Fair Fares NYC
By Sharon Joag

A ‘Fair Fares’ Program So Exclusive, Barely Anyone Can Qualify For It – February 15, 2022

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/15/nyregion/nyc-mta-discount-fare.html?searchResultPosition=4

The title of the article grabbed my attention, in its sad reality. I was curious to investigate the site where a person would go to apply for fair fares. I found access.nyc.gov where I tried to apply to the program. There was a “determine your eligibility” tab, so I clicked on it to see how far I would get and to understand who was being accepted and who wasn’t.

The first question asked for age, and whether I was between the ages of 18-64. I am between that age group, however it got me thinking about what would happen if I was 65 and still working. Not everyone retires at 65, especially people who are living at the poverty line and those who don’t have savings, and those who could not save.

The next question asked if I lived in New York City. I actually got rejected at this question, since I live in New Jersey. However, I was baffled that this was a criteria.  There are so very many people who live in the tri-state area, but who commute to work in New York City. I feel that where you work should determine if you qualify for Fair Fares; as long as a person works in New York City and can prove it, this should be the qualifier.

Finally, the last question asked about annual income for one person. I did further research on a website: http://minimum-wage.org/newyork. This website had the following information: “A full time minimum wage worker in New York working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, will earn $105.60 per day, $528.00 per week, and $27,456.00 per year. The national poverty line for a family unit consisting of two people is $16,020.00 per year (in New York City)”.

I went a bit further and found the website (https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty) for poverty levels to corroborate the poverty income line. I found that the poverty threshold for one person living in New York is $12,880. This threshold is for the contiguous 48 states in the United States (excluding Hawaii and Alaska).
The cut off income for a person living in New York City, to qualify for Fair Fares in NYC is $13,500. This is only a difference of $620. Many people are at the poverty line, even though they fall above the poverty threshold. Sadly, this poverty threshold does not take into account the high cost of living in New York City.

A positive is that there will be more funding provided to this program, however, poverty thresholds need to be reexamined based on cost of living in each state and even each city.

References:

Garfinkel, I., Rainwater, L., & Smeeding, T. (2010). The size, nature, and universality of welfare state transfers. Wealth and welfare states: Is America laggard or leader? (pp. 39-61). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Ley, A. (2022, February 15). A ‘fair fares’ program so exclusive, barely anyone can qualify for it. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/15/nyregion/nyc-mta-discount-fare.html?searchResultPosition=4 (Links to an external site.)

McNutt, J.G & Hoefer, R. (2021). Poverty, inequality, and income maintenance policy. Social welfare policy: Responding to a changing world. (pp. 175-196). OxfordUniversity Press, New York.

Access NYC. Access.nyc.gov

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE). https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines/prior-hhs-poverty-guidelines-federal-register-references/2021-poverty-guidelines#threshholds

 Nuclear Power in the United States

By Sharon Joag

An article in the Wall Street Journal titled “Nuclear Power Spinoff Looks for U.S. Aid” immediately grabbed my attention. This particular issue dives into the distinct individualistic vs socialist viewpoints on the Social Welfare State. Nuclear Power would sit under the Platform Programs, a program, more socialist in nature with the hope of eventually having nuclear power as another source of renewable energy for our country. As of today, many Nuclear Power Plants are close to shutting down, due to lack of funding, however with the help of state subsidies, they are surviving.
Until February 2, 2022, Exelon Corp was servicing 10 million customers in 5 states and Washington D.C., after which, Exelon created a company called Constellation, a subsidiary of Exelon, which would focus entirely on Nuclear Power.
As of today, Constellation, the new stand-alone company is waiting on a bill that is currently stalled in Congress, called the “Build Back Better” climate bill.  This bill would establish tax credit for nuclear power production. This Bill sits under the $2 Trillion dollar Infrastructure Bill, which includes many socialist concepts including Education, HealthCare etc. which would fall under the Platform Services, those tax-based invisible programs that we all benefit from; and would make Nuclear Power more available.
Constellation has outlined a plan, where they can use nuclear power to produce something called “green hydrogen”; this hydrogen can be used as fuel in cars, which would eliminate vehicle emissions. It could also be used in power plants, and heavy industry, where pollution is great in those areas. This also ties in with the political climate in our administration in 2022. President Biden has said that he aims to have a carbon-free grid by 2035. However, 2035 is far off, and many Administrations will come and go in that time; Biden’s aim may or may not come to fruition.

If this “Build Back Better” Bill passes through Congress, it will create and establish tax credits for nuclear power production. Compared to Solar, Wind and Natural Gas farms, Nuclear Power Plants are much more expensive to run and operate. However, the one very positive aspect is that Nuclear Power can be made available at any time, any day; the Solar and Wind farms have to rely on the weather and the time of day.
Currently, Nuclear Power via Constellation, operates in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York and New Jersey. With the passage of this bill, we might see more states relying on Nuclear Power in the near  future, and that will get the country closer to having a carbon free grid by 2035.

References:
Blunt, K. (2022, February 2). This New Company is Betting Big on Nuclear Power in America. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/this-new-company-is-betting-big-on-nuclear-power-in-america-11643820916?st=gukmteqmkswc07q&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink (Links to an external site.)

 

Discussion Post: Acculturation & Assimilation
By Sharon S. Joag

The Afghan crisis has been weighing in my mind since the Taliban returned to power on August 16, 2021. The Afghanistan history is complex, and deep; and the culture of the Afghan people is fraught with both fundamentalism and liberalism at different periods of time in its history. Now that the more fundamental Taliban government has returned, it has caused a dramatic scramble to flee the country.

I was especially interested in the time when the United States airlifted more than 80,000 Afghans and brought them to the United States. At that time, I wondered how the United States would process these immigrants. They had no visa, and they did not come through either a legal visa or work permit; neither were they considered illegal. This article discusses a program called the “humanitarian parole”, where foreigners can come to the United States, without a Visa and usually in emergency situations.

A Humanitarian Parole is a very kind and ethical program for the immigrants in need. However, this parole was given only to those immigrants that already had family ties to the United States and only to those immigrants who were air-lifted out of Afghanistan. There are still thousands more Afghans (approximately 40,000) who have applied for the humanitarian parole, and most have been denied. The application fee for the Humanitarian Parole Application is $575 per person, as found on the USCIS website: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/explore-my-options/humanitarian-parole.

The article I chose is titled, “Thousands of Afghans Face Narrow Path to Gain Entry to U.S.”, and can be accessed here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/thousands-of-afghans-face-narrow-path-to-gain-entry-to-u-s-11643727602?st=8l182hu6o8xbvfk&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

It follows a family who fled from Afghanistan, into Pakistan where they are now living illegally on the outskirts of Islamabad. The family consists of a mother and her three children. They paid $2300 to the USCIS for the application fee for the Humanitarian Parole application and got denied. She was denied since she has no ties to the United States, and did not work for a United States.

Many Afghans have applied for the Humanitarian Parole application and have been denied. Refugee advocates, members of Congress, and US Government Officials encouraged many Afghans to apply to this program, not fully understanding that the United States only granted the Humanitarian Parole initially to speed up the processes when they initially airlifted and brought the Afghan civilians to the United States.  However, the process has now changed and they are only accepting Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) or Refugee applications which have a clearer path, on entry to the United States.
I feel that his important piece of information should have been outlined in bold print online, so the Afghanis don’t blindly fill out an application that they are sure to be denied. Also, the refugee advocates and the members of Congress should have been made aware of the changes that had occurred as far as which applications the Afghanis should fill out.

Resettlement of the Afghan refugees already in the United States is taking place, albeit slowly. Falicov describes the transition of migration that is “full of loss and disarray” (Falicov, 2016, pp.223). This is undoubtedly true for the Afghans. However, Falicov also talks about the young adult feeling a “separation from and attachment to a country and a national identity (which) may be dislocating both in the cognitive and the emotional levels. (Falicov, 2016, pp. 234). I agreed with Falicov for the most part, and for the immigrants that I had in my mind as I was reading the Falicov chapter. However, I tend to now disagree with these findings, in the case of the Afghan refugee.  Falicov was assuming that the country the immigrant is from has a sense and feeling of “home”, which may not be true for all Afghans, due to the country’s tumultuous history. 

While trying to resettle so many Afghans into the country, new specialized programs need to be put into place to provide adequate economic and social opportunities for the Afghans, as Falicov explains (Falicov, 2016, pp.226). Placing them initially with family is a short term fix, however, the families already in the United States will eventually feel the psychosocial and economic stress as well. The unrest and imbalance in the Afghan families and community will happen as they try and forge a new life in the American society, however there needs to be special programs and tools in place that can help these immigrant families to optimally adapt to our American society. Through this project I hope I will be able to find ways to advocate for the Afghan refugee, and their families.

 

References:
1. https://www.uscis.gov/forms/explore-my-options/humanitarian-parole

2. https://www.wsj.com/articles/thousands-of-afghans-face-narrow-path-to-gain-entry-to-u-s-11643727602?st=8l182hu6o8xbvfk&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

3. Falicov, C. J. (2016). Migration and the Family Life Cycle. In Expanding Family Life Cycle, The: Individual, Family, and Social Perspectives, 5th Edition. (pp. 222-237, Ch. 12). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. 2016 Migration and the Family Life Cycle.pdf

 

Immigrant Population: Filipino American Families
Sharon S. Joag

Ying, Y. W., & Han, M. (2008). Parental acculturation, parental involvement, intergenerational relationship and adolescent outcomes in immigrant Filipino American families. Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, 6(1), 112-131.

The above article studied 365 Filipino American adolescents, and their parents. The adolescents completed surveys, while their parents went through interviews, in order to study the hypothesis that immigrant Filipino parents’ acculturation would increase if the parents were more involved in all aspects of a child’s life, from school, to education at home and involvement in the adolescent’s social lives; this increased parental involvement would foster positive family relationships, as well as create a positive influence on the lives of the adolescents, by increasing their self-esteem, and decreasing any depressive symptoms.

One of the major weakness of the study was the limited and narrow population of Filipino American families that were studied.  The majority of the population were speaking English even before they came to the United States. The study measured acculturation primarily on the English speaking ability of the parents.  They are also highly educated, with approximately 43.8% of those studied having a Bachelor’s degree (Ying, 2008), and most had a higher overall income. All adolescents enrolled in the study were also enrolled in school.  The study excluded the adolescents who were not enrolled. A future study should include children who are enrolled in school and those that are not in school; also acculturation should be measured not just by English speaking ability of the parental figures, but also by the length of residence in the United States, or on immigration status of the parents. This would be a more interesting study, and I would be interested in understanding how these factors influence the outcomes of adolescents in the Filipino community, as “acculturation and traditional values [of Filipino Americans] intersect” (Garcia, 2015).

Filipino Americans have a hierarchical society, and a strong family structure, with language continuity for generations after the first generation immigrants came to this country (Ying, 2008). This creates a strong family network and bond, which is one of the major factors in keeping the mental health, and mental stability of the immigrant intact, which in turn leads to overall physical well-being. Filipino culture is “highly collectivistic, with the family as the center of life… [the members of the family are] socialized to sacrifice individual desires in the interest of family harmony. Agbayani-Siewert, 1994 (as cited in Ying 2008).

As future social workers, while helping Filipino American families, it is important to note the relevance of the Family Systems Theory, “where the family unit is the primary social system, including multiple generations as well as extended family…”(Lundy, 2018). Vastly different from the Filipino American culture, is the American culture which is “highly individualistic, and open expressions of feelings and thoughts are highly valued” Althen, 1988; Stewart, 1972 (as cited in Ying, 2008). This difference in cultures can cause a conflict of emotions and a tug of war between two opposing cultures, in the mind of the adolescent.  This intergenerational conflict can be approached and managed by first taking the time to understand the family dynamics.  A culturagram might by helpful in visualizing the family structure and getting a better understanding of the family as a whole (Hendricks & Congress, 2015).

 

REFERENCES:

Garcia, B. (2015). Theory and social work practice with immigrant populations. In Chang-Muy, F. & Congress, E. P. Social Work with Immigrants and Refugees, Second Edition. (pp. 87-108). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. Chpt 4 Theory and Social Work Practice with Immigrant Populations

Hendricks, C.O., & Congress, E. P. (2015) Culturally competent social work practice with immigrant populations. In Chang-Muy, F. & Congress, E. P. Social Work with Immigrants and Refugees, Second Edition. (pp. 69-85). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. Chpt 3 Culturally Competent Social Work Practice with Immigrant Populations 

Lundy, M. (2018). Practice with families. In Hilado, & Lundy, M. (Eds.). Models for practice with immigrants and refugees: Collaboration, cultural awareness, and integrative theory, (pp. 152-174). Los Angeles, CA: Sage. Lundy 2018 Practice with Families

Ying, Y. W., & Han, M. (2008). Parental acculturation, parental involvement, intergenerational relationship and adolescent outcomes in immigrant Filipino American families. Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, 6(1), 112-131.

 

America's Mental Health Crisis
By Sharon S. Joag 

Mental Health has been a topic of discussion in the United States since the population started to grow, and communities started to form, in the 1800’s. From the time of Dorothea Dix in the late 1800’s, who was one of the foremost champions of mental health asylums in the United States, until today, there has been an ever changing need for mental health care in the United States. Through Dix’s efforts, by 1854, she helped to establish mental asylums in 9 different states (Blau, 2014, pp.251).

In 1945, the NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) was authorized by President Harry S. Truman, who signed it into law, called the National Mental Health Act. In 1949, the NIMH finally opened its doors (https://www.nimh.nih.gov/about). However, in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s, “states closed hundreds of psychiatric hospitals but offered very little in its place” (Bobrow, 2022). Many people started to shuffle between emergency rooms, homeless shelters, jails, and prisons; and this is true even today (Bobrow, 2022).

Thomas Insel, a neuroscientist and a psychiatrist was the director of NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) from 2002-2015. In his article in the Wall Street Journal, he gives a hopeful, yet constructive criticism about the health care system that exists in America as it relates to Mental Health. He says that there is much research in human behavior and the brain, however, that research is not translated into actual implementation of the findings. The gap in what researchers know, and what is actually done to help the public at large, is called the “implementation gap”(Bobrow, 2022).

Dr. Insel traveled the world after his tenure at the NIMH, and he did research on various health care models in other countries. He compiled his research in a book that he recently published, called “Healing”. In his book he details a new approach to mental healthcare in patients with mental illness. He believes that creating a structural support for patients, which includes social support (involving families and case management), in additional to medical support (medications), is the key to helping patients to be able to function optimally in society, and to be able to overcome their mental illness. This view was touted by Dorothea Dix in the 1800’s when she was an advocate for having smaller mental health facilities in various communities to help people with mental illness (Gollaher, 1995). Dr. Insel also believes in a more encompassing mental health therapy; a step further than Dix. He says that it is important to “(find a) connection, sanctuary, and meaning (which is) not defined or delimited by mental illness”. Dr. Insel talks about offering housing, job training, and opportunities for patients to join the social world and create social connections.

It is interesting to note that in over 100 years, there has been so much change in the research arm associated with mental health care; Insel talked about how he oversaw $20 billion in grants for research in human behavior as it relates to the brain (Bobrow, 2022). However the translation into tangible aid for the mentally handicapped has been slow.

One of the major problems in mental health care in general are the lack of official standards or protocols for treatments, and doctors are not held accountable if the treatments garner minimal to no results. “Doctors get paid when patients are in treatment, and not if they get better” (Bobrow, 2022). In contrast to mental health care, doctors who treat other physical issues, such as Orthopedists, or Primary Care physicians, get paid based on a model that is based on whether the patient gets better. If the patient does not get better or if the treatment does not garner a good result, patients can and do sue (the reason for malpractice). However, if a mental health patient sues, there are virtually no repercussions for doctors, since they are not held accountable for the results of their therapy.
Many mental health providers also cluster in wealthy urban areas and often only accept cash payments as they do not take insurance (Bobrow, 2022).

This article is a red flag, and a call to action. We as social workers need to find ways to help to affect change in policies affected the mentally ill. There should be more local community programs that are functioning, with the help of the state or federal government. These programs should have various branches in place to offer assistance when needed. Social workers should be hired to understand each individual problem, and schedule appointments with the correct medical professional, or institute programs to help socialize patients. Doctors should be required to volunteer a few hours a week at these clinics to help the mentally ill. Utilizing technology might also be an online option for doctors and patients to get required treatments, as Dr. Insel has started doing more recently. He co-founded an organization called “Humanest” with his daughter, Lara Gregorio, who is a licensed social worker. Their company utilizes technology by offering online group intervention (Bobrow, 2022).

 

References:

1.      Blau, J. & Abramovitz, M. (2014). The Dynamics of Social Welfare Policy. 3^rd, 237-263, Oxford University Press.

2.      Bobrow, E. (2022, February 11). Psychiatrist Thomas Insel Looks for a Cure to America’s Mental Health Crisis. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/psychiatrist-thomas-insel-looks-for-a-cure-to-americas-mental-health-crisis-11644600489?st=teehdmjgcb8216z&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

3.      Gollaher, D. (1995). Voice for the mad: The life of Dorothea Dix, 163-182. New York, NY: Free Press.

4.      National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health

 

Recipe: Chicken Salsa & Bean Salad

Recipe: Chicken & Peppers with Salsa & Bean Salad

Ingredients:
1. Chicken Breast x 2
2. Black beans pre-soaked overnight and softened (or your choice of bean, i.e. pinto beans, kidney beans, etc)
3. Tomato x 2
4. Red onion x 1
5. Yellow Onion x 1
6. Sweet Pepper x 1 (Any color of your choice)
7. Cilantro chopped (1/4 cup)
8. Lime x 1
9. Salt
10. Pepper

Directions:
Baked Chicken & Peppers
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Cut the boneless chicken into strips
3. Cut sweet peppers & yellow onions into strips
4. Put all in oven safe container. Drizzle with olive oil,
1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, and squeeze one lemon on top.
5. Place in oven for 30 min, until chicken is cooked.
6. Remove from oven and set aside

Salsa:
1. Cut red onion, tomato x 2, and a handful of cilantro, chopped
2. Place all in a bowl and add 1tsp salt or to taste.
3. Squeeze one lime into the bowl and stir
4. Set aside

Beans:
1. Sauté soaked black beans in a pan with olive oil.
2. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Salad: Spring mix salad as a base, or your choice of salad
Add chicken & peppers, salsa and beans!!

Quotes

"Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions." -- Oliver Wendall Holmes

Quotes

"A man without decision of character can never be said to belong to himself. He belongs to whatever can make captive of him." --John Foster

Gratitude for the Day: December 2nd, 2015

"Live, Laugh, Love"

Today, I found out a patient of mine died.  

I was on my way to do a house visit, and her daugher answered the phone.  At first, I thought it was my patient and I said, "Hi!  It's Dr. Joag.  I'm on my way to your home."
Her daughter explained who she was, and quietly and very slowly told me that her mother had passed away last week, right before Thanksgiving.  

"Are you sure?" I asked.  I didn't want it to be true.  

"Do I have the right phone number?  You're her daughter?  How is this possible?  I just spoke to her yesterday.", I sputtered.  

Her daughter went on to give me more details, but I had mentally checked out.  I didn't hear a word she said to me.  I was barely trying to register that she died... that's she's dead.  

The past 3 months have been tough for all of us at the office.  We've lost six patients in the past 3 months, and it doesn't get any easier.  It's always shocking, and I never fail to break down into tears.
Some have lived long lives, into their 90's and others are barely 60.  

Each time I am face to face with the death of a close patient, it reminds me to just be in the here and now.  

"Live for today!", I tell myself.  

"Make the most out of every day that you have here in this life time.  You never know what the next day, next hour, or next minute may bring.  LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE", I keep saying those three words, like my mantra.  

JUST BE.  Enjoy each and every day, as a precious gift, and RELISH IT! 

Gratitude for the Day: November 30, 2015

"Please excuse our mess. We are making family memories."

I have to admit... I hate having a messy home! My mind feels clogged, and I literally can't think until my space is clean. 

Sometimes it drives my husband wild. "Just sit down!", he says. But I can't get myself to relax until I have things in order. 

Today, I just didn't feel like cleaning. I had a long, long day at work, and I just wanted to curl up with a book, snuggle under a warm blanket, and immerse myself into another world. 

But my 2 year old bundle of love and energy wouldn't allow me to live in my own bubbly book world. So, I sat with her, and we played, talked, and read together. 

But that nagging thought keep creeping into my mind...that I needed to clean up!!

That's when I spotted my little pillow in the corner of the couch in my family room. It was squished into the side of the couch. I pulled it out, and read what was written on it. 

It read,"Please excuse our mess. We are making family memories."

I looked up from the pillow to find my daughter standing in front of me, staring into my face. I must have zoned out in my own thoughts, for she asked, "Mommy, you're not talking to me?"

I grabbed her little body and hugged her tightly. "I love you baby. Of course I'm talking to you." I said. 

I shook that crazy thought of cleaning out of my head. Wasn't it more important, after all, to create family memories?

Cleaning...I think I can find some time when she's asleep... 

Those little reminder pillows are great to keep around... We all need a quiet reminder of what's important in our lives. 

Gratitude for the day- 11/26/2015

I am thankful today for everyone I have ever encountered in my lifetime thus far. 

I think that we are all transformed one way or another by each person that enters our life for a second or for a lifetime. 

Today, I feel that I should acknowledge each person young and old for affecting me. I wouldn't be the person I am today without all of you. 

Happy Thanksgiving!! 

Snorkeling...Isolation in the Boundless Beauty of the Formidable Ocean

Snorkeling...Isolation in the Boundless Beauty of the Formidable Ocean
By Sharon S. Joag

Incredibly thrilling to swim out with fins and snorkel gear into the depths of the ocean.  Starting from shore on a small island, I saw that the depth increases almost instantly and I was faced with the vastness of the ocean.

It's an undeniably solitary sport, even if you are snorkeling with a group.  Since once your snorkel gear is on, and your head is under water, all you can see is the ocean and the fish, and all you can really hear is your own amplified breathing, in and out.  It feels like pure isolation, almost meditative and you are left with your own mind.  Your own thoughts to guide you or to torment you.

Challenging your natural instinct to breathe in through your nose, and forced to breathe with your mouth; the snorkel mask helping to keep your nose from doing any work.  Unlike scuba diving, where you can go to depths of exploration unlike any other, into the ocean, snorkeling gives you the amazing glimpse into the ocean, yet keeps you "grounded" to the air, where you can come up at any time and feel secure that you can breathe normally in a matter of seconds.

One day, I decided that I didn't need any snorkel gear.  Having only a mask, I decided to dive under, and take a look at all the wonderful, colorful fish I'd never seen.  Having only a mask gave me a false sense of security, and I automatically started to breathe underwater, like it was second nature.
Then, realizing it was a fatal move, I rushed to the surface to spit up the water, and frantically gulped in some fresh air.  

Persimmon Obsession

So, I'm still thinking about Persimmons, but I haven't actually found a store which has any good ones. 

The other day, I very excitedly took my daughter to the farmers market to get my share of those delicious beauties. 

Just before I could even touch one, a little voice called out, "Mommy, what are you doing?"

"I'm getting us some persimmons." I said. 

"I want to get one all by myself!" Came the instant quip. 

"Okay.", I said as I picked my daughter up in my arms so she could grab one and put it into the shopping cart. 

With her gloved hands, she reached for one over-enthusiastically, putting her entire thumb right through the fruit! 

She immediately dropped the fruit and as if time was in slow motion, she looked at her now wet thumb, and then looked at me. 

"Guess we're not getting those." I said, as I touched the other ones quickly just to see if they were all just as soft. 

"But Mommy! My thumb!" I pulled off my daughter's gloves and put them in my purse. I quickly walked away from the cart of persimmons before someone noticed the hole in one! 

Bottom Line- I've still only had but one persimmon! 

"The ocean breathes in waves"

By Sharon Joag

With each wave that crashes on shore, 

The ocean exhales just once more. 

And with all it's might

The ocean breathes in,

Pulling each wave back to it's origin.

I sat on the beach that day,

Right at the point where the ocean and sand were at play.

There I watched,

As the ocean brought to land...

Those schools of fish

To play in the sand.

With each breath the ocean took,

Those clear white fish struggled to find their nook.

Uncertain if each breath of the ocean may throw them on shore;

Yet, fearful of going out too far, as bigger fish may like them more...

Healthy Eating This Thanksgiving

HEALTHY EATING THIS THANKSGIVING
By Sharon S. Joag, DPM

Like most of us, you will most likely be with your family this Thanksgiving.  It’s a time to catch up, be with your family and EAT!  This Thanksgiving, try and add in some power foods into your diet, and share a healthy meal with your family. 

Q: Why should I add these foods into my diet?
A: It is important for us to share healthy eating habits with our family, especially our kids.  Kids develop habits as children and they learn by example, so eating a healthy diet and including some super foods regularly into their diet can prevent them from acquiring systemic diseases, such as Diabetes when they grow to be adults.

Q: What are these power foods?
A:  You can remember what these super foods are by the Acronym: GOMBBS.
Greens, Onions, Mushrooms, Beans, Berries and Seeds or Nuts.  Try and incorporate some of these foods into your Thanksgiving meal this year! 

Q: What’s so good about Greens, Onions & Mushrooms?
A: Raw Green Leafy Vegetables are the MOST Nutrient Dense of all foods out there.  They protect blood vessels, and the can lower the risk of developing Diabetes.  Onions also have anti-diabetic properties and have a positive impact on cardiovascular health, and also have anti-cancer effects.  Mushrooms are associated with decreased risk of Breast Cancer, Stomach and Colorectal Cancer. 

Q: What about Berries, Beans and Seeds?
A: Berries are superfoods! They also are associated with a decreased risk of Diabetes as well as , blood sugar.  They also stabilize food cravings. 
Nuts and Seeds contain healthy fats and have benefits on your cardiovascular system.  Nuts help maintain weight and it prevents Diabetes.
As long as your family does not have Nut allergies, try sprinkling powered nuts over any food.  You won’t even notice it and it will add to the nutritional value of your food. 

Q: Will GOMBBS prevent my children from acquiring Diabetes?
A: If your child has Diabetes Type 1, also known as Juvenile Onset Diabetes, this type of Diabetes requires insulin, as the pancreas is unable to produce Insulin; a healthy diet is essential, however Diabetes cannot be prevented. 
It is important to teach children about the power foods that are out there, and to nurture a love for the GOMBBS foods.  This basic healthy diet will help children as they grow to combat systemic diseases such as Diabetes Type 2, which is affecting more and more children every year.  

I'm Queen of this Land and I want to be Free!

I want to be Free!

I can't open the door
I can't open the screen
I just want to come out
Please, Don't be mean...

I'll keep hiding you see,
Inside my locked house
Please come in and Find me
I feel like a trapped Mouse

Why can't you find me?
I want to be seen
Come in and Find me
I want to be Queen

They know I'm in here
No one will tell
Keep this big secret
Or you'll go straight to Hell

All I can tell you about me, you see
Is that I'm a just woman
And I want to be Free

I'll be Queen of this Land
I'll be Queen of the Sun
I want to be Queen
Queen of all Fun!

I can't make a sound
I can't make a peep
Just look all around
I'm buried quite deep.

Over the hedges and over the trees,
Come in and find me...
Just get on your knees!

Just dig through the dirt and you will see...

I'm waiting for someone
By someone I mean
I'm waiting for You
To set me Free!  

Angels, Their Wings on so High!

Angels…Their Wings on so high!
By Sharon S. Joag

Angels, Their Wings on so high!

We Stop, and We Watch

As Their Feathers go by...

What are we to do 

With Angels so true?

We Watch and We Learn

Until They return.

Where can we find these angels?

In the souls of little girls, With big long curls?

Or do they live in little boys

While they play with their toys?

These angels we are after... 

Are they in our laughter?

Are they so very near

That we don't see them or hear?

There are so many faces.. 

Am I looking in all the right places?

Find them Where you least expect, they say...

Are they hiding in my cats as they play?

As I sit and I ponder...

My mind starts to wander..

Oh My! Oh My! Why Couldn't I see?

Haven't you ever thought of this Possibility?

A little whisper in your ear

That beautiful angel is so near

That voice that says very quietly

"There's an angel hiding inside of ME!"

Cars

I appreciate the guest post, Vito Rivers

Why are guys so obsessed with cars? We were driving north through Kentucky and saw signs for the “Tear Jerker Car and Craft Show.” Obviously the craft part was to convince the ladies to allow their husbands to go. And yes, we went. The crafts were less than desirable, but according to my husband, the cars were legendary. Really? I don’t see it. Shiny and loud, yes, but worthy of tears, no. I get that you can customize them. I even get that you can paint them pretty colors, but that just makes them sound like the crafts we saw: scintillating, custom, and in all kinds of colors. But I don’t get tingly inside from crafts. My husband practically drools over custom antique cars. He could watch car shows on TV all day long. I wonder if the “Tear Jerker” show hooked up with direct tv lexington to get on the local Do-It-Yourself channels. My husband and many other men like him would definitely watch, so I guess that’s one way to get him out of my hair.

PAPERCLIP: The Beginning…

I have finally been formed, sitting her in a box full of my brothers.  I can’t wait to move.  I feel so stiff, with my legs and arms twisted; I wish I were a girl.  At least I’d be pretty, and be able to have different colors.  But I know I’m a boy, because boys are always put into these huge boxes with other boys, and there are no windows to look out of.  I saw a few of my sisters when they were being made.  They had a large window where everyone could look into, and they could look out and see the world too.  They looked so bright and cheery with their pink, yellow and green coats on.  I wonder if I’ll be able to wear coats like that one day.

But from what the elders have told me about their adventures, until they returned years and years later, our lives will be full of excitement; unless of course we get stuck with a company.  If that happens, who knows what may happen to us; they say the boys usually end up under piles and piles of white sheets if they end up involved with a big firm, or some large facility which uses us daily. 

The girls on the other hand are so lucky.  They only stay at one place for a short time and flit around to another place where they are wanted more for their coats.  The girls have a much richer life, full of travel, escapades and fun!

My only hope is that they send me back to the factory one day and I will be transformed into a girl.  J 

Sagging Skin, Fine Lines, Wrinkles, Uneven Skin Tone….

What do you think of when you think of these words?  

Yes, OLD!  

To all humans, these words signify age.  Finding that fountain of youth that would make us all look like we were in our 20’s has been an age old desire.  

Many people have opted for plastic surgery or laser treatments to correct their sagging skin and fine lines, but there are other less painful and less expensive alternatives to getting rid of your fine lines and wrinkles. 

First, you have to start by taking care of your body.  1. Make sure to stop all your bad habits, like smoking, drinking and not protecting yourself in the sun.   2. Then, yes, you must get on a diet and exercise regimen. 
3. Finally, you should look into an anti-aging skin care lotion/cream that you can use daily on your face. 

Anti-Aging Laser Treatment: Laser treatment involves using a laser, which means that it can and will generate a lot of heat.  The purpose of using Laser is to cause damage to the top layer of skin.  It allows the body to heal with new skin underneath.  The heat from the laser is what damages the top layer of the skin. 

Anti-Aging Light Therapy: This is a relatively new treatment which has become quite popular for the treatment of fine lines and wrinkles.  It is interesting, in that, anti-aging light therapy has the same light frequency as the laser treatment, but does not generate heat, as the laser treatment does.  Therefore, it does not burn the top layer of the skin.  But what it does do, is stimulate the collagen production on your face or hands over time.  Take a look at this picture to see what your skin looks like:
infographichttp://tanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/tanda_infographic.png 

There is still ongoing research into light therapy for treatment of wrinkles.  Red Light is the specific type of light used to treat aging skin. 
There is another type of light, blue light, which has an anti-inflammatory effect and also will kill bacteria.  Blue light is use most often to treat bad cases of acne. 
Studies now show that Red and Blue light used together have the best effect on aging skin. 

My personal opinion, take it or leave it....   Don't do surgery unless you absolutely HAVE to.  Surgery does have its place, and it can be beneficial, but first exhaust all conservative measures before opting for surgery.  

Who Know??  Our Fountain of Youth may just be in Light Therapy!