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The Weekly Readlines December 15
A note from the newsroom: It’s been a year, hasn’t it? And it’s not over yet. We’ve seen gains, we’ve seen losses, we’ve felt hope and we’ve felt heartbreak. Kind of like every year, when you think about it.Two very recent losses brought my youth to mind: the death of poet and activist Nikki Giovanni, and the passing of Michael Cole, one of the three now-dead leads from Mod Squad (1968 – 1973). It wasn’t until I saw the headline about Cole’s death that I remembered him as one of my boyhood TV man-crushes. Some others were Robert Conrad on Wild Wild West (“Who is your tailor, Mr. Conrad? Such tight fitting blue suits”) and Bill Bixby on The Courtship of Eddie’s Father.Nikki Giovanni was among a handful of poets I devoured in high school, learning from them how to use words most effectively, and how to make sense of a world I generally found unwelcoming.She was 81, he was 84, I’m 66. We all take a licking and keep on ticking … until the clock stops. So long, you two, thanks for being part of the puzzle that is me. – Mark
QUOTE FOR THE WEEK
“There is always something to do. There are hungry people to feed, naked people to clothe, sick people to comfort and make well. And while I don’t expect you to save the world I do think it’s not asking too much for you to love those with whom you sleep, share the happiness of those whom you call friend, engage those among you who are visionary and remove from your life those who offer you depression, despair and disrespect.”
Poet and Activist Nikki Gionanni (1943 – 2024)
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Book Review: What the Chicken Knows: A New Appreciation of the World’s Most Familiar Bird, by Sy Montgomery
“What the Chicken Knows: A New Appreciation of the World’s Most Familiar Bird” by Sy Montgomery
c.2024, Atria Books
$22.99 71 pagesEvery day, you and your closest lady-friends have a good old-fashioned hen party.
It’s never too formal. You’re happy just winging it as you gather and gossip, squawking about this subject and pecking at that one. Life ruffles your feathers a whole lot less after you’ve cackled at each other’s jokes and crowed at your triumphs. As in “What the Chicken Knows” by Sy Montgomery, time with your ladies is pretty clucking great.
It’s not often that it happens, but when Sy Montgomery needed a rooster expert, she was happy to find one almost right next door.
The problem was that Montgomery’s pet rooster had gotten aggressive. Ashley, the expert, advised Montgomery to do the unthinkable: pick up the creature with scimitar-like claws and cuddle him.
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A Smashing Smashwords Year End Sale and Giveaway!
Read All My eBooks Free!
Santa’s at the door! Merry Christmas, everyone, happy holidays. Enjoy some freebies and deep discounts at the Smashwords Year End Sale!
All of my ebooks – you heard that right, all of them – are available for free download at Smashwords from December 12 – January 1. That includes:
6 Kyle Callahan Mysteries
3 Marshall James Thrillers
2 Maggie Dahl MysteriesCan you say “up all night?” It will take a lot of those sleepless evenings to get through all these page-turners.
AND there are lots more, from dozens of terrific authors offering their books for free or at deep discounts.
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Ca-ching! Venmo Cash Back and Other Rewards Cards Suggestions
Narration provided by Wondervox.
By Mark McNease
I love getting rewards for the money I spend, and I have to put a word in for the Venmo credit and debit cards. I’ve been using an Amazon Chase card for years, and while I like the money I get from it credited to my Amazon account, I really like the rush of a monthly cash deposit. Costco, too, is good to have, but they pay out once a year!
I’ve been using Venmo for a few years to pay our cat sitter and send money to people, as well as getting paid for workshops and books. It was only a few months ago that I got pitched the Venmo credit card with a promotion for $200 cash back if I spent $1000 in six months. It sounded too good to be true, but it wasn’t! I hit my required amount in just a few months, and one day there was $200 in the account, which I promptly transferred to my bank. (There’s something ‘rewarding’ about putting the money in the bank instead of using it to spend more money with the card. I also keep these amounts on a spreadsheet so I can track how much I’m getting each month.)
Now I find myself with an extra $20 to $100 a month, which is terrific. It’s one of the more generous cash back programs out there, and I recently added to it by getting the Venmo debit card. I just signed up for that a few weeks ago and already earned $19.75, sent off to my checking account within minutes.
There are a lot of options out there. If you’re like me and you never carry a balance (I haven’t paid interest in many years) these are a great way to get something for the money you spend.
Some ideas tailored to senior
As we look to make the most of our finances, choosing the right credit card can significantly enhance our purchasing power and provide valuable rewards. With a variety of options available, it’s crucial to select a card that aligns with our spending habits and lifestyle preferences. Here’s a roundup of some of the best rewards cards for seniors—but also good for anyone!
VENMO! See my own experience with this above.
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The Twist Podcast #281: Pop Goes the Jeopardy, Kitchen Gadget Gets, and the Twist Goes Post-Political (Mostly)
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as we anticipate the fun new Pop Culture Jeopardy, get the skinny on Rick’s kitchen gadget gets, and talk almost everything but politics!
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Have Yourself A Budget-Conscious Christmas
Narration provided by Wondervox.
By Mark McNease
It’s that time again when those of us who choose to buy Christmas presents try to figure out what to give people. I only buy presents for my husband Frank and my sister Cathy. With Cathy, I collect small things throughout the year and then send them all in a box, which I’ll be shipping off tomorrow. For Frank, it’s always some more clothes and trying to figure out what to get someone who always says “I don’t need anything.” I believe in paring it back as the years pass. We’re at a time in our lives when we want to get rid of things, not add to them. And I try to be budget conscious. Here are some suggestions for keeping an eye on the gift bills.
Budget-Conscious Ways to Celebrate Christmas
Christmas is a wonderful time of the year, filled with joy, love, and togetherness. However, it can also become overwhelmingly expensive. With thoughtful planning and creativity, you can have a festive celebration without breaking the bank. Here are some budget-conscious ways to enjoy the holiday season.
Set a Budget
Start by determining how much you can realistically spend on Christmas. Having a clear budget will help you make informed decisions about gifts, decorations, and activities without overspending.
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Another Happy Book Client: A Normal American Life, by Robert Montagnese
Did I mention I love my job? Another client satisfied!
A Normal American Life, by Robert Montagnese
If the currency of life is time, then the currency of truly living is making decisions.
Meet Katie and Claire, two young girls living in the Midwest who are about to graduate high school. On that one warm Spring Day, they decide to skip classes to go to the lake; a rumor spreads not based on any facts but rather a perception. It is the end of innocence as previously embraced and the start of truly living, and the clock ticks. There is an enormous world to discover beyond small-town people and their gossip.
A Normal American Life is a bar set high by how deeply you can go within to define yourself and live by those standards. It is a story about people using words to demonize and promote their own skewed beliefs. It’s also a tale about small-town traditions and beliefs, both good and bad. The characters are universal, and they all come from Elkhart, Indiana. Welcome to this America, the land of the free, if you look, talk, and live your life like a “normal” American.
The author, Robert Montagnese, brings a unique perspective to this narrative. Growing up in a small town in Connecticut, he remembers the turbulent late 1960s and the rapid changes of the 1970s. A bell-bottom boy in platform shoes, he ventured out to explore the world, learning quickly that what sometimes feels normal may not be normal to others.
This is Robert’s 4th novel. His career in beauty marketing provided a deeper insight into women and their worth, which is the heart of this new novel. Robert moved to NYC to start his career as an OR Nurse at New York Hospital and completed it as the Global Brand Director for L’Oréal years later. Along the way, his interest in writing became a reality with his first collection of short stories about influential women in his life, Lucky 7. Praise for Lucky 7 encouraged him to continue with a new-found passion for storytelling, leading to his latest, A Normal American Life. Robert happily resides in NYC with his partner John, of 30-plus years, and a new puppy, Patrick II.
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Book Review: The Dead of Winter: Beware the Krampus and Other Wicked Christmas Creatures, by Sarah Clegg
Narration provided by Wondervox.
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworm Sez“The Dead of Winter: Beware the Krampus and Other Wicked Christmas Creatures” by Sarah Clegg
c.2024, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
$22.00 208 pagesBreaking and entering.
It happens every Christmas in your neighborhood somewhere. An old guy with a long white beard busts into a few random houses, steals milk and cookies, and escapes before he can be apprehended. He’s not the only holiday mischief maker around, though. As in the new book, “The Dead of Winter” by Sarah Clegg, when it comes to Christmastime characters, you’d better watch out.
On a chilly Christmas Eve morning not long ago, Sarah Clegg left the warmth of her parents’ home and crept along the English countryside in search of witches.
Legend says that the morning before Christmas was the time when witches portended who in the village would die in the following year, but Clegg didn’t see that and she didn’t spot her prey.
No problem. She says, throughout history, “Christmas teems with monsters.”
Witches aside, she begins her search in February at Carnival in Venice, which she admits is an odd time to think about Christmas but Carnival’s masks and decadence hark back to what Christmas was in ancient times.
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Savvy Senior: What You’ll Pay for Medicare in 2025
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
I know there will be a small 2.5 percent cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits next year, but what about Medicare? What will the Medicare Part B monthly premiums be in 2025, and when do the surcharges kick in for higher income beneficiaries?
Medicare Beneficiary
Dear Beneficiary,
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently announced their cost adjustments for 2025 and the increases for premiums and out-of-pocket costs for most beneficiaries will be moderate. But if you’re a high earner, you’ll pay significantly more. Here’s what you can expect to pay in 2025.
Part B Premium
While Medicare Part A, which pays for hospital care, is premium-free for most beneficiaries, Part B, which covers doctor visits and outpatient services does have a monthly premium.
Starting in January, the standard monthly Part B premium will be $185, up from $174.70 in 2024. That $10.30 bump represents a 5.9 percent increase, which is more than double the most recent Social Security cost-of-living adjustment which was 2.5 percent.
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The Twist Podcast #280: Wicked Good, Khalid Comes Home, and the Twist’s Thanksgiving Leftovers
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose for our enthusiastic, two-brooms-up review of Wicked, a hearty welcome to fellow traveler Khalid, and some turkey talk after the pie’s all gone.
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Triple Header: 3 Workshops in March – Fiction Writing Essentials, Character Creation, and Self-Publishing with Kindle Direct Publishing
Three workshop intensives in one package: Fiction Writing Essentials, followed by Character Creation, and concluding with Self-Publishing with KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing. Each of these is a separate workshop, being offered together for three Mondays in March – and at a savings! Join Mark and the other participants to learn the essentials of writing fiction, how to create characters who will step off your mind onto the page, and how to publish your work yourself as an independent author.
You can see workshop descriptions at YourWritePath.com, address any questions to YourWritePath AT Outlook. com.
WHEN: 3 Mondays in March (3, 10, 17)
TIME: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm eastern
VIA ZOOM
REGISTER HERE ($100) -
Savvy Senior: How to Choose a Memory Care Unit for a Loved One with Dementia
Narration provided by Wondervox.
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
My dad has dementia and has gotten to the point that he can’t live at home any longer. I need to find a good memory care residential facility for him but don’t know where to turn. Any suggestions?
Only Daughter
Dear Only,
Choosing a good memory care residential unit for a loved one with dementia is a very important decision that requires careful evaluation and some homework.
Most memory care units, sometimes called special care units, are housed within assisted living or nursing home facilities. At their best, they offer staff extensively trained in caring for people with dementia, individualized care that minimizes the use of dangerous psychotropic drugs, a home-like environment and activities that improve resident’s quality of life. But at their worst, they can offer little more than a locked door. Here are some steps that can help you find a good facility and avoid a bad one.