Fall
Breathe. . . Sometimes the best thing you can do is not think, not wonder, not imagine, not obsess. Just breathe and have faith that everything will work out for the best. –Unknown
This is excellent advice for this moment in 2024. For the last four weeks we have been ambushed by political ads. As if life hasn’t been stressful enough, we have just lived through the most heated election in the history of our great nation. As our publication is being sent to print, the outcome of the presidential election is still undecided.
Regardless of the outcome, I will choose to be grateful and continue to be thankful for having the opportunity to live in our great country. I want to say thank you to all of the Veterans who have served to make our nation great.
Thank you for supporting the advertisers who make The Grand Season possible. Remember, small businesses are the heartbeat of our community.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Melissa Whitton Editor/ Associate Publisher
THANKFULNESS
Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.
William Arthur Ward
I am happy because I’m grateful. I choose to be grateful. That gratitude allows me to be happy.
Will Arnett
Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.
Henry Van Dyke
Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.
John Milton
Gratitude helps you to grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you.
Eileen Caddy
Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.
Henri Frederic Amiel
Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.
Zig Ziglar
Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.
Melody Beattie
Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.
Karl Barth
Answers on pg. 44
1. Which is the least populated state?
2. Which character on “The Office” has a heart attack during a fire drill?
3. Why is Delaware’s nickname The Diamond State?
4. Which children’s book features the characters Tweedledee and Tweedledum?
5. What is the capital of The Bahamas?
6. What is the name of the villain in “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”?
7. Which unit measures food energy?
8. What is a group of swimming ducks called?
9. Where does the pop group name The Bee Gees come from?
10. What irrational fear is represented in the condition called globophobia?
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Are you new to Medicare? Unsure how health insurance will work? Receiving Medicare & Medicaid? Thinking about retiring? Recently moved? Paying too much for prescriptions?
FLASHBACK
Answers on pg. 36
1. Who had a hit with “Mr. Big Stuff”?
2. Deborah Cox is best known for which song?
3. Name the duet that Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer released in 1979.
4. Where did Guns N’ Roses get its name?
5. Name the song that contains this lyric: “Oh, I could hide ‘neath the wings of the bluebird as she sings, The six o’clock alarm would never ring.”
Big
The Statue of Liberty wears a size 879 shoe.
Golf legend Jack Nicklaus earned his nickname, the “Golden Bear,” thanks to his size and blond hair. Conveniently, it was also the name of his high school mascot.
“Horizontal refreshment” was a 19th-century slang term for sex.
The term “mortician” was invented as part of a PR campaign by the funeral industry, which felt it was more customer-friendly than “undertaker.” The term was chosen after a call for ideas in Embalmer’s Monthly.
Sorry, Scotland: Persians invented bagpipes.
It would take 76 workdays (if you work an eight-hour day) to read every online privacy policy you agree to in an average year.
Walt Disney World is the second-largest buyer of explosives in America, following only the U.S. Department of Defense, but don’t worry— most of them are in the form of fireworks.
Harriet Tubman was the first woman to lead a U.S. military raid.
Marie Curie remains the only person to earn Nobel Prizes in two different sciences.
Instead of mowing the lawn, Google rents goats to eat the grass at its headquarters.
1. Is the book of 2 Timothy (KJV) in the Old or New Testament or neither?
2. From Luke 6, what did Jesus tell His disciples to do to those who cursed them? Smile, Walk away from, Laugh, Bless them
3. What instrument did David play for Saul that caused the evil spirit to depart? Drum, Harp, Tambourine, Flute
4. From John 3, who lifted up the serpent in the wilderness? Paul, Peter, John the Baptist, Moses
5. What horrible things did Ezekiel see filling a valley? Serpents, Locusts, Dry bones, Demons
6. Who was the father of James and John? Zebedee, Nahum, Haggai, Hizkiah
ANSWERS: 1) New 2) Bless Them 3) Harp 4) Moses 5) Dry Bones 6) Zebedee
Jesse Olmedo, MD
James Barlow, MD Victoria Phan, PA-C
Brigitte Sledge, DO
1. Name the wide receiver who threw a 43-yard touchdown pass for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their 21-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL. (Hint: He played quarterback for the Indiana Hoosiers.)
2. In pickleball, the non-volley zone extending 7 feet from either side of the net is known by what common household name?
3. Defenseman Don Sweeney played 1,051 games from 1988-2003 with what NHL team? (Hint: He was named general manager of this team in 2015.)
4. All 87 crew and passengers— including 22 athletes, trainers and doctors from the U.S. amateur boxing team—perished in March 1980 when their plane crashed while attempting to land in what country?
The Boston Bruins.
DINING GUIDE
Dinner and a Movie!
LOVE HELPFUL HABITS
Enhance your relationship today.
Giving thanks for and with your spouse is one of the most significant habits you can build into your marriage. Gratitude is an essential ingredient in any relationship, but it takes intentionality and time to put into practice.
Being grateful can become a way of being, and that carries immense power to sustain and enhance a relationship when authentic. When you approach marriage each day with thanksgiving, choosing together to see abundance rather than scarcity, relational satisfaction rises. Here are a few specific ways gratitude can strengthen and protect your marriage.
Gratitude helps you remember the reasons you first fell in love with our spouse. Stating words of appreciation for precious times together and beloved qualities in one another sparks memories of particularly rich seasons that can sustain commitment during harder seasons.
Gratitude increases love, fun, and forgiveness. Study after study confirms that individuals who consistently give thanks are more likely to experience positive emotions and
satisfying interactions. The same is doubly true for marriage. When two people are committed to seeing and appreciating life’s gifts together, their perspectives change and broaden—anxiety tends to lessen, and shared enjoyment increases.
Gratitude enhances sex. True mutual thankfulness deepens a couple’s emotional bonds, which inevitably fosters a more intense physical connection. Affirmation creates a safer space and a more tender connection.
Gratitude creates a mutual cycle of appreciation. It’s simply human nature that when a person feels appreciated, they’re more likely to state appreciation
for others. Practicing gratitude in marriage can have a snowball effect, because as one partner expresses thanks and affirmation, the same more naturally flows from the other. Occasional small thanks can lead to a whole and underlying culture of gratitude.
Gratitude softens criticism. Harsh words sting, and can easily have the power to tear down confidence in a marriage. When words of affirmation and gratitude become consistent and integral in a relationship, they slowly lay a foundation of trust that cushions the blow of harsh words.
Beetlejuice” (PG-13)
Thirty-six years after Michael Keaton first stunned audiences with his performance as the titular green-haired jokester in the classic film “Beetlejuice,” Keaton dons his striped wardrobe once again for a sequel you don’t want to miss! Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara reprise their respective roles as Lydia and Delia Deetz, but this time, the original cast is joined by scream queen Jenna Ortega (“Wednesday”), Monica Bellucci (“Spectre”), and Willem Dafoe (“Kinds of Kindness”). With improved visual effects and compelling storylines, this sequel is just as entertaining as, if not more than, the original! Out now to rent. (Apple TV+)
UnderNew Ownership
Gratitude may
1. Savor. Slow down! Stop, breathe, take notice and delight in the present moment. Let yourself get excited about little things. Cultivate tiny moments of joy and notice those times when they spontaneously happen.
2. Plan experiences. What can you plan this season that will make your holidays more memorable? Be purposeful about planning and creating special experiences, and you will reap the rewards.
3. Play music. Listening to music can make us feel more alive. When you play music that resonates with you, it heightens your senses and gives you a greater feeling of awe and reverence for life.
4. Make a highlights list. What are your standout experiences for each month of this year? Capture those in a simple list. You will experience more gratitude as you recall special experiences, trips and treasured memories.
5. Take the focus off you. Do something nice for someone else that is totally unexpected. Happy acts for other people give you a sense of contentment, too.
HOLLYWOOD HAPPENINGS
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Who is the new Superman? It’s 31-yearold David Corenswet! He’s best known for the films “Affairs of State,” with David James Elliot (“JAG”), Mimi Rogers (“Bosch”), and Adrian Grenier (“Entourage”); “Pearl” (2022); and “Twisters” (2024). “Superman” also stars Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) as Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo (“Licorice Pizza”) as Jimmy Olsen, and Wendell Pierce (“The Wire”) as Perry White. Added to the mix is Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor and Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern. “Superman” flies into theaters on July 11, 2025.
Nicholas Hoult also stars in Clint Eastwood’s new film called “Juror No. 2,” releasing this month Hoult stars as a juror in a high-profile murder trial who is horrified by the possibility that he may have inadvertently been responsible for the murder he’s in the jury box for. Toni Collette, J.K. Simmons, Chris Messina and Keifer Sutherland co-star.
FLASHBACK
1. Jean Knight, in 1971. While Knight toured for years, she never did release another chart topper.
2. “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here,” released in 1998. It won the Soul Train Award for Best R&B Single that year.
3. “No More Tears (Enough is Enough).” The song ended up in several versions, 4-minute, 8-minute and 11-minute lengths, depending on where it was used.
4. It came from when two bands combined: L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose. It was easily done since several members of both groups were roommates.
5. “Daydream Believer,” by The Monkees, in 1967. Lead singer Davy Jones once said that he’d been annoyed while singing the song and that his bad mood could be heard. Nonetheless, the song topped the Hot 100 chart and stayed there for four weeks.
FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS
YOU THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT
1. Dishwashers.
2. Netflix’s holiday specials.
3. Parents—because no matter how old you are, they can still solve any problem.
4. Holiday recipes that have been passed down through the family for years.
5. Roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pie, and all of the fall flavors.
6. The best friend you can call after months apart and pick up right where you left off.
7. Friendsgiving—the chance for two Thanksgiving dinners.
8. Pillows.
9. Quirky traditions that make your family special.
10. The local farmer’s market.
11. Pints of ice cream.
12. The coziest spot in your house.
13. Delivery food.
14. The presents you have hidden away, knowing they will make your loved ones so happy.
15. Friendships, new and old.
16. The snooze button.
17. Sweatpants. And elastic waistbands.
18. Caller I.D.
19. Laundry machines.
20. Sunday afternoons with coffee and a good book.
21. Coffee. Coffee. Coffee.
22. Wine. Wine. Wine.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
AAA SENIOR PLACEMENT AZ
A Message from Sue Royer
“I was born and raised in inner city Chicago, the sixth of eighteen children with fifteen brothers. Being the oldest daughter, I was always a caregiver which I believe influenced me to pursue work in the healthcare industry. Today, I have three daughters and five grandchildren.
Years ago, I volunteered for hospice and knew immediately that helping seniors was my calling. I was soon employed by hospice but I felt something was missing. I realized it was the limited time I was able to spend with my clients. Having my own business allows me to provide the intimate hands on service needed in our community. I am committed to our seniors throughout their lives and I thank the community for the opportunity to serve.”
Sue RoyerDirector
About Us
Since 2002, AAA Senior Placement AZ has been offering FREE services helping seniors find safe, affordable and loving assisted living.
When it becomes too difficult for you or your loved ones to safely manage daily living and/or manage medical needs, call Sue Royer for help navigating the many options available.
We are specialists in all levels of assisted living care resources with referrals to Arizona’s best:
• Group Homes
• Assisted Living Communities
• In-Home Primary Care Physicians
• Home Health Care Therapy
• Transportation
• Private Duty In-Home Care
• Respite Care
• Alzheimer’s Care
• Memory Care
• Hospice
• Support Groups
Assisted living resources accepting:
• Private pay
• Arizona Long Term Care-ALTCS
• Medicaid
• VA Benefits
6 Reasons You Should Call
AAA Senior Placement AZ
• We are well known and respected in the medical community.
• All clients are given a thorough assessment to determine proper placement needs.
• There is never a fee charged to the senior or their family for our service.
• We are NOT contractually bound to any outside business. This allows us to serve our clients with only their interests in mind.
• Years of knowledge and experience in the field of senior care.
• AAA Senior Placement AZ is family owned, allowing us to give you quality, personalized service.
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