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The Twist Podcast #260: Seeds of April, Pop Goes the Jury, and an Interview with Guided Autobiography Instructor Steve Dolainski
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as we check on a few fun facts for April, try out some jury questions for the Trump trial, and listen to an interview with Steve Dolainski, certified Guided Autobiography instructor.
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An Interview with Steve Dolainski, Guided Autobiography Instructor
I’ve been friends with Steve Dolainski for over a decade. We co-edited and published Outer Voices, Inner Lives: LGBTQ Writers Over 50, an anthology that became a Lambda Literary Award finalist in 2014. I finally met Steve in person a year ago when we were visiting my sister in Ojai, California, and he told me about recently becoming a certified Guided Autobiography instructor. I was hooked by the description and what Guided Autobiography has to offer, and earlier this year I took the instructor’s training to became certified myself.
Enjoy this 15-minute interview recorded yesterday. It will be part of my weekly co-hosted Twist Podcast, but it stands alone very well.
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.”
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Savvy Senior: Recommended Vaccines for Medicare Recipients
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
My husband and I recently turned 65 and would like to find out which vaccines are recommended and covered by Medicare?
New Beneficiaries
Dear New,
All recommended vaccines for adults, age 65 and older, should be covered by either Medicare Part B or Part D, but there are some coverage challenges you should be aware of. Here’s a rundown of which vaccines are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and how Medicare covers them.
Covid-19: Even though Covid-19 is no longer a public health emergency, it can still cause severe illness, particularly in older adults. Because the Covid virus continues to mutate, new vaccines are being developed to keep pace, so the CDC recommends that all seniors stay up to date with the latest Covid vaccines, including booster shots.
All Covid-19 shots are covered 100 percent by Medicare Part B.
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The Weekly Readlines April 5
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES
The right indulged in another manufactured freakout, this time over the White House Easter egg hunt, and Biden’s observation of the Trans Day of Visibility. The egg hunt has had the same rules about not including religious imagery for 45 years, and trans visibility day has been on March 31 since it began in 2009. Meanwhile, Trump escalates his fusion of politics and Christian nationalist grievance, declaring that election day will be ‘Christian Visibility Day.’ As if anyone could miss the most ubiquitous religion in America.
Costo weighs in on the weight-loss game with its new $179 three-month plan, in partnership with Sesame, its healthcare vendor. You can sign up after snagging their super popular $1.50 hot dogs with a whopping 700 calories. Seems like the perfect combo.
Disney shareholders rejected a push for an anti-trans policy in an explosive annual meeting, and the Talented Mr. Ripley got a remake on Netflix that has everyone calling it a masterpiece.
SMALL PLATES AND FINGER FOODS
LGBT Adults More Likely To Experience Discrimination In The Exam Room – MSN
A Queer Muslim HIV-positive Journey – POZ Magazine
Joe Biden Calls Trans People “Fabric Of Our Nation” In Trans Day Of Visibility Proclamation
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Dreamshaping: Name Your Poison
Narration provided by Wondervox.
Dreamshaping: On Shaping Reality and Living Our Dreams is a feature at LGBTSr on the ways we create our lives.
Mark McNease
Observing the current cultural and political climate, I’m reminded of a scene from the westerns once so popular with American moviegoers. A bartender in a grimy, dusty saloon, says to a weary customer, “Name your poison.” The customer asks for whiskey—they all drank whiskey in the movies, with names like Rot Gut and Dead Eye—and the bartender serves him from a bottle on the shelf. The customer throws back a mouthful from a greasy shot glass, grimaces as it burns its way down his throat, then smiles, slaps the glass on the counter and orders another one. That sure felt good.
Today we have many things to choose from besides whiskey as we name our poisons. We have twenty-four hour cable news channels to make sure we’re alarmed, angry and indignant. We have addictions of a breathtaking variety, from sex to nicotine to apps making us feel special with every little balloon bursting on our smartphone screens, while data miners dig further and further into what remains of our privacy. But like that weary cowboy in that filthy saloon, we like the way it feels going down and we order another one.
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Savvy Senior: How to Ease the Winter Blues
Narration provided by Wondervox.
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
What can you tell me about seasonal affective disorder? I’ve always disliked winter, but since I retired and am home a lot more, the gray, cold winter months make me feel really blue.
Sad Sam
Dear Sam,
If you get depressed in the winter but feel better in spring and summer, you may indeed have seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, a wintertime depression that affects roughly 5 percent of Americans.
In most cases, SAD is related to the loss of sunlight in the winter months. Reduced sunlight can upset natural sleep-wake cycles and other circadian rhythms that can affect the body. It can also cause a drop in the brain chemical serotonin, which affects mood, and can increase the levels of the hormone melatonin, which can make you feel more tired and lethargic.
If you think you may have SAD, a trip to your doctor’s office is the best way to diagnose it or you can take a SAD “self-assessment” test at the Center for Environmental Therapeutics website at CET.org/assessments. If you find that you have SAD, here are several treatment options and remedies that can help.
Jim Miller Light therapy: The most effective treatment for SAD is sitting in front of a specialized light therapy box for 20 to 30 minutes a day, within the first hour of waking up in the morning. Light therapy mimics outdoor light to cause a change in brain chemicals linked to mood.
While you can buy a light box without a prescription, it’s best to use it under the guidance of a health care provider and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Most health insurance plans do not cover the cost.
The best light therapy lamps provide 10,000 lux of illumination, many times stronger than typical indoor light, and have a diffuser screen that filters out ultraviolet rays and projects downward toward the eyes.
Some top-rated light therapy products include the Carex Day-Light Classic Plus Bright Lamp ($145); Northern Light Technology Boxelite-OS ($205); and the budget friendly Verilux HappyLight Luxe ($70), all of which are available at Amazon.com.
Cognitive behavioral therapy: Even though SAD is considered to be a biological problem, identifying and changing thought and behavior patterns can help alleviate symptoms too. To help you with this, choose a therapist who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy and who has experience in treating SAD. To locate someone in your area, Psychology Today offers a search tool at PsychologyToday.com/us/therapists/cognitive-behavioral-cbt.
Antidepressants: Some people with SAD benefit from antidepressant treatments too. Some proven medications to ask your doctor about are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the extended-release antidepressant bupropion.
But keep in mind that it may take several weeks to notice full benefits from an antidepressant. In addition, you may have to try different medications before you find one that works well for you and has the fewest side effects.
Lifestyle remedies: Some other things you can do to help alleviate your SAD symptoms include making your environment sunnier and brighter. So, open up your blinds, sit closer to bright windows and get outside as much as you can. Even on cold or cloudy days, outdoor light can help, especially if you spend some time outside within two hours of getting up in the morning.
Moderate exercise such as walking, swimming, yoga and even tai chi can also help alleviate SAD symptoms, as can social activities.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
Comments, suggestions or encouragement always welcome! We’re listening …
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Cat Talk Radio with Molly DeVoss and Dewey Vaughn: Feeding Your Senior Cat
Senior cats, those seven years and older, require a different diet than younger cats. With the right nutrition, cats can live long, healthy, happy lives. Tune in to find out what you should be looking for in your senior cat’s food.
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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Now You Can Leave a Voice Message Directly for LGBTSr!
Now you can leave a voice message directly for LGBTSr, telling us what you like or making suggestions. Just CLICK HERE and record! It’s that simple. We hear you!
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Subscriber Giveaway! Enter to Win a LGBTSr Coffee Cup – the Perfect Stocking Stuffer
I’ll be giving away TWO LGBTSr branded coffee cups to two lucky subscribers. Enjoy your favorite beverage while you read your weekly LGBTSr email. All you have to do is subscribe HERE. I’ll be pulling two emails/names at random on December 25. It may take a week or two for shipping, but you’ll be cruising into the New Year with a lovely cup from a website dedicated to embracing age and celebrating life.
You can also browse all my branded merch at my MadeMarkShop.com site, should you wish to support all my projects with a purchase!
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One Thing or Another Column: So You Think That Hurts?
Narration provided by Wondervox.
A lighthearted look at life, aging, and the absurdities of it all.
By Mark McNease
Somewhere after our fiftieth spin around the sun our conversations begin to center less on our plans for the future, and more on our aches, pains, and possibly debilitating side effects of the medications many of us take. “What did you think of your weekend in the Poconos?” becomes, “Can this really cause crippling flatulence? My doctor said it’s rare.”
I never really wanted to know about sleep apnea, or bad cholesterol, or Restless Leg Syndrome. Yet here I am, finally enjoying the benefits of turning 65—Medicare card, Social Security, a near-complete indifference to the opinions of others—while I visit one specialist or another for all these ailments. Need a new CPAP machine? Have to get another sleep test! Wondering why my legs have ached for months? Here’s a prescription that probably won’t harm you in the short term. It’s also used for Parkinson’s, but I don’t have that, so no worries. It’s just twitchy, achy legs. And that cholesterol drug you’re only supposed to take for a few months? It’s been five years.
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The Weekly Readlines December 1
The Weekly Readlines (rhymes with headlines!) is a feature at LGBTSr offering news you can use every week.
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES
Santa comes through early: Florida GOP Chair Christian Ziegler, husband of Bridget Ziegler, notorious co-founder of Moms for Liberty, has been accused of sexual assault … by the woman they’ve enjoyed a three-way with for years! Apparently no children were indoctrinated in the process.
Tiring of his own act, Tommy Tuberville has signaled he’ll lift his block on military promotions, with the exception of “woke” higher-ups, assuming someone can define a word no self-respecting woke person uses.
In her new book, Liz Cheney says Kevin McCarthy told her Trump knew he’d lost, and that his trip to Mar-a-logo shortly after the failed coup was an effort to get poor depressed Donald eating again.
The Koch network endorsed Nikki Haley, while the Mercers prepare to back Trump, guaranteeing Republican voters a choice between heinous and horrible.
Garden gnome-slash-Speaker of the House Mike Johnson declared Trump’s two impeachments “meritless,” and Hunter Biden agreed to testify before Congress providing it’s a public hearing. Fearing they’ll melt like vampires in the sun, Comer and his clown committee are not having it.
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Savvy Senior: Smart Home Devices to Help Seniors Age in Place
Narration provided by Wondervox.
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
I’ve been talking to my mobility challenged mother, who lives alone, about automating her house with some smart home products to make it more convenient. She’s very interested but we’d like to get your opinion as to which types of smart devices are most helpful for seniors aging in place.
Searching Daughter
Dear Searching,
If your mother is game, smart home products – such as smart lights, video doorbells and voice-activated speakers – can be very useful for aging in place. These devices can add safety and convenience to a home by providing voice and app-controlled operation, which is extremely helpful for seniors who have mobility issues or reduced vision.
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Video Trailer for ‘A House in the Woods 2: The Devil’s Due’
I have so much fun making these! A House in the Woods 2: The Devil’s Due, is now available widely. You can get it on Amazon HERE.