Sheila Brooks from DigitalEdgeMarketing.org emailed and asked if her team could collaborate with me on a post about mental health and well-being. She let me pick the topic. My choice . . . Protecting Teens from Social Media Health Risks.

I’m glad I took a chance on Sheila. Her team came up with some great tips for you and me.
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Living in this constantly budding era of new media technologies and information overload can be challenging to navigate, especially if you are a parent to a teenager.
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​With the rise of social media networks over the past decade, it’s important to stay aware of how these websites and apps operate in order to keep your children safe online. Teaching yourself and your teen how to engage in proper online social etiquette can help prevent negative experiences on the internet, and can even improve real-life communication as well.

                                                                              Tip #1: Peer Pressure Awareness:  
While there is a lot of funny and educational content available for engagement on social media, unfortunately, there are also corners of these websites that lean toward participating in unsavory and unhealthy behaviors. Videos and posts that encourage or celebrate teen drug abuse, bullying, and romanticizing unhealthy coping mechanisms flourish online, especially on youth-centric social media sites like TikTok.  

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If your teen is thinking of making a social media account, be sure to sit down with them and discuss the realities surrounding peer pressure. When you encourage your teen to appreciate their unique selves, they can feel more secure in themselves and their own online presence.

 
                                                                    Part 2 – Teach Your Teen About Algorithms
​​As social media websites have continued to develop and change since their inception, so have the ways that content is displayed on these networks. In the early days of sites like YouTube and Facebook, the most recent posts from accounts you were friends with or subscribed to were shown on your personal homepage first. Nowadays, most social media sites rely on targeted algorithms that push “stickier” forms of content to the top, which typically leads to posts with inflammatory subject matter. 

​Teaching your teenager about the way that these algorithms operate will help them see those patterns in action on their social media homepages. Hopefully, by knowing that the algorithm is fishing for engagement, your child can make better choices about which posts to interact with, and which ones to ignore. 

                                                                                  Part 3 - Setting App Timers
Because of how easily accessible the internet is nowadays, sometimes the biggest social media health risk is not the content itself, but the amount of time spent on the apps in general. Spending multiple hours a day on social media can cause physical conditions like eye strain and interrupted sleep schedules, potentially affecting school and mental health. 

Modern parenting means staying updated on what can enter your child’s life experience, especially in the unfiltered online world. Finding a balance between setting clear boundaries and letting your teen experience social media on their own can be challenging, yet highly rewarding for you and your child in the long run. 

​What is the one thing you can’t buy? Love! Poets write about it. Songwriters sing about it. There’s nothing better than being loved, and there’s nothing worse than feeling unloved. I found three inspiring quotes about its power. 

​                     #1. “He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much."

That’s what I see when I look at this family. Their love for each other. I see their smiles, maybe even a giggle. It looks like life has treated them well. So who wrote it? 

​It was Bessie Anderson Stanley. I couldn’t find any pictures, but I found a little information about her. Bessie was born in Newton, Iowa in 1879. She got married in 1900 and moved to Lincoln, Kansas. She died in 1952, when she was 73. 
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In 1904 Brown Book Magazine wanted to know in 100 words or less, “What is success?” Bessie took a chance, and she won first prize, $250. If Bessie hadn’t entered that contest, we wouldn’t know anything about her.
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Bessie wasn’t a writer, but she won another prize. Some people thought her words were written by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Others, by Robert Louis Stevenson, and they’re both famous writers. Bessie wrote one piece for one contest. Today she has ten links to her quote on Google, and she’s credited with them too. Words, they can live forever!
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Sources:
Quote:  Daily Inspiration | Inspiring Quotes
Information:  Bessie Anderson Stanley - Wikipedia

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Sources:
My Picture Book Link: Watch | Facebook    
Quote: Daily Inspiration | Inspiring Quotes
Information: Martin Luther King Jr. - Wikipedia

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​​                                                       #3. “Above all do not forget your duty to love yourself.”
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I think that’s exactly what these photos show. Taking care of yourself is key. So is giving yourself time to think, time to breathe. When you love and care for yourself, it makes it easier to love and care for the people around you.

                                                                                       So who wrote these words?
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It was Søren Aabye Kierkegaard. This is an unfinished sketch from the 1840’s. Søren was from Denmark, and he lived from 1813 – 1855. He was a man of thoughts – a theologian, philosopher, poet, social critic, and a religious author.

He wrote about Christianity and morality, ethics and psychology. He believed in the value of the individual, and their view of reality. He believed people should make personal choices and commitments. He preferred those very real things to the abstract.
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This quote was written to a friend with a physical disability. Søren told him that even though he might feel different from others, he should still value and love himself, and so should we.

Sources:
Quote:  Inspiring Quotes
Information:  Søren Kierkegaard - Wikipedia

​​Have you ever met a bat up close and personal? Not the baseball kind. The bat, who flies through the night. I have, four times so far. Keep reading, and I’ll tell you some true stories about me, and my bats.

                                                                      Story # 1 – The Bat and the Mop

The first bat flew through this backyard in Lengerich, Germany. If you were a bat, you’d stop in every night to feast on its bug buffet, but not that night . . . it tried the door.

Most German windows don’t have screens, and the back door, it was open. So that bat flew inside and did a few laps. I called it a bird, and my German friend, night bird.
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We argued until she pulled out a big, thick book. I thought she was going to hit the bat. Nope! It was a dictionary, and she pointed at a German word, Fledermaus. Beside it, in English, I saw bat, and that’s the moment it hung upside down from the curtain rod. No Fake, Jake!

What should we do? Well, we argued some more, and that bat watched and listened. Finally my friend tried the garage, and I was stuck with the bat. I had to do something, so I tried a mop. I held it up to the bat, hoping it would fly away. Nope! Three limbs clutched my mop. The fourth, held tight to the rod.

We stared at each other, like forever, at least until I heard my friend’s footsteps. I yelled door. Thank goodness she left it open, and that bat finally flew a few laps, then left through the door.

That’s the short version of my brush with a bat. If you’d like the one with more juicy details, try this link: http://www.rindabeach.com/blog/the-true-bat-story
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                                                                     Story #2 – A Pillow Fight, with a Bat!

Believe it or not, I wasn’t the lead actor for this story . . . that role went to my husband, but I guess I was still the leading lady, and the villain . . . the bat. This is my only bat story where it got to be the villain. The other three times, poor bat! It stumbled into the story.

This one started when my husband woke me during the night. He called, cover your face. Note – I hate doing that. I get too hot, and then I have to kick off the covers. When I asked why, he said there was a bat in our bedroom. I know – a bat, flying laps, around my bedroom. YIKES!
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It was enough to keep me undercover, because this bat wasn’t nice, not like the others. My husband said every time he popped his head out, the bat dive-bombed him. And the sound it made, I don’t remember the syllables, but they were high-pitched and squeaky. They sounded mean, like he was shouting, this is MY room. Not Yours!

Finally my husband had enough. Not me, I stayed undercover. He grabbed his pillow and started swatting. The bat pillow fight was on! But it wasn’t the nice kind, the slumber party kind. My husband swatted the bat to the floor, and it screeched – I’ll hurt you, I will! I was terrified, but my husband and the bat, they were still fighting, with that pillow.

A few minutes later he yelled, get a shoe! Why? So he could knock it down, for good. Every time he swatted, that bat flew back up a moment later. NOT NICE! It could have flown away. So I scrambled for a shoe, staying close to the ground. I think I tossed it. I wanted it there, fast, but I didn’t want to knock my husband out either!
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He grabbed the shoe, hit the bat, and the battle was over. That fast! My husband carried it outside. My guess – he didn’t touch it. A bat that mean, might have had rabies. Afterwards I was so thankful it picked our room, not our daughter’s. She was probably middle school age back then, and a bat would have totally freaked her out.

Our two boys wanted to keep it as a souvenir, but we said NO! We called a park ranger. He lived two doors down, and he took it away before we got home. We never heard if it had rabies, but I’ve always wondered.

PS – I always think of this as my second bat story, but now, telling it for the first time ever, our kids must have been much younger. My guess – in grades 6, 4, and 1. No wonder I was so thankful that bat never crawled into our daughter’s room.

PPS – How did it get in? Our guess – it flew in the fireplace. It’s on the bottom level of our house. Then it flew upstairs and crawled under the door. It had too . . . it was the only way in . . . Both of our bedroom doors were closed. What an adventure! Thank goodness we lived to tell!

  

​                                                                  Story #3 – Tennis Anyone? Game, Set, Bat!

Have you ever swung a racquet at a bat? I have, but my heart wasn’t in it. It was the third time I’d met one up close, but it was the scariest. Maybe, because I was all alone this time.

It all started when my husband decided to cap our chimney. It sounded like a good idea, but I had no idea what it would set in motion . . . Not one. Not two, but three bats flying through our house. They must have called the chimney home, until that cap trapped them inside. There was nothing they could do, except fly through our house. They were looking for a way out, but the doors and windows were all closed. 

My husband was in Tennessee the night the first one flew through. I was in Ohio. His advice – grab a tennis racquet. Easy for him to say! He can hit the ball, and I can’t. 

That racquet made me feel a little safer. At least I could defend myself, sort of. My other defense, the one I was good at, hiding in our bedroom with the doors shut tight. Thank goodness that bat never crawled under either door. I think we were scared of each other.
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The second night the bat flew up and down the stairs a few times. I swung and missed each time, but it finally disappeared. I didn’t search, not me. It was bigger than the other bats, with wings that filled the stairs. He flew up and around me and my racquet. What an acrobat!

​He said that I was the batlady. Okay, I have said that, and a lot. Then he said I could take care of it. I thought a moment. Then I thought suck it up buttercup, and I headed outside, armed with a six-foot piece of baseboard. And no, I wasn’t going to hit the bat with it.

I got outside and of course I didn’t see the bat, like usual. My husband pointed, and there it was, hanging onto the base cap. I googled to find that word. It’s the baseboard that goes around the top of a wall, or the top of a porch.
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My tiny new friend was on the base cap beside the front yard. It looked like a small bird, but birds can’t land on a base cap. I looked, then wondered if I could really help it leave. Then I thought suck it up buttercup again, and I held my baseboard up to that bat.

Nothing! I wondered if it was ignoring me, or sleeping. Did you know bats sleep during the day and fly at night?  I tried again. Nothing again! The third time – it stretched out its wings. Yowzah! Suddenly that bat looked a lot bigger, but I sucked it up, and I held that board up one last time.

OOOPS! I forgot to tell you I was talking to the bat the whole time. On that last try I told my winged friend it couldn’t sleep on the porch. I said fly away. Find a better place to sleep. Guess what? It worked! My friend flew away, and I haven’t seen it since.
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BTW – My tiny new friend probably lives in the mini-woods on either side of our house, but this is the first time we’ve met. Why? Bats avoid people the way people avoid bats. I thought I should build it a house, but I realized I don’t need to – my bat has lots of houses to choose from. They’re called . . . TREES!

​When I think of whales, this is what I picture . . . one of them leaping out of the water. They are magnificent! How could such a huge and mighty creature find itself beached, without a chance of swimming back out to sea? It should be something that’s impossible.
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​I’d never want to see a whale die like this – beached. Stuck in the sand, without a chance to escape, but 25 have died this way since December 1, 2022. Many, along the New Jersey and New York shoreline.

Our government has been studying these deaths since 2016, and 186 whales died in those six years. That’s a lot. The highest – 2017 – when 34 whales beached themselves. So, 25 whales in three months, that’s super high. I hope this isn’t a record-breaking year.

Scientists have done necropsies on 13 of those 25 whales. We have autopsies when we die to tell us why. Whales, they have necropsies.  Out of the 13 examined, 8 died because they ran into boats and ships. The other 12 whales – the scientists are still waiting on those results.

Usually if a whale beaches itself, it’s sick. Sometimes it’s trying to avoid sharks or killer whales. But 25, that’s way higher than normal. What’s going on? No one knows for sure. Some people suspect global warming. Others wonder if it’s the new offshore wind farms. Everyone has guesses, but no one knows the true answer, for sure.
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​Source: As More Dead Whales Wash Up in NJ and NY, Officials Eye Research Into Wind Farms – NBC New York

                                               Part 2 – Which Whales Beached Themselves, and Where?
The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has been tracking where the whales beached themselves along the eastern seaboard. It’s mostly been on the shores of New York and New Jersey, but it stretches all the way down to Florida.

​Do you have trouble imagining the size of something large? I do. That’s why I added these two pictures to this post about whales . . . to help us imagine just how big they are. The average school bus is 35 feet long, probably longer than a classroom. And an elephant, he weighs about a ton, whether he’s from Africa or India.
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​Humpback whales have suffered the most. Eighteen of these giant creatures have stranded themselves along beaches between New York and North Carolina.
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 Only 3 sperm whales have been stranded, so far. They were found on beaches between New York and Florida. Three is a lot less, and they were scattered far apart along the Atlantic coastline.

Male sperm whales can be 52 feet long. That’s about a bus and a half. (Two buses are 70 feet in length.) Male whales weigh 50 tons. That’s 50 elephants sitting on your lap. No thanks!

Females, like the one in the photo, are about 36 feet long, just a little longer than your bus. They only weigh 15 tons, but I would still say no if 15 elephants asked to sit on my lap.

And a new baby whale – it’s only 13 feet long. If you add a yardstick to its length, you’d have half a bus. As for the weight, only 1.1 tons. That’s one elephant, on my lap? No thanks, I’d rather sit beside that elephant. Oh, I mean baby whale!
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Meet a mama and baby North Atlantic right whale. I don’t understand why they’re right, not left. Maybe you can look it up and report back to me and my readers. Only two of the right whales have been stranded – along the shore of North Carolina and Virginia. I guess it’s good to be right 😊

Right whales are about 43 – 56 feet long. That’s about as long as the other two whales. The short ones are as long as a bus, plus the height of a 6-foot basketball player. The long ones are a bus long, plus four kids stretched out in front of it (if they’re about 5 feet tall).

And their weight? DO NOT let them sit on your lap! Each whale weighs about 100 tons. I don’t want to imagine 100 elephants anywhere near my lap ☹
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These are sei whales! I’ll say . . . that’s how you say their name. Not like see or sigh. Only one of them has been stranded, along the North Carolina coast.

Sei whales are about 64 feet long. Put two school buses together. Then subtract that 6-foot basketball player.

These whales are long and thin, and they only weigh 31 tons. I thought they were the thinnest, but female sperm whales have them beat by 16 tons. Still, I’d prefer those 15 elephants, or 31, sitting beside me, not on my lap. 
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                                                     Part 3 – A Summary and My Conclusions:
​               These are results over 3 months, from December 2022 through February 2023…
Number                            Kind                                                                               Location
18                                         humpback whales                                                 New York to North Carolina
3                                            sperm whales                                                           New York to Florida
2                                            North Atlantic right whale                               North Carolina and Virginia
1                                            sei whale                                                                      North Carolina
1                                            minke whale                                                               New York

Did you notice that no whale has beached itself north of New York? Or that most of these whales are choosing beaches north of North Carolina? It must have something to do with the water temperature. Evidently these whales like colder water, especially the humpbacks who have suffered the most.

I hope scientists can figure out why whales are doing this, and then find a solution. I would hate to see the humpbacks, or any of the other whales, disappear from the earth. Fingers crossed!

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Sources:
Map: The original was edited by Andrew c to include Nova Scotia, PEI, Bahamas, and scale key.It was originally uploaded to the English Wikipedia with the same title by Wapcaplet:20:57, 9 October 2005 . . Dbenbenn . . 959x593 (339217 bytes) (fix South Carolina label)20:27, 9 October 2005 . . Dbenbenn . . 959x593 (339227 bytes) (typo, Massachussetts -> Massachusetts)19:01, 9 October 2005 . . Dbenbenn . . 959x593 (371653 bytes) (crop, and remove some shapes (rivers, highways, capitals, lakes) that didn't display anyway)13:18, 23 September 2005 . . Ed g2s . . 990x855 (978668 bytes) (fix (removed <image /> tag))23:48, 23 September 2004 . . Wapcaplet . . 0x0 (978926 bytes) (SVG map of the United States. Created by Wapcaplet. {{GFDL} }) - see below, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=362916

​Sperm Whale photo - By Gabriel Barathieu - https://www.flickr.com/photos/barathieu/7277953560/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24212362

Information: As More Dead Whales Wash Up in NJ and NY, Officials Eye Research Into Wind Farms – NBC New York

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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. 
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​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!

​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.
​

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

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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Part 1 – Plants for Decoration:  When I came up with this title, I didn’t think of the plants pictured below. I thought of the kind you plant . . . then eat. But now . . . that’s part 2.
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We buy special plants to decorate our homes at Christmas. Do you recognize any of these? The first two are flowers. The last two can either be bushes or trees.

First up is the Christmas Rose – I only recognize it from the Christmas Eve hymn. Its English title – “Lo, how a rose e’er blooming. I didn’t know it was composed in Germany. To learn more about this old hymn, click here: Es ist ein Ros entsprungen - Wikipedia.  Don’t worry! The link is written in English.

The second flower is the one I think of when I think Christmas – the Poinsettia. They’re also called the Christmas Star. A lot of people buy them in November and December. I never do – I hate to kill plants! If someone gives me one, they only last a month or two, and then they die. Poor plant! I think it’s kinder for me NOT to buy one.

The third plant, Holly. I didn’t know there were 18 different kinds. I can’t decide what I like better – the waxy leaves, or the red berries. They look great in your yard, and they grow year-round without needing a lot of care. But whatever you do, don’t eat the berries – they’re poisonous! If you love the way they look, use them for decoration, or save them for your local birds . . . They’re safe for them to eat, and they love the taste.

The last one is everyone’s favorite – the Christmas tree. Some people buy artificial ones. Others go out to the woods to chop theirs down. Still others go to the store and buy one to decorate in December. If you’re into the environment, you could even buy one for Christmas, and then plant it in your yard. If you did it every year, you’d wind up with your own small forest of evergreens.



​Part 2 – Plants That Grow in Pots:  Like vegetables! That’s what I was thinking of when I decided to put up this post in December.  Fresh vegetables are great to have anytime, but especially in the winter when nothing grows up north. But inside in a pot, plants can grow and thrive. 

Back in August I got an email from Jen Stark, from Happy DIY Home.com. She had a link she hoped I’d share. Her turn came up this month, and it struck me that gifting someone with plants for Christmas, might make the perfect gift. If you have kids, growing vegetables is a great way to grow responsibility too, and your kids get to eat their profits.
 
The title of Jen’s post – 16 EASY VEGETABLES TO GROW IN POTS. They include – beans, beets, carrots, chard, chili pepper, cucumbers, kale, lettuce, peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, spinach, tomatoes, zucchinis. That’s a lot of growing you can do when it’s freezing outside.
Jen’s Link: https://happydiyhome.com/easy-vegetables-to-grow-in-pots/
 
I must warn you – some vegetables are easier to grow than others. Lettuces and greens are easy-peasy. So are peppers. If you go to Jen’s link, it will tell you what size pot you need for each plant, and what kind of light they need based on your location. Some vegetables are climbers. They’ll need something to climb, like a trellis. The one I would never do inside – pumpkins. A friend tried a few pumpkin seeds, and they took over her whole backyard.  I’d hate to put one in a pot.



Part 3 – Easy Plants to Grow During the Winter:  The easiest ones – lettuces, greens, and herbs. After I read Jen Stark’s link from yesterday, I wanted to make sure I had the best ones for you . . . so I checked with Google. The link: can you grow vegetables inside during winter - Search (bing.com)

That’s where I found Dian Farmer. She did a post about best practices if you want to grow plants inside during the winter. She also had veggie suggestions. I posted basic information. Click Dian’s link for more specific instructions.  Link: 7 Vegetables You Can Grow Indoors In Winter – Dian Farmer Learning To Grow Our Own Food

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​Dian’s Tips:
1. Use good potting soil. It should be a mix of peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite.
2.  Pick pots that let the water drain out. Make sure the container fits your plant. Some veggies only need a few inches, but others need a foot of space to grow properly.
3. Place your containers in windows that face south. They get the most sunlight during the winter. If yours face a different direction, add lighting. Check out Dian’s site. It has a link to Amazon that will help you buy the right light.
4. Avoid drafty windows. They’re too cold. Don’t put your plants too close to heaters. That will dry them out.
5. Pick the right plants to grow inside in the winter. It makes a difference!
 
Dian’s Top Seven Suggestions: Garlic greens or chives, lettuce, kale, arugula, beans, peppers, and culinary herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano, cilantro, lemon balm, and basil. If you feel more adventurous, you might consider alpine strawberries, brussels sprouts, Bok choy, Asian greens, broad beans, lamb’s lettuce, winter cabbages, or collard greens.

​​I found another helpful link. It had some of the same information, plus a few tips that were different. It also comes with links to the stuff you need to make your garden grow.
       Link: Learn How Easy It Is To Grow Vegetables Indoors In The Winter (theedibleterrace.com)
 
My favorite part – his conclusions . . .
1. Start small, with lettuces, the come and cut kind. They’re easy, and they can help you learn as you grow.
2. Check with local plant nurseries. Sometimes they have classes or experts who can guide you into gardening.
3. Gardening can be tricky. Be diligent, patient, and determined, and you’ll grow as a gardener too.
 
                                                                        Good luck, and happy gardening!

​If you haven’t been in a school the last week of October for a while, you might not have heard of Red Ribbon Week. It’s been around since 1985. It started as a tribute to a DEA Agent, and now it’s the largest and longest running drug awareness and prevention program in the United States.

Part 1 – Its History:  This is Enrique or Kiki Camarena. He was born in Mexico, and his family immigrated to California. Kiki served as a Marine. Later he joined his local police department and did undercover narcotics work for them.

Kiki joined the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) when it opened in 1977, even though his mother told him not to. He said that he was only one person, but he wanted to make a difference. Kiki’s memory still matters, and I’m glad his story hasn’t been forgotten.

Kiki left work on February 7, 1985 to have lunch with his wife. He never made it. He was kidnapped by five men from one of the Mexican drug cartels. They tortured him for his DEA work. His body was found a month later. My heart hurt back then for Kiki and his family. It still does.

His friends and neighbors wanted to remember him. They wanted to join his fight against illegal drugs so they started wearing red ribbons. So did parents across the country. They wanted to stop the drugs and alcohol that hurt their children. They formed groups and took up the fight. They adopted the red ribbon as a symbol of Kiki’s sacrifice, and one by one they showed that one person can make a difference.

The National Family Partnership (NFP) was one of those groups, and they sponsored the first National Red Ribbon Celebration in 1988. They’re doing it again this year. I remember Kiki’s story from the 1980’s. I remember taking part in Red Ribbon Week for most of my teaching career. I don’t remember when my school started, but I’m happy they’re celebrating it again this week.

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​Part 2 – FAF Called Me:  FAF, or Families Against Fentanyl, has been calling me to write about them since the summer, but I never found the right time. This has to be it, and I think Kiki Camarena would agree. He believed that one person could make a difference, and this might be my chance.

All of my illustrations are screenshots from FAF’s website: Families Against Fentanyl. This one caught my eye. Fentanyl is the #1 cause of death for anyone aged 18 to 45. That’s my three kids. All three. I thought they were safe from drugs. Maybe not.
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​Fentanyl is so sneaky. It’s sent over the Mexican border by the same cartels Kiki fought in 1985. It can be added to other pills, to other drugs. It’s so potent that a rookie policeman died three times in a drug bust, and he only caught its smell. He didn’t swallow. Thank goodness! He lived to tell.

Now those same cartels are disguising fentanyl to look like candy. My best advice with pills/candy is to buy them from the store, even if you have to pay more. Your life is priceless, and you only get one shot. That’s it.
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When trick-or-treating this year, go to the houses of people you know. Don’t eat anything until you’re home, and your parents can look it over.  This feels like when my kids were growing up, and people were adding razors to Halloween candy. AWFUL! Back then we took our kids to places we knew, and we checked their candy, just to be sure. Some people even took it to the hospital for an x-ray. They wanted to be safe, not sorry. 
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​I absolutely agree with FAF. We can, and we must stop this. One of the best ways you can help is by signing their petition. I thought if I’m going to write this post, I should sign. I’m #41,584. Their goal is 50,000 signatures. You’re welcome to sign up too, but the decision is yours to make.
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When I was scanning through FAF’s homepage, I ran across this headline. It’s shocking, that a chemical added to a pill, or something that looks like candy, could be a weapon of mass destruction, but the data is there.
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I paraphrased this sentence from FAF so I could wrap my brain around it. This year, either 2021, or so far in 2022, drug overdose deaths reached 100,000, and fentanyl accounted for 64% of those deaths. That means 64,000 people lost their lives because someone snuck fentanyl into their pill. My children are in that age range. It’s frightening . . . so I’m writing about it. 

​This screenshot and the next one, are from FAF’s button, ‘Take Action.’ There are four bills that are waiting for Congress to vote on. All four deal with fentanyl. After the November election, my guess is that nothing will happen until January, and then new bills will have to be proposed, again. 


The next screenshot (below) shows a sentence from each bill. I like H.R. 8030 best – it requires action from the Department of Homeland Security.

H.Res.1172 seems weak. It urges President Biden and the Department to do something. Require sounds stronger. I’m a writer. I love strong verbs!

                                       Part 3 – This Year’s Red Ribbon Week Theme:  
​                                                      Celebrate Life – Live Drug Free
My old school always found one way each day to celebrate the theme. Here are ten ways I found to have fun, to celebrate life, drug-free this week, and the rest of the year.

​                                1.  Play with toys.                                                             2.  Get outside to play. To have fun.
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​                            3.  Have fun in the water.                                                                       4.  Find animal friends
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​                           7.  Spend time with family.                                                                         8.  Read a book.

​Would you believe this post started with an email? Gwen Payne wrote to ask if she could write an article to help the parents of kids with special needs.  It’s not easy to raise children, but it’s even harder when they need more from you. I said absolutely, and this is what she wrote. I hope it helps you and your kids.

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Making Time for Self-Care for Parents of Special Needs Kids
 
As a parent of a child with special needs, you know just how important it is to care for their emotional health in addition to their physical health. For many parents in your position, though, it can get exhausting to constantly give care and rarely receive it. According to research, 66% of working parents experience burnout — and this figure might be even higher for parents of special needs kids. In order to be the best parent you can be, it’s imperative that you make time for self-care. This article will help you find ways to take care of yourself and prevent parental fatigue.

Part 1: Recognize Your Roles Outside of Parenthood
It’s easy for any special needs parent to become absorbed by their role as a caregiver and forget that they have other interests, too. This is especially true when you’re battling parental fatigue and burnout. If you suspect that you may be fatigued, consider whether you’re parenting effectively — or whether you’re satisfied with your parenting. If you don’t feel that you’re at your best, this may be an indication you’re dealing with fatigue.

​ To combat it, consider what roles you have beyond your role as a parent. Are you a musician? Craft enthusiast? Writer? Reader? Tapping into other aspects of your identity can help you achieve a sense of balance that’s often lacking for fatigued parents of special needs kids.

​Making time to invest in your other interests can be challenging, though. As you pursue a self-care plan, you may find that you struggle to seek help from your support system without overburdening them. To avoid this, you should simply be straightforward in your communications and ask your friends and family to set clear boundaries.   

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​ Part 2: Invest in Your Mental and Physical Wellbeing
Another way to assess your level of fatigue is to consider how much physical exercise you’re getting. In many cases, a lack of exercise can contribute to fatigue — especially for special needs parents who are tasked with daily caregiving. It’s important to make time for exercise and ensure you maintain a quality diet, too, in order to prevent physical exhaustion.

​Of course, your physical health isn’t the only aspect of your wellbeing that necessitates care. You must also tend to your mental health in order to take care of yourself. It’s not uncommon for special needs parents to experience anxiety and depression, but an online therapy service can help combat these symptoms.

​You can take advantage of the convenience of virtual therapy by scheduling an online appointment. This allows you to consider a wide variety of licensed providers, eliminate the need for travel, and pay less than a traditional therapist would charge. You may even be able to take advantage of a free consultation to ensure that your new therapist is a good fit.

​Part 3: Don’t Get Burned Out on Caregiving
Caregiving of any kind is an arduous task. When you’re taking care of your special needs child, though, it’s an especially difficult responsibility. Feeling fatigued doesn’t make you a bad parent — it simply means that you’re human. You can mitigate this fatigue by investing in self-care, eating healthily, getting enough exercise, and scheduling an online therapy session. These steps can help you regain a sense of balance that will ultimately make you a better parent.