Blog Blog Written by Sarasota Post Staff on 20 December 2016 . 125 million people come from all over the world to see Christmas in New York City! It is a magical place during the holidays. It has become a present to myself over the last few years and I start thinking about what to do months ahead. This year it started in March with the announcement of Billy Joel's residency show at Madison Square Garden for December. I photographed Billy earlier this year in Tampa and it was a fabulous show. I knew the Christmastime show would be special. 09 September 2014 . I spend my summer’s in Northern Wisconsin at my family vacation home, settled on two lakes, and over eighty acres. Since having added a mini pig, Officer, to my family, driving from Florida with him and his brother, a black cat with OCD named Uncle Putt, has become necessary. Oh, Officer can fly, but Delta clipped his wings. Driving North the last two years, I have always had company on this twenty-seven hour road trip, but not this year. I pulled out of my driveway on June 20, and pulled into our property the 22nd, two days later.

It was a really wasn’t so bad; a pretty easy drive. Wisconsin summers have always been a time to unwind and write, playing fast and hard on the lake in the day, fishing in the evening, and fireflies, bonfires, and a flurry of stars above at night. Spending time with family and friends, the world’s best Bloody Mary’s, and fried cheese curds can only be found in one place, so this Floridian heads north each year. Uncle Putt and Officer love it as well. Uncle Putt gets to explore the outdoors, feeling like a “bad ass” chasing squirrels up trees, and killing field mice in the basement. Officer, roots and edges acre after acre, fertilizing as he goes, then off for a swim in the lake to cool down. Most people used to think he was an ugly dog, a “something-doodle”, but now they know, “It’s just Officer Volpe.” They both go through a depression whenever we get back to Florida, and “that time” arrives more quickly each year, when we must pack up and head home. I had work to do.

I was asked to co-emcee, Ladies Sing the Blues, with the Florida Blues Brothers, and we had promotions to shoot. I had obligations to REAL Exclusive Magazine, another publication I write for, and there has been some impressive developments for me since my last article with them went viral — stay tuned! And…I seriously needed my hair done! It was just too bad I was leaving my family a week before my birthday. I have since learned, traveling the identical route in reverse can sometimes be tricky. As we made our way back home, by way of a few extra states, since missing my exit in Champaign, Illinois, the first thing I noticed upon entering my native state, is my fellow Florida driving etiquette. They are the only people on Earth who drive 20 mph over the speed limit, passing you with the shittiest expression, like you're doing something wrong…God, it was good to be home! The next day I was blonde again, feeling refreshed and more like myself by the minute. The “boys”, however, were melancholy. All Uncle Putt wanted to do was eat. Eat lizards, eat my plants, eat my shoes, eat Q-Tips, you name it.

Officer, all he wanted to do was sleep, unless I wasn't home, then he wanted to interior decorate. I’d walk in to find my furniture rearranged, blankets and pillows littering the floor, papers half eaten and books with the cover or first page devoured — literally, and guess who’s sound asleep in the middle of it all…the gloomy lil piggy! Needless to say, I haven't been home a lot. My birthday is September 3, and since my good pal, Sande Caplin, was going to be gone that week, babysitting in Brooklyn, he decided to celebrate my special day from Thursday, August 28 to Sunday, August 31! “Frick” and “Frack” were back and celebrate we did. In case you haven’t read my story for The Sarasota Post, The Reality and Rebuttal of Sande Caplin, I confess that I may have called my cherished friend, Mr. Caplin, a “Dick”, and possibly a “Dumb ass”.

If you know our beloved Sande Caplin, you know this may be true, but then you also know, he’s the best to share a laugh with, your biggest cheerleader and fan, and the finest friend a gal could have, true and honest till the end. There are so many people I’d like to thank for acknowledging my birthday and making me feel so special. Sande Caplin, of course, The Flying Dog, Bruce Famiglio, Amber Murphy - woo woo, Vinnie Tricarico, Julie Dugas, and Daniel “Jake” Likins of the Florida Blues Brothers, just to name a few. You can’t go wrong with these guys as friends, but you can get in a whole lot of trouble! I woke up early on my birthday, to a baby picture my mom posted on Facebook wishing her, “Littlest Angel”, a Happy Birthday. Too bad it wasn't me! It was my niece wearing angel wings, and she has RED hair, which I’ve never had in all my life! You would think my mother would know this? She told me, “It was a long time ago.” Bitch.

We had a good laugh, and all my Facebook friends thought I, my niece, looked so cute in my angel wings. At 9 am, I took a dear friend of mine to the doctor for her post-op checkup. I spent the entire morning with pregnant women and their husbands discussing the color of the baby’s room. “Should it be gray and yellow or just yellow”, the concerned husband said. “Both is fine”, patiently the mommy-to-be replies. “I don’t know, it may be too much gray for the furniture. I don’t want it to be too dark”, anxiously confides hubby. “It’ll be fine or we can just do the yellow”, mommy consoles. Can I slit my wrists please! 11:45am and my friend appears, as I’m preaching, “It’s 5 o’clock somewhere”. To my birthday lunch she took me, and laughed and enjoyed ourselves we did. I arrived home just in time to redecorate my house — again, explain to my niece why HER baby picture was on Facebook, and get dressed before Ed Bertha, my good friend and publisher of REAL Exclusive Magazine came to take me to the Trop. To my hometown of St.

Petersburg we went to see the Tampa Bay Rays. I couldn't see them any better either, sitting a few rows behind the Rays dugout, between Home and First Base. Just ask Tom Macknight, he was sitting two rows behind me, in the birthday section. Unfortunately, the Rays lost, and my jeans got tight from beers, hot dogs, and fries…hmmm, wonder why, it was light beer? It was the finale to an incredible birthday week. In one week I was…Home by all the Northern, Central and Eastern states, unpacked, a year older, blessed to have so many wonderful people apart of my life, four pounds heavier, rallying Officer and Uncle Putt out of their moodiness, and grateful it’ll be another 365 days till we do it again! 10 October 2014 . Phineas Taylor Barnum was known to say “there's a sucker born every minute.” No one is sure whether he actually coined that phrase, but he did say that “every crowd has a silver lining,” because he knew that the public was wiser and more curious than anyone could imagine.

For 80 years he provided the public with a great deal of hucksterism, spectacle, and enough entertainment to earn him the title of “master showman” dozens of times over. Life magazine, if you're old enough to remember the magazine, named him the “Patron Saint of Promoters.” Barnum was born in Bethel Ct. in 1810, and as a child of 12 was already demonstrating a flair for salesmanship by selling lottery tickets. Drawn to the spectacular, when Barnum was in his 20's, he solicited the services of a woman named Joice Heth, who claimed to be 161 years old and the nursemaid of George Washington. He passed out handbills advertising the event as “the most astonishing and interesting curiosities of the world,” He brought her on exhibition in both New York and New England, making $1500 a week. Now that was in the early 1800's, so that amount of money, which wouldn't be too shabby now, was like 100 times the value in those early days!

Earning success by showing every variety of curiosity, Barnum purchased Scudder's American Museum on Broadway in New York City. The way his mind worked, his wish was to exhibit the outrageous and the unbelievable. There he put on exhibit hundreds of thousands of natural and artificial curiosities from every corner of the globe. He was somewhat of a shyster, leading patrons through the museum with a sign that read “to the Egress,” The Egress was the exit, so after they left the building they would have to pay another 25 cents to re-enter the museum! He exhibited “The Feegee Mermaid,” supposedly an embalmed mermaid purchased in Calcutta. The authenticity was doubted, but nevertheless, the crowds continued to come and have their imaginations captured by these spectacles. PT Barnum teamed up in 1842 with Charles Stratton, who later earned fame as General Tom Thumb. This pair of charlatans were so successful in their scams and misadventures that they were given an audience with presidents and the Queen of England, Queen Victoria.

It is said that Barnum's name, although connected with the great American Circus, reached his highest point of fame in 1850, when he presented European opera star, Jenny Lind to the American audiences, who nicknamed her “The Swedish Nightingale.” Jenny Lind performed over 100 concerts for Barnum, enchanting audiences wherever she sang. PT Barnum was actually 60 years old before he put together his traveling circus, which he named “P.T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan and Circus”. This circus was actually the largest circus in American history to perform with the phrase “The Greatest Show on Earth.” Barnum was a clever businessman, showing profits of $400,000 the first year of operation. By 1872 he had coined several names for his traveling show...”PT Barnum's Traveling World's Fair”, the “Great Roman Hippodrome”, as well as the familiar “Greatest Show on Earth”.

PT Barnum's biggest success ever, came with his acquisition of Jumbo the Elephant, who was billed as the “Towering Monarch of His Mighty Race, Whose Like the World Will Never See Again.” The partnership of Barnum and Bailey split in 1885, but they rekindled their relationship again in 1888 when their “Barnum and Bailey Greatest Show on Earth” first toured America. Several weeks before his death, Barnum ran his obituary on the cover of the New York Sun. It was his wish that he would be able to read his own obituary. His show was appearing at New York's Madison Square Garden at the time. The circus was in need of a winter training facility and chose Venice, Fl as it's headquarters. Many circus greats trained and practiced at the Ringling Drive South facility in Venice, Florida. Since many of the existing cast of clowns were in their 50's and 60's, a Clown College was set up in Venice and enjoyed much success, pulling new talent from all over the U.S., South America and Europe.

In1960, Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus moved its winter headquarters from Sarasota, where it had been since 1927, to Tampa. The closing of the railroad forced the move. For years the circus had traveled by train from city to city, to thrill children and adults alike. The Clown College closed its doors in 1997, having trained 1,400 clowns. Not everyone knew the thrill of the Barnum & Bailey Circus. My grandmother would take us every year to Madison Square Garden. The excitement would build as we gazed across the rows of “freaks” that was situated outside the arena. The Giant, the Half Man, Half Woman, the Monkey Man, and more, filled us with terror and excitement! The smell of animals and popcorn, and the promise of twenty clowns exciting a Volkswagen just never lost their thrill. The elephants, the acrobats and the Grand Master who announced each act...one of the better memories of my childhood and of so many other kid's, I'm sure. There will never be another circus that will measure up to P.T. Barnum's Greatest Show on Earth! 26 January 2015 .

This is an update to an earlier article on the Sarasota Post about Amazing Grace! Thank you for your support. My name is Sande Caplin and I reside in Sarasota, Florida. My company is Sande Caplin & Associates. We are website designers and our team also "builds futures." I heard about "Amazing Grace" Weigman from the awesome folks at The Blue Rooster Restaurant in Sarasota. One of their servers, Isabelle Hublot, went to a garage sale that the Weigman family have monthly to raise funds for Grace's care. Isabelle spoke to her bosses at the Blue Rooster and they agreed to have a fundraiser a couple of weeks ago. Grace is a 7 year old girl who has numerous diagnoses, including thoracic insufficiency syndrome as well as Robinow syndrome. Thoracic insufficiency syndrome is a condition where several deformities of the chest, spine and ribs prevent normal breathing, lung growth and lung development. A VEPTR device has been placed by Dr. Campbell at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to aide Grace in her growth. There are no doctors or facilities in the state of Florida offering treatment for these conditions.

The VEPTR device is a curved metal rod that is attached to a child’s ribs near the spine using hooks on both ends. The VEPTR helps the spine and separates the ribs so the lungs can grow and expand as the child grows. Grace has to fly to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in a special air ambulance every four months. Grace was born at 34 weeks. The doctors did not think she would live through the night. If she did survive most likely she would not be able to walk or talk and would have to be fed through a tube. She has lots of abnormalities. Grace is now seven years old. She has had stomach surgery, ear surgery, 2 brain surgeries and 14 spinal surgeries. She has 13 ribs on one side and 11 on the other. She has 19 doctors at All Children's Hospital in Tampa and 6 doctors in Philadelphia. Grace is a love and a very special little girl. When I came to visit her a couple of weeks ago for the first time she asked me to "sit down next to her." I asked her "what is your favorite food?" Her answer, "French fries." (most of the time she is fed through a feeding tube.

My answer as the tears streamed down my face, "hamburgers!" Grace is a fighter. Three times a year her mom and grandmother take her to Phladelphia Childrens Center for spinal surgery. There are many out of pocket expenses that are not covered through medical coverage. Expenses such as lodging (when Ronald McDonald House is not available), car rental, food, certain medications and other expenses involved when they travel to Philadelphia for the surgeries. . That is the reason that the family holds monthly garage sales to raise $2,000. for the trip. The goal- Raise $4,000. so that the next 2 trips to Philadelphia for surgery are covered and the family does not have to continue to scrape for money. I have lots of friends out there. If 400 people donate $10. each we reach our goal. If 300 people donate $13. each we reach our goal. If 250 folks donate $16. each, we reach our goal....you get the picture!!! Please watch the video. If you have healthy kids, you are blessed.

Give generously, the Weigman's are fabulous people who need your help....and, little "Amazing Grace" is awesome and your generous donation will be a great benefit to her. Thanks, Isabelle & Sande 14 May 2014 . Always on a quest to learn new things, I was intrigued by a recent on-line headline: "Oxford English Dictionary Adds ‘Bestie,’ ‘Crap Shoot,’ ‘Bathroom Break’". it continues with the information that there are about 900 new additions to the Oxford English Dictionary, announced this week, including first-timers like 'bathroom break,' 'beatboxer,' 'DIYer,' 'scissor-kick' and— wait for it —'scimitar-horned oryx'. Now I'm all for new things but really, do we need to add more words to an already overstuffed reference book in the library? You remember the library, that Wi-Fi hot spot of a building that doesn't embarass you into buying a Caffè Marocchino or Latte Macchiato just to take up space. Every library has that humongous volume known as a dictionary available for use.

It is the second largest volume in their catalog, only behind the current printing of "The Beginner's Guide to Understanding Women". I can only wonder, why do we need new words? We aren't using all the ones we already have. It's no wonder nobody wants to learn our language anymore- We have too many words! Now a quick perusal of the volume will give you insight into words like galactophagist: milk drinker, macocephalic: having an abnormally large head, ucalegon: neighbor whose house is on fire or the popular umbraculiform: shaped like an umbrella. Who is using these words? And why? The definitions alone are enough to fit almost any situation. If we have definitions in easy to understand words, let's just use that instead. Another look even gives us deeper insight; many of the words have multiple definitions it's not uncommon to see a word with more than 10 definitions. I'm all for recycling but shouldn't every word get it's own definition? There are plenty of words in there that nobody is using, let's recycle those. Throw out the old definition and give it a new one instead of adding words.

I was further astounded (surprised, enlightened, befuddled) by the fact that the Oxford Dictionary updates their words quarterly. What a scam......Do you realize how many libraries in each city, school or unviversity that are probably shamed into buying the latest and most up to date copy? (I think I just discovered a new career path in Dictionary Salesman.) Academia blackmail at it's best. I'm asking that you, the articulate and educated, the common man or woman; Stand with me against this waste of time and mindpower and reject any attempts to expand our language base. Let's let those that chose to enjoy our country at least have an opportunity to get up to speed with our language before we add any additional words. In doing so, I can only hariolate (I picked that one up today: to divine or fortell) that I will be able to peacefully enjoy my day at the beach, as I am a halophilous kind of guy. (halophilous: tolerant of salt or salt-water) ..................Part 1 of a series. Sarasota Resident, Mark Bartlett is a contributor to the Sarasota Post. 25 August 2015 .

For most of us that visit Las Vegas, a show is on the “to do” list! Vegas has a great lineup of shows always going on. From comedians to Cirque, residency headliners and national acts on tour, there is something for everyone! I decided to see “Legends in Concert” at Bugsy Malone’s first hotel “The Flamingo”. I had heard that impersonator Chris VanDahl was a ringer for Steven Tyler. Luckily, I landed a seat right at the stage since it was a packed house on a Sunday night! This particular “Legends” lineup is Barry White, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Steven Tyler and Elvis. These performers do show-stopping hits of the artists along with short video clips on a big screen showing the real legends in the same costumes some of the performers are wearing. These are not female impersonators, you will have to go to another show if that is what you are looking for. These artists look and sound like the legends. Barry White (Jourdan Carroll) was silky smooth and brought flowers out to a few ladies in the audience and had them swooning.

Michael Jackson (Jason Jarrett) did a big production number of “Thriller” with ghoul dancers and the moonwalk. Celine Dion (Elisa Furr) did her big hit from the movie “Titanic” with “My Heart Will Go On”. Elvis (Dean Z) took us back to the 60’s and 70’s with an array of The King’s classics. Chris VanDahl’s performance as Steven Tyler is amazing. He moves and sounds so much like the “Demon of Screamin”, you have to keep looking at him to remind yourself he is NOT Steven Tyler. Performing from the huge Aerosmith catalog such hits as “Walk This Way” and “Love In An Elevator” , VanDahl surprised by sitting down at the piano ala Tyler to perform “Dream On” He even gets in a couple of backflips which Tyler used to do back in the day! His act was flawless and entertaining as was the entire cast. Chris was nice enough to give me a few minutes after the show. He has been a lifelong musician and as a teenager was always getting “you look like Steven Tyler”. He was recruited for the band L.A.

Guns in 1995-97 as lead vocalist. He tours with nationally with an Aerosmith tribute band, “Aeromyth” which occasionally includes former Aerosmith member Jimmy Crespo. He told me that Steven Tyler has not seen the “Legends” show but Chris does know Tyler and has spent time with him. His respect and affection of ST clearly shows in discussing his music and the show. If you are going to Vegas in the near future and want to see a fun, entertaining musical show that will keep you smiling as you are walking out the door, be sure and see “Legends in Concert”! Commerical Free photo on flickr by Renate Dodell I can’t hear you. I thought being deaf was for older folks. Like our parents and our parent’s parents. So in this decade of IPods and Bluetooth, guess what? Hearing loss is for everyone, from teenagers to sixty five year olds and above. There is no discrimination. One in five people between the ages of 40 and 59 is already experiencing a deficit. One in five teens suffers from hearing loss. If you want to make your hearing environment safe, here are some tips to help your hearing last longer.

Inside our ears lie thousands of hair like cells that turn sound waves into electrical signals so the brain can interpret what we hear. But very loud noise generates free radicals that damage those cells, and sometimes permanently. There’s an over-the-counter supplement called N-acetyl cysteine that actually works better than earplugs alone at minimizing ear damage at any loud event if you take 900 to 1200 mg 3 x a day with meals for 14 days. We’re talking air show, shooting range, Metallica concert-type loudness. If you find yourself in a concentrated loud event such as a spinning class with blasting music, or in the street with a jackhammer or in a place with loud machinery, if you go someplace quiet for a few minutes at intervals you can actually break the inflammation caused by free radicals and the effects will dissipate. Looking for headphones that will help you in blocking out the noise? Sound isolating ones are the best choice because they block the right proportion of high and low frequencies so you can hear your music at a lower volume. Noise-cancelling headphones are less effective because they block mostly low frequencies.

Thanks to the increase in the number of IPhones and Android phones and personal electronic devices that deliver sound directly into the ear canal, the hearing of teens and adults alike is deteriorating at a rate that is phenomenal. Nationwide surveys have revealed that teens across the country have an increasing problem and hearing professionals are having to work harder to deal with the situation in general, even though it is largely preventable. Visit the Siemens Hearing Implements manufacturing plant in Piscataway, New Jersey. You’ll hear the volume of small hand drills, buffing tools and other implements going endlessly and everywhere. That hum, for most of us, is the result of other sounds, and we’re not talking low volume sounds. Loud music, delivered straight to the aural system through ear buds or other in the ear phones, can create conditions that strongly promote hearing loss. Out of 500 teens asked by Siemens if they had ringing in their ears, roaring, buzzing or pain, nearly 46% said they had. When you think of a significant increase in potential hearing loss, 46% is huge. When a survey was done four years ago, the conclusions announced that 20 % of all teens in the survey showed signs of hearing loss.

Hearing loss is expected at my age, 65, and is also on the rise, however, when I think of experiencing hearing loss at age 20 I’m quite sure that would have been an upsetting and socially embarrassing issue for me. I would have been angry and would not even have known, in the 70’s, what to do about the problem or if it could be corrected or future damage avoided. Different teens with hearing loss volunteered their information. One 19 year old now wears 2 hearing aids. She was diagnosed with hearing loss at age 16. On diagnosing her hearing loss it could have been a result of listening to her cellphone at a very high volume, and the use of earbuds directing the sound into her ear canals directly. The diagnostic hearing docs have commented that teens know the risks, know it’s preventable and continue the behaviors as if they aren’t armed with the tools. There are specialized ear plugs that prevent this drastic hearing loss. Siemens is one of the top manufacturers of ear plugs as well as hearing aids. Why not avoid the hearing aids and get the ear plugs? These specialized ear plugs are for musicians, so teens would benefit.

They won’t damage your hearing, but more simply, you could turn down the volume. Unfortunately that is not what usually happens. If your phone is emitting 85 decibels or louder, you must turn it down. Sounds simple. Why do folks not listen? Hearing loss in adults has a number of contributing factors. Obviously age, genetics, exposure to loud noise and chronic disease. The chronic diseases are diabetes, kidney disease, and heart disease. When we lose our hearing as we age, this is generally a slow and progressive process that effects both ears. Presbycusis starts chipping away at our hearing and begins effecting the high frequencies, then the low. It becomes hard to understand other people when there are background noises, and it seems to be the normal path. Out of vanity or denial we tend to ignore our hearing loss until others bother us. It does affect us all differently. Some of us get depressed and anxious, others isolate socially and get tired and fatigued. What is the impact of untreated hearing loss? Studies show that both the person who is experiencing loss and their spouse became depressed and frustrated when they didn’t seek out help and wear hearing aids.

When the affected spouse/partner got hearing aids and experienced relief and loss of frustration, that person and the spouse’s outlook on life, as well as their socialization, improved. These findings were consistent with the findings of a large randomized controlled study which found that hearing loss was associated with decreased social/emotional, communication, and cognitive function in addition to increased depression for subjects who were unaided as compared to those who received hearing aids. I wonder why people get vain about their hearing loss. Consider the average 65 year old in 2015. Still working, perhaps, with a healthy spouse and grandchildren. So think about the fact that you would suffer at work. You’d be asking business associates to repeat themselves constantly or you’d be pretending to not miss anything but you’d be missing a lot. I know because that’s the stage I’m at. You’d be missing valuable interaction with your grandchildren, who are only young for a short period of time. You and your spouse would lose valuable communication and that works against a relationship every time. A strong link has been found between degree of hearing loss and risk of developing dementia.

Individuals with mild hearing loss were twice as likely to develop dementia as those with normal hearing, those with moderate hearing loss were three times more likely, and those with severe hearing loss had five times the risk. While this study could not definitively conclude that early treatment with hearing aids would reduce the risk of dementia, there was a positive correlation between degree of hearing loss and risk of dementia. How every day do sounds stack up? Count the decibels: Something at zero is barely audible. Noises 10 times more intense clock in at 10 dB, and so on. Get hit with 85 or 90 dB for 30 minutes or more and you risk hearing loss. Hard single-exposure risks would be 130 dB: a jet plane during takeoff from 100 feet, or 120 dB: a chain saw, or a thunderclap. 30 minutes or more of the following can cause damage: A car horn, a 3 hour concert or sports event. Also, a snowmobile, an MP3 player at full volume, a motorcycle, train or subway. Anything, as I said before, above 85 dB is dangerous and will promote hearing deficits. Okay.

You’ve been married for 45 years and you’ve been arguing and joking about the things to the point where you can finish each other’s sentences. But untreated hearing loss leads to family arguments, disagreements over what wasn’t heard and a slow move to isolation and rejection of the one whose hearing loss is effecting everyone else. Contact your Otolaryngologist or hearing center. Get a hearing test. Keep your music and cell phone volumes down to a dull roar. Monitor your children and grandchildren’s noise emitting devices and become more proactive for your own hearing issues. Don’t miss out on those precious discussions with your grandkids and the talks amongst friends in restaurants that are the conversations that carry you through time to the next meeting. Life is too precious. Get your hearing checked NOW. 29 December 2013 . It seems that every year about this time we vow to make a drastic change in our lives over the next year. New Year’s Resolutions seem to provide the motivation to start again. And again. And again. What’s different about this year’s resolutions? Most of us have good intentions and start off the year with a strong desire to lose weight, quit smoking, or start saving money and stop spending it.

What are you resolved to do this year, and what are the main things people hope they can change? Do you enjoy a drink now and then? Many of us do, often when socializing with friends and family. Drinking can be beneficial or harmful, depending on your age and health status, and, of course, how much you drink. For anyone who drinks, the internet offers valuable, research-based information. What do you think about taking a look at your drinking habits and how they may affect your health? Rethinking Drinking can help you get started. . Resolve to eat healthier food in 2014. Go on internet sites to get a head start on what your dinner plate should look like. Add more vegetables and focus on fruit. Make all of your grains whole grains. Have you gotten your dairy today? When you eat your proteins, make sure they’re a different color. Like chicken and fish…tan and light brown, as opposed to beef, which is dark brown. When you toss the junk food in the trash and eat well, you’re being a positive role model for your kids.

Eating seafood twice a week, and/or fish, you’re getting a lower calorie, higher protein and lower fat meal and less of the fat from beef and pork. Cut back the sugar in your kid’s diet. Encourage more fresh fruits and less candy. If you put melons and berries in front of them, they will be getting more vitamins and nutrients and less of the harmful sugar that leads to type 2 diabetes later in life. If you share your weight loss goals and workouts with your children, they will be more likely to stick to a diet and exercise regimen, knowing that these are family goals and not just a punishment for them. You’re instilling positive choices in their lives. Sometimes we don’t see how much we’re eating, and this brings up the subject of Portion Control. Eat your dinner off a salad plate and not a larger dinner plate. This is a real eye opener. When you eat your frosted mini-wheats in the morning, measure out what a single portion looks like and you’ll be surprised to know that the manufacturer’s idea of a portion is ¾ of a cup, while our idea of a portion is the whole bowl. Everything in moderation is a good way to go.

Consider convenience: A single-serving container of low-fat or fat-free yogurt or individually wrapped string cheese can be just enough for an after-school snack. Swap out the sugar and keep healthier foods handy so kids will make the right choices, even if you’re not around. prepare homemade goodies. For homemade sweets, add dried fruits like apricots or raisins and reduce the amount of sugar by adjust recipes that include fats like butter or shortening by using unsweetened applesauce or prune puree for half the amount of fat. You have to realize that these are long term changes for your old bad habits. Try to see the light at the end of the tunnel…that you aren’t dieting, YOU’RE MAKING A LIFE CHANGE THAT LASTS FOREVER! Choose lean protein foods such as low sodium protein snacks like nuts, deli meats and or hard-boiled eggs. Wrap a piece of deli meat around a wedge of apple for a really healthy snack that will fill you up and give you more satisfaction than sugar-based snacks. If you keep these snacks in the fridge, ready to eat when your kids get home from school, they will appreciate the ease of snacking and are more likely to go for the healthy choices.

A New Year’s Resolution shouldn’t be painful. If you set your goals once a month and stick to them, you can change your habits a little at a time and not feel like the world is crashing down around you. We depend on food to do all sorts of things from changing our mood to avoid getting type 2 diabetes. Even if you exercise half an hour a day with a brisk walk, results will show in some new ways, like going down a size in your clothing, feeling happy because your blood sugar is on an even keel, and you’ll have a feeling of satisfaction over a longer period of time because you’re not taking a radical, unrealistic approach to food. When you remove all sugar, sodium and fats from your diet you will get very hungry and begin to make bad choices again. Understanding that your car cannot run on empty, that it needs gas to go, your body can’t live on empty calories. And ideal goal for most people is 1200 to 1500 calories a day along with a half hour walk, a bike ride, or a trip to the gym. It doesn’t have to be painful.

In the long run you will be healthier, live longer, and have better self-esteem because you have taken your life in hand and made changes a little at a time. Try creating a budget and sticking to it. Put the difference in a vacation account and a year from now you will surprise yourself when you see how much you can save by not over-shopping, eating veggies and fruit, and avoiding shopping when you’re hungry. Good luck with your resolutions for 2014. This website: prepare homemade goodies. There are lots of healthy suggestions on this website: to get you started. Other resolutions to turn your life into a positive spin are, for one, doing some volunteer work in your community. Taking the focus off of your own issues and helping others to manage theirs is a blessing that keeps on giving. Look into finishing your degree or working towards a better job. It’s completely possible to be a better person by making sure you’re taking care of yourself and keeping a bright outlook on meeting goals and living a fuller life. If you’re doing all of this and are still smoking, understand that part of the success package is cutting back on alcohol consumption and quitting smoking. A change has to happen on all levels of your life.

If you don’t build a sturdy foundation, all your resolutions will come falling down around you. Don’t get overwhelmed. Just take baby steps, one day at a time, and you will see that you can accomplish more than you ever thought was possible. Happy 2014! 09 January 2015 . Baseball is synonymous with springtime. As our favorite ball players dust off their gloves and start lathering up the pine tar in Arizona and Florida, we watch with envy and wait the final few weeks for the world to thaw. Many fans visit the various spring training homes of their beloved teams to feel the warm breeze, listen to the crack of a line drive, and debate whether their underachieving star will FINALLY stay healthy for 162 games. These areas of Arizona and Florida are gorgeous to look at and offer flawless weather – but there are many more things to do in spring training locations outside of spending your entire day on the baseball field. This is a reprint of the story from . Thank you to Matthew Moretti of the FlipKey Blog for this story. Sarasota, FL (Baltimore Orioles) Between the Lines: The 2014 season will mark the Orioles fifth Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium.

The stadium was built in 1989 and was renovated prior to the 2011 season. Tickets cost as low as $9 per game. The stadium features 7,100 seats recycled from Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Orioles players include stars center fielder Adam Jones, first baseman Chris Davis, new pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez, and catcher Matt Wieters. The Orioles are looking to rebound from a disappointing 2013 campaign after shockingly making the playoffs in 2012. Outside The Box Score: Located on the gulf coast of Florida, Sarasota offers much to do both above and below sea level. For the art lovers, be sure to visit The Ringling. This area houses many museums and theaters – you could spend an entire day there and still have more to see. For the lover of legitimate theater, the Sarasota Opera and Asolo Repertory Theater are highly recommended. For the kids, check out the amazing feats of acrobatics and strength at the Sailor Circus. For afternoon relaxation, take a stroll through the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens featuring some of the most beautiful flowers in Florida.

If your family loves animals, check out the Cat Depot (yes you can pet them), Mote Marine Aquarium, and the Big Cat Sanctuary (no you probably shouldn’t pet them.) For the adventurous group, visit the Myakka River State Park (complete with insane canopy walkway) and spend the day hiking and enjoying the wildlife. If you’re hungry, eat at Gentile Bros Authentic Cheesecake or the Mozzarella Fella (if for nothing else but the awesome name.) You’ll love spending time in Sarasota. Bradenton, FL (Pittsburgh Pirates) Between the Lines: The 2014 season for the Pittsburgh Pirates is highly anticipated due to their surprising success last year. This year marks the 46th Spring Training at this location, which is one of the longest relationships between an MLB team and their spring home. Reigning National League MVP Andrew McCutchen will show off his skills along with the other Pirates at McKechnie Field which recently finished a $10 Million upgrade to its facilities and fan offerings. Outside The Box Score: North of Sarasota and south of Tampa Bay is where you’ll find Bradenton, FL, nestled on the west side of the state.

When you visit, the Robinson Nature Preserve is a solid choice for hiking, walking, bike riding, or just being surrounded by Florida Gulf wildlife and nature. Along the same vein, the Treeumph! Adventure Course makes for a wild day among the pines with zip lining, obstacles, and climbing. The South Florida Museum and Aquarium has the most comprehensive historical look at the area and features a manatee show! The Astro Skate and Fun Center is a fantastic choice for a family with young kids looking to stay out of the hot Florida sun for a few hours. For those looking for an adult beverage under that same sun, the Rosa Fiorelli Winery & Vineyard features tours and tastings all day. Bradentown Scoop has the best ice cream in the area, and Arts & Eats Restaurant and Gallery (though a bit shoddy looking on the outside) has incredible food and fine art. Stay in a rental on Bradenton Beach if you can. Clearwater, FL (Philadelphia Phillies) Between the Lines: Despite a roster stacked with stars, the Phillies underachieved in 2013, angering the especially rabid Philadelphia fan base.

Chase Utley, Cliff Lee, Ryan Howard, and Cole Hamels hope to turn that around when their season begins at Bright House Networks Field. The 2014 season will mark the Phillies 68th Spring Training in Clearwater and the 11th at this location. Outside The Box Score: West of Tampa you’ll find charming Clearwater, FL. Without a doubt Clearwater Beach is one of the most gorgeous, white sand, flawless beaches in all of America. Going there for a day, or a few hours, is a must. For the more adventurous, don’t miss out on the guided Jet Ski tours offered in the area. The SimCenter is a complete flight/race car simulation – you can “drive” or “fly” your own Boeing 747 or Formula 1 car. The Congo River Adventure Mini Golf Course is very highly rated and if you can pull yourself away from the arcade, you have the chance to feed a LIVE alligator. Clearwater features some of the most scenic golf courses and country clubs in the area too. Ward’s Seafood Market is the go-to for fresh, local fish and the Salt ‘n’ Pepper Bistro is one of the best places for lunch or dinner.

Book your place to stay in Clearwater as soon as possible. Mesa, AZ (Chicago Cubs) Between the Lines: 2014 marks the opening of the brand new Cubs Park in Mesa. The Cubs have been in Mesa since 1952 and moved from Hohokam Stadium. The long suffering Cubs fans are still waiting for a World Series victory, or at the very least to field a respectable team. As a tradition, during the Seventh inning stretch of a Cub spring training game, a fan is selected to stand on the dugout and lead the crowd in singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” Outside The Box Score: Mesa is located 20 miles southeast of Phoenix, in almost the middle of Arizona. The Mesa Arts Center features the world’s top comedians, musicians, and shows. For those looking to escape the desert heat, spend some time indoors at the Arizona Museum of Natural History or the Commemorative Air Force Museum. The Salt River Tubing is a required stop for the adventurous family and takes between 3-6 hours. Organ Stop Pizza is a really fun place to eat a pie and listen to your favorite songs converted in a wacky organ version.

Indian Oven is ranked #1 of 766 restaurants in Mesa on TripAdvisor. For shopping, the Mesa Market Place Swap Meet is a southwestern experience that needs to be seen to believed, and although not native to this region, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill provides fantastic nightlife entertainment. It’s really easy to findaffordable rentals in the Mesa area too. Tempe, AZ (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) Between the Lines: The Spring Training home of the Angels, Tempe Diablo Stadium, sits under a picturesque mountain area. Newsweek Magazine Rated Tempe Diablo the Best Spring Training Venue in the Country in Feb. 2003. This star studded lineup features Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, and Josh Hamilton along with pitchers CJ Wilson and Jered Weaver. That group is worth the price of admission to see in spring training, though their first season together in 2013 was not worthy of much. Outside The Box Score: A 15 minute drive west from Mesa has you arriving in Tempe, AZ. As in Mesa, the Tempe Center for the Arts is well-visited and respected for their daily shows.

Arizona State University is in this area, and the gorgeous campus can be simply walked along to enjoy – but go inside the raucous athletic buildings and fields and see a game if you can. The Mill Avenue District is a shopping, nightlife, and dining area that equals any in the state. The Sea Life Aquarium and Gameworks Arcade are both fun spots for kids. During the day, imbibe at the Four Peaks Brewing Company, and at night visit the dueling piano bar called The Big Bang. Tempe vacation rentals are really affordable as well. 06 January 2015 . In an effort to better serve her non-paying clientele, Life in the Boomer Lane has made an exhaustive, as well as exhausting, survey of some of the 10 billion apps that are now available on smartphones that enable people to live healthier, more stress-free lives. This research was done between the end of one cup of coffee and the trip to the kitchen to refill her cup.

For that reason, she is limiting the list, and not including the following: **Health apps telling you how many calories you are consuming, how many steps you are walking, how many beats your heart is beating, how high your blood pressure is and how many brain cells you are losing per minute as you go about your day. The answer to the last item is "a lot." You seriously don't want all this information. **Music apps, including every song every written since the dawn of time, every bit of information about every person who has ever sung a song since the dawn of time, and a personal tracker for Justin Beiber, Beyoncé and Lil Wayne. **Sports apps, including 24/7 scores for every sports game being played across the planet, live video feed of said sports and statistics proving that the 2007 Swedish Bunny Jumping Team was way superior to the 1993 North Korean Prison Chain-Rattling Team. **Celebrity apps, including a special Kim Kardashian sub-app showing exactly what fabulous and selfied activities Kim is engaged in while you are going about your meaningless drudge of a day. Instead, she now presents some apps that will actually help you navigate the tsunami of life: 1.

Find My Car: LBL has spent the better part of her waking hours in an often unsuccessful attempt to locate her car. While she appreciates the classic design of most underground garages and the orderliness of most outdoor parking lots, she is becoming increasingly aware that she may not have enough years left in her life in which to pursue this fun pastime. This app allows you to actually find your car, leaving plenty of free time to lose other items of importance in your life. 2. Tile: If, like LBL, your car is merely the tip of the Lost and Found Iceberg of Life, Tile allows to tag all precious items with actual tags. These actual tags emit some kind of space age rays into your phone, which then finds your item. Anything can be tagged, including the phone itself as long as you have an iPad. Other useful items to tag include car keys, the TV remote, the land line phone, the cat, one's coffee mug and one's spouse/children. 3. Eye Reader: This dandy app is actually a magnifying glass for pesky restaurant menus or whatever else one wants to magnify beyond all reason. A note of caution: Do not use this on your skin, especially that of your hand.

Aside from getting a manicure every once in awhile, looking at hands should be avoided entirely. 4. Parkmobile: Forget having to use your credit card on a smart meter. Forget putting in too little money and then forgetting to go to the meter and then you run out and you already have a ticket because the cops are spending all of their time watching your meter and not arresting known felons. This app connects to your credit card. Punch in the meter numbers, get the time you want and, when you are running down on minutes, your phone alerts you. Of course, if you are in the movie theater and have turned your phone off, we wish you the best of luck. 5. LevelUp: This allows you to pay for store purchases via iPhone, using the square thingy symbol on items. LBL wants to call it a G Spot, but it's actually called a QR code. 6. Evernote: This app allows you to capture whatever you want to on your phone: notes, anything written, photos, anything anyone tells you that you want to remember. Of course, EverNote has no ability to remind you of all the wonderful things you have stored, so this may not be as helpful as one would assume. 7.

Life 360: This app enables you to stalk everyone in your life, as long as they are on the same network. Personally, LBL doesn't care where her friends and family are during the course of a day, unless they are approaching her door and she isn't wearing a bra. 8. Easily Do: This allows you to keep all of the data from your life in one handy place. LBL avoids anything that reminds her of everything going on in her life. She prefers to take things one at a time, especially if those things are limited to Eat. Repeat. Follow Renee Fisher on Twitter: 25 April 2014 . Yesterday, Savannah Brady, 15 years old from Northport, Florida, wrote an accurate and informative article in the Sarasota Post regarding the Noise Ordinance Issue and the meeting that was held on Tuesday, 4/22. The response and readership to the story was amazing. It was read in over 22 states and 9 countries. A few more words about Savannah. ….. I have never met a more courteous, gracious and unassuming young lady. She lights up a room.

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of having Savannah and her mom Jodie as guests to several events at the Sarasota Film Festival. I could not have made a better choice. Oh, Savannah is quite witty. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of listenting to her perform. I showed her my new cell phone (Samsung Galaxy 5) ....I know she is a cell phone junky! She asked to take a look. An hour later she gave it back to me! As we were leaving to go home she said, "hey Sande, check out the new game app on your phone!" Yup, Savannah downloaded a great game for this kid to play. Thanks, young lady! Savannah, just “keep on doing what you’re doing.” You’re making us all so proud. If you missed the story, here is the link. The ten top commonly broken New Year's resolutions are: 1. Lose Weight and Get Fit 2. Quit Smoking 4. Eat Healthier and Diet 5. Get Out of Debt and Save Money 6. Spend More Time with Family 7. Travel to New Places 8. Be Less Stressed 9. Volunteer 10.

Drink Less Either we are delusional about our resolutions or we are extremely delusional about our resolutions. Time to stop the insanity. Let's start with the following: You will make resolutions. You will not keep them. Why, then, not trash the standard resolutions? Then, if you do happen to lose weight, stop smoking and/or drinking, get out of debt and do all of that while spending more time with your family, you can be delightfully surprised. Here are Life in the Boomer Lane's own resolutions. Most of these are actually serious: 1. Grab cell phones out of people's hands when they are being loud and obnoxious in public places. If a person looks like he or she eats pit bulls for lunch, and so I am too chicken shit to do that, I will at least least give them a thumbs down or hold my hands over my ears to make a point. 2. If someone cuts in line in front of me, I will say something. If they cut in line in front of someone else, I will say something even more loudly. 3. Slow down to 20 mph when someone is tailgating me (I always do this anyway, so this is a freebie). 4.

Invade a department store, gather up all the Spanx, bring them into a dressing room and stuff them into a large trash bag. Hide the bag in the children's clothing department. 5. Get a bra that fits. 6. Do not buy merchandise made by slave labor or child labor. 7. Do not eat any food item that weighs more than me. 8. Do not consume a chicken whose breasts look like Dolly Parton's. 9. Stop patronizing Wal-Mart (as I have only been to Wal-Mat a few times in my life, this is basically a freebie). 10.Do not buy any pork products or chicken anywhere unless it comes from a small facility in which the animals are not abused. (Bye bye pepperoni pizza. Sob.) Choose your own items. LBL presents the following as a suggestion for each of you to put on your list: Choose your favorite blogger and send them a large check. Make sure the check won't bounce.

If your financial situation does not allow you to do this, leave a comment that says, "I am indebted to you for providing me with a reason to go on living." None of us makes a dime doing this (except for that blogger who does recipes and is now cleaning floors on TV), so we need to know that we are at least saving lives. Follow Renee Fisher on Twitter: 1

Question: What would a 'galactophagist' (say "Galacto-Fay-Gist") consume a lot of?
Answer: Milk