Still Clickin

If you’ve ever had an itch to be creative, painting with oils is one of the most forgiving and fun activities to try. Unlike acrylics, oils don’t dry as quickly so they are more flexible and easier to correct. To give you a sense of what is involved, a brief outline of the process follows.

1. Start with a still life, and pick your subject carefully. You want it to be relatively simple, but something that you feel is appealing. It is more difficult to stick with the painting if you’d don’t find the subject enjoyable.
2. Sketch the subject in pencil first.

¨ it may be helpful to focus upon the background rather than the subject, and sketch how the outline of the subject interfaces with the background.

¨ measure the relationships of the key dimensions – not only with your eye, but with a stick or ruler as well.

¨ for a portrait, some key relationships are – 1/3^rd chin to nose, 1/3^rd nose to line of eyebrows, and 1/3^rd eyebrow line to hairline. Eyes are about halfway from top to bottom of head. Distance between the pupils of eyes is about the same as the width of the mouth.

3. Before moving to the canvas, prepare it by priming with a background color rather than leaving it white. You can even use latex house paint.
4. Then prepare your palette – cover it with wax paper, and then dab the colors you will use that session at specific spots around the edge. For example, a counterclockwise arrangement is – white, black, lite yellow, dark yellow, lite red, dark red, red-brown, green, violet blue, green blue.
5. Once prepared, and comfortable with the spatial relationships you have discovered doing the pencil sketch, lightly paint the outlines of the subject onto the canvas using a thin brush (filbert #2) and a light shade like raw sienna. Any mistakes can be washed away with a bit of Gamsol. Sketch in not only the subject, but the main features of the background as well.
6. When painting, hold your arm out and use the brush as an extension of your arm. A knobbed support stick can be used to steady your hand for detail work.
7. Once you’ve established your lines, it is time to analyze the coloration.

¨ hot colors (yellow) will predominate and come forward to the eye.

¨ cool colors (blue) will regress and fade away from the eye.

¨ to define a shape, e.g. an egg, use hotter colors at the center and cooler colors toward the edge.

¨ for a shadow, you swap from warm to cool.

8. All colors are combinations of yellow, red, and blue – but their differences are extremely varied, e.g.

¨ cadmium red is warm – alizarin crimson is cool

¨ cadmium yellow is warm – naples yellow is cool

¨ sap green is warm – viridian green is cool

¨ ultramarine blue is warm – cerulean blue is cool

¨ burnt umber is warm – raw umber is cool

9. Make sure you use enough paint when you are mixing colors so that you don’t lose the right shade before you finish. In addition,

¨ be certain that the light is good when you are mixing and applying colors because they will change in different light.

¨ some combinations can be predicted, e.g. flesh tones are composed of red+yellow+green+white

¨ phthalo blue and phthalo green can be combined to yield turquoise.

10. When applying your paints, the general rule is to start –

¨ from the center out, and

¨ from the dark to the light

11. Observation is the key to all painting. You must observe your subject and determine what color values are present. Once you have determined the color value of a given portion, create a mix of that value on the palette. Then use part of that mix to create a lightened mix and a darkened mix that you use to accent the core value. Apply the paint, using generous strokes at first to spread the color around. This is an initial application, not final. You are trying to lay out the major values, not the details. While the paint is wet, it is easy to blend these values. But in the process, you will continually have to go back and reinforce the initial darks as the lights are laid down.
12. Laying down the paint is an iterative process. The details become a bit more defined with each iteration. To help your observation, look at your work upside down or with a mirror. The change enables you to see aspects you would otherwise miss.
13. When cleaning up –

¨ you can preserve your palette oils for awhile by placing the wax paper containing them in a Tupperware container or a Ziploc envelope.

¨ brushes always must be carefully cleaned - first with Gamsol, then with Dawn.

¨ to assure you can open the caps on the tubes in the future, don’t tighten them all the way. If they are stuck when opening, you can free them up most easily by first tightening them more.

14. Be patient with yourself and enjoy it. This is an activity whose pace you can control and go back to again and again. You, and your friends, may be amazed by what you create.

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The silence is deafening on this morning after Election Day. Over the past few months, the media has been filled with negative, mean-spirited advertisements telling us that some political candidate or other was closely related to Evil Incarnate. Thank God for the Mute Button. It became so disgusting that I would often leave the Mute on because I just didn’t want to hear the garbage. I never ever thought I would be so delighted to hear that familiar phrase of the drug ads, “Ask you doctor”, once again.

Why have we gotten to this point? Have people forgotten that civilization starts with the word civil. It doesn’t seem so long ago that people of opposing views could not only have a discussion about the issues, but they could even enjoy the experience. What has happened to our culture that we have arrived at the point of intolerance?

I suspect that there are three culprits.

1. Electronic Communications - We now dialog via bullets of information. We email, tweet, or facebook others who may be across town, across the hall, or across the room. We send packets of information without the nuance and subtlety that face-to-face dialog conveys. Without that subtlety, boundaries can be unknowingly crossed, sensitivities ignored. The seeds of discord can be planted.
2. Lack of Adequate Time - Our society seems to have reached a point where the rapidity of a response is valued more highly than the quality of the insights offered. Quality responses often require a bit of reflection, which takes time. Take too much time, however, and the decision has already been made. The topic has changed. People have moved on. As a consequence, events are controlled by knee-jerk reactions which are typically not our best answers.
3. Inflexibility - Locked into a box demanding quick responses based upon limited information, it is no wonder that the resulting decisions may not be the optimum choice. Once published, however, they have to be defended. This quickly leads to entrenched positions “based upon principle.” In other words, use some vague, dimly understood fundamental to justify a decision that had to be made too quickly. Stonewall the opponents out of the fear that flexibility can be interpreted as weakness rather than wisdom.

These constraints are especially evident within the political process. When talking to people from all around the world, you invariably hear that everyone seems dissatisfied with their own politicians. Yet these people are just like us. They just happen to be caught up in today’s strange environment where politicians want to be media stars, and media stars want to be entertainers. Its like we are all returning to sophomore year when the only goal in life was to be “popular”.

The traditional lines of responsibility are becoming blurred. In some ways, this microcosm, called politics, is bound to be dramatically influenced by constraints of communication, time, and flexibility. In a way, it acts as the canary in the mine, sending out an alert that our entire culture is being infected by the same fumes.

Despite these negatives, I am still happy to pay my taxes and live in this country. Politically, it is my job to search for information sources that attempt to limit their bias, read about and evaluate opposing viewpoints, reflect upon the implications of the various choices, make the choices that will be best for my grandchildren, completely ignore the incessant ads and robo-calls, and depress the mute button with abandon.

Hopefully, we will all learn to adjust to these constraints that technology has brought to our culture. It would be delightful to think that thoughtful reflection, polite conduct, serious communications, and the fun of negotiations could make a comeback not only in politics but in our society in general.

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What kind of pet person are you? There are bird-lovers, dog-lovers, cat-lovers, and goldfish-lovers. Everyone has their own particular favorite that was usually established during their youth. People that have had pets can even be classified as such. For example, we have dog-people, cat-people, and bird-people. Are you a certain pet-person?

If you are, maybe you are currently pet-less and rethinking that decision. Obviously, there are a number of pros and cons to such a decision, but the choice of the type of pet has a lot to do with most of them. There are a wide variety of pets that seniors may choose.

Dogs -
Dogs need and give love. Many studies indicate that having a dog really can help a senior’s health and attitude. Not only do they offer companionship, but their needs serve as an ongoing encouragement for some good exercise as well. Also, they are probably the best security system available on the market today.

If you are particular about breeds, you can contact the American Kennel Club and get a list of local breeders. Be prepared to open your wallet, however, since many breeds now go for $1,500 or more.

Another approach is to take a visit to the local animal shelter. These pets often have that wonderful price of ‘free’, although small donations are very welcome. These pets can vary widely, so you must look carefully to find the right dog for you. The people in the shelters understand animals and can provide you with a wealth of information. Don’t be afraid to ask. Before you “take the plunge”, consider -

• Age - If a dog is older than 18 months, it will not only be housebroken, its teeth will have grown in and it will also be less inclined to eat your slippers. If a dog is older than six, you may find not only health problems but an inability to adapt to new surroundings.
• Size - Golden Retriever mixes and Labrador mixes are great, but if you are going to walk the dog, you may need a smaller dog (who won’t pull you over when it chases after a squirrel). However, if you aren’t used to having a small dog around, you probably shouldn’t get a dog weighing less than 25 pounds. You don’t want to trip over the little thing because you didn’t see it.
• Allergies - If you have avoided dogs because you are allergic, look for dogs that don’t shed. Many terriers and poodles have this trait.
• Temperament - Undoubtedly, the vast majority of dogs have better temperaments than many people. A few, however, may have experienced poor treatment and developed a nasty streak as a consequence. Pay attention to how the dog reacts to you, since initially you are a stranger.

Cats -
“For a balanced ego, a person that has a dog to adore him should have a cat to ignore him.” That old quote is harsh, but contains an element of truth. Cats are much more independent than dogs. As long as they are properly fed and stroked occasionally, cats require far less attention than dogs. They quickly learn how to use a litter box and can amuse themselves for hours with a favorite toy. This independence allows a cat to tolerate much longer absences from their owners than dogs.

If you are looking for a cat at a shelter, many of the same cautions for dogs apply to cats. Their sizes, however, are much smaller. They compensate for their small size by their pronounced ability to quickly leap out of the way.

Other Critters -
For the most part, other small animals kept as pets live in defined enclosures. This reality makes them far less intrusive than dogs or cats. They each offer their own special qualities that can both divert and delight. They still require care, however, and someone else must mind them if you take a trip.

If you do live alone, having another living creature around the mansion has distinct benefits for all involved. Yes, they do require you to expend extra effort and care, but that is a gift. Answering needs is what life is all about.

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If you’re reading this, you already know about the Internet. The use of the Internet by the senior community is continually expanding. And it doesn’t have to cost you anything. At local libraries, computers are siting there waiting for your curiosity and fingertips.

What do seniors do with the Internet when their fingertips start moving? According to a report by the Pew Research Center, they are involved with -

*Email - This still drives their primary usage of the Internet. Keeping in touch without the hassle of time zones and time charges, email remains the primary reason why people keep going back to the Internet. It’s especially delightful when the message is from your grandchildren. Free email accounts can be established at Yahoo and other services.

*Finding Information - Once they finish with their email, people typically switch to Google or Yahoo to find out about something. They might be planning a trip, researching a problem, or comparing different brands of toasters. Not surprisingly, Most Internet searches on health topics are performed by seniors.

*Online Shopping - Once they have completed their research, seniors are not afraid to actually make a purchase. As noted in the Pew Report, nearly 50% of the online seniors actually are making purchases. One area of particular interest is travel, both planning and booking tickets. They also are not afraid to both sell and buy items on eBay.

In addition to these top three activities, seniors also explore other facets.

*Reading News - If they’ve moved away, seniors are very likely to scan the pages of the old hometown newspaper online. They are also avid readers of specialized news topics on politics, entertainment, and other targeted sectors. Even the headlines of major newspapers, e.g. New York Times, are available online.

*Sharing Photos - Whether directly through email or via a service like Flickr, seniors love to see the latest images of their grandchildren, grandnieces, and grandnephews.

*Skype - If you are geographically removed from loved ones, skype is a treasure for everyone regardless of age. Simply speaking, skype not only allows you to talk to those you love, but to see and interact with them from many miles away. The visuals of loved ones make them feel so much closer, and it can ease the worries and loneliness that distance can engender.

*Social Sharing - Seniors have not flocked to Facebook or Twitter. They might view a My Space or You Tube link contained in an email, but they are not going to enroll. At this point in their lives, seniors are far less intrigued by the social and gaming aspects of the Internet than are the younger members of our society. Instant messaging holds as little appeal as instant gratification. They prefer to respect privacy and to savor the anticipation of a thoughtful reply. They find important items more interesting than urgent ones.

*Blogs - Because seniors have the time, there are a surprising number of blogs by, for, and about seniors. They are quite often frank, intelligent, and very thought-provoking. They can not only make for fascinating reading, but they can often make you chuckle, cry, and pray. One huge favorite blog that publishes links to many others is Ronni Bennett’s Time Goes By A visit to Ronni’s site is always worthwhile.

The Internet presents all of these facilities and more. It has become an indispensable part of our lives. You should encourage any of your friends that are not involved to take a free course at the library. They may feel uncomfortable at first, but they will thank you profusely later.

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With retirement comes the gift of time. And one way to use that time, recharge your batteries, and perhaps scratch a long-postponed yen, is to travel. Even though the finances of most people have been downsized over the past year, the economy has also created many bargains for those that have anything left. It may be time to scratch that itch.

Whether its around the block or around the world, travel brings an exposure to new vistas and experiences that shakes us out of our same-old-same-old routines. That bit of shaking gives us all a new sense of time, an event to mark our lives. In that way, it can be very healthful and rewarding, especially if it is shared.

But travel also brings its own set of challenges - planning, expenses, preparation and inconveniences - that can prove to be a hassle for many. For a successful trip, its imperative that we meet those challenges with a sense of fun.

Planning -
Both a weekend bus tour and an extended trip overseas take careful planning, and it’s fun to do. Part of the fun is discovering what is possible, learning more about the history and culture of an area, and targeting or avoiding local events that can draw extra crowds. To start,

• Set a Budget - No sense planning for a trip that breaks the bank. Pick a number, assume you’ll exceed it by 10%, and then explore what that number makes possible. Since sleeping is often the largest travel expense, how long you travel can have a greater impact on expenses than how far.
• Picking your Style - It’s silly to force yourself into a style you abhor, but the style that you find to be fun can have a major impact on your choice of destinations and budget. Guided tours are efficient, but less spontaneous. Cruises can feel exquisite to some and confining to others. For the physically fit, Elder Hostel & trekking may be the only way to go.
• Finding Destinations - One of the most interesting aspects of planning a trip is choosing your destination(s). exchange rates may influence the countries you choose, but this isn’t even an issue if you stay within your own borders.
• Selecting Travel Times - You can stretch your budget a lot if you avoid peak seasons and big events. If your desire is to do a museum crawl in Europe, February can be an excellent time.
• Using Travel agents - If you feel intimidated by the mass of information that the Internet delivers, you can always use a travel agent. Quite often, the fees that they charge may be offset by the deals they can discover.

Preparation -

• Read a Book - Once you’ve decided and locked in your itinerary, you can begin your preparation. The first thing I like to do is find an historical novel about the area to become steeped in its history.
• Travel guides - Find a good travel guide that is oriented toward your style. Make sure that it is light enough to carry, because you’ll want to take it along, as well as sufficiently detailed so that you can become informed as you go.
• Chart your Route - Learn enough about the locations that you can chart your overall course as well as the specific path you want to take through the cities or countryside.
• What to pack? - The short answer is ‘Less’. Everyone always takes too much. Plan to do some laundry, especially at anyplace you are staying for a couple of nights. We lessen drying time by rolling wet garments in a towel and stepping on it.

Have Fun -
Once you arrive, make certain you have some fun. Daily burdens can sometimes make people forget how to have fun, and travel is one way to force yourself out of that rut. Travel always brings some inconveniences, but is also brings adventure. So what if no one speaks your language or the bed sags. Use gestures, move the mattress to the floor, and laugh. Adventures are fun!

Helpful Links -
There are many. Here are some favorites -

• For airfare and other quotes from multiple sites try Kayak.
• Another source of both travels opinions as well as multiple quotes for fares, hotels, etc. try TripAdvisor.
• For alerts on travel specials, try TravelZoo.
• Elder Hostel offers diverse adventures for seniors.
• For packing and all sorts of other advice, go to the Rick Steves site.
• Of course, AARP Travel offers lots of info and specific tours.
• Lastly, if you’re headed beyond US borders, go to the government site for the latest information.

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When we were all younger, our “big purchases” made a social statement. It could be a house, a car, or a boat, but it qualified as “big”. It typically required a loan, and with that loan people often would reach a bit beyond their means assuming that their earnings would not only catch-up but surpass any financial requirements.

One of the delights of our senior years is that people are no longer impressed by such social statements. What now impresses our contemporaries are our health status and our attitudes toward living. The house is now a roof and the car is transportation. “Smart” means less maintenance, not styling.

Last year, we bought a roof on the other side of the country from our last roof. Since we took the downsize challenge very seriously, our new roof is only half the size of our old roof which sheltered our family when it was growing. Sometimes, it can seem a bit tight, but that is an emotional response. In truth, we have plenty of space. But it is more of a roof than a statement.

Now, I’m considering replacing a car. The only car I ever connected with emotionally was a ’66 Mustang. (That love affair ended when it was stolen.) The car I’m thinking of replacing is the original ’95 Aurora, one of the few American cars designed by engineers rather than accountants. This car still runs, but at fifteen years of age, I know its reliability (It’s been outstanding.) will start to diminish. So I’m starting to look at cars again.

The last car we purchased was a Prius, which I viewed as the only intelligent choice at that time. I still feel that way, but I don’t want to get one more of the same. I’m looking for more innovations. I’d love to see a bit more storage topped by a roof with solar cells. I’d insist on a household current converter so that I could charge the car from the house, or visa-versa.

In short, I’m not trying to make a statement. I’m after safe, reliable, and green. Prius is the best right now. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this GM Company that we now own could produce such a green car? That would be my hope. My suspicion is that two or three years from now my only choice will be a Prius-III, which I’ll buy by then if I have no other choice. It’s not a statement, it’s transportation.

When dealing with the first layer of the retirement lifecycle, the big issues, i.e. finances, health, real estate, etc., all seem to take center stage. Change forces us to re-evaluate prior assumptions and make suitable adjustments. But once those adaptations have been made, the more subtle aspects of retirement seep into our daily rhythms, i.e. limitations, loneliness, and purpose.

Living life with a clear sense of purpose is always a challenge at any age. Defining careers, embracing families, and giving back can stretch anyone to the point that they can lose the sense of purpose. Learning Selfless Love, that ultimate purpose of life, can take a back seat to the urgent, the critical, and the just-a-sec of daily survival.

But in retirement, purpose can become an even more elusive goal. If much of your everyday world was focused upon the daily challenges of family and work, then living with fewer demands from both of these sectors can leave you with an unwelcome sense of emptiness.

Retirement gifts you with that rare gift of Time. The basic question returns, “What are you going to do with your time?” To any intelligent person, it quickly becomes obvious that drifting is not an acceptable answer. But the right answer for one particular person, a.k.a. you, can be elusive. The blunt reality is that you are demanding a better answer for yourself than you have accepted in the past. You can have grown to become very comfortable with the big picture of your life, but stymied by some of the everyday details. It takes some work to figure it all out.

The details are not trivial.

• Family - Your role as a grandparent is simply not as demanding as that of a parent. Once the grandchildren are in school, their schedules don’t permit as much “together time” with grandparents.
• Work - Because of the “age hurdle”, the choices for an engagement in some productive work activity seem to be segmented into (1) unimaginative, low-scale paid work, or (2) potentially more creative, challenging, and satisfying, but unpaid, volunteer work.
• Travel - Can be a very meaningful activity if it is a learning experience as well as a shared moment that can be a gift to that special someone. The erosion of the financial markets, however, may now constrain your range of choices.
• Social Activities - For example, golf, tennis, or bridge, can be pleasant activities for sharing time with family and friends. In and of themselves, however, these pursuits can lack staying power and purpose for many people.

What to do?

1. Identify the top five things you love to do.
2. Identify the top five things in which you excel.
3. If the “top five” approach doesn’t reveal a direction for you, talk with friends and relatives who know you and may have heard of something you might find interesting.
4. If you still are debating with yourself, look for something in which you can get engaged quickly. Try it, and see what you learn. If it doesn’t work, try a different option. It may take a few tries, but it is better than procrastinating.
5. Good luck with your efforts!

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“A User’s Guide for Senior Living”

In the waiting room at the dentist’s, the lady in the next chair acted tired but seemed to want to talk. The conversation turned to downsizing, and she said, “Oh, I wish we had done that. It’s too late for us now. Our big old house has become a burden, but my husband’s health is such that we can’t make any change now.”

That comment sounded an alarm bell. As seniors we have to become highly sensitive new demands:

1. Change - We have to face the fact that our senior years, like those of childhood, are a period of dramatic changes. Although cruise control can work well during middle age, it is a mistake to try to use it during our senior years. There is simply too much change.
2. Information - Coping with that amount of change requires careful thought and access to a lot of new information. Although the Internet is awash with information for seniors, it is scattered, disorganized, and often confusing. There is no comprehensive, organized user’s guide.
3. Perspective - At 25, we saw life very differently than we did at 5; at 45 differently than 25, and at 65 differently than 45. For this new information to be truly helpful, it must be presented from our own age perspective.

The aim of WikiSenior is to be that pragmatic User’s Guide that addresses these new demands. Ideally, this reference will contain enough information to equip any engaged senior to make practical plans and choices about how they will live their lives during these years of change. It is not only targeted at the Top Concerns of seniors, it also addresses those daily concerns, e.g. “Shall we eat out or in?” that we all face everyday.

What can you do?

1. Share the insights you have learned through your own life experience. To be effective, this free guide about the challenges of senior living must be authored by the real experts of senior living, i.e. seniors themselves.
2. Click on Write experiences, share wisdom, collaborate & author Topics to learn how it works. If you’ve just solved an issue, identify it and tell us what worked. You don’t need to be a computer expert. You just need to know how to type. . . one or two fingers, or more.

If you’re itching to become engaged and “out among the people”, volunteering may answer your needs. Although it wont help paying the bills, volunteering often pays handsomely in the sense of satisfaction you gain by helping other people.

Numerous organizations want your help. Hospitals, churches, museums, senior services, schools, non-profits, and service clubs all depend on volunteers to perform many of their basic functions. While some organizations have very organized volunteer operations, others are quite casual. How should you select among them?

• Follow your own talents and interests. For example, if you love to cook, a soup kitchen may suit your fancy.
• Search and list a few organizations in your area that reflect your choices.
• Craigslist has postings for volunteers in their community section.
• Talk to friends to learn if they know of any local opportunities or organizations.
• Inquire at the local library and churches, which may be aware of organizations in need because they often provide space for their meetings.
• Once you have identified some opportunities, try a few. While the mission of one organization may appeal to you, the individual personalities you encounter may not. Don’t be afraid to dabble until you find your comfort zone.

Once you’ve found your niche, don’t hesitate to dig in. In any volunteer organization, the best challenges are always reserved for the people that can be “counted on”. If your commitment is only marginal, the treatment you receive will reflect that.

Once you are involved and know you are making a serious contribution, your sense of satisfaction and ownership of the operation will deepen. You will become one of the key members of the group and develop that rewarding sense of “being needed” and “making a difference”.

And if, in these troubled economic times, the cost of groceries ever does start becoming a problem for you, you will find that many organizations look first to their key volunteers when selecting someone to fill a paying position.

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If you want to experience an upbeat moment, see the documentary, Young@Heart. This is the story of a group of senior citizens from Northampton, MA who belong to a chorus that knocks your socks off.

Rather than sing songs from Gershwin or Cohen, this crew serves up renditions of Coldplay, the Clash and Jimi Hendrix. They don’t just sing at the local auditorium, but internationally. Audiences love both their talent and their spunk. See the details at their own website, Young@Heart Chorus. Whether you purchase a copy of their movie there or order it through Netflix, you will be cheered and amazed by the quality of their performance.

Oh, it should also be mentioned that the average age of the group is 81. Just the way that Eileen Hall, age 92, serves up “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by the Clash will make you sit up and take notice. See this film and be inspired by the determination, enthusiasm, camaraderie, and real talent of this ensemble.

Your town may not have a group like this, but it certainly must have church choirs as well as other groups that embrace the wonder of song. Rather than waste your talent on arias in the shower, investigate what’s happening in your area. Song is a universal gift. If you are searching for an activity that benefits both body and soul, try the chorus.

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