period of being “past it’s time?” From our youth to senior citizens, our experiences are now mired in the “now” versus “past.”
Kids playing pitch and catch, running bases (pickle run down), going to the park to “hit ’em out” of your hand still only requires three or four players. When you had enough players, you would choose sides via first choice by hand-over-hand on the baseball bat and then kicking it out of the holder’s hand. If you called “eagle claw,” the last grip would be held by the knob. Playing three pops and seven grounders, home run derby and hitting grounders to practice those liners on the ground only required no more than four players. Gone are the many Little Leagues, Babe Ruth and American Legion baseball leagues. Remember the Schenectady Little League won the 1954 Little League World Series.
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14 Family Now — March 2021
Baseball, then and now
For many seniors, today’s baseball clashes with the baseball of our childhoods as we watch it on TV, bet on the games via our casinos or have children or grandchildren playing on traveling teams. The baseball culture today is changing and does not resemble its historical and memorable past.
APR
7
A Patriot Remembers
Today we have million dollar pro contracts. The minimum of a Major League contract is $563,000, and a recent news article reported the negotiating salaries contracts are dropping. MLB played a mini-season last year and 2021 schedules have fewer games; doublehead-
Baseball is America’s pastime, yet it has changed over the years. ers will be only seven innings a game. Therefore, should we be thinking of raising salaries? Seldom are contacts over the $10 million mark. If you graduate from college and start with a $100,000 a year and never get a raise for 35 years, your lifetime earnings would be 3.5 million. A child making any professional sports team is the all American dream. Our region has been blessed with the Baseball Hall of Fame only an hour and half car drive away. Located in beautiful Cooperstown on Lake Otesaga, our current visit would be marred with many of our childhood idols passing away in 2020. Seeing their plaques in the museum is bound to bring out the ambivalence in our heart between youth and age. The names of Babe, Mickey, Willie, Duke, Jackie and Yogi are cherished by New Yorkers. We know the community rallied for Ian Anderson last fall for the Atlanta Braves. There are a few “home grown” boys who have made it to MLB. They are the same boys you may have played ball with or lived in the neighborhood. I’d like to reminisce and enjoy my own baseball
Continued on Page 17
Retiring Retirement
Pandemic connections This is the first in a two-part series.
room. Admittedly, Fast went through a learning curve. But techniques, such as configuring the size of his head on the screen so that it’s similar to real life and peering into the camera’s eye instead of looking down at the computer screen, helped bring it “home.”
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aking wise choices doesn’t stop for the mature person and nowhere has this been more accentuated than in the past year. Psychologist Brian Fast, 66, of Delmar’s CCAHope faced these challenges head-on and borrowed from his experiences to promote growth in his patients.
by
Robert LaCosta
For example, he was skeptical about telehealth until he realized that emotions and tears and growth flow because of his relationships with his clients – not simply because he was physically in the same
One of the great senior citizen pandemic fronts was technology. Many elders had rarely used Zoom and social media platforms.
“If you opt out of technology,” Fast said, “you could be accepting isolation. And what is a worse punishment than solitary confinement? You can make a good choice many times a week to go to a dinner
Over the past year, Psychologist Brian Fast, 66, has used technology to connect with his patients and his grandchildren, pictured at left. at a family member’s house or to emotionally risk inviting someone to share mealtime together through Zoom.” Fast points to a classic contrast that people in New York City can be isolated while folks in the country can be more connected than ever before. It’s all about daily decisions. “Intimacy is emotional or
from all of us at:
spiritual or physical closeness with another person,” said Fast. “And it occurs as much – or as little – in virtual settings as it does in ordinary in-person life. There is always risk in drawing close or allowing someone close to us. So we typically avoid it and opt for pseudo-intimate interaction that feel less risky but are also less satisfying. We can
Continued on Page 17
FamilyNow CAPITAL DISTRICT
GENERATIONS TOGETHER
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March 2021 — cdFamilyNow.com 15
Puzzle Answers on Page 18
Clues Down
1. Seafood 2. Incan god of mountains 3. Ritzy LA neighborhood __ Air 1. Isodor __, American Nobel 4. Line that connect points of physicist equal pressure 5. One a day keeps the doctor 5. Audience-only remarks away 6. Chest muscle (slang) 10. Extents 7. Pointed top 12. Noticing 8. Lavender 14. Scriptural 9. Linear unit 16. Star Trek character Laren 10. Knifes 18. “The Crow” actress __ Ling 11. 2016 World Series champs 19. Not good 13. A way to arrange 20. Measures gold 15. Talk 22. TV network 17. Serving no purpose 23. Wasting 18. Container 25. Money in Ghana 21. Breathes new life into 26. Young girls’ association 23. Beloved dog Rin Tin __ 27. Title of respect 24. A bag-like structure in a plant 28. High schoolers take this test or animal 30. Crunches federal numbers 27. Yemen capital 31. Wild or sweet cherry 29. Sacred book of Judaism 33. Celestial bodies 32. Make a mistake 35. Fruit of the oak tree 34. Wrestlers wrestle here 37. Royal Navy ship during 35. Respiratory issue WWII 36. In league 38. Of cherished symbols 39. Resinous insect 40. Satisfy secretion 41. 5th. day (abbr.) 40. Unhappy 42. Swiss river 43. Turbulent 44. Royal Albert Hall (abbr.) area of 45. Cool! a river 48. Flat metal shelves 44. Neglectful 50. Enclosed 46. Sours 52. A way to pass 47. Calendar month (abbr.) 53. City in Iraq 49. Grooves 55. Printing speed measurement 51. Sony Pictures 56. Twitch Television 57. Indicates position 54. Monetary units 58. Made lawful 59. Command right 63. Took down 60. 1,000 cubic feet 65. A way to travel on skis 61. Expression of triumph 66. North winds 62. Dinner jacket 67. Tunisian metropolis 64. The first two
CRYPTO F UN
Clues Across
Courtside
WORD SEARCH
Solve the code to discover words related to BASKETBALL. Each number corresponds to a letter. (Hint: 24 = o)
16 Family Now — March 2021
BASKETBALL HOOPS BUZZER OFFENSE TEAM INTERCEPTION ASSIST MADNESS GOAL
REBOUND LEAGUE MARCH
BRACKET BOUNCE CHAMPIONSHIP
DEFENSE TOURNAMENT COACH
Evaluate home and school routines. Creating set routines for homework, study time, bedtime, family time and curfews are a great way to keep everyone in check, but it’s OK to monitor and adjust if you realize a child
n Patriot Remembers continued from Page 14 history. I umpired for 25 years and did many games in the Albany Twilight League which is, some say, the oldest semi pro baseball leagues in the country. It is 91 years old in 2021, and hopefully the pandemic will not stop the 2021 season as it did in 2020. The league had many players advancing to the minors. However, there are five players I umpired who made it to MLB. With the help of the Twilight League Veteran’s Club, the
n Retiring Retirement continued from Page 15 go there if we want to, online or in the same room. And we feel more connected when we do.” He and his wife, Jean, have been practicing what they preach. They’ve grown closer to their grandchildren virtually
Patrick McNamara is the owner and executive director at Sylvan Learning of Albany and Clifton Park. For more information, visit SylvanLearning.com. Schenectady Old Times Club, the Twilight League Officers, Historian Dick Barrett and other contacts, I hope to track down these players. In my baseball book “Where Are They Now” of old ball players, I have a story about a former MLB and Twilight League player I spoke to last spring. I intend to feature him and others in future articles over the baseball season. Please help with this venture by contacting me at (518) 439-9265 or e-mail fomservice@aol.com. The author is a Capital District resident and freelance writer and guest speaker. leading them through Sunday School lessons and zooming through books. Ironically, Fast has found he can take his own advice from the comfort of his own counselor’s couch… at home, of course. The author’s books, blogs and music are available at robertlacosta.com.
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many of the usual sources of help may not be available or as useful as they were in years past. Hoping things improve on their own is a mistake – action must be taken before a minor struggle with foundational work today leads to an inability to master more complex skills that will be taught later on.
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FamilyNow CAPITAL DISTRICT
GENERATIONS TOGETHER
Email to: Kristen Roberts at robertsk@spotlightnews.com
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needs more time for something and less for something else. And, continued from Page 4 we could all use more sleep, so and provide useful information. maybe earlier bedtimes would help with focus and mood. Stay in touch with your child’s teachers and counselor. Get help immediately if you see a problem. Keep an open line of communication with your child’s Don’t fall prey to your child’s teacher. Explore other resources promise to do better. Kids may offered by the school, such as not be able to correct certain tutors, homework centers, classes issues without help from the outside the normal school day or adults in their life. For students online subject support. learning virtually especially,
n Learning Center
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March 2021 — cdFamilyNow.com 17
Social Security Corner
How Social Security representative payees can help
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illions of people get monthly Social Security benefits or Supplemental Security Income payments. Some need help managing their money.
• Housing and utilities. needs. Social service agencies, nursing homes or other organi• Food. zations are also qualified to be • Medical and dental exyour representative payee. Ask penses. them to contact us. • Personal care items. You can write to by us within 60 days • Clothing. of being assigned When we receive information • Rehabilitaa representative that indicates you need help, tion expenses (if payee if you we’ll assign a representative you’re disabled). don’t Home is Where You’ll Find Us agree that payee to manage your benefits If you need you need one or if for you. We try to select some- help managing you want a different one who knows you and wants your benefits, tell a representative payee. to help you. A representative Social Security representapayee receives your monthly tive that there is someone you We also offer an option, called benefit payment on your behalf wantYou’ll to be your representative Home is Where Find Us Advance Designation, which and must use the money to pay payee. They should be someone allows you to choose a represenfor your current needs, includyou trust and see often, and tative payee in advance. In the ing: who clearly understands your event you can no longer make
Elizabeth Pivonka
your own financial decisions, you and your family will have peace of mind knowing you already chose someone you trust to manage your benefits. You can submit your advance designation request when you apply for benefits or after you are already receiving benefits. You may do so through your personal my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount or by telephone. You can find more information at www.ssa.gov/payee. The author is with the Social Security Administration in Albany.
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18 Family Now — March 2021
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20 Family Now — March 2021
