“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.” ~John Keating, Dead Poets Society (1989)

You’re never too old to learn a new skill. The MIT Ballroom Dance Team is certainly a testament to this philosophy. Most team members join the team as college or graduate students with no previous dance experience, and a number of dancers make it to highly advanced levels in just a few years. In a world where the news laud talented athletes and artists who  started playing hockey or swimming or figure skating when they were five, or first picked up the violin when they were three, or performed in their first theatrical piece when they were eight, watching grown adults learn dance from scratch and succeed at it is a refreshing reminder of what human potential can achieve, no matter the age.

One of the most wondrous things about dancing is the limitless possibilities and the steep learning curve that becomes evident as ‘mere humans’ become dancers. Watching some of the first year dancers in my rookie class, it’s amazing how much we’ve all progressed in the few months since we took our first lesson in September. Today we’re dancing in ways we did not conceive possible just a few weeks ago, and watching the higher level dancers, we realize how much more there is to learn. As we learn, we move from thinking “How is that dance move even possible?” to “Oooo, I think I see how it’s done now. Maybe I can do it too.” and then we pick another more mysterious dance sequence to temporarily believe to be impossible, until we grow and realize that this impossible routine is in fact also possible.

Such is it with every subject in the world. As you become initiated into the field and start understanding how it’s done, you push yourself further and further through the layers of what you are capable of doing, and as you explore the depths, going deeper and deeper, you find that it is a bottomless ocean. Every layer conquered reveals a new layer in an ever-expanding universe of possibilities. There is no end, no limit. There is no end, no limit to art. There is no end, no limit to what we can do, experience, achieve, and it’s pursuing this path that makes the MIT Ballroom Dance Team amazing.

MIT Ballroom Dance Team. Go team!

Another reason that makes the members of the MIT Ballroom Dance Team inspiring is that the team members are all amateur dancers who have careers in other professions. Neurologist by day, chacha instructor by night. Computer scientist nine-to-five, then waltzing in the moonlight. Whatever these people are choosing to do to make a living, they are drawn time and time back again to the dance floor, putting in much of their free time to become impressive dancers. It reminds me that while many people at MIT are technology and science focused by trade, they still need art in their lives, whether dance, music, writing, designing or photography, and find something missing in their lives if they have to go without art, beauty, and creativity.

Why? Maybe it’s what Keating said, that these artsy things add meaning and are what we stay alive for.  We all need something beautiful every day, so maybe it’s time to carpe diem, turn the music on, and dance!

Have You Seen Smallville: Season 4 Episode 20 – Ageless?

Episode Synopsis:

In the middle of the night on the road, a young pregnant woman is going into labor while her husband drives on the road when she suddenly glows and implodes, while the husband stops the car and runs for his life. Lana and Clark are driving a truck along the same road and find a baby in the crater created by the explosion. They take the baby to the hospital, and the Kent family temporarily guards him, who is connected to Clark. Lana and Clark give the name of Evan, and on the next day, he becomes a teenager, precociously aging. The scientists of Lex study the case and conclude that the boy needs a transfusion of the bone marrow of his unknown father, if he can be found, and even then… Clark tries to save Evan. Meanwhile, Genevieve Teague has a meeting with Lionel Luthor and threatens to hurt Lex, in case the missing stone from China is not delivered to her. But Lionel soon turns the tables on Genevieve by poisoning her (the same way he unsuccessfully tried to poison Lex in the previous season) and threatens not to give her the antidote unless she gives him the second missing stone whom she in fact stole from the murdered Bridget Crosby.

So what do you think of this episode?

If you missed it, you can watch it here.

SUZANNE SOMERS LIVE IN TORONTO – Presented By: TruBalance Healthcare – 63 and absolutley amazing!! http://ping.fm/XwA3c

She’s beat cancer and feels like she’s 30 – all natural – new book Knockout,  is a must read as well as Ageless, her last book.  It will change your outlook – change your life!

Bed by 9, sleep in total darkness, eat all natural and organic as much as possible, lots of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, as well as have your blood checked to get your hormone levels and adjust them back to when you were younger by using hormone creams and patches.

We think she’s living proof!

Go Natural

The TODAY show’s Ann Curry interviewed Suzanne Somers about her personal experience with cancer and the interviews she conducted with “controversial” doctors who are using alternative methods to treat cancer.  Somers calls her new book, Knockout: Interviews with Doctors who are Curing Cancer,” a book of “options” and a “book of hope.”  After being misdiagnosed with full body cancer by 6 different doctors, she was spurred to write this new book.  In it, she highlights doctors who are using using alternative methods to treat cancer – integrating nutritional, integrative, or even full out standard of care and chemotherapy, and utilizing different things to make it less harsh or make it more effective.  “I am not anti-pharmaceutical, but they should be saved as the last tool in the practitioner’s back pocket.”

An excerpt from Knockout

This was an amazing group of people. These doctors were the courageous ones who stepped out of the Western “standard of care” box to declare that the present template of medicine is not working. Drugs are not the answer. Drugs and chemicals are degrading the brains of our elders and sneaking up on the unsuspecting young ones.  I looked around at this group of healthy-looking, vibrant people and was excited to bring them all together. We were all living this new approach to wellness. And before our delicious organic meal was served, everyone pulled out their little bags of supplements. We all got a laugh over that one.

As a long-time proponent of using alternative methods to treat disease and to foster longevity, Somers has referenced BodyLogicMD’s doctors as experts in hormone balance utilizing bioidentical hormones.  After seeking out BodyLogicMD’s experts and interviewing them about cutting edge methods of balancing hormones, she dedicated an entire chapter to BodyLogicMD in her book, Ageless and also mentioned our experts in Breakthrough.  BodyLogicMD’s highly trained physicians are advocates of preventive medicine and instead of putting bandaids on disease, getting to the source and helping our patients live better, longer in a more optimal state of health.

A peaceful warrior
sits on a bench
in the park
in silence, alone

Healing himself
attracting wealth
with the secret
he’s always known

He studies his course in miracles
with his ageless body and mind
learns seven habits and seven laws
and converses with the divine

He’s quietly focused
intent on his goal
Aware that he’s ONE
with each passing soul

The power of positive thinking
forged new neural paths in his brain
creating this bliss on the bench he enjoys
as he continues to miss his train

Top 20 Trends in 2009 (MUST WATCH) – 2009 Forecast by TREND HUNTER Research (THTV)

Shared via AddThis

Take a minute to watch ! it’s really interesting…

By Michael Sullivan (A Rebel with a Cause)

For the past three years I have been consumed by the wonder as well as the trials and tribulations of the issues related to aging, with a particular focus on the issues for those age 60 and above.  Fostered by the influx of magazine articles, television specials, the experiences of friends, family and myself, it is a constant “in your face” issue and a personal challenge for many of us.

I will be sharing both my opinions and some facts I have gleaned from my research and interviews. I realize it is impossible to generalize about everyone, and if my views don’t apply to you, no problem just hit delete or disregard them.  If you are already satisfied with your perspective and personal realities relative to aging this article may reinforce your perspectives or may be utilized to inspire a loved one to address their issues related to aging.

I began my journey by trying to understand and control my frustration with the intellectual disconnect related to what I call the ‘HUMAN NATURE SYNDROME’ and how it keeps us from being the best that we can be, especially as we age in our 60s’ and beyond.  It is absolutely amazing to me that so many of us are not happy and healthy especially in our later years, despite the fact that everything we need to know and do to lead happy and healthy lives has been documented and published for eons

In their book “The Power Years,” Ken Dychtwald and Daniel Kadlec write:

“As we look downstream at retirement and old age, we don’t like what we see. We’re noticing that for the majority of today’s older adults, the retirement dream is proving to be an unhappy and diminished period of life that is too often characterized by social isolation, loneliness, inertia, a sense of personal diminishment, and financial dependency.”

We have all heard or read the “right things” to do to age well until we are ready to scream and yet we don’t embrace them.  For instance, we don’t: eat right, exercise enough, reduce stress, stop smoking etc, etc, etc.  I know aging brings with it physical and mental realities (I am 62) but the degree to which many of us do nothing to address them or in fact accelerate them is simply beyond belief.  What part of our own human nature allows us to not love ourselves enough to do what we know is best for us?  Best for us not based on opinion but on fact.  Think about it as it applies to you and those things you are not doing that will help you lead a better life as you age.  If anyone finds a “cure” for this ‘HUMAN NATURE SYNDROME’ they will become a billionaire.

I don’t propose to have a cure, but perhaps a perspective and context that will help you look at how you are aging and inspire you to do what is necessary for you to be the best you can be at 60 and beyond.

We all need to focus on our health and fitness regardless of our age and especially as we approach our 50s and beyond.   However, I have focused on our 60s’ because it is my belief that in general (especially in light of the current economic situation and its impact on our net worth) our 60s’ offers us the first opportunity to truly rebalance our lives between vocation, avocation, financial needs, having fun and most importantly taking care of ourselves.  Our 60s’ represent the tipping point and bridge to the rest of our lives.  I also believe that no other decade has as protracted an impact on our lives as our 60s’. The decisions we make relative to rebalancing the key components (health, financial, spiritual, vocational, etc.) of life in our 60s’ will have a profound and in some cases irreversible affect on the quality of the remainder of our lives. So, how are we to more effectively manage how we age? Well, here it is.

MY PREMISE:

1. Apply the attitude of the 1960s’ to your 60s’
2. Make Your Physical Fitness/Health a daily priority
3. Identify and address the real core reason(s) why physical fitness is not a priority to you

THE 60s’ IN YOUR 60s’

We need to apply the “attitude of the 1960s” when we challenged everything and challenge all the current myths and misplaced beliefs related to aging especially from one’s 60s’ and beyond. For example, challenge the following:

• That it is normal to have aches and pains;
• Sex and intimacy is not as important anymore;
• A pill is necessary to perform (allowing exceptions that apply for medical reasons);
• Exercising 30 minutes a day will get you fit;
• Can’t participate in more adventurous activities;
• Guaranteed loss of energy

In many cases these myths and beliefs are “sold” to us by pundits and companies with profit motives. These myths and misplaced beliefs become a reality only if we allow them to do so.

Some of us believe the manner in which we age and the issues we face are predetermined by our genes.  However according to Dr. Steven Cherniskie, PhD, only 35% or our longevity is determined by our genetic makeup.  So, two-thirds of our life span is under our control.  And if you are at genetic risk, isn’t that all the more reason to prioritize addressing your health related issues? How we age and how we feel about aging, therefore, is up to us.

MAKE YOUR PHYSICAL FITNESS A DAILY PRIORITY

I know what you are thinking —If one more person tells me to exercise, two things are going to happen—-first, I am going to scream and second, I’m going to shoot them.  Well get ready and hold your thoughts of shooting me until you finish the article.  And as I stated earlier, if you don’t agree with me—no problem, just ignore me and you won’t have a felony conviction on your record.

What do I mean by physical fitness? I mean, that through a minimum of one hour of daily exercise and good nutrition you achieve a balance between endurance, strength, flexibility, energy level, balance and body weight.   It is different for everyone but you will know what is right for you—you will simply ‘feel’ the impact of your choices; you will feel great!  There are thousands of educational and fitness resources available to you to determine your needs and the best plan to address them.  I know we also need to have mental, spiritual, emotional, and sexual health, for they are all interrelated, but I believe physical fitness is the linchpin.  So, unless you are the best multi-tasker in the world, fitness is the best initial place to focus our time and energy as we rebalance our lives in our 60s’ and beyond.  Jack LaLane in a recent interview in the Men’s Journal said it well—“Exercise is king.  Nutrition is queen. Put them together, and you’ve got a kingdom.”

When you ask people what is most important to them, a great majority say their health.  From that point on it gets very complicated, especially when one tries to keep the approach for staying healthy simple, realistic, implementable and relative to the ‘Human Nature Syndrome’, that I mentioned earlier, sustainable.  To most of the folks I speak with, health to them means freedom from major illnesses such as Cancer, Heart Disease, Diabetes and Dementia in their later years.  But why not feel as healthy as you can, all the time, by being fit; and, in so doing, help prevent the possible onslaught of one or all of these diseases?  While it sounds reasonable, logical, practical and achievable, most of us don’t make it our priority.

Let’s talk some more about why we should make physical fitness a daily priority.  I’ll throw in some hard data (add the quote noted above by Dychtwald and Kadlec), and, hopefully, put my perspective in a context that, not only makes sense to you, but will inspire you to act accordingly.

As I visited various retirement communities I reviewed the questionnaires they gave to prospects to determine their lifestyle needs and priorities.  The following are the areas that were identified:

Personal Health                                            Social Companionship

Staying Physically Active                            Opportunities to do new Things

Cost and Access of Health Care                   Finances

Wellness Programs                                       Driving

Remaining Independent                                Travel

Security                                                         Healthy Energy Level

As I studied them, I pondered what common thread connects them. And from my evaluation, it is clearly Physical Fitness.  Physical Fitness has a direct and significant impact on every one of the needs noted.  It poses a different context in which one could view the critical importance of our physical fitness and hopefully outweigh, in our minds, the reason(s) we don’t address our fitness needs.

There are numerous daily reports relative to healthcare and physical fitness that share the projected negative impact of not engaging in physical activity on all of us, but with profound emphasis for those of us in our later years.  Here are just a significant few, what I call “Macro” factors, relative to the importance of physical fitness and good health.

• Research has shown that seniors can expect Medicare to cover only about half of their medical expenses, on average.  According to Fidelity Investments, the average senior retiring at age 65 this year will need $240,000 to pay the out-of-pocket costs of healthcare for the rest of his or her life.
• Thirty states currently have laws making adult children responsible for their parents, if their parents can’t afford to take care of themselves.  While these laws are rarely enforced, there has been speculation that states may begin dusting them off, as a way to save on Medicaid expenses, according to SeniorJournal.com.
• According to Dr. Andrew Weil, less than 5% of the US population will be born with a defective gene. That means over 95% of us have some say in how we age.  Most diseases can be attributable to lifestyle choices, not old age.
• According to the department of Health & Human Services 50% of all medical costs are attributable to preventable illnesses.
• The financial health of Medicare is in dire straits and the projected overall cost for health care could bankrupt our country. We simply cannot rely solely on our government to provide for us. If we do we could literally wind up dead before our time.
• New technology that will effectively treat the major diseases will continue to evolve but if you are not in good physical condition you may not be around to utilize them, or be a suitable candidate.  And depending upon the “system” that the current Administration implements, you may have to wait months before getting access to major medical treatments.

So, when you combine both the individual and personal needs, with the more “Macro” factors (and there are more) noted above, why would you not do what is best for you and focus on your fitness and health?  Perhaps this information and perspective will inspire you to do so.

IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS THE REAL CORE REASONS WHY PHYSICAL FITNESS IS NOT A PRIORITY TO YOU.

This topic is too complex for the scope of this article but I will share some salient thoughts with you based on my readings and discussions with older folks.

Whether it is from a medical, psychological, or uniquely personal perspective, I know there are numerous reasons why we don’t do what is best for us. However, that doesn’t justify the degree to which many of us do nothing, or not enough for our well-being, knowing the profound effect it has on us and those that love us.

I hear people say, “I don’t like to exercise”.  Well, I am not here to sell you on why you should, but rather to provide a perspective that may help you view exercise and fitness differently.  Many of us don’t like our jobs and can come up with a lot of reasons why we don’t.  But we face and manage REALITY.  We need to work to survive and give ourselves a chance to be the best we can be.  Some of us need to approach fitness and our overall health in the same context—that it is simply not an option.

The reasons we don’t exercise and maximize our health are many and often are related to issues deep within us.  But whatever they are, and however many you have– view them as WEEDS, in your garden of life. PULL YOUR WEEDS AND WATER YOUR SEEDS. The weeds block the sun, hinder your happiness, cloud your perspective, rob you of growth, and steal your energy.  Some even have thorns that deter us from even considering the task of pulling them.  Water your seeds of growth by exercising and focusing on what we all say is our number one concern—our health.

It all gets back to my earlier statement that ‘we need to love ourselves enough to do what we need to do, to be the best we can be’ My colleague and fellow Rebel with a Cause, Charly (no e) Heavenrich, in his book Dancing on the Edge, addresses this issue eloquently through the teachings of an Indian medicine women named Spirit Dancer.  Spirit Dancer guides him (as he runs the rapids in the Grand Canyon) on his path to introspection, awareness and the willingness to “jump off the edge” in order to address the difficult issues we all face in life, including our fitness and health.  This book has had a profound effect on me and my attitude towards fitness, health, life and aging—it may do the same for you. (No, I do not get a sales commission)

My goal when I started this article was to share some of my opinions and hard facts with the intention of creating a perspective and context that would help you view exercise and fitness in a manner that would inspire you to make them a daily priority as you age in your 60s’ and beyond.  And in summary, here is my final shot—

• Many of us say our Health is our number one concern—we need to act accordingly.
• Fitness is the common thread between the personal needs noted above, by seniors as they continue to age.
• The current and future impact of the “Macro” issues and ongoing medical and political trends, demand that we take more control and accountability for our own health and fitness.
• Money! By being fit we reduce the chances that we will need procedures that increase the cost of our insurance, cost of medications, deductibles and co-pays.  Money is usually a great motivator– make it one of yours.
• No one can do it for us—only we can exercise and stay fit.
• If you don’t exercise, seek the root cause (s) and remove it as an obstacle (s)
• The need for fitness and exercise is as much a reality as the need for work and food.
• Do it because you love yourself.

Don’t give into the Human Nature Syndrome.  Give good health and fitness to yourself and to those you love and who love you.  Others have done it and you can do it as well or better.  Join me—Be a Rebel with a Cause—the best cause of all— YOU.

Yes, I’m hooked on the book: The Art of Possibility.  I keep finding the brilliant nuggets that keep bringing me back to how it relates to Ageless Dreamer.  Ben writes about a Taiwanese student who, “in a brilliant flash”, had hit upon the secret of life. This student realized that the “labels he had been taking so seriously are human inventions — it’s all a game.”  The student explained it this way: “I was number 68 out of 70 student. I come to Boston and Mr. Zander says I am an A. Very confusing. I walk about, three weeks, very confused. I am Number 68, but Mr. Zander says I am an A student….I am Number 68, but Mr. Zander says I am an A. One day I discover much happier A than Number 68. So I decide I am an A.”

And so today, I am going to give the idea of Ageless Dreamer an A.  A great big giant A.  If it’s all invented anyway, I’m going to choose to invent something that, as Ben Zander says, “brightens our life and the lives of the people around us.”  It may be that Ageless Dreamer is re-inventing itself so that it will spring board up, instead of spiral down — as he calls it.  In the “university of possibility, you set the context and let life unfold.” That’s exactly what I intend to do with Ageless Dreamer. 

Thank you, Ben!

That’s where Ageless Dreamer and The Art of Possibility naturally come together.  In his book, The Art of Possibility, Ben Zander writes about a talk he was invited to give at a Jewish home for the elderly (pg.64).  When he arrived at the rather dingy hall 10 minutes before he was to begin only one person was sitting in the fifth row of a bank of folding chairs. The woman, Sarah, chatted with him for a moment and he asked her to move up to  a seat nearer the front. Sarah declared: “I always sit here.”  Ben good-naturedly challenged her, saying, “who knows, Sarah, if you change your seat maybe something new will happen today.”

“Are you crazy? At my age?  I’m eighty-three!”  By now, Ben writes, she was standing, and, as if to prove him wrong, she actually moved, from the fifth row to the fourth. After wondering if anyone else would be coming to hear him speak the remaining chairs gradually filled and shortly after he scheduled time to begin a sizable group was ready to begin.  It turns out, Sarah was by no means the oldest; one member of the audience was 103.  The topic was “New Possibilities”. 

Ben shared some heartfelt stories  about his Father and his wonderful sense of humor. The audience laughed and sang with him “igniting the air in the once-dingy room.”  And this is where I yellow highlighted another sentence he wrote: “We challenged assumptions about old age and pointed toward some new beginnings.”   So does Ageless Dreamer.

That’s what Ageless Dreamer, since January 2006, has been working to do – challenge assumptions about old age. Encourage our oldest generation to dream out loud and remind caregivers and adult children to engage them in conversations that enhance their quality of life.  And, as author Elizabeth Coatsworth wrote when she was in her eighties, “When I dream, I am ageless.”  So am I.

www.michael-jackson-photos.com

Media coverage of the funeral for Michael Jackson was massive and global. Such was the almost universal appeal of the Jackson entertainment machine. Yet, just a single lifetime ago, the style of “entertainment” embraced by generations of Jackson worshippers would have been relegated to the world of the weird and the perverse, if not the downright demonic.

How did the sense of taste and the social values of society descend to such a morally destructive level?

Reading David Gates’s article on Michael Jackson, the cover story for the July 13 newsstand edition of Newsweek, brought back memories of the timeless piece written by Herbert W. Armstrong about society’s reaction to Beatle John Lennon’s murder.

Gates placed Jackson in order of descent in a line of pop idols that have emanated from postwar Anglo-American “culture.” “True, for a while he was the king of pop,” he wrote, “and he’s the last we’re ever likely to have. Before Michael Jackson came Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and the Beatles ….”

Thirty years ago, Herbert Armstrong nominated the same entertainment icons of the postwar era as being part of a trend that indicated “[t]his world is fast losing all sense—if it ever had any—of true social values. The lower the standard of social values, the more popular they become in a misguided and deceived humanity” (Worldwide News, Dec. 22, 1980).

Ever one to seek the cause of a phenomenon, rather than just highlight its effect, Herbert Armstrong traced the history of the postwar trend to idolize the human icons of entertainment:

In a way, the Beatles started this modern trend in a new Satan-influenced lifestyle of a degenerating culture and sense of social values. But John Lennon was their band-leader in this.

It picked up what had been started by Frank Sinatra, when teenage girls ran screaming half out of their minds for his autograph. It was revived and intensified by Elvis Presley. Then the Beatles delivered Satan’s knockout blow to any public sense of social values in the world.

It is interesting that journalist David Gates would choose exactly the same trend, employing exactly the same examples, as Herbert Armstrong to describe this postwar phenomenon. But Mr. Armstrong highlighted the result, in his lifetime, of 35 years of pop idol worship—each one of those “idols” becoming more degenerate than the rest.

Commenting upon the powerful influence of the Beatles on society, Herbert Armstrong observed:

The hippie fad followed. Down went morality, rising triumphantly was promiscuous sex, “pot,” drugs, divorce, broken homes.

The world will deify and worship one who can start humanity on such a downward plunge. Lennon left a fortune, managed by his Japanese wife, of some $230 million—but that’s OK with the public as long as he was in “show-biz” and leading a misguided humanity further into Satan’s way of life.

Lennon even made the statement at one time that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ. He had millions—untold millions—of worshippers.

Clearly, the spirit that uses the entertainment industry as a tool to aid in the destruction of the moral fiber of whole nations was not finished when John Lennon met his demise. There would be one more “idol,” and his influence on generations of children would mold their minds into a state where no longer could they differentiate between that which was clearly manly and upright on the one hand and soundly feminine on the other. A whole confusion of spirit as to the intended orientation of God-created humanity would result.

“As the prepubescent frontboy of the Jackson 5, he sang in a cherubic mezzo-soprano of sexual longing he could not have fully felt. As a young man … he seemed to never fully inhabit himself—whoever that self was. In middle age, he consciously took on the role of Peter Pan … with what he seemed to believe was an ageless, androgynous physical appearance … thanks to straightened hair and plastic surgery. … He did his best to construct an alternative reality on top of what must have been an initially miserable life …” (Newsweek, op. cit.).

In essence, Jackson ultimately embodied elements of the two pop idols who preceded him, by marrying Elvis’s daughter and buying the Beatles’ catalog of songs. But as David Gates points out, Jackson was to descend even further down the slippery slope of decadence than Elvis and Lennon, becoming “the most sinister of superstars” (emphasis mine throughout). He was to eventually morph into what looked “like both a vampire and a mummy—Peter Pan’s undead evil twins.”

In its eulogy for Jackson, the Economist noted that “He told his biographer, Randy Taraborrelli, that he had ‘deep, dark secrets.’ They were encased in a voice as soft as a whisper, a handshake that felt like a cloud, a face as pale and delicate as plastic surgery and Porcelana skin-bleach could make it. Dark glasses and surgical masks kept the world away from him. … He shared his meals with a chimpanzee and his bed with young boys …” (July 2).

To a pre-baby boomer, that’s just plain weird!

Then again, I hail from a generation when men were, overwhelmingly, really men, and women really women, and very happy to be so! To appear as anything else, to in any way have the slightest doubt of one’s gender—or very humanness for that matter—would have then rendered one ostracized from society … for the good of society!

As to dining with a monkey? The great problem with presenting such a confusing image to the world, wrapped in the trappings of huge success as an entertainer, is the effect on the minds of the young. The Economist noted, “But he had sold 750 million albums and, from Riga to Rio, children danced like him.”

Yes, children all over the world danced like Michael Jackson—their idol. What effect does having such a confused individual as their “idol” have on young minds?

Believe it or not, it has a deep effect on the molding of a child’s mind, particularly influencing what it ultimately accepts as normal. It creates an impression in the mind that the perverse—going far beyond the bounds of acceptable norms—is acceptable behavior. It places the stamp of approval on social behavior that is way beyond the bounds set by generations of the past when a nation was great, a nation founded upon clear guidelines as to what is truly male and truly female behavior—true social standards.

The all-too-ready acceptance by parents of the “appeal” that outlandish behavior has on impressionable, immature minds clouds the judgment of adults when faced with a choice between permitting their children exposure to entertainment which is educational, uplifting and morally sound and that which is clearly perverse. In short, it creates confusion—and that points right to its source (1 Corinthians 14:33).

The upshot is we now have a generation in their 30s and 40s who, having grown up exposed to Jackson idolatry, their social standards shaped by such weirdness as portrayed in his top-selling Thriller album, make decisions at government and corporate level that affect multiple millions. The White House currently has in residence a president who has stated he grew up with Michael Jackson’s music and is happy he’s “being remembered primarily for the great joy that he brought to a lot of people ….” “Still have all his stuff on my iPod,” the president said.

Herbert Armstrong was right: “This world is fast losing all sense—if it ever had any—of true social values. The lower the standard of social values, the more popular they become in a misguided and deceived humanity.”

It’s that loss of true social values, once reflected in Anglo-American society during the heights of its greatness, that now results in the leading lights of the gender-bending movements being entertained at the White House and at Number 10 Downing Street. It’s such a degenerative influence in society that leads the oldest political party in the world, the British Tories, to strongly endorse perverse lifestyles and even predict that one day they shall place one who embraces confusion of gender at the helm of the nation.

Most worrying of all to those who embrace the fundamental virtues upon which successful societies are built is the inference by a world leader that he will work to endorse historically anti-social behavior, “step by step, law by law, mind by changing mind.”

Trouble is, these days it takes a really enlightened mind to see such an insidious process for what it is and to deduce where it is ultimately leading.

Then when one does see it, comes the question, as asked by Herbert Armstrong in the article previously quoted, “What hope is there in such a world?”

It truly takes a mind enlightened by the Creator of mankind to provide the answer to that burning question. Herbert Armstrong gave the only patently true answer 30 years ago, upon the death of an earlier pop icon, in words that are even more appropriate today in the wake of Michael Jackson’s death.

Of that hope, Herbert Armstrong declared, there is just one. It’s time we all pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” And put our hearts and energies in our prayers, as disciples, like this now dead “hero” put his into the raucous loud squawk and scream with the fast beat. The world can put real energy into the things of Satan. Can we put some real energy into our prayers?

How seriously do we really want God’s Kingdom to come? Let’s put some energy into our prayers for it!

Talk about it with George!

George Carlin on aging!
(Absolutely Brilliant)

IF YOU DON’T READ THIS TO THE VERY END, YOU HAVE LOST A DAY IN YOUR LIFE. AND WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED, DO AS I AM DOING AND SEND IT ON.

George Carlin’s Views on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we’re kids? If you’re less than 10 years old, you’re so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

‘How old are you?’ ‘I’m four and a half!’ You’re never thirty-six and a half. You’re four and a half, going on five! That’s the key.

You get into your teens, now they can’t hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

‘How old are you?’ ‘I’m gonna be 16!’ You could be 13, but hey, you’re gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life! You become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony. YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30… Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There’s no fun now, you’re Just a sour-dumpling. What’s wrong? What’s changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you’re PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it’s all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn’t think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.

You’ve built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it’s a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80’s and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn’t end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; ‘I Was JUST 92.’

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. ‘I’m 100 and a half!’
May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!!

HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay ‘them.’

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. ‘An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.’ And the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it’s family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is…

10. Tell the people you love that you love them at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER :
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away

And if you don’t send this to at least 8 people – who cares? But do share this with someone. We all need to live life to its fullest each day!!

I got some info off of the realage.com website-it’s got some good info, check it out.

It appears that not only are almonds good for the intestinal tract, but it also appears to slow down the aging process-strawberries also seem to work as well. They slow the decline in the ends of the DNA strands which occur with aging-when the strands stop growing, the cells die and the aging process/disease occurs.

Celery is also a good food for a couple of reasons. First, it lowers blood pressure, secondly, studies show if eaten an hour before bedtime you sleep better. For those of you with juicers, 4 stalks should do it for both conditions. Food is medicine, medicine is food.

Stay well, John R Blilie, M.S.

HaveItHealth.com

Inspiration pour un style d’Automne chic mais sobre, simple et séduisant. Comme l’indique la couverture, really an ageless style. Un style sans âge, à porter cette année, l’année prochaine, etc… et pour (presque) tous les âges !

Julianne Moore pour Vogue UK, juillet 2009:

The ART of Young Living

Recovered accounts reveal that the most advanced civilizations of the ancient world, the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Chinese, relied upon the immense power of essential oils to regain, increase, or maintain health of the body and mind. Young living is restoring this lost wisdom and helping people understand that essential oils and aromatherapy can do much more than soothe, invigorate, and uplift.

Based upon cutting-edge scientific research, Young Living has combined the health secrets of the ages with the latest age refining technology to produce a ground breaking new anti-ageing skin care system- ART.

“By combining the timeless knowledge of essential oils with the latest skin care technology, Young living has produced a system that will revolutionize the industry and provide extraordinary results. Our passion for purity, quality, and integrity guarantees your skin will benefit from the very best.”

Accessing skin damage

Through the ages, the beauty of the human form has inspired artists, and the very essence of that beauty is illuminated through a face. The delicate bone structure, natural features, and unique attributes help shape the human face and distinguish appearance. But, perhaps even more brilliant than the architecture of the human face is the soft, smooth, exquisite skin tone that makes a face so extraordinary, and so unforgettable.

Like any work of art, the natural process of aging can have a negative affect on the texture, tone and appearance of skin. As we age, our skin is repeatedly exposed to harmful chemicals and damaging sunlight. Over time, this exposure causes significant damage to DNA and eventually, the skin starts to thin, age spots appear, and uneven skin tone and wrinkle formation result. In fact, the persistant DNA damage is the primary cause of ageing on the skin.

Aging also weakens the body’s ability to produce collagen. The dermis, which lies just beneath the top layer of your skin, consists of cells called fibroblasts that produce collagen. A skin matures, fibroblasts lose the ability to produce collagen, which causes the epidermis, or top layer of skin, to thin. As a result, deeply-bedded wrinkles occur.

To actually restore your complexion’s vibrant, youthful appearance, you must enhance your body’s natural ability to repair DNA. Young Living has combined the newest DNA recovery technology with the latest collagen enhancing ingredients, creating a formula that can combat the visible signs of aging at the cellular level, renewing younger looking skin.

When I was a child my father could smash 15 tiles at once, telling me then age limits nothing. Recently my brother sent me a video of my father splitting an ice block with a single blow. Watching that made me ponder the life I gave up when I left Japan. Soon I recalled the skills, wisdom and strength I have gained here in the US and smiled, more than certain of my capabilities. I think I will celebrate this by visiting a local arcade with my co-worker soon

All throughout their lives, children want one thing – to be a “big kid”. They would give anything to be able to choose their own bedtime, cross the street by themselves, or select their own diet. Then, once these goals have been accomplished, kids cannot wait to become a “teenager”, and dive into its associated benefits – a driver’s license, and the thrill of first entering high school. After this, we all look forward to moving away from home, getting a full-time job, and entering the “real world”. Starting a family is a common desire following this. Why is it, that all throughout life we as humans crave “growing up”, but as soon as we hit a certain dreaded age, we loath being referred to as “senior citizens”?

There is a huge amount of stigma associated with aging. The media takes every opportunity they can to point fingers at the once “young-and-beautiful” stars who have become too wrinkly for Hollywood. To be honest, the physical signs of aging should not be fought. Sagging skin adds character, and white hair is saved only for the wise. A 2008 New York Times article entitled “Whatever You Do, Call It Work”, stated that many Americans are becoming reluctant to call themselves retirees. However, it can be argued that individuals work for years of their life to be able to enjoy not having a job, when they have finally saved up enough money to sustain themselves without a steady income. Retirement marks a time in one’s life where he or she can reap the benefits of a full-time holiday. It is a time during which citizens can enjoy various activities, travel to interesting locations, and of course – realize that for once in your life, you will not need a resume, have to wake up a certain hour, or report to that boss who is actually younger than you because of their “modern” approach.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/21/business/retirement/21social.html?_r=4&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Calling yourself a “senior” should not be something shameful. Yes, it may mean you look older, have slower reflexes, and an array of potential medical issues associated with aging. But it also means that you have paid your dues – you have worked hard through your life to enjoy an extended long-weekend. It means that you have years of experience and wisdom that young people should be scared to question. Just as teenagers are stereotyped to be reckless, irresponsible, and risky, and toddlers are commonly accused of being mischievous and sneaky, being in the senior age group has its associated stereotypical behaviour and characteristics. It is very important to understand though, that these stereotypes hardly ever apply to every single senior citizen, and are commonly blown out of proportion. C’mon now, not all of the elderly set their cruise control on 40km/h, and BINGO may be popular, but seniors have other fun and interesting hobbies as well.

Somewhere along the lines the term “senior” became associated with a negative connotation. This term is commonly linked to someone who is higher up in a hierarchy, someone with more knowledge than his or her subordinates, or someone who has worked their way up to earn this title. Going to senior kindergarten is the first step to what seems like much bigger and better things at the time – grade school. A senior in high school is the most respected; they are big fish in a small pond. The elders in Church, in Native bands, and across Asian cultures, are looked up to. The term “senior” should be associated with respect, not shame. Society is coming up with new terms to use as synonyms, because of this negativity towards using the word “senior”. For instance, the terms “boomer” and “zoomer”, although completely appropriate, are masking the main issue with being a senior – age. Old age should not be considered a burden, but a gift. Seniors today should learn to embrace this title. Like I said at the start of this piece, becoming a senior citizen is just another stage of the circle of life. It is just another step in “growing up”.

Written by Chloe Hamilton of Warm Embrace Elderly Care

You’re sitting in the doctor’s waiting room, watching the clock, waiting for your mother’s medical tests to finally be over.  Mentally you’re calculating whether you have enough time to drive your mother home, pick up some groceries, and cook dinner for your teens…or will you be ordering pizza yet again tonight?

If this scene feels at all familiar to you, then you’re likely one of the 712,000 Canadians who fit into the infamous “sandwich generation”.  The sandwich generation generally applies to those in their 40’s to 60’s who are simultaneously caring for their aging parents as well as their growing children.  The term “sandwich generation” was coined in 1981 by the demographer Dorothy Miller, but it has really only come to the forefront in recent years as increasing portions of the population are affected by the crunch of multi-generational caregiving.

Advances in healthcare are allowing people to live longer lives, though not necessarily healthier lives.  The end of one’s life may include more intensive care years, further demanding the time and energy of the sandwich generation who is caught between their parents and children.  The increased life expectancy has led to another possibility—the club sandwich generation (or double-decker sandwich).  The club sandwich refers to people who are assisting their aging parents, while also being involved in their children’s, and grandchildren’s lives.  Four living generations is no longer a rare scenario.

It is now possible for families to have two generations who are both in their senior years at the same time!  The club sandwich can also apply to someone who is in her 40’s who has teenagers at home, while also assisting her 68 year old parents and her 89 and 92 year old grandparents.  A woman in this situation is caring for two senior generations simultaneously, while also raising her own family.

Add to this the pressures of work, marriage, personal life, volunteer commitments, and personal health—no wonder there is concern about the sandwich generation suffering burn-out!  Often people feel that they should be able to manage all of the simultaneous caregiving because previous generations managed to do so.  In reality, previous generations did not experience the sandwich generation phenomenon to the same degree, and they certainly did not have club sandwiches!  Recognizing the unique challenges faced by today’s sandwich generation will help to alleviate guilt and replace the sense of “I should be able to do this” with “where can I find meaningful assistance?”.

Acknowledging that you cannot do it all alone and that you deserve assistance is the first step.  Caring for your own health and well-being is crucial, or you risk injury and illness to yourself.  Managing to eat healthy meals, and getting exercise needs to be a personal priority, not just something to do if you have time left over—because there is never time left over.  Accept enough assistance so that you are able to lead a balanced lifestyle that cares for both you and your loved ones.

Then, with support systems set in place, you can avoid being toasted, and enjoy as many of your “sandwich” years as possible!

Seniors can and should remain healthy, active, vital, independent, and sexy. These qualities are ageless. In fact seniors who live an active lifestyle – are physically active, exercise regularly, and participate in leisure activities – can help to prevent or delay many diseases and disabilities.

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada:

* 60% of older adults are inactive.
* Sitting or lying for long periods is a serious health risk.
* Inactivity leads to declines in bone strength, muscle strength, heart and lung fitness, and flexibility.
* Inactivity is as harmful to your health as smoking.

The one thing that most seniors fear is giving up their independence, yet the numbers of seniors who are inactive is alarming. Mobility is essential for independent living – bending, carrying, and lifting are necessary in the course of everyday living. It’s never too late to get active. In a recent study by the Buck Institute, Simon Melov, PhD, and Mark Tarnopolsky, MD, PhD, of McMaster University Medical Center in Hamilton, Ontario, found that exercise, particularly resistance training, actually rejuvenates muscle tissue in healthy senior citizens.

Start today. Keep as active as possible. Just 30 minutes of physical activity a day will improve your health and quality of life. Walk, dance, garden, golf, go shopping, take the dog for a walk, volunteer, cycle, do your housework, take yoga and Pilates classes, play with your grandchildren, and have sex. Yes sex! It’s great exercise. In winter, you can still keep active by walking in shopping malls, going to your local community centre, or joining a gym.

Seniors who exercise regularly enjoy:

* Improved quality of life
* Vitality
* Prolonged independence
* Increased energy
* Stronger muscles and bones
* Fewer aches and pains
* Better posture
* Reduced risk of falls and injuries, obesity, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, and depression

Exercise is good for all seniors, even those with medical conditions including heart conditions, osteoporosis, and arthritis. Please consult your doctor for a medically recommended exercise program.

This summer, splash into the latest hair trend: mermaid-like waves.  This glamorous yet laid-back style is perfect for all summer occasions and a great look for both you and your daughter.  Because young or old, who hasn’t wanted to be a mermaid?

Suki Duggan, owner of the Donsuki Townhouse Salon on Upper East Side Manhattan, shares her tips on how to create this great mother, daughter look.  Suki suggests:

- Section hair into 1-2 inch pieces
- Rolling each section and pinning as you go. 
- After the rollers have cooled, run a comb through your hair to get large, soft waves.  A spritz of hairspray should hold the style for the day.

Such a classic, feminine style!

Carine Roitfeld is not just any editor. As Editor-in-Chief of French Vogue, Carine Roitfeld celebrates the wickedly coquettish gamut of style and fashion, as evident in her passion for esoteric black ensembles with the occasional dash of color to bewilder her colleagues and followers. Using The Breakfast Club as the foundation for a metaphor, imagine if American Vogue is Molly Ringwald with the perfectly coiffed ‘do, French Vogue is, of course, the rebel Ally Sheedy with the untamed hair (and eyebrows), in addition to the blacked-out eyes. The same could be said for her personal style; after all, she looks and moves like the alluring thoroughbred, Black Beauty.