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“ASK LAURA ABOUT REAL ESTATE”<br />

Say no to Burglars!<br />

Laura Harbison<br />

Broker/Owner<br />

B.0026537.LLC/ PM.0164922.BKR<br />

Accredited Buyer Representative ® (ABR)<br />

At Home With Diversity (AHWD)<br />

Broker Price Opinion Resource (BPOR)<br />

Certified Distressed Property Expert ® (CDPE)<br />

Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)<br />

Distinguished Real Estate Broker ® (DRB)<br />

Graduate, REALTOR ® Institute (GRI)<br />

Pricing Strategy Advisor ® (PSA)<br />

Resort & Second-Home Property Specialist<br />

(RSPS)<br />

Seniors Real Estate Specialist ® (SRES)<br />

Equator Platform Platinum Certification<br />

Equator Short Sale Agent Certification<br />

Advanced Evaluations Certification<br />

NVS Institute BPO Certification<br />

Five Star BPO Designation<br />

NAWRB Certified Delegate Spokeswoman<br />

Laura@HarbisonRealEstate.com<br />

www.LauraHarbisonRealEstate.com<br />

Call Laura Today!<br />

702-777-1234<br />

Home burglary generally has a pattern; criminals are looking for an easy target. Here are<br />

six tips from career burglars you can use to help prevent break-ins.<br />

1. Nighttime Burglaries Aren’t the Most Common<br />

Burglars like to break into homes during daytime hours—the last thing criminals want is to<br />

encounter someone at home. Weekdays are ideal for thieves, since weekend schedules<br />

are too unpredictable. Between 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. is the most common<br />

timeframe because there’s a good chance people will be away at work or school.<br />

2. They Know When You’re Not Home—Thanks to Social Media<br />

While it’s tempting to post about your vacation to your social media feed, wait to share<br />

those trip photos and exotic location check-ins until you’re back home. Criminals scout<br />

public social media accounts like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Foursquare to find<br />

victims. Even if all your accounts are private, never post what times you’re not home or<br />

how long you’ll be out.<br />

3. They Don’t Like Your Security Practices<br />

Burglars want nothing to do with alarm systems. Homes without a security system are<br />

almost 300 percent more likely to be targeted for a break-in. If you do install an alarm<br />

system, make sure you guard it with a strong code. Clean any dirt or grease off your<br />

keypad so a burglar won’t guess your code based off the numbers you’ve hit the most.<br />

Unlocked windows, unused deadbolts, poorly lit homes, and residences without security<br />

systems are prime targets for burglars, so make sure you are using the security features<br />

you already have.<br />

4. Great Targets Advertise Their Weapons<br />

If you’re a proud gun owner, that won’t scare away burglars—it entices them. A gun is<br />

stolen roughly every two minutes in the U.S., so homeowners should be sure to always<br />

lock up your guns properly.<br />

5. Shrubs Make Great Hiding Spots<br />

Tall bushes are favorites of burglars since they offer an obstructed view from the street<br />

and an easy way to hide from neighbors. Keep shrubs and large landscaping features<br />

trimmed. If you want big plants by your windows, choose something thorny that will<br />

detract a burglar, like roses or cacti. The best defense is a clear view of your front porch.<br />

6. Valuables in the Open Help Them Decide on a Target<br />

Keep your expensive items out of sight. Don’t leave a new Laptop in front of your firstfloor<br />

kitchen window, iPads on your living room coffee table, or even a nice car in a garage<br />

window with a clear sight line to the street. Key hooks—especially with labels for each<br />

key—need to be concealed out of view from windows, too. Mail or other personal<br />

information left in plain view is a gold mine for a criminal looking to easily steal your<br />

details for identity theft as well.<br />

I hope this is helpful to you! I'm here to assist you with all of your real estate needs. My<br />

office is open 7 days a week for your convenience, and we are looking forward to hearing<br />

from you.<br />

LAURAHARBISONREALESTATE.COM 702-777-1234<br />

2<br />

December 2021


Sold Is Our Favorite Word...Let Us Make It Yours!<br />

ANTHEM COUNYRY CLUB Double Gated Custom Home on .45 acre Lot with Pool & Spa in Highland Peak. One<br />

story home features 5167 sqft of living space with 5 Bedrooms, Office w/Walk-In closet, 4.5 baths, and an<br />

oversized 993 sqft 3 Car Garage. Custom Design brought to life by Richard Luke Architects features 12 foot<br />

ceilings, travertine marble floors, extensive use of rich granite throughout. Double Island Kitchen with custom<br />

cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, (double oven with convection feature, 2 refrigerators, 2 dishwashers, gas<br />

cooktop, microwave, wine refrigerator), Vegetable sink, menu desk, large walk-in pantry, granite countertops,<br />

breakfast bar, and oversized nook. Generous Owner's Suite with double door entry, gas fireplace, walk-in closet<br />

with closet organizers. Owner's Bathroom features gorgeous granite and marble finishes, dual sinks, make-up<br />

vanity, 2 medicine cabinets, Jacuzzi tub, and walk-in dual head shower with rain shower. Pebble Tech Pool &<br />

Spa (with new equipment), gas and solar heated, with waterfall. Full length rear patio with stamped concrete<br />

finish, built-in BBQ and beverage refrigerator. Circular Driveway with pavers, custom security gate at front door<br />

and security door at rear door. $2,100,000<br />

LEGACY ESTATES 5 BRs, 4.5 BAs, 6245 SF, gym, game room, theater, office, formal living room with volume<br />

ceiling, formal dining room and family room with wet bar. Resort-style pool/spa with fire and ice features,<br />

waterfall, built-in BBQ/outdoor kitchen and commercial outdoor misting system. Gourmet island kitchen features<br />

custom cabinets, granite countertops, Travertine flooring, professional stainless appliances, cappuccino machine,<br />

garden window, wine refrigerator, ice machine and butler pantry. Spacious first floor owner’s suite with sitting<br />

area, gas fireplace, 4 walk-in closets, hardwood flooring. Owner’s bath with jacuzzi tub, dual head shower, dual<br />

sinks, makeup vanity, bidet and linen storage. Casita has walk-in closet, CF, solar tube, kitchenette, washer & dryer<br />

and bathroom with dual head steam shower. Gym has closet & professional grade (cushioned) flooring. 4 indoor<br />

fireplaces + outdoor sitting area with fireplace. 5-car garage. Fully integrated smart home! $2,888,000<br />

12 KENNESAW<br />

ANTHEM COUNTRY CLUB Upgraded Allegro<br />

floorplan in the guard gated community Anthem<br />

Country Club! 2 BR + den/office, 2 BA, 1720 SF,<br />

2-car garage. Island kitchen with granite<br />

countertops, recessed lighting, pot shelves, tile<br />

flooring and large nook/eating area. Spacious<br />

Great room with fireplace. Owner’s suite with<br />

large walk-in closet and bathroom with dual<br />

sinks, garden tub & separate shower. Mature<br />

landscape, covered patio, salt-finish concrete<br />

plus much more! $650,000<br />

2722 RICEVILLE<br />

SUN CITY ANTHEM VIEWS! Upgraded Arlington<br />

model on Premium Golf Course lot. 2337 SF 3BR +<br />

Office, 2.5 BA & 3 car garage w/ epoxy floors &<br />

shelving. Upgraded Kitchen with granite counters,<br />

upgraded cabinets, breakfast bar, Pantry, Solar<br />

Tube, Insta Hot, SS appliances. Family room w/ gas<br />

fireplace & B/I bookshelves. Owner's suite w/ Bay<br />

window, W/I closet & door to patio. Owner’s bath<br />

w/ raised vanity, dual sinks, super shower. Fenced<br />

rear yard with extended covered patio.<br />

55+ community w/ amenities $775,000<br />

124 ELEGANTE WAY<br />

GREEN VALLEY SOUTH 1 Story Home with Pool on<br />

Premium Cul-De-Sac Lot! 1625 SF, 2 BR, Den/<br />

Office, 2 Baths. Kitchen features Granite<br />

Countertops, Nook w/ Bay Window, Ceiling Fan,<br />

Gas Stove, Microwave, Dishwasher, Refrigerator<br />

and Tile Flooring. Living Room w/Raised Ceiling,<br />

Gas Fireplace. Gathering Room with Ceiling Fan,<br />

W/I Closet, B/I Bookcases & Door to Yard (garage<br />

conversion - permitted). Owner’s Suite with Ceiling<br />

Fan, Two Closets & Bath with Shower and Tile<br />

Flooring. Fully Fenced Rear Yard w/Sparkling Pool<br />

and large Covered Patio. $385,000<br />

2412 VIVID SKY<br />

SOLERA Upgraded Monroe Townhome Floorplan<br />

in Gated Villas at Solera, a premier 55+<br />

community! 2 BR + den, 2 BA, 1584 SF, 2-car<br />

garage. Kitchen boasts granite counters,<br />

upgraded cabinets, breakfast bar, SS appliances<br />

and walk-in pantry. Great room with ceiling fan.<br />

Dining area and den/office with double doors.<br />

Owner’s suite with walk-in closet. Custom 2-tone<br />

interior paint, custom tile flooring throughout,<br />

plantation shutters, solar screens, security door<br />

and rear covered patio. Located on premium<br />

corner lot with mountain views! $425,000<br />

3


Scam of the Holidays - Amazon<br />

With the holidays approaching, has Amazon contacted you to<br />

confirm a purchase you didn’t make, or tell you that your account<br />

has been hacked? I have.<br />

I received the below email and according to the Federal Trade<br />

Commission, since July, about 1 in 3 people have reported a scammer<br />

operation claiming that they were contacted by individuals who<br />

stated they were Amazon employees.<br />

How do you avoid being caught up by the Amazon scam? It really<br />

is easy.<br />

www.thevegasvoice.net<br />

www.vegasvoicetv.net<br />

OUR 18th YEAR<br />

PUBLISHER/EDITOR<br />

Dan Roberts<br />

dan@thevegasvoice.net<br />

PRESIDENT<br />

Ray Sarbacker<br />

ray@thevegasvoice.net<br />

VP ADVERTISING<br />

Debbie Landry<br />

debbie@thevegasvoice.net<br />

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Bill Caserta<br />

bill@thevegasvoice.net<br />

ANY CONTENT EDITOR (ACE) Rana Goodman<br />

rana@thevegasvoice.net<br />

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Evan Davis<br />

evan@thevegasvoice.net<br />

NIGHT LIFE EDITOR<br />

Sam Wagmeister<br />

TRAVEL EDITOR<br />

Stu Cooper<br />

RADIO HOST<br />

Rich Natole / Jon Lindquist<br />

GRAPHICS EDITOR<br />

Michael Roberts<br />

DIGITAL MEDIA<br />

Ross Roberts<br />

VIDEO PRODUCTION<br />

Jason Roberts<br />

WEB DESIGN<br />

Success City Online<br />

One – If you get an email, check who’s the sender and just delete<br />

it. Not sure if it is legit? No problem. Call Amazon’s 800 number –<br />

not any number listed in the email.<br />

Two – Never, never, NEVER pay for anything via a gift card, wire<br />

transfer or cryptocurrency. That’s a 100% scam, one hundred percent<br />

of the time.<br />

So once again and as always,<br />

what should you do when you get<br />

that email or telephone call offer?<br />

Delete. Delete, Delete those<br />

emails. And should you receive that<br />

offer by telephone, hang up the<br />

phone, hang up the phone and…<br />

HANG UP THE PHONE!<br />

*And for shameless plugs,<br />

check out our Scams segments<br />

on our Vegas Voice YouTube<br />

channel(YouTube.com/<br />

VegasVoiceTV).<br />

4<br />

December 2021<br />

Pat Alexander<br />

Adrea Barrera<br />

John Bielun<br />

Liz Breier<br />

Yvonne Cloutier<br />

Dianne Davis<br />

Sandi Davis<br />

Chuck Dean<br />

Jan Fair<br />

Howard Galin<br />

Susan Goldfein<br />

OUR FANTASTIC COLUMNISTS<br />

Linda Gomez<br />

Ali Guggenheim<br />

Dianne Hahn<br />

Dan Hyde<br />

Pat Landaker<br />

Heather Latimer<br />

Gayla Kalp<br />

BJ Killeen<br />

Kathy Manney<br />

Kyo Mitchell<br />

Liz Palmer<br />

Mary Richard<br />

Renee Riendeau<br />

Diane Rosen<br />

Crystal Sarbacker<br />

Moish Tombosky<br />

Jim Valkenburg<br />

Beverly Washburn<br />

Vicki Wentz<br />

Kate Wind<br />

About The Vegas Voice<br />

There is nothing more gratifying than to be honored by your fellow<br />

senior publishers. With that humble statement, we are very proud to<br />

announce that The Vegas Voice received 10 national awards from the<br />

North American Mature Publishers Association (NAMPA) in 2021.<br />

Everything from General Excellence to Senior Issues to Editorials to<br />

Graphics, the judges held (and it remains our unconditional commitment)<br />

that “every issue demonstrates that The Vegas Voice is paying<br />

attention to the needs and interests of its readers.”


What Do<br />

You Think?<br />

Do you agree with our<br />

columnists? Did anyone get<br />

you angry, make you think or<br />

simply put a smile on your face?<br />

Please tell us by forwarding<br />

your comments, thoughts or<br />

suggestions to Publisher Dan at:<br />

dan@thevegasvoice.net.<br />

Flushed with Stupidity<br />

By: Dan Roberts / Roberts Rules<br />

“<br />

Why would you do that?!” That was<br />

my Rana’s reaction when I told her what<br />

happened.<br />

I admit that I’m never the smartest guy in the<br />

room (even if I am the only one there). I also<br />

readily concede that yours truly has done many<br />

stupid things in my life, but this one would surely<br />

be in the “Top Ten.”<br />

I flushed my prescription glasses down the<br />

toilet.<br />

It was of course, an accident. If I took my time<br />

and aimed, I never would have been successful.<br />

“The odds had to be a million-to-one” I<br />

babbled to a disbelieving Rana.<br />

I was in the bathroom responding to the “call<br />

of nature.” As I leaned over the toilet to flush, my<br />

glasses slipped off my face and began its Houdini<br />

act.<br />

I cannot begin to describe how absurd the<br />

situation must have looked. There I was on my<br />

hands and knees hunting around and behind the<br />

toilet looking for my glasses. They were nowhere<br />

to be found.<br />

“Didn’t you see what was happening?” my Ladylove asked in total<br />

distain. “How could I have seen it?” I said in my defense. “I wasn’t<br />

wearing my glasses.”<br />

To compound my idiocy, these were not your ordinary specs you<br />

purchase at Costco. They were specialized designer Porsche transition<br />

glasses that my PILL (partner in love & life) gave me for my birthday.<br />

According to Rana, the glasses added a “touch of class.” Originally I<br />

told her that the glasses were “way too good for me” and I could have<br />

now taken the opportunity to say, “I told you so.” Thankfully, my brain<br />

kicked in before my mouth moved.<br />

Besides how many people could hit such a bullseye? (How’s that for<br />

being an optimist?)<br />

“Now what?” my exasperated Rana asked. She suggested that I turn<br />

off the water and detached the toilet so I can “fish them out.”<br />

“Are you kidding?” I said. “You know I’m way too stupid to do<br />

something like that.” And for the first time that day she agreed with me.<br />

Rana recommended that I call a plumber. And to add insult to injury,<br />

she did not even attempt to hide her laughter<br />

when I detailed why I required their services.<br />

I’m pleased to report however, that there is a<br />

happy ending. The plumber was able to retrieve<br />

the glasses. Not a scratch, dent or mark on them.<br />

And after soaking it in a disposable cup filled<br />

with Clorox for a couple of days, they were as good<br />

as new.<br />

“All’s well that ends well” I sheepishly told my<br />

Rana. But as usual she had the last word.<br />

She got me a bunch of those string holder strap<br />

cords to wear with my glasses.<br />

* I, along with our entire Vegas Voice family<br />

want to wish you and yours a very happy and<br />

healthy holiday season and New Year.<br />

When The Vegas Voice did its year-end review,<br />

even we were surprised by our achievements.<br />

From entertainment editor Evan Davis’ fantastic<br />

shows to my Rana’s seminars, to our 10 national<br />

journalism awards, it’s been quite a year.<br />

Once again, we have big, big plans for 2022. Our goal however<br />

remains the same; to serve you – our readers.<br />

The Vegas Voice will continue to do just about anything and<br />

everything to provide important information and meaningful insights<br />

concerning our “mature years.” And perhaps even bring a smile (or<br />

two) as we welcome a New Year.<br />

5


6<br />

December 2021<br />

Bill Blurb’s<br />

Christmas Spirit<br />

By: Bill Caserta / Bill’s Blurbs<br />

The Salvation Army realized that it had<br />

never received a donation from Las Vegas’<br />

most successful lawyer. So a volunteer paid the<br />

attorney a visit in his lavish office.<br />

The volunteer opened the meeting by saying, “Our research shows<br />

that even though your annual income is over ten million dollars, you<br />

don’t give a penny to charity. Wouldn’t you like to give something back<br />

to your community?”<br />

The lawyer thinks for a minute and answers: “First, did your research<br />

show that my mother is dying after a long, painful illness and she has<br />

huge medical bills that are far beyond her ability to pay?”<br />

Embarrassed, the volunteer mumbles, “Uh... no, I didn’t know that.”<br />

“Secondly,” says the lawyer, “did it show that my brother, a<br />

disabled veteran, is blind and confined to a wheelchair and is unable<br />

to support his wife and six children?” The stricken volunteer begins to<br />

stammer an apology but is cut off.<br />

“And finally, did your research also show that my sister’s husband<br />

died in a dreadful car accident, leaving her penniless with a mortgage<br />

and three children? The now humiliated volunteer replied, “I’m so<br />

sorry, I had no idea.”<br />

The lawyer added, “And if I didn’t give any money to them, what<br />

makes you think I’d give any to you?”<br />

*A couple (Greg & Nancy) were Christmas shopping at the mall on<br />

Christmas Eve and the mall was packed. Walking through the mall,<br />

Nancy noticed Greg was nowhere around. She used her cell phone to<br />

call him.<br />

Greg, in a calm voice said: “Honey, remember the jewelry store<br />

we went into five years ago where you fell in love with that diamond<br />

necklace that we could not afford, and I told you that I would get it for<br />

you one day?”<br />

With tears in her eyes, Nancy answered: “Yes, I remember that jewelry<br />

store.” He said: “Well I’m in the bar right next to it...”<br />

**And my annual wish to Santa: This year, please give me a big, fat<br />

bank account and a slim body. Once again, you mixed them up.


GIVE THE GIFT OF THE ARTS<br />

A gift certificate from The Smith Center is a gift that will get you a standing ovation.<br />

It’s the perfect present for the arts lovers on your list. From Broadway<br />

to music to dance, they can choose the shows they want to see.<br />

VISIT THESMITHCENTER.COM TO SEE THE FULL LINEUP<br />

702.749.2000 | TTY: 800.326.6868 or dial 711 | Group Inquiries: 702.749.2348 | 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89106<br />

7


Entertainment for the Holidays<br />

By: Evan Davis / Entertainment Editor<br />

The holidays are upon us, but then again,<br />

every month brings us another holiday to<br />

celebrate. So, what makes this one so special?<br />

That’s because we’re all able to spend it with<br />

our friends and family. Booster shots and masks will be around for a<br />

while but don’t let that stop you from living.<br />

Let’s start with New Year’s Eve. For those of you who really can’t stay<br />

up past midnight, and function the next day, I’ve got the solution. A<br />

New York New Year’s Eve dinner show at Sun City MacDonald Ranch.<br />

The entertainment will be provided by Mark Giovi and Genevieve<br />

Dew (See next page). At nine o’clock we will see the ball drop from<br />

Times Square on our BIG screen. You could be home by 9:30 and miss<br />

any street traffic, if you’re driving.<br />

Let’s start 2022 with a bang at Starbright Theatre in Sun City<br />

Summerlin. I’ll be hosting a star-studded variety show featuring<br />

strip headliner Murray SawChuck along with singers Jonathan<br />

Karrant, Hannah Brady, Phillip Officer and Rosanna Telford.<br />

The band will be under the musical direction of Bill Fayne. This<br />

show is on Wednesday, January 5 th at 2:30 pm. It’s only $20, so you have<br />

no reason to miss this show (see page 31).<br />

Then for the first time we are bringing the Folk Legacy Trio to the<br />

Summerlin Library. That takes place on Friday January 21 st at 7:00 pm.<br />

The next evening,<br />

Saturday, January 22, the<br />

Folk Legacy Trio will be<br />

back at Sun City MacDonald<br />

Ranch for a 7 pm show.<br />

If you’ve never seen them,<br />

it’s a must see. They have<br />

put together a new show for<br />

those who have been lucky<br />

enough to have seen them<br />

before (see page 29).<br />

The Vegas Voice isn’t<br />

the only one in town that<br />

produces shows for your<br />

listening enjoyment. There’s<br />

With Hannah Brady after my<br />

Vegas Voice Celebrity Corner<br />

video segment.<br />

Gatsby’s, a new Jazz supper club now open on the east side of town. If<br />

you want to hear anything from Pop to Broadway, check out the Nevada<br />

Room or take in a dinner and show at the Italian American Club.<br />

You can also find entertainment in dozens of other venues such as<br />

Star Piano & Cocktail Lounge, The Golden Tiki, Siena Deli, The Space,<br />

Piazza Lounge and Firelight Barn to name just a few.<br />

So get out and enjoy life and live music.<br />

You can read Evan’s entertainment blog and sign up to receive<br />

his free email weekly Calendar of Events at www.EvanDavisJazz.<br />

com. Email him at: evan@thevegasvoice.net.<br />

Thank You For Your Service<br />

8<br />

December 2021<br />

Cast and crew backstage before our Vegas Voice “Tribute to Our<br />

Vietnam Veterans” starring Dennis Blair and featuring Andrew<br />

Freeman and Michelle Rohl last month at Sun City MacDonald Ranch.<br />

How good of a concert? A couple wrote this the next morning to<br />

publisher Dan:<br />

It was a wonderful tribute to our Vietnam Vets, and you have no<br />

idea how much it meant to my husband who was shunned for many<br />

years after his return. God bless you for sharing that with all of us!


9


Giada Brings Italian Charm to Las Vegas<br />

By: Sam Wagmeister / People & Places<br />

“<br />

Music is not about me. It’s about the people I<br />

have in front of me”…Giada Valenti<br />

When Covid Cabin Fever struck retired<br />

insurance executive Roger Scullion, he turned to the Internet to help<br />

pass the days. Comfort came from a Facebook Live<br />

telecast by Giada Valenti, the Italian born vocalist<br />

who brought her music, culture and charm to Las<br />

Vegas in 2019.<br />

Like many performers, the quarantine sparked<br />

Valenti’s creative fires. She began daily Internet<br />

broadcasts, calling on her friends and her Italian<br />

culture to help create an enriching content of<br />

interviews, music and a series of 4-ingredient<br />

Italian recipes.<br />

“She transported me musically and took me out of my isolation,”<br />

said Scullion who was a highly regarded studio musician in native<br />

England, playing backup for the Rolling Stones and other British<br />

“invaders.” An appreciated Valenti christened her Internet viewers “My<br />

Circle of Love.”<br />

Growing up an hour from Venice, Valenti’s love of music developed<br />

when she accompanied her grandmother to church and soon<br />

began studying opera. “I’m a pop singer,” she emphasizes, referring<br />

to the music of Rosemary Clooney, Perry Como and more recent<br />

contemporaries like The Carpenters, Linda Ronstadt and The Doors.<br />

“Classical opera taught me to breathe. Pop allowed me more freedom<br />

of interpretation.”<br />

A successful career path in Italy led to opportunities in New York.<br />

At the urging of Grammy winning producer Clive Davis, she relocated<br />

to the United States. There Godfather producer<br />

Sonny Grasso cast her in the Broadway musical<br />

Be My Love based on the life of Mario Lanza .<br />

Valenti self-produced From Venice with Love,<br />

an elegant video concert of familiar easy listening<br />

and popular music that since 2015 has received<br />

an estimated 2,000 airings on public television<br />

fund raisers. Her first visit to Las Vegas was in<br />

2019 to promote the show’s airing, working the<br />

station’s telethon with Smith Center CEO Myron Martin.<br />

The pandemic that idled the entertainment community in 2020<br />

presented an opportunity for Valenti. With work nonexistent in the<br />

music industry, she assembled an elite team of musicians (many of<br />

them Grammy winners) and began production on a new Christmas<br />

album at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles and Abbey Road Studios in<br />

London.<br />

Now in the final stages of production, the scheduled release is next<br />

November. Last month however, Valenti released a single from the<br />

album, a bilingual version of Silent Night, available for download on<br />

the Internet.<br />

Since moving to Las Vegas, Valenti has developed a devoted, robust<br />

fan base. Responding to an Internet viewer’s request, Valenti partnered<br />

with deaf awareness consultant Diane Fiorentino to include signing in<br />

her broadcasts.<br />

Las Vegans can experience Valenti’s magic Sunday, December 5 when<br />

she presents her show, Love Under the Christmas Tree in the intimate<br />

Myron’s at the Smith Center.<br />

10<br />

December 2021


Help Our Entertainment Community<br />

By: Dianne Davis / That’s Entertainment<br />

Go see a show.<br />

I suggest this as a holiday gift to our<br />

community and to yourselves. Energize your life<br />

and support our community members.<br />

The entertainment industry suffered horribly from the pandemic,<br />

but as the end of the year approaches, we can look ahead. I urge you -<br />

go enjoy a production.<br />

Go with family or with friends. Just go. The entertainers, the ushers,<br />

the musicians, the ticket sellers and ticket takers, the costume makers,<br />

the make-up people, the stagehands – they all need your support.<br />

Don’t consider shows a luxury. Rather consider them necessary; both<br />

for your well-being and as a way to support the individuals and families<br />

who are our neighbors.<br />

Some productions have reopened in the theaters that they previously<br />

performed in; others have relocated, some by choice, some not.<br />

The King is now in the castle. That’s Mac King and he is holding<br />

court at Excalibur now. You can see Terry Fator upstairs at New York,<br />

New York. The Bronx Wanderers have wandered over to Westgate.<br />

The magic of Xavier Mortimer can now be enjoyed at the<br />

Strat. Tape Face moved up a floor at Harrah›s following Menopause<br />

The Musical which has been there for years. Kevin Lepine is now<br />

entertaining audiences at the 4 Queens in his hilarious Hypnosis<br />

Unleashed production.<br />

Do you like mentalists? Check out Gerry McCambridge at the V<br />

Theater, Banachek at the Strat, or Fredrick De Silva at Ballys. For<br />

comedy, you can’t beat Carrot Top at the Luxor.<br />

And while you are there, Fantasy might just be your cup of tea-se.<br />

(play on words there). If the guys are your eye candy, there’s Thunder<br />

From Down Under at Excalibur or Chippendales at the Rio. And<br />

the fabulous Magic Mike Live at the Sahara. I have seen and enjoyed<br />

all of these.<br />

And there are many special holidays shows during December as well.<br />

Go see a show.<br />

Dianne Davis is delighted to once again share her opinions of<br />

local performers and shows. She is the lead reporter for SCA-TV<br />

and Associate Editor of lasvegas.splashmags.com.<br />

11


The Beginning of Me<br />

By: Adrea Nairne-Barrera / Senior Moments<br />

Here we are at the end of 2021 and my<br />

adoption history is still unfolding.<br />

I was born in 1948 in New York City when<br />

records were sealed. Birth parents had no obligation to reveal details<br />

about themselves and were excluded from knowing where their babies<br />

went the day after they were born.<br />

Over the years I learned a few things, wandered down information<br />

roads that lead nowhere and did my best to learn what I could. I did<br />

find my birth mother and half-brothers in the 80s. We had a good<br />

relationship and some of the mystery of me was resolved.<br />

Then last year I found the other side of the story through DNA, and<br />

my birth father’s identity was revealed. And suddenly there were siblings<br />

there too welcoming me.<br />

Too Much Stuff<br />

By: Liz Breier / This & That<br />

Did you ever wonder how you accumulated<br />

so much “stuff” in a lifetime? You look<br />

around and see the things you purchased,<br />

received as gifts or inherited, and wonder, why do<br />

you keep dusting these things?<br />

I finally decided after years of complaining that I had too much<br />

“stuff.” Enough was enough. I sought out a means to divest.<br />

You might be surprised at the many easy ways to safely sell your items<br />

- from gently used clothing and accessories to jewelry and collectibles.<br />

Imagine selling your unwanted items without any risk or upfront costs?<br />

Larger items not easily shipped can be advertised on Next Door<br />

(nextdoor.com) and Facebook. Handmade items can be ordered on<br />

Etsy (etsy.com).<br />

I’m one of the lucky ones. I’ve learned so much about how things<br />

were 70 years ago, and the back stories are so interesting. But I’m lucky<br />

also because I had not been part of a very chaotic time in my birth<br />

family’s life.<br />

I’m grateful they have welcomed me now, so many years later, even<br />

though both birth parents are gone.<br />

So why do I say that only now did I find “the beginning of me?”<br />

My original birth certificate just arrived. I opened the envelope to see<br />

the time, place, name, labor hours, etc. One piece of paper in my hand<br />

suddenly puts reality in focus.<br />

I was stunned and speechless staring at it.<br />

I can close the book on this because I now have everything there is<br />

to find. As states unseal their records, we adoptees finally have the right<br />

to know how we got here and why. You spend your whole life accepting<br />

secrecy because that’s the way it was.<br />

I never felt resentment and I was raised by loving parents, but certain<br />

facts were withheld all my life and decisions were made that I could<br />

not contest. Now we have a chance to come full circle and learn how<br />

we began.<br />

Adrea likes to opine and find the lighter side of life as a senior.<br />

12<br />

December 2021<br />

Poshmark (poshmark.com), for gently used or new items and e-Bay<br />

(ebay.com) are great venues to easily sell, ship and receive payments.<br />

To sell jewelry try Circa (circajewelry.com 877/876-5493) or Bob’s<br />

Watches (bobswatches.com 800/494-3708). If you have flatware,<br />

dinnerware, stemware or collectibles, check out Replacements Ltd.<br />

(replacements.com).<br />

For those more interested in purchasing, these are all safe on-line<br />

means to replace one broken dish (which I have done with Replacements<br />

Ltd. and even found additional pieces I could use with my dinnerware)<br />

or purchase a vintage piece of jewelry (Circa and Poshmark).<br />

Etsy can provide custom items as well. I often check the retail price<br />

on items (from shampoo and conditioner to household gadgets) and<br />

often find the pricing better on eBay. It is not necessary to bid on items<br />

on eBay – just click “buy it now” at the listed price and within a couple<br />

of days the merchandise is at your door.<br />

This is a great way to purchase items for yourself as well as gifts.<br />

Amazon (amazon.com) is not the only game in town – and watch<br />

those prices. Amazon is not always the best buy.<br />

What started out as a hunt to purge my home of too many things has<br />

become a fun and interesting challenge to determine fair prices and a<br />

lucrative leisure pastime.<br />

Liz Breier is an ex-New Yorker who retired to Florida for 24 years<br />

before deciding that Nevada means home to her. You can contact<br />

Liz at: bluesky090372@gmail.com.


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Christmas Back in The Day!<br />

By: Dianne Hahn / Back in the Days<br />

December 2018. Dear Friends & Family:<br />

Happy, happy!<br />

Can’t believe the holidays are here again! The<br />

days go by faster each year. Not sure if that means<br />

we’re having more fun, or just getting older.<br />

How was your year? Did your moments fly by? Did you walk into a<br />

room and forget why you’re there? No? (Liar, liar, pants on fire!)<br />

Let’s see what went on in our part of the world this year. Just a minute,<br />

I’m thinking! Oh yeah—nothing!<br />

Well, no planes, trains, or boats, but the ching, ching, ching, of the<br />

slot machines rang in our ears as we eagerly pumped coins and bills<br />

into them on a regular basis. Alas, there were no casino jackpots!<br />

Dejected, we decided a change of plans were in order. Vegas has<br />

gambling galore, but no lottery, so we drove to Arizona and bought<br />

some tickets for the Power Ball Lottery.<br />

We found long lines at the stores that sold lottery tickets. Grumbling<br />

and complaining, hubby, who didn’t want to go in the first place, said,<br />

“Go in and get some quick picks.” He was anxious to be done with this<br />

exercise in futility!<br />

Well as luck would have it, we were issued a ticket that matched the<br />

winning numbers! Are you kidding me?! We checked, and rechecked<br />

and discovered we were one of three winners. Twenty-nine million<br />

dollars was our<br />

share!<br />

I’m opting for<br />

a cruise around<br />

the world in one<br />

of those luxury<br />

liners - a private<br />

suite of course.<br />

Hallelujah! I will<br />

no longer have<br />

to do housework,<br />

laundry or cook!<br />

I’d also like a townhouse in London, a Rolls Royce with a chauffeur.<br />

Hubby wants a brownstone in New York and a custom designed RV.<br />

Now, if you believe the above, I have a bridge in Brooklyn that I’d like<br />

to sell you! No, we didn’t drive to Arizona or buy lottery tickets! We did<br />

talk about it though…<br />

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah everyone! Have a Power Ball<br />

New Year with hugs, good health, and lots of love!<br />

Himself and Moi A/K/A Don & Dianne Hahn<br />

A former schoolteacher, Dianne Sebis Hahn writes for children too.<br />

Presently, Dianne has eight books available on Amazon.com. You<br />

can also see her on SCA TV.<br />

By: Pat Alexander / Art of Entertaining<br />

It’s the end of another pandemic crazed year<br />

and I feel I’ve lost two<br />

years of my life (and I’m<br />

definitely deleting those years from my age). The<br />

good thing is, it’s December!<br />

Thanksgiving was fabulous, and now, Christmas<br />

is coming! I have so many plans – decorating,<br />

cooking and parties, oh my.<br />

Speaking of decorating, I found two fabulous<br />

new nutcrackers. Then, wait for it, I found baking<br />

tins that make nutcracker shaped mini cakes!<br />

I’m like a kid with a new toy. My nutcracker<br />

obsession started more years ago than I’m willing<br />

to count (even including the two lost years), and<br />

I’m still adding to my collection.<br />

When I buy a house, I don’t worry where the<br />

furniture is going but where my nutcrackers will<br />

be displayed. Some might call it an obsession, not<br />

me, of course.<br />

I guess you could say I’m nuts about nutcrackers.<br />

I have three parties coming up in December and I’m busy planning<br />

menus, guest lists and decor. The weekend after Thanksgiving is pure<br />

pain. Taking down and putting away Thanksgiving decorations and<br />

14<br />

Holiday Musings<br />

December 2021<br />

putting up Christmas décor in two days makes me dizzy.<br />

My two favorite holidays are jammed together in a span of 30 days,<br />

and since I love celebrating each one, it’s impossible to give short shrift<br />

to either, meaning I spend an inordinate amount<br />

of time and energy making things happen. I’m<br />

very grateful January is a quiet month.<br />

One of the parties will be all about appetizers<br />

and this one I particularly like. It’s delicious, easy<br />

and can be made ahead. Try it, I think you’ll like it.<br />

Pat’s Bacon and Tomato Cups<br />

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease mini muffin<br />

pan (24 openings). Crumble eight slices crispy<br />

bacon into bowl, add 1 large, chopped tomato, ½<br />

finely chopped sweet onion, 4 oz. shredded jack<br />

cheese (or cheddar), ½ cup mayonnaise and 1 tsp.<br />

dried basil.<br />

Open canned refrigerated buttermilk biscuits.<br />

Slice raw biscuits in half horizontally and press<br />

into bottom and sides of muffin cups. Fill with<br />

heaping tablespoon of bacon mixture.<br />

Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. If freezing or making<br />

ahead, reheat in 350 oven 10 minutes.<br />

Pat Alexander writes about all things home. She is well known for<br />

her cooking, parties and interior design, and consults on kitchen<br />

and bath remodels.


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15


Guess Who?<br />

By: Beverly Washburn / Hollywood Memories<br />

Happy Holidays and blessings to all of you.<br />

Well, if you’re wondering who the<br />

smiling man next to<br />

me is… it’s Patrick Wayne, John Wayne’s<br />

son.<br />

Last month we were in Virginia for The<br />

Williamsburg Nostalgia Festival. It’s a<br />

festival that has been in existence for 27<br />

years.<br />

Each year they have, shall I say “old”<br />

celebrities. (yep, I was one of them). It was<br />

quite fun actually.<br />

They set us up with our photos, books etc.<br />

and we meet fans from all over the country.<br />

Most of them have their photo taken with us.<br />

They also show “old” movies and TV<br />

shows that we were in. Typically after that,<br />

we are on a panel with a Q & A session.<br />

It’s all very flattering and heartwarming meeting these people who<br />

remember some of the shows we’ve been in.<br />

It also gives us a chance to give back, and we can donate the money<br />

to whatever charity we want. Mine is always an animal charity and<br />

Patrick’s was the John Wayne Cancer Institute.<br />

It was a joy and an honor being with Patrick. He is now 82 years old<br />

and a real jokester.<br />

Patrick was in 40 films. Eleven of them with his dad. His debut with<br />

his dad was when he was 11 years old in<br />

a film called Rio Grande. He was also the<br />

host of the revival of the game show Tic Tac<br />

Dough back in 1990.<br />

By the way, I will be at the Winchester<br />

Dondero Cultural Center (3130 McLeod<br />

Road, Las Vegas 89121) on Wednesday,<br />

January 12th at 1 pm with my host Jay<br />

Nagle. We’ll be doing our show “Beverly<br />

Washburn’s Hollywood Journey ...That<br />

was YOU?!”<br />

Tickets can be purchased at the box office<br />

that day or for more information, call 702/<br />

455-7340.<br />

I would love to see you there!<br />

Until next time, remember... Live simply, Love generously, Care<br />

deeply, and Speak kindly.<br />

Beverly Washburn graced the silver screen as a child actress and<br />

is the author of Reel Tears. You can contact Beverly at: bjradell@<br />

hotmail.com.<br />

16<br />

December 2021


City Lights, Pretty Lights Christmas Lights!<br />

By: Sandi Davis / Fashion “Cents”<br />

took out my pre-lit Christmas tree, shook<br />

I out the branches and chose<br />

a spot in the music room that<br />

would not interfere with the “tuffet” (aka ottoman)<br />

that Ruby, our 10-month-old Bichon sits on to look<br />

out the window.<br />

Yes, this is a fashion column, but decorating for<br />

Christmas is “Home Fashion.” But let’s move onto<br />

fashion for us.<br />

The lights on the tree inspire me. I began thinking<br />

about how adding color to our normal black outfits<br />

could take their cue from where we are going.<br />

If going out to eat, the type of restaurant should<br />

inspire the colors we wear by looking at the flags of<br />

that country.<br />

If it’s Greek food, lets add some blue and white! The<br />

blue should be that beautiful sea color and the white should be clear<br />

white.<br />

And then again, Israel’s flag is the same color combination, so the<br />

colors would be the same whether Greek or deli, right?<br />

Italian – The colors are bright green, white appears again and a<br />

beautiful shade of clear red.<br />

Ireland – The same shade of green and white, but instead of red it’s<br />

a bright gold!<br />

Japan - For sushi its Red and white. Simple and pure.<br />

China goes bolder with no white! For Chinese food<br />

its bold red and a touch of yellow - or is it a pale gold?<br />

What about events? If you are going to the movies,<br />

I’m fine with all black. That way, if your popcorn<br />

buttery fingers get wiped on your pants, it won’t show.<br />

And the only bright to your outfit could be a small<br />

penlight in your pocket. Use the light to shine on the<br />

steps in those very dark theaters.<br />

A small light is easier than using the ever-so-bright<br />

flashlight on your phone. And no one will growl at<br />

you for using a phone<br />

To the grocery we go with a “cornucopia” of colors.<br />

Clever, right? A cornucopia is loaded with fruit, breads,<br />

etc. just like a grocery.<br />

My inspiration is the light of Christmas trees, not<br />

only for my outfits but also for my mood. I wish you all a blessed and<br />

happy Holiday season.<br />

Sandi Davis is the Fashion Style columnist and Behind-the-Scenes<br />

Research Analyst for The Vegas Voice. She welcomes all questions<br />

and opinions. You can contact her at Sandidavis@cox.net<br />

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17


Oh, You Shouldn’t Have!<br />

By: Susan Goldfein / Susan’s Unfiltered Wit<br />

Know what’s #1 on my holiday wish list? I<br />

really wish you wouldn’t get me anything.<br />

It’s sweet to be asked, and I get it about the joy<br />

of giving. But I must recuse myself as recipient.<br />

I’m currently committed to downsizing.<br />

I know, ‘tis the season and all that. Nevertheless,<br />

I can’t ignore that I’ve reached the point in my life<br />

where I have all the stuff I will ever need.<br />

My fantasy is to live the rest of my days ready for<br />

an emergency home evacuation. I don’t want to be<br />

troubled deciding what to take with me. If I’m successful, everything I<br />

own will fit into one suitcase, preferably a carry-on.<br />

Have I convinced you of my need to simplify? Perhaps not. In that<br />

case, I’ll be more helpful by offering a brief list of some of my favorite<br />

un-gift ideas.<br />

Hostess Paraphernalia. I have all the trays, cheese boards, brie<br />

servers, crystal pieces, nut holders and popcorn bowls with seed sifters<br />

that I’ll ever need. And no more space to fit another of anything.<br />

Jewelry. Please don’t go to Jared. Or Kay. Or any store of that ilk.<br />

I have only one neck and two of other body parts which typically<br />

accommodate jewelry. So I’m anatomically limited in the number of<br />

watches, bracelets, necklaces or earrings I can wear at any given time.<br />

Lingerie. Sweetheart, I hope you’re listening. Remember last year<br />

when you gave me that clingy red silk nightie with matching robe? I<br />

actually breathed a sigh of relief when they didn’t fit.<br />

While I adore being the object of your fantasy, I’ve always felt silly in<br />

skimpy intimate apparel. And now that I’m an “older” woman, I’m an<br />

even stronger proponent of less is more: reveal less and leave more to<br />

the imagination.<br />

Scents. Don’t even think about getting me perfume,<br />

toilet water, vanilla candles or sachet for my drawer.<br />

The latter is sure to induce a sneezing fit when I reach<br />

for a pair of undies. If you simply cannot resist, please<br />

be so kind as to include a box of Zyrtec.<br />

Small Appliances. I will not be grateful for a bread<br />

maker because you think in my retirement I need a hobby. I promise it<br />

will join the sewing machine gathering dust in my closet.<br />

That was a surprise from my husband, who didn’t know I almost<br />

failed home economics. He has no idea that the rag he uses to wipe his<br />

car was supposed to be a skirt.<br />

Woolens. When you live where “Frosty the Snowman” doesn’t stand<br />

a chance, one has no more need for scarves, hats, or mittens.<br />

Before you accuse me of dampening holiday spirits, please know I’m<br />

not a complete humbug. I love giving gifts to others, especially my<br />

grandchildren.<br />

But if you still insist on getting me something, consider these. A gift<br />

certificate for a restaurant that isn’t noisy. Or make a donation to my<br />

favorite charity? And do you happen to know a nice girl for my son?<br />

What I really wish at this time of year is what I wish every year – that<br />

my friends and family be happy and healthy. And may we live in a<br />

kinder, gentler world, one in which we can all feel safe. Happy holidays<br />

and a fulfilling New Year!<br />

Susan Goldfein’s newest book, How to Complain When There’s<br />

Nothing to Complain About, is available at Amazon.com, BN.com,<br />

Read her blog at: www.SusansUnfilteredWit.com. Email Susan:<br />

SusanGoldfein@aol.com.<br />

18<br />

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Trimming Your Car<br />

By: BJ Killeen / Down the Road<br />

’<br />

Tis the season - which means hauling out<br />

the holiday decorations and dressing up your<br />

house with lights and other sparkly displays to<br />

make the neighbors both jealous or angry. But what about your poor<br />

little vehicle, sitting in the driveway, starved for some holiday spirit?<br />

Now your car can be part of the display, thanks to a variety of<br />

products. And you can take that spirit with you now when you cruise<br />

Candy Cane Lane.<br />

Here are some ways to decorate your ride that will make Santa<br />

envious!<br />

Car Bulb Magnets: $9.99, Amazon.com - While they won’t<br />

actually light up (they are reflective, however), at least you’ll be in<br />

the spirit with these Christmas multi-color light bulb magnets. It also<br />

includes green wire magnets so you can “string” lights all over your<br />

vehicle.<br />

It works on any metal surface, but make sure your vehicle’s body<br />

panel aren’t aluminum, because they won’t stick.<br />

If you want your car illuminated with real lights, you’ll need either<br />

12-volt light strings to plug into your car’s power point, or if your vehicle<br />

comes with a 110v outlet (many do nowadays), you can just plug in the<br />

strand directly. Otherwise you’ll need to find battery-operated lights or<br />

a power inverter. Be sure to buy the outdoor-approved lights, not indoor<br />

ones.<br />

Holiday Tire Covers: $90, spare-tirecovers.com - For those<br />

with a spare tire mounted on their rear tailgate, it’s easy to let everyone<br />

see your holiday spirit. There are seven designs from which to choose,<br />

and you can specify the size of the tire. You can even upload and send<br />

your own image for a personalized cover.<br />

Christmas Reindeer Kit: $30, homedepot.com - Pretend your<br />

car is Rudolph with this glitzy reindeer kit that consists of two antlers<br />

with clips for your windows, and another to secure the red nose to your<br />

car’s grille.<br />

Other easy car decorations include window clings, an inflatable<br />

snowman as a ride buddy, or even striped elf legs sticking out of a closed<br />

trunk. Yes, decorating your car may be silly, but making other people<br />

smile is priceless!<br />

BJ Killeen has been an automotive journalist for over 30 years.<br />

She welcomes all questions and inquiries, and can be reached at<br />

bjkdtr@gmail.com<br />

20<br />

December 2021


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21


By: Gayla Kalp / Life is Laughter<br />

was reading a great article by the Chain/<br />

I Koentopp Group of Berkshire Hathaway<br />

Home Services. It has very interesting, fun facts<br />

about Las Vegas. I want to share these dozen facts<br />

with you:<br />

1. There’s estimated to be at least 1,000 people living beneath Las<br />

Vegas in underground tunnels.<br />

2. The famous Las Vegas Strip is not located within the city limits of<br />

Las Vegas. It is in Clark County.<br />

3. It would take approximately 288 years for one person to spend one<br />

night in every hotel room in Las Vegas.<br />

4. Frederick W. Smith, the founder, and CEO of FedEx, saved his<br />

company by gambling in Las Vegas. He took FedEx’s last $5,000 to Vegas<br />

and won $27,000 gambling on blackjack which saved his company.<br />

5. Vegas bingo players’ favorite ink color daubers are purple.<br />

6. The Palms Casino Resort Palms offers a Kingpin suite that has two<br />

fully functional bowling lanes inside.<br />

7. The shrimp consumption in Las Vegas is over 60,000 pounds per<br />

day, higher than the rest of the nation combined.<br />

8. When erected, the neon cowboy outside the Pioneer Club in Las<br />

Vegas was the largest mechanical sign in the world.<br />

9. Boulder City is one of the only two cities in Nevada that prohibits<br />

gambling.<br />

22<br />

Dune<br />

By: Renee Riendeau / Movie Revelations<br />

Sci-fi extravaganza? You’ve got to be<br />

A kidding! I usually do not review this type of<br />

film but there seems to be so much hype about<br />

this 1965 novel by author Frank Herbert.<br />

He wrote five Dune sequels before his<br />

death in 1986. In 1966 he won the Hugo<br />

Award and the Nebula Award for the best<br />

novel. Then in 2003 Dune was selected<br />

as the world’s bestselling science fiction<br />

novel.<br />

Director Denis Villeneuve has<br />

chosen a unique cast unaware that<br />

the two twenty-five year old, Timothee<br />

Chalamet and Zendaya would develop<br />

instant chemistry adding depth to the<br />

film. Other important cast members<br />

include; Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Jason Momoa,<br />

and Oscar Isaac.<br />

The film takes place in the distant future where various noble houses<br />

control planetary fiefs. It tells the story of Paul Atreides whose family<br />

accepts the community of the planet Arrakis, a wasteland but the only<br />

source of “mélange” or “spice.”<br />

Vegas Fun Facts<br />

December 2021<br />

This is a drug that extends life and enhances mental abilities and<br />

space navigation. With Arrakis the only source of “spice”, the control<br />

of the planet is dangerous.<br />

The film explores the interactions of politics, religion, ecology,<br />

technology, and human emotion.<br />

The director would like to turn the<br />

Dune series into a trilogy, and sci-fi fans<br />

can hardly wait. The advertisements for<br />

this movie suggested you see it on the<br />

big screen, and I can understand why.<br />

It was filmed in the sand dunes of<br />

Jordan. There were times when the entire<br />

screen was nothing but undulating sand<br />

dunes that felt like they were coming off<br />

the screen to engulf the audience.<br />

There were times I got lost in the<br />

script, but the cinematography was<br />

fantastic and I may just go to another sci-fi film. The next time I will<br />

research this type of film seeking knowledge to understand the plot. I’m<br />

giving “Dune” a big fat “B+” rating.<br />

Renee Riendeau is the movie critic for The Vegas Voice. She loves to<br />

hear your opinions on films. You can contact her at: rriendeau@<br />

aol.com<br />

10. The Las Vegas Strip<br />

is the brightest place on<br />

Earth when looked at<br />

from outer space.<br />

11. Las Vegas is<br />

informally known as<br />

Hawaii’s 9 th island,<br />

due to the city’s large<br />

community of Hawaiians.<br />

12. The Bronze lion<br />

outside of the MGM<br />

Grand Hotel weighs 50<br />

tomes, making it the<br />

largest bronze sculpture<br />

in the country.<br />

Please let me know of<br />

any other interesting and<br />

fun facts you may know<br />

about our wonderful,<br />

fabulous city so I can<br />

share them in a future<br />

article.<br />

Gayla is a speaker, author, psychologist and humorist. She also<br />

happens to be Ms. Sr. California, Nevada and Universe England.


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23


My Family’s Journey<br />

By: Rana Goodman / On My Soapbox<br />

After reading and seeing the news about the<br />

influx of immigrants along the southern<br />

border, it brought back memories of my family’s<br />

move from the United Kingdom<br />

to the United States. There were so<br />

many requirements that the federal<br />

government put my parents (see<br />

photo) through before they could<br />

enter this country.<br />

My father’s health suffered after<br />

his World War II service in Africa. He<br />

contracted malaria which re-occurred<br />

more frequently over the years. The<br />

idea of moving to a better climate<br />

seemed like it might be the answer.<br />

Ignoring the fact that I spoke French<br />

and Italian fluently at the time, my<br />

mother insisted we pick an Englishspeaking<br />

country to “make life simpler for me.” Believe it or not, the<br />

decision came down to a coin toss - USA or Australia.<br />

The decision was finalized in 1952, although it took another year to<br />

sell my parent’s businesses and get all the legalities in order. It was a<br />

long, arduous process, including getting a “sponsor” in the U.S. who<br />

would guarantee the government that the three of us would not be a<br />

burden to the American taxpayers.<br />

My father had a cousin who married an American G.I. who, by that<br />

time had become an attorney in New York. He welcomed being our<br />

sponsor.<br />

It took a great deal of time to get all the health documents in order,<br />

including veterinary health certificates for our Chow dog, Ching. My<br />

family would not move without him.<br />

We set sail for America on the H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth. It was so<br />

exciting thanks in part to the activities my dad and I planned during<br />

the five day journey. Of course, it was<br />

my mother who feared getting seasick,<br />

and yet I fell victim to it.<br />

The good part of my seasickness<br />

was that this young girl had a very<br />

handsome crewman who tucked me<br />

into a deck chair each day. He kept<br />

bringing me tea, soup, crackers, and<br />

anything else that might help.<br />

Looking at the news clips of the<br />

migrants living under the bridge in<br />

Texas brought all these memories<br />

flooding back; especially the<br />

guarantees my parents had to supply<br />

to prove our health and livelihood was<br />

not an issue.<br />

In these Covid days, one would think that the safeguards my family<br />

had to provide would be a factor in accepting (or not) the migrants<br />

flooding into our country.<br />

We were very lucky with our move. My father loved the desert climate<br />

of Las Vegas where we made our new home.<br />

And on the very day that was our 5 th year anniversary (the length of<br />

time before an immigrant could qualify for citizenship) of our journey,<br />

my parents proudly became American citizens.<br />

24<br />

Thank You For Your Support<br />

I<br />

By: Carol Chapman n reviewing<br />

2021, there is<br />

one fact about the Foundation that stands out.<br />

Whether it’s in spite of, or perhaps because of<br />

the pandemic, the demand for our services has<br />

seen an incredible increase.<br />

The increase in demand,<br />

obviously, requires an<br />

increase in the need for<br />

donations to sustain it.<br />

Another statistic I<br />

observed is the stock market<br />

trend line. In 2021 we<br />

witnessed 64 record closes in<br />

the S&P 500, which is up 25% this year. If you have investments in the<br />

market you may have experienced gains yourself and now find yourself<br />

thinking about ways to put them to good use.<br />

If you are considering including The Foundation in your year-end<br />

plans, we are grateful for your help. There are a number of ways you<br />

December 2021<br />

can do this, such as gifting highly appreciated stock to FAS or grant<br />

from a donor advised fund.<br />

Another option is to include FAS as a beneficiary in your trust.<br />

Required Minimum Distributions can also be directed to us without<br />

tax implications. Cash donations are always welcome. We encourage<br />

you to talk with your<br />

financial advisor about how<br />

to support seniors through<br />

one of these options.<br />

As the holidays approach,<br />

we have an easy way for you<br />

to give a unique gift and help<br />

FAS at the same time. Give<br />

a Celebrate a Senior<br />

hand painted ceramic tile, or we will mail a certificate honoring your<br />

special someone. Visit our website at FoundationAssistingSeniors.org<br />

for more details.<br />

However you choose to end your year, we thank you for your support<br />

and look forward to a bright and prosperous new year for all.


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25


Cutting ZZZZZ’s<br />

By: Chuck Dean / Vet 2 Vet<br />

Whether sitting in the back of a deuceand-a-half<br />

re-supply truck, or a tightly<br />

packed military aircraft, soldiers have always<br />

been known to catch up on their Z’s any time and any place they<br />

possibly can.<br />

Now the Army’s new field manual for Holistic Health and Fitness<br />

recommends that leaders create time for soldiers to take short naps<br />

during long periods of continuous operations when troops are getting<br />

less than six hours sleep a night. The new manual officially endorses<br />

any activity that sustains mental alertness (sleeping) that warriors<br />

have always practiced unofficially.<br />

Night Driving Advice<br />

By: Jim Valkenburg / Insurance Insight<br />

Now that we have “fallen back” and the<br />

days are shorter, we need to take extra care<br />

on the road.<br />

Shorter days, fatigue, compromised night<br />

vision, rush hour and impaired drivers are some of the risks we face<br />

when driving at night.<br />

And these risks are even more pronounced as we move to the weekend<br />

with fatal crashes peaking on Saturday night.<br />

If we go out after 5:00 pm, it’s dark and we find ourselves having<br />

more problems with depth perception, color recognition and peripheral<br />

vision compromises. Plus, the glare of headlights from oncoming<br />

vehicles can temporarily blind you.<br />

Here are some suggestions to help improve your night driving:<br />

It states, “When regular nighttime sleep is not possible due to<br />

mission requirements, soldiers can use short, infrequent naps to<br />

restore wakefulness and promote performance. When routinely<br />

available, sleep time is difficult to predict, soldiers might take the<br />

longest nap possible as frequently as time is available.<br />

I remember those long (required) sleepless periods during training<br />

and combat, and they were not fun. To qualify in Army Ranger School<br />

for example, soldiers are exposed to 61 days of mentally and physically<br />

exhausting training, which often means Ranger candidates get just<br />

two to three hours of sleep in a 24-hour period for several days at a<br />

time.<br />

Soldiers, sailors, airmen, or Marines cannot be trained to perform<br />

better on less sleep. Linking sleep to cognitive performance is not new.<br />

In 2018, the Navy issued new guidance to ensure sailors serving<br />

on aircraft carriers the chance to have eight hours of uninterrupted<br />

sleep per 24-hour period. That action followed two separate and<br />

deadly accidents in 2017 involving the USS Fitzgerald and USS John<br />

S. McCain colliding with commercial ships. Human error and sleep<br />

deprivation were cited in the Navy’s investigation of the incidents.<br />

So in reality, this is good news and there are no shortcuts. Only<br />

sleep can replace lost sleep. With that said, we senior veterans should<br />

sleep as much as we can, whenever we can, as the situation allows.<br />

It makes sense to me. Here’s too good snoozing and happy holidays.<br />

Chuck Dean served as an Army paratrooper in Vietnam and<br />

through that experience was led to address the many transitional<br />

issues veterans struggle with. He is the author of several<br />

important books for veterans. All can be found on Amazon at:<br />

http://www.amazon.com/author/chuckdeanbooks<br />

26<br />

December 2021<br />

1. Ensure your headlights are aligned correctly and make sure they<br />

are clean. If you have an older car with plastic lens covers that have<br />

yellowed, use a polish kit to clear the residue.<br />

2. Do get an eye exam and wear the right glasses. Make sure the<br />

glasses have anti-reflective lenses.<br />

3. Dim your dashboard lights because the glow from your instrument<br />

panel can be distracting.<br />

4. Don’t ignore a dirty windshield. Keeping both inside and outside<br />

clean will allow for better visibility.<br />

5. Combat fatigue. Drowsy-driving crashes are most likely to happen<br />

between midnight and 6 am. If you are far away from home, have some<br />

caffeine, pull over to get some rest.<br />

6. Look in the right direction. Even though you should keep your eyes<br />

on the road, avoid a fixed gaze and never stare at oncoming headlights.<br />

When approaching an oncoming vehicle, shift your eyes down and to<br />

the right using the right edge of the road or lane markings as a guide to<br />

stay in your lane. Lift your gaze back when you’ve passed that vehicle.<br />

7. STAY ALERT, STAY ALIVE. We typically do only ¼ of our driving<br />

at night, but half of all traffic incidents happen at night. Take extra<br />

precautions like reducing speed, be extra defensive, do not overuse high<br />

beams, and perhaps most importantly: plan ahead.<br />

STAY SAFE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!<br />

Jim Valkenburg is a retired military officer and insurance executive.<br />

He and his wife owned and operated their own insurance agency for<br />

over 16 years. His primary purpose is to give out real information<br />

that can be used to make intelligent insurance decisions.


27


Enduring Mottos for the<br />

New Year<br />

By: Heather Latimer / Heather’s Self-Help Tips<br />

“<br />

It doesn’t matter how slowly you go,<br />

as long as you don’t stop.” Confucius<br />

“If a thing is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.” Lord<br />

Chesterfield<br />

“Immodest words admit of no defense, for want of<br />

decency is lack of sense.” Earl of Roscommon, Ireland<br />

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”<br />

Benjamin Franklin<br />

“Don’t do something permanently stupid when you are<br />

temporarily upset.” Wiz Khalifa<br />

“Our greatest glory is not in never failing but in rising<br />

every time we fail.” Confucius<br />

“Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm<br />

wrinkles the soul.” Unknown<br />

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets<br />

opportunity.” Seneca<br />

“Nothing is so much to be feared as fear itself.” Franklin<br />

Delano Roosevelt<br />

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over<br />

and over and expecting different results.” Albert Einstein<br />

“It’s better to be alone than in bad company.” George<br />

Washington<br />

“Integrity is doing what is right, even when no one is<br />

watching.” C.S. Lewis<br />

Heather Latimer is a nationally recognized specialist in making<br />

difficult subjects easy and author of 17 books. See amazon.com/<br />

heather latimer/how to overcome.<br />

Was Dr. Frankenstein<br />

Correct?<br />

By: Kyo Mitchell / A Healthier You<br />

“<br />

You’re just getting old.” This is the statement<br />

I hear a lot of patients tell me when they ask<br />

their doctor why they have developed a specific medical problem for<br />

which there was no apparent cause.<br />

This statement is incorrect. Time does not cause medical issues.<br />

Wear and tear on the body’s tissues and lack of proper repair is<br />

what causes medical problems. The question then becomes, “Is there<br />

anything that can be done to prevent long term wear and tear and help<br />

the body repair itself?”<br />

Robert Becker was an<br />

orthopedic surgeon who<br />

worked on complex nonhealing<br />

fractures of bone.<br />

He tried to find ways to help<br />

bones mend when they would<br />

not do so on their own.<br />

Becker knew that if you<br />

cut off a salamander’s limb,<br />

it could regrow the whole<br />

limb but if you cut off a rat<br />

or frog’s limb, they would not<br />

regrow. He wondered why.<br />

Becker theorized that<br />

it might have something<br />

to do with the electric fields related to the damaged tissue. Through<br />

experimentation Becker learned that when you sever a salamander’s<br />

limb, the limb becomes more electropositive than an unsevered limb for<br />

a period time, followed by a period of becoming more electronegative<br />

while the tissue regenerated before going back to the baseline electrical<br />

potential.<br />

After severing a rat or frog limb, the limb became more electropositive<br />

and then went back to baseline without becoming more electronegative.<br />

Here there was no regeneration of tissue.<br />

Then Becker severed rat and frog limbs and using artificial external<br />

means, recreated the change in electric fields one would see in a<br />

salamander limb. While the limbs did not fully regrow, there was some<br />

tissue regeneration, more than would be seen normally. Becker went on<br />

to use this knowledge to help heal bones that usually would not heal<br />

properly on their own.<br />

Certain medical practices (such as acupuncture) can alter the<br />

electric fields within the human body and have been used for thousands<br />

of years to treat a vast array of medical problems. If altering electric<br />

fields can help tissue regenerate, what else can therapeutics such as<br />

acupuncture accomplish?<br />

28<br />

December 2021<br />

Dr. Kyo Mitchell served as faculty at Bastyr University in Seattle<br />

and Wongu University in Las Vegas for over a decade. Dr. Mitchell<br />

practices in Summerlin and can be reached at 702-481-6216 or<br />

rkyomitchell@gmail.com.


29


By: Yvonne Cloutier / Musical Moments<br />

If you are a pianist, sometimes you may be<br />

asked, “Can you accompany?” There is a big<br />

difference between accompanying and soloing.<br />

Piano accompanying is not just someone who plays the piano. There<br />

is so much more to it.<br />

It is working with the soloist’s interpretation. Giving the soloists the<br />

musical background they require. This includes knowing what key is<br />

requested, and how many times that key changes?<br />

While soloing is the pianist’s interpretation, accompanying is the<br />

soloist’s interpretation. It’s like the difference between a sound engineer<br />

and a dial-turner.<br />

Do you know that there are pianists who just train to be accompanists?<br />

Such accompanists also need to be good sight readers - that is, they<br />

look at the notes and play them right off, having the ability to play in<br />

any key signature the soloists’ require.<br />

They need to practice with<br />

and without each soloist. They<br />

must know their parts first plus<br />

need to work on any background<br />

music. This starts at least a<br />

month (or more) ahead of the<br />

performance.<br />

The accompanist, after they<br />

learn their part, must be ready<br />

at the beginning of the rehearsals, knowing all soloists parts. This<br />

means hours of practice before any rehearsals with the soloists.<br />

There are so very few good piano players now, let alone actual<br />

accompanists. They also need excellent lighting, comfortable seating,<br />

a tuned piano, etc., etc.<br />

With a shortage of accompanists, it may be possible to tape the<br />

accompanist after s\he has learned the music. Sometimes, companies<br />

will provide a taped recording, but nothing is as good or wonderful<br />

well as the actual person being at the piano. After all, tapes don’t have<br />

brains.<br />

30<br />

The Pianist Accompanist<br />

Yvonne Cloutier, a former teacher/principal, with a music<br />

background, specializes in ragtime piano. She is the author of the<br />

book, Scott Joplin, King of Ragtime. You can contact her at www.<br />

mytimeisragtime.com.<br />

December 2021<br />

Vegas Voice columnist<br />

Pat Landaker with<br />

Steven Whitley, City of<br />

Henderson’s Volunteer<br />

& Training Coordinator.<br />

Whitley was guest speaker<br />

at Pat’s Positive Aging class<br />

at UNLV and discussed<br />

why volunteering and<br />

+50 adults are a great<br />

match.<br />

The Gifts of Gratitude &<br />

Forgiveness<br />

By: Pat Landaker / Positive Aging<br />

The holiday season arrives with all your<br />

emotions, good and bad, in tow. We stress<br />

over which gifts to give and over how we’ll engage<br />

with family members and friends.<br />

We’re filled with expectations and anticipation. We have so many<br />

feelings and adjustments involved, it’s easy to become overwhelmed.<br />

So what can you focus on to receive what you want from this holiday<br />

season? Two things will give you the greatest gifts of all: Gratitude and<br />

Forgiveness.<br />

It’s time to release all the negatives and celebrate the positives. Only<br />

you have the power to shift the negatives into the universe through<br />

forgiveness and actualize the positives to balance things out.<br />

We think forgiveness is<br />

for the other person, but it’s<br />

for you! It doesn’t matter<br />

if the other person knows<br />

you’ve forgiven them.<br />

What matters is you no<br />

longer have those negatives<br />

weighing you down. Even<br />

more important, you can<br />

take back that part of your<br />

life.<br />

Gratitude is our best friend and partner in aging, but often we forget<br />

to be grateful. When we wake up with gratitude, we go to sleep with<br />

peace of mind.<br />

There’s no better time than the holiday season to express our gratitude<br />

and we do that in many ways. But seldom do we express gratitude for<br />

ourselves and how well we’ve managed our lives.<br />

Well, now’s the time! Gift yourself some self-gratitude and released<br />

forgiveness!<br />

When you gift yourself Gratitude and Forgiveness, you’ll be gifting<br />

others at the same time though they may never know it because it<br />

won’t come tied with a bow. Instead, it will be revealed in your visible<br />

happiness and sense of freedom.<br />

It will also help you shed your pain and regret because your<br />

forgiveness will set you free from the negative thoughts and feelings<br />

that have harnessed you.<br />

Here’s an idea to help you embrace and acknowledge the positives<br />

(gratitude) and release and acknowledge the negatives (forgiveness).<br />

Get a pad, a pen and a small box.<br />

Write down your “gratitudes and forgivenesses”, put them in a box<br />

and gift them to yourself. They will be the best gifts you’ve ever opened.<br />

Pat Landaker is a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) and a Senior<br />

Lifestyle Consultant. She is owner of the Living La Vida Senior<br />

brand, serves on the City of Henderson’s Senior Citizens Advisory<br />

Commission and teaches Positive Aging at UNLV/OLLI. Contact her<br />

at positiveaging54@gmail.com.


31


Safety Nets in Peril<br />

By: Dan Hyde / Call to Action<br />

65 million! That’s the number of Americans<br />

(probably including you) relying on the<br />

two pillars of the<br />

nation’s safety<br />

net programs – Medicare and Social<br />

Security.<br />

Both are in serious financial trouble<br />

and are doomed to run out of funds<br />

by 2033 - if not sooner. Considered the<br />

“third rail” of politics, politicians are<br />

very timid to not only discuss what to<br />

do about the looming crisis, but lack<br />

the backbone to act NOW to prevent a<br />

catastrophe.<br />

As I’ve mentioned many times,<br />

proactive leadership is what we all yearn<br />

for but what we always get are “reactionary politicians” - i.e. those who<br />

wait until the crisis is so acute they have no choice but to act. When<br />

they do that, the cost is far greater and enduring than if they had taken<br />

the necessary steps years before to remedy the problem.<br />

What’s shocking (if you believe the Medicare Trustees) is that the<br />

Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be insolvent by 2024<br />

barring any Congressional action to prevent it. I don’t believe however<br />

that these incompetent politicians will let that happen.<br />

But whatever they do, it will cost the tax paying public a hefty<br />

price. Coupled with the recently signed $1.2 trillion dollar infrastructure<br />

package the entire nation is looking at a<br />

financial calamity that will make the<br />

Great Depression pale in comparison.<br />

What we can expect is a combination<br />

of reduction in benefits to both<br />

programs and increase in taxes. They<br />

will likely remove the cap that the taxes<br />

are assessed against (presently $142,800<br />

which will probably rise to $150,000<br />

in 2022). That would put a finger in a<br />

leaking dam for the near future, but it<br />

will not solve the long term problem.<br />

Once again, it will allow the politicians<br />

to escape accountability. To pin fault, one must only look in the mirror!<br />

We re-elect these thoroughly incompetent “representatives” ad<br />

nauseum year after year. What was Einstein’s definition of insanity<br />

–“Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different<br />

result!” Sad, but true!<br />

Dan Hyde is a passionate and effective advocate for the senior<br />

community. He can be reached at: dhyde9@cox.net.<br />

32<br />

December 2021


Origins of Christmas Traditions<br />

By: Ali Guggenheim / Psychic Phenomenon<br />

Nothing comes from nothing! Everything<br />

stems from something, and traditions of<br />

any kind are no exception.<br />

In 1843, Sir Henry Cole was too busy to send<br />

individualized Christmas Cards. So, he<br />

commissioned his friend John Callcott Horsley to<br />

create a message containing a Christmas scene<br />

with a message on the back.<br />

The earliest Christmas Carols started in the<br />

12 th century and were introduced by St. Francis<br />

Assisi in Nativity plays. Although the songs were<br />

religious, the stories were primarily made-up.<br />

Christmas Caroling didn’t start until the 19 th<br />

century. The idea came from 12 th century minstrels<br />

that went door-to-door, year-round, performing<br />

non-religious tunes. As Christmas became more commercialized,<br />

singing holiday carols and traveling door-to-door were combined and<br />

popularized.<br />

The fact that a Fruitcake didn’t need refrigeration made it a<br />

popular nutritional source. Fruitcake dates back to ancient Egypt when<br />

relatives left them in their loved one’s tombs.<br />

The Romans took them to battle, and they were always a staple at<br />

tea parties. In the 18 th Century, they were banned in Europe for being<br />

“sinfully rich.”<br />

Originally Eggnog evolved from Posset, a Medieval British drink<br />

that consisted of spices, ales, and liquor (no milk). Nog came from<br />

noggin, a wooden cup used in pubs in colonial America.<br />

The eggs came much later. Served warm and known for its expensive<br />

ingredients, Eggnog was labeled the Aristocrats’ drink and savored for<br />

Christmas.<br />

The United States ambassador to Mexico,<br />

Joseph Poinsett (1800s), was intrigued by a<br />

vibrant, red flower blooming in the southern<br />

part of the country. Missionaries called it the<br />

Nativity plant because it bloomed during the<br />

Advent season. It was named Poinsettia when<br />

he introduced it here.<br />

During the winter months, early Germans wore<br />

evergreen Wreaths to remind them that warm<br />

weather would return. Steeped in symbolism, the<br />

Christians adopted this tradition and used the<br />

circular wreath to symbolize everlasting life through Christ.<br />

According to The New York Times, wreaths made of holly, known<br />

for their sharp, pointy leaves, reminded early Christians of the crown<br />

of thorns worn by Christ. Later, people would light wreaths during the<br />

Advent season to celebrate Christ as the “light of the world.”<br />

Happy Holidays!<br />

To contact Ali or for spiritual consultations, coaching, workshops<br />

and readings, email: alivegasvoice@yahoo.com.<br />

33


34<br />

Total Solar Eclipse<br />

By: Kate Wind / Kate’s Insight<br />

On December 4 th , we will experience a Total<br />

Solar Eclipse (New Moon) at 12 degrees of<br />

Sagittarius. This will offer a new beginning to the<br />

closure we experienced with the lunar eclipse last<br />

month.<br />

Think of the phrase when one door shuts, another one opens. This<br />

will be the final eclipse in this 18-month series on the Sagittarius-<br />

Gemini axis. Congrats Gemini and Sagittarius friends!<br />

Think of an eclipse as receiving news that you didn’t expect that<br />

overrides (or eclipses) what you were going to do, say, or plan.<br />

This eclipse is particularly strong for those born between, December<br />

1 – 9 , May 29 – June 7, August 31 – September 8, and February 27 –<br />

March 8.<br />

Below are the themes the eclipse will bring<br />

for each of the signs:<br />

Aries: Higher vibe, becoming more<br />

professional, focusing on education or<br />

vision boards.<br />

Taurus: Focus on “before and after’s”, cleaning up financials and<br />

deep relationships – someone who changes you.<br />

Gemini: Supports partnering with people from a different sphere<br />

and changing the way you introduce yourself.<br />

Cancer: Opportunities to teach and train as well as work<br />

improvements.<br />

Leo: Focus on having fun and developing your signature in style or<br />

substance.<br />

Virgo: Taking on large decluttering tasks and renewing the home.<br />

Neighbors may wonder, “Are you moving?” due to lots of stuff on the<br />

curb!<br />

Libra: Being on a hands-on learning curve or proving yourself.<br />

Connecting with siblings and negotiating financial arrangements.<br />

Scorpio: Focus on a budget for refining your life or indulging your<br />

senses.<br />

Sagittarius: The theme is about conquering your freedom,<br />

breaking free and running like a centaur or horse! Focus on personal<br />

development and allowing your world to grow bigger. This is a lucky<br />

time for opportunities.<br />

Capricorn: Focus on a spiritual practice, volunteering, or seeking<br />

help or guidance.<br />

Aquarius: Focus on networking, attending events, making<br />

connections, or raising fees.<br />

Pisces: Focus on achieving, leadership, and stepping up to more<br />

responsibility with ease.<br />

December 2021<br />

Thin Lips & Turkey Necks<br />

By: Linda Bateman-Gomez / Timeless Beauty<br />

As many of you know, I created a couple of<br />

beauty products designed to help with two<br />

problems: thin lips & wrinkly necks.<br />

Fullips is my non-invasive lip plumping tool and Nexsey is my<br />

neck tape. Both are temporary beauty tricks for those that don’t want<br />

to spend a lot of money or have more invasive or painful cosmetic<br />

treatments.<br />

While I love to sell my products, there are also other things you can<br />

do to help these areas without any beauty products at all.<br />

First, for your lips, try using a soft toothbrush and gently brush your<br />

lips in a circular motion. It not only exfoliates your lips but also helps<br />

to increase the blood flow and give them a fuller appearance.<br />

Follow with a lip-colored liner just outside the lip line, blending<br />

some inward on to the lip, then apply a moisturizing lipstick as usual.<br />

For the neck, it is about illusion. Wearing scarves and turtlenecks<br />

are one obvious solution, but there are others. The easiest thing to do is<br />

experiment with necklines in your own closet.<br />

Depending on how and where your wrinkles are will best determine<br />

how to camouflage them. In my case, if I wear turtlenecks, I still have<br />

to use Nexsey tape because the style just accentuates the loose skin<br />

under my chin creating the dreaded “turkey neck.”<br />

However, wearing V-necks and deep round collars are my best look<br />

when not using tape. It draws the eye down and a nice pendant necklace<br />

is also helpful.<br />

Colors can also make a difference. Lighter colors often reflect the<br />

light better and give you a better look.<br />

The best way to see what works best for you is to try on the different<br />

shapes and collars then snap a quick selfie. Photos often tell a story we<br />

may not see in the mirror.<br />

Regardless of what you decide to wear though, a big smile is the best<br />

part of your wardrobe. Have a safe and wonderful holiday season, take<br />

plenty of photos and make lots of memories!<br />

Linda Bateman-Gomez has an international beauty company<br />

based in Las Vegas that specializes in cosmetics and other beauty<br />

products. Contact Linda at TimelessBeauty2020@gmail.com or<br />

through her website www.fullips.com.


35


46<br />

My Fishy Friend<br />

By: Diane Rosen / Animal Magnetism<br />

never thought I could love a fish. But then I<br />

I met Habib.<br />

Habib was a 25-cent feeder fish we gifted our<br />

son when he was 7. (As is the Jewish tradition, we<br />

named him after a Rosen lizard who had recently passed away.)<br />

We brought Habib home in a water-filled plastic bag, and transferred<br />

him to a glass bowl. JW loved to feed him and watch him swim.…for<br />

about two weeks.<br />

After that, guess who became Habib’s mommy? Yep. Each morning<br />

I’d yell down the stairs, “Did you feed Habib?”, and the answer was<br />

usually “NO”, so I’d make sure he didn’t starve.<br />

As he grew bigger, ultimately 9 inches long, we purchased a tank,<br />

filter and a few decorations to make him feel at home. We would<br />

replace them many times over the years, making our 25-cent feeder<br />

fish quite the investment.<br />

36<br />

December 2021<br />

I didn’t care, though. Habib and I became buddies! He’d see me pick<br />

up the food shaker every morning, and would swim to the top and<br />

pucker his cute lips at me through the glass.<br />

And I’d pucker right back. I’d talk to him as he ate.<br />

The worst health issue Habib had over the years was constipation.<br />

(Yep, he was a Rosen, alright!) One day I noticed a giant mass on the<br />

side of his body that I thought for sure was cancer. Turns out he was<br />

just really backed up.<br />

Green peas can act like fish laxatives, so I put a few pieces in his<br />

tank, and they worked! That fish had a bowel movement for the ages!<br />

It was massive!<br />

I was jealous. I’ll never forget it.<br />

Habib Rosen, the little fish that stole my heart, was 16-years old when<br />

he died! I never thought I could love a fish, but then I met Habib. I miss<br />

him still today.<br />

Diane Rosen is the proud mom of two dogs, a lover of all things<br />

pets, and the Rover Reporter for SCA-TV. You can contact her at:<br />

dianerosen2188@gmail.com.


December Gardening Tips<br />

By: Howard Galin / Happy Gardening<br />

The Las Vegas winters, although usually<br />

warm, can have brief but intense cold<br />

snaps in December. There are<br />

preventative measures that should be taken in order to<br />

protect landscaping and to prepare for Spring, 2022!<br />

Check all the irrigation tubing, making sure that<br />

the narrow “spaghetti” hosing is buried at least 2”<br />

below the ground to prevent freeze splitting and leaks.<br />

Check the valves under the irrigation box for leaks.<br />

Place insulated “mitten” covers over all spigots and<br />

exposed irrigation piping to prevent burst pipes.<br />

December is a good time to replenish both rock mulch and organic<br />

mulch in order to protect the soil and roots from freezing. You<br />

should also complete any additional leaf/rubbish removal from your<br />

landscape to prevent root rot and rodent infestation.<br />

Any remaining pruning should be completed at this time. When<br />

dealing with deciduous trees, wait until all leaves have fallen.<br />

Roses can now be pruned by removing about 1/3 off the top and side<br />

branches. The same holds true for other flowering plants such as Texas<br />

Rangers, Jasmine and Hawthornes.<br />

Lantanas and Lavender can be pruned down to soil level. Proper<br />

pruning will stimulate more robust regrowth once Spring arrives.<br />

Adhere to the winter watering schedule but try not to water after<br />

the sun goes down so that residual water does not freeze around your<br />

landscaping. There are certain plants that should receive no water<br />

from now until February such as cactus, euphorbia,<br />

yucca, and agave. This holds true for native trees as<br />

well.<br />

Cold sensitive plants should be wrapped in burlap.<br />

Young and smaller plants can be protected by putting<br />

Styrofoam cups over their tops or by wrapping them<br />

with “Non-L.E.D.” Christmas lighting.<br />

Potted plants should be hand watered, and only<br />

during the warmest times of the day so that wet spots do not form and<br />

freeze. If possible, position plants close to one another in the sunniest<br />

part of your garden or near to your house in order to take advantage of<br />

the sun reflecting warmth off the stucco walls.<br />

Have any questions? Contact me at: Theplantwhisperer28@gmail.<br />

com.<br />

Howard Galin, a/k/a: “The Plant Whisperer” is a retired NYC<br />

school administrator, transplanted in Las Vegas who devotes his<br />

time to communicating with and lecturing about our native<br />

plants.<br />

37


Never Too Late<br />

By: Mary Richard / Health Fitness<br />

Well, We made it through 2021! And what a<br />

year it’s been! Many changes, reflections<br />

and new chapters came about this year.<br />

I was unemployed starting January 2021, from both my beloved jobs<br />

– my Zumba & aerobic classes and also ushering at The Smith Center.<br />

Gradually, both came to fruition. I am now employed at both and so<br />

happy doing what I love to do.<br />

December is my birthday month and I’m thrilled to be celebrating<br />

my 77th year on this earth! WOW - how did that happen?<br />

I’ve managed to get rid of the “pandemic” extra pounds that I put<br />

on during our shutdown by taking up boxing! Yep, one of my activities<br />

that is now off my “bucket list.”<br />

In my beautiful community we have a delightful Olympian boxing<br />

instructor/trainer who has been teaching us seniors the sweet science<br />

of boxing. It’s a great workout, both cardio, coordination and just fun!<br />

Yes, my boxing gloves are pink! LOL!<br />

Along with my regular Zumba, toning and balance classes,<br />

choreographing dance groups, ushering at The Smith Center, I’ve<br />

38 December 2021<br />

December 6, 1939<br />

By: John Beilun / Time Traveler<br />

Chicago, January 1939. Despite having<br />

graduated Phi Betta Kappa from Dartmouth<br />

College thirteen years earlier,<br />

Robert May toiled as a poorly paid copywriter for a<br />

department store.<br />

He, his wife Evelyn and their four-year old daughter<br />

Barbara lived in what was essentially a hovel. To<br />

make matters worse, Evelyn was dying from cancer<br />

and spent her days in agony.<br />

Robert’s employer, Montgomery Ward, had a<br />

custom of buying and giving away coloring books at<br />

Christmas. In 1938, their number had grown to two<br />

million. Their costs increased as well.<br />

To cut expenses, Robert’s supervisor recommended<br />

that the company produce its own book and give that<br />

out in the future. And notwithstanding Robert being<br />

Jewish, management told him to create one for next<br />

Christmas.<br />

Robert didn’t think he could do it. However, not having been steeped<br />

in Christmas tradition he could, and did, think out of the box.<br />

He reflected upon his childhood, when he had been picked on for<br />

being small, shy and far from athletic. He also thought about how<br />

much his daughter enjoyed animated animal stories - especially the<br />

one about an ugly duckling.<br />

With this in mind, Robert decided to write a story about a cartoon<br />

animal. But he couldn’t figure out what kind. Not until he remembered<br />

how much Barbara loved to visit the deer during her trips to the zoo.<br />

managed to put in a few hours a week<br />

to box! It’s never too late to take on a<br />

new activity - just do it!<br />

The holidays are notorious for<br />

putting on some extra pounds, so do<br />

yourself a favor. You can enjoy the<br />

holiday goodies, but continue with<br />

your exercises or take up some new<br />

ones. I’m determined not to put back<br />

the extra pounds I had gained last<br />

year.<br />

So as we wind down this year, be<br />

good to yourself and reflect upon what<br />

you want to check off your “bucket<br />

list” and go for it.<br />

BE GRATEFUL - for whatever you have, not what you don’t have.<br />

POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND HAPPY HEALTH TO ALL!<br />

Mary Richard is a long term supporter of senior fitness. She<br />

teaches Zumba, toning and dance classes throughout the Las Vegas<br />

Valley. She can be reached at zumbaqueen@cox.net.<br />

Robert didn’t think that your garden variety deer would do. It had to<br />

be a different kind of deer. A reindeer.<br />

Then, recalling the tale of the ugly duckling, he also felt that his<br />

protagonist should have some sort of deformity. Robert<br />

toyed with names. He initially considered Rollo, then<br />

Reginald, before finally settling on Rudolph.<br />

Now it was time to work on the story. Because<br />

Barbara loved nursery rhymes, Robert decided to use<br />

rhyming couplets.<br />

Then, he began writing and re-writing, and<br />

reading and re-reading his efforts to his daughter. All<br />

the while, Evelyn’s cancer continued to spread until<br />

she mercifully passed away in July.<br />

Robert made an all-out effort to perfect his poem,<br />

not only in memory of his wife but also for the sake<br />

of his daughter. By August, Rudolph the Red-Nosed<br />

Reindeer was complete.<br />

However, because of its connotation with insobriety,<br />

it took a lot of arm-twisting for management to accept<br />

the red nose. And it was not quite the same story that Gene Autrey and<br />

Burl Ives have led us to believe.<br />

Santa didn’t come onto the scene until one very foggy Christmas Eve.<br />

He discovered Rudolph by accident when, while delivering presents, he<br />

noticed a glow coming from the reindeer’s room.<br />

Concerned about the weather, Santa asked Rudolph to light the way.<br />

Montgomery Ward began distributing booklets about Rudolph on<br />

December 6, 1939. It issued two and a half million before running out.<br />

And, that marvelous reindeer has been with us ever since.


39


Staying Active Over the<br />

Holidays<br />

By: Liz Palmer / NSG<br />

Happy Holidays! Yes, we’re in the calorie<br />

season, where the Thanksgiving feast<br />

yields to holiday parties, Christmas dinner, New Year’s<br />

Eve decadence, New Year’s Day munchies. All the way<br />

to Super Bowl blow outs, complete with high calorie<br />

treats.<br />

How can you help fight the Battle of the Bulge<br />

while at the same time boosting your mood and improving your overall<br />

health? You guessed it - staying active.<br />

Now that the weather has cooled down, it’s time to take advantage of<br />

our beautiful desert climate. Play tennis, try a round of golf, even go for<br />

a brisk walk with friends.<br />

As seniors, we need to be especially aware of our slowing metabolisms<br />

and the threat of lifestyle diseases caused by poor diet and inactivity.<br />

Lack of exercise and a poor diet can lead to high blood pressure,<br />

diabetes, and even some forms of cancer.<br />

The Nevada Senior Games is our state’s largest senior-oriented sports<br />

organization. We are the official state member of the National Senior<br />

Games Association and it’s our mission to encourage a healthier<br />

lifestyle for seniors in our community.<br />

Give yourself the holiday gift of a healthier lifestyle! And in the spring,<br />

look to the Nevada Senior Games for our 2022 scheduled competitions<br />

to enjoy “Fitness For The Fun of It!”<br />

Bookmark our website www.nevadaseniorgames.com and in the<br />

meantime, stay active!<br />

Liz Palmer is the Executive Director of the Nevada Senior Games.<br />

For more information on how you can participate, contact Liz at:<br />

702/242-1590 or by email: Nevadaseniorgames@outlook.com.<br />

2022 Plans<br />

By: Stu Cooper / Happy Adventures<br />

2021, from a travel perspective, seems to have<br />

been better than 2020. Now let’s hope that<br />

2022 is much better to make our travel dreams<br />

come true.<br />

Here is what we are doing at the Vegas Voyagers to make travel<br />

wishes happen. We are preparing for our two “Bus to the Boat” cruises.<br />

Our first trip since January 2020 is a Mexican Riviera cruise on<br />

the Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas sailing February 21 – 28,<br />

2022. Ports of call will include<br />

Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán<br />

and Puerto<br />

Vallarta.<br />

We have a nice<br />

sized group heading to the sunshine and blue skies of the<br />

Mexican Riviera. This is the first time in ten years that Royal Caribbean<br />

has a ship with its homeport in Los Angeles.<br />

Our second “Bus to the Boat” cruise is a Pacific Coast cruise on<br />

Princess Cruise Line’s Majestic Princess March 26 – April 2, 2022.<br />

Scheduled ports are San Francisco, Santa Barbara, San Diego and<br />

Ensenada, Mexico.<br />

And we are bringing along our good friends, the PHAT PACK,<br />

to provide exclusive shows and entertainment for the group. The<br />

participation in this cruise has far exceeded our expectations as it looks<br />

like we will have at least three buses filled to Covid acceptable capacity.<br />

A word about Covid protocols. Our contracted bus company has<br />

installed UV lighting in their buses and air filtration systems similar<br />

to the airlines. We expect to limit people on the bus to about 40 people<br />

even though the bus can hold 60.<br />

Additionally, cruise lines are requiring all passengers to be vaccinated<br />

and to take a Covid test within 48 hours of departure.<br />

Yes, 2022 should be a lot better for travel. And yes, there is a new<br />

normal, but as infection rates in the country are trending down, we<br />

must remain vigilant and abide by the rules implemented by the<br />

various travel suppliers. In this way our travel dreams and wishes will<br />

continue to come true.<br />

Please feel free to call at 516/485-3200 or email fairtravel@aol.com<br />

with any questions you might have. Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas<br />

and may all be blessed with a Happy and Healthy New Year.<br />

40 December 2021


41


By: Kathy Manney / Around Our World<br />

Did you know that between 1659-1681<br />

Massachusetts forbade Christmas<br />

celebrations, considering those celebrations a<br />

crime?<br />

While recently visiting Massachusetts with my family we found the<br />

state jam-packed with early American history. Less known is that its<br />

leading citizens once prohibited the celebration of Christmas.<br />

Seventeenth-century Puritans followed the Bible closely. Their<br />

Bible interpretation showed no written record of a celebration<br />

commemorating the birth of Jesus. They believed celebrating Christmas<br />

unnecessary and making merry diverted from religion practice.<br />

The General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony made the ban<br />

official in 1659. For an entire generation, it was a crime to celebrate<br />

Christmas.<br />

Puritans practiced the Christmas ban until 1681. While Christmas<br />

was still outlawed in public, some families celebrated privately in their<br />

homes. The rebellious celebrations were more commonplace in fishing<br />

villages distanced from Boston, the center of Puritan power. Happily<br />

Christmas is no longer banned. For centuries and around the world<br />

Christmas has had some decidedly un-religious themes, including<br />

Santa Claus.<br />

Today, Christmas is a season of celebration for all, non-Christians<br />

included.<br />

In the end, Christmas celebrates what is good in the world, stirring<br />

42<br />

Christmas at Our House<br />

By: Crystal Merryman-Sarbacker / Out & About<br />

Each year, after Thanksgiving dinner, my<br />

mom would begin<br />

mailing out Christmas<br />

cards. She wasn’t<br />

a founder of Facebook, but she certainly<br />

delighted in writing to people she didn’t know.<br />

And when Mom had addressed at least 100<br />

cards, I knew Christmas was on its way and my<br />

grandparents would be coming for a visit. With<br />

their snow white hair and bagful of gifts, they<br />

reminded me of Santa and Mrs. Claus, and<br />

that added to the fun of the holiday season.<br />

By the time Christmas Eve arrived, there<br />

was so much anticipation and excitement in<br />

our home, that my two little brothers were almost hysterical. Mom and<br />

dad had taken us for dinner at a restaurant that really knew what it<br />

meant to deck the halls. And thankfully the decorations distracted my<br />

little brothers.<br />

I secretly wondered if I had been good enough during the past<br />

year, to find gifts from Santa under our tree. And my brothers and I<br />

could hardly stand the suspense as we drove to our home.<br />

Christmas Banned in Boston<br />

December 2021<br />

Wow! We couldn’t figure out how Santa had known<br />

we’d been out of the house, but gifts wrapped in red paper<br />

were under our Christmas tree and we were thrilled. I received a new<br />

walking doll that was so pretty, I completely<br />

forgot that what I had wanted from Santa was<br />

a real live pony.<br />

Oh well, there was always next year!<br />

Later that night we went for a drive to<br />

see some Christmas lights, and we couldn’t<br />

believe our eyes. Driving down our street in a<br />

huge white Cadillac was a man dressed in an<br />

elaborate red Santa Claus suit.<br />

Even now, I remember that he had long<br />

white hair, a full white beard, and I could see<br />

that the entire back seat of his car was filled<br />

with toys. We were all speechless as he waved to us, and my mom<br />

suddenly declared that we had just seen the real Santa Claus!<br />

My mother would never lie to me, so to this day I know he was Santa<br />

and that was the best Christmas ever! Happy Holidays everyone.<br />

Crystal Merryman-Sarbacker is a travel agent and the owner of<br />

Vegas Vacationers Inc. She can be reached at:<br />

Merryman2@aol.com<br />

feelings of compassion,<br />

love and joy in all of<br />

us. We exchange gifts,<br />

sing carols and have<br />

family gatherings<br />

to hopefully provide<br />

compassion toward<br />

one another.<br />

In our hearts we<br />

want to believe in good<br />

will to all, for religion<br />

is belief. And, in being<br />

compassionate, we<br />

hold optimism for<br />

more tolerance.<br />

While you may believe one way and someone else may believe<br />

another, at Christmastime the majority of us aspire to respect others.<br />

The 17 th century Puritans were mistaken when they thought celebrating<br />

Christmas distracted from their religion practice.<br />

Taking time to celebrate “goodwill to all men” actually enriches<br />

everyone’s life and religion.<br />

Whatever your belief, may you have a happy holiday season filled<br />

with goodwill!<br />

Kathy Manney enjoys visiting interesting places and being an<br />

Adventure Diva. Her “Must See” travel journeys continue - always<br />

with enthusiasm.


43


Who Invented Technology for Christmas?<br />

By: Vicki Wentz / Vicki’s Voice<br />

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to<br />

one and all...well, not really one and all,<br />

since at this moment I hate whoever invented<br />

technology. Who was it?<br />

Al Gore? That Zuckerberg guy? Because, seriously, I want to hunt<br />

them down.<br />

Every day, we are told how much<br />

better and easier this world has<br />

become because of technology<br />

(Motto: We have no record of your<br />

account.) You can now download<br />

music in 15 seconds, read email<br />

while checking the local time in<br />

Yemen and you can even talk to four<br />

people at once!<br />

Here’s the thing: I can push a<br />

radio button and hear music in 2<br />

seconds, I couldn’t care less what<br />

time it is in Yemen (although, as far as I’m concerned, whatever time<br />

it is it’s a good time to get out of Yemen) and it’s a challenge for me to<br />

converse with one person these days, let alone four.<br />

So, what’s in it for me? “Well,” says the techno-zombie, “what about<br />

ordering Christmas presents?”<br />

That’s how they suck you in.<br />

I used to shop at actual stores, where you comb the racks for the<br />

perfect jeans for your daughter to sneer at, and then wait in line to<br />

plunk down hard-earned money in front of a suspicious clerk who will,<br />

invariably, need to find the manager to check the price, because (of<br />

course) there’s no tag, even though you sincerely report the price from<br />

the jeans rack, but hey, you could possibly be one of those exhausted,<br />

middle-aged, frizzy-haired jeans scam artists running wildly through<br />

the malls, so we can’t be too careful, Ma’am.<br />

And, you know that “Ma’am”<br />

thing at the end is just gratuitous BS<br />

-- I mean unkindness on her part.<br />

Eventually, I became a catalogue<br />

shopper at Christmas. It’s one of the<br />

few times I can still get a real human<br />

being on the other end of the phone<br />

(Ssshhh! Do NOT let a techno-geek<br />

hear that, or he’ll “improve” it!),<br />

whom I can ask if sizes run small<br />

or large, if the color is more a sky<br />

or a royal blue, and if it makes your<br />

backside look roughly Nebraska-sized.<br />

This saleslady hears the weariness in your voice and just “gets it.”<br />

She calls me Vicki, I call her Bonnie. We laugh, we cry, we forge a<br />

relationship.<br />

Then came stolen identities, criminals with your life history, bandits<br />

ordering vats of lobsters from Maine to be flown in velvet-lined ice<br />

chests to parties in Seattle all on your dime! I became wary of every<br />

catalogue clerk who asked for my address, as if she needed to<br />

know that!<br />

I tried ordering online, but there were immediate flaws - the first<br />

being my computer, which senses when I’m ordering an absolutely<br />

perfect sweater for my sister, and suddenly, throughout its circuitry,<br />

generates a series of frightening sounds and unfortunate events, which<br />

may result in it being thrown into a wood chipper…not that I’ve ever<br />

done that.<br />

But you persist, and you receive various messages such as, “Comes<br />

in 3 colors”, but only one color comes up, and it is baby-poop green,<br />

which, let’s face it, does not even look good on a teeny baby behind.<br />

Then, “Please indicate size”, but either the button won’t let you<br />

“indicate” anything, or it only comes in size 2, which you haven’t worn<br />

since you were…well, two.<br />

At long last, you hit “Finalize Order”, and a red message comes up<br />

that says not only did you not hit the “Accept Terms and Conditions”<br />

button, but you now have to start the entire order again, so “Welcome<br />

to L.L.Bean Online!”<br />

Nope. Everyone on my list is getting a festive bag of my Three Wise<br />

Muffins, and I am downloading myself onto the couch. In your face,<br />

Zuckerberg!<br />

44<br />

December 2021<br />

Vicki Wentz is a writer, teacher and speaker living in North<br />

Carolina. Readers may contact her - and order her new children’s<br />

book! - by visiting her website at www.vickiwentz.com.


45


Oliver Sacks & Musicophilia: Tales of Music & the Brain<br />

By: Jan Fair / A No-Brainer Minute<br />

L<br />

ast December I talked about the many fascinating books (including Awakenings)<br />

and hundreds of magazine articles (New Yorker, NY Times Magazine, etc.) written<br />

by professor and neurological researcher, Dr. Oliver Sacks. This month I'm focusing on just one of<br />

his books, Musicophilia: Tales of Music & the Brain, in which he explores the place music occupies<br />

in the brain and how it affects us. A must-read for true music lovers and those who love to read.<br />

Brain Worms, Sticky Music, Catchy Tunes & Music Therapy<br />

Some interesting observations from Dr. Sacks:<br />

• Did you ever have a song play in your head<br />

over and over and over ... and over!?<br />

Dr. Sacks says the music is by design<br />

constructed to 'hook' you.<br />

• All five senses have a relationship to music.<br />

• A person with "perfect pitch" can identify a<br />

given musical note without help of a reference<br />

tone. Some can even identify the pitch of the<br />

noise made by someone blowing his/her nose!<br />

• Some patients with Tourette's Syndrome,<br />

Brain Aneurysms, Parkinson's, Dementia and<br />

other diseases have been helped by a variety<br />

of music therapies.<br />

"Jingle bells,<br />

jingle bells, jingle<br />

all the way ... Jingle<br />

bells, jingle bells,<br />

jingle all the<br />

way...<br />

Jan Fair is a writer, consultant & public speaker who has published over 40 books PLUS the<br />

No-Brainer Brain Games series. Sign up for her FREE newsletter at www.JanFair.com<br />

Mental Minutes<br />

“Music”<br />

1. In one minute,<br />

name words &<br />

people associated<br />

with music.<br />

2. Make an<br />

alphabetical list.<br />

All That Jazz,<br />

Beyoncé,<br />

Concerts, …<br />

A No-Brainer Pick<br />

Mark Twain's short story<br />

"A Literary Nightmare" is<br />

about a virus-like jingle<br />

he couldn't remove<br />

from his mind.<br />

December 2021<br />

46<br />

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