-
Health Beat: How Can You Tell If It’s Arthritis?
Cross-posted from LGBTSr.com
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.
-
Rick’s Latest Listicle: Mer-Facts About Mermaids and Mermen
By Rick Rose for LGBTSr.com
Co-Host of The Twist PodcastMy best friend Leanza Cornett created and performed as the first Little Mermaid at Disney World, FL before she was crowned Miss America 1993. Recently, the live action version of the movie was released with Melissa McCarthy brilliantly playing Urusla. So here are my top 6 interesting facts about mermaids and their male counterparts.
6) The tourism board in Kiryat Yam offered a million dollars for a photo of a real mermaid. Something strange began happening in this seaside town in Israel in 2009 when one person than dozens of others reported seeing the same astonishing sight: a mermaid frolicking in the waves near the shore. Still no million has been given away.
5) How did this funny talk of man/fish begin? Scientists think that human-sized ocean animals like manatees could be the foundation of the mermaid myth. Manatees are definitely strange and mysterious creatures, and they could easily be mistaken for mermaids by someone who doesn’t know what they are. Right?
-
Springing Into Joy: It’s Time To Plant Your Garden and Experience Nature’s Bounty
Click for audio version. Narration by WondervoxAI.
By Mark McNease
The arrival of spring is a welcome sight for gardeners everywhere. After the long winter months, it’s time to get outside and start planting your garden. Not only can you enjoy the beauty of nature as new plants bloom but you can also reap the rewards of fresh produce in your own backyard! Planting a garden in spring is an ideal way to celebrate the season and experience all its bounty.
One of the best parts about gardening in spring is that there are so many different types of plants that thrive during this time of year. Vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers and beans do especially well when planted early on in springtime. Herbs like basil, thyme and oregano will add flavor to whatever dish you decide to cook up with your harvest while flowers like roses, daisies and tulips will bring vibrant colors into any outdoor space.
-
Bethlehem Steels the Show: A Day Trip to the SteelStacks, Wind Creek Casino, and the Historic Bethlehem District
Mark McNease
I had some awareness of Bethlehem, PA, mostly because of the casino, now called Wind Creek Bethlehem. But a friend recently told us about her visit to the SteelStacks, complete with a tour of the magnificent rusting behemoth of the Bethlehem Steel plant, and we decided to make a day trip of it. It’s only about a 50 minute drive from our home, so it was easy, and very well worth it. It was the perfect definition of a one-day getaway. We walked over 20,000 steps (each, not combined!), as we strolled along the walkway abutting the massive factory, headed to the casino, then back and over the river to the north side of Bethlehem. There is a south side and we’re saving that for next time!
-
Savvy Senior: Best Dating Apps for Retirees
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
Can you recommend some good online dating apps or sites for retirees? I’m a 66-year-old widow and would like to find a new friend to spend time with, but don’t know where to turn.
Cautious Carol
Dear Carol,
Whether you’re interested in dating again or just looking for a friend to spend time with, online dating sites and apps have become an easy and convenient way for older adults to meet new single people without ever having to leave home.
-
Savvy Senior: Fun Part-Time Jobs Ideas for Retirees
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
As a 68-year-old retiree, I’m interested in finding a fun part-time job that can occupy some of my time and generate a little extra income. Can you write a column on low-stress part-time jobs that are popular among retirees?
Part-Time Retiree
Dear Retiree,
Working part-time in retirement can be a terrific way to occupy your time and earn some extra income. The key, however, is finding the right gig that’s fun and satisfying for you. While there are literally hundreds of different part-time job opportunities out there for retirees, here are a few possibilities to explore.
-
Dreamshaping: Mark the Dreamshaper Dreams of Vegetables (VIDEO)
I set up this raised-bed garden several years ago when we moved to our Jersey house full-time. It’s one of my proudest home achievements, but it’s made with inexpensive wood and I need to shore it up and/or make some replacements. We also want to expand it. So … stay tuned, there will be more as the garden takes shape. It will be fabulous.
-
Cat Talk Radio with Molly DeVoss and Dewery Vaughn: Why Is My Cat Always Hungry?
Do cats get food obsessions? What types of behaviors do cats exhibit when obsessed with food? What can I do to get my cat to stop pestering me for 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.
-
Dreamshaping: Seeds of Doubt
Enjoy an audio small plate. Her name is Bella, and she’ll be your server today.
It’s never too early to doubt yourself. While that’s unlikely to be spoken by the most advanced two-year-old, it seems to be one of the earliest concepts we learn. We teeter on our tiny feet, attempting to walk for the first time. The giants in our lives encourage us, cheering us on to put one foot in front of the other, and then … we tumble. Our faces scrunch up. We probably cry. We wait awhile, looking for signs of approval, and we try again.
-
Book Review: Code Gray: Death, Life, and Uncertainty in the ER, by Farzon A. Nahvi, M.D
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworm SexCode Gray: Death, Life, and Uncertainty in the ER, by Farzon A. Nahvi, M.D.
c.2023, Simon & Schuster $27.99 256 pagesYou know exactly who’s in charge here.
It’s the person in the white coat, a physician with a stethoscope around their neck and a packed pocketful of paper notes and pens. The white coat instantly gets your attention. It’s meant to quickly convey authority, and it does – so much so that you trust your very life to the person wearing it. In “Code Gray” by Farzon A. Nahvi, M.D., that white coat won’t leave you in the dark.
It was only supposed to be a friends-catching-up kind of text thread but for Farzon Nahvi and his colleagues around the country, the flurry of messages they exchanged during the pandemic became a lifeline. For each, it was good to know that their hospital’s reaction to the Covid-19 pandemic wasn’t the only one lacking.
-
The Weekly Readlines March 10
Now with a side of audio, brought to you by WondervoxAI
The Weekly Readlines (rhymes with headlines!) offers news you can use every Friday.
Say it ain’t so: Tennessee House passes bill eviscerating marriage equality, sealed with a kiss to SCOTUS.
Quote for the Week: “Drag queens are the Marines of the queer movement …And by the way, a social media post has never been as powerful as a registered vote.” – RuPaul
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES
First the good news: Boston still rocks! Don’t believe me? Check out the Verb Hotel (my review here). It’s a great place to stay, filled with rock ‘n roll memorabilia without a trace of must or dust. And the golden tiger-patterned bathrobes are good enough to buy – which Frank did!
The fascist takeover by Republican legislatures continues across the country, with one vicious bill after another gleefully torturing all who beg to differ. Trans kids and their families are living with particular terror, as Florida gets set to take the children from their parents, even if the kids have been moved to another state for their own protection. Annie got her gun, that’s all I’ll say.
LGBTQ+ HEADLINES
988 Suicide Prevention Line Ramps Up LGBTQI+ Chat, Text Services
Bloomberg Law NewsThe Anti-Drag Bill Passed In Tennessee Is Straight From History’s Playbooks
NPRIowans Stage Massive Rally Against Anti-LGBTQ Bills
JoeMyGod -
The Twist Podcast #217: Back from Boston, Madonna Flashbacks, Grocery Therapy, and a New Guest Listicle!
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose we catch up after Mark’s whirlwind trip to Boston, hear Rick’s headlines and headaches, and enjoy a new guest listicle from the University of Iowa’s Lauren Swanson.
-
‘Rough and Tumble: A Dystopian Love Tragedy’ Now Available as an Audiobook from WondervoxAI / MadeMark Publishing
So much to say, so little time to say it right now: My newest venture is WondervoxAI, creating AI-narrated audio for myself and potential clients. Blog posts? Fiction? Non-fiction? Anything you want narrated and turned into an audio file, I’m your source. Affordable, precise, and determined. I can even clone your own voice!
This is in the very (very) early stages, so stay tuned. For now, I’ve got my extended short story, Rough and Tumble: A Dystopian Love Tragedy, available as an audiobook at my Payhip storefront. It’s just $3.99. Purchase it and immediately get your own MP3 file to enjoy at your leisure. Expect much more from this brave new frontier. You can listen to a sample HERE. The technology is amazing and exciting.
“Rough and Tumble were not their names by birth.” Boy meets boy at the end of civilization in this extended short story. The year is distant, the reality of those living appears dark and harsh. Among them, surviving by wit and easy violence, are Rough and Tumble, two young men whose lives became entwined so long ago neither of them remembers exactly when, only that it was love at first sight. Now, as Rough imagines an escape from the Slopes, the area they live and expect to die in, he yearns to take Tumble with him. But is it possible? Does Tumble want to go across the murky water, too, or are dreams for the foolish and the dying? Join them as they go on a last nightly prowl, looking for loot and any way out.