Stress: Who is Stressed and Who Isn't

In a recent study published in "The Journal of Applied Social Psychology", researchers from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania reported on the results of three national surveys measuring the degree of stress in various groups of individuals.  The surveys, conducted in 1983, 2006 and 2009, showed some surprising results.  In all three surveys, it was found that stress levels were higher in women than men and stress decreased with age. Apparently that is one of the benefits of being older.

Not surprisingly, the surveys also showed that the unemployed showed higher levels of stress than the retired.  The young were particularly hard hit by the economic downturn beginning in 2008 as they found it difficult to find jobs.

One way to relieve stress, whatever your age, sex or employment status is meditation.  So, click on one of the recommended cites listed on this blog.  It could well help.

Meditation and Tai Chi

I begin each morning by doing a meditation exercise.  Usually while still laying in bed, I will just concentrate on my breathing. With my eyes closed, I will do this for as long as I feel comforable.  Sometimes it is just a minute, sometimes it is half an hour. No matter. Even a short period of meditation seems to make a difference in my attitude, sense of well-being and mental acuity.

I usually follow up with a session of tai chi.  If you are not familiar with tai chi it is a form of martial art without the martial.  It is very nature oriented in its movements and is said to follow  the path of least resistance.  Yet it is great for stretching and improving balance.  A great resource is the exercise dvds of an instructor, Scott Cole.  www.scottcole.com. He has videos of all types and for all age groups focused primarily on tai chi but with additional types of exercise such as yoga. Check it out.

For more information on meditation, click on the relevant links on this post.

National Park Service Senior Pass

If you are 62 years old or older, you are eligible to purchase a lifetime pass for seniors from the National Park Service.  For only $10, you can have access to all of the national parks run by the National Park Service. Since that number is close to 400, that is quite a bargain.  But, as they say in those infomercials on television, it gets even better.  Not only you have that access, you can take along 3 other persons with you on your visit---at no charge.

We were recently in St. Augustine, Florida and visited the Castillo de San Marcos. It was there that one of the park rangers told us of this real steal. By the way, the Castillo is an absolute must-see if you get a chance to visit that part of the country. It is in excellent condition, despite dating back to 1672. Built by the Spanish to protect their empire in America, it was built to last. Some of the walls are said to be between 14 and 19 feet thick. It was also surrounded by a 40 foot moat. Large cannons still line the gun deck. At 2:30 p.m. during our visit last Sunday, there was a demonstration of the firing of one of those cannons.  It was an excellent show that had everyone cheering.

Two suggestions: If you are interested in visiting the national parks, by all means secure a senior pass. And if you are in the vicinity, you must stop and see the Castillo de San Marcos.

Tamarack Revisited

In my last post, Country Roads, Part Two, June 2, 2012, I discussed the wonderful facility known as Tamarack, located outside of Beckley, West Virginia.  In the May, 2012 issue of Smithsonian Magazine, www.Smithsonian.com, Beckley is listed as one of the 20 Best Small Towns in America. If you get a chance, take a look at the entire article. There are some real surprises on the list, including Butler, Pennsylvania. All of them are well worth looking into for a visit.

Country Roads--Part Two

Last time I wrote about two well-known resorts in West Virginia, the Greenbrier and Oglebay Park,  Today, I'd like to tell you about another West Virginia spot you will undoubtedly enjoy visiting. It is called Tamarack and is located near Beckley, West Virginia, just off Exit 45 of Interstate 77.
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Opened in 1995, Tamarack is not a resort as such, it is an arts and crafts center, run as an economic development project of the West Virginia Parkways Authority. It consists of a large circular building with multiple shops for the sale of locally produced glass, pottery, jewelry, fine art, wood and textiles. Most are reasonably priced. The area is particularly well-known for glass ware.

In addition to the shops themselves, there are resident artisan studios where you can watch as their art objects are being produced. Many weekends during the summer, there are also craft demonstrations. There is also a small theater that offers musical theater and dancing. Finally, for those foodies (like me), the food court offers food from the Greenbrier resort.  The broiled trout is one of the specialities. And for dessert, you must try the Greenbrier's signature peaches or the cherry cobbler. Both are outstanding. In addition, a small shop offers Greenbrier merchandise. 

That's it for our short tour of places to visit in West Virginia. For more information, please go to www.tamarackwv.com or  phone 304-256-6843.

 Next up is Lisbon, Portugal.

Coffree: A Life Saver

Several weeks ago, I wrote about the beneficial effects of coffee "Coffee: Just What the Doctor Ordered", April 28, 2012.. Recently, The New England Journal of Medicine, May 17, 2012,  published an article about a study that showed that coffee drinkers (particularly those who consumed three or more cups a day) had a 10% less chance of dying from heart problems, stroke, diabetes and other causes The study was  conducted by researchers from the National Cancer Institute and the AARP. The researchers followed some 400,000 men and women over a 12 year period. .The study involved those who drank coffee with and without caffeine, so it does not appear that caffeine is the operative ingredient that may be beneficial.

So, have another cup of java and drink up!

Country Roads

John Denver sang about the "country roads" of West Virginia.  Those country roads lead to some wonderful vacation spots.

Almost everyone has heard of the Greenbrier resort. Located in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, eighty miles from the Roanoke Regional Airport, for over 200 years, it has been a playground for presidents(26 of them have stayed or visited there) and princes, as well as those who want to pamper themselves a little .It is a AAA Five Diamond award winning luxury resort and spa.  With three championship golf courses, this year it is the host to the Greenbrier Classic, July 2-8.  Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia are expected to play in this PGA event.. Slamming Sammy Snead himself was the golf pro there for many years.The rooms are brightly decorated, the food is superb and the atmosphere is just outstanding.With a movie theater, two pools and, since 2010, a casino, it offers excitement every day and night.

 But this post is not just about the Greenbier.  Plenty of information is available on the Greenbrier See www.greenbrier.com .Moreover, not everyone can afford the Greenbrier.  No, this post is also about two other West Virginia places you might want to consider visiting this summer. Moreover, not everyone can afford the Greenbrier.

First, is Oglebay Park, in Wheeling, West Virginia. Once the summer estate of Earl Oglebay, at his death, he willed all 1700 acres to the City of Wheeling. It is still owned and maintained by the city of Wheeling,and is located at the top of a mountain just off of Interstate 70.  As you climb the mountain, you will pass on the left a sign stating that the property was once owned by Lawrence Washington, the brother of George Washington. Once you have zigzagged up the mountain, you will see a large yellow building.  This is the Oglebay.mansion and it is available for tours of the antique filled rooms. For more information, phone 304-243-4090 or visit the website at www.Oglebay-resort.com

Once you pass the mansion, you will see a sign, reading "Wilson Lodge," Turn there and it will take you down to the lodge which is the center of activity. As the name suggests, it is just that, a "lodge." Nothing too fancy but very much directed at families and conventioners or those on a business retreat.  Just off the lobby is a fine gift shop with branded merchandise and bottles of wine. Cottages are also available.

In addition to a skiing area just down the road and its own zoo, Oglebay is blessed with two magnificent golf courses, one designed by Arnold Palmer, and the other by Robert Trent Jones Sr. If you are a golfer, you will enjoy both. The Palmer is the flatter of the two courses and if, like me, you do not favor playing off the side of a mountain, try it first.

Each Christmas season, Oglebay puts on a Festival of Lights, which draws families from the surrounding states. Also, in April, Oglebay hosts an antique show with dealers from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to Florida. Each of these events is well worth the trip.

The next post will be about another West Virginia attraction, Tamarack.  Make sure you come back to read it.

Click on the sidebar for more information about the Greenbrier.

The Beneficial Effects of Meditation

The many beneficial effects of meditation continue to be recognized.  In an earlier post, " Every Breath You Take," I discussed a number of different forms of meditation or mindfulness. In today's edition of The New York Times,an article entitled "In Sitting Still, A Bench Press For the Brain," the Times reports on a number of studies which tend to show that meditation has a number of beneficial effects on the brain. These are believed to include increased gray and white matter which can improve cognitive performance in older adults.  What is fascinating is that the longer meditation is practiced, the greater the benefits appear to be. This is in addition to the physical benefits such as lower blood pressure as shown in such studies as the "Relaxation Response.."

Moreover, it is never too late to start. It requires no equipment and almost no time. Just get started.

The Secret of Success

Sister Corita Kent

If you are looking for the secret of real success at your job, with your family and in life, you might want to consider the above little saying: "To Do a Common Thing Uncommonly Well, Brings Success."

The quote is from H.J. Heinz, the founder of the Heinz food company. The print is by Sister Corita Kent, a wonderful pop artist known for these type of prints.

You might be asking yourself, "what exactly does this mean?" I think it means that whatever you do, no matter how apparently small it may be, if you do it as best as you can, you will already have succeeded.

What do you think?

Ragtime

We just got back from a three day visit to Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.  Now I know you have already heard quite enough about those two locations, but I just had to share with you our experience in seeing the play "Ragtime" at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake. As one of the persons sitting next to us commented at the intermission, one word suffices to describe the production, "Superb".  And he was right.

For those of you not familiar with the play, it is a musical set in the early part of the 20th century.  It chronicles the interactions of three very different families in New Rochelle, New York, the Lower East Side of New York City and Harlem.  There is the upper middle class family with the usual pretensions at the outset of the play. Next, is an immigrant family from Latvia that literally just got off the boat. Last, is a black family that is trying to make it into the middle class.  Based upon the book by E.L. Doctorow, the music  by Stephen Flaherty is haunting.  The singing, particularly that of the lead character, Coalhouse Walker (played by Thom Allison), is outstanding. The play lasts almost three hours but as my wife says, "It seems like 15 minutes."

"Ragtime"  will be playing all summer at the Festival Theatre in Niagara-on-the-Lake.  If you love drama and music, this play is for you.

For more information about this and the other plays and for tickets, contact the Festival at www.shawfest.com or at 1-800-511-SHAW.

Every Breath You Take

Sting sang about "every breath youI take."  In my last post, I quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson on clearing the mind of all the "absurdities" of yesterday in order to face the "serenity" of today. You are probably asking your self, "Just how do I go about doing that?"  The answer is really quite simple and it is something we do unconsciosly every day.  The difference is we never think to pay attention to it. The way to clear the mind is to finally pay attention and use it as an opportunity to improve not only our state of mind but also our physical well-being.  What is it?  You  have probably guessed it by now: breathing. Not just any breathing, of course.

Dr. Andrew Weil, the anti-aging guru, has a CD set called Breathing: The Master Key to Self-Healing, which describes a number of breathing techniques and leads you through them. One of the simplest is to inhale for a count of four, hold the breath for a count of seven and exhale to a count of eight.Doing this three times with your tongue behind your upper front teeth is designed to reduce anxiety. I have tried it and it really does work.

Another widely popular breathing technique is mindfulness or meditation as it used to be called. Basically, it involves sitting in a chair quietly with your eyes closed and monitoring your breathing. You should not try to breath any specific way but you should just concentrate on breathing, paying attention to to exhalation and inhalation. When other thoughts come to mind, just let them float away since they are not real.  It takes a while, but you will get used to it.  Start with a minute or so and work your way up for as long as you can.  The important thing is not to get discouraged.  Keep at it.  You will be surprised how quickly your mind will clear. A good book describing several more techniques is Mark Williams' Mindfulness: An Eight Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World. It is available on Amazon for the Kindle and well worth the price.

If you really get into breathing techniques, you might want to pick up The Art of Breathing by Nancy Zi.  It describes breathing techniques for almost every occasion. Let me know if you like it.

Just remember to breathe easy!

Clearing the Mind for Boomers

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurditie​s no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Easter In New York City

We recently spent a long weekend in New York visiting our son.  It was over the Easter holiday. We did quite a bit of sightseeing and dining. One of the most spectacular buildings we saw on that trip was the Empire State Building decorated for Easter. The photographs above show the Empire State Building as seen through the arch at Washington Square.

Coffee: Just What the Doctor Ordered

Last time I wrote about the many potential health benefits of high intensity interval training or HIIT. In as little as two ten minute sessions of cycling a week, the same results can be achieved as with multiple longer, less intense sessions. Today, I want to report on two other shortcuts to healthier living that you might want to consider.

First, Prevention Magazine recently reported on a British study that showed that cutting back on carbohydrates such as pasta, breads, etc, just twice a week had as much effect on weight loss as full-time dieters. Definitely worth looking into and trying if, like me, you hate counting calories.

Another recent study has appeared to confirm what we thought all along--coffee is good for you! In a recent study by the University of Madrid and Harvard University, dramatic reductions in mortality were found among coffee drinkers. According to the study, womenn who drank two to three cups of java had as much as an 18% reduction in death from all causes. The reduction for women who drank four or five cups was even more dramatic---up to a 26% reduction. The reduction for men was smaller but still not insignificant. So. drink up!

High Intensity Interval Training for Better Health

Each month we will rotate the focus of  our posts.  In May we will stress health and fitness issues. Here is a preview of the type of post you can expect

It seems like every time I turn around, I see an article on the advantages of interval training, particularly cycling. You know what that is. You go flat out for a given time period, usually a minute or so, then cut back to a relaxed cadence. You've seen those guys at the track, running sprints and then stopping or just slowing to a jog or a trot. What I didn't know was those types of actions can be good for us ordinary exercisers. The New York Times recently reported that as little as a series of one minute intervals of cycling at 90 percent of the person's maximum heart rate followed by a minute of relaxed training repeated just 10 times each could have a significant impact on their fitness. And more, it actually lowered the risk of Type 2 diabetes by regulating the blood sugar. "How 1-Miinute Inervals Can Improve Your Health", February 15, 2012. IIt seems like it is a valuable means of shortening your workouts and reducing the chance of becoming diabetic.

That's not all. The Norwegian University of Science and Technology in January 2010 also reported on a study that showed that persons with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD improved their oxygen intake up to 20% after several weeks of one legged high intensity cycling sessions. "Cycling to better health, one leg at a time", press release, NTNU, January 20, 2010. Cycling one legged apparently causes the lungs to work harder. I tried to do this just to see how hard it would be and found it impossible to even turn the pedals with only one leg at a time. If you have better luck, let me know.

Niagara-on-the Lake: A Hidden Jewel

Located about  a 20 minute drive  from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada is a hidden jewel, Niagara-on-the-Lake. A scenic drive along the Niagara Parkway past Queenston Heights and stately homes overlooking the river, it is well worth a side trip if you plan on visiting Niagara Falls. I recommend that you go when the Shaw Festival is open. From April to October, each year, the professional actors of the festival present a number of fine shows, some of which are George Bernard Shaw's (his statute is in the center of town) plays but other playwrights such as Noel Coward are also represented  This year they are presenting Ragtime, Come Back Little Sheba and nine other plays in the various theaters in town. For more information, see www.Shawfest.com.

  Along the road into town you will pass a number of large wineries. We recommend the Reif winery. In our view they have the best Chardonnay.You should also buy a bottle of icewine made from frozen grapes each winter. It is a sweet ending to any meal. In the summer you will find numerous fruit stands where you can buy cherries and other fruits in season. Also along the way into town you will pass the Whirlpool golf courrse (a fairly flat course with a restaurant) and the well-known Floral Clock. In addition, there is a Butterfly Garden and on the very edge of town, Fort George, which is well worth seeing.

The town is a Victorian mixture of new and old. In the center of town is a clock tower. The main street has both modern shops (we particularly like the Irish shop) and old hotels such as the Prince of Wales. You have got to stop there for afternoon tea. Although expensive, it is well worth the price. Dinner there is also recommended. If you have the chance you should also stay there or in one of the nearby Bed and Breakfasts. Right outside the hotel are several horse drawn carriages ready to take you around town. A walk down to the lake front is a must. Be prepared though for the wind off the lake.  It can make even a spring day very cold so bring along your woolies.


For a weekend or a week, Niagara-on-the Lake is the place to be for fine acting, food and wine. Have a great time there.

A Niagara Falls Weekend

For a timeless weekend trip, nothing beats a visit to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.  Just about a half hour from Buffalo, New York, the falls are as breathtaking as they were when your parents visited on their honeymoon sixty years ago .Make sure you bring your passport.  You'll need it for the border crossing. You'll also need to pay a small toll when you enter Canada. Generally be prepared to take a small haircut when you convert your US dollars to Canadian dollars. The exchange rate changes daily and usually in favor of the Canadian dollar. The best place to make the exchange is probably at a casino. They will usually give you the best rate.

 If you cross the Peace Bridge from Buffalo, you will be on the QEW (Queen Elizabeth Way) highway. You follow that for about 20 miles or 32 kilometers (at 1.6 kilometers to the mile). If you continue on the QEW, you will end up in Toronto .Instead take the Mcleod exit and follow the signs to the falls.  You will find yourself in the Fallsview sectiion of Niagara Falls, our favorite part of the falls area.. More about Fallsview later.

 The area at the other end of the falls has changed considerably from your parents' trip there. (Although of course, Clifton Hill is still there with all its well-known attractions, such as Ripley's Museum, which, by the way, is well worth a visit). In those days, the main hotel on the Canadian side of the falls was the Brock, named for the Canadian hero of the War of 1812, whose monument can be seen on Queenston Heights on the road to Niagara on the Lake . (More about Niagara on the Lake soon). The hotel is still there as a Crowne Plaza, 5685 Falls Avenue. Architechually it is as impressive as ever but now inside is a casino, the newly renovated Casino Niagara, connections to  a waterpark and a food court. There is even a Hard Rock Cafe nearby as well as the famous Rainbow restaurant overlooking the falls. Be sure to book a window table. Across the street  from the hotel is a beautiful garden and the famous carillon tower that you can see in the movie, "Niagara" with Marilyn Monroe and Joseph Cotton.

The hotel is very near the Rainbow Bridge which is another border crossing from the US. Our favorite spot for lunch on the US side is just across the Rainbow Bridge. The Red Coach Inn is a historic bed and breakfast located at 2 Buffalo Avenue, very near the American Falls and Goat Island.. From the enclosed porch dining room you can see the Upper Rapids. If you have the time, the Seneca Niagara Casino is close by and worth a visit.

Next post will be about the Fallsview area.  You won't want to miss it.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide current, useful information and unbiased opinions for boomers and those who wish they were.  We will primarily focus on the areas of health, finance and travel. We will provide the best information available from both the Internet and our research elsewhere.

Stay tuned for a discussion on our next post of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, where the falls still fall and honeymooners still honeymoon. Peace.