How could I ever Travel the World? Going Outside our Comfort Zone

Outside our little comfort zone...links to people living in far flung places.  Could you be tempted to be a little uncomfortable if the rewards were big and the "uncomfortable" would go away before very long?  Would you be willing to travel that world that is strange to you?  See what people are saying about a life overseas!

Puerta Vallarta, MX...Should you be
afraid in this neighborhood...no!!!

Links:

• Empty Nest Expat
• How to be a Frugal Traveler from the Blogs at New York Times
• Neography Lesson from Tmagazines blogs at New York Time
• Expat Blog Directory  
• Peace Corp Journals...largest archive of Peace Corp Stories
• Military Families Blogs
• 10 Great Expat Blogs from Mexico
• How To Travel the World

It occurred to me the other evening that there are a lot of people that will never, never venture outside their comfort zone.  Food, neighborhoods and traveling the world are at the top of their "never going there or doing that" lifestyle.  The one I just laugh over is "I would never live in a neighborhood that had drug dealers!"  I don't know what hole we can climb in that will keep us at a safe distance from bad people because bad drug dealers look just like good people.  The fact is that, when I travel around the world, I usually feel safer than I do at home.

I was reading How to be a Frugal Traveler on the NYT The Frugal Traveler blog when I saw a statement about paying attention to State Department warnings regarding travel.  The man had something to say that was very interesting.  Everyone is terrified of going to Mexico, for example, because of the cartels, drugs and border slayings.  The State Department has issued warnings about those places in Mexico travelers should avoid.  The northern Mexican border and areas around Monterrey seem to be a places we should avoid...being safe while getting out and about is important no matter where you live.  However, the State Department went on to say:

Image via Wikipedia

Millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year.  This includes tens of thousands who cross the border every day for study, tourism or business and at least one million U.S. citizens who live in Mexico.  The Mexican government makes a considerable effort to protect U.S. citizens and other visitors to major tourist destinations.   Resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico do not see the levels of drug-related violence and crime reported in the border region and in areas along major drug trafficking routes.  Nevertheless, crime and violence are serious problems.

The Frugal Traveler is entirely right.  Just because one area is unsafe does not mean that a whole country is bad.  There are many places here in Arizona and the USA that are not safe! BUT, should overseas travelers be afraid to even come to the USA? Of course the answer is no.  Read ALL of the State Departments information and then make you choices based upon what you have learned.

I know we should not live in fear. It is reassuring to read about other people's adventures.  Read what the people on the links above have to say...it is a lot of fun, doesn't cost any money and you can get a voyeurs view of their lives. And, who knows, you may travel the world that is outside your comfort zone!

b

Hot Charity for Grandparent's Donations and Volunteers...Kaboom (not the cleaning product)!

Have you ever gone shopping for a coat and come home with a set of sheets? That is kind of what happened to me this morning. I was out on my web, hanging by a thread, looking for my bliss. I was searching for an inspiration that would let me write about retirement.  I didn't find retirement but I did find a place that inspired me.  AARP Volunteers sit up and pay attention!  That place on the web is called Kaboom!  (At the bottom of this page you can follow my trail to a place called Kaboom!)  


KABOOM--why play matters AND how to fill the play deficit???? 
Kaboom is a non-profit organization with several functions.  One of those functions is to help parents/grandparents and communities organize to build play grounds for children in neighborhoods that are short of money but need a safe place for children to play. I found this question on the ask.metafilter.com website:

My daughter's public charter school, housed in a converted bowling alley with a small asphalt play area, has just received a KaBoom! grant to design and install a "dream playground." We're very excited! 

...Help me generate ideas for, and find images of, absolutely amazing creative, educational, inspirational and physically stimulating play spaces suitable for daily use by 250 kids in grades K-8! tidycat 

Kaboom I thought...what is that?  This is what I found.  The organization giving the grant (Kaboom) was founded by a man saddened by the loss of two children's life in a "playground" of abandoned cars. Children really do climb in car trunks or refrigerators or holes in the hillside because there is just no safe place for them to play.  He knew there had to be a way for grandparents, parents and community activist to make a safe places for children to play...and he did it!  The goal is for every child to have one of these spaces within walking distance of their home.  Businesses sponsor the projects and children, parents, community members work (physically) to make the dreams come true.


WHY?

Kaboom has gathered some very compelling reasons why play matters...we as grandparents will benefit from children in a healthy play environment now and in the future.  This what Kaboom had to say about play:

Physical impact:  Since play often involves physical activity, play is closely related to the development and refinement of children’s growth and fine motor skills and their body awareness.Kids who play are healthier. Kids who play are less likely to be obese and develop obesity-related health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. 

 Emotional and social impact:  Play helps kids feel more connected to their communities. Community playspaces have a positive effect on social cohesion, foster positive attitudes toward racial and cultural diversity, and help reduce feelings of isolation or exclusion.Kids who play, play well as adults. Kids who play build their confidence and learn the social skills that help them become happy, well- adjusted adults.  

Cognitive impact:  Research suggests a strong link between play and cognitive development. Play has been linked to student learning and academic performance. Play is a factor in improving attention, attitudes, creativity, imagination, memory, and so many other skills critical for learning.Kids who play do better in school. Kids who play develop the cognitive skills that are positively linked to learning and academic performance.

IN THE OLD DAYS!

We have all heard it..."I remember when we wandered all over town, and played with a shovel and a stick!  We didn't have any fancy playgrounds to play on...we can't even afford__________NOW!  Let parents provide a place for their children to play!"


I too remember a merry-go-round and hanging on for dear life.  I remember simple monkey bars and hop-scotch square made by scraping lines in the dirt.  We played with a shovel and a stick in the garden while our parents watered the plants.  We dug holes in the hillside...it scares me to think about it now because children die in cave-ins quite frequently.  I also remember no sidewalks and streets of dirt, abandoned houses and a school burned to the ground.  I remember peeping toms and child molesters and bad teachers.  The "Good Old Days" were not good.  True, I was happy and kind of safe but I would not want my children or grandchildren to go back to that place.  I returned to my home town a few years ago and found the streets lined with dead cars and garbage in front yards...that is what happened to the good old days in marginal neighborhoods where middle classed turns into slums.  If we want children in these situation to find a better life we need to find a safe place for them to play and show their parents how to make that happen.


NOW IS THE TIME!
Kaboom caught my eye because it made such good sense...donating to an organization like this, supporting schools and keeping our grandchildren safe...these are things that make everyone's quality of life better.  Great schools and safe places to play create healthy children, reduces crime and builds a better future for all of us.   I like that a lot...for me that is what "Retiring in Style" is all about!


b

Note:------------->FOLLOW THE DOTTED LINES!  gmail---->invited to link with a website----->BabyAccessorize.com link---->technorati for my bio---->back to BabyAccessorize form for link---->back to technorati to check my status (27000th on the list...share me with Technorati please)---->see who Technorati rated this morning---->click on link called Calling all Kids...and Kids at Heart! (ask.metafilter.com)----->find a website called Kaboom-----> sit up in amazement!  There it was...my bliss!

Donate:  Kaboom

Related articles

• Foresters, KaBOOM! & Volunteers Encourage Quality Family Time By Building New Playground for Long Beach Children (prnewswire.com)
• Trees Too Dangerous? That's What New Jersey Child Care Inspectors Say (news.change.org)

Link to Hub about Hot Ideas for Downsizing your Living Space

LINK:  4 Hot Ideas for Downsizing Your House!

Image from This Tiny House

Hot Favorite Interior Design Websites...is spring here yet?

When I begin feeling restless and need a change I always go to the experts...interior design magazines or interior design website provide the inspiration that will get me going.  I woke up feeling bunchy this morning for some reason...I just need a change.   Am I dreaming or could spring be on it's way?

Even here in Arizona we have been suffering a very harsh winter.  Normally our park would sport beautiful snapdragons in bloom all winter.  But this year the season is going to be over soon and the snapdragons have not begun to bloom.  Call me a dreamer but spring needs to happen and soon...so I am moving spring indoors.  My little park model needs some jazzing up.

When I lived in Oregon during the winters, I would buy potted flowers at the grocery and set them in the window sill until some spring weather would come our way.  Here in Arizona I think that some color on the walls and maybe the pillows will help a lot.

HOME DECORATING MAGAZINES AND WEBSITES
I love the Canadian website for interior design called Style At Home.  The magazine reflects what we see on HGTV when the Canadian decorators like Candice Olsen and Sarah Richardson host their shows.  The trendy ideas seem to appear on their shows first.  The home decorating website featured vinyl wall designs from UrbanWalls this morning.  UrbanWalls sells through an etsy.com online store.  These wonderful designs are applied to the wall much like a decal but can be easily removed.  I thought the graphics used in the picture above were very appealing.

The oatmeal colored natural linen storage bin by Blue Bird with a small graphic bird design caught my eye too...it too was featured on etsy.com.  Both of these are small touches that can change the look of your space with out the cost of a big make over.

Apartment Therapy is all about living small.  I love their little ideas for brightening things up.  For example.......did you know that March 14 is pi day?  In honor of the most auspicious day bar ware with the numbers representing pi, 3.1415926535 are featured…!

Because I live in a small space both here in Arizona and Oregon, I am interested in their stories about small bedrooms or kitchens.  Today I found a picture of a very small bedroom with splashes of color in the accessories only.  White is such a flexible background in any room. Naturally I chose one with lots of girly colors because I am only dreaming.  If I were to do this for my house, I would need to take into consideration the fact that I share my space with a husband of 50 years.  He's pretty tolerant but I try not to push the envelop.


Have a wonderful day.  I hope I see you tomorrow!


b

10 Examples of JOBS AFTER RETIREMENT

Have you ever thought about earning a little extra money but didn't want to work for someone else?  The advantages of have a job often have nothing to do with the money. A feeling of accomplishment, self esteem and even fulfilling a dream can be the motivation.  This can be the time when you actually work at that job you dreamed about but were afraid to try when you were in those all important earning years.  Jobs after retirement can also make our leisure time more valuable and enjoyable.  Here in our resort many of my friends have found ways to have their cake and eat it too.  They have little jobs, small businesses and have only themselves to answer to.  Everything from doing someones ironing to writing for Google Adsense have turned out to be "dream jobs" for retirees in the park.  Actually it is really not that hard.

10 Small Part-time Jobs :

1. Katie is my friend that had a kidney transplant a year and a half ago.  She has never stopped working.  A local private golf course employs Katie as a waitress and it was one of the members that donated a kidney to Katie so she could live for a few more years.  We played in a tournament at that golf course today and Katie was flying around serving all the 50+ golfers.  Working after retirement has turned out to be her great love...she loves to serving other people.  Katie is almost 70.
2. Another friend began a business selling Scentsy products last winter season.  Her success has been astounding.  She earns a good income and now has several people selling under her.  She devotes a little time each week to the business but not enough that it cuts into her time golfing and socializing with her friends. The business has brought her new friends from around the park...she just considers that to be a bonus.  Oh by the way, she is in her early 70's.
3. Janie down the street is going to sell Christmas wreaths next fall.  She bought the materials at the post Christmas sales this last January and will assemble them in October.  She will try it for one year to see if she can make any money.  She has already rented her spot at a bazaar in Fort Worth.  Janie is in her mid 70's.
4. I have a friend that irons to make a little money...she loves to iron so it is just fun for her.  She uses the money to get a pedicure once a month.  She is a couple of years younger than me.
5. My friend Jack sells park models in our RV resort.  He makes $500 with each sale.  Even though the job is frustrating sometimes, he is wonderful at sales and it is a natural for him. Jack is 80 years old.
6. Then there is me...the blogger.  I set a goal for myself last spring to find a way to make a little more money with my Google Adsense Ads.  Google does a wonderful job of providing me with key words and my readers are kind enough to take a look at the ads on the blog page.  Each month my income has grown a little bit and my readership is growing all the time.  I love to blog so any money that comes my way is just a bonus.  I started blogging when I was around 64 and have been doing it for almost 5 years.
7. Several of the residents here in the resort work for the management doing guard duty at the gate or working in the office for a few hours a week.  There are not a lot of jobs here in the park but doing volunteer work can lead to employment.  
8. My husband's friend Bob as manage to get a job at Ventana Canyon Golf Club and plays with his friends for a minor fee AND makes money each month for his wonderful hobby.  He builds some of the most beautiful model airplanes you have ever seen. Bob turned 80 last month.
9. I noticed on the bulletin board that a lady was doing alterations for a fee.  
10. There is a woman in the park the makes decorated birthday cakes.

Being creative and willing to work a little can have some wonderful rewards.  The list could go on and on...washing park models or windows.  Handiman work is always needed.  Plumbers or electrician can help owners do their own repairs.  We need a rental manager for the residents in this park...someone to keep an eye on property when it is empty or rented when the owners are not around.  Working after retirement is not really a job...usually it is a labor of love.

Have a wonderful week.

b

Related articles

• What Makes Scentsy Warmers Unique (prlog.org)
• Google Adsense - The Easiest Money by Online? (colinbiz.wordpress.com)

Friday for Seniors: What's Hot on the Internet Today!

Please click the follow button above...I need your help!

Our Obsession with Self Diagnosis from the Huffington Post or DON'T BE ANNOYING!
Too much information?  It seems that we do a little more surfing to find a diagnosis for our ails than we should...or at least that is what our doctors think. It made me stop and ask myself...Self, do I need to go to the doctor first and then do the research? I heard a voice in my head saying...NO!!! I need to be informed.  In a article in the Huffington Post a Dr. Pamela Peeke said:

These Internet interludes result in what I refer to as the "Internet Printout Under the Arm" sign. As soon as we enter the consultation room, the patient will whip that wad of wisdom out from their armpit, and then there are three of us in the room -- the patient, the physician and the Internet.

It seems to me that it is a matter of good manners. Doctors are smart and well educated. We will never know as much as they do no matter how much we surf the internet. There is a difference between telling the doctor the diagnosis before they can speak and listening to our doctors while having an intelligent conversation about the problem. We need our doctors so we should not be annoying! Wouldn't you agree?


Leaving Email Behind
I am not so sure that this is as web related as it could be. Still I think it is worth noting...especially if you are a parent that uses email to connect with their children. My friend and I were talking about a miscommunication she had with her son.  It seems he was giving a party. She had sent an email offering her help and he had not read it! Does that sound familiar?  Well, this is what I have discovered. Young people ( ages 10-60) to not read their email...they have gone beyond the email and moved on to text messaging with their cell phones.  She looked at me in surprise when I gave her this news. To think that just a little while ago we were bemoaning the loss of snail mail and soon we will be longing for a simple email!


For seniors slow to embrace the technology age this is not good news. Being left behind, left out, out of touch is not a good thing. So listen up people!


The latest fad on the cell phone app scene (at least for me) is FourSquare. This app allows you to check in at a location and your friends/family will be able to see what you are up to...no text, no email, no twitter...just FourSquare!


There are several apps I use a lot. My maps app serves as our GPS in the car. I also love a Cook's Illustrated  app.  I used my free membership day last week at the grocery and it was wonderful. My recipe, shopping list and instructions were in my phone! What a deal.


RATS AND AGING
Found in the news:

The researchers from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont. worked with a litter of mice that were genetically programmed to age quickly. They then had a select group of mice involved in repeated physical activity, like running on a wheel.

After five months, the mice who exercised not only looked younger, their internal organs were also healthier.

I was just saying!!!
Have a wonderful day!
b

Related articles

• Physicians warn of perils of self-diagnosing from Internet (ctv.ca)
• Endurance Exercise Thwarts Premature Aging in Mice (nlm.nih.gov)

Sleep and Seniors...#1st "Choose the Right Mattress!"

We all look forward to a good night's sleep. Sleep allows our body to rest and to restore its energy levels. Without enough restful sleep, not only can we become grumpy and irritable, but also inattentive and more prone to accidents. Like food and water, adequate sleep is essential to good health and quality of life. NIH Senior Sleep

I think that finding the right bed is just as important as finding the right fridge or sofa. We spend half of our life in bed...some of us even more.

I will spend countless hours deciding what kind of bed frame we want, completely forgetting the most important item in the bedroom, the mattress. I have to remind myself that if the mattress is not suitable, it will not matter whether or not I have a four-poster bed with ornate carvings, or a cabin bed that supplies much needed storage space. This is not a car...it doesn't matter how we look...it matters how we sleep!

But what is the correct mattress? We are all different so it stands to reason that our mattress should be an individual choice too. That means that what might be the best for one person could be the worst for another.

I have known people that slept on a very hard mattress and found it ideal for their sleeping needs. It is said that hard mattresses works best for those who sleep on their backs. A hard mattress fully supports the full area of the flattened out body, making back sleepers comfortable through out the night.

Softer mattresses are often considered by shoppers to be the most comfortable because it says they are "soft" even when a hard mattress better suits their needs. Softer mattresses tend to be used by those who sleep on their sides. The natural lumps and bumps created by the side sleeping position means the body needs a slight ‘hugging’ from its mattress.

What if you sleep on you side and your partner sleeps on their back. Short of sleeping in separate beds there has to be a better way. A website from the UK had this to say about the Memory Foam Mattress:

... the world’s best mattress for the hugging effect is the Memory Foam Mattress. No matter how much people say that the old spring mattress is better for you, the less it becomes true. Memory foam mattresses are suitable for whatever position you sleep in. Even if you prefer a hard mattress you will not be dissatisfied by a memory foam one. The gentle molding quality of the mattress is not a soft sensation but a firm, supporting quality. from Memory Foam Mattress Direct, UK

I have used this kind of mattress and it actually feels like it defies gravity. It takes away all those pressure point no matter what our shape. I wake with fewer aches and pains in the morning.

So find the mattress that best suits you. The Memory Foam people say it's mattress not only fits your body...it will make the waking hours more pleasant. I think they may be right!

b

Related articles
5 Keys to Enhanced Sleep (imaginethespirit.wordpress.com)