Started 1/22                                                                  Finished 2/4
The more Mary Poppins books I read (I’m on #3), the more I realize how very British it is. The movie reflects more of Walt Disney than P.L. Travers. Plus, readers get to travel back to Britain of 1943, almost a century ago. This one opens with an explanation about Guy Fawkes Day.

In 1605 people were upset with King James I and Parliament. They came up with the Gunpowder Plot. It was discovered and stopped on November 5, 1605. Guy Fawkes was one of its leaders, and he was executed. Today Britain celebrates him in fireworks. King James – forgotten.

P.L. wrote her first author’s note for this book. She explained that Guy Fawkes Day stopped in 1939 – because of World War II. You can’t have fireworks when the enemy’s dropping bombs. In 1943 when Pamela published this book, she wrote that someday, it would be celebrated again, and it has been, ever since World War II ended. Chapter 1 begins on Guy Fawkes Day.

This is my favorite book, so far. Pamela pulled out all the stops. She wrote about the things she loved, like stars and folk tales. Each chapter is a gem of a story. Britain was depressed and gloomy in 1943. Guy Fawkes fireworks – banished – for four years. No end in sight. There’s nothing like a book to brighten life, for readers and writers. If you’re feeling gloomy in 2023, my suggestion – try this book.  

Amazon’s Description:
From the moment Mary Poppins arrives at Number Seventeen Cherry-Tree Lane, everyday life at the Banks house is forever changed. This classic series tells the story of the world's most beloved nanny, who brings enchantment and excitement with her everywhere she goes. Featuring the charming original cover art by Mary Shepard, these new editions are sure to delight readers of all ages.
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Mary Poppins reappears just in time! According to her tape measure, Jane and Michael have grown "Worse and Worse" since she went away. But the children won't have time to be naughty with all that Mary has planned for them. A visit to Mr. Twigley’s music box-filled attic, an encounter with the Marble Boy, and a ride on Miss Calico’s enchanted candy canes are all part of an average day out with everyone's favorite nanny.​

Idea #3: Teach Leadership – Leadership is something that may not be on the curriculum at school, although children are always learning from observing the people around them. Whether an individual makes career choices that involve leadership or not, the skills involved can benefit people from all walks of life. Remember that your behavior probably teaches more lasting lessons than any structured learning plan, so think about modeling good communication, a positive attitude, problem-solving, and goal setting. Other ways you can teach leadership skills include games that require teamwork, negotiation, communication, and perseverance. The importance of integrity cannot be overstated.  While you can talk about this endlessly, your child will probably learn more from being included in decision-making processes, seeing you tell the truth even when it’s awkward or difficult, and observing you treat others fairly.

​Something else to consider: if you find that you have a special knack for teaching, or you’d like to gain additional knowledge to pass on to your children, you could always go back to school. These days, you can get a bachelor of education through online study, which allows you a great deal of flexibility and can open a lot of doors, since teachers are currently in high demand.
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Children are learning much of the time that they are awake, whether actively or passively. They may not realize this, but it’s important that you do, so you can be sure to offer them opportunities to learn things that will enhance their lives. If they are absorbing information from watching TV or videos, take the time to make sure some of these “lessons” are constructive. You can create games, experiments, contests, and family activities that teach facts and concepts as well as behaviors. Many of the tasks of daily life can be made into field trips, such as visiting a professional bakery, a plant nursery, or a shoe repair shop. Vacation trips can include museums, art galleries, state and national parks, as well as historic sites. With a little bit of planning, you can offer them opportunities to expand their minds in all directions.

Rinda Beach is an author, teacher, and speaker who’s here to help you live your dreams. Don’t hesitate to reach out!

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​I’d like to welcome guest blogger Dylan Foster to rindabeach.com. He has some great ideas to help your children learn, beyond the classroom. Learning is everywhere, if you know how to look for it. Get a head start with Dylan’s ideas and the links that go with them.

​ School is important, of course, but it’s not the only way for a child to learn. Whether you’re trying to help your child catch up in a subject where they are faltering or enriching their background for other reasons, there are plenty of fun ways to teach all kinds of things. Inviting neighborhood kids or letting them bring friends can set a fun tone, too. Here are some additional tips from Dylan Foster to help your children reach their full potential.

​ Idea #1: Go Outdoors – Many learning activities can be done outdoors and combined with a fun game in the backyard or a nature walk in the park. If your child enjoys being active more than anything, the outdoor lessons will be particularly appreciated.  It’s a good idea to do science experiments that are likely to make messes, such as making an erupting volcano, or studying soils, outside.  The backyard is a great place to learn about rocks, trees, insects, constellations, weather, solar power, and so many other things. Many science lessons can be combined with art, too, such as learning about leaves and plants while making leaf rubbings with paint or pastels.
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​Idea #2: Incorporate Your Child’s Interests – Think about subjects your child is already fascinated by, such as dinosaurs, dance, astronomy, or sculpture. Find ways to build lessons related to their interests, such as getting library books about the constellations to read aloud, or for small children, connecting the numbered dots to create pictures of sharks. Give your child opportunities to try new things and develop new hobbies and interests without a commitment upfront. Take kids on field trips to expose them to new places, subjects, and ideas. Visiting historic sites, art museums, or a candy factory can open up new worlds for young minds. A child needs to become aware of something before they can develop an interest in it, so offer to include them in your activities, whether as observers, helpers, or participants. 
​

​Idea #3: Teach Leadership – Leadership is something that may not be on the curriculum at school, although children are always learning from observing the people around them. Whether an individual makes career choices that involve leadership or not, the skills involved can benefit people from all walks of life. Remember that your behavior probably teaches more lasting lessons than any structured learning plan, so think about modeling good communication, a positive attitude, problem-solving, and goal setting. Other ways you can teach leadership skills include games that require teamwork, negotiation, communication, and perseverance. The importance of integrity cannot be overstated.  While you can talk about this endlessly, your child will probably learn more from being included in decision-making processes, seeing you tell the truth even when it’s awkward or difficult, and observing you treat others fairly.

​Something else to consider: if you find that you have a special knack for teaching, or you’d like to gain additional knowledge to pass on to your children, you could always go back to school. These days, you can get a bachelor of education through online study, which allows you a great deal of flexibility and can open a lot of doors, since teachers are currently in high demand.
​

​Children are learning much of the time that they are awake, whether actively or passively. They may not realize this, but it’s important that you do, so you can be sure to offer them opportunities to learn things that will enhance their lives. If they are absorbing information from watching TV or videos, take the time to make sure some of these “lessons” are constructive. You can create games, experiments, contests, and family activities that teach facts and concepts as well as behaviors. Many of the tasks of daily life can be made into field trips, such as visiting a professional bakery, a plant nursery, or a shoe repair shop. Vacation trips can include museums, art galleries, state and national parks, as well as historic sites. With a little bit of planning, you can offer them opportunities to expand their minds in all directions.

Rinda Beach is an author, teacher, and speaker who’s here to help you live your dreams. Don’t hesitate to reach out!

Have you ever gone on a scavenger hunt? I have, and I had so much fun that I put them into two of my books – LAKE FUN FOR YOU AND ME and ZOE’S SCAVENGER HUNT FUN. Why? To get families out looking around the lake and doing things together.

I also started putting them into my vlogs. Have you ever watched to the end, until this slide comes up? That’s where I add in the hunt. To give kids, their parents and teachers a reason to look around my web site. Now it’s time to put it into a blog post. 

Button #1:  This is my home page. You can get there by going to rindabeach.com, or if you’re already there, click the ‘HOME’ button. Now for the hunt . . . scan my ‘Welcome’ message. Can you find the three links that are in it? Hint – they’re in blue.
Click on them, and each one will take you to one of my favorite places on the website. Enjoy!

                                                                     PS – the answer is below this image.​

                                                           ​The answers . . . kids, Beach Reads, and my Blog.

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Button #2:  This is another button on my website – ‘ABOUT ME.’ I posted six paragraphs on it. The first two are Reader and Teacher, but there are four more.
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             For the hunt . . . Can you find the other four answers? They’re posted below the image. 

         And the answers are . . . Storyteller, German friends & family, Writer, and Animal friends.  


Button #3:  This screenshot shows my ‘BLOG.’ I use it the most. I post a blog or two every week, and it usually takes 2 or 3 nights for me to finish one.  The next thing to find . . . What’s posted now? 
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This screenshot ISN’T the answer. I took it before I started writing about my buttons. Back then Part 3 of Technophobia was up.

And the answer now . . . the first three buttons on my homepage. But if you look tomorrow night, January 30th or later, something else will be there. I wonder what it will be!
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​Button #4:  Next up, ‘BOOKS.’ It’s my only button with a drop-down menu. When you hover, the titles of my three books appear. Do you see them, under my name?!

                                                Now, time to go hunting. Can you find my Book Trailer?
​                                                  I have three titles, but only one trailer. Good luck!
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         And the answer . . . NEIL ARMSTRONG’S WIND TUNNEL DREAM. Click, watch, and enjoy.
         Would you believe a talented high school sophomore created it? I think he did a GREAT job!

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​​Button #5:  Welcome to my contact page. It’s how you reach out to me, and how I reach out to you too.
The next thing to find . . . What subscription is free at rindabeach.com? 
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​Button #6:  ‘FOR KIDS’ came from the second story I wrote. It started as a gift for a few friends.
Search and find . . . where do my friends live?      
​      

The answer – Germany. Can you find it on a map?

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Button #7:  I use ‘MY READS’ at least once a week. They’re not the books I’ve written. They’re the ones I read as a writer. Children’s books build my sense of story. They grow my writing skills. I pick the best ones to share with you, the ones that match the blog post I just finished. I already have one waiting in the wings for tomorrow.
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For this button – can you find the last book I shared on My Reads? It’s the one you see below, and it’s legendary. You’re searching for . . . the two animals that are part of that legend.
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Button #8:  ‘SPEAKING’ is the last one, and it’s the end of our scavenger hunt. I hope it’s a happily ever after ending for you 😊

        The last thing to find . . . how many different kinds of school and library visits can I do for you?
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​          And the final answer . . .  9! I have 9 different kinds of talks, at least I did when I put up this list.

I’ve thought of a few more since then . . . a wind tunnel demonstration and a journal writing/drawing experience. If there’s a talk that you need, but I don’t have it, ask. I’ll check to see what I can do, in person or on zoom.
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                                                                   Tomorrow – what can you find on my reads?
                                                             The link: Rinda Beach - Beach Reads - Rinda Beach

​Have you ever heard of technophobia? I had, but for years I thought it was a joke. It turns out it’s real. Here’s the proof – I googled ‘technophobia’ and found this dictionary entry.

Part 1 – Me, the Technophobe: I’ve joked for years about being one, but I never knew it was a real thing, until I started putting this post together. 

My latest journey as a technophobe started last May, in 2022. My husband bought me a new computer because my old one was so bad it took 20 minutes to log on. Every single time. Really!
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But as a technophobe, I put up with all those minutes from May until August because I thought it was easier than navigating a new one. Finally in August I hit bottom zooming with my critique group. That’s my lifeline to other writers, to polishing my words. That’s when I finally started learning to use my new computer.
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Thank goodness! I have my own tech expert – my husband. He got me through most of the changes in August. They weren’t as big as I imagined. It’s true – fear is worse than the things you’re afraid of. My email changed a little. I have two different addresses. Now they show up on the same program. It’s lovely!

My internet changed a lot! I had to put my favorite sites on the new internet. I also had to re-enter my password information, but my husband held my hand and got me through it, in August.
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The biggest thing I use is Microsoft Word, and the only thing that changed is the way I do screenshots. The new way uses the snipping tool. I didn’t want to figure it out, so I found a way to paste the snip, and I was back in business, in August.

OOPS! I almost forgot, the cloud. YUCK! My husband made me learn how to  use it. I didn’t want to. It took a lot of time to transfer my files to the cloud. But now that it’s done, I’m glad I made the change. Mostly because when I get the next computer, and I will, all my files will be in the cloud, waiting for me. That’s a very good thing, even if it took until September.
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The only thing I haven’t figured out yet . . . is Scrivener. It’s a program I used a lot six years ago, but not so much now. The biggest problem – they updated the program, and I don’t want to learn the new one. I track my blog ideas and posts on Scrivener. It was a really small change, but tracking the books I sell, that’s harder! Even on my old computer I had to copy, then paste it into Word. I just did it for the last time. Now I’ll do all my tracking on Microsoft Word.

There’s still one thing I haven’t figured out . .  it’s the email list for my newsletter. I’ve been going the long way around, writing my email on the new computer. I save it as a draft. Then I go on the old one. I copy and paste my Scrivener email list onto the draft. Then I click send. It’s the long way around, but eventually I’ll figure it out. Somehow, maybe tomorrow. Maybe next month ☹

​ Part 2 – What the Experts Say:  The Cleveland Clinic says clinicians should treat technophobia like a specific phobia. That means like an irrational fear – of a situation, an object, an animal, or of an interaction. The risk from technology doesn’t match up with the real danger. Computers rarely hurt you, but being afraid could stop you from doing something that makes your life easier. 

​When you’re forced to use technology, here are some of the symptoms you might have.

1. You avoid new phones and computers.                                                      Me, sometimes.
2. You criticize them, or the changes they bring.                                       Yes.
3. You refuse to use computers, ATMs, and card readers.                    NO!
4. You refuse to upgrade your software.                                                         Sometimes.
5. You don’t want automatic processes like bill payment.                     I finally gave in.

It looks like I’m a bit of a technophobe, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It is more common with older people, like me. They cited a study of age and internet use. It said . . .

• 60%  of those aged 55 – 59
• 45%  for ages 60 – 64                         That’s me, and I use mine daily.
• 25% for ages 65 – 74
• 6% for ages 74 and up.                      This is a little scary. I’m a writer, and I can’t live without the Internet.

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If you have extreme anxiety – you might feel breathless, dizzy, faint, flushed, sweaty, or nauseous. Your heart might even beat faster. Mine doesn’t – I have milder symptoms.
                       My Source: Technophobia: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment (clevelandclinic.org)
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If you have a mild case like me, VeryWellMind.com suggests a few strategies to help you cope:

1. Ask for help. I do – my husband. He’s a techie. You could ask a friend or relative for help. Kids are great at technology.  

2. Take a class. I did as a teacher, and now as a writer. I took one to help me do my weekend videos. Look at your library, Y, or community college. They might have a class that’s a good fit for you.

3. Set goals. If you’re getting a tablet or cell phone, think tiny steps, like turning it on, or making a phone call, or taking pictures. Keep it simple and easy. Don’t forget to keep a coach around for back-up.
 
If you have severe symptoms that interfere with your life, see the doctor. They can help you with fear and anxiety.

1.  Cognitive Behavior Therapy will help you identify negative thoughts. Then your therapist can help you replace them with positive ones. They’ll help you cope with your fears.

2.  Exposure Therapy is all about exposing you to the thing you’re afraid of. Your anxiety will slowly disappear.

3.  Medications can be prescribed to work with the therapy you’re doing. They work together. My Source: Technophobia: Definition, Symptoms, Traits, Causes, Treatment (verywellmind.com)
 
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​Part 3 – When Did Technophobia Start?  Believe it or not, it wasn’t at the dawn of  computers. Would you believe its roots are in the Industrial Revolution? That’s when machines started taking jobs from skilled tradesmen. Factory owners could hire the unskilled, for much less. 

Tradesmen, like weavers, started worrying about their jobs, their families. In 1675 some of them banded together to destroy the machines that were destroying them. By 1727 the financial losses made the British Parliament create a new law. Destroying machines was now a crime, worthy of the death penalty.

But it didn’t stop the problem – it didn’t solve it either. In the 1800’s the weavers found a name to use, Ned Ludd. He’s the weaver’s version of  Robin Hood. No one’s sure whether Ned or Robin were real, fictional, or a combination of both.
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The new group, the Luddites, robbed important parts from knitting frames. They stole supplies. They wanted trade rights, but they also threatened destruction. In 1812, Parliament had enough. They passed The Frame Breaking Act. The penalty – execution, or a ticket to Australia’s penal colonies. This time the destruction stopped.
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​Do you recognize this face? It’s from a story written by Mary Shelley in 1818. The title – Frankenstein! This version is a photo taken to promote the 1935 movie, The Bride of Frankenstein. The actor – Boris Karloff. If you love horror movies, you know his name.

Mary Shelley visited Europe in 1815. She traveled along the Rhine, stopping in Gernsheim, eleven miles from Frankenstein Castle. That’s where 200 years earlier an alchemist had done some experiments. It stirred her imagination.

In 1816 Mary and two famous British writers, Percy Shelley and Lord Byron, decided to have a contest – to write the best horror story. Evidently Mary won, at 18. Her story is a classic. Remember the alchemist and his experiments? She mixed them together, added a monster, and brought it to life. The result – horrifying! Technophobia strikes again!

BTW – women weren’t supposed to be writers so Mary’s name didn’t appear in the first edition, but it was in the second and all those that followed. 

That’s how technophobia started, but it hasn’t stopped. From pasteurization to evolution, electricity and the telephone. Through the discovery of uranium to nuclear bombs, leaded gas and pollution, the hole in the ozone layer and global warming. Are you feeling anxious yet?

​Those things make my computer worries seem small. I can’t control the future or its inventions, but I can control my computer, and eventually my address problem. Here’s to the future, to taking care of what I can, and letting the rest go. I’m a Christian, so I trust in God, and in his plans.
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​   
     My Sources:
-  Technophobia - Wikipedia
-   Luddite - Wikipedia
​-   Frankenstein - Wikipedia

Started 1/5                                                                               Finished 1/22
I love P.L. Travers and her work! She wrote the original Mary Poppins in 1934, and this one in 1935. Her Mary isn’t sugary sweet like Walt Disney’s. She’s more like Minerva McGonagall from Harry Potter. Strict and firm. Someone who sets limits. Mary Poppins is also wise like Albus Dumbledore, but she has a bit of a temper.

When Mary returns, Jane and Michael get to go on more fantastic outings. You can read all ten, including when the kids meet Mr. Turvy. It’s a little like meeting Uncle Albert, except everyone is upside down, like they are on this book cover.
Later they meet the balloon lady. She has balloons, and balloons. The magic happens when you find the right one, with your name on it. Find it, and you’ll sail up, up, and away.

Mary always knows when she’ll leave . . . this time after the locket breaks. Jane and Michael never dreamed it would happen on a merry-go-round, but this one lifts into the sky and becomes a star.

​Amazon’s Description:
By P.L. Travers, the author featured in the movie Saving Mr. Banks.

From the moment Mary Poppins arrives at Number Seventeen Cherry-Tree Lane, everyday life at the Banks house is forever changed. This classic series tells the story of the world's most beloved nanny, who brings enchantment and excitement with her everywhere she goes. Featuring the charming original cover art by Mary Shepard, these new editions are sure to delight readers of all ages.

   Pulled down from the clouds at the end of a kite string, Mary Poppins is back. In Mary’s care, the Banks children meet the King of the Castle and the Dirty Rascal, visit the upside-down world of Mr. Turvy and his bride, Miss Topsy, and spend a breathless afternoon above the park, dangling from a clutch of balloons. Surprises are sure to pop up when Mary Poppins is around!

Started 12/28                                                                               Finished 1/3
I just finished the original MARY POPPINS. Pamela Lyndon Travers saw it published back in 1934 and updated in 1997.

Pamela’s MARY is different from Disney’s, and I like it better. I didn’t believe it, but I read it twice. Her character isn’t half as sweet, but kids didn’t care. Disney’s wife read it to their daughters at bedtime, and they convinced their dad to make it into a movie. It took him 20 years to convince Pamela.

Pamela’s MARY is less sweet, more realistic. It’s richer, and deeper than Walt’s, like dark chocolate. Her fantasy is as imaginative as J.K. Rawlings, but different. Pamela’s is based in her childhood, on the myths and fairy tales she grew up reading in Edwardian Australia, around 1906.

I wish I’d discovered Pamela’s MARY when I was a kid. I would have eaten them up. In fact, after I finish her biography, again, my next read will be Pamela’s MARY, #2.

PS – if you’re curious how Pamela’s book is different from Disney’s movie, click on this link . . . Rinda Beach - Blog - Rinda Beach

​Amazon’s Description (From Back Cover:
From the moment Mary Poppins arrives at Number Seventeen Cherry-Tree Lane, everyday life at the Banks house is forever changed.

It all starts when Mary Poppins is blown by the east wind onto the doorstep of the Banks house. She becomes a most unusual nanny to Jane, Michael, and the twins. Who else but Mary Poppins can slide up banisters, pull an entire armchair out of an empty carpetbag, and make a dose of medicine taste like delicious lime-juice cordial? A day with Mary Poppins is a day of magic and make-believe come to life!

This post started because I felt a call to read a picture book aboutt Dr. King’s dream. His speech was written and delivered in 1963, when I was 4 years old. I felt a mixture of happy and sad as I reread it. Happy that so much has changed since 1963, and sad because our nation feels so divided on racial lines today. 
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Part 1 – Martin’s Dream – I can’t recite his speech, but I’m glad I returned the ebook  . . . Someone already checked it out.. I went back and listend to my video-reading so I could give you an accurate summary of the details I recorded.

Martin gave this speech on August 28, 1963. He said, paraphrasing, that even though we’re facing difficulties today and tomorrow, that he had a dream that was rooted in the history of our country. He dreamed that we’d rise up and live the words of our creed, that all men are created equal.

Martin had a dream that the sons of Georgia, slave and slave owner could sit down together in brotherhood. That in the sweltering heat of injustice and oppression of 1960 Mississippi, that it could become a place of peace and justice.

Then my favorite part, that his four little kids could grow up in a land where they’re judged by the content of their character, not on the color of their skin. The page I stopped on showed a circle of children, black and white, having fun, and they weren’t thinking about skin color. They were too busy being kids.

I don’t remember the rest of the speech, but there’s a huge section about letting freedom ring, Martin named some of those places . . .  from the Atlantic to the Pacific, to the great plains and so many more.
I got an email today, with a quote from Dr. King. I hope it resonates with you . . . “Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.  If you’d like to read the quote, and a little bit more about Martin, here’s the link: Daily Inspiration | Inspiring Quotes.
 
Part 2 – Reaching Out For Your Dreams:  One idea is to picture your dreams. What do you want to do? Next imagine the things you can do to make it come true. What steps do you need to take? This is a project I did with my second graders to honor Dr. King. It also helps them envision their dreams. It came from my friend, Rose, and it looks something like this . . . But with a picture of your dream below the clouds.

Here are two models. There are more steps, but it’s a start to get kids thinking. Adults too!

​My first dream was to become a teacher . . . 

​I went to college and studied teaching.
I worked with kids and teachers in my methods classes.
I subbed and found my way into my first job.
 
Here's a picture of me teaching . . . 

​​My dream now – to find an agent.

​First I’ll listen to my critique partners to polish my work.
Next I’ll submit to agents, using their guidelines.
Finally I’ll track my submissions to decide when to move on, and when to send nudges.
PS – I’ll also keep writing new stories.
 
Here’s me writing . . . 

​​Part 3 – What are Your Dreams . . . And How Can You Reach Them?  I shared mine in Part 2. Dreams can change and grow over time. Mine did. What are yours today? I thought back to the days when I was teaching second grade. Here are some of the dreams my students had. I picked the ones that seem to be true all these years later. 

​My second graders loved sports, from football to dance. You could pick a sport you’re playing now, or one that pops up in the future. The most important thing – that your dream fits you, and what you want out of life.

You should also think about the things you’re good at. Maybe it’s singing or playing an instrument. Maybe it’s writing or drawing. You can do them for fun, but if you’re really good, it can become your job. Then it will earn you the money for the things you want and need. 

​How? You have your goal. Now think about how to get there. What do you need? Practice, a teacher, opportunities to play? All of these things can be part of your plan, but there are lots of other ways to make your dreams come true.

Do you like to work with your hands, with real things? You can make a good living, AND you don’t need to go to college, but you still need to figure out how to get there.
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Do you need training, to find someplace to practice your skills? One of the best things to do before you invest in training, is to try out/volunteer in places where you can test-drive your dream. Who wants to spend time and money on something you don’t like?!

Have you thought of working in medicine or in outer space? You’ll have to invest more time and money before you can get your first paycheck.
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I’d definitely test-drive those jobs before investing either time or money in college. It’s expensive. To figure out your plan, what kinds of things do you need to know, to be able to do, or to study before you can get accepted into that college?

There are so many more hobbies and careers to get involved in. Take your time! Enjoy the journey. Try out the things you’re interested in. That way you’ll know whether you’re a good fit for them, or not. Feel free to use my goals and steps to get there. If they fail or succeed, please let me know! I love finding out when I’ve been helpful.
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PS – Don’t be afraid of failing. If you don’t fit, it’s your brain’s way of saying this path isn’t right for you. Would you believe I’ve learned more from my failures than from my successes?! It’s true!

This post came from another email suggestion. Jack Robertson, who’s a content specialist with ireviews.com, asked if I’d share an online article about protecting seniors from online scams. I took one look at their first image and said YES. I’m summarizing . . . according to the FBI, seniors lose an estimated $3billion because they fall prey to these scams.
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Their article highlighted ten. It told you how they worked, and how to spot them. Here’s their link: How To Keep Elderly Loved Ones Safe From Online Scams (ireviews.com)

​I picked three to write about. They struck me as the most common, and the most dangerous. Looking at them, might help you navigate the others.
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Part 1 – Three Scams and How to Spot Them:

#1 – Social Security – Everyone should watch out for this one. Bad guys can be so clever. The most common – to call or email seniors to ask for their Social Security numbers. Sometimes those scammers make you think you have to respond. That you’ll miss out on money you’re owed.

Remember, Social Security will never call or email you. They’ll never ask for personal information. The scammers will want you to use their phone numbers, emails or web sites. DON’T. Type www.ssa.gov, and you’ll go straight to the real Social Security site.

#2 – Prescription Drugs – I didn’t know seniors take 1/3 of the prescriptions in the US, and that’s a hefty price tag for someone on a fixed income. The bad guys know how to catch their attention – with cheap prices. Then they try to steal credit card numbers and insurance information.
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Remember no matter your age, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If it’s misspelled or sounds fishy, skip on by. Don’t be tempted! Buy your prescriptions from a trusted pharmacy. 

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#3 – Free Vacations – Scammers will promise all-expense-paid trips to seniors, but they’re really looking for personal information/credit card numbers. Don’t give them out. If they push you to book a trip, hang up!

Remember, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Another tip – don’t use the links they send. Google the company yourself. It may not even exist. If it’s real, check out their reviews before you make a decision. That’s good advice, anytime/anyplace.
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Part 2 – Fourteen Ways to Prevent Scams:  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of protection. I know – I spent the last ten years helping my parents age, then pass away. Each one of these tips helped me, help them. I decided the best way to share them is by doing a picture walk through the list. To read more, click on this link: How To Keep Elderly Loved Ones Safe From Online Scams (ireviews.com)
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​​1.   Talk to them regularly about technology.

3.   Install antivirus software for them.
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​4.   Teach them how to handle links in messages.

6.   Keep an eye on their social media accounts. ​

9.   ​Keep phone numbers private.

​10.   Research before buying anything.

​11.   Consult/help them with big purchases.​

​12.   Explain how official correspondence works.

13.   Check in on their finances.    

​14.   Check in on them regularly. 





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Scene 1 – Mary Poppins Arrives

The Movie – Katie Nana quits. Jane and Michael run away, but a constable brings them home. Mr. Banks writes an advertisement for a nanny, and so do the kids. Mr. Banks rips theirs up and throws it into the fireplace

The Book - The only thing that’s the same – Katie Nana quits. There was an advertisement, but Mr. Banks told his wife to write it. The other details – all from Disney.
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​Scene 2 – Mary Poppins Gets the Job

The Movie – A line of nannies arrive outside #17, but the wind sweeps them away. Mary descends from the clouds with her umbrella and the torn-up advertisement. She convinces Mr. Banks that he wants her for the job. She heads up to the nursery to clean up, armed with that spoonful of sugar.
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The Book – Both Mary’s flew in from the east, holding onto a carpet bag and umbrella. There was a spoon in each, but Disney used sugar. In the book each child took a spoonful from the bottle. Each one looked and tasted different . . . they were made special for Jane, Michael, and the twins. BTW – I didn’t know there were twins in the book, and we’re still in chapter 1.

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Scene 3 – Through the Chalk Drawing

The Movie – Mary and the kids meet Bert on a walk. They admire his drawings and wind up in one. They stroll through the park, take a carousel ride, and join a horse race. It ends when a storm washes the drawing away.

The Book - We made it into Chapter 2. That’s where Mary and Bert enter a chalk drawing. No kids allowed! The adults have tea, a carousel ride, but no horse race. 

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​Scene 4 – A Pair of Outings

The Movie – In the first one the kids meet Bert’s Uncle Albert. He’s laughing so hard, he winds up on the ceiling. It’s so infectious that everyone else joins him for tea, jokes, and tears of laughter!

Mr. Banks is annoyed by all this cheerfulness, so Mary talks him into bringing the kids to work. At bedtime she tells them about tuppence for the Bird Woman, but when Mr. Dawes tries to take their money, it starts a run on the bank.

The Book – Finally, Chapter 3! There is tea on the ceiling, but it’s with Mary’s Uncle Albert. The laughing gas – it’s only there because it’s Friday AND his birthday. The kids were included, but not Bert. There’s much less drama, but so much fun!

As for the Bird Woman, she comes in much later, in Chapter 7. The kids were supposed to meet their father for tea, but that didn’t happen. Instead they met the bird woman. The book is calmer, sweeter, and fun.

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Scene 5 – Run Aways, and Bank Trouble

The Movie – Jane and Michael run away. They’re lost in the back alleys of London until Bert finds them. He’s also a chimneysweep. He and his friends escort the kids home, with a little song and dance.

Mr. and Mrs. Banks return home and send the chimneysweeps away. That’s when Mr. Banks gets a call. He’s in trouble. Michael gives his father the tuppence, and Bert advises Mr. Banks to spend time with his kids before they’re grown.

The Book – The kids never ran away, or even made it to the bank. This is pure Disney.

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Scene 6 – Mr. Banks Loses his Job

The Movie – Mr. Banks is fired, and he loses it – singing, joking, and laughing. Even trying to say . . . ready . . . 
supercalifragilisticexpealidocious. He heads home happy, and the boss who fired him, finally gets the joke.

The Book – All Disney. The bank is barely mentioned in the book.

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Scene 7 – The Wind Changes

The Movie – When the wind changes, Mary must leave. Mr. Banks fixes the kite and takes the family out for a flight. That’s when another banker gives Mr. Banks his job, plus a promotion. Mary flies away, and Bert tells her to come back soon.

The Book – It ends when Mary leaves. She told the kids she’d stay until the wind changed. They’re worried she’ll never return, but Mary leaves them with a note saying au revore. That’s French for – to meet again.

PS – Mary Poppins keeps her promise and returns for another book, with more adventures.
 
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​Chapter 5 features The Dancing Cow. She’s very ladylike until the night she feels the urge to dance. She can’t seem to stop – to eat, to care for her baby, or even to sleep. Her solution – she runs, I mean dances all the way to the king to ask for advice. That’s where someone finally notices a star that’s stuck on her horn. To get rid of it, she’ll have to jump over the moon. Did it work? You’ll have to read chapter 5 yourself.
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PS - Was she that famous cow, the one who jumped over the moon? Pamela never said 😊

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Chapter 6 is titled Bad Tuesday. It starts one morning when Michael wakes up with a ball of energy inside him. It makes him say/do naughty things, to his brother and sisters. To his parents, even Mary Poppins. She sends him ahead to pick up something golden, a compass. When he hands it over, it takes them to the four corners of the globe. They meet four incredible animals before heading home. You’d think the naughty energy would disappear. Not! Michael tries to get the compass that night, but it turns into a nightmare that finally ends his bad Tuesday.

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Chapter 10 is titled Full Moon. Michael wants to know what happens at the zoo when there’s a full moon. That night Mary Poppins disappears, and Jane and Michael get tickets. When they arrive, the animals are roaming around, and people are locked into cages. That’s just one of the incredible things they see. The kids are sure it was  a dream, until they see Mary wearing something from the zoo.

Next up – after I reread P.L. Travers’ biography – I’ll post how she was like Pamela in Saving Mr. Banks, how she was like Mary Poppins, and other discoveries I make along the way. ​

Part 1 – Watching Mr. Banks: It was Christmas evening, and I finally controlled the remote . . . everyone else was going to bed. I was searching the Disney channel for a movie, and that’s when SAVING MR. BANKS called out to me. I’d seen it before, but I picked it over the other Christmas movies. Maybe because I’d been watching them since Halloween.

My husband actually stayed up and watched half of it. He’d never seen it before, but somehow it drew him in. Maybe because we both grew up with Disney. Back then we watched Walt every Sunday night. Going to his movies was a real treat.

Maybe he stayed because it took us behind the scenes of the movie we loved as kids. MARY POPPINS was magical! It stirred your imagination. It took you places you  could never go, like into a chalk drawing. Watching MR. BANKS was like peeling back the curtains and discovering the truth, just like Dorothy did in the Wizard of Oz.

The first time I watched SAVING MR. BANKS, I focused on Mary Poppins and how her movie was born. I was fascinated! But this time, I went deeper. I noticed details I missed before.
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Part 2 – The Details I Caught – The Second Time Around: I was so focused the first time on how MARY POPPINS was born, that I didn’t really notice it was just one half of SAVING MR. BANKS. There are two! They take place decades apart, but Mary connects them. She makes them whole. This illustration from an Amazon review helped me picture how they connect.

The first story is at the top, the one from the early 60’s. It’s about Walt Disney and Pamela Travers. I didn’t know she fought to keep Mary out of Walt’s hands. It took him over 20 years to get the rights for her book.

The second story is about a girl and her father. It’s at the bottom. It took place around 1906, and it’s Pamela’s story. Of her childhood, of how much she loved her father, in spite of his flaws.

Connecting Walt and Pamela – MARY POPPINS. I didn’t realize until I watched it this time, that Mary helped Pamela make sense of her childhood, by writing about it. No wonder Pamela was so protective of her. I’d do the same for any of my characters!

I loved Mary Poppins when I was 5. Now I love her even more, but I’m curious. The longer I watched Mr. Banks, the more I wanted to know about the first Mary. And the real Pamela. After the movie was over, I searched for the first version of MARY POPPINS, not the picture book. That’s the movie version. I wanted Pamela’s real story, the original, the one that made Walt chase it for 20 years so he could make it into a movie.

I also wanted to learn more about the real P.L. Travers. I write, so I know stories often begin with the truth. Then they’re stretched and changed to make better stories. So I ordered Pamela’s biography. I’ll let you know what I discover.

The book I started tonight – MARY POPPINS. I’ll let you know what I think – how it’s like the movie version and SAVING MR. BANKS. Then, how it’s different. If you'd like to click and go, here you go . . .
Rinda Beach - Blog - Rinda Beach

Amazon’s Description:
Saving Mr. Banks is a fascinating look at the circuitous "collaborative" process Walt Disney, his creative team, and author P.L. Travers engaged in in bringing the character Mary Poppins to life on the big screen in the early 1960s. This touching, funny film is really two stories nicely tied up in one appealing package. The first story is of P.L. Travers's childhood in Australia in the early 1900s. This story starts out idyllically enough, emphasizing her father's immense love for his children and his uncanny ability to make everything fun and exciting, but it's one that has a darker side that ends up shaping the adult that Travers eventually becomes. The other story is of the adult P.L. Travers. A proper Englishwoman completely set in her ways, she grudgingly embarks on a trip from England to Los Angeles to discuss the possibility of turning her highly successful book Mary Poppins into a Disney motion picture. Walt Disney has a vested personal interest in the project, but Travers and the Disney team clash on virtually every level and their interactions run the gamut from perplexing to infuriating and downright funny. The juxtaposition of the two stories is quite masterful, with the stories continually intertwining and each shedding light on the other to create a cohesive film that is highly engaging and emotionally poignant. The casting of Tom Hanks as Disney and Emma Thompson as Travers is inspired: they are absolutely perfect in their roles. Perhaps the most intriguing thing about this film is that Saving Mr. Banks creates a whole new perspective from which to view the beloved original Mary Poppins. (Ages 10 and older) --Tami Horiuchi