Aging Well in the Gorge October 31st 2017

The winter holidays are fast approaching: a joyful time to spend with family and to cherish and share all the holiday memories. But if you have lost a loved one with years of special memories, the holidays can accentuate the grief you may already be experiencing. Grief is very personal and there is no right or wrong way to experience it, no matter what well-intentioned advice you may hear. And as you navigate your way through the healing process, there is nothing wrong with asking for help.

There are several bereavement groups in the area, one of which meets at the Center on the first Tuesday of every month starting at 9:00 am. It is open to anyone, you just need to show up. During the November meeting on the 7^th there will be a discussion of experiencing grief during the holidays.

The Center has purchased 12 tickets to see the Singing Christmas Tree for the 2:00 matinee performance on Sunday, November 26^th. It is back at the Keller Auditorium in Portland where we have good seats on the orchestra level and in the balcony. The cost is $75 which includes the transportation, so you don’t have to worry about driving through downtown Portland. Everyone who has seen the Singing Christmas Tree in the past has raved about the performances. The tickets should go fast, so call the Center ASAP.

Last week I discussed the Blue Zones Project in The Dalles and the “Power of 9”: nine actions you can take to live a longer, healthier, and happier life. But I did not list them, and instead asked you to think about what they could be. Could you think of nine?

Well, we’ll see how well you did over the next nine weeks starting with the first of the “Power of 9”: Move Naturally. This is usually the first on everyone’s list, but usually mentioned as exercise such as walking, spending time in the weight room or the gym. But to move naturally is a bit more nuanced.

The inhabitants in the Blue Zones don’t necessarily think about moving. They just do it as part of their everyday lives - such as gardening or riding their bicycles to get around. And they don’t have all the modern conveniences that we see today as making life easier. So what can you incorporate in your everyday activities that provides more opportunities to keep moving naturally?

If you enjoy making and selling items for the holidays, there are still spaces available for additional vendors at the Center’s 4^th Annual Holiday Bazaar on Saturday, November 18^th. If you are interested, call the Center to sign up.

In 1957, the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles from Brooklyn, New York. And how did they acquire the nickname Dodgers? At one time they were called the Trolley Dodgers, which was then shortened to Dodgers, because in the 1890’s when the electric trolley cars was first introduce, they proved much more dangerous than the horse drawn streetcars they replaced resulting in 51 deaths in 1883. And if you think it strange to be known for dodging trolleys, they were also called the Bridegrooms from 1888 through 1898.

(I received correct answers from Diana Weston, Ron Nelson, Sandy Haechrel, and Jerry Phillips, this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. And once again I was reminded I forgot someone last week: this time Sandy Haechrel who also receives a free quilt raffle ticket for my forgetfulness.)

One last baseball question to celebrate this year’s amazing World Series. Now that the baseball season has been extended through the month of October, there have been several players who have come through in the clutch during this critical month. One of those players was nicknamed ”Mr. October”. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was the player nicknamed “Mr. October” by catcher Thurman Munson? Email your answer to www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or drop it off with a number 44 New York Yankee’s jersey.

Well, it’s been another week, always looking for the car in the parking lot. Until we meet again, don’t worry about what you can’t control, but focus on what you can.

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, ‘Wow! What a ride!’” Hunter S. Thompson