Author Archives: claudiajustsaying

Counting Jelly Beans 101 for Baby Boomers

Posted on by

8

CANDYLOGOsat“Don’t spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door. ” 
    Coco Chanel

The YouTube video “The Time You Have in Jelly Beans” has more than four million views and rightly so. The author, Zefrank 1, demonstrates visually how we spend time using jelly beans and the voice of Sad Cat Diary Guy explains the math. The message is effectively communicated, and the end poses provoking questions:

  • What are you doing with your time?
  • How much time do you have left?
  • What if you had half that amount?
  • What will you do with it?
  • What are you going to do today?

In order to answer the questions I did the math, you know multiplication, division and percentages, and it is complicated for Baby Boomers. The statistics are based on a life expectancy of 79 years or 28,835 jellybeans, minus 5,475 jelly beans for the formative years, leaving 23,360 jelly beans to divvy up among must do activities.  This is the breakdown. 

Activity                                   Jelly Beans                    Percentage of time

Sleeping                                  8,477                                      36%

Work                                        3,202                                     13%

TV Watching                            2,676                                     11%

Food, etc                                  1,635                                        6%

Chores                                       1,576                                       6%

Community Service                     720                                        3%

Attending others                           564                                       2%

Personal Care                                671                                       2%

These activities account for 83% of our time, leaving 3,839 beans to spend as we like. The message is clear; it is not a lot of jelly beans so spend them carefully.

Most Baby Boomers have about 5,110 jelly beans left; many are retired, so add the 13% previously allocated to work, to the 17% already designated to the area of do what you like, and life looks exciting, until you do the math.

It is not as difficult as the “New Math” of the 1980’s but it is tricky and there is a learning curve. Here is an example:

Retired, Dave has 5,110 jellybeans left, of which he plans to use 1533 for fun. He is invited to play pickle ball, and with the first serve falls, shatters his hip, and undergoes surgery. He now has a metal pin. How many jellybeans does Dave have remaining for leisure activities?

Please leave your answer in the comment section.

                                                                                          . . . . just saying 

You’ll enjoy this post,Ten Surprises Your Body Has in Store for You

.

Pickled Carrots

Posted on by

6

GE DIGITAL CAMERA“Why have sour grapes when you can eat pickled carrots?”

Who knew Pickled Carrots are popular?

Sorry, it is not a metaphor for a political rant or observation on life (as in sour grapes); it is a carrot recipe, as pickled cucumbers are pickles.

 The food item was recently a topic of conversation on Mostly Martha.

Martha Stewart interviewed Caroline Fidanza, owner of restaurant “Saltie” and the title of her cookbook. They talked about pickled carrots and her other business venture, the Gotham West Market Place.

Gotham is a new “food hall” in New York City between the theater district and Hudson River Park .  It sounds like an incredible food experience that can be read about at dailycandy.com.

Although Martha lists several recipes on her site, I chose Caroline Fidanza’s recipe, it was easy, quite delicious and an alternative condiment.

Pickled Carrots

1/2 cup sugar ( diabetes substitution, 1 tbsp sugar & 5 packets of equal)                                                                   

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup white or apple vinegar

3 large carrots julienne or shredded

Marinate carrots 30 minutes at room temp or refrigerate over night. Blanch carrots if you want a little less crunch in your carrots.     

Why pickled carrots? Well, today is Sunday and the one pound I lost last Friday has not come back . . . yet!

. . . . just saying

 

GE DIGITAL CAMERA                                                          

Happy Passengers At Wrong Airport

Posted on by

3

imagesWhat, Me Worry?
Mad Magazine, Alfred E. Newman

“How Could That Happen?” I say aloud, but really talking to myself.

Mr. Wonderful* replies somewhat distracted, “How could what happen?”

He is lounging in his favorite sunny spot on the couch doing the New York Times crossword puzzle with an ink pen. I sit nearby, viewing a you tube video on my laptop.

“How could an airplane land at the wrong airport?”

“I haven’t a clue,” he says mimicking Brad Hawkins, a spokesperson for Southwest who said, “There is no explanation.”

Evidently, wrong airport landings happen.

In this particular incident the pilot brought the plane to a screeching halt to avert falling onto the interstate.

Brad announced that Southwest would refund tickets and provide future travel credit, whatever that means.

Passengers, waiting for bus transportation to the right airport, smiled and called the pilot a hero.

How could Southwest make this blunder? I love Southwest; there are no fees for checking luggage, or to change a flight. Plus, on the flight home from Albuquerque New Year’s Day, the flight attendant sang to us.

“Whatever happened to air traffic controllers? Don’t they tell pilots when and where to land. Remember, when Regan threatened to fire all of them, did he?

“Claudia, that was in 1981, they’ve probably been replaced with technology.”

“Like a GPS or Bluetooth.”

“I haven’t a clue. What’s a six letter word for gabardine?”

“Fabric, that’s what happened.”

“What’s what happened?”

“Technology, automation and pilots forgetting how to fly, there are two articles online. Do you think the pilot was texting or taking a selfie, maybe he fell asleep like the conductor of that Metro-North Train?”

“That conductor is not being charged; neither drugs, nor alcohol were involved and falling asleep isn’t a crime.”

“Not even if you’re driving a train?”

“Guess not, the investigation of the wrong airport thing should be interesting.”

“Technology is to blame; those stupid voice commands don’t work. You know what happens when we use it. We say phone Janine, and the Blue Tooth repeats, ‘phone Judy’.  We say no, it says ‘phone Janice’, we yell louder NOOOOOOOOOOO Phone JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJanine. The automated system phones Judy. We disconnect and try again. This time the commands say press one to phone Judy, press two to phone Janice and Janine isn’t in the mix. We hang up, grab the cell, and dial Janine’s number. I’m sure that’s what happened to the pilot.”

“Right Claudia, you’re right, you’re always right.”

“No think about it, replace Janine with airport code BKG, Judy with MGC and Janice with KBGB and you’ll see what I mean. The pilot’s ‘automatic pilot’ kicked in and he landed the plane without any annoying automation.  No worry it was the wrong airport, the passengers were happy.”

. . . . just saying  

*Mr. Wonderful is my husband of 43 years.

Upworthy and Conflicted

Posted on by

3

ICanHazMeaningCat500Picture from Upworthy/ Core message; I have meaning.

Have you heard about Upworthy? Neither had I until Eli Pariser, its founder, was interviewed on CBS News . It is one of those social media websites, but different. Pariser categorizes his website as “a social media with a mission.” If you see someone dancing in their underwear it will be to draw attention to a meaningful topic, i.e., pollution, going green, health care, etc.

I am intrigued but conflicted. Conflicted about time; the time it will take to search and read about this new website. Today, I have six plus hours to write, since Mr. Wonderful is out of the house playing golf. You are right, six hours sounds like more than a game of golf, and when asked about another woman. Mr. Wonderful says, “Another woman would be cheaper.”

Back to writing, I could turn What is Upworthy? into a post, but planned to write about another New Year’s Resolutions, to stand up straight.

Curiosity wins and I do a search, conflicted about going off task versus living in the moment. What the heck, I am retired.

Upworthy is not a newspaper and does not report news. You watch videos like the one of Jennifer Livingston  responding to a WKBT viewer email about her weight. The viewer criticized Jennifer as obese and not a proper role model. The world joined her retort that he is a bully. The video originally posted on Upworthy went viral.

David Carr, a writer for the New York Times, labels Upworthy a “news aggregation site.” The word means accumulating, joining, or combining and its founder agrees.

Pairser says, “At best, things online are usually either awesome or meaningful, but everything on Upworthy.com has both.”  He believes Upworthy is:

  • sensational and substantial
  • entertaining and enlightening
  • shocking and significant

His staff, a  ragtag group of ruffians, fact check all posts/videos and Pairser claims their audience consists of “people who care about the world, but don’t want to be bored.”

The CBS interview was positive. Charlie Rose asked about the market for real news and Pairser made an analogy to the vegetable Brussels-sprouts, commenting; media portrays meaningful news as undesirable but essential. He thinks there is a craving for substantial news and believes Upworthy has no empty calories.

I like Brussels-sprouts.

Now that I know what Upworthy is, what good is it?

Well it is an informative media. I watched several videos and although not entertained, not bored. John Green gave a passionate eight minute rant about health care and sounded knowledgeable. Viewers cannot comment on Upworthy, but can like on Facebook and Twitter, and tweet or comment away.

So that was my day. I did attempt to change my theme for this blog and after one hour settled on changing the background color to amber, which is another New Year’s resolution, add color to my life.

. . . . just saying

P.S. I’ve been jumping around every day this week and haven’t lost one pound. Tomorrow is Friday. Also, please like me on Facebook and follow me on twitter, both at claudiajustsaying.

Thanks

2014 Weight Loss Resolution

Posted on by

8

GE DIGITAL CAMERA

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”   Lao-tse  

   Here we go again; the number one New Year’s resolution is to lose weight, unfortunately only eight percent of those making the intention succeed. That means ninety-two percent or almost everyone fails, and I am one of them. It was my resolution last year, the year before and the year before that; to lose the five pounds gained in retirement. Granted it is not the freshmen fifteen but I am not eighteen either. Mr. Wonderful, my husband of 42 years, says, “You’re not really overweight.” My response, “Yea and that’s the way I want to keep it.” Besides not really overweight is equal to, not really smart or its counter not really stupid. His comment does not make me feel better. My pants are tight, and please do not suggest I wear pants with an elastic waist. I am philosophically opposed to the fashion concept.

You may think losing five pounds for someone my size is easy, but it is not. In order to lose one pound a week I need to cut my caloric intake by 500 calories a day or eat 25% to 30% less than I now consume. What typically happens is that I am “Good” on weekdays and take off the pound, but it comes back over the weekend. On Monday I face the same old challenge.

Consequently, to meet success in 2014, I have consulted a professional personal trainer, my brother, Victor. He reinvented himself in retirement and has his own business, VB Fitness(vicboylhart@gmail.com), with a catchy tag line; “Stay Fit With Vic.” The Silver Sneakers flock to him. Vic’s advice, “Sis, you can cut calories to lose weight OR increase activity and people who want to lose more have to do both.”

Vic explains, “walk one mile, lose one hundred calories. Take any amount of time to do that but the faster you walk the less time you need to burn calories. That is why people run.” Vic can lose a pound in 6 point something minutes.

But Vic, “I do not run, my boobs shake, but I walk several times a week for about 30 minutes and exercise with Miranda Esmonde-White’s The Classical Stretch routine.”

Vic smiles and says, “That’s the problem you’re burning calories not fat. You have to sweat and exercise 40 minutes or longer, sweating clears the body of toxins. ”

But Vic, “I don’t like to sweat! How about I change my resolution to; I’m not going to gain five pounds.”

Mr. Smarty Pants response is to do jumping-jacks, he is right.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends:

  • Adults participate in at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity physical activity to prevent significant weight gain and reduce associated chronic disease risk factors. For most adults, this amount of physical activity is easily achieved in 30 minutes/day, five days a week.
  • Overweight and obese individuals will most likely experience greater weight reduction and prevent weight regain with 250+ minutes/week of moderate-intensity physical activity and reducing calories.
  • ACSM also recommends strength training as part of this health and fitness regimen, to increase fat-free mass and further reduce health risks.

Consequently the way for me to lose weight is; give up wine, give up cookies, and jump around until I sweat. I love my cookies with coffee as an afternoon snack and seriously, sweating is highly over rated.

   Place your bets!

. . . . just saying

 

 

Christmas Spirit

Posted on by

20

photo-1Photo by Marshal Bradley

 May the Christmas spirit bless you and your family

Mr. Wonderful and I are headed to Albuquerque, NM to spend Christmas with our son and his family. Our daughter will fly from New York to join us. We had the same plan last year that unfortunately did not happen, because Bob had emergency surgery.

Although still recovering from pancreatic surgery in July, Bob was feeling good when he printed our boarding passes the morning of December 24th.

We were packed and ready to fly. However within an hour Bob, screaming from pain, was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with a perforated bowel. Surgery was scheduled for 5:30PM, and I was told to wait in radiology. The door could be locked, there was a TV and telephone. I was instructed to answer the phone should it ring.

The hospital was closing.

I am blessed to have many dear friends, one of them, Pat, came (bringing the most delicious turkey sandwich) to be by my side, and stayed until the doctor appeared to say my husband was in recovery.

Christmas Eve 2012 is one we will not forget. It was near midnight when I left the hospital, and hearing the door lock behind me, looked up to enjoy the most beautiful stars in the sky surrounded by silence and crisp clear air.

Yes, we are heading to Albuquerque and though there are no guarantees, are looking forward to spreading lots of cheer. We are extremely grateful to family, friends, and the kindness of strangers. I am especially thankful for all my readers. Thank you for making the time to read my posts, you make a difference in my life.

Merry Christmas,

                                                      Claudia . . . . just saying

 

Related articles

 

Presents Vs Presence

Posted on by

10

 lg-metta-meditationAging & Attitude

   Recently a local newspaper article titled, “Presence of Mind” and subtitled “Meditation can help cope with stressful holiday season,” caught my attention. Struggling with holiday gift shopping, and guilty of not buying on Brown Thursday, Black Friday or Cyber Monday I started reading.

   The Zen Master immediately captured my heart defining the Metta method and saying; sitting on the floor is optional, and that a popular meditation spot is a bathroom stall. The Metta method teaches love and compassion for yourself first, and then sending the message out into the world. I have tried to meditate, and couldn’t stop the nagging intrusive thoughts from running around by head. Remember Julia Roberts in “Eat, Pray, Love,” well I read the book, and sitting for hours on a cold hard floor does not work for me. Occasionally I find a quiet place to sit and repeat, love, peace, joy endlessly, hoping a mantra will push out negative thoughts about the Valentine flowers I did not receive in 1982. It does not work.

A Buddhist concept, the Metta method was originally instituted to aid terminally ill people, and has gained a following in  other meditation circles because of the positive effects, simple techniques and easy transition.

Benefits

  • Minimize Stress
  • Improve healing
  • Learning about and training the mind

Two Simple Techniques

  • Grounding – Giving attention to the body’s current position
  • Orienting – Awareness of surroundings and knowing exits

Easy Transition

  • Mind is the sky
  • Thoughts are the  clouds

The article recognizes that when meditating, “you see things, the ideas that cause stress,” and thoughts about finding the perfect gift, and its credit card debt are counterproductive to the joy we hope to create. Recognizing what is on your mind is the first step to eliminating stress and being present for loved ones, enjoying the holidays. The point is well made that although Christmas is about presents, your presence may be a gift alternative.

So, thoughts about running over the driver who beat you to the last parking spot at the mall, can become clouds afloat in your mind. Ask yourself, “how important is this?” and you will gain new perspective and see your anger drift away.

Once rid of those dark clouds, put some happy thoughts in your sky by repeating;

May I be happy. May I be well. May I be safe. May I be peaceful and at ease,

   Then send the message to others by replacing the I with you and say;

May you be happy. May you be well. May you be safe. May you be peaceful and at ease.

   Happy Holidays!

. . . . just saying

Related articles

Faulty Thinking

Posted on by

4

portrait-of-a-mandarin
                     “That the birds of worry and care fly over your head, this you cannot change.
                                      But that they build nests in your hair, this you can prevent.”

                                                                                                  Chinese proverb

   The fiftieth anniversary of JFK’s death, and the infringement on the Thanksgiving holiday by retail has me pondering. Yep, noodling, contemplating, and ruminating about life. Americans are busy shopping and have forgotten Kennedy’s words, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what can you do for your country.”

What is happening in America?

Why trash Thanksgiving? There are 363 other days to shop.

Black Friday, I selected two ornaments hung on a community Christmas tree requesting gifts for children. The child’s name, age, item requested, and instructions, were typed on the paper Christmas bulb. Michael, a seventeen year old, hopes to receive earphones and Timber, a sixteen, pants and a top. Children’s Home Society of Florida sponsors the gift giving event.

I drove to Old Navy and selected several items for Timber, however, the line looked to be two or three hours long so left. People had wagons full of clothing.

What is happening to America?

We are not keeping up with the Jones, we are stepping over the poor, to bash the entire family on their heads.

Nevertheless, polls show people are more dissatisfied and most believe the next generation’s future is bleak. Fifty percent of Americans say “No!” when asked, “Are you better off than you were four years ago?”

Regan raised the question debating Carter in 1980 and won the presidency. Consequently, politicians and media believe the inquiry is a barometer on how to get elected. Unfortunately, Romney shot himself in the foot asking the question. The advertisement showed a white, most likely stay at home Mom, polishing a granite counter top, with custom drapes hanging in the dining room. The woman looked “better off” to me and definitely “better off” than others are. Guess it depends on defining better off, and who is to blame if you are not.

I call this faulty thinking. The focus is on who is at fault, not fixing problems.

Republicans smile and point their finger at entitlements. Democrats respond, “The people are starving,” and Republicans counter; “Let them eat cake.”

However, there is another type of faulty thinking that also is of concern, attaching events to the wrong outcome.

The Health Care debacle is a recent example of this type of thinking. Obama is to blame for a program that will not work and fingers point at him as not trustworthy because he said, “Americans will be able to keep their health care.” There is no mention of congress and insurance company foul play, talk about trustworthy.

I am reminded of a ten-year old who thinks his parents divorced because he did not floss his teeth. It is true his parents fought about his flossing, but they fought about everything. They had no resolution skills and did not get along and then there were the affairs.

Regardless, the kid never did floss, and now an adult suing his dentist because he has gum disease. Rumor is he is running for office and needs the money.

. . . .just saying

Tips From Readers

Posted on by

7

GE DIGITAL CAMERA        Recycle Covers to Birthday Cards

Reader Tips

Aging & Attitude

   Ever struggle to untangle a knotty necklace wondering; how does this happen and chastising yourself for not being more careful? Well never again, Barbara Decker, a USA Weekend magazine  reader, has a tip;

   “To get a knot out of jewelry or untangle a fine necklace chain, pour table salt in a small saucer, drop the item in the salt and take a round toothpick and work out the knots by maneuvering the toothpick.”

To eliminate clutter, Peggy McDaniel’s of West Berlin, New Jersey, saves only the page instead of the entire catalog when your fingers do the shopping. Someone else suggested turning opened jars stored in the refrigerator up-sided down to allow air to circulate underneath the food extending its shelf life.

I thought the suggestions genius, and wondered about other reader tips I might be missing, so I went searching online and found some good advice.

Money Smart Family has a solution for removing carpet stains that resurface. Use a mixture of:

  • 2 ounces Hydrogen Peroxide (3% – brown bottle from drug store)
  • 1 ounce Dish Soap (blue original)

Instead of buying Windex type of window cleaners, they suggested using car windshield washer. It costs less than $2.00 for a gallon. Pour cleaner into a refillable spray bottle and save plastic.

Browsing travel tips I found this interesting comment about packing toilet paper when traveling internationally; “The roll will compress more if the inner tube is removed — an old backpacking trick!”

Other Travel Tips Worth Mention:

  • If you need directions, stop in at a pizza restaurant that delivers. The delivery people really know their local area.
  • Pack necklaces by threading them through a straw. Straws are an easy to come by at fast-food restaurants and coffeehouses.
  • Don Mankin from Venice suggestion; Bitters. I carry 3 ounces, which is excellent if you have flatulence on a plane. (Can we assume you drink the bitters?)

Here are my personal tips:

1. To make tearing plastic and foil wrap easy, secure the tube in place by pushing in the circles on both ends of the box.  Most boxes have this feature.

GE DIGITAL CAMERA      GE DIGITAL CAMERAGE DIGITAL CAMERA

2. Write down you license plate number and keep the information handy, preferably in your wallet. If your car is stolen or you forget where you parked, the police don’t have that information.

GE DIGITAL CAMERA

3. Save the front of greeting cards and write a  note to loved ones or your grocery list.

4. Cut off the end of a mostly empty tube of hand cream to remove all  cream left in the container.

GE DIGITAL CAMERA

  My favorite tip was about  apologizing, there was some real sound advice here. It never occurred to me that saying, “Sorry I’m late, traffic was heavy,” was not enough. A simple sorry is about the injurer and excuses, not the injured and their feelings. The best apology focuses on the other person and might say,”I’m sorry, you had to wait.”

In the past when Mr. Wonderful* was kept waiting I would say, “I’m sorry, it’s a bad hair day and nothing looked right, I changed outfits five times and then had to hang the stuff back up . . . it’s exhausting,”

It did not address his feelings, and he could not “let it go” and stayed angry.

Now I know. In the future, when I keep Mr. Wonderful waiting, will say something like, “I know my being late triggers your entire Catholic school experience, but that was more than fifty years ago. It’s 2013, get over it!

. . . just saying

*Mr Wonderful is my husband of forty-two years.

Where Were You on November 22, 1963?

Posted on by

12

250px-Kennedys_arrive_at_Dallas_11-22-63_(Cropped)

Aging & Attitude

I was in Windham Ashland Jewett high school opening up my locker, and Juliette Judd came running down the hall screaming, “the President has been shot, the President is dead!” There were thirty-five students in my freshman class and Juliette was one of them. My mother referenced the Judd family as uncouth, and her loud raucous behavior confirmed the label. She was scrawny, and had large protruding teeth and scraggly hair; a real character, but you had to love her. Her brother, Timmy Judd, taunted my brother, Victor, into daily after school fights at the Blue Moon Cafe. When I said to Victor, “Don’t go to the Blue Moon!” He answered, “Don’t be stupid.” This went on until Timmy Judd was beaten.

I remember following Juliette through the empty halls to the office where the silence was deafening, then riding the school bus home in quiet. The television remained on during the days that followed, and my younger brother, Matthew, sat hunched on the floor in front of the set to watch. Occasionally one of us older kids would adjust the rabbit ears for better viewing. On Monday, Matthew asked me to come with him to see what he had built. Outside the kitchen door were three crosses protruding from the soft November ground. I was fifteen and speechless but attempted to comfort the five-year old, thinking, If only I could.

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of President Kennedy’s death and a 2013 AP poll shows more than 59% of those polled still believed more than one person was involved in the President’s murder.[7][8] 

“Turning Point” an AARP magazine article by Bob Schieffer, describes the assassination as the beginning of change. Schieffer defines the time as “the weekend America lost its innocence.” Where was Bob Schieffer on November 22, 1963? He was a twenty-six year-old reporter for his hometown paper, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Circumstances allowed him to interview the mother of Lee Harvey Oswald and the scoop pole-vaulted his journalistic career. It is an interesting article and the magazine invites readers to share personal accounts.

The focus for the past fifty years has been on why, where, who, and what, and the reason Kennedy went to Dallas pretty much forgotten. He never gave his speech to the Dallas Trade Mart and today the speech is called the  Unspoken Speech.

The speech exemplifies leadership and examines the country’s role in world peace and ends by saying;

   “My friends and fellow citizens: I cite these facts and figures to make it clear that America today is stronger than ever before. Our adversaries have not abandoned their ambitions, our dangers have not diminished, our vigilance cannot be relaxed. But now we have the military, the scientific, and the economic strength to do whatever must be done for the preservation and promotion of freedom.

   That strength will never be used in pursuit of aggressive ambitions — it will always be used in pursuit of peace. It will never be used to promote provocations — it will always be used to promote the peaceful settlement of disputes.

   We in this country, in this generation, are — by destiny rather than choice — the watchmen on the walls of world freedom. We ask, therefore, that we may be worthy of our power and responsibility, that we may exercise our strength with wisdom and restraint, and that we may achieve in our time and for all time the ancient vision of “peace on earth, good will toward men.” That must always be our goal, and the righteousness of our cause must always underlie our strength. For as was written long ago: ‘except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain’.”

Dallas never got to celebrate the President and struggled to honor his memory appropriately. Fortunately, two British expatriates, Cliff Simmn and Peter Wood, have taken on the task of helping the Dallas Community  remember the President with the Unspoken Speech Project. Seven films creatively capture the essence of Kennedy’s assassination on Dallas and the nation.

Sunday, November 10th.The National Geographic Channel will recognize the fiftieth anniversary with a film adaption of the book “Killing Kennedy” by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugards.

As the day approaches, we will all be remembering where we were.

. . . just saying

Related articles