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The Twist Podcast #267: Proud AF End of June Rainbows Everywhere Edition
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as we say goodbye to another June, wave our rainbow flags high, and stay the course.
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The Weekly Readlines June 28
QUOTE FOR THE WEEK
“Life becomes easier when you learn to accept an apology you never got.” – Robert Brault
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES
By almost all accounts President Biden bombed at the debate. No further comment.
From the good news beat, Biden pardoned military veterans who were convicted for same-sex activities prior to the repeal of DADT, and the number of elected LGBTQ officials jumped 200 percent since 2017. Pickings from the happy place are a bit slim these days
NEWS FOR Qs
Biden Protections For LGBT Students Blocked In Six More States | WTVB
US Supreme Court To Hear Challenge To Ban On Transgender Care For Minors – AOL.com
Peru stops labeling transgender people as mentally ill – Yahoo News Canada
Georgian Parliament Gives Initial Approval To Sweeping Curbs On LGBT Rights | Reuters
Cleveland Is Home To One Of The Oldest LGBT Community Centers In The Nation – WEWS
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Cat Talk Radio with Molly DeVoss and Dewey Vaught: 5 Signs Your Cat is Depressed
Do cats suffer from depression? They sure do! Molly and Dewey talk about 5 signs your cat might be depressed, what causes it, and what you can do to help.
Cat Talk Radio is all about cats, what makes them do what they do, why they occasionally misbehave and what cat guardians can do to fix it. We educate you on how to modify unwanted cat behavior by providing the proper environment and stimulation, enabling cats to express their natural behaviors in ways that are preferable for both the humans and cats. You will learn how to have fun with your cat, fascinating cat facts and be inspired to try new things, which will lead to a happier relationship and closer bond with your cat. We’ll also call attention to the plight of cats in our country, feel compassion for their challenges and share the message.
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Cat Talk Radio with Molly DeVoss and Dewey Vaughn: What To Do If Your Cat Gets Lost
“One of the most terrifying thoughts I can imagine, is if my cat got out. A couple listeners sent in emails asking who they could hire to help them find their cats. I knew just who to reach out to – Kat Albrecht of Missing Animal Response Network. Kat dispels the myths about finding your lost cat and shares tips for locating your cat. Kat dedicates her time to teaching others how to help people find lost pets – check it out at www.MissingAnimalResponse.com”
Cat Talk Radio is all about cats, what makes them do what they do, why they occasionally misbehave and what cat guardians can do to fix it. We educate you on how to modify unwanted cat behavior by providing the proper environment and stimulation, enabling cats to express their natural behaviors in ways that are preferable for both the humans and cats. You will learn how to have fun with your cat, fascinating cat facts and be inspired to try new things, which will lead to a happier relationship and closer bond with your cat. We’ll also call attention to the plight of cats in our country, feel compassion for their challenges and share the message.
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Two Online Guided Autobiography Introductory Workshops Added for August!
I’ve added two Guided Autobiography 2-Hour Introductory Workshops in August. These are free and online.
DATE: Monday, August 12
Time: 10:00 AM Eastern via Zoom
RSVP HERE (limited to 6)
DATE: Wednesday, August 14
Time: 2:00 PM Eastern via Zoom
RSVP HERE (limited to 6) -
Bucks County Herald Ad Set to Run in July
I’m sure it will look different when their ad department has created it, but I like this for my own purposes.
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On the Map: Stroudsburg Here We Come (Again)
Narration provided by Wondervox.
On the Map is a feature at LGBTSr highlighting travel experiences and destinations of interest.
By Mark McNease
We just got back from one of our two-night ‘surprise trips,’ when one of us makes travel plans and the other doesn’t know what they are. We’ve been doing this for many years, and it was my turn to be surprised.
It was a return visit for us, to a town in the Poconos we enjoy spending a couple days in: Stroudsburg, PA. It’s not a fancy place, and it doesn’t have the kind of tourist vibe you’ll find in a lot of other locations in that area, but we like it.
We stayed at the local Hampton Inn, my favorite hotel chain. Maybe it’s the 24-hour coffee, or just the middle-brow feel of the place, but I like it there.
We had dinner one night at Marita’s Bar and Grill, a local Mexican favorite, and the next night at Garlic Restaurant and Bar, a slightly upscale eatery with superb (and expensive) food, much of which has – you guessed it – a garlic theme. On the way back to the hotel we stopped at Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop, where you can pick from a dizzying selection of candies, chocolates, and dime-store souvenirs.
The only mitigating factor? It was the beginning of the first heat wave of the summer, and it was hot! But whether it’s hot, cold, or somewhere in-between, I recommend a trip to Stroudsburg. And if you go to the Stroud Mall, make sure you get a spa pedi at Nail Trix. Ask for Annie. It was the best spa pedi I’ve ever had, and I’ve had a lot of them.
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Your Write Path Workshops Now Scheduled for September! Save the Dates
I have a full slate of workshops schedules for September: Fiction Writing Essentials, Self-Publishing with KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing), and extended Guided Autobiography Workshops. You don’t need to register now, but save the dates and stay tuned. – Mark
Guided Autobiography 6 Week Online Workshop
Starts Wednesday, September 4, 10:00 am eastern
Register here -
Health Beat: Coping with the Summer Heat
By Mark McNease
Tomorrow is the official first day of summer, and the temperatures here in New Jersey are proof of it. After some very comfortable months, the heat and humidity are increasing steadily, and we’re headed for our first heat wave of the summer (defined as three days or more of above-90 degree temps).
It’s been okay so far here in the countryside where we live, but this morning I had to pull out the bandanna I wrap around my head when the humidity gets drippy. And I watered the vegetable garden early this morning before a trip out of town.
We have two cats and I always think about them, too. They’ve survived before and they’ll survive again, but always keep lots of fresh water for them and hire a pet sitter if you go away.
And now … some tips and reflections on the dog days of summer.
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Savvy Senior: Long-Term Care Benefits for Veterans and Surviving Spouses
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
I understand that the Veterans Administration has a benefit that can help veterans and spouses with long-term care costs. We recently had to move my elderly father into an assisted living memory care facility, and my mother will probably need care too in the near future. What can you tell me?
Searching for Aid
Dear Searching,
The Veterans Administration (VA) does indeed have an underutilized benefit that can help wartime veterans and their surviving spouses pay for a variety of long-term care costs.
This benefit, called “Aid and Attendance,” is a special pension that’s paid on top of existing VA pensions for eligible veterans and surviving spouses. In 2024, it pays a maximum of $2,727 a month to married veterans; $2,300 a month to single veterans; or $1,478 a month to a surviving spouse. The money is tax free, and can be used to pay for assisted living, memory care, nursing home or in-home care services.
Currently, around 156,000 veterans and survivors are receiving the Aid and Attendance benefit, but many thousands more are eligible who either don’t know about it or don’t think they qualify.
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Workshops Now Scheduled for September! Save the Dates
I have a full slate of workshops schedules for September: Fiction Writing Essentials, Self-Publishing with KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing), and extended Guided Autobiography Workshops. You don’t need to register now, but save the dates and stay tuned. – Mark
Guided Autobiography 6 Week Online Workshop
Starts Wednesday, September 4, 10:00 am eastern
Register here -
One Thing or Another Podcast #72: A Conversation with Wendy Cole, Transition Mentor
I knew Wendy when we both worked at the same place several years ago in New Hope, PA. I’d often wondered where she went and what she was up to. And now I know! She was generous enough to share her past, present and future with us, and I’m delighted to have her as a guest on the podcast. – Mark/Editor
Knowing who you are, and not BEING who you are: this is the starting point of every Transitional situation. You KNOW who you truly are, in every aspect, but the outside is what matters. That is what people see. Taking that first transitional step is TERRIFYING. It’s the stress: stress of the journey, stress of the mental weight, stress of worrying about the outside world… The physical transition is the easiest part; it’s getting through the mental transition that holds us back.