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$$$ FREE MONEY $$$

Is there such a thing as: “FREE” Money?

With the internet promoting anything and everything these days it’s incredibly difficult to know what’s real and what’s completely fluff, misleading or downright fraudulent.

The Government

With that being said, a good place to start looking for free money or money that you might be overlooking is the government. Uncle Sam and most likely your local state government have money for you to claim; but, they keep it mostly to themselves. Electric autos, solar power home conversions, IRA contributions and even in some states new windows or home insulation upgrades may earn you “Free” money.

Anchors Away

The State of New Jersey’s “Anchor” Program was designed to give rebates to property owners for taxes they paid through the year 2019. This program came out in late 2020 and was unknown to most New Jersians. In 2022 the Governor decided to put an end to this rebate and he assigned a final filing date set for January 31, 2023.

Suddenly, the word got around and over night thousands a day were, attempting to access the state’s property tax website to find out how to receive this gift of “Free” money. Sure enough, all hell broke loose and the website struggled.  Consequently, thousands of homeowners were frustrated for many anguishing days, weeks and months. The phone calls to Trenton were overwhelming; and, the Governor declared an extension to claim these benefits. The extension was set for February15th, 2023.

Truth is, this only extended the pain and suffering to the many deserving New Jersey homeowners that either never got the information they needed or gave up trying. Others got through the maze, only to find out they needed previous years tax returns to calculate and determine if they were eligible to receive the rebate money.

This kind of “Free” money puts the onus on the receiver to find their way through to the pot of gold.

Where you live Matters

Where you live can earn you “Free” money. There are 13 states that currently do not tax any retirement income and a few others that don’t tax pension income as well. Pennsylvania, would be one such state. No taxes on 401K, IRA or Pension distributions can add up to an awful lot of Free” money.

There are also five states that don’t have income taxes at all. The closest to New Jersey would be Tennessee or New Hampshire. A huge earner in these states has an enormous advantage over many other Americans.

Age also has its Advantages

2023 “Senior Benefits” are available in all states, but can vary in ages to qualify. 50+ is the minimum age required to apply for many of these benefit programs.

The federal government recently created a bill featuring multiple benefits for seniors. Huge monetary benefits for Health Care including: Telehealth, Behavioral and Mental Health provisions. Obviously, the pandemic has seen massive telehealth and urgent care surges. The effects of isolation and confinement created mental health issues more prominent than ever before.

Furthermore, now through 2024 a Medicare provision allows hospital care to treat qualified patients in their homes. This ends up freeing hospital beds to face any future uprising COVID issues.

Social Security and Retirement Savings also saw tremendous government monetary benefits created by this bill. The SSA was allocated over 14 billion, which was nearly 6% more than the previous fiscal year. Most Americans collecting Social Security saw the largest increase in their benefits in over a decade.

Unfortunately, the Social Security administration is still in crisis mode. It’s customer service floundering by virtue of years of underfunding and enormous losses in staff. Compared to a decade ago, it takes an average of 75% longer to get a claim for disability benefits processed.

As far as retirement savings go, new laws have increased the age from 72 to 73 at which time retired individuals must start taking deductions from private retirement accounts such as IRA’s, and 401k’s. There is also a plan to raise that age again in the year 2030 to 75.

In 2027 there will be an additional benefit of $1000.00 for lower to moderate income earners who contribute to qualified retirement plans.

Other benefits include raising limits on catch-up contributions to 401K and 403B accounts for all people ages 60 to 63. Finally, a new law requires employers to offer part-time employees to contribute to retirement plans after two years of employment.

 

Buy 1 Get 1 Free

 

Read the “Fine Print”

I love those infomercials that state, at the very end: “today with your order we’re going to add a second one free………..only pay a small fee”. Say WHAT???

The greatest sales pitch ever for “Free” money is: “Buy one get one free.” Now don’t get me wrong, this can be well worth taking advantage of. I’m just saying use some common sense and read the rules of engagement to each and every deal.

If you regularly buy a  large pizza for $15.00, but the pizza shop has a special $19.00 pie on Thursday’s, where if you buy one you can get a second one of a lower price free, it’s not really a buy one get one free is it? However, it may just be an additional $4.00 expense that makes sense to some.

Money – Phones – Internet

Free money, phones and internet lead the way of the most common sales hooks, creating a beneficial relationship to the company offering the “Free” whatever.

Banks can offer you “Free” money to open new accounts. These accounts will most certainly have deposit requirements and other demands like monthly direct deposits, minimum monthly balances and time restraints. Make sure you understand that any monetary benefits you gain from a financial establishment of any kind will come with a “1099S” at the end of the fiscal year.

Free phones will undoubtedly come with minimum service requirements and binding or restrictive contractual agreements. All that glitters is not gold.

Many internet offers can be extremely misleading and undeniably, way to complex to successfully interpret. Once again, if it seems to good to be true, it most likely is just that. Always read the fine print and any disclaimers.

Make Government live up to their often understated programs

Yes indeed, free internet may be available through the government. In fact, most states offer free government paid internet if you receive Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, Special Housing Assistance, Veterans Pension, Survivor Benefits, Lifeline and Tribal or reside in a household of at least two individuals with less than a yearly household income of $36,620. *Phones can also be included for a minimal one time fee.*

Advantage to the Advertiser 

Today, with just about any service you need, if you search hard enough, you will find the crew, firm, person or company that will offer you “Free” estimates, reviews, diagnostics or consultations attempting to land you as a client, customer, consumer or even something more.

Law firms are offering “Free” representation with no upfront costs; furthermore, only getting paid when they win a settlement for you.

Free reviews of your will, retirement portfolios, and many more services are being advertised to create new and expanding business for the advertiser.

There are even companies out there that will give you “CASH NOW” for your annuities that you can’t utilize yet, or insurance policies that currently have less of a cash value than they will offer you. These are the “Serpents” of the world preying on the monetary needs of others.

In Conclusion

Looking for “Free” money can be easier said than done. Finding the time and patience to pursue the search is never simple, often frustrating and almost always disappointing.

The truth is, when you read statements like: “apply in minutes from the comfort of your home” or, “just complete and submit the simple enrollment forms”, this may just be the beginning of your troubles. Even worse are those dreaded phone recordings that state: “Stay on the line for the next available agent.” Worse yet: “Leave a call-back number and the next available agent will call you back.”

However, with all that said, all that’s worth pursuing may certainly be worth the pursuit.

____*WARNING*____

Stay centered on your search and don’t give out any information to uninvestigated sites or portals. Never disclose passwords or personal account information without knowing the validity of the request and an appropriate reason to do so. Always properly identify and confirm safe sites. Remember, cyber crime is growing yearly, can be extremely ruthless in design and might even result in undetectable consequences. Keep safety in mind at all times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you ever consider this? Sound Financial Practices for uncertain times2 Comments
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What can we do to fight Inflation

The T*pster 2018

Staying calm during uncertain times

Soaring gas prices, grocery bills doubling, stocks in a seamless never ending downfall and interest rates reaching levels not seen in decades are surely disturbing if not to say devastating to most people.

Most older American are both confused and perplexed by the financial demise of their bank accounts and retirement portfolios.

Some signs have been encouraging over the last couple of months; but, to think global and domestic economic problems will recover quickly is not practical nor helpful in any way. Optimism about the near future is not what this article is all about. However, we definitely need to change how we think about this crisis and what we do about it.

I promise to quote some important financial minds and economic experts concerning the immediate future.

The midterm elections

Most older Americans would tell you that the results of the midterm elections were surprising, at the very least. Largely driven by the voice of younger voters, it could just be a look at the future of voting in this country.

Many older voters found themselves faced with new laws within their individual states that dictated how, where and when they could vote. This definitely had an effect.

Older voters have always been a driving force in our country’s elections. These voters are typically more informed and decisive.  For future reference one should go to their state’s governors website to get updated information about new voting laws established in their state.

The deadline to vote in most states is mid October but not all. I know in New Jersey to vote for November 8th elections you have until October 18th to register.

The importance of staying the course

The stock market has never been a short term fix for over 99% of all investors through the years. Unfortunately, for most, right now the ride seems way to turbulent and a desire to get liquid overtakes traditional wisdom.

However, it is critically important right here, right now to stay the course. Don’t even think of the short term as scary as that is, but focus on the long term. Remember that despite the setbacks, stocks have more than tripled over the last ten years.

Recovery and what to do next

The fact is, over the first six months in 2021 the market dropped nearly 25% and this was the first time we were in “Bear-Market” territory in over a decade. Still down nearly 20% as the year ends if you are in retirement or almost there the pain and loss can be overwhelming.

So, what are we to do?

Re-evaluate your stock and retirement portfolios. Think only of the long term and diversify your holdings to balance your risk and reward levels.

Why a weak January 2023 may be a good thing

The Dow Jones Industrial Average has ended January down 15 times since 1998. If the trend holds once again, investors are in store for a dismal start to 2023 and after a brutal 2022 and gut wrenching December.

But not all hope is lost. According to Matthew Carr, Chief Trends Stategist of The Oxford Club, over the last 25 years, January has been one of the worst months for stocks. In fact the only month more dismal for equities during that same time frame is September (notorious for its swoons). He does admit that things were much different in the 1990s, but times change.

Is There a Reason to Rally?

Few trends, are absolute. The Dow has posted some strong performances in January during the past quarter century….. like 2012, 2013, 2018 and 2019.

Remember, December tends to be one of the best months for equities. Steep sell-offs during the month, much like we just witnessed are rare. But when they happen, it often leads to uncharacteristic rallies in January.

This pattern isn’t universal, of course. Half of all December sell-offs we’ve seen in the past 25 years did continue through January. That includes January 2003 and January 2009 smack-dab at the end of two of the last three “Bear Markets”.

From a broad market perspective, the outlook for January 2023 is probably not the fresh start investors were hoping for. Technicals, are also pointing to more pain ahead.

The upshot is that a steep sell-off continues in January which pushes those October 13th, 2022 lows – will trigger a rally.

Don’t try to time the Market

Though people think they can somehow pick the best time to buy and sell stocks, I’ve seen far more guess wrong than right. Even the so-called experts get it wrong enough times to make it necessary to control your behavior.

Why take unnecessary risks. Don’t reach for unsafe interest and dividend yields. Companies that pay high yields and dividends are always more risky. Both high paying dividends from General Electric and General Motors cost investors dearly in 2019 and 2009 respectively. High yield bonds are referred to as “Junk Bonds” for a good reason!

However, the T*pster says, now more than ever before, balance your portfolios. This can be done by balancing your stock holdings with safe bonds and other fixed-income investments such as various out performing annuities.

Do take a chance on some stocks, but make sure you have multiple endorsements from professional money managers.

Seven out of ten economists surveyed by Bloomberg are forecasting a recession this year. But it’s good to remember that the market is always forward-looking.

I believe that the market has already priced in a recession and now its sight are set upon a recovery. Will that take place in January? Or, will the bottom be pushed even further during the first half of 2023.

In Conclusion

I have presented key questions and even more optimistic answers that you, as individual investors, need to find out for yourselves in the new year.

It just might be the appropriate time to join an investment club if you haven’t already. I belong to The Oxford Club and for the first time ever, Alexander Green, Chief Investment Strategist, is set to reveal his #1 investment for 2023.

Finally, do not keep all your money in cash; but do keep enough to sleep peacefully at night.

Markets will recover and capitalism will more than survive.

 

It's a matter of FACT !1 Comment
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A Truth About Covid-19 & Your Beloved Pets

MY GIRLS – TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

The Uninformed Internet

If you are like millions of people in the world today, you depend greatly upon the information found readily available on the internet. Unfortunately, very few truly understand that this dependence is tragically the opposite of life.

When did we give-in and over to the feeling of needing internet assurance that what we see and feel is factual and relevant? Why is it so easy to grant this power to the internet and relinquish our God given power of insight and intellect?

What we want is reassurance and the internet can often result in misinformation that does that very dangerous thing!

 

Unintentional – YET – Unresponsible

Don’t get me wrong, I honestly believe the internet, for the most part, is attempting to be informative and helpful. However, the misinformation, whether unintentional or not is abundant and uninhibited by scrutiny of any kind. This, in itself, is the greatest danger we can succumb to.

When did we remove humanity from the equation? Is this insignificance we share, something we are actually aware of? Or, is it possible that this is humanity’s attempt to rededicate ourselves to each other, to live life and love all that surrounds us?

Anyway you choose to look at it, the internet is free to inform and at the same time innocent of misinformation.

 

The truth about Covid-19 and its effect on your pets

When my wife, Anna and I tested positive for Covid last week we hardly considered the consequences it could have on our beloved cat, Sage. However, love can be the demise of your pet when this virus infests your home.

Our healthy, young and fit Sage was the victim of internet misinformation. She was a baby, just seven years old and a real tiger at heart. Unfortunately, for her, she was loving and trusting of her mommy and daddy. She loved a good belly rub and being nestled in her daddy’s embrace. This love and trust did her in.

When she developed sniffles and sneezing it was both cute and comical. This didn’t occur until late Friday night the 23rd of December. Come Saturday morning she seemed both hungry and confused as her nose kept the sniffles present. Mostly she seemed upset that she was dripping sniffles into her food dish.

It was at this point Saturday that I decided to research the effects of Covid-19 on pets. The internet had numerous accounts of infected felines and canines and seemed determined, at the very least, to assure pet owners that there were no known deaths associated with Covid. In fact, they cited thousands of reported cases that resulted in pets recouping fully and quite quickly.

However, one European group of veterinarians documented a single case of an older cat in France with an underlining heart defect that died from the effects of the virus.

For all intensive purposes the internet was much more concerned with the pets infecting the household as to the opposite happening.

One thing for certain the information was comforting and went as far as to say isolating the cat was the smartest thing to do. The advice was to feel very confident in keeping your pet at home and letting their own immunity revive their health. There was both practical and scientific evidence that a visit to the Vet was totally unnecessary.

 

 

The shocking strength of Covid-19

By Sunday, Christmas day, I was beginning to feel much better and my wife still achy and probably a couple of days behind me, in terms of recovery, seemed to be my main concern for the day. Sage was still wrapped-up  in her bed, in a blanket I placed around her the night before.

Anyway, this was to be an at home Christmas void of family and friends. This meant lots of phone calls to all those that mattered in our lives. The cat endured the day, mostly unnoticed by the two of us. I did some cooking for us and we watched a “Christmas Carol” that ended at 8pm. We were both exhausted, most definitely from the ordeal of covid over the last four or five days.

At this time I went upstairs to look-in on my baby, Sage. What I found was alarming and troublesome. She had made her way out of her bed and was now lying flat on her belly with her face in a significant puddle of clear as can be liquid. She was absolutely limp and unable to get to her feet. I made calls not to one, but to three different Animal Clinics in the area. All were closed for Christmas and also for the following Monday as well. They did offer an emergency number to call and it was at this point I realized that nothing was going to help my little girl make it through the night accept her determined Daddy holding and wiping her nose and mouth continually.

I proceeded to take her to our bedroom and lay her down on a soft thick blanket while I got tissues to wipe her soaked face and neck and nose. She now was responsive enough to be starring at her daddy and conscious of my efforts to help her. It became obvious that she was ready to submit to my care and with loving, trusting eyes she watched my every move. I kept telling her how good she was doing and reiterated the words: “just keep breathing Sagie……keep breathing.” With that look of the “TIGER” that she was, she listened to every word and seemed determined to do just that. Midnight came and all the tissues were gone and I now come back to her after getting a second roll of toilet paper. Her eyes followed me with every move I made. Anna had now fallen asleep on the floor, lying upon a new sheepskin rug we bought weeks before.

Suddenly, the breathing Sage was struggling to do with her nose ended and her mouth opened wide to continue to breath that way. She stretched in a peculiar way snapping her head, into a position that appeared as unnatural as it looked uncomfortable. I tried to correct her position, but her body was now in a rock solid phase that would not loosen or relax. I was now the only source of keeping her warm and dry as fluid seemed to be pouring from her mouth continually. The second roll of toilet paper disappeared in less than an hour.

Her breathing was well over 100 breaths per minute and I knew that her heart was undertaking a tremendous strain to continue. All I could do was to tell her how lucky I was to have the best little girl ever, how much I loved her and how sorry I was for letting her down. At 2:37 am she coughed two loud coughs and with lots of liquid in her lungs I heard a thump as her heart gave out. She died with her eyes wide-open, staring at me as if to say: “Daddy what happened?”

We had our beautiful little girl cremated Tuesday, December 27th.

We will miss her dearly.

 

 

 

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MONEY MATTERS – A FINANCIAL REPORT


  EVERY SPRING MY FRONT YARD BLOSSOMS

$$$$ YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT $$$$

MONEY certainly does matter! 

While the covid-19 virus and various strands with lesser but still devastating oppression seem to be calming down, the world wants to return to normalcy; but, we’re not quite sure how to go about it. The new administration, faced with the largest inflation experienced over the past twenty years, seems indecisive and stubborn. They have clearly underestimated the cost of this pandemic and the essentiality of impending legislation.

The fact is, most families are either buried in credit card debt or recklessly unaware of the disruptions happening within and around them.

Can the government be foolish enough to continue to subsidize it’s people with checks that insult the working class and encourage those already collecting unemployment benefits to continue to do so! And, if so, can we the smart ones look to do something with this currency.

INVESTING, historically speaking…

As it’s been throughout the history of the stock market, the time to invest or “re-invest” is when stocks have been depressed and are approaching their all-time lows.

As it’s been throughout time people that take action, reap the results of their zealousness.

Right now, the three biggest stories running are (1) Inflation: especially the rise in food and gas prices (2) The war in Ukraine: especially concerning refugees and the Russian threat to surrounding countries (3) Abortion Rights, Mental Health, Guns, and Climate Change or the incompetence of the Supreme Court, Senate and Congress inclusively.

At least the Feds have adjusted interest rates, which by their own merit have created investment opportunities.

ANOTHER worthy T*psterism

I’ll let you in on a little secret…… The three big stories aren’t separate, and they certainly aren’t independent! In fact, they’re “ONE” story – and a big one at that. As a single identity, they represent a single narrative which consummately needs to be viewed as a single threat.

This is most certainly how mass media sees them and how Wall Street treats them.

A threat to the stability of both the U.S. and Global economies. Ultimately, a threat to the American financial market, which remains the most powerful in the world.

Furthermore, a threat to investors both individual and institutional who simply don’t get it! Unenlightened investors who just can’t seem to understand. Those who are uncertain of what’s really happening will remain crippled by their fears.

“It‘s just ONE THREAT and that’s all you need to remember when attacking it!”

******************************************************************************************************

The buying power of the new Global Middle Class

Even though the pandemic erased a year or more of its growth, the global middle class since 2010 has grown at a rate of nearly 50 million people per year and has reached an incredible 1.5 billion worldwide. By 2030 that number will look more like 5.5 billion: this according to the European Commission. 

Consumerism:

Middle-class consumers will drive economic growth and consequently the health of their countries and financial markets.

This is truly a big deal and especially over the long term, as economics is and always will be about “Supply & Demand”.

Inflation

Inflation is the uncontrollable result of scarcity. Wars, drought and other less important elements can lead to scarcity. It’s certainly obvious that over the remainder of this decade there will be a rising global scarcity of food even as demand rises. That frightening statement can paralyze or jump start your actions.

On its face, that sounds scary. However, if you understand the consequences of the scarcity ahead of time you can act to prepare and protect yourself. Yes, and you can profit from your actions, possibly creating meaningful wealth for you and your family.

By weaving together your intelligence and desire, you can use multiple resources at hand to discover new insights and fresh perspectives to enrich your life. The incomparable value of the internet and various outstanding professionals create a welcoming atmosphere to assist you. Consequently, you can find detailed answers to demanding questions enabling you to focus on the wonder of the world before you.

I firmly recommend joining longtime established investment clubs such as the “Oxford Club”. Without question they are worth the yearly dues hands down. On the free side there are various investment firms with an abundance of information. The latter requires much more work and determination, not to mention intelligence. Just remember, passion keeps you going but it doesn’t pay the rent.

The war in Ukraine

All wars, whether foreign or domestic lead to consequential manifestations and realities. This is an absolute fact and determination of the differences can be troublesome to say the least. That being said, today, depending on what news source you are listening to the differences are incredible.

However, whether or not the war in Ukraine is responsible for inflated gas and food prices the fact remains evident that these things are happening, concurrent to the war.

The government’s response

When hate motivated attacks on undeserving individuals and communities overwhelms the news again and again in this country the actions of a few cannot eliminate the despair of many. Mental Health can’t continue to be the reason for all this hate. Weapons of mass destruction, owned by individuals, was never the aim of the second amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.

Depending on politicians to enlighten us can be risky business. To outmaneuver the government is certainly recommended.

“Actions speak louder than words” is a quote older than time. Take a real look at the procrastination of our government. The pretension of awareness from our senate and the downright partisan and contemptuousness of our supreme court justices.

The path of the righteous

Actions must be an antidote to despair and the fear of governmental inhibitors. I’ve discovered over the last decade that my own intelligence nurtured with the actions of others much more intelligent than I have given me great focus and resolve.

Maybe the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that there are no magical heroes. If we can’t or won’t help each other there will be no tomorrows worth living. But, if we all do what we can, it can make an incredible difference.

The “Promised Land”

Before Martin Luther King Jr., was taken from this earth meaninglessly in 1968, he spent his final night preaching to a packed church in Memphis. He spoke about his life like he was giving his own eulogy. He acknowledged that there had been threats on his life, but that didn’t matter. “Because I’ve been to the mountaintop,” he said, “and I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But, I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land.” The feeling in the church when he said these words had to have been indescribable.

I only wish I was there.

Every year I celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. on his birthday, because he was truly a righteous man and a gift from God. Every April 4th, I mourn, because that gift was taken away.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Safe but never Sorry

As for the T*pster, I’m waiting and watching for my next breakout opportunity. And, for those of you wondering if I would make a recommendation for an event like that, I’m not ready to risk any of your hard earned money right now.

However, to be safe and totally without worry, why not follow a well known billionaire’s approach to worldly fortune and wisdom. All Warren Buffett does all day is read, READ and R-E-A-D.

If you had invested 10K in the S&P 500 in May of 1965, when Warren Buffett took the helm of Berkshire Hathaway, and re-invested the dividends, it would be approaching $2.75 million today. Not too bad…..huh?

So, what can you buy in this market with absolute confidence that is totally safe, conservative and without worry? One answer, for certain, is Berkshire Hathaway: (NYSE = “BRK-B”).

When you own a share of Berkshire Hathaway you posses stakes in both public and private companies, including Coca-Cola, Verizon, Geico, Procter&Gamble, UPS, Duracell, Dairy Queen, and General Motors just to mention a few. The fact is, BRK-B is up over 4% in 2022 while the S&P 500 is down nearly 6%. Why people doubt Warren Buffett’s knowledge and insight totally baffles the T*pster.

In Conclusion

The media is continuing to feed you massive amounts of misinformation. Wall Street certainly doesn’t have your backs and U.S. Politicians promise exactly what you want to hear and do little to nothing to make that come to fruition.

Unfortunately, the stock market’s a mess and some stocks will drop further still. But others could be gearing up for an explosive recovery. The Oxford Club’s, Alexander Green, is searching for the next big catch on “Insider Trading”.

Places I like to investigate include: “fastfortuneclub.com” and “moneymappress.com”

 

 

 

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Naturally Aging – With All Natural Flavors

That tastes too good to be all “NATURAL”………….

 

Health & Wellness

Today, there are an abundance of Health & Wellness surveys out there so it can be overwhelming to say the least. Dissecting the data from the world’s experts in the field isn’t easy; but, my opinions are here for the taking.

Eating well / Living well

Eating well and living well can certainly go hand and hand.  We baby-boomers have an awful optimistic view of our physical and mental health. Research studies have clear evidence confirming that as people get older they become more positive.

The majority of people know what they should be eating; however, most will keep eating what they enjoy regardless of the consequences. It’s not only about how long you might live, but also about how well you live. In a number of cases eating what you enjoy may be acceptable as long as you do so in moderation. This means you just can’t eat as much as you might want!

Moreso, eating a balanced diet of foods rich in Vitamins “C”, “D”, “K” and Magnesium are simply essential for longer and healthier lifespans. Therefore including fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, certain grains and fish in your weekly diets can be extremely beneficial.

Stay far away from “FAD” diets regardless of the celebrity claims. There are a number of documented studies showing a diet enriched with fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains while eliminating processed foods, especially meats, will extend one’s life expectancy. Sugar, processed sugars, corn syrup and white flour not only can trigger inflammation in your body and joints, but also are extremely high in caloric intake and may lead to worsening problems like diabetes and heart disease.

Eating right isn’t complicated, but often quite difficult to maintain. Over 10 MILLION older adults live in poverty in the United States alone and that makes eating healthy unreasonably difficult. Staying away from fast food establishments like McDonald’s and Burger King’s are critical. The freezer sections in most grocery stores would better serve people on a tight budget. Frozen fish, fruits and vegetables are much less expensive than fresh and far easier to maintain.

Vitamins and Supplements

I have a thousand different vitamins and supplements in my kitchen cabinets…….isn’t that sufficient?

No way, Jose!

Thousands of studies have shown that these pills do not do what the essential foods do. It comes down to the way the body digests and processes the foods rich in essential nutrients. The pills containing those nutrients lose their value, especially for older adults. In fact, only vitamin “D” has been shown in clinical studies to have significant value to older adults. And, the older we get, the worse low levels of vitamin “D” is for us. This deficiency can often lead to a high risk of cognitive decline such as Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.

How about my fish oil pills?

Many studies concerning the “Omega-3” supplements are “Non-Conclusive”. I would say eat more fish and foods high in Omega-3 such as certain nuts and grains and seeds. However, many physicians will claim that Omega-3 supplements can lessen the risk of heart attack and heart disease. Other pertinent supplements for the health of your heart can be: CoQ10, Selenium and a coated Aspirin taken daily.

Magnesium and Folic Acid help keep “Heart Rythum” steady promoting normal blood pressure, muscle and nerve function. Furthermore, Magnesium supports a healthy immune system, keeps bones strong, while helping to maintain an already healthy blood sugar level. The recommended daily dosage of Magnesium is 500 mg or more.

Protecting the Brain

Cognitive function is critical to extending a healthy lifespan.

For years very high doses of Lithium have used to treat brain malfunctioning and the condition known as “Bipolar Disorder”. Today, scientists and doctors alike are finding that Lithium in much lower doses, provide a number of neuroprotective benefits. Low-dose Lithium may reduce the risk of age-related disorders, protect brain function and extend a healthy lifespan. In fact, Lithium may improve mood, as well as prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The national recommended daily dosage of Lithium is 300 mcg.

Exercise and Physical Fitness

Can I  get by after age 60 with just a 15-20 minute brisk walk daily?

Maybe! But, I’d be more inclined to tell you that a variety of activities would be far better than just walking. I hate gyms with lots of loud noise, people and machines for exercise. For me, there’s golf, biking, skating, skiing and jogging that keeps me active and in shape.

Many physicians would also suggest more difficult activities such as weight training, swimming and yoga.

Joint, Neck and Back Pains

After I work out my body aches all over.

For many exercise soreness goes away after a day or two. For others, this might not be the case. Those with arthritis can still benefit by building up muscle mass around their joints. This can actually improve many arthritis symptoms and prevent more of them from surfacing in the future.

Many chronic pain sufferers are victims of their brain function. There have been a number of recent trials that have shown people can still generate pain signals even though their problem has healed. This has led to a new therapy called: “Brain Reprocessing”. This inclusive 7-8 session therapy teaches the brain to stop sending those pain signals. It has been conclusively evidenced with brain scans showing reduced activity in pain processing.

I have found that stretching in the morning helps with many of the body aches I experience waking up with each day. There are a couple of significant stretching exercises that can reduce back pain as well. One very popular exercise for the back is inversion which stretches the vertebrae. If you have a “Teter” exercise machine that’s great.  Another stretching exercise requires you to lie on your belly with your elbows bent and your hands under your chin. In this position now lift your knees, hips and torso as high off the floor as you can and hold that position as long as you can. Your weight should now be on your elbows and toes. Don’t let your belly sag. See if you can maintain this position for at least 10 seconds. Take a minute after that and repeat at least once more.

Reducing Oxidative Stress and Chronic Inflammation

Aging and age-related disease always include discussions of oxidative stress and inflammation. Curcumin is a powerful supplement with multiple benefits that protect against both. Curcumin helps shield us from oxidative damage. It also helps bolster natural antioxidant enzymes and compounds.

Chronic Inflammation is the driver of practically every age-related disease, including atherosclerosis, diabetes, dementia and cancer.

Curcumin is a “Polyphenol” found in the roots of Turmeric plants. Many different causes of aging have been scientifically identified, including oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, cellular senescence, loss of telomere length and more. Many of them are powerfully and positively impacted by curcumin.

The big drawback to curcumin is extremely poor “oral bioavailability”. Very little ingested curcumin ever finds its way into the bloodstream.

A method has recently been discovered that improves the absorption of curcumin into the blood. This method combines curcumin with a fiber derived from “fenugreek seeds”. Blood levels in people that received curcumin encased in fenugreek fiber were significantly higher. Look carefully for this curcumin formulation.

Youthful Energy and Appearance

Studies show that feeling younger is associated clearly with better mental and physical health, cognitive function and satisfaction with your life and surroundings. For older adults a healthy sex drive is one that makes a couple feel younger and exuberant. It can be motivational and inspire general well-being while improving strength, energy and physical appearances.

In Conclusion

Many older adults experience a decline in their appetites. By eating less there is a natural reduction in the overall intake of essential vitamins. This is why a good daily Multi-Vitamin is definitely recommended.

Also with age come the loss of certain important functions of the stomach and digestive tract. This includes the production of stomach acid, an intrinsic factor needed to release B12 from foods, and for its absorption in the small intestine.  People suffering from alcoholism, hypothyroidism, anorexia, celiac disease, or Crohn’s disease have a much greater risk of developing a deficiency in vitamin B12.  I also recommend a daily dosage of vitamin B12 for this reason.

Zinc and Vitamin C are best taken every 2-4 hours to eliminate a severe cold or even a  possible mild infection. They both absorb into the bloodstream rapidly, but have very little lasting significance. You can never take too much vitamin C however, you would be far better suited to drink a fresh squeezed glass of orange juice.

 

 

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Oh You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby

Cause Baby Look At You Now

 

Beauty & Being Beautiful

It’s not easy being beautiful just because you have great beauty. Being beautiful requires hours of thought and preparation. It can’t be easy as easy is seldom beautiful to the creator of such.

Great beauty can turn ordinary into magical or even extravagant. Great beauty can almost always turn mundane into wonderful or even whimsical. Great beauty has the power to raise spirits, stop crying and even produce laughter.

Harvesting Beauty

Like anything of great value, beauty needs nurturing and constant care to exist. Your eyes may miss more beauty in your lifetime than you, quite possibly, ever could imagine.

Like capturing sunsets over still waters or sunrises over rolling mountainsides beauty is certainly available, but often overlooked.

What is it to know or harvest great beauty? Honestly, it can’t ever be captured as the capture would instantly diminish the beauty and depreciate the beautiful. Still, with that quite evident, too many attempt finding beauty in this way.

After snapping three rolls of film at an awe inspiring live event, it’s that special shot which reveals the blood, sweat and tears of the performer that captures the beauty of the moment. However, it’s the actual attendees that will harvest this beauty forever.

So, great beauty can only be harvested by those conscious and obligated to creating the very things necessary to make it transpire. More than desire and more than need, great beauty has only a persuasive influence on those receptive to its harvest.

Yes, to say beauty is in the eye of the beholder is true, but only partially so, for great beauty has always been in the mind’s eye of those fully committed to it.

Making Time To Make Good Choices

In uncertain times great beauty can be lacking and quite difficult to harvest. In these moments the commitment not only needs to be upstanding but also unwavering. Consequently, the more committed you are, the easier it becomes over time. When you are paying more attention and spending some extra time in preparation great beauty can be the reward.

Remember, it’s the time we devote and the choices we make that will equal the beauty we create.

 

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WHAT MAKES the T*PSTER TICK

The Wanderer

 

-The Women-

Let’s face it, after all the loves of my life, it’s easy to start right here when it comes to what makes me tick.

    GIRLS  GIRLS  GIRLS !

                           and sunsets

 

Chantilly lace, a pretty face, and a ponytail hanging down………

a wiggle in her walk, a giggle in her talk……….makes my world go round!

A big eyed girl with green or gold eyes and a far away look within them……….

WHAT SOME OF MY FAVORITE WOMEN HAVE:

Betty Davis’s eyes

And Natalie Wood’s tears 

Audrey Hepburn’s smile 

And Jane Mansfield’s body

Karen Carpenter’s voice

And Cyd Charisse’s dancing

Elizabeth Taylor’s acting 

And Grace Kelly’s style

Ann Margaret’s sassy

And Barbara Streisand’s ballads

Judy Garland’s heart and soul

And Virginia Woolf’s writings

Lastly, Artemisia Gentileschi’s paintings

And Mother Theresa’s Faith

Mother Theresa said: “No color, no religion, no nationality should come between us, we are all children of God.”

 

My First Movie Theater Boner

I can remember it like it was yesterday. We were in Radio City for a Sunday matinee. You see, all through the sixties, my pop would take the entire family once or twice a year to see a movie at Radio City Music Hall. Pop really enjoyed the movies, and it was a brilliant way to keep his large young family of rascals quiet and contented.  And, these movies were absolutely magnificent on a tremendously huge curved screen. They called it: “Sense-A-Round”.

I was 10 going on 18 in 1963 and the movie was “Bye Bye Birdie”. When Ann Margaret sings “How Lovely To Be A Woman” while in her bedroom changing from her school clothes into a sweater and jeans, and all the time bouncing on her bed, I was in a very happy place. Good thing movie theaters were dark and extremely comfortable even back then. We were sitting in the 6th or 7th row and I was dead center! It seemed like Ann Margaret was changing her clothes as I lay beneath her bouncing body. Need I say more?

There were so many memorable trips to Radio City. I was just 6-7 when I saw Stephen Boyd, the mighty Messala, get trampled to death by a 4-horse drawn chariot; and, Charlton Heston, Judah Ben-Hur, win the most hair raising and absolutely terrifying chariot race ever filmed. The tremendous curved screen made this race come off the stage and into my lap.

The Sound Of Music, It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, Goldfinger, The Pink Panther, The Bridge Over The River Kwai, Lawrence Of Arabia, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Lord Jim, Gigot and My Fair Lady are all movies my parents took me to see in Radio City Music Hall. This was an event that always made me “tick”. It also helped make the “60’s” my favorite and most memorable decade.

Favorite Movies and Performances

Albert Finney as Scrooge and Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates. Fredric March as Al, Dana Andrews as Fred and Harold Russell as Homer in “The Best Years of Our Lives”

Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick in “The Days of Wine and Roses” and other Jack Lemmon movies like “The Apartment”, “Mister Roberts”, “Some Like it Hot” and “Save The Tiger”

Paul Newman in “Cool Hand Luke”, “The Sting”, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”, “Hud”, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “The Color of Money”

Kirk Douglas in “Spartacus”, “Lonely Are The Brave”, “Paths of Glory” and “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”

Dustin Hoffman in “The Graduate”, “Little Big Man”, “Midnight Cowboy”, “Papillon”, “Kramer vs. Kramer”, “Marathon Man” and “Tootsie”

Natalie Wood in “The Great Race”, “This Property is Condemned”, “Splendor in the Grass” and “West Side Story”

Peter Sellers in “Dr. Strangelove”, “There’s a Girl in my Soup”, “Murder by Death”, “The Pink Panther” and “The Magic Christian”

Jack Nicholson in “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest”, “Chinatown”, “The Departed” and “The Shining”

Steve McQueen in “Papillon”, “Bullitt”, “The Great Escape”, “The Getaway”, “The Magnificent Seven”, “Hell is for Heroes” and “Baby the Rain Must Fall”

Marlon Brando in “The Wild One”, “On The Waterfront”, “Guys And Dolls” and “The Godfather”

Charles Bronson in “The Magnificent Seven”, “The Mechanic”, “The Dirty Dozen”, “Breakout”, “Rider on the Rain” and “Once Upon a Time in the West”

Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, “Sabrina”, “Charade”, “My Fair Lady” and “Funny Face”

Humphrey Bogart in “Casablanca”, “The African Queen”, “The Big Sleep”, “The Caine Mutiny”, “Sabrina” and “The Desperate Hours”

Peter O’Toole in “Lawrence of Arabia”, “Lord Jim”, “The Sandpiper” and “How to Steal a Million” with Audrey Hepburn

Robert De Niro in “Raging Bull”, “The Godfather Part II”, “The Deer Hunter”, “Once Upon a Time in America” and “Falling in Love” with Meryl Streep

Elizabeth Taylor in “Giant”, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”, “A Place in the Sun”, “Cleopatra”, “Raintree County”, “Little Women”, “Father of the Bride”, “Jane Eyre”, “National Velvet”, “The Taming of the Shrew”, “Suddenly Last Summer”, and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

Tony Curtis in “Operation Petticoat”, “Spartacus”, “Trapeze”, “Some Like It Hot” with Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe, “The Boston Strangler”, “Houdini”, “The Defiant Ones”, “The Great Imposter”, “The List of Adrian Messenger”, “Sex and the Single Girl” and “The Great Race”

Cyd Charisse in “Black Tights”, “Party Girl”, “Silk Stockings” and “Brigadoon”

Betty Davis in “All About Eve”, “Dark Victory”, “The Man Who Came to Dinner”, “Pocket Full of Miracles” with Glenn Ford and “Now, Voyager”

Robert Mitchum in “Crossfire”, “Out of the Past”, “Cape Fear” with Gregory Peck, “The Longest Day”, and “The Enemy Below”

Other great performances like Michael Caine and Lawrence Olivier in “Sleuth”, Anthony Perkins in “Fear Strikes Out”, Barbara Streisand in “The Way We Were”, Al Pacino in “Dog Day Afternoon”and “Serpico”, Bruce Willis in “The Twelve Monkeys” and “Pulp Fiction”, Kim Novak in “Bell, Book and Candle” and “Vertigo” with Jimmy Stewart and “Picnic” with William Holden, Charlton Heston in “Ben Hur” and “Soylent Green”, Gary Cooper in “High Noon” and “The Pride of the Yankees”, Jimmy Stewart in “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Rear Window”, Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz” and “A Star is Born”, Teresa Wright in “Shadow of a Doubt” and “The Best Years of Our Lives”, Charlize Theron in “Monster”, Jessica Lange in “The Postman Always Rings Twice” and “Frances”, Robert Redford in “The Natural” and “The Sting”, Clint Eastwood in “Dirty Harry” and “High Plains Drifter”, Richard Widmark in “No Way Out”, and “Pickup on South Street”, Glenn Ford in “3:10 to Yuma” and “Blackboard Jungle”, Faye Dunaway in “The Eyes of Laura Mars” and “Bonnie and Clyde”, Cary Grant in “Father Goose”, “North by Northwest” and “Charade”, Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Departed” and “Titanic”, Marilyn Monroe in “Bus Stop” and “The Seven Year Itch”, Frank Sinatra in “The Manchurian Candidate”, “Some Came Running” and “Pal Joey”, Spencer Tracy in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” and “The Old Man and the Sea”, Gregory Peck in “Moby Dick” and “The Omen”, Warren Beatty in “The Parallax View” and “Shampoo”, William Holden in ” Sunset Blvd.” and “Stalag 17”, Burt Lancaster in “Jim Thorpe – All American” and “The Rainmaker”, Mel Brooks in “High Anxiety” and “The Twelve Chairs”, Mickey Rourke in “Diner” and “Angel Heart”, Jane Fonda in “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”, “Klute” and “The China Syndrome”, Gene Kelly in “Singin in the Rain”, An American in Paris” and “On The Town”, Robert Preston in “The Music Man” and “Victor/Victoria”, John Travalta in “Michael” and “Pulp Fiction”, Walter Matthau in “Hopscotch”, “The Odd Couple” and “Charley Varrick”, Richard Gere in “Internal Affairs” and “Days of Heaven”, The Marx Brothers in “Duck Soup”, “Monkey Business” and “Cocoanuts”, Abbott and Costello in “Buck Privates Come Home”, “Hold That Ghost” and “Abott and Costello Meet Frankenstein”, John Favreau and Vince Vaughn in “Swingers” and “Made”, Robin Williams in “Good Morning Vietnam” and “Aladdin”, Ben Stiller in “The Heartbreak Kid” and “Flirting With Disaster”, Jerry Lewis in “The Nutty Professor”, “The Bellboy” and “The Patsy”, George Segal in “Where’s Poppa” and “A Touch of Class”, Griffin Dunne in “After Hours” and  Steve Martin in “The Jerk”……….JUST TO MENTION A FEW ! 

The Music of My Soul

Give me the “MOODY BLUES” and any of their albums or live performances. I’m a “Moody Blues” fan club member and have seen them 7 times to date. And yes, I will be seeing Justin Hayward once again Saturday night October 2nd, 2021 on Long Island, N.Y. .

After that, Elvis, Elton John, The Beatles, Neil Young, Cat Stevens, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Dion, and Neil Diamond round out the top 10!

Soul, give me Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, Ray Charles, Diana Ross, The Delfonics,The Stylistics, The Temptations and Earth, Wind & Fire.

Jazz, I’ll take Tom Grant, Art Tatum or Dave Brubeck on keyboards and Pat Matheny, Wes Montgomery or George Benson on guitar, Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughn, Al Jarreau and Nina Simone on vocals, Charlie Parker, Stanley Turrentine, Stan Getz and Sonny Rollins on sax, and Gene Krupa on the drums.

Country, I’m old school, give me Charlie Rich, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Conway Twitty, Glen Cambell, Marty Robbins, John Denver, Skeeter Davis and Reba McEntire to name a few.

 MY FAVORITE ALBUMS:

1) The Seventh Sojourn (The Moody Blues)

2) Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Elton John)

3) Behind Closed Doors (Charlie Rich)

4) Tea For The Tillerman (Cat Stevens)

5) Deja Vu (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)

6) Songs in the Key of Life (Stevie Wonder)

7) Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (The Beatles)

8) The Dark Side of the Moon (Pink Floyd)

9) The Stranger (Billy Joel)

10) Harvest (Neil Young)

Favorite Songs

1) New Horizons (The Moody Blues)

2) Old Man (Neil Young)

3) Oh Girl (The Chi-Lites)

4) I Dreamed Last Night (The Blue Jays) 

5) Sunday Kind of Woman (Charlie Rich)

6) Take A Pebble (Emerson, Lake & Palmer)

7) Silver Stallion (The Highwaymen)

8) Holding on to Yesterday (Ambrosia)

9) Locomotive Breath (Jethro Tull)

10) Where do the Children Play (Cat Stevens)

11) Country Girl (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)

12) Tonight  (George Michael) and (Elton John)

13) Kentucky Rain (Elvis Presley)

14) Superstar (The Carpenters)

15) Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (Elton John)

16) Old and Wise (Alan Parsons Project) 

17) Time (Pink Floyd)

18) Scenes from an Italian Restaurant (Billy Joel)

19) I Used To Be A Brooklyn Dodger (Dion)

20) Send Her My Love (Journey)

21) Another Star (Stevie Wonder)

22) Moonshadow (Cat Stevens)

23) Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (Paul McCartney)

24) Poor Side of Town (Johnny Rivers)

25) If You Don’t Know Me by Now (Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes)

26) Young Girl (Gary Pucket and the Union Gap)

27) Stand Tall (Burton Cummings)

28) Sing Me Home (Kenny Loggins)

29) Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)

30) What is Life (George Harrison)

JUST TO NAME A FEW………

GRANDKIDS

BEST DECADE: The Sixties / BEST YEAR: 1969 / BEST ACHIEVEMENT: Earning  Series 7, 31, 63 & 65, as well as, Life and Health Insurance Licenses in 1998 / BEST MOMENT: The first of my four grandchildren, Tommy, is born 10/08/2009.

 

FINALLY

 

True love of amusement parks and fast Roller Coasters

Watching Evil Knievel jump cars, buses, over rattlesnakes, or a pool of sharks, etc.

The 69 Mets especially Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman  // The 86 Mets especially my favorite, Sid Fernandez, the true World Series savior.  “*FU* Vin Scully” !!!

The Super Bowl winning Giants of 1986, 1990, *2007*, and 2011.

The Rangers of 1993-94 – Stanley Cup Champions.

The 1969-70 and 1972-73 Knickerbockers.

Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicholas, and Tiger Woods on many magnificent Sunday Afternoons.

Willie Mays, Lawrence Taylor, Willis Reed, Wayne Gretsky, Tom Seaver, Eli Manning, Henrik Lundqvist and A.J. Foyt.

Superman, Captain Kangaroo, Popeye, Bonanza, Mission Impossible, You Asked For It, Night Gallery, The Wild, Wild West, Star Trek, Wanted Dead or Alive and The Twilight Zone.

“Pluck your magic Twanger, Froggy!” and Midnight the cat.

 

Let YouTube play a couple of the songs I listed that you might not remember or possibly never even heard.                                   T*pster smilin at yas……………………….

 

    and scenic settings
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ARE YOU KIDDING ME ? (A Must Read)

 

“This was everything I could find in the Refrigerator ! ! !”

…………………….. Are you kidding me ?

 

*HOPE*

Hope is one of the most widely interpreted feelings that can only leave one wondering what exactly does that mean. To hope is to wish perhaps, but not exactly. Wishing always comes to an end based upon the object, subject or experience wished for. Hope on the other hand, comes from a much deeper recess of your being and is never really relinquished.

I would argue that hope is a conception derived deep down in the soul. A promise of great spirit and compassion to fervent its existence endlessly. Hope, is that thing that lives on and on and on.

Hope requires infallible belief in one’s ability to hold on, and more meaningfully, aspire to. It remains at all times both encouraging and uplifting. It can also be quite comforting and reassuring.

Hope is gracious, enthusiastic, cheering and void of capitulation or desperation. It can truly capture one’s soul. Unable to hold back, hope can grow into a lifetime of power to help manifest one’s dreams. It more than provides for survival and may be the only reason for continuance in times of dire need. Hope in its greatest form will be patient as well as persistent, always strong, always ready, always willing, never renounced.

The heart is the most powerful broadcaster of our being. A troubled heart, desperate and repressed can leave one unable to enliven. Hopelessness will be the result and this can lead to serious depression.

A life without hope can be unbearable, crippling and even end up in drastic measures like suicide.

Chronically unhappy people

Chronically unhappy people believe that somehow their lives are destined to be more difficult than others. They are certain and without a doubt that “LIFE” is “HARD”. Their outlook is always grim and escape from their plight unthinkable. They see themselves as victims and remain there with a “look what happened to me” attitude.

Happy people

Happy people know that life is hard and tend to bounce through difficult times with an attitude of curiosity rather than victimhood. They take responsibility for how they got into a mess and actively focus on getting themselves out of it. They use perseverance towards their problems and have an unlimited resource of hope that helps them to prevail.

 

*TRUST*

Trust, like hope, can be defined many ways. As a noun, trust can mean reliance, confidence, credence and dependability. It can also mean, dependence, guardianship, liability or duty. As a verb trust, like hope, has a nearly limitless amount of legitimate meanings.

Just as with hope, I would argue that trust is a conception derived deep down in the soul. To trust is self acknowledging. Trusting individuals are always very trustworthy themselves. Trusting people often lead lives of honor and high esteem.

When one puts their trust in another human being they’re saying that they have confidence in that person to do the “right” thing. Therefore, trust carries a tremendous amount of responsibility and even guardianship.

Happy people

Most happy and well adjusted people are trusting of their fellow man. They believe in the “GOOD” of mankind versus the assumption that everyone is out to get them. These same people foster a sense of community around themselves and meet new people with an open heart. Generally, they have strong family ties and loyal abounding friendships.

Chronically unhappy people

Unhappy people are distrusting of just about everybody, including supposed friends and possibly even family members. Strangers are definitely untrustworthy. Unfortunately, this behavior closes most doors of opportunity towards making meaningful connections with new people or situations. Furthermore, this behavior often promotes and festers crippling resentment towards others.

 

*FAITH*

Faith, is by far the most intangible of the three virtues depicted in this passage of mine. However, I would argue that faith, like hope and trust is a conception derived deep down in the soul. It is more unyielding than either hope or trust. Faith remains constant through a lifetime without really knowing how but the why, is always a complete certainty.

A life inspired through strong faith will assuredly amplify both hope and trust already in place. Faith can often be incorruptible, conscientious and resolute. An undeniable belief in the nature of human existence, faith holds no answers, but asks no questions either. Scrupulous and sincere, faith knows no limits or boundaries.

Faith includes a hope for tomorrow and the trust in mankind.

It is this faith alone that will be the guiding light through the darkest of hours and the greatest of challenges.

Chronically unhappy people

Chronically unhappy people concentrate on what’s wrong in the world versus what’s right. They will turn a blind eye to what’s actually right and focus on what’s wrong. Unhappy people are those that respond to any positive statements about their lives or the world they live in with, “Yeah but…”. They don’t want to be distracted from what’s wrong.

Unhappy people believe that others’ good fortune steals from their own. They are certain that there’s not enough goodness to go around. These people end up jealous and resentful of the successes of others.

Unhappy people tend to micromanage in an attempt to control all outcomes and then totally fall apart when things go off course.

Happy people

Happy people believe that they have a unique blueprint that can’t be duplicated or stolen from. Their faith in mankind is matched by their faith in themselves. They know of the unlimited possibilities offered to them and no other person limits their outcome in life.

Happy people have no jealousy or resentment in their lives. This allows them to stay focused on their goals and accept the unexpected or unpredictable difficulties life throws their way.

In Conclusion

Obviously, none of us are perfect and good virtues are not that easy to obtain. A good understanding of them is a great starting place and might be enough to help one manage a life that’s filled with promise.

We’re all going to swim in negative waters once in a while; but, what matters is how long we stay afloat and eventually get ourselves to calm and peaceful waters.

We can hope, trust and display tremendous faith in ourselves.

It’s about walking, running, falling down and getting back up again. It’s how we get back up again where all the differences reside.

That being said, I hope you will continue to join me looking back and ahead of the various life experiences I’m writing about in these blogs. More importantly, trust that I will present my experiences as I recall and/or foresee them to happen. Finally, keep the faith in our friendship and connection, because you all are quite special to me.

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