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  • LGBTSR,  Savvy Senior

    Savvy Senior: Best Cell Phones for Seniors

     

    By Jim Miller

    Dear Savvy Senior,

    Can you recommend some good cell phones for seniors? My 79-year-old mother needs to get a new mobile phone and has asked me to help her find one that she would like.

    Searching Daughter

    Dear Searching,

    For older adults, choosing a cell phone is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Some seniors love the latest high-tech smartphones with high-megapixel cameras, while others prioritize simple phones with basic functions. So, the best cell phone for your mom will depend on her comfort with technology, priorities and budget.

    Best Cell Phones

    To help identify the best cell phones for older adults, I consulted Wirecutter, a product testing and recommendation service from The New York Times who recently tested 18 cell phone models.

    Their testing focus was on three different areas, including best phones for older adults who are comfortable with technology and want to upgrade to a full-featured smartphone with robust accessibility settings; best cell phones for seniors who are not tech-inclined or who prefer a smartphone with fewer features, as well as those who are experiencing vision, hearing, or dexterity issues; and best cell phones for elderly seniors who need specific accessibility features due to physical or cognitive issues. Here are their top choices based on their tests.

  • LGBTSR

    New Release: Jean Ryan’s Luminous Poetry Collection, ‘A Day Like This’ Now Available

    I’ve been a fan of Jean Ryan’s superb writing for quite a few years now, and what could be more exciting than a new collection of her poetry? I ordered this the instant I knew it was available. Jean is a writer’s writer, whether it’s short stories, novels, astonishing nature essays, or poetry. And she’s an excellent painter, too! Poetry is the foundation of so much of what we call good writing, and Jean delivers. I’ve been devouring her poems one by one, and now they’re available in a single volume. Buy it here.

    About ‘A Day Like This’

    In the title poem of Jean Ryan’s luminous new collection, her speaker sees swallows slicing the air, observing, “Short dark arrows, they never miss, their flight too swift for error.” I can’t think of a more apt description for A Day Like This, in which poem after poem so vividly penetrates to the core of lived experience. Ryan’s poems have an ease of movement and transparency of structure I find most enviable. She has a special gift for finding what remains fresh and particular inside the ancient stuff of poetry. This is a gorgeous book, powerful and assured, written by a poet who is elegant, concise, honest, and warm-hearted in her approach. I can’t recommend it enough. A quietly masterful work.

    —Erin Belieu, author of the poetry collections Come-Hither HoneycombBlack BoxSlant Six, and One Above and One Below

  • LGBTSR,  One Thing or Another Column

    One Thing or Another: Cats, Kittens And Chaos

     

    One Thing or Another: Life, Aging, and the Absurdities of it All

    By Mark McNease

    We recently lost another beloved cat, if you can refer to ending their lives as mercifully as possible that way. It’s both a euphemism and a truism: the space where Peanut had been for over five years is empty now. I left the soft orange runner on the floor by the kitchen sink where she ate, separately from our other girl Wilma. It reminds us of her, and it will always be where she had been. I’m also turning her litter box into a flower garden, with her name on a small marker. But she is gone, and it’s a sadness that will remain as long as we remember her.

    We’ve said goodbye this way to five other cats over the past 17 years, and it never stops being one of the most difficult experiences we accept into our lives in exchange for sharing them with animals. The only thing more I’ll say about it is that it always feels like a betrayal of their unwavering trust, and yet we are entrusted too with making sure they don’t suffer more than dying inflicts on them already. It’s a terrible guessing game.

  • Books

    Birren Center Releases New Collection: The Gift of a Long Life: Personal Essays on the Aging Experience

    I’ve recently become a certified Guided Autobiography instructor* through the Birren Center. They’ve just released their new collection of personal essays on the aging experience.

    About ‘The Gift of a Long Life’

    “Life and aging are the greatest gifts that we could possibly ever have.” – Cicely Tyson

    In this collection of heartfelt essays, 53 individuals share their unique perspectives on aging. From the poignant to the humorous, their stories celebrate the gifts that unfold with each passing year.

    The Gift of a Long Life is more than a collection of stories; it’s a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the richness that comes with a life well-lived.

    For readers seeking inspiration and connection, this anthology offers an intimate, honest exploration of the rewards that time bestows. From small, everyday moments to profound life lessons, each essay reflects a positive attitude towards aging and the invaluable experiences that come with it.

    As told by the vibrant voices of the Guided Autobiography (GAB) community, these candid stories explore the unique gifts found in the later chapters of life.

    *If you’re interested in learning more about Guided Autobiography, check out the Birren Center’s website, as well as my own YourWritePath.com for news on upcoming classes and workshop.

     

  • LGBTSR

    GAB Gazette Features Guided Autobiography Instructor Steve Dolainski

    Featured Guided Autobiography instructor Steve Dolainski, who introduced me to GAB. My own workshops and courses start this spring.

    https://birrencenter.substack.com/p/featured-gabber-stephen-dolainski?utm_medium=email

    “Stephen Dolainski was drawn to GAB after learning about it through friends in Oregon in 2022.

    “I did some research on GAB and, as a long-time adult educator and writer/editor, I was intrigued with the concept and the methodology. I immediately knew that GAB was something for me to explore,” he said.

    After taking the the training in November 2022, he wanted to work with LGBTQ seniors.

    “When I received certification, I contacted the Los Angeles LGBT Center and proposed forming a GAB class,” he said. “In 2023, we offered three GAB 1 classes and one GAB 2 class. More classes will be offered in 2024.”

    Stephen loves teaching GAB and talks about how it how much it benefits writers by sharing their truth.”

    CONTINUE READING

  • The Weekly Readlines

    The Weekly Readlines March 21

    BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES

    Like rain in the dessert, President Biden finally gets a boost in the polls, beating Trump in three of them this past week. Maybe it was that whole there will be a bloodbath thing Trump promised to his enthralled supporters in Ohio. Or maybe people are finally realizing the man’s got stage-three something of the brain. Biden’s also crushing Trump in fundraising, possibly because Biden donors aren’t paying off his legal bills.

    SCOTUS gave Texas the green light to start its own dictatorship, seizing immigration authority explicitly given to the federal government in the Constitution. But hey, what’s that dusty old document when it stands in the way of six ‘strict constructionists’ everyone knows by now aren’t strict at all.

    In a preview of gay life in America beneath the boot of Christian nationalism, Russia arrested the managers of a gay club under its ‘Extremism’ law. Don’t say you weren’t warned.

    And primed for success, Amazon began selling over-the-counter birth control pills online. But is there free shipping?

    IN OTHER NEWS

    First Openly Gay Top Flight Footballer Proposes To His Partner On The Pitch – Indy100

    LGBTQ+ voters in Michigan, other battleground states overwhelmingly support Biden

    Retirement Fears Do Not Play Out In Reality, Survey Shows – Journal Of Accountancy

  • Home Advantages,  LGBTSR

    Home Advantages: Best Vegetables for Planting in Early Spring

     

    Narration provided by Wondervox (in a fun British accent).

    Home Advantages is a semi-regular feature highlighting our efforts to keep up a small house in the New Jersey woods, whether it’s redoing a vegetable garden or unclogging a bathroom sink! Follow along this year as I undertake small improvements here and there, and show you how you can, too! – Mark 

    By Mark McNease

    Cool-weather vegetables are calling

    If you’re itching to start planting, March is a great time to begin, with several hearty, cool-weather loving vegetables looking for the nearest garden. Lots of vegetables thrive in the cool, moist conditions of early spring, and they can provide delicious and nutritious harvests you can tell people you grew yourself! Here’s a short list of some of the best vegetables to plant in March, along with tips on how to care for them.

    Onions

    Onions can be planted in March, and they’ll reward you with pungent and flavorful bulbs later in the summer. You can start onions from seeds, sets, or transplants, depending on your preference and availability. Onions prefer a sunny location with fertile and well-drained soil, and they need regular watering and weeding. They’re ready to harvest when the tops fall over and turn brown, usually in July or August. You can store them in a cool and dry place for several months, or eat them as you go along.

  • Cathy's Wealth of Health

    Cathy’s Wealth of Health: Allergies

    Narration provided by Wondervox.

    By Cathy McNease, Dipl CH, RH

    Here in Southern California, many are plagued by allergies to pollens in the air. Extensive landscaping has turned a natural desert terrain into a lush, verdant landscape. As a result, we have an enormous variety of plant pollens to contend with. Typically, tree pollens cause spring time allergies, while herbs, grasses and flowers cause summer and fall allergies. Mold, mildew, dust, pet dander, feathers, cigarette smoke, and chemical pollutants, may all cause allergy symptoms year round, and can be difficult to diagnose. An allergic reaction is a disorder of the immune system that causes an over reaction to something in the environment. Anti-histamine drugs, like Benadryl or Claritin are used to reduce allergy symptoms.

    Seasonal allergies to pollens can cause sneezing, runny nose, cough, asthma, itchy eyes, nose or ears; sore throat, hives, rashes and fatigue. Minimizing exposure to the offending pollens is advised, but that may be impossible to achieve. Allergic reactions can be mild or severe. If your parents suffered with hay fever (allergic rhinitis), eczema or allergic asthma, there is a good chance that you have inherited the “allergy-prone gene.” From the point of view of Chinese Medicine, this shows an inherited weakness in the immune functions of both the Lungs and the Kidneys. Stress may be a trigger due to a the strong connection between the emotions and the immune system.  Often the allergy-prone adult suffered allergies or eczema as a kid. Others may develop allergies later in life, even with no family history. Repeated exposure can be a trigger. Colds and allergies may have similar symptoms, but if those cold symptoms last more than a week, it may be due to allergies.