Prime june 2014

Celebrating Midlife and Beyond

June 2014Prime

What’s inYOUR Attic?

10 Tips for Grandparents

of Toddlers

• Shrimp and Onion Kabobs • Grandkids on a Dude Ranch• A Different Kind of “Empty Nest” • Uncle P’s Rolling Store Comes to a Halt

Tip #8: Choose Simple Toys

June 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com

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www.primemontgomery.com | June 2014 33

Editor’s Notes

Quick Reads

Yard ‘n GardenA Different “Empty Nest”

Grandkids & HorsesMulti-generation Vacation

A Gracious PlentyShrimp Kabobs

In Every Life Elder Abuse

Money Wi$e Delaying decisions can be good

Tinseltown Talks Mr. Nice Guy: Don Rickles

10 Toddler Tips (for Grandparents...)

Medicare Resources for Caregivers

Social Security Don’t let dad go phising.

Puzzles

Medicare Q&A Ambulance Services; Opt-out Docs

Measles Among Us

Moving Free Red Purse & Health Care

Prime VintageAged wine book reads good

Prime Diversion June DVD Reviews

Calendar of Events

Off the Beaten Path Uncle P and the Rolling Store

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8

10

13

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15

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18

22

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If you’re the grandparent of a toddler, these ten tips offer practical advice - written from the heart by the mother of a toddler - on making everyone’s life easier while enjoying the thrill of grandparenthood as you help your grand-child grow and learn.

June 2014 Table ofContents

Grill these delicious shrimp kabobs on a charcoal or gas grill and add our ginger mango dipping sauce. (A Gracious Plenty, page 13).


June 2014Prime



of Toddlers



June 2014 | www.primemontgomery.com4

EDITOR’S NOTE

If you’re 50+ and on Facebook, become a fan of PRIME Montgomery!

4

PrimeMONTGOMERY

June 2014 Vol. 5, Issue 3

PUBLISHERBob Corley, [email protected]

EDITORSandra Polizos, [email protected]

ART DIRECTORCallie Corley, [email protected]

WRITERSAndrea Gross, Kristen Sturt

CONTRIBUTORS

Tina Calligas, Niko Corley, Mark Glass, Mirabai Holland, Kylle’ McKinney,

Bob Moos, Arlene Morris,Lynette Morse, Nick Thomas,

Alan Wallace, Dave White

PHOTOGRAPHERIrv Green, 123rf

SALESBob Corley • 334-202-0114,

[email protected] McFarland, • [email protected]

Prime Montgomery7956 Vaughn Road, #144

Montgomery, AL 36116 • 334-202-0114www.primemontgomery.com

ISSN 2152-9035

Prime Montgomery is a publication of The Polizos/Cor-ley Group, LLC. Original content is copyright 2014 by The Polizos/Corley Group, LLC., all rights reserved, with replication of any portion prohibited without written permission. Opinions expressed are those of contribut-ing writer(s) and not necessarily those of The Polizos/Corley Group, LLC.Prime Montgomery is published monthly except for the combined issue of December/January. Information in articles, departments, columns, and other content areas, as well as advertisements, does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Prime Montgom-ery magazine. Items relating to health, finances, and legal issues are not offered as substitutes for the advice and consultation of health, financial, and legal professionals. Consult properly degreed and licensed professionals when dealing with financial, medical, emotional, or legal matters. We accept no liability for errors or omissions, and are not responsible for advertiser claims.

Toddlers are experiencing one of the many mobility milestones they will encounter, and master,

as they progress from dependence to independence. The end result of these various milestones is them driving away to college, barely two years with a license, their car piled dangerously high with clothes, computer gear, musi-cal instruments, toilet paper, a laundry basket and gosh knows what else. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.

At the toddler stage they’re no lon-ger dependent on parents, grandpar-ents, aunts and uncles for their move-ment from point A to point B. Or, put another way, from point where-they-were, to point where’d-they-go! They are walking, maybe a bit wobbly at first, but definitely under their own power. And the power of that mobility brings smiles and grimaces from one instant to the next.

Like toddlers everywhere, our granddaughter has the ability to walk, soon to run, toward whatever she wants, whether it’s a ball, the twitching tail of the family cat, an old grape that’s been hiding under the table for a week, or a pair of scissors left on the coffee table. They’re young, they’re unknowing, they’re naive , but you’d be mistaken if you think toddlers don’t know they have us, at least the grandparents, in the tiny palms of their tiny little hands. Just watch as they amble toward another room, or around a corner, turning to see if: 1) we’re following, or 2) we’re going to tell them not to go there.

Our own children, now 31 and 27, approached the toddler stage rather abruptly. One minute they were crawling, quickly, but not too fast to be nabbed if headed for, say, our black Lab’s food bowl. Then, as if a switch had been thrown, they were racing around the house like their pants were on fire, darting around corners almost too fast to catch. At first, just climbing into an adult-size chair was sport enough, bringing them immense satisfaction for having scaled Mount Everest without a guide, water, ropes or oxygen. Climbing over the rail of the baby bed was another mobility milestone.

This particular milestone startled me and my husband awake in the middle of the night when the thud of a body on the carpet snapped us to attention. Before we realized what had happened, around the corner comes our toddler, shaking off the fall, ready to climb into bed and spend the night with mom and dad. But that’s another story.

While toddling has its downside - they can move, quicker than you might think, toward danger - the mobility independence they’re exerting manifests itself in many more small, but delightful ways.

Standing in the kitchen one evening preparing dinner, my husband was playing with our granddaughter in the den. Or so I thought.

“You’ve got company,” he said.Before I could turn, a pair of toddler arms wrapped around my legs and

hugged with all their might. That upturned face, angelic, innocent, was all I needed to delay dinner. Some things just have priority.

A child calling out for your attention is one thing, but when your toddler - child or grandchild - under their own power, seeks you out to express the toddler-equivalent of “I want to be with you,” that act of mobility independence, targeting you alone, is enough to keep thoughts of cars and college away for another day.

Sandra PolizosEditor


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QUICK READS Lack of Emotion, Interest May Signal Brain Shrinkage

Older people who have apathy but not depression may have smaller brain volumes than those without apathy, according to a new study published in an online issue of Neurol-ogy®. Researchers noted that just as signs of memory loss may signal brain changes related to brain disease, apathy may also indicate underlying changes.

For the study, 4,354 people without de-mentia, average age of 76, underwent an MRI scan. They were also asked questions that measure apathy symptoms, which include lack of interest, lack of emotion, dropping activities and interests, preferring to stay at home and a lack of energy.

The study found people with two or more apathy symptoms had 1.4 percent smaller gray matter volume and 1.6 percent less white matter volume compared to those who had less than two symptoms of apathy. Gray mat-ter is where learning takes place and memo-ries are stored in the brain. White matter acts as the communication cables that connect different parts of the brain. If these findings are confirmed, researchers hope identifying people with apathy earlier may be one way to target an at-risk group.

Artificial BloodFactories of blood are the stuff of science

fiction, however, researchers from the Wellcome Trust report that they have created red blood cells fit for clinical transfusion.

The production of artificial red blood cells de-rived from stem cells that have been made from an adult donor’s skin or blood on an industrial scale could become a reality once a clinical trial is conducted in patients in 2016 or 2017. The blood would consist entirely of Type O negative blood, which can be trans-fused into any patient.

This man-made blood would also be free of possible infection. Early findings indicate that this may be the first time anyone has manu-factured red cells to the appropriate quality and safety standards for transfusion into a human being.

Osteoporosis and Sleep ApneaA diagnosis of obstructive sleep

apnea may raise the risk of osteoporosis, particularly among women or older individuals, according to a new study published in Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

Sleep apnea is a condi-tion that causes brief inter-ruptions in breathing during sleep. Obstructive sleep ap-nea, the most common form, occurs when a person’s airway becomes blocked during sleep. If sleep apnea goes untreated, it can raise the risk for stroke, cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.

When sleep apnea periodically deprives the body of oxygen, it can weaken bones and raise the risk of osteoporosis. The progres-sive condition can lead to bone fractures, increased medical costs, reduced quality of life and even death.

Researchers found the incidence of osteoporosis was 2.7 times higher among patients with sleep apnea than their counterparts, after adjusting for age, gender, other medical problems, geographic location and monthly income.


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Yo u r E y e sare

historyE Y EF A C T S

• Heredity plays a role in certain types of Glaucoma.

• Ask relatives, including parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles,about Eye Problems within your extended family.

• Discovering your Eye History will alert our doctors to a potential problem.

Yelling at Your Spouse? Check Your Blood Sugar

New research from Ohio State University shows that lower levels of blood sugar may make married people angrier at their spouses and even more likely to lash out aggressively.

In a 21-day study, research-ers found that levels of blood glucose in married people, measured each night, predicted how angry they would be with their spouse that evening. At the end of the 21 days, people who had generally lower levels of glu-cose were willing to blast their spouses with unpleasant noises at a higher volume and for a longer time than those who had higher glucose levels.

The study shows how one simple, often overlooked factor – hunger caused by low levels of blood glucose - may play a role in marital arguments, con-frontations and possibly even some domestic violence. Blood glucose levels can be brought up most quickly by eating carbo-hydrates or sugary foods. It even has a slang term: “hangry” (hungry + angry).

Take Care with Skin LotionsA new study appearing in the Journal of the American

Academy of Dermatology has found that lotions with corticosteroids or antibacterial creams can cause more harm than good if you have eczema. The study found people with atopic dermatitis, or eczema, were more likely than people without eczema to have an allergic reaction to certain ingredients in topical products including a rash or red, itchy, swollen skin, sometimes with blisters.

The allergens in the study that caused the reactions were cosmetic preservatives called formaldehyde releasers. Formaldehyde releasers are designed to take

advantage of the bacteria-preventing benefits of formalde-hyde while bypassing the chemical’s adverse effects, such as skin irritation and the possibility that it may play a role in

cancer development.The researchers suggest that people who have

eczema avoid skin-care products containing the fol-lowing formaldehyde releasers:

Quaternium-15Imidazolidinyl ureaDMDM hydantoin

ssss2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol Diazolidinyl urea

— Johns Hopkins Health Alert


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YARD ‘N GARDEN

With an aching heart I drove up Zelda Road to run errands. My daughter was off to college leaving me in an empty nest. What could possibly be a

consolation? As I waited at the red light it suddenly struck me: I could convert my backyard into a wildlife habitat. By the standards of the National Wildlife Federation [see nwf.org/backyardhabitat] my garden was halfway there already: plenty of ever-greens for cover, privacy and nesting; berries and flowers for food and pol-len, so birds, bees and butterflies were making a good living. The garden was also chemical-free - no pesticides or herbicides - and I was trying my hand at composting.

In the years since my own empty nest, I’ve added a birdbath, a water dish on the ground, and a series of very successful native plants such as cone-flowers, black-eyed susan, asclepias (butterfly weed) and bee balm. They like it at my house since they naturally belong in this area. My “hide” - where I can watch animals with-out being seen - is transparent acrylic with reflective film. It’s a source of fascination for visitors as we drink coffee and watch the wildlife go by.

Slowly the creatures have come to stay. Incredibly, they made it through the recent hard freeze winter. When you leave the leaf litter on the ground, it not only gives them shelter from the cold, but eventually it will be converted into soil and feed the trees, which is what Mother Nature intend-ed for deciduous trees. Loose rocks and brush piles also make great shelter for critters.

To help them through the cold I hung a suet brick for the insect-eating birds,. My wren couple was around all winter, hugely appreciative of the suet. While outside working in the garden I could hear them calling to each other constantly – “Where are you?” “I’m here” again and again.

They inspected the backyard systematically every day. One of them hopped into the Florida room under the screen curtain and presumably found enough inside to make his daily foray worthwhile. I assume he was a male, because what female would be so rash?

One day he ventured in while I was standing by the door. He was shocked to see me, but he was nothing if not feisty, and I spoke to him softly – I like to believe this calmed his nerves. It was a comic encounter, me the giant, looking down at this tiny bird staring up at me. He didn’t leave, and we

became besties. But tragedy struck when I went away for a few days and closed the door. Somehow he squeezed in but couldn’t get out. When I returned there was a tiny dead wren on the floor. After that, working in the garden, my heart would ache as I heard the female wren calling, “Where are you?” but there was no reply. Another empty nester.

And then after a while, it struck me: she’s on eHarmony, looking for a date. I have no doubt what she’s saying.

“Young attractive Carolina Wren female seeks suitable male to share habitat. Eco-friendly garden with plenti-ful biodiversity and all modern bathing facilities. Soil is natural and great for the food chain. No lawn mowers or bushwhackers. No cats. Humans seem compliant. Come live with me and be my love and we will all the pleasures prove….”

She ran this for several weeks, and this morning had a reply. What

joy!In the rain, in the pond

today, two frogs were locked in a clammy

embrace. This spells tadpoles!

More joy! Quite a lodge I have here!

Never a dull moment.

Lynette Morse is a Master Gardener with the Capital City Mas-ter Gardener Association. For information on becoming a master gardener, visit the website, www.capcitymga.org or e-mail [email protected].

Filling An Empty NestBy Lynette Morse


FEATURE

The sign says we're entering para-dise. I'm skeptical. The six of us — my husband, myself, our son,

daughter-in-law and their two children — are about to spend a week at a top-rated guest ranch. Back in December when we made the reservations, we all agreed this would be a perfect experience for our in-tergenerational group, but now I’m having second thoughts.

We're city-folks through and through; better at driving four-lane highways than riding four-legged creatures; more familiar with walking through manicured parks than hiking on canyon trails. And we're used to plucking fish from market show-cases, not from mountain streams. But here we are, on a mountain road in north-central Wyoming.

We round a curve and I catch my first glimpse of Paradise Guest Ranch. It's in a valley surrounded by more than a million acres of Bighorn National Forest. With the hills awash with wildflowers it's breathtak-ingly beautiful. Then I see the corral, and I feel a rumble in the pit of my stomach. The kids — aged nine and six — have never been on a horse; the rest of us have a combined total of, perhaps, ten hours of horseback-riding experience. Will we be the only novices in a group of experts?

The answer becomes clear the next morning when we go to the stables for our first horseback ride. Everyone else is wearing a cowboy hat or riding helmet.

Finding a

By Andrew GrossPhotos by Irv Green

Home on the Range

www.paradiseranch.com


We, on the other hand, are decked out in baseball caps and bonnets. Oh, dear!

We exhaust the first wrangler when he tries to take us out on the trail. Grandson can't make his horse move. Daughter-in-law’s horse goes backwards when she pulls too hard on the reins. I can't make mine stop eating. But that afternoon a second wrangler takes us into the arena for a course in Horseback Riding Basics.

Granddaughter’s journal. “Day one: My horse's name is Pollywog. I thought the horse would know what to do, but today I found out that I'm the one who's sup-posed to know what to do.”

The next morning we ride a trail — across a stream, up a rocky mountain path, through a meadow, back to the stables. Grandson declares that "now we're really cowboys." By Wednesday

we’re beginning to feel like pros.Granddaughter's journal. “Day four: I

think I've learned Pollywog's personality, which is that sometimes he wants to do things his way. But now I can sometimes make him do things my way.

The week progresses, offering us a mix of family-time and individual-time. We ride together and eat together, but in-between we can each explore our own interests. Daughter-in-law and I take a long (for us) hike — proudly puffing our way along trails that rise to an elevation of nearly 8,000 feet. Son tries his hand at fly-fishing, and Husband finishes two books and starts a third. The kids spend off-horse time doing crafts or swimming in the pool.

After dinner the counselors entertain the kids while the adults have a chance


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Minestrone, Veal Marsala, Tuscan Grilled Chicken, Grilled Tilapia, Omelets, Grilled Grouper, Rib Eye Steak, Cheese Calzone, Shrimp and Grits, Grilled Grouper and Grits, Chicken Salad, Greek Salad.

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to get to know each other. Out of twelve groups, five are adults-only; the rest have children rang-ing from toddlers to teens. Only three, like us, are first-timers.

Every day we learn something new. One day we have a lesson on wildflowers.

Another day we hear stories of Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, who had an “Outlaw Cave” nearby. And another time we watch a moose moseying around the grounds near the fishing pond.

Saturday is Rodeo Day, a chance for the kids to show off their equestrian skills.

"Mount your horse."Grandson is too short to do it

alone — a ranger has to lift him on — but he grabs the reins like a pro.

"Circle the barrels." No prob-lem. "Weave between the poles."

Granddaughter does it at a trot. Six days has transformed them both from Western Wimps

to Cowboy Champs. But it's at the square dance

where Granddaughter really shines. Blond hair flying, she allemandes left and circles right. Wrangler Dave grabs Grand-son's hand.

"Come on, Buddy. Let's dance!" he calls, as he propels a grinning Grandson ‘round the room.

Then, the next morning, we have our first crisis. None of us want to leave.

"Wait! We have to go down to the barn to say good-bye to Pollywog."

"Wait! We have to take one more picture of the fishing pond."

Wait, wait, wait! It takes us two hours to say our good-byes and get into the car.

Grandson's comment. “Day seven: I like to watch sports, and Wyoming doesn't have any pro-fessional sports teams. But that's okay. It’s still paradise.”


A GRACOUS PLENTY

Kabobs are a simple way to enjoy many of your favorite fresh fla-vors in a single meal.

Easy preparation and quick cooking time make kabobs a perfect weeknight meal when served over rice along with a crisp salad.

The combinations of meat, vegetables and fruit on a kabob are nearly end-less. Spring/summer varieties of onions are well-suited for kabobs, with flavor ranging from sweet and mild to slightly pungent.

Easily identifiable by their tissue thin skin, spring/summer onions are higher in water content, which gives them a tender crisp texture when grilled.

Kitchen tips1. Chill onions at least 30 minutes

before cutting; use a sharp knife to reduce tearing.

2. Soak onions in ice water overnight to dampen their flavor, yet keep a crisp, juicy texture.

3. Cut onions can be refrigerated up to 7 days in sealed containers.

simple and satisfying

Before you begin experimenting with

kabob combinations of your own, try this simple recipe, which melds chicken and shrimp with two colors of onion, bell pepper and mango for a sweet and savory main dish.

Remember to cut ingredients into uniform pieces and leave space between each piece to ensure your kabobs cook evenly and thoroughly.

Summer Sizzle: Grilled Kabobs

SWEET ’N SAVORY TERIYAKI KABOBS (4 to 6 servings)

Place chicken and shrimp in shallow glass pan or large re-sealable plastic bag. For marinade, combine oil, chutney, teriyaki sauce and vinegar in small bowl with lid. Pour half of marinade mixture over chicken and shrimp. Cover or seal and marinate in refrigerator at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for basting.

If using bamboo skewers, soak in water at least l hour before using.To prepare kabobs: Drain and discard marinade from meat. Thread chicken, yellow and red onion, mango, green

pepper and shrimp alternately onto skewers. Be sure to keep enough room at one end of each skewer for a “handle.” Coat grill grate with nonstick cooking spray. Place skewers over medium coals, and grill for 12 to 15 minutes or

until meat is done and vegetables are tender. Brush often with reserved marinade and turn skewers until cooked through. If needed, use spatula to gently loosen skewers before turning as they may stick.

Arrange skewers on a platter and serve with Ginger Mango Dipping Sauce. You can find that recipe on the homepage of www.PrimeMontgomery.com.

3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-1/2 to 2-inch cubes

18 medium shrimp, shelled and deveined (1/2 to 3/4 pound)

1/2 cup olive oil1/2 cup prepared mango chutney, chopped if coarse1/2 cup bottled teriyaki sauce2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar18 large bamboo or metal skewers (about 12 inches

long)

1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges2 firm, ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted and cut into

large cubes1 large green bell pepper, halved, trimmed, seeded

and cubed Nonstick cooking spray, as needed Ginger Mango Dipping Sauce (recipe follows)


IN EVERY LIFE

Look around June 15 to see who’s wearing

purple. Since 2006, June 15 has been designated World Elder Abuse Aware-ness Day (WEAAD) by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations. The goal is to increase awareness of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older persons, and to acknowledge its significance as a public health issue.

Abuse and neglect affects older people from all socio-economic levels, cultures and races, occurring in homes and institutional settings. Abuse most often occurs behind closed doors, with victims reluctant to report, resulting in difficulty accurately measuring the problem. However, in 2010, the National Elder Mistreatment Study revealed more than one in ten older adults in the U. S. reported some type of abuse or

neglect the previous year. This rate would have been increased if the study had included high risk individuals with de-mentia or those in long term care facili-ties, and is expected to increase as the number of older adults grows.

Abuse includes: n abandonment/

neglect (includ-ing self-neglect);

n emotional/psy-chological abuse (including verbal abuse/threats);

n physical/sexual abuse;

n financial abuse/exploitation (the most frequent type based on cur-rent data).

Red flag warning signs include:n subtle changes in hygiene/clothing;n lack of available food, medication,

assistive equipment;n missing appoint-ments;n withdrawal from usual activities or isolation; n excessive control by caregiver(s);n bedsores, bruises, burns, fractures, or unexplained sexually transmitted infections;n gifts or transfers of unusual amounts of money or prop-erty,n changes in a will or Power of At-torney.

Alabama’s Adult Protective Services Act was strength-ened in 2013 with passage of the Protecting Alabama Elders Act. This law targets protection of individuals age 60+ from emotional abuse, physical or sexual abuse, neglect and financial exploitation by having broader categories for pros-ecution of offenses.

Efforts are underway at all levels - county, state, national and international - to address the problem of mistreatment of vulnerable older adults. You can help increase awareness of the problem and provide a safe environment for older individuals to tell their stories. Be alert for abuse of all types, ask questions, and listen. Report concerns. Share informa-tion from the Resources websites with your church or community group.

Show respect for older citizens by reporting suspicions of abuse or neglect. And on June 15, wear purple!

Arlene H. Morris, EdD, RN, CNE is Professor of Nursing, Auburn Montgomery School of Nursing. Reach her at [email protected].

For a ‘Resource List’ check out this story online at PrimeMontgomery.com.

Elder Abuse Awareness Day

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One of the keys to a successful and satisfying life is the quality of the decisions one makes. Unfortu-

nately, a long series of good choices can be undone by a single destructive decision. For example, the media seems to provide daily examples of people who spent a life-time building up a sterling reputation, only to squander their good name in an instant when they were a blockhead.

While this principle holds true across every realm of life, my specific concern in

this column is the impact of financial decisions. I want to look at a particular decision-making risk that can unravel a long series of sound choices: extreme stress or duress.

Everyone deals with stress on a daily basis, but extreme spikes usually result from less frequent causes. The effects are usually compounded by the fact that we have less experience handling them. Possible triggers include the loss of a meaningful relationship (death of a family mem-ber, divorce), especially when sudden or unex-pected; the loss of a job; the loss of a home or other significant asset (fire, tornado, flood, burglary, stock market decline).

Research has shown that significant stress affects the way the brain functions for a period of time after the trigger event takes place. The duration of the effect depends in part on:n the magnitude of the event, n the degree to which it is a surprise, and n the individual’s resources for coping, including prior

experience. A person under such unusual duress tends not to

think as clearly, rationally and thoroughly as he/she would under more normal conditions. The consequence is that decisions made in this disturbed state are much more likely to be flawed than they would be if the choice were postponed until the decision maker is in a

more normal and capable mental (emotional) state.One application of this reality is that many compe-

tent advisors encourage new widows unaccustomed to handling finances not to make major financial decisions soon after the death of a husband. There have been many cases where survivors derived little long-term benefit from life insurance because of ill-advised choices made soon after a spouse’s death. Research also docu-ments the fact that those who have experienced large investment reverses tend to make more extreme and poorly reasoned investment decisions for some time afterward.

Years ago my pastor had a poster in his study quoting theologian Harvey Cox. The poster said: “Not to decide is to decide.” Many Americans justly deride indecision. For people of action accustomed to making prompt

choices, postponing a decision may feel wrong or out of character.

Yet sometimes the most prudent course of action is to wait and see, perhaps while gathering more information and giving your rational capa-bilities time to recover from an emotional shock. There is undoubtedly such a thing as postpon-ing a decision too long, but rushing to judgment can be equally damaging.

When one is under duress and decisions are unavoidable, two good options exist.

First, follow a rehearsed or pre-established protocol, if one exists. This is like a pilot in an emergency using a checklist. The second is to rely on the counsel of a ca-pable person who is less engaged emotionally and who will not benefit from the decision.

In part, wisdom consists of being able to recognize when one is capable of making a sound choice and when it is better to wait for more data or a clearer head.

Alan Wallace, CFA, ChFC, CLU is a Senior Financial Advisor for Ronald Blue & Co.’s Montgomery office, www.ronblue.com/location-al. He can be reached at 334-270-5960, or by e-mail at [email protected].

MONEYWI$E

Stressful Decisions

Alan Wallace


TINSELTOWN TALKS

Despite a leg infection that sidelined him earlier in the year, Don Rickles is as feisty as ever. In March, the 87-year-old

comedian began a spring tour of theaters and casinos across the country with stops in Cali-fornia, Nevada, Michigan, Connecticut, and Wis-consin. But be warned! If you’re in the audience and sporting a bad hairpiece, have an unusually curved nose, or are a little on the chubby side, Rickles could be waiting for you.

That’s because just about everyone “annoys” Rickles in his act, which hasn’t changed much in half a century. Sensitive audience members wishing to dodge the comedian’s verbal jabs should probably cower in the back row. Rickles says his performances are more than just some grumpy old-timer wandering around the stage. Nor do they involve telling stories with punch lines.

“I don’t do jokes,” said Rickles by phone from his home in Los Angeles. “My shows are a theatrical performance. They’re not really

mean-spirited, just a form of exaggerating everything about people and life itself.”

Rickles traces his big break to an evening in 1957, during a Hollywood nightclub per-

Rickles Rolls OnBy Nick Thomas


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formance, when he advised audience member Frank Sinatra to go “hit some-body.” Fortunately, the often moody Sinatra laughed, and the famed crooner swooned for Rickles’ style of humor.

Years later, numerous appearances on the Dean Martin and Johnny Carson shows assured Rickles of comic legend status. He also appeared in several films, including “Kelly’s Heroes,” and was the lead cast member in the TV series “C.P.O. Sharkey” in the 1970s.

“Sharkey was crazy and sharp-tongued, like my stage character,” recalled Rickles. “But I was worried the writers couldn’t write for me.”

While the show was not a disaster, it did suffer from weak writing and lasted only two seasons, being carried largely by Rickles’ comedic talents.

“I’d like to see the show released on DVD. It’s been talked about for years, but has never gotten off the ground. Hopefully it will.” (Many episodes can be viewed on-line on YouTube).

One TV outlet perfect for Rickles’ style of comedy was the “Dean Mar-tin Celebrity Roasts,” which ran for a decade on NBC beginning in the mid-1970s.

“Some guys had writers, but I did ev-erything off the top of my head. Nobody had any idea what I was going to say,” he said. “What a joy it was to be on stage with the greatest comedians and enter-tainers of all time.”

Stage, however, is where Rickles has consistently excelled. Always an equal opportunity offender, he not only deliv-ers his sledgehammer comedy to the average guy in the audience, but to any friend, politician, or celebrity within striking distance. Few take offense.

Ronald Reagan was a favorite Rickles’ target, and during the second Inaugural Ball in 1985 he addressed the president:

“Good evening Mr. President. It’s a big treat for me to fly all the way from California to be here for this kind of money…. Now you’re big, and you’re getting on my nerves… Ronnie, am I going too fast for you?”

Probably not the most polite way to address a sitting president but, says Rickles, “Reagan had a great sense of humor and loved the attention.”

In the coming year, Rickles is planning more than two dozen shows, but he says touring has changed.

"In the early days, you would work at one place such as Vegas or Atlantic City for weeks at a time doing two shows a night," he recalled. "Now, with all the Indian casinos across the country, you're always traveling and doing just one or two shows at each place. These new ca-sinos give performers a lot of comfort, they make the job interesting and some even provide private planes, but travel-ing can still be tough."

Given his age, recent illness, and the stress of traveling, audiences should be especially appreciative of the chance to see Rickles unleash his encyclopedia of wisecracks live on stage this year.

"When you're an entertainer, you're like a salesman who has something to sell – yourself," he said. "You can't please everybody, but most people who come to see me know what to expect. I'm proud of being the originator of this style of comedy."

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala., and has written fea-tures, columns, and interviews for over 400 magazines and newspapers. He can be reached at his blog: http://getnickt.blogspot.com

Left: Rickles in “Kelly’s Heroes” with Telly Savalas and Clint Eastwood; honoring Shirley MacLaine in 2012 at the American Film Institute. Top: Scene from “CPO Sharkey.”


FEATURE

When it comes to raising toddlers, parents need … buddy, please don’t eat the crayon. Don’t eat

the crayon. DON’T EAT THE CRAYON. Please take it out of your mouth. OUT OF YOUR ... Ex-cuse me for a minute. Okay! I'm back. What was I saying? Oh, yeah.

When it comes to raising toddlers, parents need all the help we can get. And while advice and (especially) babysitting are much appreciated, certain kinds of assistance can overstep carefully laid-out boundaries. With that in mind, here are 10 ways to pitch in and help us parents of tod-dlers, without crossing any lines.

10 Ways to Help

By Kristen Sturt

Parents of Toddlers


“Toddlers are as exhausting as they are adorable. These great tips will ease the whole family’s load.”

3. Don’t rush the pottyAccording to my highly scientific calculations,

I have changed approximately five bamillion diapers since 2012. And while I long for the days of bladder control (him, not me), I know not to rush potty training—and you shouldn’t, either, Nana.

Why? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the average toddler approaches the toilet on his own “around age two,” and completes his studies over the course of a year. By contrast, lots of kids who start around 18 months “are not completely trained until after age four.” (WHAT!?)

1. Make your home kid-friendlyWhat this doesn’t mean: Childproof every cabinet! Turn your

living room into a daycare! Dress like the cast from a Disney cartoon!

What this does mean: Stash potentially harmful (glass, metal, pointy) home décor! Hide your medication! Put some books and toys aside for him! Maybe have a few diapers on hand?

In other words, we love visiting you, as does your restless, wobbly grandchild. While we don’t expect you to rearrange your house, it would make the stay even more pleasant if: A) he had an activity to occupy his hands; B) we didn’t have to worry about him being impaled on a crystal Nativity set.

2. Speak up!Right now, her spoken vocabulary may not go

much beyond “Elmo” and the ubiquitous “no,” but you can bet that child understands almost everything you say. Stoke those developing lan-guage skills by talking with (not at) her as much as possible. Studies show kids who hear more words learn faster, and do much better in school down the line.


4. Come down to his levelGone are the days of admiring your grandchildren from

a distance. Early childhood specialists have found that floor time with toddlers—during which you get down on your hands and knees to play—is vital to development of all sorts: social, emotional, language, and so on. It’s es-pecially valuable for young kids on the autism spectrum, since it helps with communication, relating, and eye con-tact. So, knees and hips permitting, hit the deck, Grandma and Grandpa!

5. Kill your TV (and your tablet, prob-ably)

Consider this – The AAP recommends zero screen use for children younger than two.

Little kids who watch too much TV are at risk for sleep problems, mood swings, behavior-al issues, and language delays.

Tablets are such new technology, there’s very little known about their neurological effects on toddlers. Still, experts sug-gest holding off on touch-screens until preschool.

Look, I’m no luddite, but your grandchild is only going to be this astound-ingly cute for about ten seconds. Why not flip off the Cowboys game and have some quality time? (Though, it’s understandable—and sometimes totally necessary—to indulge in the occasional age-appropriate show.)

6. Encourage napsWhen babysitting, you may be tempted to

postpone or skip your grand-toddler’s nap to spend more time with him. I beg you, for the good of humanity: Please don’t do that.

Beyond turning him into a tear-streaked terror monster, multiple studies have found that omit-ting nap time adversely affects attention spans, problem solving, and (no duh) mood. A solid 60 or 90 minutes of sleep will fix all that, and give you time to go to the bathroom.

7. Avoid the food fightA few years ago, I was one of those people who saw two-

year-olds scarfing Chicken McNuggets and wondered what the hell was wrong with their parents. Now that I have a little boy, and know it’s the only protein he will eat, I understand, and I apologize. Grandparents, don’t be me. Unless your kids are force-feeding your grandchild strychnine, follow their

mealtime leads and save your arguments for another time.


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June 2014Prime



of Toddlers



CALMING TECHNIQUES1. If you can, remove yourself from

a situation. 2. Anticipate the response to your

anger. Is everyone else going to get even angrier?

3. Let go of “should,” “ought,” and “must.” No one appointed you police officer of the uni-verse.

4. See the situation from the other person’s side. Picture them explaining what happened to someone else.

5. Be assertive, not aggressive. Problem-solve together with the involved parties. When ev-eryone feels heard, there is less chance of anger.

6. Exercise for the long-term, not the short-term. Exercising reg-ularly will make you feel calmer and more balanced overall and less likely to get angry.

7. Move forward. Tell yourself their behavior reflects on who they are, not who you are. Only your behavior, your reactions, define you.

— All material courtesyGrandparents.com.

Resources:10 Things You Don’t Say to Parents – But Should (http://www.grandparents.com/family-and-relationships/family-matters/sshow-10-things-to-say-to-parents)9 Awkward Grandparenting Moments(http://www.grandparents.com/family-and-rela-tionships/family-matters/awkward-moments-for-grandparents)

8. Choose simple, fun toysToys are a tricky topic to discuss, because parents are so grateful for gifts, and

we never want to offend. But, say, if you wanted some guidance, opt for simple playthings that encourage kids to think, build, interact, and create; you know – the kind of toys you grew up with. They’ll foster motor and cognitive skills, along with good ol’ fashioned fun. Think:n Crayonsn Blocksn Giant puzzlesn Ballsn Instruments

9. If you have to fight, do it rationally or else-where

All families have issues sometimes. And while it’s ben-eficial for children to observe tranquil, reasonable problem solving between adults, yelling and hostility are always big no-nos. In fact, a 2013 Cardiff University study of 300 families showed that kids are emotionally damaged by wit-nessing loud or physical argu-ments. If you ever feel you’re

about to explode, try some quick calm-

ing techniques (see Sidebar) to spare the grandkids from the fallout.

10. When in doubt, let her warm up to you

Grandpa, we know you want to scoop up your little love muffin as soon as you see her. But wait! While your grandbaby may very well be a super-social hug machine, it’s likely she’s become more cautious over the last few months. Forcing an embrace can make toddlers uncomfortable, and some experts sug-gest it promotes the idea that a child’s body doesn’t belong to her. If she seems hesitant, hang back and let her come to you. Then, squeeze to your heart’s content.

Honorable Mention: Please, please, please babysit. (Please?) Think of it this way: the more alone-time we get, the more likely you are to get another grand-baby out of the deal.


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MEDICARE

The phone call can come at any hour. Your elderly parent has fallen ill and needs your help. If you

haven’t gotten the call yet, chances are you will. About 70 percent of our parents will require some kind of personal care during their old age. Sometimes, the care will extend for years.

Caregivers are often at wits’ end, ca-reening from one crisis to another, having little time to confront the problem that cropped up yesterday, let alone tackle the one that just reared its head today. The challenges can quickly become over-whelming. Having a working know-ledge of Medicare may help you keep your balance and ensure your parent, or other loved one, receives the appropri-ate care. Medicare doesn’t have to be a mystery.

The best overview of the Medicare program is the official “Medicare and You” handbook. It’s mailed to all beneficiaries every fall and provides an up-to-date-de-scription of all services and benefits. It’s also available on Medicare’s main website, at www.medicare.gov.

If you have a particular question, you may want to visit with a Medicare cus-tomer service representative at 1-800-633-4227. Medicare also works closely with State Health Insurance Assistance Programs to provide free health insur-ance counseling. Alabama’s program may be reached by calling 1-800-243-5463.

Caregivers find Medicare’s secure website – www.mymedicare.gov – espe-cially useful. After setting up a personal account for your parent, you can view the details of their coverage, track recent health care claims and keep up to date on preventive services they qualify for.

Medicare can also help you locate the right health care providers for your par-ent. Its “Compare” web pages – at www.medicare.gov – are a good place to begin your search for a nursing home, hospital, home health agency, dialysis facility or physician that fits your parent’s needs.

Medicare can reduce many out-of-pocket medical expenses, but it doesn’t cover everything. Understanding what Medicare does and does not cover can

save time and spare you frustration when navigating the caregiving maze. Besides basic hospital and physician services and optional prescription drug benefits, Medi-care covers home health care. To qualify, a beneficiary must be homebound, under a physician’s care and in need of part-time skilled nursing care or rehabilitative services like physical therapy.

Medicare also helps pay for oxygen, catheters and other medical supplies a doctor prescribes for home use. The same is true for medically necessary equipment like oxygen machines, wheel-chairs and walkers.

Medicare covers skilled care in a nurs-ing home for limited periods following hospital stays, but doesn’t cover long-term stays. Patients who need custodial care (room and board) must pay out of pocket unless they’re eligible for Medicaid or have private long-term care insurance.

Medicare pays for hospice care for someone with a terminal illness whose doctor expects will live six months or less. The hospice benefit also includes brief periods of respite care at a hospice facility, hospital or nursing home to give the patient’s caregivers an occasional rest.

Besides long-term nursing home stays, Medicare typically doesn’t cover regu-

lar dental care or dentures, regular eye exams or eyeglasses, and hearing exams and hearing aids. Likewise, it won’t pay for non-emergency ambulance trips — un-less a doctor certifies they’re medically necessary.

Money can quickly become a worry when managing a parent’s health care. If your parent lives on a limited income, you should check whether he or she qualifies for help with prescription drug costs or with other Medicare-related premiums, deductibles and co-payments.

For help with drug costs, contact Social Security at www.socialsecurity.gov or 1-800-772-1213 and ask about the “Extra Help Program.” For help with other Medicare costs, go to www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-633-4227 and ask about the “Medicare Savings Programs.”

It’s common for caregivers to suffer from stress, loss of sleep, and poor health themselves. So it’s important to eat prop-erly, get regular exercise and set aside some time each week to do something you enjoy. You can’t care for someone else if you don’t look after yourself.

Bob Moos is the Southwest public affairs officer for the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Caregiver Information


SOCIAL SECURITY

This year, we observe National Men’s Health Week from June 9 to 15. Occurring just prior to

Father’s Day, Men’s Health Week focuses on awareness, prevention, education and family. June 8 is is also Best Friends Day. If your dad happens to be your best friend too, all the more reason to celebrate.

Social Security encourages you to sup-port fathers and friends everywhere in their efforts to stay healthy. The right bal-

ance of diet, exercise, regular visits to doctors and health care providers, and overall healthy living can go a long way to help everyone remain a part of your daily life for years to come.

Avoiding stress helps folks stay healthy. That’s why we sug-gest you advise the men in your life (and everyone for that matter) to avoid scams and phishers (attempts to defraud on-line). Fathers and best friends may like to go fishing, but

make sure they aren’t the catch of the day when a criminal offers alluring bait.

For example, Social Security will not call or email you for your personal information such as your Social Security num-ber or banking information. If someone claiming to be from Social Security contacts you and asks for this information, do not give out your personal information without calling us to verify the validity of the request. The caller may be an identity thief phishing for your personal information. Call the local So-cial Security office or Social Security’s toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). If you receive a suspicious call, please report it to our Fraud Hotline. You also can report such calls online at http://oig.ssa.gov/report or by telephone at 1-800-269-0271 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Stan-dard Time. If possible, include the following details:

The alleged suspect(s) and victim(s) names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, SS Number (if known);n Description of the fraud and the location where the

fraud took place;n When and how the fraud was committed;n Why the person committed the fraud (if known); andn Who else has knowledge of the potential violation.

Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in America. If you or anyone you know has been the victim of an identity thief, contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at www.idtheft.gov, or call 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338); TTY 1-866-653-4261.

Whether you go fishing, play some ball, or take a hike, enjoy some healthy time with your father and best friend. But make sure no one falls victim to the wrong kind of phishing. Learn more by reading our publication, “Identity Theft And Your Social Security Number” available at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.Kylle’ McKinney, SSA Public Affairs Specialist, can be reached in Montgomery at 866-593-0914, ext. 26265, or by e-mail at [email protected].

No “Phishing” on Fathers Day

Kylle’ McKinney


GAMESAcross1 A dromedary has one5 Smart guy?10 Exec's "I need it now!"14 Black-and-white snack15 Military training group16 Actress Hatcher17 Like a clock reading 5:05

at 5:0018 "Eat!"19 Tenant's expense20 *Space-saving computer

monitor22 Fateful March day23 Equipment on a balance

sheet, e.g.24 Immunity builder26 Cuban dance30 Defective cars33 Devious laughs36 "That stings!"38 Often __: about half the

time39 Foofaraw40 Untidy waking-up hair

condition, and what the first word of the answers to starred clues can be

42 Historical span43 Posh45 Freezer bag feature

46 Bluish hue47 Go away49 Southern speech feature51 Turn out to be53 Zodiac transition points57 Arizona Indian59 *Title racehorse in a 2003

film63 Mont Blanc, par exemple64 Rabbit relatives65 Foreign Legion cap66 Falsehoods67 "Fame" singer Cara68 First family's garden site?69 Oater stronghold70 Tickle pink71 Cubicle furnishing

Down1 Labor leader who vanished

in 19752 Range dividing Europe and

Asia3 Southwestern tablelands4 Kiln users5 Adaptable, electrically6 Wilderness home7 Rim8 Reacts to a tearjerker9 Pet's home away from

home

10 Some hotel lobbies11 *Start-up capital12 "Rule, Britannia" composer13 Depressing situation, with "the"21 Early Beatle Sutcliffe25 Enjoy King and Koontz27 Cohort of Curly28 Future blossoms29 Felt pain31 Director Ephron32 Kenton of jazz33 Difficult34 Falco of "The Sopranos"35 *Jalape-o, for one37 Listen to40 Polar explorer Richard41 Menu words44 Most off-the-wall46 Sounded like a chicken48 Buttocks, informally50 Loos, for short52 Necklace gem54 Soft leather55 Plumber's concerns56 Reek57 Football game division58 Hodgepodge60 Real estate measurement61 Curved62 "That makes sense"

2014 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, INC. ©

Answers on page 30.


MEDICARE

Dear Marci,My doctor told me that he is now an opt-out doctor. What is an opt-out doctor? — Shelley

Dear Shelley,An opt-out doctor has formally “opted out” of the

Medicare program. Opt-out doctors do not submit medical claims to Medicare and are not subject to the Medicare law that limits the amount they may charge patients with Medicare. In other words, opt-out doctors can charge whatever they want for health care services they provide to patients with Medicare.

If you have Original Medicare, the traditional Medi-care program administered directly through the federal government, it’s generally best to avoid seeing opt-out doctors. When you see a doctor who has opted out of Medicare, you are responsible for the entire cost of your care. Medicare will not pay for care you receive from an opt-out doctor. While there may be a few exceptions in the case of emergencies, you are gener-ally responsible for the full cost of the care you receive from opt-out doctors.

If you have Original Medicare, try to see a doctor who accepts Medicare and takes assignment to get your care at the lowest cost. Health care providers who take assignment accept the Medicare-approved amount for health care services as full payment.

If you have Original Medicare and see an opt-out doctor, keep in mind that the doctor should have you sign a private contract that states you understand you are responsible for the full cost of services you receive. If the opt-out doctor does not give you this contract before providing you with care, you are not responsible for paying for that care. Keep in mind that psychiatrists have been more likely to opt out of Medicare in recent years, compared to other doctors. Be sure to ask your doctor if he/she accepts Medicare before you begin to receive health care services.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, also known as a Medicare private health plan, you will most likely need to get health care services from in-network doctors. Contact your plan directly to learn more about which types of doctors you can see for covered care.

Before you see any type of doctor, ask your doctor what types of insurances he/she accepts so you can get a sense of whether the health care services you receive will be covered.

Dear Marci,Does Medicare pay for ambulance services? — Janette

Dear Janette,Yes, Medicare can cover emergency and non-emer-

gency ambulance services if the following requirements are met:n Ambulance transport is medically necessary,

meaning that an ambulance is the only safe way to transport you, and the reason for your trip is to receive a service or return from a Medicare-covered service you need;

n You are transported to and from certain loca-tions; and

n The ambulance carrier or supplier meets Medi-care ambulance requirements.

Keep in mind Medicare defines an emergency as a situation in which your health is in serious danger and every second counts to prevent your health from get-ting worse. Medicare may cover non-emergency ambu-lance services under limited circumstances. However, keep in mind that lack of access to alternative transpor-tation alone will not justify Medicare coverage.

Specifically, Medicare may cover non-emergency ambulance services if you are confined to your bed, meaning you are unable to get up from a bed without help, unable to walk or unable to sit in a chair. Medicare may also cover non-emergency ambulance services if you need vital medical services during your trip that are only available in an ambulance. An example of this includes monitoring of vital functions.

If you have Original Medicare, the traditional Medicare program administered directly through the federal gov-ernment, Medicare will pay 80 percent of its approved amount for Medicare-covered ambulance services.

You or your supplemental insurance will be respon-sible for the remaining 20 percent coinsurance. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, also known as a Medi-care private health plan, contact your plan directly to learn how your plan covers ambulance services.

Lastly, know that Medicare will never pay for ambu-lette services. An ambulette is a wheelchair-accessible van that provides non-emergency transportation for people with disabilities.

Marci’s Medicare Answers is a service of the Medicare Rights Center (www.medicarerights.org), the nation’s largest inde-pendent source of information and assistance for people with Medicare.

Marci’s Medicare Answers June 2014


vaccinate: MEASLES STILL A THREAT“...communities with pockets of unvaccinated people

are vulnerable to measles outbreaks.”

Measles is a highly contagious respira-tory disease caused by a virus. Each year approximately 60 people in

the U.S. contract measles. However, in 2013 cases more than tripled to around 189 people infected. So far this year there have been 187 cases, almost as many cases as seen in all of 2013.

Measles can stay airborne or live on sur-faces for up to two hours. Symptoms include fever, runny nose, cough and a rash all over the body. Those infected can transmit the virus for about five days before the typical rash appears. Symp-toms occur within one to two weeks after exposure. Measles is so contagious that any child who is exposed to it and is not im-mune will probably get the disease.

“Measles is still common in many countries,” says Dr. Karen Land-ers, pediatrician and medical consultant for the Ala. Dept. of Public Health Immunization Division. “People who get measles put others who are not vac-cinated at risk.”

In addition, communities with pockets of unvacci-nated people are vulnerable to measles outbreaks.

State law requires children be up to date on their vac-cinations prior to attending school. Adolescents and college students must also be up to date on their MMR

(measles, mumps, rubella) immunizations. About ten percent of children with measles

get an ear infection, and up to five percent contract pneumonia. Encephalitis and death are rare, but do occur. Routine MMR vaccina-tion is recommended for all children, with the first dose given at age 12-15 months, and a second dose at age 4-6 years. Unless they have other evidence of immunity, adults born after 1956 should get at least one dose of MMR vaccine. Two appropriately spaced doses of MMR vaccine are recommended for health

care personnel, college students, and international travelers.

Where possible, per-sons suspected of having measles should be screened before entering waiting rooms and also isolated, or have their office ap-

pointments scheduled at the end of the day to

prevent exposure to other patients.

For more information, contact your local health

department or visit www.adph.org/immunization/. (Information courtesy of the Ala-bama Dept. of Public Health.)

GRANDPARENT ALERT!


MOVING FREE© WTIH MIRABAI

A colleague and I were having lunch last week and she told me a story I think is worthy of passing along.

“I’d been eyeballing this really cute, stupidly expensive, red purse for a couple of months,” she said. “I’d visit it online and wave to it in the store. But, there’s no way I was going to buy that purse because it was stupid expensive. I can deal with expensive, but stupid expensive is just stupid.”

“Well, the darn thing went on sale the other day at 40% off and another 10% with my store card,” she continued. “Now that it was just plain expensive, I had to have that little red bag. Apparently, so did every other woman in the United States. Because, I had it in my online shopping cart and by the time I got my credit card out it was no longer available.

I was furious. I felt violated. How dare they sell MY red purse?”

“I called the company. They apologized and looked for one in their inventory ANYWHERE. They gave me stores and a warehouse to call and reserve it before it could be sold. I called around for over an hour and finally got to someone who ordered it for me.”

As she was patting herself on the back for her investiga-tive skills and persistence, she had an AHA! moment.

“I had been meaning to schedule my yearly check-up with its usual battery of tests,” she said, “but I had been putting it off for no good reason. I thought, why on earth don’t I apply the same passion to taking charge of my own health care?”

She thought about it for a minute and the answer she came up with un-nerved her a little. “Healthcare is not sexy,” she thought. “Purses are sexy! Purses are sexier than being healthier and maybe living longer? EEEK!”

Health is sexy. Quality of life is sexy. As she dialed her doctor’s office, she began to sing that rock song, “I’m too sexy for my purse, too sexy for my phone but not too sexy for my doctor’s office.”

Perhaps my friend has touched a nerve in many of us. If you like living, taking care of your health is about as sexy as it gets.

Mirabai Holland, M.F.A. is a public health activist and authority in the Health & Fitness industry, specializing in preventive and rehabilitative exercise. Her Moving Free® approach to exercise is designed to provide a movement experience so pleasant it doesn't feel like work. www.mirabaiholland.com

A Sexy Red Purse

Mirabai Holland


PRIME VINTAGE

"When I wrote the book," explained wine merchant Kermit Lynch, "I thought the oenologists were going to take over."

We were chatting about “Adventures on the Wine Route,” Lynch's seminal tour of France that can be found on every wine enthusiast's bookshelf. When the book was released in 1988, Lynch feared that

"old-style wines" -- artisanal projects that expressed a sense of place -- were on their way out, so he launched a crusade to educate his clients “...to the diversity and virtue of those wines."

Lynch entered the wine industry in 1972. A struggling musician, he had been paying his bills by fashioning purses out of

Journey of Wine DiscoveryBy David White


rug scraps. That business wasn't personally fulfilling, so when a suitor came knocking, he sold, using the proceeds to spend four months in Europe.

Lynch came back from Europe with a passion for wine, but wasn't able to find a job in the industry. So his girlfriend lent him $5,000 to open up a wine shop in Albany, California. Lynch soon became a distributor and importer, and relocated to Berkeley in the early 1980s, a fitting move. The site of so much ferment, Berkeley is a logical place to spearhead a wine revolu-tion. And that's the only way to describe Lynch's efforts. He transformed America's wine scene.

By the time “Adventures on the Wine Route” hit book-stores, Lynch had gained a dedicated, national following. Unlike other merchants, Lynch's portfolio was focused -- he assured his customers that he'd tasted and enjoyed every wine on offer. He was obsessed with authenticity, happy to criticize producers who churned out industrialized, soulless wines. He brought attention to unheralded wine regions. And he mocked blind tastings as "...spurious and misleading."

"Such tasting conditions,” he wrote in the book’s introduc-tion, “have nothing to do with the conditions under which the wines will presumably be drunk, which is at table, with food. When a woman chooses a hat, she does not put it on a goat's head to judge it; she puts it on her own."

Lynch spread this gospel across the country through regular newsletters. He spoke about wine comfortably and sought to make it approachable, convinced that "...those who would make it ponderous make it dull."

Lynch inspired many imitators and changed the way Ameri-cans purchase wine. These days, if you walk into any good wine shop and watch how the geekiest consumers select wine, you'll undoubtedly see people flipping bottles over to check import label. These savvy shoppers know that in addition to Lynch, they can rely on importers like Neal Rosenthal, Louis/Dressner, Terry Theise, Peter Weygandt, and others to bring in good wine. One could even argue that Lynch helped save wine from itself.

By proving that the American market was thirsty for tradi-tional wines from the back roads of France, Lynch helped stave off the industrialization of wine.

During our chat, Lynch was too humble to take credit for any of this. But even though he still worries about the ascen-sion of so-called "pop" wines -- heavy, oak-soaked concoctions designed for mass appeal -- he'll admit that his crusade has succeeded beyond his wildest expectations.

"When you go to New York," he said, "look at the wine lists today and the inventories in the wine shops. Gosh, it's amaz-ing! Wines from all over the world, regions all over the world, grape varieties you've never heard of, little domains that you've never heard of."

The 25th anniversary edition of Lynch's book was published recently, and it’s still as relevant as ever and an absolute plea-sure to read.

David White is the founder and editor of Terroirist.com, which was named "Best Overall Wine Blog" at the 2013 Wine Blog Awards. His columns are housed at Palate Press: The Online Wine Magazine.


Lone Survivor (R) In this grueling, fact-based depiction of

a 2005 Navy SEAL mission that went very badly, viewers are given an intimate, riveting look at the chasm that can develop between battle plans as drawn, and their execution. A four-man team is deployed to a desolate Afghani mountain range to kill a high-ranking Taliban leader whose presence in a remote village has been credibly confirmed. They find their target, but everything falls apart before they can start their assault.

The title provides its own spoiler alert, letting us know things won’t go well for the squad. Bad luck betrays their position, and they’re soon under fire from a much larger force on higher ground, with unreliable communications for support or evacuation. What follows is about 40 minutes of the most intense battlefield action since the D-Day landing sequence in Saving Private Ryan. Bullets and heavier munitions fly in all directions as the SEALs scramble for cover and try to return fire against overwhelming odds. Director Peter Berg ex-tends his action resume from last year’s CG-laden alien clash, Battleship, with this close-up view of the chaos one may find in actual warfare among humans. It’s a far more exhausting experience than his 2007 military foray into Mideast matters, The Kingdom.

Others can debate the factual accuracy of the details, including any variations from the source book by Marcus Luttrell, the eponymous surviving team leader played by Mark Wahlberg. I claim no special knowledge or insight in that arena. The film honors the bravery of all combat forces by showing the extremes of known and unanticipated perils they might have to face. It may also illustrate a ‘pro” argument on the drone-strike controversy, at least in terms of casualties that may be avoided. The screenplay does include some offset-ting positives about the mission, but if you decide to watch, make sure you’re geared for the emotional drain that’s likely to come from sharing that bleak mountainside with those SEALs.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (PG-13) Chris Pine stars in the fourth action feature based on Tom

Clancy’s novels about this CIA analyst/opera-tive, following Harrison Ford, Alec Baldwin and Ben Affleck. The Ryan character is thus be-coming our domestic James Bond in cinematic presence, though bearing little resemblance to 007 in other respects. This time, we meet a version of Ryan as a grad student in London on 9/11. He immediately signs up for the Ma-rine Corps, is seriously injured in Afghanistan,

and eventually recruited to covert CIA duty under the cover of working in high finance when the plot resumes a decade later. Even his physical therapist, who has since become his fiancee (Keira Knight-ley) doesn’t know his real job.

When his handler (Kevin Costner) sends him to Moscow to follow the money trail on an imminent threat to our economy, the fireworks begin. Kenneth Branagh serves double duty as director and criminal mastermind of semi-Bondian proportions. The rest is formulaic, but executed with reason-ably fine style.

Pine must be aspiring to a unique title like King of the Prequel, after playing the younger, alternate-reality version of William Shatner’s iconic Captain James T. Kirk in the last two Star Trek features. This similarly gives us a spin on Ryan’s beginnings, even though the character’s on-screen heroics ap-peared in the early 1990s against the “Russkies” and a radical splinter group of the IRA, predating this CIA recruitment. This puts him one hero up on Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller, who’ve brought Sherlock Holmes to the present. But Cumberbatch is at least in second, since he’s the new Spock to Pine’s Kirk in those films. As per Sherlock’s famous quote from Shakespeare, “The game’s afoot!!!”

Non-Stop (PG-13) Liam Neeson stars in this action thriller as a boozing,

depressed U.S. Air Marshal, reluctantly boarding a flight to London. We don’t know why he’s such a wreck, but he hardly seems up to the task of protecting his fellow travelers from any kind of threat that may occur. Shortly after takeoff, he starts getting text messages from an unknown person on the plane, claiming that someone will be killed every 20 min-utes until Neeson arranges for $150 million to be wired to a numbered account. The texter has significant contact and skills to be able to hack into the secured phone system while remaining unidentifiable, after showing he knows more about Neeson’s private life than anyone should.

Neeson tries to fend off disaster, not knowing who to trust. Even worse, his superiors on the ground and the pilot don’t believe him. As the plot thickens, it includes manipulat-ing events to make Neeson look like the perpetrator. The result is a hybrid of classic whodunnits with the likes of a Die Hard flick in the confined, vulnerable setting of a commercial jet crossing the Atlantic. A slew of passengers and a couple of crewmembers are variably dangled as possible sources of the threat. Neeson delivers his usual level of competence as

PRIME DIVERSIONS

Lone Survivor, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit & Non-StopRecent DVD releases

Mark Glass


a flawed hero, whose emotional baggage dwarfs whatever he checked at the terminal.

Director Jaume Collett-Serra, who steered Neeson through another action opus, Unknown (coming out of a coma just to find his identity stolen), does a fine job of churning the action and suspense in the claustrophobic environment the film’s premise imposes. This may not be great art, but it certainly

ranks as fine escapism.

Mark Glass is an officer and director of the St. Louis Film Critics Association.

Every detail about the Cottage says we appreciate the little things in life, especially as you and your family face the new challenges of maintaining the quality of life your loved one deserves.

Country Cottage

Call Kendra Newton today! 334-694-6297

cottageassistedliving.com

Come Home to


Alzheimer’s Respite CareVolunteers needed for Alzheimer’s Ministry,

First United Methodist Church, 2416 W. Clover-dale Park, Montgmomery. Community-wide program needing up to 80 volunteers on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday each week.

Pick your days/times. Volunteers receive a four hour dementia training class before fellowshipping with participants in art, music, trivia and games. This is a very active group! Contact

Daphne Johnston, Director of Respite Ministry, 334-834-8990.

Women’s Health Monthly SeminarWonderfully Made, conducted by Baptist Health,

is a monthly semi-nar held the third Wednesday of each month explor-ing the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of women’s health.

The program provides women of all ages with straightforward information about current health topics and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Seminars begin at noon in the auditorium in the UAB School of Medicine (Baptist Medical Center South campus), 2119 East South Blvd. Lunch is provided. Space is limited. To register call 334-273-4304.

The 2014 Masters Games for ages 50+ in Region 9 will take place June 18-20, at the Gil-lespie Senior Center, 332 Doster Rd., Prattville. There is a one-time entry fee of $7 per person for all events.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. daily.Schedule --Wed. June 18 -- 8:30-11:30 a.m. Rook, Check-ers.

Thurs. June 19 -- 8:30-11:30 a.m. Singles and Doubles Dominoes

Fri. June 20 -- 8:30 a.m. Horseshoes (males), Softball Throw (females)

9:30 a.m. Horseshoes (female), Softball throw (males)

11:30 a.m. Basketball throw (male and female)

12:30 p.m. Shuffleboard (males), nerfball and Fris-bee throw (females)

1:30 p.m. Shuffleboard (females), nerfball and Frisbee throw (males)

2:30 p.m. Table tennis (male and female)For information call 334-240-4666, or 1-800-

264-4680

Shrine Hospitals for ChildrenFounded in 1872, The Shrine organization start-

ed hospitals in 1922 in Shreveport, Louisiana to treat victims of polio, which was rampant at that time. There are now 22 hospitals supported by 195 Shrine Temples. These hospitals have treated more than 120,000 children.

Children from birth to age 18 are treated, if there is a reasonable possibility they could be helped. Treatment includes orthopedic condi-tions or orthopedic injuries to bones, muscles or joints, burn treatment and recovery, spinal cardio dysfunctions or injuries, and cleft pallet.

The ability to pay is never a factor, and families are not charged. If you know a family needing medical assistance, contact Alcazar Shrine Temple, 334-279-9174.If your club, church or community organization has events/activities of interest to those 50 and older, e-mail [email protected].

IN JUNE...

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PRIME PARTING SHOTSPRIME PARTING SHOTS

MCA Fitness held an Open House in May (above, left and right). Director Wilson Scott (in apron) did the cooking (it was great!), with friends and family providing a fes-tive atmosphere complete with music, courtesy of the Montgomery Dulcimer Players.

Montgomery resident Cathy Gilder (above right), her sister Susan Tippins (left), and their mother Mary Ella Marshall (center), recently journeyed to Ireland on a trip sponsored by Alabama Public TV. Cathy gracious sent Prime several photographs, including the Cliffs of Moher and St Patrick’s Cathedral. Cathy said the trip “...couldn’t have been any better.” Prime welcomes photos of recent trips taken by our readers, whether across the ocean or across the state.


OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Niko Corley

Long before the faded blue panel van pulled into view, you could hear him coming down the road. His Chevrolet could hard-

ly skid to a stop in the gravel drive before the herd of cousins were bouncing on the bumper and wiping the red road dust from the windows itching for a peek inside.

Like the swallows to Capistrano, the whole family would converge annually at my great aunt's house for a reunion of epic propor-tions. For the kids, the arrival of Uncle P and his treasure chest on wheels was the pinnacle of a summer weekend full of tire swings, zip lines and as much watermelon and chocolate pecan pie as we could stand.

In years past, P had made a living of sorts on the road. He'd ridden every highway and old dirt road in South Alabama peddling his seasonal wares to country folk, town folk and anyone else's business that hadn't been gobbled up by the Wal-Marts and the like.

On the shelves and racks inside his van P kept cane poles and crappie jigs, pocket knives, pocket combs, crickets, wigglers, cans of Spam and sardines and Vienna sausages, charcoal and lighter fluid, bubble gum and other candy, garden hoses, radiator hoses, motor oil, sunglasses, nails, duct tape, twine, layer pellets, Coca Colas, seeds and plumber's putty. These comprised the bulk of merely his "summer selection."

Rolling stores used to be a fairly common sight in the rural South, before most of the dirt roads were paved and megastores and Internet connections brought the world marketplace to every small town and front porch in Amer-ica. But even by the time of my youth, P was

already considered a dinosaur, closer to extinc-tion than he cared to admit.

He had a few routes he still ran stocking bait shops, hardware stores and Mom n' Pop grocer-ies, but it was more hobby than livelihood, which in hindsight explains his willingness at the annual family gathering to let every niece and nephew pick a prize from his warehouse on wheels.

Each child ap-proached this dif-ferently; some tore through the cardboard boxes with abandon, while others took time to peruse the boxes of army surplus items and dollar-bin crank baits searching for that perfect, hidden gem. Such an opportunity - which came but once

a year - was not a choice to be taken lightly, and mine was never a quick decision.

The last time I saw him the miles were catch-ing up. When it came my time to choose that year, I took longer than usual, wondering wheth-er it would be the last time I saw the blue van. It was. The following year, a bedridden P couldn't make the reunion, and the wheels of the rollin' store never rolled again.

Eventually the reunion met the same fate. It was inevitable. As new were born we lost others, some moved away, but life continued on unde-terred, like the miles ticking over on the dash of a dusty old Chevy van making good time down an old dirt road, Spam cans rattling in their cases and crickets chirping up a song.

Niko Corley spends his free time on the wa-ter or in the woods, and earned his charter boat license in 2012. He can be contacted at [email protected].

The Rollin’ Store


5801 Eastdale Drive • Montgomery, AL 36117

At Eastdale Estates, you’ll enjoy:• Three daily meals prepared from scratch by an executive chef• Full calendar of engaging activities and social events• Dedicated live-in managers available 24/7• Regular housekeeping and linen service• Scheduled shuttle transporation• Exclusive travel program with access to 300+ locations nationwide• Pets warmly welcomed• And so much more!

Call 334-651-0666 today toask about our $750 Move In Special!*

334-651-0666 www.eastdaleestates.com* Offer expires June 30, 2014. See management for details.

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