Dangling from the Christmas tree, tucked into party favors, or bathing in a cup of hot chocolate, candy canes are winter sweets that show up as a familiar guest to many winter holiday gatherings.
Candy canes are available throughout the year, but about 90% of them are sold in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day."Americans love the tradition of including chocolate and candy in their celebrations of the winter holidays – and nothing is more iconic during this time than candy canes," says Carly Schildhaus, spokesperson for the National Confectioners Association.
The first canes were made entirely of white candy and without the trademark hook, but sometime in the early 1900s the familiar red and white canes appeared. Today they are available in traditional peppermint, along with fruit, sour or even cereal flavors.
The Sweet Beginnings of the Candy Cane
When it comes to the origins of the candy cane, we only have legends. Some say a creative choirmaster in Germany in the 1600s handed out the sweets to the child singers to keep them quiet during a Christmas ceremony, bending the canes to give a nod to the shepherds in the story of the Nativity.
The first canes were made entirely of white candy and without the trademark hook, but sometime in the early 1900s the familiar red and white canes appeared.
A German-Swedish immigrant named August Imgard brought the candy cane tradition to Ohio in 1847, decorating a spruce tree with paper and candy canes. Soon, red and white peppermint-flavored candy canes were a familiar part of the holiday season.
Although it is unclear whether the candy cane's cathedral debut in Germany is true, a man of the cloth did have a part in making the candy cane available to the masses. In the 1920s, a candy maker named Bob McCormack made candy canes by hand and distributed them locally in Albany, Georgia.
But decades later, his candy business, known as Bobs Candies, could not keep up with the demand. Candymakers had to bend the delicate candies into a hook by hand after they came from the manufacturing belt, and a majority of them broke into pieces. 
In the 1950s, McCormack's brother-in-law, Gregory Keller, stepped in to help. Keller, a priest, invented a machine that automated the bending process. The machine allowed production levels to rise, and Bobs Candies began to sell the sweets nationwide. They quickly became a holiday tradition for millions.
How They Are Made 
To make candy canes, candy makers heat corn syrup and sugar in a kettle and vacuum cook to speed drying. The candy is poured onto a large cooling table where flavors are added along with starches to hold in the flavoring and to keep the candy from being too sticky. Then it is "pulled" by machine until silken and white in color.
After being formed into a log shape, colorful stripes are formed and aded to the white log.  Once the log is put back on the rollers, the stripes are twisted around the log as it is stretched into a rope shape. Then the long ropes are cut into strips. While still warm, the candy is packaged into plastic wrappers and bent into a hook-shape before being placed into their "cradles" for shipping. You can see how Spangler Candy Company makes their candy canes here.
Season's Sweetings 
"Candy canes are a nostalgic cultural symbol, and they've stood the test of time because they provide an easy, stress-free way to make holiday moments sweeter," says Katie Duffy, vice president and general manager of Seasonal Marketing at Ferrara Candy Company (Brach's purchased Bobs Candies in 2005, then the Ferrara Candy Company took over the Brach's brand). "Candy canes are the number one sugar confection in the holiday season, and Brach's makes over 500 million candy canes each year."
"One fun debate related to candy canes is whether there is a 'right' way to eat them." 
Although candy canes are available throughout the year, about 90% of candy canes are sold in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, says Duffy. In fact, they are the best-selling non-chocolate candy in the month of December. National Candy Cane Day is celebrated on December 26, when many families pick the candy canes off their trees.
"One fun debate related to candy canes is whether there is a 'right' way to eat them," says Schildhaus. "Our research shows that most Americans (57%) start with the straight end first, while 27% begin with the curved end and just 16% of people say they break the candy canes into pieces."
Candy canes have no fat or cholesterol and are a smart but sweet snack at around 50 calories per regular size cane – and the tiny canes are a mere 11 calories on average. And don't throw away those broken candy canes! They can be used in recipes to add a wintery mint flavor to cakes, muffins, and confections.


Candy Canes Bring a Twist to the Holidays

Rosie Wolf Williams

 For more on Adrian Miller and his new book, which won a 2022 James Beard Foundation Award, read "How African Americans Brought Barbecue Traditions to the Table.""An immense barbecue was prepared. Buck's Tavern cooking was represented in superior style. Col. James Scull owned cooks unequalled in the culinary art in this or any other land, who occupied the first position. Mary john, the memory of whose splendid dinners at the Post of Arkansas, will never be forgotten by the few survivors of her day, was on the grounds, superintending."
Let what you just read sink in for a moment. That part about "superintending" means that an enslaved African American woman named Marie Jean [more about her name shortly] was in charge of a July Fourth, 1840, barbecue in Pine Bluff, Ark., when the town was a little more than a year old. 
We also know from Marie Jean's example, and that of so many others, that Black women have been in the barbecue game for a long time. 
Today, we would call this person a pitmaster. Just picture it: an enslaved African American woman telling a large, likely all-male, team of cooks and waiters how to properly pursue one of the manliest of culinary pursuits . . . in the South, two decades before the Civil War. She shattered the forced invisibility of so many before and after her. Without the passage above from the memoir of Judge J. W. Bocage, one of Pine Bluff's city fathers, we may never have known of Jean's prowess as a pitmaster.
Marie Jean's story is so gratifying. Barbecue is presented as such a hypermasculinized, "for boys only" world that I'm surprised no one is currently marketing a barbecue sauce to, um, improve male performance. 
We know that women were, and continue to be, integral to fish smoking traditions in West Africa. We also know from Marie Jean's example, and that of so many others, that Black women have been in the barbecue game for a long time. 
Unfortunately, their stories remain hidden. I'm reminded of the lyrics from the James Brown song, "It's a Man's World:" — "It's a man's world. It's a man's world. But, it wouldn't be nothing, without a woman."
Marie Jean Becomes Mary John 
Marie Jean (spelled "Jeanne" in some sources) was a biracial woman who was born enslaved in Arkansas sometime during the 1780s when the French claimed that territory. On July 11, 1793, and quite possibly at a very young age, she married a white man named Michel Baune, who hunted as a profession. The marital notice indicates that the marriage "legitimized" their three children. 
Her marriage didn't change her legal status as an enslaved Black woman, and it is unclear how long the union lasted. 
She was owned by different people before Colonel James Scull purchased her in 1811. Scull was a white Brit who resided at Arkansas Post, a bustling trading center and the first European settlement in that area. After the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, the influx of U.S. citizens necessarily changed the area's dominant cultural influence from French to Anglo-American. Marie Jean, well into adulthood at that point, had her name Anglicized, and from that point on, she was called Mary John.
A few months after the July Fourth Pine Bluff barbecue, Mary John had earned, and saved, enough money to do something that changed the course of her life:
Know all men by these presents that I, James Scull Senr., of the County of Jefferson of the State of Arkansas, have for and in consideration of the sum of eight hundred dollars current money of the United States to me in hand paid before the ensealing and delivery of this bill of sale, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, given and granted, and by these presents doth give and grant unto my slave Mary John her freedom, said Mary being a negro about fifty years old, to have and enjoy the same during life, free from the claim of all persons whomsoever, claiming by or through me or my heirs. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 13th day of September 1840.
So, how did John earn enough money to buy her freedom? Could it have possibly come from barbecue?
 In "A Savory History of Arkansas Delta Food," Cindy Grisham suggests as much, noting that John "made her name catering large events at the plantation homes along the Arkansas River." Whatever her financial source, the fact that John could even build a freedom fund is remarkable.
A few months after the July Fourth Pine Bluff barbecue, Mary John had earned, and saved enough money to do something that changed the course of her life. 
Once free, she stayed at Arkansas Post to be an entrepreneur, despite the risk of reenslavement by remaining in the antebellum South. 
An Arkansas county contemporary of Mary John named W. H. Halliburton wrote in his "History of Arkansas County": "Arkansas Post, the seat of justice of the county (1845–50) was the only village or trading-post within the county limits. Twelve families, with the total of less than one hundred souls, comprised the population of this village. An old free negro named Mary john kept here, the only hotel or public house in the county, which was, perhaps, the most celebrated in the State for the perfection of its cuisine." 
Why Jean remained, we don't know. Perhaps she was so supremely confident in her public reputation that she didn't fear recapture.
An Extraordinary Obituary 
Only scraps of information have survived to give us a window on Jean's life. 
The 1850 Arkansas county census lists "Mary Jean" as a 62-year-old Black woman living at Arkansas Post with W. H. Hand, a 33-year-old man and laborer from North Carolina. There is no indication of his race or what their relationship was. Other than this, there are few official records of Jean's business affairs and her family.
Sadly, the most complete description of Jean's life came to public attention after her death. On May 30, 1857, the "Weekly Arkansas Gazette" ran this obituary using her Anglicized name:
MARY JOHN is dead—she died some weeks since at the Post of Arkansas. Reader, you may ask, who is Mary John? We will tell you. She was a free negress, as black as the ace of spades, some sixty-five years of age, and weighing smartly over two hundred pounds. She was the servant of the late James Scull, Esq., and in the early days of Arkansas, when he and his good lady kept an open house for every body, Mary John was the cook — and such a cook — Delmonico, if his were at stake could not get up such coffee and venison steaks as Mary John did. She was keeping a boarding house at the old Post, at the time of her death, having purchased her freedom some fifteen years ago. She was much respected, and her death is mourned by many, and among them, her old mistress and her master's children.
Despite some racial condescension, this obituary is extraordinary for its time. It appeared in a majority newspaper with a white readership, Jean's full name is mentioned (a rare occurrence then for a Black person) and she's acknowledged as an accomplished professional. 
Her life was, and remains, testament to the fact that sisters have a long legacy of doin' it and grillin' it for themselves.
From Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue by Adrian Miller. A Ferris & Ferris Book. Copyright © 2021 by Adrian Miller. Used by permission of the University of North Carolina Press.  www.uncpress.org


Marie Jean, a Barbecue Woman Who Built a Freedom Fund

Adrian Miller

Recently, Christina Applegate, 49, made headlines as the popular actress revealed that she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). In solidarity, fellow Hollywood leading lady Selma Blair, also 49, reminded the media that she too has MS but is currently in remission thanks to stem cell treatments. She first told the public about having MS in 2018.
Christina Applegate recently announced she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosisWhat is Multiple Sclerosis?
Dr. Todd Levine, the medical director of neurology at HonorHealth in Ariz., says that there are approximately one million people in the U.S. with MS.
"MS is an autoimmune disease in which a person's immune system attacks the nerves in the brain, eyes and spinal cord," Levine explains. "We do not know the cause. It is diagnosed based on clinical symptoms and MRI scans and, in some cases, an analysis of spinal fluid."
"I decided to keep fighting. I'm not going to let it beat me, I'm going to beat it. MS isn't a death sentence."
"Like many chronic autoimmune diseases, multiple sclerosis is complicated and complex," explains Kathleen Winston, dean of the college of nursing at the University of Phoenix. "The impact on the central nervous system presents a variety of symptoms. The MS experience is unique to each individual and very personal. The symptoms are manifested differently in everyone."
While experiences may differ, Levine shares that there are often similarities as well. "The common symptoms are loss of vision, numbness, weakness, or balance disorders," he says. "The disease tends to come in attacks that come on suddenly. So, any of these symptoms that develop over days should be evaluated by a physician."
Winston adds that other potential symptoms of MS may include:
Cognitive challenges, such as memory loss, and attention or concentration issuesFatigue—many times normal, everyday activities may become exhaustingSensitivity to heatBowel and bladder lossMotor problems, such as trouble walking"In addition to these symptoms, patients report sexual issues, mental fatigue and depression and pain are also associated with an MS diagnosis," Winston says. "The breadth and depth of symptoms require comprehensive and complete assessment and evaluation of the individual for both diagnosing and treating the illness."
When it comes to age of diagnosis, the most common range of diagnosis is 20 to 40—with women being diagnosed an average of four times more than men, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
"MS is difficult to diagnose with such varied symptoms and degrees of seriousness," Winston says. "Autoimmune and inflammatory disorders are challenging to understand."
An MS Journey
Tracy Ferrara, 49, of Scottsdale, Ariz., loves rhythmic indoor cycling—in fact, before the pandemic hit, she taught it for 14 years while raising her two sons, who are now 18 and 21. In 2010, at 39, she was visiting family out of state and went to bed feeling "normal" and woke up the next morning with numbing and tingling in her upper body. She was also oddly having muscle spasms.
"I thought, 'What the heck is going on?' I figured I pinched a nerve or something. Overall, I felt fine. So, I went to the doctor and yep—pinched nerve! I was given twelve weeks of physical therapy and told that I'd be fine," she recalls.
Tracy Ferrara was officially diagnosed with MS in 2017. She experienced her first flare up in 2010.Still, as time went on, the random aches, pains, muscle spasms, fatigue and just, in general, "not feeling well" continued. But, as a busy mom and exercise instructor, she kept active and visiting her primary care physician when she felt it was necessary.
As the years added up, so did the diagnoses. She was told she had carpal tunnel and had x-rays done and braces for her hands. She was sent to physical therapy multiple times; she was even given a diagnosis of bad posture.
"Looking back, it obviously all makes sense now, but, at the time, I had an excuse for everything," she recalls. "It came and went. I chalked it up to turning 40."
Then, she recalls, she woke up in June 2017 and couldn't feel any part of her upper body. "I assumed I had been bitten by a scorpion maybe?" It was like the 2010 incident but more pronounced. Still, she taught an exercise class that day and kept moving forward.
Luckily, soon after, she had lunch with two friends—one who works as a chemist and one who is a physician with MS. She told them her symptoms and they encouraged her to see a neurologist as soon as possible.
"I had an MRI of my spine, cervical (neck), and brain—I was in that pod for hours," Ferrara recalls. She says that MRI and more that followed showed that she had lesions in her neck, spine, and brain—a sign of MS.
What followed was a lot of testing. "There's no single test to decide if someone has MS," she explains. "They test for everything under the sun—every autoimmune disease you can think of. It's trial and error. Finally, at 44, in 2017, I was officially diagnosed with MS after my first flare up in 2010."
The irony, Ferrara shares, is that she had looked up MS in 2010 and thought there was no way she could have it. "I taught exercise classes! I thought it was a disease for 'old people.' But, when I looked again at the symptoms years later, I had every single one."
Once she was officially diagnosed, she says she felt a sense of relief and regret that it wasn't diagnosed sooner. She started on treatment right away.
"Many patients newly diagnosed with MS will ask me, 'Will this rob me of a full life?' The answer is usually no."
"I decided to keep fighting. I'm not going to let it beat me, I'm going to beat it [MS]," she says. "MS isn't a death sentence. You must fight for yourself, for your own good, for your own psyche. I'm still young and want to live my life."
Today, Ferrera is under the care of Dr. Dean M. Wingerchuk, a neurologist at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale. While the pandemic put a pause on her indoor cycling classes, she is still active and thriving; she regularly exercises and now has a job working at a local school.  
"I call it [MS] my 'funk,' and I have no problem telling people that I have MS if it will help them to know that if I can keep fighting, they can too," she says. "I use my experience with it to lift others up and I hope it helps them through whatever they're struggling with."
Progress and Hope
Dr. Barry Hendin is a neurologist with over 45 years of experience in medicine who has been actively involved in researching, treating and teaching other physicians about MS since 1993. He is a part of multiple organizations, including being on the board of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and is one of a core group of neurologists at the Multiple Sclerosis Center of Arizona. 
His message for those newly diagnosed with MS is one of hope.
"In 1993, we had zero disease modifying therapies, also known as disease modifying drugs, available to help those suffering from MS," Hendin says. "Today, we have over 20 available to patients in multiple forms. These therapies are becoming more and more effective without reducing quality of life. Patients are being diagnosed younger and getting treated sooner. We truly have the ability today to change the trajectory of the life of a patient diagnosed with MS."
Hendin says this optimistic time in the history of MS is due to many factors including, patients' choice of drugs/therapies, advancement in diagnostics and research, medical centers specifically for those with MS and more advances to come as research continues.
Because of this progress, Hendin shares that many diagnosed with MS can live longer, richer lives with less of a chance of disabilities related to MS.
"Many patients newly diagnosed with MS will ask me, 'Will this rob me of a full life?' The answer is usually no. Today, with proper diagnosis and treatment, we can reduce the symptoms of MS, extend lifespans, and often give those diagnosed with MS a brighter future than they had anticipated. This is a very optimistic time in the history of MS research and treatment."


Hollywood Stars Put the Spotlight on MS

Michelle Talsma Everson

What can you learn from 3,000 years of collective life experience? Quite a bit, as you'll find watching Sky Bergman's inspiring and funny "Lives Well Lived" documentary based on her interviews with 40 extraordinary people age 75 to 103, airing on PBS stations through September.
Sky Bergman and grandmother Evelyn Ricciuti who inspired her film"I wanted to find positive role models," Bergman told me in a recent Zoom interview with three of the "Lives Well Lived" elders. "The films that were out there about aging were very depressing and I wanted something uplifting."
"I want to see more and learn more. Age is only a number."
So, as Bergman (a photography and video professor at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif.) was approaching 50, she decided to embark on "Lives Well Lived," her first documentary. It's gone on to win eight festival awards.
The Lives Well Lived website lists when the film will air on PBS stations around the country this month; the release is partly timed to Grandparents Day, Sunday, Sept. 12, since the entertaining documentary has a strong intergenerational bent. The film's subtitle: "Celebrating the Secrets, Wit and Wisdom of Age."
Bergman began making "Lives Well Lived" by filming her then 96-year-old grandmother Evelyn Ricciuti, who she calls "my North Star." At the time, the former seamstress who'd gone back to school at 40 to become a pattern maker spent her days working out at a gym and cooking mouthwatering recipes that Bergman remembered from childhood. (Ricciuti died in 2016.)
What We Can Learn From 'Lives Well Lived'
In "Lives Well Lived," Ricciuti says: "I want to see more and learn more. Age is only a number."
The interviews with her grandmother led Bergman to find others to film who were also 75+, with life stories and life lessons to share. "I feel like I have forty new grandparents," Bergman told me.
"As I started delving deeper into the project," she added, "it really became more about all their words of wisdom, but also about the history and the stories they had."
Among those featured in "Lives Well Lived" are Paul and Marion Wolff and Evy Justesen, who spoke about their recollections of their childhood experiences and their families' in the Holocaust and now live in the San Luis Obispo area. The Wolffs have spoken to junior high and high school students about the Holocaust. Justesen is a San Luis Obispo printmaker and painter, antinuclear activist and League of Women Voters volunteer who gets students to register to vote.
Paul Wolff speaks to students about his days as a child in Nazi GermanyI spoke with Paul Wolff (his wife was recuperating from a hospital stay at the time and, sadly, has since died), Justesen, and another of the documentary's stars: Blanche Brown. She was a civil rights activist in the '60s who's now an Afro Haitian dance instructor and quilter in San Francisco. Brown has a pacemaker and a titanium knee, but refers to herself as "terminally optimistic."
Sian-Pierre Regis, the young documentary filmmaker ("Duty Free") named a Next Avenue Influencer in Aging in 2020 recently tweeted this about Bergman's film: "They say 'everyone has a story' but the stories at the heart of 'Lives Well Lived' moved me beyond words. I laughed, I cried, I jumped for joy. A touching tribute to humanity, to our shared experience, and to the good souls who make a life worth living."
The Power of Positivity
Among the life lessons from the film's elders: stay positive, regardless of curveballs life throws at you.  As Justesen told me: "The only thing you can control is your attitude."
"I really have to hand it to everyone that I interviewed because they definitely have given me the courage to take that leap and try something new."
In the film, Brown talks about taking the time "to just enjoy what's happening right now." She told me how grateful she is that her ODC dance studio has reopened after a pandemic shutdown. "It's a big part of my life that has come back to me," Brown said.
Another message from the film is one Justesen shared when we talked: "You're never too old to do something new."
Bergman's filmmaking debut demonstrates that, too. At the end of December, she'll retire from her university job to become a full-time filmmaker. "I really have to hand it to everyone that I interviewed because they definitely have given me the courage to take that leap and try something new," Bergman said.
Her next documentary will focus on food traditions passed down from one generation to another.
In my interview with Paul Wolff, he noted one of the benefits of aging: "When we get older, we value time more." In our youth, he noted, "we live our lives so fast." But as we get older, Wolff said, "we begin to focus on how important time really is. It's the most precious thing we have."
So true. Ferris Bueller had it right in his 1986 film. "Life moves pretty fast," he said. "If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
Blanche Brown is a busy crafterBergman hopes younger and older generations will watch "Lives Well Lived" together and then talk about not just the film, but about life.
Bergman also hopes the film will inspire young people to ask their grandparents about their lives and what they've learned and that the elders will learn more about their grandkids' lives. Her documentary's website offers ways to do it. "Everyone has a story to tell if you take the time to listen" is Bergman's motto.
When she filmed retired pediatrician Dr. Lou Tedone (known as "Lucky Louie" in the film), Bergman brought along a student named James. Afterwards, James said: "I didn't know older people could talk so much," adding that he and his grandfather don't talk that much. Bergman instructed James to take a list of questions to ask his grandfather at Thanksgiving.
"And his grandfather was so excited that [James] cared enough to ask the questions," Bergman said. "My hope is that maybe people watch this film and it opens up a lot of the space for those conversations just like it happened with James."


Worth Watching: The 'Lives Well Lived' Documentary

Richard Eisenberg

Sing to me, my caffeine muses. Sing of plundering the hallowed heights of Bloomingdale’s. Sing of wily Odysseus, disguised as a small appliance salesman who seduces middle-aged housewives into the tempting embrace of a gleaming and new Nespresso machine. I confide my longing to my husband. He furrows his brow. “You want a trip to Greece?”
You’d think after 36 years of marriage he’d catch on quicker. Then it dawns on him what I’m rattling on about and he groans. “Just how many cappuccino machines do you already own?” he asks accusingly. I hang my head. “Seven,” I whisper.  He sighs. “This one will be different,” I lie.
He listens to me sing once more the (full) body electric pot. My husband is a man who lives to please. He denies me nothing, except the house seats for Hamilton I really want. He knows he has lost this battle, but takes his parting shot: “You’ll just add it to the gadget graveyard in the basement.”
I cringe.
So yes, maybe I’ve turned the lower level of our house into the final resting place for all the other dead or discarded kitchen appliances I once had to have. The George Foreman Grill. The Zojirushi Bread Machine. The Excalibur Food Dehydrator. But those were mere countertop candy. Kitchen porn that teased, but didn’t deliver.
The heart wants what it wants. The new Nespresso VertuoLine machine (retail price: roughly $140) is as sleek and sexy as a red Ferrari. Its pneumatic curves beg to be caressed. Its coffee pods are packaged like a mouth-watering box of Italian chocolates with names that roll off the tongue: Odacio. Carmelizio. Voldemorto (okay, I made up that last one).
Coffee Makers I Have Known

First, there was the Breville Barista. A behemoth that squatted on my kitchen counter taking up prime real estate. It begat the coffee bean burr grinder. I pulled shot after shot like a church lady playing the slots at Caesars Palace in Atlantic City. But my devotion fizzled. The attached frother grew a germ-laden milk moustache so cement-like you needed the crème brûlée blow torch to remove it. Remove it I did. To the basement.
Next, I hooked up with a saucy red Bialetti Moka pot. “If you want Italian espresso, this is the real deal,” my husband said with satisfaction. Compact and reassuringly low tech, it required nothing more than a stovetop burner. I followed a recipe from Marcella Hazan, the legendary Italian chef. The little pot gurgled with promise. It smelled as enticing as Nonna’s cucina. But it made espresso that tasted like burnt rubber from a blown tire on the Cross Bronx Expressway.
My fling with the Keurig followed. We met in a fancy five-star boutique hotel in Quebec City. I was a skeptic. Room service was pricey, though, so I plopped in a pod. For ten seconds, the machine shimmied and shook. Then, with a sigh of satisfaction, a ribbon of rich espresso rushed into my waiting cup. That’s when I knew: I must pursue these pert little pods and make them my own.
Fulfilling a Coffee Dream
My husband was eager to indulge me. Or maybe he has just learned that resistance is futile.
My birthday was near, so he asked what I wanted.  “You know what I want.”  He did.
“Do you know how wasteful those pods are?” he asked. “The Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island was built from crap like this.”
I responded, “They give you postage-paid mailers to return the pods for recycling.”
“What’s wrong with using a French press? Everyone knows it makes the best coffee,” he said.
“Everyone also knows unfiltered coffee raises your bad cholesterol,” I replied. Touché.
He sighed. “You win. You can have your Nescafé.”
“Nespresso.”
“Whatever.”
“It’s cheaper than Starbucks,” I pointed out.
“Pricier than grinding your own,” he retorted. (Okay, he’s got me there.)
I offered my coup de grâce. “You’re getting off easy,” I said. “This is way cheaper than Hamilton tickets.”
Rejecting the Caffeine Muses
He brings home the red Nespresso Vertuo and unboxes it without comment. I clear space on the counter, and peel open the complimentary assortment of glossy pods.
The machine revs up louder than a leaf blower. It smells suspiciously like my father’s old 8-mm movie projector. I make the first cup. It tastes a tad…watery. I panic.
Have I made yet another wasteful purchase?
“It tastes… good,” I say, noncommittally.
As soon as my husband’s back is turned, I make a beeline to Bloomingdale’s. My pals in customer service talk me down off the ledge. Like priests, they listen to my confession and offer wise counsel: “You held the button down too long.” They demonstrate, pulling me a perfect shot. Then they sell me a dozen sleeves of purple Altissio pods and welcome me to the 24/7 Nespresso Club.
They’ve got my caffeinated soul. Not to mention my Bloomingdale’s loyalist reward card.
Alas, each coffee dalliance unfolds the same way. The blush of new romance. The honeymoon hanky panky. But the novelty fades. I start staying out late in coffee bars. I sneak a caffè macchiato at Zibetto Espresso Bar. Pretty soon, I’m knocking back shots of straight espresso. Finally, in a fit of self-loathing, I dump last year’s machine in pursuit of the next hot model.
I am an addict. I know it. My husband knows it. He loves me enough not to gloat. So sing no more, my caffeine muses, not even of Greek diner coffee. Plug my ears with recyclable, but costly, capsules. Warble me not to death with the sweetness of golden crèma. Lash me to the mast, beloved husband, lest Bloomingdale’s beguiling song lure my credit card to its destruction again.


Caffeine and Me: A Love Affair

Liane Kupferberg Carter

Roller Coasters of Fun
(This article appeared previously on Grandparents.com.)
Forget Six Flags, Universal and, for the time being, any amusement park based on a cartoon mouse — because right now, we present 10 frequently overlooked alternatives that guarantee good times, often for lower prices.
These family-friendly facilities aren’t just great values, though; they’re wonderful places to make memories for years to come. Read on for our picks.
All prices are current as of July 2016.
Dutch Wonderland
Where: Lancaster, Pa.
Medium-sized, moderately priced and immaculately maintained, Dutch Wonderland is a delightful option for younger grandchildren, and — thanks to its Amish Country location — ideal for older tourists, too. Kids will enjoy the cartoony medieval theme, as well as the copious attractions.
The grounds boast more than 30 rides (25 okay for kids under 36"), a modest water park and about a dozen daily shows, all for a reasonable gate price of $41 per person. Compare that to the $65 gate price at nearby Sesame Place. An adjacent campground means you can keep accommodation costs low, too.
Bonus tip: Don’t miss the diving shows. The finales are jaw-dropping, whatever your age.
Learn more: Dutch Wonderland
Knoebels
Where: Elysburg, Pa.
"Family friendly," "old-time, in the best possible way" and straight-up "awesome" are how longtime fans describe this 90-year-old gem, located in the wooded heart of mid-eastern Pennsylvania. In addition to its six roller coasters — including the gorgeous Twister — and 60 additional rides, Knoebels is renowned for its food, cleanliness and value.
Admission, parking and shows are all free — the park offers tickets and all-access wristbands for rides — so thrill-averse family members can enjoy the day without worrying about the cost.
Bonus tip: Wanna check out Knoebels’ layout before you go? Take a virtual walk-through with Google Maps. It’s something you can do for almost every park on this list.
Learn more: Knoebels
Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
Where: Santa Claus, Ind.
Drinks, parking, sunscreen and wi-fi cost absolutely zero at Indiana’s best-loved amusement park, but that’s not where the fun ends. The super-clean, pleasantly staffed, 125-acre park is split into four holiday-themed areas (Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween and 4th of July), each featuring an array of rides and several top-notch roller coasters.
What’s more, a world-class water park — the titular Splashin’ Safari — can be found right on the grounds. Check out its insanely long water coasters, Mammoth and Wildebeest, and you’ll understand why the park ranks among the greatest.
Bonus tip: The food in Thanksgiving is rumored to be the best in the park. (You can probably guess why.)
Learn more: Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
Silverwood Theme Park
Where: Athol, Idaho
Positioned in northern Idaho, right next to Coeur d’Alene National Forest, Silverwood isn’t quite as accessible as other amusement parks. But don’t let that stop you from visiting, especially if you’re around nearby Spokane, Wash.
In addition to a water park, a much-loved steam train and two highly ranked wooden roller coasters, Silverwood boasts Aftershock, one of just five giant inverted boomerang coasters in the world. The pretty landscaping and affordable food choice receive high marks from tourists, as well.
Bonus tip: Rumor has it that area CostCos offer discounted daily admission tickets for well below the online price.
Learn more: Silverwood Theme Park
Adventureland
Where: Altoona, Iowa
If you’ve ever waited more than an hour for a 45-second ride, Adventureland will be a welcome change of pace — but short lines aren’t its only pluses. Situated just outside of Des Moines, the park — revamped in recent years — offers over 100 attractions for all ages, including a solid selection of lower-key flat rides for kids.
Water park aficionados will especially love Adventure Bay, a 2008 addition with 10 separate features, including splash pads, multiple slides and an extensive lazy river. Plus, as many reviewers report: You won’t find a friendlier staff anywhere.
Bonus tip: To maximize your rides, start towards the back of the park first thing in the morning and work your way forward. You’ll get fast access to bigger roller coasters like Outlaw and The Dragon, and can hit other, less popular attractions later.
Learn more: Adventureland
Lake Compounce
Where: Bristol, Conn.
For the U.S., 1846 was a pretty big year. James K. Polk was president, the Thornton Affair kicked off the Mexican-American War, and Lake Compounce opened in the heart of New England. Now, 170 years later, the nation’s oldest continuously operating amusement park is consistently ranked among the best in the land, thanks in large part to a total overhaul in the 90s.
Thrill-seekers young and old can enjoy 44 different rides, including Boulder Dash, a top-ranked wooden roller coaster, and the newest addition: Phobia, a 15-story, 65mph coaster guaranteed to elicit a scream or two. Family prices are reasonable — especially the season pass — and seniors 60+ cost just $20.49.
Bonus tip: There are hydration stations located throughout the park, where guests can grab a cold drink for free.
Learn more: Lake Compounce
Morgan's Wonderland
Where: San Antonio, Texas
Inspired by his daughter, who was born with cognitive and physical delays, Texas businessman Gordon Hartman created Morgan’s Wonderland, the world’s first theme park devoted to kids with special needs. And what a wonderful land it is: The six-year-old, 25-acre facility includes more than two dozen wheelchair-accessible attractions, including a carousel, Ferris wheel, sensory playground and train ride.
Performances featuring puppets and costumed animals are regularly scheduled throughout the month, highlighting inclusion and imagination. Admission for kids with disabilities is free, and adults get in for just $17 ($11 for seniors/military).
Bonus tip: The park’s accessibility makes it an excellent choice for older adults, too. Senior Fridays happen twice a month and costs $8.
Learn more: Morgan's Wonderland
Knott's Berry Farm
Where: Buena Park, Calif.
Discussions of California theme parks tend to begin and end with Disney, Universal and Six Flags — with one notable exception: Knott’s. The former berry farm (thus the name) was family-owned from 1920 to 1997, and still retains many of its traditional attractions, from western themes to the exceptional, craft-and-home-centric marketplace.
The (fairly) new owners have made their mark, though, adding brain-scrambling thrill rides — the Xcelerator roller coaster gets a big thumbs up — and a large water park. While wait times and higher food prices can be frustrating, Knott’s history, charm and solid ride selection is worth a trip.
Bonus tip: If you can’t make it this summer, try going around Halloween, when the month-long, wildly popular Knott’s Scary Farm event lives up to its blood-curdling reputation.
Learn more: Knott’s Berry Farm
Carousel Gardens
Where: New Orleans, La.
While other parks on this list are must-see destinations, Carousel Gardens, located in the middle of New Orleans’ City Park, is more of a wonderful side trip in one of the greatest metropolises on Earth. Named after its magnificent, 110-year-old carousel — featuring 53 hand-carved and -painted horses — the Gardens offers 17 clean, kid-friendly rides and a shady respite from the intense Louisiana heat.
You won’t spend more than a few hours, but lines are short, meaning you can hit rides multiple times. Highly suggested for families with young children.
Bonus tip: You can pay per ride ($4), or opt for an unlimited admission day pass ($22). Trust us — get the day pass, or look for online deals from Groupon, which occasionally offers big discounts.
Learn more: Carousel Gardens
Cedar Point
Where: Sandusky, Ohio
Okay. So, with 3.5 million visitors per season, Cedar Point isn’t exactly unknown. But to recommend another local attraction (King’s Island, anyone?) is to risk being yelled at by legions of livid Ohioans, who talk about the park like most people talk about their grandchildren. So, Cedar Point it is.
Located on a Lake Erie peninsula halfway between Cleveland and Toledo, the massive, 365-acre compound is a Buckeye State treasure, up there with sweet corn. It lays claim to a jaw-dropping 18 roller coasters among its 70-plus rides, including the top-ranked coaster in the U.S., Millennium Force. Add in shows, putt-putt, an animatronic dinosaur playland and 27 eateries, and the $65 gate price is more than worth it. (Don't worry, though. Serious discounts are available by purchasing online.)
Bonus tip: Before you go, make sure to download Cedar Point’s free app, which includes ride wait times, a map and lots of special offers.
Learn more: Cedar Point
 


America's Best Small Amusement Parks

Kristen Sturt

I love Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old medicine of India. Its crown jewel is panchakarma (“five actions”), a deep rejuvenation protocol performed in a serene place, where you receive bliss-inducing spa treatments, not unpleasant Western regimens.
Instead of needle sticks in fluorescent-lit rooms, you receive luxurious oil massage from two people at once. Instead of a battery of computer-driven tests, a wise, kind person takes your pulses. Instead of pounding at the gym, you practice yoga and meditate. This gentle regimen, alleged to help with even serious maladies, can leave you glowing with vibrant health.
I’ve always wanted to experience panchakarma, so I booked a three-day package at the Raj, a spa specializing in traditional Ayurvedic treatments. (Packages range in price from $2,200 to $6,800, depending on duration.)
To prepare for my stay, I must adhere to a two-week dietary plan plus a castor oil cleanse. In Ayurveda, digestion is king. That which is not digested turns into ama, a substance that Ayurveda practitioners believe clogs the channels that our energy runs through and wreaks havoc with health.
Therefore, great attention is paid to cuisine. Food must be freshly prepared for each meal; leftovers and anything that has been refrigerated is verboten. So, for the days before my visit, my diet consisted of well-cooked vegetables, rice and dal. No raw foods were allowed.
The food part of the diet was fairly easy; giving up tea was not.
I drank fewer cups in the morning, none in the afternoon, then decaf, and finally herbal teas.
Arrival
After landing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and taking a long ride over country roads, the car makes a left turn onto the tree-lined drive, and the majestic Raj appears. I am ushered to a serene room. Vedic chanting fills the air from the radio. (That was designed to get my circadian rhythms back in tune, I learned later.)
They serve an elegant vegetarian meal in the dining room. Then, to bed.
Day 1
I feel completely underwater my first morning at the Raj. A headache looms. Maybe I didn’t stop the tea for long enough.
First, I visit with guest services manager Keli Dean, who orients me to the program. She explains how Ayurvedic massages would work to loosen toxins. There would be a thermos of hot water in my room. “Drink one and a half to twice the amount of water you usually drink,” she advises.
The treatments and oils are also designed to loosen toxins; bastis (oil enemas, which are optional) pull the toxins out so they don’t stay in the body. Ayurveda works on emotions, too, she explains, so in my desk I would find an “In Silence” pin that I could wear if desired. “That will help us respect your wishes — and also offer additional support if you need it,” she says.
Next comes a meeting with Mark Toomey, Ph.D, the Vedic health expert. He looks at my tongue, eyes, and fingernails and takes my pulses.
“Are you having trouble with your eyes?” he asks. Yes, I was. Mark reachs for a bottle of rosewater and dazzles my face with fragrant mist. How refreshing! “Keep this by your computer,” he advises.
He writes my instructions: a ginger decoction before meals, teas during the day and some herbal tablets at night. He also recommended treatments according to my dosha, or constitutional type. There are three doshas: Vata (which governs movement), Pitta (heat and metabolism) and Kapha (physical structure). Everyone has all three, but one or two can predominate, and any can be out of balance.
Mark emphasizes that the technicians’ job was to make me happy and that I shouldn't hesitate to ask for anything. “The treatments are for quieting that busy mind of yours so you feel more blissful,” Mark declares.
My first day of panchakarma (universally called “PK” at the Raj) has been rough. A headache has dogged me all day, and detracted from the experience. The four-handed oil massage (abhyanga) administered by two technicians is skillfully done, but I feel heavy and sluggish afterward. Perhaps the massage, said to facilitate the release of toxins from the tissues, actually worked and my discomfort is the result. We were told transient symptoms could occur.
A technician brings me an Ayurvedic remedy, a black salt drink. If my discomfort is not gone tomorrow, I may drink green tea, as one person suggested. Meantime I’m fairly miserable; hoping to be sung back to health by the Vedic voice on the radio.
At dinner I wear an “In Silence” pin. I am too wiped out to chat. Besides, Mark said I needed to eat mindfully. Silence would help.
I’m entranced by the glowering Iowa sky — a hugely pregnant cloud slowly descends. Any moment I expect thunder. I struggle to stay awake, then give up and go to bed at 8:30 p.m. I sleep soundly until 6 a.m.
Day 2
The headache has receded but still haunts the outskirts of my brain.
Ayurveda speaks to all the senses. I shower with vanilla-scented soap, dress, walk onto the veranda and allow the wind to dry my hair. Birds flutter. A curious bumblebee visits; a fountain burbles to the left. Fluffy cirrus replaces the glowering sacks of gloom from last night. (We were told to close the windows of our room if we leave because the weather can change in an instant.)
My first treatment today: pizzichilli, aka the "King/Queen/Royal treatment."​
Gallons of warm oil would be poured over my body ceaselessly for 36 minutes. That sounds like sheer heaven. In the changing room I don a cotton loincloth with elastic bands, and am ushered into the treatment room, where I sit on a chair. The technicians lift my feet to wash them and put a hot water bottle underneath. Then someone pours oil on my head, swirling my hair around gently. They knead my shoulders and neck, then ask me to lean forward while they massage my shoulder blades and upper back.
Then I am told to lie on the table on my back. Warm oil is hosed over my body starting at my feet. It's hard to explain the kind of bliss that brings.
"Who thinks of these things?" I wonder. What genius came up with this idea?
Somewhere in the middle I am told to sit up and they take a cube of iced coconut oil, massage it on my forehead and then tie it to the top of my head with a strip of muslin cloth. The cooling coconut was a wonderful counterpoint to the warm oil. Occasionally they take the coconut and rub it across my forehead.
Rest, then lunch — a crêpe filled with vegetables. I sprinkle the vata churna (a delicious mixture of spices to help digest food) on it. Mark gives me a sheet on how to eat mindfully. Take a bite, chew well. Layer the food with sips of warm water, then wait and check in with your stomach and see if you still need more.
The real test comes at desert; there is delicious fruit compote. The old me would've eaten the whole thing because it tasted so good. But I wind up taking a few bites and leaving the remainder because I know I have had enough.
After lunch, I return to my room and realize how driven I am to do. I ignore my cell phone, the link to the outer world.
Next up: Gem light therapy.
This treatment “promotes higher states of consciousness,” according to the Raj, beaming light through 13 precious gemstones. Higher states of consciousness sound pretty good to me right now; maybe it will calm my Worry Mind.
The technician takes an instrument resembling a small flashlight tipped with different gems, shines them on my left palm and asks me what I feel. All the sensations are unique: a dancing butterfly, a needle, a Ferris wheel, a downward spiral. The gems, mounted on a flat, pronged apparatus, are poised above my body as I lie on the table. Maybe I would feel nothing, she warns. “It's very subtle.”
I sink into sensation. At first I feel very heavy, but an hour or so later, I am infused with energy. My headache is gone.
Day 3
I’ve finally arrived at a point where I feel better. Now a treat: marma massage. I’ve always wanted to do this: it’s supposed to clear blockages.
There had been a mix-up with the technicians; so the manager moves heaven and earth to make this treatment happen for me. It begins with lying on the stomach with arms resting overhead. Then my two technicians — Lynn and Mary — begin to trace geometric patterns on my back from head to toe. They go very fast — four hands strumming my ribs as they sail up and down my limbs. At times they cross over so that the technician on my right is reaching over to my left side and vice versa.
Then onto my back. Starting at my fingers, they sweep down my arms, circle my navel twice, change hands to the opposite side, and go down to my toes. How could they go so fast and yet stay in such perfect sync? Yet they did.
Afterward, they said it was a real workout for them. Both of them enjoy giving this treatment.
At dinner, guests (many come yearly) compare notes. Some wear turbans over their oil-anointed heads to let the benefits continue. No one wears makeup. Everybody’s skin glows.
A woman talks about her massage and shirodhara, where warm oil is drizzled across your forehead for 20 minutes. "I kept thinking: Can this get any better?" she says. "And then they put on another hot towel."
In the evenings, there are lectures in an upper room filled with cozy couches. Warm milk and a slumber tea are served.
Departure
I awake at 6 a.m., flip on the radio for the final dose of Vedic chanting, and gaze outside. There’s a large hole in a hazy gray cloud. I open the window to get one last shot of grass-scented air. Birds chirp to each other madly. Do I hear distant thunder? Yes, it had to be — I was awakened by some lightning piercing the night sky.
How can I leave this beautiful place?
I see Mark for my home instructions.
My prescription? I am to take herbs (Stress-Free Emotions, Stress-Free Mind, Vital Lady and Digest Tone); massage myself with Goddess Massage Oil; drink Vata tea; use a special nasal oil; and infuse the air with Blissful Heart, the aroma of roses. (Rose scent apparently does wonderful things for the brain.) Last, deep relaxation, breathing and walks in nature.
I like this medicine.
The benefits are supposed to continue after panchakarma is complete. For me, they did: I had more energy, slept soundly and my mind was focused. My blood pressure, which had been creeping slightly upward, went down to normal.
Next time, I’m staying longer than three days.


What I Found on My Ayurveda Spa Adventure

Deborah Quilter

My husband, Bob, and I have been living a sustainable, organic lifestyle for over 35 years. We grow most of our vegetables in our backyard garden for year-round use, heat our home with wood that Bob cuts and we keep chickens for eggs and meat — all while living mortgage- and debt-free.
While our lifestyle may seem extreme, you don’t have to live off the grid. Even apartment dwellers can adopt more sustainable habits and reap the considerable benefits.
Here are five reasons why we live sustainably, along with five tips so you can bring these benefits into your life:
1. It’s good for your health.
In 1971, when I was coming of age, I read Adelle Davis’s 1970 classic book Let’s Eat Right to Keep Fit. At a time when processed foods were the norm and fresh produce was an afterthought in the U.S., she wrote that if you want to be healthy, you have to pay attention to what you eat. Wow! That made so much sense. You wouldn’t put bad gas in your Ferrari, so why would you want to put junky food in your body? I became an organic consumer immediately.
In perusing various and sundry organic texts, I discovered that our bodies need quite a few nutrients to perform at an optimum level. These vital minerals and co-factors have been largely stripped from our soils over the past 200 years. I became aware that the best way to ensure that these nutrients were in my food was to grow my own, so I started to garden.
Tip No. 1:
Become aware of where your food comes from. We eat fantastic, nutrient-dense foods from our garden and other sources. We get our other meats and milk from local farmers who pasture their animals. These cows, pigs, lambs and turkeys have wonderful lives; they see sunshine, breathe fresh air and get to roam around on real grass.
You can eat this way, too. While our veggies are better than any we could buy, more and more grocery stores and restaurants offer ingredients that come from local and organic suppliers. Learn about and, whenever possible, support your local farms as well as the markets and restaurants that carry sustainably-raised food.
2. It puts you in touch with nature.
Luckily for me, my first garden was in a very fertile field in the middle of a dairy farm. An elderly gardener lived next door and she was happy to take me under her wing and share her knowledge. I loved digging in the dirt and watching things grow. All of my crops did fantastically well. And everything tasted so good. I was hooked.
Tip No. 2:
Go to a farm, and can or freeze the fresh produce you pick. If you live in an apartment, teach your children about nature by growing a tower garden, tomatoes from a starter plant or fresh herbs on your windowsill. Sure, it’s great to eat blueberries in January, but eating with the seasons puts you in touch with nature and nature’s cycles, which is something far too many people are disconnected from. If growing your own food doesn’t appeal to you, consider eating with the seasons. It’s a way to get in touch with nature without growing food yourself.
3. It teaches you respect for resources, especially the scarce ones.
In the ’70s, people were becoming aware of the “unsustainability” of the typical lifestyle in the U.S. Scarcity of oil and gas caused an upheaval in the U.S. economy. We were devouring other raw materials at an astonishing rate, too. Individuals paying attention could see that we couldn’t continue like this indefinitely. Not wanting to be part of this problem, I began to seek out solutions.
That’s when I met Bob. He had already built a moderate octagonal home, which he heated with a central wood stove. It stayed very cozy in the winter and the gas cooking stove made cooking easy.
Tip No. 3:
Recycle and upcycle. We recycle glass, metal, newspapers and plastic. After composting and recycling, the trash we bring to the dump once a week typically fits in a woman’s purse. Start with simple things, like bringing cloth bags to the grocery store, bleaching sponges so they can be reused or carrying a lunch box. I choose pretty cloth napkins to brighten our dining experience.
Before buying something new, consider repurposing something you have or buying secondhand.
4. It’s economical.
Although Bob owned the octagonal home outright and there was no debt, there also was no sink, drain, plumbing or electricity. Since we both strongly dislike debt, we decided to add the amenities when we could afford to buy them. He put in a sink, drain and greywater system [gently-used water from things like bathroom sinks, showers and tubs] the first summer I was here. After three more years, we dug a well and attached it to a hand pump at the kitchen sink. It felt like I had moved into the Hilton. Eight years later, we brought in electricity; nine years later, we installed solar panels and began raising chickens.
Tip No. 4:
Buying from local farms and vineyards is a great way to support your local economy. If your budget permits, invest in energy-saving items, like solar panels or energy star appliances. We catch rain in a rain barrel and use it to water our garden. Small steps can lead to big savings.
5. It’s an independent, self-sufficient way to live.
Yes, we have had more chores during our lives than most, but they have been of the chop wood/carry water variety, which grounded us and made us strong. We also didn’t participate in the incessant to-ing and fro-ing that most people have to do to pay the rent. And, at a very early age, we had a beautiful, complete and mortgage-free home. We do still have more chores than most because we farm and cut our own wood, but that keeps us spry and agile.
Tip No. 5:
People often ask, “How does it feel to have been on the forefront of organic and sustainability?” It feels wonderful. We have virtually no aches and pains and take no medications, and I believe that has to do with our lifestyle. Young people tell us that they are inspired by us. Because our bills are limited, we don’t have to work 9 to 5 jobs.
Before World War II, growing your own food was just a part of life for most Americans. During the war, many people relied on their “victory gardens” to feed their families. Becoming self-sufficient in any area can ease your mind and help you feel less vulnerable, especially during troubled times.
Few would argue that our current, unsustainable lifestyle has put our planet in jeopardy. When I hear people talk about this, it often sounds like they feel powerless. I disagree. Everything that we do to live more sustainably is like that rock which, when thrown into a pond, creates ripples that disperse in all directions.


5 Reasons to Choose Sustainable Living

Celeste Longacre

We all have words of wisdom we cling to, maxims that make a difference in our lives.
How do I know?
Because when Next Avenue published my article “7 Mantras to Live By,” the editors asked readers to spread more good words by posting their own. More than 3,000 of you “liked” the article on PBS Facebook, 1,400 shared the post and heartfelt responses poured in for days.
Below are the powerful words that some of you live by. Thank you for sharing them.
“Be kind.” That’s what drives Aubree Woods-Flanery, and 10 others count kindness as a key directive in their lives. They are Melanie Beaulieu, Myna Burgoyne, Cate Callahan, Debbie Decker, Karen Sims Engstrom, Mary Ishmael, Mary Ernst Larson, L. Ruth Minnis, Jo-Ellen Burell Tramontana and Rob Woolbright.
“This too shall pass” does it for Celeste Mellett Coverdill, Evelyn A. Genovese, Susan Kuntz Heiser, Janice Skreehart Hooper, Janell Selkie Oelrich-Schreiber, Belinda Patel, Kawanna Ridout and Irene Wright.
MaryEllen Danyluk and Sage Sill take heart from “Just keep swimming,” as Dory advised in the movie Finding Nemo.
When Things Are Difficult
Even in times of trouble, we can find peace. Sue Mara posted, “When my Dad was dying, a friend told me to ‘look for the moments of grace.’ I still use this almost every day.”
Glenn Maney posted: “On a bad day I think, ‘If this is worst thing that happens all day, I will be back tomorrow.’ On a good day: ‘It is getting better, I can't wait for tomorrow.’ On days that seem to be filler, ‘The calm is nice.’”
(MORE: Writer Anne Lamott's Insights on Turning 61)
That calm has another name: serenity. Based on a lot of the mantras posted, many of us seek that. When do we want it? “Serenity now!” wrote Julie Andrew Brown. Anne Scheer Wright said, “The Serenity Prayer [by Reinhold Niebhur and adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous] has simplified my life: serenity for the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.” Pam Ford Cavanagh agreed.
And how do we tell the difference?
Karen Amoroso, Jenny Pate and Anna Raab gave the nod to “Not my circus, not my monkeys,” said to be an old Polish proverb that urges you to ask yourself whether you are busy minding someone else’s business. (As a teenager, whenever I attempted to take over someone’s circus or primate training, my dad would suggest a shift in my focus by saying, “Run through your own backyard.”)
Amy Ellen said: “If it won't matter in five years, let it go.” Lorraine LaFrazia took a slightly modified tack, with: “In 100 years it won't matter. In fact, it doesn't matter now.”
(MORE: 5 Ways to Build Your Gratitude Muscle)
That’s Rule Number One in Roger Rosenblatt’s delightful book, Rules for Aging. Rosenblatt elaborates: “It does not matter if you are late, or early; if you are here, or if you are there; if you said it, or did not say it; if you were clever, or if you were stupid; if you are having a bad hair day, or a no hair day… if you don’t get that promotion, or prize, or house, or if you do. It doesn’t matter.”
Some might see that dictum as negative, a lack of caring about anything, but I think it’s a reminder that if what we had in mind does not work out, something else will — because everything changes.
Fight It or Accept It?
Opinions on making changes to achieve serenity varied. “You could change the things you cannot accept,” Genevieve Ameduri wrote, noting that the quote has been attributed to activist and scholar Angela Davis. Rebecca Shawn Powers posted a different approach: “If you can't change it, change the way you think about it!”
Just thinking about change worries many of us. Marlene Smith posted a couple of fierce maxims, among them this one: “I've never seen worry change anything!” Laura Hannon Ferrans said that, too. “Most problems work out on their own,” she wrote. “Let go of worry.” Michael Sims noted, “Some things are worth getting upset about, but most aren't.”
(MORE: 30 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Die)
Some words of wisdom championed acceptance. “Do what you can with what you have right now,” wrote Gail Dishman. Peter Neill said, “I am what you see. No excuses, no apologies, no regrets.” And Nancy J. Meacham wisely advised, “Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.”
Yourself, As You Are
Debbie White Schmidt looks to author Anne Lamott for inspiration. "We begin to find and become ourselves when we notice how we are already found, already truly, entirely, wildly, messily, marvelously who we were born to be."
And while working on being who we were born to be, Judy Taral Honigfort cautioned against getting too involved in our children’s lives. “Vicariously living through my children is a toxic habit I'm trying hard to break. Above my sink is a reminder scrawled on scrap paper: ‘Find your own joy.’”
When to begin? Now!, said Vida Schulman. “Life is short. Eat dessert first. By that I mean metaphorical dessert. Don't put off the things you really want to do. If you do, you may run out of time. Have fun now. Do that traveling. Take that class. Plan for it all and get cracking!”
Attitude Is Everything
Counting the reasons why you can’t?
Judi Nobie’s father always told her there is no such thing as “can’t.” She also admires this Chinese Proverb: “Man who says it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it.” Mary Burk Laird looks to another source of wisdom — Yoda. "Do or do not; there is no try," the Star Wars Jedi Master said.
Trying takes guts. Janice Cullinane accepts that, and embraces Eleanor Roosevelt’s challenge: “Do one thing every day that scares you." Patricia Barrett looks to philosopher and theologian Søren Kierkegaard for assurance: "To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. To not dare is to lose one’s self."
William Peterson offers a practical reason to make a plan: “If you don't know where you're going, you'll probably end up someplace else.” Psychologist and educator Robert Mager gets credit for the quote.
Wherever you end up, you will have stories to tell, and Marie Wheeler Clingan wants to hear them — if they are new. Her mantra is “Do new things, have new stories to tell." She took up weaving at 65.
From The Beatles to Buffett
Many readers looked to cultural icons of every stripe for words of wisdom. Venancia Hopkins said, “The Beatles always had the greatest lyrics. ‘All you need is love’, is my mantra!” Susan P. Fox stuck by The Rolling Stones: “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometime, you just might find you get what you need." Jimmy Buffett’s lyrics speak to Gale Wagoner: “Breathe in, breathe out, move on.”
Annette Kennedy admires what the late Leonard Nimoy penned in a poem: “I have tried to prove my worth to worthless judges” and she cautions against that. Cindy Kelly follows a similar theme, writing, “Be with those who help your being," attributed to the poet Rumi. James Watts looked to Dylan Thomas for a powerful mantra: “Rage, rage against the dying of the light,” lines from a poem Thomas wrote for his dying father.
Brett DiGiovanni posted, “Don't live by mantras.” But isn’t that one? Just teasing!
Let’s end with Marcia Evans’ words to live by. “I think Bill and Ted got it right: Be excellent to one another!"


'Have Fun Now' and More Mantras to Live By

Patricia Corrigan

You can bring the grandkids to pet the piglets in the Children's Barnyard. At night you can watch the Wiggly Piglet races, always a crowd pleaser. 
The State Fair of Texas is not only the nation's biggest, it's the greasiest. These Fried Bacon Cinnamon Rolls won this year's Most Creative Food Award. Last year's winner: Fried Bubblegum.
Every evening at 7:15 p.m. the Reliant Starlight Parade kicks off, featuring floats, giant puppets and marching bands. Big Tex turns 60 this year and looks pretty fit. Could it be all the deep-fried foods?
If fried food isn't your thing, try pickled, from beets to squash to corn. Be sure to visit the fair's Creative Arts Building to see the blue ribbon winners.
If you call it a corn dog instead of a corny dog they'll know you're not from these parts. The fair also dishes up plenty of ethnic cuisine, including Greek and Mexican.
A fair wouldn't be a fair without pink cotton candy and sticky fingers. Look for vendors selling fried cotton candy, which is cooked in a light funnel cake batter. 
At 212 feet, or 20 stories, the Texas Star is the country's tallest Ferris wheel. On a clear day, you can see the Fort Worth skyline from the top. Built in Italy, it was first assembled at the fairgrounds in 1985. 
At night the iconic Texas Star is illuminated by an energy-efficient LED system. An evening ride on the Ferris wheel is the perfect way to close out your day at the State Fair of Texas. 
There are rides for everybody at the Midway. If you're the adventurous sort, you'll want to head to the Thrill Section. 
Livestock displays and exhibitions are all part of the state fair. Here you can watch a lamb get sheered. Three bags full?
The famed United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps performs free every afternoon. Every evening, except Wednesdays, the marching band leads the Reliant Starlight Parade through the fairgrounds.
The Great American Spam Championship is among the fair's many food contests. Here it's served deep fried. There's even a Kid Chef Showcase in which youngsters get to create their own Spam dishes.  
In Texas they do things big, and that certainly goes for the state fair. Every year it runs from the end of September through most of October. From Deep-Fried Cinnamon Rolls to corny dogs, you won't go hungry. And you can never get bored, what with bird shows, piglet races, daredevil motorcycle acts, Midway thrill rides, live music shows, parades, marching bands and more — much more. Get a first-person tour with longtime fair-goer and Dallas resident Sophia Dembling at the State Fair of Texas: Bigger Than Ever.


Say 'Yeehaw!' to the State Fair of Texas

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