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The Weekly Readlines June 9
The Weekly Readlines (rhymes with headlines) offers news you can use every Friday.
Quote for the Week: “When we are born, we cry that we are come to this great stage of fools.” – King Lear, Act 4 Scene 5
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIESThere is only one truly huge story: Donald Trump has been indicted. I’m still trying to digest this, and the possible consequences. It’s a sad day for America, and as much as I loathe the man and what his movement has done to this country, the thought of an American president in prison is chilling. Let’s think this through …
The manufactured debt ceiling crisis, that stressful Kabuki theater staged by Republicans every time there’s a Democrat in the White House, failed to materialize once Biden and McCarthy struck a deal. The empire lives to crumble another day!
Despite Florida Republicans’ efforts to stuff LGBTQ people back into ill-fitting closets, Disney’s annual Gay Days went on with glorious rainbow defiance.
And the Bible was removed from one school district’s elementary and junior high libraries due to ‘vulgarity or violence.’ What’s good for the goose …
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Savvy Senior: Best Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids for Older Adults
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
Can you recommend some good over-the-counter hearing aids for seniors on a budget? I’m not sure what to get or where to buy them.
Hard of Hearing
Dear Hard,
The new FDA approved over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids that hit the market last October have become a very attractive alternative to millions of older Americans with hearing impairment.
These new hearing aids can be purchased at pharmacies, consumer electronics stores or online without a hearing exam, prescription, or appointment with an audiologist. And the savings are significant. The average cost of an OTC hearing aid is about $1,600 per pair, which is about $3,000 less than the average price of a prescription hearing aid.
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Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources: The Benefits of Lifelong Learning for Senior Health and Well-being
Reprinted with permission from Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources
By Donald Hollifield
Learning is all about keeping your brain active and engaged at every stage of life. It’s not just for kids or college students – it’s for seniors, too. In fact, continuous learning can have a big impact on senior health and well-being.
When seniors engage in lifelong learning, they’re doing more than just picking up new facts. They’re boosting their cognitive abilities, keeping their minds sharp, and even reducing the risk of dementia. They’re also expanding their social connections. Whether they’re taking a class, joining a book club, or volunteering, they’re interacting with others and strengthening their social network.
What’s more, lifelong learning can boost the overall quality of life for seniors. It gives them a sense of purpose, keeps them connected with the world, and helps them adapt to changes in society and technology. Simply put, it’s a fantastic way to stay active and engaged in later life.
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Rick’s Latest Listicle: Panda Handstands, Toothpaste Blobs, and Other Quirky Facts
By Rick Rose
Co-Host of The Twist PodcastI love a good listicle. It can be informational, educational, entertaining, or all of the above! Here are my top 5 quirky discoveries that tickled my fancy.
5. A “buttload” is an actual unit of measurement equal to 108 imperial gallons. This is roughly equivalent to 126 U.S. gallons. The term “butt” is thought to have originated from the Latin word “butticula,” which means “barrel.”
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Mark McNease Mysteries Podcast #59: Kill Switch: A Kyle Callahan Mystery (Chapters 16 – 18)
I’ll be bringing you the audiobook edition of Kill Swtich: A Kylle Callahan Mystery, in three-chapters released over the next 12+ weeks! The narration is provided by my own WondervoxAI.
Kill Swtich is the 5th installment in the Kyle Callahan Series, and it finds Kyle dealing with the trauma of having ended the life of a vicious serial killer. Fasten your headphones, and check in every week for the next three chapters.
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The Twist Podcast #228 Encore Replay: Show 216 with Guest Brad Shreve, Author and Podcaster Extraordinaire
The summer crush continues! Rick is on assignment for another two weeks, I just got back from a two-night gorgeous getaway in Jim Thorpe, PA (read all about it), and we’re just getting started! Enjoy this encore replay of show #216 from February, when we spoke to Brad Shreve, host of the Queer We Are Podcast, and author of the Mitch O’Reilly Mysteries.
Brad’s life has been a series of adjustments.
He was 35 and had a wife and daughter when he came out, forcing him to adapt from living a lie to being who he is overnight. Freeing, yet difficult.
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2 Big Gay Book Reviews: The Celebrants, by Steven Rowley, and Big Gay Wedding, by Byron Lane
What better way to review two books by married writers Steven Rowley and Byron Lane than together? It’s the start of Pride month, so let’s check out these reviews from husbands Rowley and Lane. – Mark/EditorBy Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworm Sez
The Celebrants, by Steven Rowley
c.2023, Putnam $28.00 308 pagesEverybody will say nice things about you when you’re lying in a box in front of them.
They’ll say you were everyone’s friend, you were funny and wise, even when you weren’t. You were the greatest person ever, just the best – and don’t you wish they’d say those things now, while you’re alive to hear them? As in the new book “The Celebrants” by Steven Rowley, those sentiments might completely surprise you.
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On the Map: A Two-Day Getaway to Jim Thorpe (PA)
On the Map is a feature at LGBTSr highlighting travel and events of interest to readers.
By Mark McNease
It’s not surprising that so many people don’t know Jim Thorpe is a place. Named after the legendary Native American athlete, the town changed its name from Mauch Chunk when Thorpe’s widow agreed to have him re-buried here in exchange for the town being named after him.
This is our second trip here. We’d visited a couple years ago during the pandemic, and I wanted to come back when the weather was warm and things were normal – although we’ve learned that the old normal will never really return.
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Health Beat: How Can You Tell If It’s Arthritis?
By Mark McNease
I’ve had some steady pain in my right arm for a couple years now. At first I attributed it to repetitive motion at my grocery store job, which I just retired from. But the doctor told me two years ago, when I had to be off work for two weeks because I couldn’t lift my arm above my waist, that it was probably arthritis, or a combination of the two. So how do we tell if that persistent pain in a limb or joint is arthritis?
The Signs of Arthritis
If you are over the age of 40 and are starting to notice that your joints feel stiff or painful, there is a chance that you may be developing arthritis. It can be hard to tell if these symptoms are caused by the natural aging process or something more serious, but it’s always advisable to speak to your doctor as soon as possible if you experience any of the following early signs of arthritis:
Joint Pain and Stiffness: One of the most common early signs of arthritis is joint pain and stiffness. You may notice that certain areas, such as your hands or feet, begin to hurt when you move them in certain ways. This pain can also be accompanied by a feeling of tightness or stiffness in the affected area.
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Savvy Senior: Can I Collect Social Security from My Ex-Spouse?
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
Is it possible to collect Social Security benefits from my ex-spouse? We were married for 12 years but have been divorced for almost 20 years now.
Never Remarried
Dear Never,
Yes, depending on your specific circumstances, you may very well be eligible for divorced spouses Social Security benefits. Here’s what you should know.
Who’s Eligible?
A divorced spouse can collect a Social Security retirement benefit on the earnings record of their ex-husband (or ex-wife) if you are at least age 62, were married for at least 10 years, are unmarried, and are not eligible for a higher benefit based on your own earnings record.
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The Twist Podcast #227 Special Edition: 3 Great Interviews with Torrey McDowell, Brenda Yang, and Lisa B. Lewis
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as we offer a special edition Twist, with three separate interviews of three incredible people. Enjoy interviews with singer and songwriter Torrey McDowell, Dane County (W) Supervisor for District 9, Brenda Yang, and Founder And Executive Director of Omnium: A Bold New Circus, Lisa B. Lewis. Fasten your headphones!
About Torrey McDowell
Singer & SongwriterWhat began as a love of choir and music in her youth ultimately blossomed into a life’s passion for artist Torrey McDowell. After picking up a songwriting habit in the second grade, it made total sense that Torrey would later earn a vocal performance scholarship at Piedmont University. Beyond the walls of academia, the Georgia-native’s musical mission became focused on healing, growth, and empowerment.
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The Weekly Readlines May 25
The Weekly Readlines (rhymes with headlines!) is a feature at LGBTSr offering news you can use every week.
Quote for the Week: “Until a drag queen walks into a school and beats eight kids to death with a copy of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ I think you’re focusing on the wrong shit.” – Wanda Sykes
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIESTina Turner has died at 81, and the world mourns the loss of a great.
In hopeful signs, several Florida cities are fighting back, refusing to cancel Pride events or ban drag performers from them. Meanwhile, Target has moved some of its Pride merchandise to the back of its stores because that’s what threats of violence can make you do – and they know it.
Governor Ron “Benito” DeSantis has announced his candidacy, setting himself up as the little stuffed arcade doll Trump will soon be blasting off the shelf. Perhaps the only entertainment value in any of this?
And the country teeters once again on the verge of default, held hostage by the usual Republican suspects to the surprise of absolutely no one.