ILLUSTRATION BY HARRISON SMITH
IN THE ISSUE
Noticia + The Contributor
Moving Pictures
M. Night Shyamalan
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Q&A with Jacob Kupin, District 19
BY JUDITH TACKETT
First-term councilmember Jacob Kupin, representing District 19, recently won the Nashville Scene’s Best Current Metro Councilmember reader’s poll, as well as appearing among the top three Best Politicians alongside Mayor Freddie O’Connell and State House Representative Justin Jones.
Kupin’s position, which covers Nashville’s core, including downtown, was previously held by O’Connell. Kupin describes the district as “very diverse.”
“We've got everything from public housing to big businesses, we've got urban [areas], and we've got neighborhoods,” he says. “And then I also have hundreds of thousands of tourists coming from around the country and around the world .... There is so much going on from a growth perspective and a money perspective. It’s really an exciting place to be.”
Wasn’t the East Bank Development newly added to your District?
Every 10 years district sizes are newly redrawn based on census data. In the 2020 census, Downtown has probably added between 10,000 and 15,000 people. My seat is the first time that the East Bank is included in District 19.
Mayor O’Connell has put together a phenomenal team in a number of areas, but in the East Bank especially. Bob Mendes, his Chief Development Officer, has been running the show over there. Thanks to Bob Mendes and his team, we were able to get about half of the first 1,500 units dedicated to affordable housing. Normally in a lease like this you’ll see maybe 10-15 years of affordability before it falls off and reverts to the regular market rate. We are able to build the affordability into the duration of the entire 99-year lease.
Now we're in the process of creating the East Bank Authority, which is going to transcend mayoral administrations to allow for consistency as we get this East Bank development up and running. Of course, we’ve also seen in the news the former PSC Metal site going up for auction. It’s really an exciting time.
We recently published an interview with Benton McDonough, who is known as our city’s Night Mayor and works on quality of life issues in Downtown. How closely are you working with him and what are so far the biggest issues the two of you have tackled?
I can't say enough what an asset Benton is to our city. He’s kind of flying underneath the radar a little bit, but he's doing some incredible work.
He and I work very closely together on quality of life issues. We often go on night walks Downtown to see what’s going on, what’s working, what’s not working.
Benton is saving lives. He and Councilmember Erin Evans recently worked to get these Narcan ONEboxes installed in bars. It’s this little box with an emergency opioid overdose reversal kit in it.
And you may have heard of my efforts with trying to get a group called Red Frogs
here. They’re a nonprofit organization out of Australia. They set up tents with water and snacks for people. They charge people’s phones and help them figure out where they’re going and reconnect them with friends when they get lost. I had gotten connected with them early on, and I handed them off to Benton and off he went, and they are here now.
We’re working hard on those efforts, and then also on homelessness.
There has been quite a bit of news lately regarding homelessness in your district. On the good news side was the opening of the city’s first permanent supportive housing development called Strobel House. How is that going?
I'm really excited to be part of the opening of the Strobel House. The credit certainly goes to the folks who were there before me. I think it's really important that we're focusing on having a permanent supportive housing option where folks not only have a roof over their heads but get the help that they need to make that roof sustainable.
I've met folks that had VA benefits that stopped, don't have birth certificates, don't have driver’s licenses. Things that some folks may take for granted, people don't have it, and they don't know how to get them. So to have the support and services close by is huge. I've been working with Judge Lynda Jones with the Shelter Court and continuing to expand that and eventually doing that through the Strobel House.
So there is a lot of work going on there, and I hope we have more housing that is supported and follows the Housing First model that allows people to put a roof over their heads and start to get the resources that many of them want.
On the more contentious news side, there has been coverage of what is likely the city’s largest encampment referred to as Old Tent City, which is also located in your district. What is happening there?
It’s really interesting. I think there [were a few] crossed wires that happened. Basically folks seem to get the impression that the whole camp was being closed last month or two and that was not the case. What happened was there were about six to eight structures with wood [roofs], windows, electricity and water that were deemed unsafe by the Codes Department. Some signage went up that was a little bit unclear. Anyway, I reached out and Open Table Nashville reached out. We spoke to the Office of Homeless Services and a number of parties, and then thankfully the Mayor decided to convene a task force involving a number of stakeholders, myself included, to work with the residents to understand what they needed and what time they needed.
I really appreciated the Mayor’s leadership in pulling that task force together, and I think we made some really good progress on that. [The encampment] is not currently slated for closure, but we have some safety issues we need to address. We’re getting calls for service down there. It’s not safe for people who are living there. So, I think there are some things that we need to address in that space, and I hope that at some point soon we can do a housing surge. I've talked to some of them who don't want housing, but many do. I hope that we’re able to get to that soon.
Do you know how many people are in Old Tent City?
I have heard somewhere between 120 and 140, but it could be different.
Unhoused people in your district are also part of your constituency. And I once estimated that in your District, you probably have over 1,200 people experiencing homelessness on a daily basis including the shelters, library, and encampments. How do you, as a Council Member, try to represent them?
It’s always interesting to me when I hear folks say, “Well, they don't pay taxes.” My response is, they do pay taxes, they pay sales
taxes. And if you want to go down an analytical perspective and look at property taxes, well, a renter doesn't pay property taxes.
To me, they pay taxes, they live in the district and just like anybody else, I treat them as my constituents. My job is to represent them. Right now I recognize that camping on public land is not allowed. It's not legal. That being said, that's the reality that our country is currently living with.
And my job is still to represent. I take that very seriously. I have been down to Old Tent City a number of times and we had a community meeting about these structures. It felt to me like any other community meeting in any other part of town. There were 20 or 30 people there who had reasonable concerns. I think there is this kind of mystery around homelessness, around who are these people? What's going on? But then you get into it, and you get to know folks. People are people. I think it's important for folks to know that yes, there are some human beings that are engaged in certain behavior, just like any other constituents. I think it’s an important balance to have, and it’s a challenge.
Take for example Cement Plant Road camp, which is along a greenway. You have folks in the neighborhood who want to use that greenway and I understand why they would feel unsafe potentially running along that greenway with the number of folks camped on either side that they can't really see. I understand that concern and that frustration of not being able to comfortably use a public space. And my job is to represent everyone, also the folks that live there and try to get them resources and try to not just move them along but actually find ways to [link them to] positive resources.
What, in your opinion, is Metro Council’s role to ensure the city implements a comprehensive approach to prevent and end homelessness?
If you watch the [Metro Council’s] Public Health and Safety meeting where it was shared that a provider wanted to potentially go in a different direction on how they were providing services that might have left some unhoused residents in a tough situation (read more on Pg. 5), I think that moment captured how we feel and what our reaction is. Because you watched Councilmember Bradford and Councilmember Evans and a number of others go into battle mode, in an almost protective-like mode, for these folks, basically saying that's not acceptable. We need to plan for these people. We need to make sure we take care of these people. So I think you have a Council that really cares about the people — of all walks of life. And as Metro councilmembers, our job is to make sure we’re protecting the people and taking care of them.
We want to let departments do their job. We want to let entities do their job. We don't want to micromanage. And at the same time, when things rise to the surface, our job is to step in and figure out how to get it back on the right track.
COLUMN:
Column: Learn More About Metro’s Gap Housing Fiasco
The Office of Homeless Services (OHS) recently revealed to the Metro Council in a public meeting that they have been keeping 70-80 gap housing units open because a specific facility, currently run by The Salvation Army, is set aside for encampment closures.
After telling members of the Metro Council Public Health Committee in an Oct. 15 meeting that only 30 of the 110 gap housing units were currently filled, OHS leadership explained that “the beds at [the motel used for gap housing] are really for encampment closures and an encampment closure has not happened.”
To say that this revelation has upset me is a huge understatement. I admit that I am not completely surprised by this though. As I have mentioned in this column before, in my opinion, the city is implementing an Encampment Closure Plan rather than a Housing Plan. While OHS likes to refer to encampment closures as “housing surges,” I have a problem with that when the city intentionally keeps beds open for weeks or months at a time, so that OHS can implement a publicity event every time they close an encampment and call it a “housing surge.”
After sharing that available beds were not filled, OHS executive director, April Calvin, jumped into the conversation at the Metro Council committee meeting on Oct. 15 and said that the open beds were not being paid for. In my opinion, when looking at the original gap housing contract with The Salvation Army, nearly half of the dollars (more than $2 million) was dedicated for security costs, which Metro would likely pay regardless of how many units are filled.
Calvin also said that a Continuum of Care Shelter Committee asked OHS to put a pause on the encampment strategy. OHS repeated a similar statement two days later at a Continuum of Care General Membership meeting when an OHS leader this time made an encampment prioritization subcommittee responsible for encampment closures. Calvin, in the Metro Council Committee, added that The Salvation Army leadership also asked for a pause on entering more people to their Gap Housing program due to staff turnover.
I have two issues with these statements. If these beds were kept open for encampment closures, as OHS has said, have temporary beds intentionally been kept open for prior encampment closures? And has the fact that The Salvation Army was unable to fulfill a Metro contract due to internal staff turnover led to any conversations about how to implement an interim plan to still utilize these open beds as quickly as possible in order to move people indoors? This should be expected from a Housing First city.
Another problem is that OHS seems to indicate that nonprofit organizations essentially have any authority over how Metro contracts are implemented (beds kept open) and when encampments on Metro property are closed. While I appreciate and promote the city’s openness for input from partner agencies in the timing and processes of such encampment closures, which helps promote a coordinated effort, the fact remains that ultimately nonprofits do not have authority
BY JUDITH TACKETT
over Metro funding or Metro property.
The term gap housing is synonymously used with interim or temporary housing. It includes emergency shelter and transitional housing — any programs where a person has no signed lease and will eventually have to leave. Gap housing can be used to speed up the permanent housing process and offer an alternative to existing shelter programs to help people move indoors quickly. They can play a crucial role in a Housing First-oriented system.
But by intentionally keeping beds open for weeks or months prior to closing an encampment, the city is not following best practices of a Housing First approach.
I believe most of us agree that encampments are generally neither healthy nor safe places, and the goal is to move people to housing as quickly as possible. There’s a history and concept of gap/temporary/interim housing in Nashville and how this fits into a Housing First approach. My insights here come from the period I served as the former director of the Homeless Impact Division, and secondly, from the help I provided to a Mayor’s Office consultant to rewrite her initial draft of Metro’s resolution that allocated $9 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) dollars to the current gap/temporary/interim housing concept, even after leaving that position. I am currently not proud of having done so, even though the original intention of the concept as written is not what I see implemented today.
Temporary housing is not intended to be a requirement on the path to housing. On that note, it would be interesting to see how many people under Metro’s Encampment Closure Plan moved directly to permanent housing without having to access temporary housing first (notice my play on words as Housing First is actually not called Temporary Housing First).
In October 2022, Metro Council approved $50 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to address homelessness over a period of about three years. Of those allocations, $25 million was set aside to fund new housing units for people experiencing homelessness. The remaining $25 million was allocated for support programs to help move people off the streets and out of shelters quickly.
When we look at the $25 million in services, Metro Council approved three resolutions that were divided as follows:
• $9 million: over 3 years for low-barrier “Gap Housing” — temporary housing for individuals and families waiting for housing units and/or permanent housing subsidies.
• $9 million: over 3 years for Housing First supportive services, such as programs such as ACT, ICM, and SOAR, which help people stay in housing.
• $3 million: over 3 years to build capacity of the Low Barrier Housing Collective (housing incentives, landlord engagement, housing navigators) to increase landlord participation and retention.
• $4 million, competitive grant funds to local nonprofits, such as high fidelity coordinated Housing First programs to be accessed through coordinated entry.
The “Gap Housing” contracts, which Metro Council approved in October 2022, were divided without a request for proposal process to the following two organizations through sole source contracts:
• Community Care Fellowship to expand its Mobile Housing Navigation Centers ($4.57 million); and
• The Salvation Army to “utilize a motel to run temporary, single-room housing units” ($4.44 million).
In an Encampment Closure Plan people are often only given one or two viable options to move to a shelter (or gap housing unit). In essence, an entire encampment may be moved indoors. That’s why I promoted reducing encampment populations gradually by filling temporary and permanent housing units as soon as they become available rather than keeping them unoccupied to announce a well-timed “housing surge.” Yes, politically, it is more attractive and satisfying to close an encampment in one swoop, but on the ground, such an approach may actually do more harm to people who could have already been indoors for weeks or months.
The former motel that The Salvation Army utilized was first identified by Metro as an early response to the COVID pandemic. Initial federal allocations to Nashville included $10 million in Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) to implement a Rapid Re-Housing surge. We set a goal locally to house 400 people in 2021 and serve them for up to two years. In actuality, we surpassed that goal and moved 600-plus people to housing in 2021 — 110 people were given a one-year, renewable lease in the same former motel that Metro utilized for its Gap Housing contract entered with The Salvation Army in 2022.
That 2022 scope of contract did not specify the location of that Gap Housing. Rather, it states, “Utilize a motel to run temporary, single-room housing units.” The contract further says that “the budget includes an initial increase in security, a fence, and revamping the existing model to meet Salvation Army case management standards.” In addition, that Gap Housing contract with The Salvation Army outlines that only Davidson County residents can be served. Nowhere does it say that the Gap Housing is to be used only for encampment closures.
What I have not even touched on yet is the fact that The Salvation Army in June 2024 received another $2.5 million in Metro funding, which means they received nearly $6.9 million of the $22 million in ARPA dollars that were allocated to nonprofit providers. OHS announced on Oct. 29, 2024, via press release that “The Salvation Army has requested to withdraw from the Metro Capacity Building Grant set to begin November 1, 2024.” According to a recent public dispute, OHS told Metro councilmembers that they understood the $2.5 million was provided to continue the Gap Housing Program, while The Salvation Army responded in an interview on Channel 4 that “what was being communicated just isn’t accurate” and explained that the capacity grant allowed for more flexibility allowing for increased outreach for all homeless persons.
In June, when I first saw these contracts, I reached out to the Metro Council to pull them off the consent agenda to ask more questions about the scope of work. That happened, but it seems OHS did not take the opportunity prior to the contracts’ approval to further scrutinize and clarify what the $2.5 million was actually for. As a side note, in the written statement OHS said 40 people remain in the gap housing while in the prior Metro Council Committee, they said it was 30 people who still lived in the 110-unit former motel.
Anyone paying attention to these public conversations knows that a large encampment located in District 19 which is commonly known as Old Tent City is slated for closure. OHS refuses to publicly say so, and has said they do not announce encampment closures before having a chance to talk to residents. I commend them on that. However, Metro Parks has for years announced the development of a new park at that location south of Downtown, and OHS has had months to reach out to the residents in that encampment. It is impossible to get a specific number of how many people currently reside in Old Tent City (people are moving in and out constantly), but estimates I have heard range from 120-150 people. So, in theory, if we had just moved people to temporary beds as they became available and OHS had worked through any impasses the contractor may have had during that time, that encampment could already be reduced by half. In practice, OHS had sufficient time to set up daily street outreach efforts with their internal outreach team to get to know each person and their needs in that encampment, establish strong relationships, coordinate with other nonprofits, be fully transparent with encampment residents, and stop the current political shenanigans that focus on blaming nonprofits and calling encampment closures a “housing surge.”
City leaders better start paying attention right now to how Metro continues to oversee its $50 million in one-time investments, which is in addition to the $6 million Metro funds that OHS receives annually (that annual budget is more than triple what we had in 2021 when I left Metro).
OHS leaders represent the Mayor as April Calvin directly reports to his office. I believe I know Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s heart because I worked closely with him to build the foundation needed to implement and improve a functioning Housing Crisis Resolution System.
Did we have the best possible Housing Crisis Resolution System in place in 2021? No. But since then the city has had an opportunity to build on that foundation we left, especially with the recent millions of dollars it invested into homelessness. We may have the ability now to count more people as they move to housing. But the real question is, are we housing as many people as we could with the current political and bureaucratic mess that surrounds homelessness at present? I argue that we can do better and have the opportunity to actually implement a Housing First strategy. But to do so, we need strong and trusted leadership.
News Briefs
Program to Reduce Energy Burden and Housing Costs in Davidson County started new cycle in October
In the beginning of October, the Metro Action Commission started accepting applications for the 2024-25 application period to help low-income residents with electricity, natural gas, water, rent and mortgage payments. The program annually distributes $7 million locally to 10,000 Davidson County residents struggling to pay for energy costs. According to MAC, Nationally, households with low to moderate incomes spend an average of households with low to moderate income on average spend more than three times more of their income on energy costs than those with higher incomes. The program seeks to help ease that burden. Funding can also sometimes cover the cost of prescriptions, property taxes, rental and utility deposits. To qualify, applicants must be income eligible, reside in Davidson County and meet other eligibility criteria. The range of support for utility assistance is between $600-$1000 depending on energy burden and household size. Up to one month of assistance is provided for rental and mortgage payment help. To apply, residents can access the application by visiting the agency website (nashville.gov/ mac) or calling the agency call center (615) 862-8860.
MDHA PILOT Program Exceeds 10,000 Affordable Apartments Created or Preserved
The Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency announced in early October that it met and exceeded a 10,000 affordable apartment milestone through its Payment in Lieu of Taxes program for tax credit properties, according to a release. MDHA PILOT, helps to create and preserve affordable units in Davidson County — so far 6,115 are current units being used and 3,898 are under construction. The program provides 10 years of property tax relief to developers who have been awarded a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit from the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. The incentives are meant to encourage developers to expand the supply of affordable multi-family housing through new construction and substantial rehabilitation. “While there is still much work to be done, MDHA’s PILOT program reaching this significant
milestone is the result of a tireless team effort with public and private partners that will cascade into supporting housing for all Nashvillians,” said MDHA Executive Director Dr. Troy D White. “Public-private partnerships are key to addressing the need for affordable housing in Nashville.”
‘Contributor’ Freelance Releases Book on Nashville’s Art Scene
‘Contributor’ freelancer and longtime Nashville art writer Joe Nolan will release Nowville: The Untold History of Nashville's Contemporary Art Scene, in November. Nolan says the story tells of “Nashville’s surging contemporary art scene told by the ones who were there before anyone else. Not a story about commercial spaces or official institutions — this is the story of moldy warehouse studios and improvised galleries, happy-kegger after-parties and front lawn art sales, exhibitions in apartment living rooms and secret art displays hidden in plain sight.” The book is an oral history of the Nashville art scene from the 1990s on. He talks to city’s art punks, art monks, radical art students, and visionary pioneers to share what made their moments in Nashville so special.
Daybreak Arts Partners with Lane Motor Museum
Daybreak Arts, a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to empowering artists impacted by homelessness, is hosting an exhibition and gala in partnership with Nashville’s Lane Motor Museum on Nov. 14. The nonprofit fundraiser will feature original artwork by Daybreak Artist Edwin Lockridge, “known for his creative incorporation of found car parts into his pieces.” Attendees will have the opportunity to view and purchase Edwin Lockridge’s art as well as contribute to Daybreak Arts mission of working with artists facing homelessness. “Edwin’s art exemplifies the resourcefulness and creativity we see in so many of our artists, who often use unconventional materials to express themselves,” said Nicole Minyard, Executive Director of Daybreak Arts. In addition to the art exhibition, Lane Motor Museum will offer free refreshments. Funds raised from the event will directly support Daybreak Arts’ programs, which provide supplies, studio space, education, and exhibition and income opportunities for unhoused and housing insecure artists in Nashville.
LA NOTICIA
“The Contributor” está trabajando con uno de los principales periódicos en español La Noticia para llevar contenido a más lectores en Middle Tennessee. Nuestros vendedores de periódicos han pedido durante mucho tiempo que nuestra publicación incluya contenido que apele al interés de residentes de habla hispana en nuestra comunidad.
“The Contributor” is working with one of the leading Spanish-language newspapers La Noticia to bring content to more readers in Middle Tennessee. Our newspaper vendors have long requested that our publication include content that appeals to the interest of Spanish-speaking residents in our community.
Revelador Estudio: El Mes
Un reciente estudio del Colegio de Actuarios de Cataluña ha generado interés al plantear que el mes de nacimiento de una persona podría tener un impacto en su longevidad. Basado en el análisis de más de 17 millones de registros, el estudio sugiere que quienes nacen entre enero y abril tienen más probabilidades de vivir más de 100 años. Este descubrimiento plantea nuevas preguntas sobre cómo factores biológicos y estacionales pueden influir en la duración de la vida.
Nacimiento y su Impacto en la Longevidad
Un ejemplo que ilustra esta teoría es el de María Branyas, una mujer española que hasta su fallecimiento a los 117 años era la persona más longeva del mundo. Branyas, nacida en marzo, coincide con el patrón observado, lo que refuerza la idea de que el mes de nacimiento podría tener un rol importante en la longevidad. Otro caso notable es el de Jeanne Louise Calment, quien tiene el récord de longevidad con 122 años y nació en febrero. Estos ejemplos apoyan la teoría de que la fecha de nacimiento puede influir en la duración de la vida.
Posibles Razones de Mayor Longevidad Diversas teorías intentan explicar por qué las personas nacidas en los primeros meses del año podrían vivir más tiempo. Una de las hipótesis más aceptadas señala la exposición a infecciones estacionales como un factor relevante. Los niños que nacen en invierno o principios de primavera enfrentan menos enfermedades respiratorias graves durante sus primeros meses, lo que fortalece su sistema inmunológico y podría tener beneficios para la salud a largo plazo.
Otra teoría sugiere que las condiciones prenatales pueden tener un impacto significativo. Durante el embarazo, las madres están expuestas a distintos factores ambientales y nutricionales que varían según la estación del año, lo que puede influir en el desarrollo del bebé. Estos factores podrían contribuir a la longevidad de quienes nacen en los primeros meses del año al mejorar su resistencia a enfermedades en la vida adulta.
Enero: Mes de Contrastes
El estudio también muestra que, aunque enero es un mes en el que nacen muchas personas centenarias, es a la vez el mes con mayor índice de mortalidad en España. Se estima que el 73% de los fallecimientos anuales ocurren en enero, coincidiendo con la temporada de mayor prevalencia de virus y enfermedades respiratorias, especialmente en personas mayores. Sin embargo, esta alta tasa de mortalidad no contradice el hallazgo de longevidad en los nacidos en este mes,
Conoce tus derechos:
¿Que hacer en caso de una redada?
1. Mantenerse callado
2. Sólo dar nombre y apellido
3. No mentir
4. Nunca acepte/lleve documentos falsos
5. No revelar su situación migratoria
6. No llevar documentación de otro país
7. En caso de ser arrestado, mostrarla Tarjeta Miranda (llámenos si necesita una)
Basados en la Quinta Enmienda de la Constitución, los derechos de guardar silencio y contar con un abogado fueron denominados Derechos Miranda luego de la decisión de la Suprema Corte de Justicia de Estados Unidos en el caso Miranda vs. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, de 1966.
lo que genera un contraste interesante para los investigadores.
Por otro lado, septiembre es el mes con menos muertes en el país, un dato que ha sorprendido a los investigadores y que podría dar lugar a nuevos estudios sobre las influencias estacionales en la salud y mortalidad.
El Mes de Nacimiento y el Desarrollo Físico
Más allá de la longevidad, el mes de nacimiento parece influir también en el desarrollo físico. Los investigadores han observado que muchos deportistas de élite, como Cristiano Ronaldo y Alexia Putellas, nacieron entre enero y marzo. Esto sugiere que los niños nacidos en los primeros meses del año suelen ser los más grandes y fuertes de sus grupos escolares, lo cual les otorga una ventaja competitiva en deportes.
La explicación detrás de este fenómeno se basa en la "edad relativa". Los niños mayores dentro de un grupo escolar suelen tener una ventaja en términos
de desarrollo físico y habilidades motoras, lo que podría permitirles destacarse en actividades deportivas. Aunque esta ventaja es significativa, se observa principalmente en países donde el curso escolar comienza en enero o al inicio del año.
Factores Geográficos y Culturales en la Longevidad
Si bien el estudio se centra en España, los investigadores advierten que estos resultados pueden variar en otras regiones. En países con calendarios escolares diferentes o condiciones ambientales distintas, el impacto del mes de nacimiento sobre la longevidad y el desarrollo físico podría ser diferente. En lugares como Estados Unidos o Reino Unido, donde el curso escolar empieza en septiembre, se observa que los niños nacidos entre septiembre y noviembre también presentan ventajas similares. En conclusión, aunque el mes de nacimiento puede ser un factor que influye en la longevidad y el desarrollo físico, existen otros elementos clave como el entorno geográfico, el acceso a servicios de salud y los estilos de vida. La longevidad es un fenómeno complejo, y aunque la fecha de nacimiento es solo uno de los factores, proporciona una perspectiva interesante en la comprensión de la salud humana. El estudio del Colegio de Actuarios de Cataluña abre una puerta a futuras investigaciones sobre cómo la interacción entre biología, ambiente y tiempo puede influir en la vida humana, sugiriendo que lo que parece un simple dato, como el mes de nacimiento, podría tener un impacto más profundo en nuestra salud y bienestar.
Envíenos sus sugerencias por e-mail: news@hispanicpaper.com ó 615-582-3757
esta imagen para ver La Noticia newspaper edición bilingüe digital
Longevity shaped by geography and culture, influencing life’s quality and length worldwide
Por Yuri Cunza Editor-In-Chief @yuricunza
Eagles Nest
CHRIS
SCOTT F. | JAN. 3, 2024
I’ve lived among the ones, With nothing left to lose. Not because of what they’ve done. Not the life they choose.
Nowhere left to run, And don’t know what to do.
Can’t get out from under it,
Wondering what’s the use?
They need an Eagles Nest.
Find peace and find some rest. The helpless and the homeless, Need a place to lay their heads.
Shelter from the storm, Somewhere safe, someplace warm.
Is that too much to ask?
They need an Eagles Nest.
It’s cold out on the road.
Fight to find a bite to eat.
Having to crash under an over-pass, With no other place to be.
Kicking back on a park bench saying,
“How could this have happened to me?”
Pretend that you don’t see,
But for others it’s reality.
They need an Eagles Nest.
Find peace and find some rest.
The helpless and the homeless, Need a place to lay their heads.
Shelter from the storm, Somewhere safe, someplace warm.
Is that too much to ask?
They need an Eagles Nest.
Now you can say,
“It’s not my problem.”
“Leave it for someone else.”
The lost and the forgotten, That cannot help themselves.
It’s not about a hand out,
It’s a hand up, for those who’ve fell. Society, inevitably, Will benefit as well.
They need an Eagles Nest.
Find peace and find some rest.
The helpless and the homeless, Need a place to lay their heads.
Shelter from the storm, Somewhere safe, someplace warm.
Is that too much to ask?
They need an Eagles Nest
Rich Tourists and The Locals
SEAN L. | JULY 17, 2024
In the joyful heat of summertime, rich folk come into town, all dressed up fine; They look at us as if we aren't worth a dime, and think we are just a waste of precious time.
We may not have their riches, their diamonds, or their gold, but our hearts remain far richer, with stories — still untold.
So, as some may walk past, with noses high in the air, Believe, there will surely be others, helping out, here and there.
In the moon lit parks and city streets, when the sunset starts a’glow, Someone will always be there; The locals they don't know.
With the cuffs of your shirt
Then limp on to the fast food place
You grab some napkins at the beverage bar
And continue to dab at the blood
You take a place in line and notice
The girls at the counter
Are looking in your direction
Like there must be someone
With two heads in your proximity
You look behind you with excited anticipation
When a young man wearing a name tag
That just reads "manager"
Approaches and asks you to leave
Saying they don't serve your kind there
How Long?
GAIL D.. | OCT. 11, 2023
Sitting in a doctors office waiting on test results finally the doctor comes in and apologizes sorry for the wait
Good news he says, your numbers look GREAT!
You graciously smile and nod and shake his hand
Still you find yourself wondering
Why do I feel SO bad?
Looking out the window before you leave, and what do you see?
In the distance there’s a small grove of trees
Most are lush and green
But in the midst of these
There stands one stripped of its beauty, sapped of its strength, completely barren, with no leaves
Nothing to protect its branches from the days scorching heat
It’s as though the other trees and greenery round about were draining this once majestic centerpiece of glorious crown
Exposing the frailty of its boughs
What once stood tall, rock solid, immovable, and proud, with roots that ran deep into the ground
Is now left tired, weak, fragile, falling down,
A shell of what once stood in its place
How long will it continue to stand against the elements until it breaks down you wonder
How long before it is completely sawed asunder
The heat, the cold, the wind, and the rain, that come against it each and every day,
How long can it last?
There’s no way to know for sure
Only time will tell just how long it will endure
Until nothing’s left of what it once was
And fades away
Like a distant memory from the past.
The Hayride of ‘92
NORMA B.
In the Fall of ‘92
I was invited to attend
A hayride hosted by a friend
She lived in the country
Making it the perfect place
For such an event
I was a little unsure of what to expect
I had never been to something like that before
It was a congregation get together
Still when I got there
I was surprised to find
Lots of people in casual clothes
Jeans and flannel shirts and things like that
While it was fitting for the occasion
I suppose
I must admit many of them I didn’t recognize
I’d only seen them in skirts, dresses, suits and ties
There were lots of family friendly activities
Their home set atop a very big hill
Some of us would climb to the top
Then roll all the way back down
Repeating the process again and again
It was A LOT of fun!
That is until I got dizzy and almost threw up
Then I decided it was time to something else,
So I went to check out
The bonfire in the front of the house
There I found people sitting around
Talking amongst themselves
Anyone was welcome to join in
As we sipped on hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks
Some were roasting hot dogs
That’s not really my thing
But looking back now,
I find myself wondering
How a Bratwurst might have tasted
Others were toasting marshmallows
I like mine golden brown on the outside and Ooey-gooey in the middle
I didn’t have the patience or skill to do it
But thankfully my husband had a ‘gift’
For getting them just the way I liked
Then there are those who like them flaming like a torch
Setting them on fire then blowing them out
You have to be EXTREMELY careful with those
The host’s daughter Jasmine found that out firsthand
When one still aglow with fiery embers
Slid off the stick and stuck to her nose
As if that wasn’t bad enough
School pictures were taken the very next day!
Still the show must go on or so they say,
And it did after administering some much needed First Aid
Though it is worth noting she still has to explain that picture
To those who ask, ‘What happened to you here?’
There was A LOT of singing, you KNOW I loved that!
A few played the guitar which was nice
It reminded me of times past
At last, it was time for the main event
The hayrides and yes, there was more than 1
Men, women, and children of all ages were well represented
As for me, I was throwing hay around carrying on like a big kid
Looking like a scarecrow by the time I was finished
All of us there to have a good time with family and friends
For me, it was a once in a lifetime kind of thing, or so I thought
As it turns out, I was wrong
Peace
FREEPRESSGMA | AUG. 2, 2023
Warm summer evening beckons the children to the baseball diamond
The public swings creak, people calls across the park Touching each other with their voices
The last birds flit and swoop
The moon like a wonton Plump and near Music thumps, Melodies linger in the voices of women friends
A breeze reminds us Of what we share
Pennies
FREEPRESSGMA | FEB. 14, 2024
Tower cranes hover above the skyline Red Yellow. Blue
Arms waving slow, delicately searching Preying Mantis
No matter how many Pennies we throw at them, We must run Far from home
Haiku Buffet
NORMA B. | JAN. 3, 2024
What is empathy? It is your pain in my heart How do you show it?
What is a true friend?
Someone who’s there for others In their time of need
Turbulent waters
Difficult times stress and strain. Who will stop the rain?
To make a true friend
Be the friend you’d like to have Be kind and listen
Happy, average, sad Emotions run high daily
Leaves you feeling drained
Pediatricians
Care for our children and teens
Until age 18
Unbelievable
Life situations can be Exhilarating
Discrimination Is detrimental to ALL Affected by it
Individuals Stand out as one of a kind
A community
Intimidating A scary situation
Feeling all alone
Representative
Someone who speaks for others
Giving them a voice
Sophisticated
Elegant, refined, fancy
Not regular folks
Irresistible
Desire that won’t fade away
With each passing day
Appreciated
Recognized for what we do
Rare in today’s world
THEME: FILL-IN-THE-BLANKS
72. Hurly burly
73. Immeasurable period
74. Raja's wife
1. Oftentimes, poetic abbreviation
2. *"Welcome to the ____"
3. Cough syrup balsam
4. Not slouching
5. Assigned a chore
6. Worry
7. *"I'm walkin' on ____"
8. Old-time calculators
9. Ringo Starr's instrument
10. Ambience
11. Bridge, e.g.
12. Kept together
15. *F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Beautiful and the ____"
20. Possible allergic reaction
22. *"What's ____ is new again"
24. One thousand tons
25. *"____ like no one is watching"
26. La Scala solos
27. Fundamental
29. *"____ is like a box of chocolates"
31. Madrid's Club de Fútbol
32. Kenyan warrior
33. Dined at home
34. *"Jump the ____," what Fonzie did
36. 100 cents in Ethiopia
38. *"No ____ for you!"
42. Previously an Oiler
45. In no manner, archaic
49. Skin cyst
51. Bear pain
54. Quick and light on one's feet
56. Deserved consequence
57. *"You're gonna need a bigger ____"
58. Jason's vessel
59. Use a book
60. Japanese zither
61. Involved (2 words)
62. Demeanor
63. Ready and eager
66. New, prefix
68. *J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the ____"
Street Paper Got a Buck?
A dollar or two, Not much to you, But it meant a lot to me. I bought a phone card. Called my family. Grabbed myself a bite to eat. Money to do my laundry. Spare change for someone in need. All because your path crossed me, For a paper sold on the street.
So, I said a prayer for you today. When you bought a paper, God brought you, my way.
“Thank You,” May be all that you hear me say, But God Bless your steps I pray.
A simple act of charity. What you get back, When you share with me. More than just a little, Something to read. It’s the something that’s missing, You know you need. It’s God watching out, For you and me, Through a paper sold on the street.
So, I said a prayer for you today. When you bought a paper, God brought you, my way.
“Thank You,” May be all that you hear me say, But God Bless your steps I pray.
Now, it’s probably not a good, Get Rich Quick Plan. Standing on a corner, With papers in hand. Doing what we’re both, Supposed to do.
Pray for me, And I’ll pray for you. We all want, World Peace and Harmony. Let it start right here, With you and me, And a paper sold on the street.
So, I said a prayer for you today. When you bought a paper, God brought you, my way.
“Thank You,” May be all that you hear me say, But God Bless your steps I pray.
I’m doing the best I can. What you see is what you get. I’m trying real hard to stand, And I haven’t let it beat me yet. I’m struggling to make ends meet, And hoping there’ll be enough. Trying to survive the street, And looking for a little Love.
Do you Got a Buck?
Can you share it?
Do you got a dollar to give? When you show me that you care, You’re helping me to live.
I don’t have a lot to offer, But I’m out here every day. I wish I could do more, But this is the only way.
Do you Got a Buck?
Can you share it?
Do you got a dollar to give?
A Lion showed mercy to a Mouse, Even though he thought, The Mouse could never help him out.
A couple days later, When the Lion was snared. He sure was glad that Mouse was there. Chewed through the ropes, You know what they say. A little bit of kindness goes a long, long way. I’ll bet you can guess how the story ends. The two of them became the Best of Friends.
Now, every little thing you do. Every kindness that you show. God’s watching over me and you, And there’s nothing, He doesn’t know. You never will find forever, Till you help somebody else. Make their life a bit better, And you end up helping yourself.
Do you Got a Buck?
Can you share it?
Do you got a dollar to give? When you show me that you care, You’re helping me to live.
I don’t have a lot to offer, But I’m out here every day.
I wish I could do more, But this is the only way.
Do you Got a Buck?
Can you share it?
Do you got a dollar to give?
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015
HOBOSCOPES
SCORPIO
The leaves change colors, Scorpio. They just do. They fall off the trees and then they come back when they’re ready. You can’t stop it if you try. If your favorite thing is when everything is green and full, that’s great! It’s not that way right now, but it’s going to be again. If your favorite thing is when everything is red and yellow and piling up and blowing around, well, I’ve got good news! But also bad news, because this can only last so long. And if you like those bare branches and trees you can see right through, well, your time is coming, but you have to go through this with the rest of us. Because things change. They just do.
SAGITTARIUS
Apparently zebras have excellent eyesight. I would guess it’s because the eyecharts on doctors office walls don’t usually have Zs until the 6th or 7th row down, and, naturally, zebras are always on the lookout for Zs so they’ve got to keep those eye muscles in good shape if you want to focus on the most Zs. It reminds me, Sagittarius, that sometimes the thing we see the most of is the thing we’re looking for. When you’re looking around lately and all you see is the worst, try thinking of the thing you’d like to see instead. Now start looking for that.
CAPRICORN
When you took driver’s ed, did the instructor's car have that thing where there was another brake pedal on the passenger side? How do you get a car like that, Capricorn? I mean, theoretically, if I was in the passenger seat and you were driving and I thought it was a good time for you to stop but you just had your foot down on the accelerator, wouldn’t it be nice if I could maybe just ease on the brake and slow things down a little. I guess that would be pretty jarring for the driver in a non-educational setting, but I was just wondering if you thought it was a good idea. Maybe you should pull over up here and we can talk about it?
AQUARIUS
You’ll wait for a clear, moonless night, Aquarius. Actually, first you’ll go to Puerto Rico and then you’ll wait for a clear, moonless night. There’s a specific bay in the northern part of the island where you’ll take a kayak after dark and every time your oar moves through the water you’ll see a greenish glow. When you look closer you’ll realize the water is full of countless tiny lights. Each one is a type of bioluminescent plankton that lights up when the water is agitated by a kayak, an oar, or your hand in the water. It’s a pure and rare experience of natural wonder, Aquarius. But if you can’t go all the way to Puerto Rico, just wait for a clear, moonless night and find a place to look up at the sky. The stars are the phytoplankton of the sky, I always say. And there is wonder to be had if you’ll look for it.
PISCES
I’d love to come to your party, Pisces, but I’m afraid to drive at night. I mean, I’m not always afraid to drive at night, but it’s just that last month I realized I had a headlight out. I know, it’s just a headlight and it shouldn’t be a big deal. I went and bought a bulb last week, but I’ve been really busy and I never put it in. And then yesterday I realized the other headlight had burned out too. Now I’ve got two dead headlights and just one bulb and you know how I am with decisions, Pisces. So for now I’m only driving when the sun’s out which seems like less and less these days. Decisions are hard, but sometimes you just have to pick one.
ARIES
I think of you in that house where you grew up. You changed so much while you lived there. Year after year you got taller and smarter and more capable. And then you moved away, Aries, and you learned all kinds of new things and tried different ways of being and you became the person you are now. But I still think of you in that house. And how you changed and where you’ve gone. And I wonder why you think things aren’t gonna change anymore. Surely this is the new permanent state of things, right? But think about that house and remember that change is going to keep happening. You might think that sounds scary, but I can’t wait to see what’s next.
TAURUS
So who do we blame for all this, Taurus? There are so many things in the world that aren’t the way I wish they were. In fact, my phone is mostly just a little machine that tells me all about the things I wish were different than they are. And since you’re just one tiny person and I can’t control any of those things, it would be nice to have somebody to blame. And you’d be right. I mean, those things aren’t your fault. But blaming abstract forces and distant leaders is exhausting. For a few minutes today, work on something you love. Reach out to somebody you care about. Do something that gives you energy. And if you have a moment where you realize that you feel better, that’s when you bring out the gratitude. It might be the antidote for blame.
GEMINI
Hot air balloons are back, Gemini! They’re big, they’re beautiful, they light up the night sky and this time, they’re not backing down. It’s gonna be a glorious new age of low-passenger, high flamboyance air travel. There are still a few kinks to work out, like your commute to work could now be anywhere from 8 minutes to 6 hours, depending on which way the wind is blowing. But that’s all part of the charm, Gemini. You’ve just got to plan in some extra basket-time and bring a book. You’ll probably be great at that, Gemini, since you’ve been floating around and being unsure where to land for a while now. If you decide not to get
Mr.
a hot air balloon, Gemini, I hope you’ll at least choose your next starting place. Remember, you can always try something else later. Dirigibles are gonna be huge in 2027.
CANCER
I’m so impressed by your openness to new experiences and your willingness to help the people you meet, Cancer, that I’m almost reluctant to say anything. But just in case nobody else has mentioned it, I’ll be the voice of caution. I don’t want you to be afraid of anybody or anything. But I want you to take care of yourself. If you’re giving more than you want to give, take a step away. You get to decide how much of you is up for grabs.
LEO
It’s been a little lonely on my phone lately. For the past few months I’ve been getting lots of texts asking me to give what I can and telling me how important it is to make my voice heard. I never responded to any of them, but they just kept coming. I thought I was annoyed, but now that they stopped texting, I just feel sort of empty. Like what if my voice doesn’t matter anymore? What if I don’t have anything that anybody wants? So I decided my strategy of never replying wasn’t really working for me. Maybe if you’re not hearing from anybody lately, it’s a good time for you to reach out. Let people know that you value them and want to hear their voice.
VIRGO
When do we set our clocks back, Virgo? Wait, you already did? What do you mean it’s only 4:55? I left work an hour ago! It always takes me a few days to adjust to the new way of doing things. Especially since I replaced the clock on my phone with this pocket compass and sun-dial. I appreciate how on top of this you are, but I know there are a few things you’re behind on as well. Let’s both make a list of all the things we still need to get done and then we can meet up to talk them over. I’ll come by around 7:30 your time.
LIBRA
I was going to write you a really extensive summary of your astrological destiny. I was going to include a lot of details about the specific places you should invest your time and the names of the people who you can really trust to build you into the person you were born to be. But after I sat down in this Panera Bread booth and got out my laptop to put you on a new journey of self-discovery, I realized I left my charging cord at home and my battery is down to 4%. So unfortunately Libra, you’ll just have to settle for the advice that the cashier gave me when she handed me my empty drink cup. “If you skip the ice, you can get more drink in the cup.” Keep an eye out for anyplace you can skip the ice this week.
The New Christian Year
Selected by Charles Williams
Charles Walter Stansby Williams (1886–1945), the editor of the following selections, is today probably the third most famous of the famous Inklings literary group of Oxford, England, which existed in the middle of the 20th century, and which included among its ranks the better-known and longer-lived Oxford Dons J.R.R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis—but he was arguably the most precocious and well-read of this eminent and intellectually fertile group. He was also known to have influenced Dorothy Sayers, T. S. Eliot and W. H. Auden. Lacking a proper degree unlike his fellow Inklings, this genius Cockney-speaking author, editor, critic, and playwright was eminently well-versed in both philosophical and theological writings of the remote past as of the present day (the mid-20th century) and used this familiarity to good effect in his poetry, supernatural fiction and his lesser-known devotional selections designed for the spiritual benefit of the faithful in the Church of England. This series of profound quotations, encompassing all walks of life, follows the sequence of the themes and Bible readings anciently appointed for contemplation throughout the church's year, beginning with Advent (i.e., December) and ending in November, and reaches far beyond the pale of the philosophical and theological discussions of his day. It was under his hand, for instance, that some of the first translations of Kierkegaard were made available to the wider public. It is hoped that the readings reproduced here will prove beneficial for any who read them, whatever their place in life's journey. — Matthew Carver
24th Wednesday after Trinity
ALL the Trinity wrought in the Passion of Christ, ministering abundance of virtues and plenty of grace to us by him: but only the Maiden's Son suffered: whereof all the blessed Trinity endlessly enjoyeth.
Juliana of Norwich: Revelations of Divine Love
MY me is God, nor do I know my selfhood save in Him.
St Catherine of Genoa: Life
24th Thursday after Trinity
GRACE is only the type of glory, for it is not the ultimate end. It has been symbolized by the law, and itself symbolizes (glory). But it is the type of it, and the origin or cause.
Pascal: Pensées
THE tree lies as it falls; it is true; but yet it is not the last stroke that fells the tree; nor the last word, nor the last gasp that qualifies the soul.
Donne: Sermons
24th Friday after Trinity
IT is part of righteous living not to stand in fear of things which ought not to be feared . . . In order that no kind of death should trouble an upright man, the cross of this Man had to be set before him, because, of all kinds of death, none was more execrable, more fear-inspiring than this.
St Augustine: Questions
GOD compasses us with songs of deliverance, we are sure he would not leave us; but he compasses us with cries too, we are afraid, we are sure, that we may drive him from us.
Donne: Sermons
24th Saturday after Trinity
THEY used to say that one of the old men asked God that he might see the fathers, and he saw them all, with the exception of Anthony; and he said unto him that showed them to him, "Where is Anthony?" And he said unto him, "Wheresoever God is there is Anthony."
The Paradise of the Fathers
NOW therefore, my children, abide in peace, for, behold, Anthony bringeth his journey to an end, and he goeth whither Divine Grace shall bring him.
St Athanasius: Life of St. Anthony
KEEP us, Lord, so awake in the duties of our callings that we may sleep in thy peace and wake in thy glory. Donne: Sermons
Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Trinity
ALL is best, though we oft doubt
What the unsearchable dispose
Of highest wisdom brings about
And ever best found in the close.
Oft he seems to hide his face
But unexpectedly returns
And to his faithful champion hath in place
Borne witness gloriously, whence Gaza mourns, And all that band them to resist
His uncontrollable intent.
His servants he with new acquist
Of true experience from this great event
With peace and consolation hath dismissed And calm of mind, all passion spent.
Milton: Samson Agonistes
25th Monday after Trinity
THEREFORE since a certain created wisdom was created before all things, the rational and intellectual mind of that caste cry of thine, our mother, which is above, and is free, and eternal in the heavens (in what heavens, if not in those that praise thee, even the heaven of heavens? because this is also the Heaven of Heavens made for the Lord):—though we find no time before it (because that which hath been created before all things, precedeth also the creature of time) yet is the eternity of the Creator himself even before it; from whom that, being created, took beginning: not beginning of its time (for time was not yet in being) but of its creation.
St Augustine: Confessions
25th
Tuesday after Trinity
AND since that Christ saith that no man hath more love than for to put his life for his friend's, this blessed hanging of Christ on the cross is that high charity that God loved man in, and this charity is the Holy Ghost . . . There be many witnesses and reasons to the Trinity, but this manner of love is more plenteous and more profitable to men; and therefore Christ saith it thus, and thus each man should rule all his life after this Holy Trinity, for else he must fail. Look first that he be grounded in stable beginning, and then that he proceed in gracious mean, and then that he end in fullness of charity, and then his life is ensampled after the Trinity. Wycliffe: Sermons.
25th Wednesday after Trinity
WHAT is that which shines through me, and strikes upon my heart without hurting it? And I shudder and kindle: shudder, in as much as I am unlike it; kindle, in as much as I am like it. It is Wisdom, Wisdom’s self which thus shines into me; even breaking through my cloudiness: which yet again overshadows me fainting from it, under the gross fog and heavy load of mine own punishment.
St Augustine: Confessions
THEN also thou shalt so rest in us, as thou now workers in us: and so shall that rest be thine, through us; even as these works are thine through us. But Thou, O Lord, dost work always, and rest always too.
St Augustine: Confessions
25th Thursday after Trinity
THE qualities of the devil and all fallen angels are good qualities; they are the very same which they received from their infinitely perfect Creator, the very same which are and must be in all heavenly angels; but they are an hellish, abominable malignity in them now, because they have, by their own self-motion, separated them from the light and love which should have kept them all glorious angels.
William Law: An Appeal
25th Friday after Trinity
WHETHER I eat or drink, or whatever else I do, the dreadful trumpet of the last day seems always sounding in my ears: Arise, ye dead, and come to judgement.
Attr. to St Jerome by Alan Butler: Life of St Jerome
OUR critical day is not the day of our death, but the whole course of our life: I thank him, that prays for me when my bell tolls; but I thank him much more, that catechizes me, or preaches to me, or instructs me how to live.
Donne: Sermons
Sponsored by Matthew Carver, publisher
24th Saturday after Trinity
IT is very dangerous to go into eternity with possibilities which one has oneself prevented from becoming realities. A possibility is a hint from God. One must follow it. In every man there is latent the highest possibility, one must follow it. If God does not wish it them let him prevent it, but one must not hinder oneself. Trusting to God I have dared, but I was not successful; in that is to be found peace, calm and confidence in God. I have not dared: that is a woeful thought, a torment in eternity.
Kierkegaard: Journals
AN old man was once asked, “How is it that thou art never dejected?” And he said, “Because each day I hope to die.”
The Paradise of the Fathers
Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity
SO just as a good mariner when he draws near to the harbour lets down his sails, and enters it gently with slight headway on; so we ought to let down the sails of our worldly pursuits, and turn to God with all our understanding and heart, so that we may come to that haven with all composure and with all peace. And our own nature gives us a good lesson in gentleness, in so far as there is in such a death no pain, nor any bitterness; but as a ripe apple lightly and without violence detaches itself from its bough, so our soul severs itself without suffering from the body where it has dwelt.
Dante: Convivio
OUR wills are quiescent in the nature of love; here love is fate; and in this blessed being all our wills are held in the divine will, where all are made into one will; and his will is our peace.
Dante: Paradise (abridged).
26th Monday after Trinity
IT is a great mystery of divine love, that not even in Christ was exception made of the death of the body; and although He was the Lord of nature, He refused not the law of the flesh which He had taken upon Him. It is necessary for me to die, for Him it was not necessary.
St Ambrose: On the Death of Satyrus
WHEN the last time has arrived, and in the hour of death thou art lonesome and forsaken, thou wilt desire, as the very last thing in the world of which thou no longer art a part, thou wilt desire what to-day thou dost desire.
Kierkegaard: Christian Discourses
26th Tuesday after Trinity
WHAT Tophet is not Paradise, what brimstone is not amber, what gnashing is not a comfort, what gnawing of the worm is not a tickling, what torment is not a marriage bed to this damnation, to be secluded eternally, eternally, eternally, from the sight of God?
Donne: Sermons
ALL that we shall say and sing in heaven will be of his passion. Even our glory in heaven, at last, is not principally for ourselves, but to contribute to the glory of Jesus Christ.
Donne: Sermon at Lincoln’s Inn
Sleep apnea — I’ve had it since I was a teen or earlier. Why did it take me to age 63 to actually get help?
The reason might be my age. Although I had inflamed tonsils as a child, no one thought to look for obstructive sleep apnea. I had frequent nightmares, dreams of falling which jolted me awake, uncontrollable daydreaming, and an inability to respond assertively in stressful social situations. This led to monthly tantrums that lasted all day. These might’ve been personality problems, but really they might’ve been due to a lack of proper oxygen at night.
My sleep doctor says that many cases of ADD and ADHD are linked to sleep apnea in children and undiagnosed adults. I have lived alone for many years. Part of this is because I was such a dragon in the morning that I chased away several potential mates! I just couldn’t be awake for a couple of hours.
I have been in a household where everyone’s bedrooms were very separate. Occasionally, someone would make a joke about my snoring. This was never thought of as a serious problem by anyone, including me. As I went through menopause, though, I dreamed I was in a regular bed when I was actually in a loft, and I slid out of the loft and down to the first floor and broke my wrist.
It wasn’t until I hit my late 50s that the problem started to really drag me down. I couldn’t concentrate, I was going in circles, my dear friend told me that I was not tracking what she said or remembering things. Even though I had nine months at a very nice part-time job with the parks, I never could come up to speed or really learn the tasks I needed to. I lost that job due to an inability to really “get it.” I suspect I was micro napping in between sentences. (Don’t worry though, I now have a job with far fewer hours that I can handle really well, especially since I now have a sleep machine.)
I started to worry about dementia. Then another dear friend slept in the
The Spooky Side of Sleep
BY FREEPRESSGMA, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
same room with me after a party. But the problem is, she couldn’t sleep! She said I was yelling and talking in my sleep, tossing, turning, snoring very loudly, and was very restless in bed and she couldn’t sleep. She recommended I look into that. It took me over a year and a half to actually get it together to go do that.
I suggest that if you suspect someone you know of sleep apnea, take their hand and make an appointment for them and go with them to the doctor.
The person with sleep apnea may not be able to actually do this for themselves. They may be doing absolutely as much as they can every day and that limit is much lower than other people’s limits.
A lot of doctors want to prescribe something for the person for a symptom they are having, rather than looking for a root cause such as inadequate sleep!
None of my doctors ever decided I needed a sleep study. I had to insist on one. Still, no doctor took me seriously. Finally, I was prescribed a psychiatrist. She helped me get the correct dosage to get my depression fully under control. Because of that, I had hope that she might listen to me in other ways. My psychiatrist listened carefully to what I had to say, and because she is knowledgeable, she agreed to arrange a sleep study for me. Otherwise, I might still be spitting in the wind.
My sleep doctor interviewed me and was the one who diagnosed the structural sleep apnea problem. She also stated that many illnesses and depression and physical breakdown of tissue could happen from sleep apnea. She said it could even lead to death. That really woke me up! Pun intended.
Now that home sleep studies are available, it is not as difficult to get a sleep study approved by your insurance company. Or even by a clinic.
So, homeless people, isolated people, single people, and low income people may need extra assistance in getting this type of help to really get down to the root
cause of their problems.
The first morning after getting a sleep machine, I actually woke up after eight hours of sleep (instead of 9 to 12), and was fully awake. I was cheerful, active, and had no trouble remembering what I needed to do to get ready for my day. After a week or so, I was able to make other appointments for other health conditions, which might actually be related to sleep apnea! But anyway, they need to be looked at.
After a month, people remarked that I look beautiful, that they could see a huge difference in me. I noticed that I can see very clearly, I am focused, I notice details, the blue circles under my eyes are turning skin colored instead of blue, and my mood is far more stable. My memory is improving. Even things that I couldn’t remember when I was supposed to be learning them are coming back to me fairly clearly now. It is as if they were buried somewhere. Grief that has disabled me for years is easing.
My back pain and muscle pain is down by maybe 70 percent. I still need to stop after three or four hours and lie down, but those lie-downs are pretty brief: 20 to 60 minutes.The back and muscle pain is no longer something I have to grit my teeth through until my shift is over. No ibuprofen is allowed in combination with my medication.
And I often don’t sleep. I just relax. I still need naps occasionally, but I am no longer the perennial napper. After childhood, I never quit napping. Daily. My college friends used to wake me up in the student lounge before class. They felt compassion toward the fact that I struggled to wake up in the afternoon. And in the morning for that matter. Perhaps afternoon compulsive napping is also a symptom of sleep apnea.
Let me say that I was always considered a bright student. I did not struggle with weight problems until my 30s, was at my ideal weight all through my 40s and 50s, and generally was perceived as
intelligent, capable, and potential leadership material. I never was able to come up to that. I think it was because of this condition.
In my opinion, other symptoms to look out for: nicknames such as space cadet, scatter, loony (or behind their back: ghost, spooky, flake, incompetence king, etc). Blue circles around the eyes, “laziness,” somnolence, sudden energy ups and downs. Checkered and unpredictable performance at work or sports. Mysterious itching and burning skin. Swelling, weight gain not due to a change in other habits, despair, withdrawal from social activities.
If you feel irritated at this person for, “not coming up to their potential,” this might be because they can’t actually get there because the person isn’t getting enough rest.
The inability to recover from grief — the kind that lasts years and years — could be because they aren’t able to do what other people are able to do — sleep it off. Think about it. We say, “time will heal,” but isn’t it really the number of times you get to sleep?
The literature does not imply anything as serious as what I feel I have gone through. I feel the internal organs, brain function, depression, muscle spasms, spinal degeneration and the inability to perform at my best at work and in relationships are far more consequential than what the medical literature states. My whole life path has been one big struggle, which has included homelessness due to poverty. If the symptom had been caught early in my life, I think that would’ve been different. But I suppose it is never too late to, “be alert to the prime of my life, whenever that happens to appear!
For more information or to take a self diagnostic test, try this resource: https://www.americansleepmedicine. com/locations. They are located in Nashville and Franklin. They are compassionate, take ObamaCare, and are very friendly people.
arubenfeldlaw.com
Thursday, Dec. 5th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Benefiting homeless ministries outreach.
The $15 ticket includes:
ABBY R. RUBENFELD Attorney at Law
202 South Eleventh Street Nashville, Tennessee 37206
Telephone: (615) 386-9077
Facsimile: (615) 386-3897
• Waffles, along with grits, a choice of Hattie B’s Hot Chicken or Puckett’s country bacon, or turkey hash made from the original Waffle Shop recipe, and a choice of Frothy Monkey Coffee or spiced tea
• A free guided tour of the church’s beautiful historic Egyptian Revival sanctuary and an organ recital with an opportunity to participate in singing Christmas carols
• Shop at the church’s gift shop which includes homemade baked goods and other holiday merchandise such as festive tins filled with Goo Goo Clusters
• A chance to bid on wonderful items at the Silent Auction such as luxury hotel stays, sports tickets, and more
Purchase tickets online at: dpchurch.com
Tickets will increase to $20 the day of the event.
Free parking for patrons at Nissan Stadium and free shuttle service provided by Old Town Trolley
Address: The Downtown Presbyterian Church 154 Rep. John Lewis Way N.
Event Sponsors:
Low waters and high weirdness in Caddo Lake
M. Night Shyamalan is having a moment on the small screen: his love-it-or-hate-it thriller, Trap, has just hit digital platforms after only one month in theaters; and the Shyamalan-produced Caddo Lake has become a slow-burn streaming hit. Caddo Lake is set in a tight-knit community living and working in the Louisiana bayou. Paris is slowly pulling his life together following the death of his mother who inexplicably drove her car off of a bridge and into the titular lake. Ellie is a teenager whose family lives on the water. Her already-strained home life gets thrown into chaos when her younger stepsister goes missing. The separate story lines play like character studies in some somber family drama, and it’s the film’s swampy realism and down-to-earth performances that keep this tale of grief and loss grounded when the fabric of reality of life on the lake threatens to come apart at the seams.
After Ellie's stepsister Anna vanishes near
BY JOE NOLAN, FILM CRITIC
the enigmatic lake, Ellie sets out to search for her. She wanders along the lake where the water has receded, but when she returns home she’s shocked by an unexpected surprise. Desperate and confused, Ellie goes back to the lake knowing that her sister’s disappearance is connected to something bigger and weirder happening under the water. Paris works as a roughneck removing an old pipeline from the serpentine waterways of Caddo Lake. Odd things start to happen: he loses his hearing momentarily, and finds his mother's old necklace tangled in the propeller of his boat motor. Ellie and Paris' paths eventually cross, and their mutual journey uncovers long-buried secrets, bringing to light the hidden forces at play around Caddo Lake.
Dylan O’Brien is one of those actors who has the necessary appeal of a romantic lead balanced with a look and manner that make him totally believable in the everyman role of the quiet, wounded Paris. You believe him
when he hits a pipe with a wrench, and you believe him sharing a heart to heart with his estranged girlfriend, Cee. Cee is played by Diana Hopper — a throwback beauty who delivers one of the film’s many strong performances. Eliza Scanlen plays Ellie. Some viewers will recognize the Australian actress from the HBO miniseries Sharp Objects. Scanlen seems a little too old for the role — she’s actually 25. But she’s such a talented actress that I found myself just giving her the benefit of the doubt and suspending my disbelief. The rest of the cast is equally convincing, delivering the script’s thoughtful, spare dialog with the quiet dignity it deserves.
Caddo Lake is co-written and co-directed by Celine Held and Logan George. I’m not exactly sure how the pair collaborate behind the camera, but everything in front of the lens feels like a singular vision saturated with quiet tone, populated with believable characters, and brought to life with the best kind of
understated acting. The production is strong across the board with cinematographer Lowell A. Meyer filling his frames with spooky views of the wild beauty of bayou country, and flourishes from the costume department who get just the right amount of grime on Paris's trucker hat, and exactly the right kind of wear on the collar of his faded denim jacket. It’s a movie brimming with creative integrity and that’s not something I’d readily assume from a picture that ultimately reveals itself to be a supernatural thriller. Caddo Lake is elevated genre fare that delivers otherworldly chills wrapped in smart, sumptuous cinema.
Caddo Lake is streaming on MAX
Joe Nolan is a critic, columnist and performing singer/ songwriter based in East Nashville. Find out more about his projects at www.joenolan.com.
