Musing of the Month:
What I Really Know About Snowstorms
by Pam Nolasco, Huntingdon, PA; reprinted from AARP Bulletin January-February 2013
Snowstorms keep people apart but also bring people together. It was a snowstorm of separation in 2011 that would change life for all involved.
My husband was snowbound in New York on a business trip. Our 25-year-old son was at our Pennsylvania home with the task of clearing snow from a long driveway. And I was caregiving at my parents' house in New Jersey, and also digging out my minivan, the driveway and the sidewalk.
It was then that I realized the status quo was not a good arrangement. It was time for my parents to move in with us. I mapped out a plan and had "the talk" with my parents in March, and set the moving date for mid-May.
It wasn't an easy move. None of us even started to breathe again until a month later. In September 2011 my mom had total hip replacement surgery. My 89-year-old dad has Parkinson's. It still isn't easy, but we have learned a new way of life together.
When Hurricane Sandy took out our power for three days last fall, we helped one another get through it. My husband had stocked batteries, lighting and cooking fuel. I prepared hot drinks and meals on the camping stove and filled the bathroom sink with warm water for washing. Our son provided entertainment.
The snowstorm of 2011 inspired a decision that was difficult but timely, and ultimately successful. It brought my family together so we can help one another every day-especially in times of distress.
50th Anniversaries, Holidays, National Observances and Birthdays
50th anniversaries
Jan. 8
In his first State of the Union Address, with the U.S. poverty rate at about 19 percent, President Johnson declares a "war on poverty." His speech leads to the passage of the Economic Opportunity Act, which harnesses federal funding to oversee a variety of community-based anti-poverty programs, and to the creation of two social insurance programs, Medicare and Medicaid.
Jan. 16
"Hello, Dolly!" opens at the St. James Theatre on Broadway with Carol Channing in the title role. The musical will go on to play for 2,844 performances.
Jan. 18
Architect Minoru Yamasaki's plans for the World Trade Center in New York City are unveiled to the public.
Jan. 20
"Meet the Beatles!," the first Beatles album from Capitol Records in the United States, is released 10 days after Chicago's Vee-Jay Records releases "Introducing…The Beatles." The two record companies will battle it out in court for months, and Vee-Jay will go bankrupt in 1966.
Jan. 23
James Hardy performs the world's first heart transplant on Boyd Rush, 68, using a chimpanzee's heart. It is a last effort to save Rush, and no human heart is available. Rush dies after 90 minutes, and the first successful heart transplant will be performed three years later by Christiaan Barnard.
The 24th Amendment takes effect, making poll taxes unconstitutional.
January national months, observances and holidays
National Blood Donor Month
National Glaucoma Awareness Month
National Mentoring Month
National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
National Stalking Awareness Month
Jan. 1: New Year's Day
Jan. 13: Stephen Foster Memorial Day
Jan. 20: Martin Luther King Day
Jan. 27: International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Jan. 29: Kansas Day
Jan. 31: Chinese New Year
January milestone birthdays
5 things you didn't know about Michelle Obama, first lady, advocate for nutrition and fitness and for military veterans (born Jan. 17, 1964)
Her family roots link her to the Gullah, a community of descendants of enslaved Africans who live along the coastal low country of South Carolina and Georgia and are known for speaking a dialect that is a mixture of English and African languages.
As a teenager, she commuted three hours a day round-trip to attend Whitney Young Magnet High School, Chicago's first magnet high school, where she graduated in 1981 as class salutatorian.
She met her husband, future President Barack Obama, when she worked at the law firm of Sidley & Austin and was assigned to mentor him as a summer associate.
She once read Toni Morrison's novel "Song of Solomon" in a single day.
She likes to exercise while listening to music, sometimes to the song "Whip My Hair" by Willow Smith.
50
Jan. 7: Nicolas Cage
Jan. 12: Jeff Bezos
Jan. 17: Michelle Obama
Jan. 20: Fareed Zakaria (journalist)
Jan. 23: Mariska Hargitay (Olivia Benson, "Law & Order")
Jan. 27: Bridget Fonda
60
Jan. 12: Howard Stern
Jan. 17: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Jan. 28: Rick Warren
Jan. 29: Oprah Winfrey
70
Jan. 9: Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
Jan. 10: Frank Sinatra Jr.
Jan. 14: Marjoe Gortner (child preacher, actor)
Jan. 14: Nina Totenberg
Jan. 19: Shelley Fabares
Jan. 25: Anita Pallenberg (actress, model, fashion designer)
Jan. 26: Angela Davis
80
Jan. 9: Bart Starr (football star)
Jan. 13: Rip Taylor
Jan. 22: Graham Kerr ("The Galloping Gourmet")
Freebies, Scams and Savings Tips
January free stuff
Jan. 1: Calendars you can design and download at CalendarLabs (calendarlabs.com), Google Calendar (google.com/calendar/) and Zoho (zoho.com/calendar) or check the Internet by searching "free calendars 2014."
Jan. 20, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: Free admission to all 401 national parks; be sure to check the National Park Service website for details (nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm).
Yearlong Freebies
Books, CDs, DVDs, Internet access, classes and lectures: At 17,000 public libraries across the country.
Cash back: Rebate websites such as BeFrugal.com, CouponCactus.com, Ebates.com and Extrabux.com pay back a percentage of online purchases from select retailers.
Computer security software: Avast! (avast.com/index), AVG (http and Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows (http
Computer software for word processing, spreadsheets and other features: OpenOffice.org.
Credit report: Get three credit reports per year (one from each reporting bureau) at annualcreditreport.com. Scores cost extra.
Diet and exercise plans: FatSecret.com, MyFitnessPal.com and SparkPeople.com.
Factory tours: FactoryToursUSA.com.
Grocery-shopping apps to compare prices or use coupons: CardStar.com, CouponSherpa.com, KeyRingApp.com, http and ZipList.com.
Hotel freebies: Check Priceline.com.
Home improvement workshops: Held weekends in local Home Depot (homedepot.com) and Lowe's (lowes.com) stores.
Medications (such as antibiotics): Meijer (meijer.com/pharmacy), Publix (publix.com/pharmacy/Free-Medications.do), ShopRite (shoprite.com/in-our-store/pharmacy) and other chains.
Military and veterans freebies: Various freebies and discounts at military.com, militaryandveteransdiscounts.com, themilitarywallet.com and VeteranOwnedBusiness.com.
Free or discounted tickets to sporting and other events for enrolling at vettix.org.
Wedding gowns for military brides at bridesacrossamerica.com.
Movies and TV shows to watch online: Crackle.com and Hulu.com.
Recipes: AllRecipes.com and Epicurious.com.
Restaurants: Some chain restaurants offer freebies on your birthday or anniversary if you subscribe to their e-newsletters or email clubs.
If you're a kid (or dining with one), certain restaurants offer "Kids Eat Free" promotions. Check MyKidsEatFree.com for details.
Go to your favorite businesses' Facebook pages and see if they offer free food and other stuff by clicking on "Like."
Samples of products: freesamples.org, getitfree.us, mrfreestuff.com, shop4freebies.com, startsampling.com, sweetfreestuff.com, TheFreeSite.com and TotallyFreeStuff.com. (To receive information without overloading your primary email, open a free dedicated account at Yahoo or Gmail.)
Free shipping: FreeShipping.org lists everyday shipping freebies and discounts.
Travel insurance: Check whether your credit card provides free travel insurance and other on-the-road perks.
January scam of the month: Diet and weight loss
The new calendar brings a return to that most popular New Year's resolution: lose weight. Historically, more people are defrauded when buying supposed "miracle" supplements, "easy" exercising gizmos and "breakthrough" diets than any other product category monitored by the Federal Trade Commission.
What lightens your wallet but not necessarily your weight? Typical scam claims include products or services that promise or even guarantee you'll lose a certain amount of weight per day, week or month; burn fat while you sleep or watch TV; or allege successful weight loss without exercise. Other lies include fabricated endorsements by celebrities or other consumers, often posted on scammer-run websites that masquerade as a news site. (Also beware of advertisements-as opposed to bona fide reports-on legitimate media websites.) Alleged scientific studies may also be exaggerated if not fictionalized, so authenticate them with an online search of the doctor's name, or ask your own health care providers.
The real gotchas usually come after ordering: Consumers often report they were charged more than the stated price or billed for multiple monthly orders shipped within days of each other. Also know the often advertised "risk-free free trial" begins the moment you order, although merchandise may not arrive until after that cancellation window ends.
January best buys
Bicycles and sporting goods: Cold weather puts the chill on two-wheeling leisure and ball-field activities, so expect prices to drop along with the thermometer-at least in colder climates.
Broadway tickets: The hottest productions may be exempt, but fanfare for other Broadway shows dwindles in January and continues through February. You could score a better seat at nosebleed prices-and it's warm inside that theater.
Calendars: Once the new year begins, so do big discounts on calendars that didn't rate as popular Christmas stocking stuffers. Inventory and selection may be lacking, but not low prices.
Carpeting and flooring: After the preholiday rush, sales are sluggish and prices drop.
Furniture: Many furniture companies introduce items in February, so retailers are eager to make room for new inventory. Expect January sales on previous-year merchandise.
Gift cards: They're the single most requested holiday gift, but post-Yule, many recipients try to sell store-branded plastic they don't want. Look for deals on gift-card-exchange websites such as Cardpool.com, GiftCardBin.com and GiftCardRescue.com.
Linens and bedding: So-called white sales are a tradition that's been around since 1878. No reason to expect that will change this year.
Video games: New games are released just before the holidays and go on sale after Christmas.
January sales tax holidays
None this month.
Fun Places to Go This Month
This list isn't comprehensive, and weren't all confirmed when we went to press, so verify the information with the websites provided and check your local newspaper for other ideas.
January great vacations
Jan. 4-11
Pennsylvania Farm Show
(www.farmshow.state.pa.us)
Harrisburg, Pa.
Hold your nose and plunge into this enormous 1930s exhibition hall to get up close and personal with thousands of cows, sheep, pigs, goats and other sundry farm critters that, let's face it, have to go somewhere in the dead of winter. One of the biggest annual attractions at the show-this year's the 98th-is the butter sculpture.
Jan. 18-19
Central Florida Scottish Highland Games
(flascot.com)
Winter Springs, Fla.
There's dancing, whisky tasting, bagpipe-ing, and men in kilts tossing 28-pound stones and 180-pound tree trunks. It's all been sponsored every year since 1976 by the Scottish American Society of Central Florida.
January book fairs
Jan. 9-12 and 16-19
Key West Literary Seminar
(kwls.org)
Key West, Fla.
The 32nd annual seminar, "The Dark Side," features independent sessions with authors, panel discussions and workshops. Admission.
January film festivals
Jan. 3-13
Palm Springs International Film Festival
(Psfilmfest.org)
Palm Springs, Calif.
Marking the unofficial start of the Oscar campaign season, the Palm Springs festival draws some 135,000 people-among them folks like Brad Pitt, Clint Eastwood, Anne Hathaway and Dustin Hoffman. Lots of U.S. films get screened, but the festival's official focus is on international cinema. This year, AARP Movies for Grownups is a sponsor of the event.
Jan. 16-26
Sundance Film Festival
(sundance.org/festival)
Park City, Utah
Top Prize: Grand Jury Prize
The annual Sundance Film Festival is the largest, best-known launching pad for independent movies, luring the Hollywood A-list and highlighting up-and-comers.
Jan. 23-26
Seattle Asian American Film Festival
(seattleaaff.org)
Seattle, Wash.
Formerly known as the Northwest Asian American Film Festival, this fest features films by and about Asian Americans, to be screened at the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience.
January food and wine festivals
Jan. 18-19
Florida Keys Seafood Festival
(monroe.ifas.ufl.edu/environment/env_seafood_fest.shtml)
Key West, Fla.
Seafood lovers come to this annual festival for tastings of everything from lobster to Key lime tarts and ice cream, along with live music and children's activities. Free.
Jan. 23-26
Beaver Creek Food & Wine Weekend
(beavercreek.com/events-and-activities/food-and-wine-weekend.aspx)
Beaver Creek, Colo.
This is the third annual fest on the mountain's slopes, featuring cooking demonstrations and wine tastings, as well as a Celebrity Chef Ski Race and Brunch on the last day. Admission.
Jan. 25
International Great Beer Expo
(greatbeerexpo.com)
Secaucus, N.J.
The expo offers beers from more than 50 breweries from around the world. Ticket price includes samples, a souvenir glass and admission to seminars. Admission.
Diet, Health and Recipes
January health tip of the month
Dry eyes are more prevalent in winter with the frigid weather outside and the dry heated air indoors, but dry eyes have also become a widespread problem throughout the year, thanks to our fixation with staring at our cell phones and computers. About 25 million Americans suffer from irritated, dry eyes because we're blinking 50 percent less as we stare at our tech toys. Check out all the lubricating eye drops in the drug store, and follow the 20/20/20 rule: Every 20 minutes you're on the computer look away at an object at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds or more.
January superfood of the month: Oatmeal
The perfect winter breakfast, oatmeal offers high soluble-fiber content, which helps lower cholesterol. Oatmeal is low-fat (almost all heart-healthy), high in protein and loaded with iron and other minerals. One cup of cooked oatmeal is only 166 calories. But those benefits disappear if you load it with sugar or use prepackaged instant oatmeal with sugar and other artificial ingredients and preservatives.
January fitness tip of the month
Motivation to finally get fit is never stronger than in January, when New Year's resolutions and gym discounts converge to prompt even the most sedentary among us to get off the couch. Did you know that nearly one in four gym-goers is over 55? AARP and the American Council on Exercise (ACE) offer a free fitness consultation by an ACE-certified personal trainer (acefitness.org/aarpfitness), as well as a 20 percent discount on personal training sessions. Find gym membership discounts through your employer or your health insurance company, or check sites like Groupon.com and LivingSocial.com to find deals in your community.
Medical breakthrough of the month: New hope for aging knees
Rush University doctors began conducting the nation's first clinical study of a stem cell drug, Cartistem, which could be used to repair knee cartilage damaged by aging, trauma or osteoarthritis. "With a burgeoning aging, yet active population, our patients are looking for effective non-joint replacement solutions to treat their damaged knee cartilage," said Dr. Brian Cole, professor in the department of orthopedics at Rush University Medical Center and head team physician for the Chicago Bulls. But weekend warriors with aching knees may have to keep on the ice for a while; results of the study, which began in January 2013, won't be ready for several years.
January recipe of the month: Herb-Rubbed Beef Tenderloin With Sautéed Asparagus
Enjoy this simple dish as a mid-winter comfort food that doesn't have to ruin your post-holiday healthier-eating resolution.
From the AARP New American Diet by John Whyte, aarp.org/NewAmericanDiet.
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
2? tablespoons chopped mixed herbs (thyme, rosemary, chives, parsley)
? teaspoon kosher salt
? teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 4-ounce filet mignon steak
Asparagus
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
In a small bowl, mix the herbs, salt, pepper, mustard and garlic. Coat the steaks on both sides with the herb mixture.
Add the olive oil to a skillet on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, sear the steaks on each side (about 2 minutes per side), until a crust forms.
Remove the steaks from the skillet and put into a nonstick baking dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the steak reaches the desired degree of doneness.
Serve with sautéed asparagus.
This Day in History
Jan. 1, 1959: Fidel Castro and his revolutionary forces sweep into Havana as Cuban President Fulgencio Batista flees the country.
Jan. 2, 1960: Sen. John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts announces he's running for the Democratic nomination for president.
Jan. 3, 1938: President Franklin D. Roosevelt establishes the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, which later becomes the March of Dimes.
Jan. 4, 1995: Newt Gingrich is elected the first Republican speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in 40 years.
Jan. 5, 1980: The Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" becomes the first hip-hop song to reach the Billboard Top 40 chart, marking the beginning of the genre's commercial success.
Jan. 6, 1941: President Franklin D. Roosevelt describes the "Four Freedoms" in his State of the Union address, proclaiming that people "everywhere in the world" should have the freedom of speech and worship, as well as freedom from want and fear.
Jan. 7, 1955: Marian Anderson becomes the first African-American to sing a principal role at New York City's Metropolitan Opera.
Jan. 8, 1918: In the midst of World War I, President Woodrow Wilson presents his Fourteen Points speech before Congress, articulating a progressive and idealistic plan for international peace and security, as well as self-determination for all people.
Jan. 9, 1972: Reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes accuses Clifford Irving of writing a faux biography of him.
Jan. 10, 1949: RCA Records announces the production of a new 7-inch vinyl record to be played at 45 rpm. The 45, with enough space for a song on either side, will become ubiquitous during the rise of rock 'n' roll music.
Jan. 11, 1964: Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" is the first record to make it to the top of Billboard's County Album chart.
Jan. 12, 1932: Hattie Caraway of Arkansas is the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate, exactly 17 years after the House rejected woman's suffrage.
Jan. 13, 1990: Virginian Douglas Wilder is sworn in as the nation's first elected black governor.
Jan. 14, 1952: Dave Garroway hosts the debut episode of NBC's "Today" show. In the news: a story about inflammable explosive sweaters.
Jan. 15, 1967: Quarterback Bart Starr is named the most valuable player in the first annual contest between the best teams of the American League and the National League-later known as the Super Bowl. Starr led the Green Bay Packers to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Jan. 16, 1939: Look, up in the sky! It's a bird…it's a plane…it's Superman!" Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's Man of Steel makes his first appearance in a newspaper comic strip. Within two years, "Superman" will be syndicated to hundreds of newspapers, introducing millions of readers to super-powered Kal-El of Krypton and his mild-mannered alter ego, reporter Clark Kent.
Jan. 17, 1893: Revolutionists who petition the U.S. to annex the islands force Hawaii's Queen Liliuokalani out.
Jan. 18, 1958: Canadian William Ore becomes the first black player in the National Hockey League, as he steps on the ice at right wing for the Boston Bruins, who defeat the Montreal Canadians 3-0.
Jan. 19, 1966: Indira Gandhi, daughter of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, is chosen by the Congress Party to become India's first female head of government, following the death of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.
Jan. 20, 1961: John F. Kennedy is inaugurated as the youngest elected president. He urges Americans to "ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."
Jan. 21, 1954: First Lady Mamie Eisenhower christens the USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, in Groton, Conn. Because of its power source, the Nautilus can stay submerged for extended periods of time.
Jan. 22, 1997: The U.S. Senate unanimously confirms Madeleine Albright, then the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, as secretary of state for President Bill Clinton's second term in office. The next day, she is sworn in as the first female U.S. secretary of state.
Jan. 23, 1962: Jackie Robinson, who broke Major League Baseball's color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, is the first African-American elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The Baseball Writers of America elected Robinson during his first year of eligibility, five years after retiring from the sport.
Jan. 24, 1922: Schoolteacher and candy store owner Christian K. Nelson receives a patent for the Eskimo Pie, a block of ice cream covered in chocolate.
Jan. 25, 1937: The first episode of "The Guiding Light," created by Irma Phillips, is broadcast on NBC radio. "The Guiding Light" would become the longest-running drama in broadcast history, as the soap opera moved to CBS television in 1952 and aired until it was canceled in 2009.
Jan. 26, 1961: Janet Travell is appointed the president's physician, becoming the first woman to hold the position. After President Kennedy's assassination, Travell, an expert in the treatment of myofascial pain, would serve as President Lyndon B. Johnson's official physician.
Jan. 27, 1967: A flash fire sweeps through the highly pressurized, 100 percent oxygen atmosphere inside the Apollo 1 command module during a prelaunch test at Cape Kennedy, Fla. Astronauts Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Edward H. White and Roger B. Chaffee are killed in seconds.
Jan. 28, 1916: Louis Brandeis is appointed by President Wilson to the U.S. Supreme Court. He becomes the first Jewish justice.
Jan. 29, 1963: Running backs Jim Thorpe and Red Grange are among the 17 men inducted as charter members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Hall director Dick McGann calls them "milestone men."
Jan. 30, 1948: Mohandas Gandhi, who became a world leader through nonviolence, is shot to death by a Hindu assassin. The Mahatma ("great soul") was 78.
Jan. 31, 1961: Ham the chimpanzee lands safely after spending 16.5 minutes in space. His journey reassures scientists that space travel is safe for humans.
