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The Weekly Readlines March 30
The Weekly Readlines (rhymes with headlines!) offers news you can use every week. You can view the archives here.
Quote for the Week: “The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in the insidious encroachments by men of zeal, well meaning but without understanding.” – Judge Louis Brandeis 
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES First the good news: the FDA approved a second COVID booster shot for people over 50. Count me in. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson appears headed for confirmation, with a vote from the Senate Judiciary Committee set for April 4.
Will Smith made entertainment history in the worst way with a slap across Chris Rock’s face. Media frenzy and Facebook pontificating followed. Meanwhile, Ginni Thomas, the wife of a sitting Supreme Court Justice, was revealed to have enthusiastically pursued the overturning of an American election. Not only can you not make these things up, you wouldn’t want to.
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Featured Book: Unexpected Bravery: Women and Children of the Civil War, by A.J. Schenkman
This week’s Featured Book is a fascinating look into lives most of us don’t know anything about: women and children who enlisted to fight in the Civil War. Among them was Albert Cashier, a man we would now call transgender. Born female, Albert spent almost his entire life as a man, beginning in boyhood. His military bravery was so highly thought of that the people around him protected his secret even after many of them knew about it. And this is just one of over a dozen stories told through archival material, letters, and first-hand accounts, of people who may otherwise be forgotten. A completely satisfying read. You can listen to my recent One Thing or Another podcast with the author HERE.
About Women and Children of the Civil War
The American Civil War divided the United States from 1861-1865. During those years, over two million soldiers served in both the Union and Confederate Armies. What is little known is that not only the numerous children, some as young 12, enlisted on both sides, but also women who disguised themselves as men in an attempt to make a difference in the epic struggle to determine the future of the United States of America.
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One Thing or Another: Reunited And It Feels So Old
By Mark McNease
It’s always One Thing or Another… a lighthearted look at aging, life, and the absurdities of it all.
If you’re reading this you’re probably old enough to remember the 1978 hit, Reunited, by Peaches and Herb. That song came out a year after my high school graduation, and it seems an appropriate choice now that I’ve been invited to our 45th reunion. I can’t make it this year because we’re going on our annual vacation to Provincetown. Had I been able to attend, it would have been a first: I have not gone to any reunion since leaving Indiana three days after snatching my diploma and packing up my orange Gremlin to head to California. It was a stick shift with no spare tire, but I made it across the continent, and only went back every year to see my parents until they passed away. After that, Indiana became a place to store memories, some of them great, many of them deservedly faded.
I’m not someone who insists that age is a number—tell that to my bones. Age is real. Days pass, weeks pass, years pass, and every living thing ages in the march of time. I’ve also given instructions to euthanize me on the spot if I ever say that anyone is so-many-years young. I would be mortified as well as humiliated if, should I live that long, anyone calls me ninety years young. It’s patronizing and patently false.
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Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources: What to Expect from Your Medicare Annual Wellness Visit
By Angelica Herrera Venson, DrPH, MPH
The following excerpt is reprinted with permission from Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources.
As you get older, it’s important to take control of your health through routine and preventative care. One way to do this is through a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit (AWV). This is free to all individuals on Medicare, with or without an advantage care plan or ‘supplement.’ Some seniors get confused about how it differs from a physical and what’s covered. We’ll try to clear this up in this brief post.
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Podcast Pick: Queer Writers of Crime, with Host Brad Shreve
Recently named by BuzzFeed as one of the 20 best LGBTQ podcasts to listen to, Brad Shreve’s Queer Writers of Crime has returned better than ever. After a brief hiatus following his first 100 episodes, host Shreve has brought this essential podcast back for fans of LGBTQ+ mysteries, thrillers and suspense fiction and the authors who write them. Full disclosure: I’m on soon for a second go-round, with a thoroughly enjoyable conversation about books, characters, and point of view.
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Book Review: Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff, by Matt Paxton with Jordan Michael Smith
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworm Sez
Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff” by Matt Paxton with Jordan Michael Smith
c.2022, Penguin Portfolio $24.00 310 pagesThe carpet in your living room is brown.
At least that’s the way you remember it. You haven’t actually seen it in a few years because you’ve got stuff from corner to corner, held down by furniture you don’t sit on, anchored by things you don’t use. Time for a major clean-up, and it can start with “Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff” by Matt Paxton with Jordan Michael Smith.
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The Weekly Readlines March 25: Ketanji Kills It, Putin’s War Crimes, and the Week in Headlines
The Weekly Readlines (rhymes with headlines!) offers news you can use once a week. You can view the archives here. And for your listening pleasure, this week’s podcast edition!
Quote for the Week: “Your heart’s strength is measured by how hard it holds on. Your self worth and faith is measured by finally letting go. However, your peace is measured by how long you don’t look back.” ― Shannon L. Alder BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES First the good news: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson survived the avalanche of dog whistles as Republicans tried to smear her with their “woke” and “critical race theory” crayons, employing words and concepts as tired and useless as they are. Absent another Supreme Court seat theft, she will be confirmed.
Ukraine continued to turn Putin’s wet dream into a bowel blockage. The trucker convoy got stalled by a single bicyclist in D.C. And Disney employees staged a walk out against Florida’s contribution to the Don’t Say Gay hate craze.
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Savvy Senior: What to Do with Cremated Ashes
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
A while back I saw an article on different ways to scatter a person’s ashes after they’re cremated, but I’ve misplaced it. Can you help me with this? I’m preplanning my funeral and would like to include instructions on what to do with my remains that my family will appreciate.
Planning Ahead
Dear Planning,
There’s no shortage of options when it comes to handling or disposing of your cremated remains after you’re gone. Your family can keep, bury or scatter them in a variety of imaginative ways that reflect your life and personality. Here are some different options to consider.
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The Weekly Readlines March 19: Senate Saves Daylight, Most Americans Prefer Equality
The Weekly Readlines (rhymes with headlines!) offers news you can use every Saturday morning. You can view the archives here. The podcast edition will return in May when I retire!
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES First the good news: The Senate voted unanimously to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. No more changing the clocks. Yes! Cherry on top: a new poll shows most Americans are opposed to the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bills trending among the theo-fascist crowd.
On the other hand, the onslaught of bills in GOP-led states targeting LGBTQ+ people and brutalizing trans kids and their families continues unabated, redefining cruelty for the post-equality era.
LGBTQ+ NEWS They Are Scared To Travel’: The Obstacles Faced By LGBT+ Ukrainians Fleeing War
EuronewsMonk’s Book Supports LGBT People Through A Buddhist’s Eyes
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The Twist Podcast #187: DeSantis Disses Disney, GOP ‘Groomer’ Goblins, Listicles and Headlines
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as gaze aghast at the grotesquerie of Ron DeSantis, reject the ‘groomer’ slurs for the 10,000th time, and offer up our listicles and headlines.
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An App for That: Magnifying Glass + Flashlight
An App for That is a regular feature at LGBTSr highlighting useful apps and technology tips for our readers.
I haven’t been able to read anything much smaller than a billboard without my glasses for years. And I thoroughly enjoy a good meal in restaurants that are sometimes dark. Have you ever had to take a candle on the table and hold it up to a menu you can barely read? Of course you have! So try this ‘Magnifying Glass + Flashlight‘ app, available on iOS and Android. I got it on my iPhone and tried it out. It’s very basic, which is fine if you want exactly what you get: an adjustable magnifying glass with a flashlight! The only thing that annoys me are the ads at the bottom, but that’s going to be part of any free app. Ignore them and check out the appetizers!
Have an app to recommend? Email me at: Editor @ LGBTSr.com
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Savvy Senior: Does Medicare Cover Power Lift Chairs?
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
Because of back pain and knee arthritis I’m interested in getting a power lift recliner for my living room that’s easy for me to get into and out of. Does Medicare cover them?
Can’t Get Up
Dear Can’t,
Yes, Medicare does indeed provide some coverage for lift chairs, provided your doctor prescribes it for a medical reason, but they won’t cover the entire cost of the chair. Medicare will only pay for the motorized lifting mechanism, which is considered durable medical equipment (DME), and is covered under Part B. The other parts of the chair – the frame, cushioning, and upholstery – are not covered. Here are a few more details you should know.