It hasn’t always been this way. When I was growing up in the Midwest, it was a simpler time. There were only three network television stations, a few fast food restaurants (Big Boy, McDonalds and White Castle – and it was always a special treat when after work mom would bring home a sack of neatly stacked White Castle hamburgers) and t-shirts that were just plain white.

But time passes and things change. The choices we have in practically every aspect of our lives has increased dramatically, but we as a people seem to be less happy. How can that be? Barry Schwartz in his book the “Paradox of Choice” suggests we are experiencing too much of a good thing. When given too many choices, instead of liberating, we are paralyzed; unable to choose among the many options – whether it is shampoos, pants or Medicare Advantage plans. And once we make a choice we are less satisfied, because we can imagine out there somewhere, some place there is a better product at a better price.

Would I give up my iPhone for a simpler time? Probably not. But just the realization the more choices doesn’t necessarily mean greater happiness is something we should acknowledge and appreciate.

On your wall calendar or in your iPhone, I want you to write down for Tuesday the 23rd, “7:00 pm -Senior Center – Tuesday Night Music and Dance”, because that is where the action will be. Bring your best dance floor moves because the Sugar Daddies are playing and they want to see everyone up and dancing. And tonight you can dance to the golden country sounds with Truman Boler. All the C minors and B flats are free and the dance steps won’t cost a thing either. But donations are appreciated. And there is no age discrimination – we welcome anyone under 105.

Starting Monday March 1st from 1:00 – 2:00 we are going to repeat the weekly Brain Fitness class. In the class we do a variety of activities that stimulate different parts of the brain, including reminiscing about past experiences, engaging in listening and seeing activities, testing memory skills and sharing information we have found about memory and brain development. Many of us will be repeating the class to see if we remember half of what we heard the first time. I will also add several videos to the curriculum to provide some new content that will challenge your thinking and stretch your brain.

Do you remember reading a particular book in high school that reflected the feelings and attitudes of the time? When I was in high school in the early 60’s there was one controversial book every guy wanted to read and it wasn’t Moby Dick. Even though it was written in 1951, it had elements of rebellion and teenage angst that was beginning to infiltrate the adolescent culture of the 60’s. This week’s “Remember When” question is about that book. What novel follows Holden Caulfield’s experiences in New York City after being expelled from prep school? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or drop it off at the Center.

The answer to last week’s question was Kookie – played by Edd Byrnes – who was the parking attendant in the television detective series “77 Sunset Strip”. You may also remember the top ten Billboard hit Edd Byrnes sang with Connie Stevens, “Kookie, Kookie, Lend Me Your Comb”. We had over 10 folks who knew the correct answer and I was going to mention them all, but I misplaced the list on my desk – and if you saw my desk you would understand.

Well that is another nail in the – uh, let’s see – in the two by four? Until we meet again, I hope your days are good and you can sidestep those days that made the “Old Perfessor” Yankee manager Casey Stengel say, “I’ll never make the mistake of turning seventy again”.

Last week it got a little heavy writing about sunsets and the pace of time. So this week I will go straight to what’s happening in our little corner of the world.

It is said that dogs have owners, and cats have staff. Whether you are a cat aficionado or not you will enjoy the matinee performance of the musical “Cats” on Sunday March 28th. Last summer, to get the best possible seats, the Center reserved tickets and now with less than two months, tickets are on sale. The cost is still only $65 including hassle free to-the-Keller-Auditorium-door service. And the trip is open to anyone in the Mid-Columbia region whether you are a Center member or not. Call or stop by the Center to purchase your tickets.

If you are on a limited or fixed income and require various medical prescriptions, there is a Medicare program that could save you some hard cash. If you qualify you will pay no more than $2.40 for each generic drug and $6 for each brand name drug plus the program helps pay your prescription copayments and other drug costs like monthly premiums and annual deductibles. Jean Hockman learned there are 232 folks in the 97058 zip code region who for whatever reason are missing out on this opportunity. And she wants to find them! You qualify if you make less than $16,245 and have less than $12,510 in resources or as a married couple you make less than $21,855 and have less than $25,010 in resources. If you think you or someone you know may qualify, call Jean at the Area Agency on Aging at 541-298-4101.

Truman Boler is back again this coming Tuesday the 16th playing his one man Country Gold. And when Truman plays, the girls just want to dance – we keep moving the tables further back to make more room. And tonight the Notecrackers will be playing for your dancing and listening pleasure. The music starts flowing and the bodies swaying when the clock strikes seven. It is all free but if you enjoy fine music, donations are appreciated.

It is clear that loneliness and isolation are detrimental to one’s health particularly for older adults. The Friendly Visitor program works to address this problem by providing “social visits” by screened and trained volunteers to homebound seniors. You can learn more about the Friendly Visitor program at the Center’s Tuesday Lecture on the 16th at 11:00 am. Marilyn Buchanan the coordinator will be discussing how the program can help isolated seniors stay connected and engaged.

Sometimes you know what you want to say, but you don’t really say it. Last week I didn’t mention I was looking for the sponsor of Burns and Allen’s television show which was Carnation Evaporated Milk. (You can go to the Center’s blog at midcolumbiaseniorcenter.com and see a short video from the show.) But both Joanne Scott and Loretta Commander did know the sponsor for the Burns and Allen radio show from 1945 – 1949 which was Maxwell House “good to the very last drop”.

This week’s “Remember When” question is again about a television series, about a decade later from 1958 – 1964 which I watched as a teen and thought was pretty cool. In the ABC television series “77 Sunset Strip” what was the name of the hipster parking attendant who helped the private eyes on their cases and was known for combing his hair? Call 541-296-4788, email mcseniorcenter@gmail.com or stop by with the correct answer so I can show folks you are as old as I am.

Well that’s another cobblestone on the walkway of life. Until we meet again, keep searching and asking questions because as Walter Mondale once said, “If you are sure you understand everything that is going on around you, you are hopelessly confused.”

It is going to be one of those hurry-up-and-keep moving kind of days. The calendar is full; I have once again over committed – I think it runs in the family. But it seems when I need more time, those precious minutes I do have pass so quickly. Maybe that is why, at least at my age, time seems to go so much faster. I know I don’t have forever anymore and I have noticed the sun beginning to set. But aren’t the most beautiful times of the day, the sunrise and sunset? As I try to accomplish all that I want before I punch the time clock for the last time, I should lean back, take a deep breath and enjoy the expansive and glowing sunsets in life. And like the early explorers, not fear what is beyond the sunset but accept, when the time comes, the ultimate adventure, discovering what lies beyond this world we know.

But while you contemplate life’s mysteries, you might want to waltz down to the Center on Tuesday nights. On the 9th, you can listen and dance to the Notecrackers who are back playing a gentle breeze of fine tunes. And although you may not have been dancing since you were a babe on your daddy’s knee, you can always learn – there is nothing better than taking someone in your arms and dancing your cares away. And playing tonight are The Rhythm Ramblers who are beginning to build quite a following. Bring your friend, your companion, your lover and discover what all the talk is about. The music starts at 7:00 and it’s absolutely, unequivocally and unbelievably free. But don’t miss the fine print “donations are warmly accepted”.

You may not be aware but the Wasco County Court is no longer. Not surprisingly, many people thought that the Wasco County Court was actually a judicial court instead of the legislative and administrative body for the county. But with the new reorganization creating a Wasco County Board of Commissioners, the confusion has been removed and the people of Wasco County are better served. You can learn more about the changes in county government and the challenges ahead at the Center’s Tuesday Lecture at 11:00 on the 9th. Dan Ericksen will make his annual pilgrimage to the Center to share with us his thoughts on county government and also give you a chance to ask him any questions you may have.

And Dan’s mother, Marilyn Ericksen, former Senior Center board president, Senior Living columnist extraordinaire and long time Original Courthouse board member is doing fine and feeling as good as when she was twenty – well maybe not that good. She will be the first speaker for this year’s Original Courthouse Regional History Forum series that begins Saturday the 6th at the Original Wasco County Courthouse behind the Chamber of Commerce. The topic will be “Nine Lives: the Little Courthouse that Refused to Die” about the history of this local historical treasure built in 1859.

Virginia at the Mid-Columbia Council of Governments wants me to mention that the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) still has a few positions available. This program builds on the idea that older Americans are dependable, reliable and energetic employees and a valuable resource for businesses, non-profits and public agencies. SCSEP is a work based training program for older workers; providing subsidized, part-time (up to twenty hours a week at minimum wage), community service work based training for low-income persons age 55 or older and have a family income of no more than 25% over the Federal poverty level. If you are interested and think you qualify for this program or just have questions, contact Virginia at 541-298-4101.

There were several responses to last week’s “Remember When” question including Jim Ayres who said he would be embarrassed if he didn’t know that Bart Starr was the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers when they won the first two Super Bowls in ’67 and ’68.

Today advertisers buy 30-second commercial spots during the Super Bowl to show their latest and greatest commercials, but in the early days of television, the whole time slots for the television shows were owned by the sponsors such as Grape Nuts, Maxwell House Coffee, and Lucky Strikes. Which leads to this week’s question “What company/product sponsored The Burns and Allen Show”?

Well, another week, another step in the stairway of life. Until we meet again, I’ll leave you with this Red Skelton quote I heard at the Center, “If I wake up and not surrounded by roses, I’m doing fine”.

How many more times do I have to hear “your call can not be completed as dialed” before I remember to add the 541? I usually make calls using speed dial, but when I actually have to dial the number I forget to add the area code. But I wonder, just like all the modern conveniences allowing us to move less, are we becoming creatures of comfort; less mentally fit because everything is computerized and easy? But that’s too much thinking for now. I’ll worry about that another day.

Whether they make us smarter or dumber, we are in the computer age. And trying to understand how to use a computer is unfamiliar territory to many of us. But there is help. The Center offers computer classes – no more than four students per class – on Wednesdays from 10:00 – 11:00 and Thursdays 1:00 – 2:00, plus a Help Lab on Tuesday from 1:45 – 3:00. We can show you how to avoid the potholes and reckless drivers along the information highway. And because the classes are individualized you can start whenever you wish.

Ronell Currie has rounded up her “tried and true” AARP Tax Aide volunteers to start assisting you with your tax returns. The excitement begins February 5th and continues every Friday from 4:00 – 6:00 pm and Saturday from 9:00 – 1:00 through Saturday April 10th. Don’t forget to bring the usual financial documents. And it’s all free.

Last week I mentioned the value of gardening in staying fit and active which caused Marty Miller to send me an electronic copy of the Master Gardener’s “Garden Highlights” newsletter that he does most every month as a Master Gardener. It is free and bug free – he knows how to keep the bugs out of your computer as well as your garden – informative and colorful and can be delivered right to your computer hard drive by just emailing him at gardenhighlights@hrecn.net.

If you like to walk and would like to help create a more walkable The Dalles, the local public health department wants you. They need volunteers on Sat. Feb. 13th, from 9:00 – 3:00 pm (including lunch) to walk the streets (that doesn’t quite sound right, does it?) and measure the walkability of street sections and intersections. The findings will be presented to City Council, and County Commissioners, Road Departments and City Public Works, among others. If you are interested in taking part in this project contact Allyson Smith or Jeanette Montour at the North Central Public Health Department at 541-506-2625.

The Rhythm Ramblers have played several times during lunch for Meals-on-Wheels but for only the second time they will be the top bill for the Center’s Tuesday Night music. Come and enjoy this entertaining duo on the 3rd. And tonight the Jazz Generations will be playing the big band sounds. Music starts at 1900 hours and doesn’t cost a thing except a little sole on your shoes. But donations are warmly accepted.

The calendar is beginning to fill-up for the Tuesday Lecture Series – at least for February; Dan Ericksen discussing the state of the County on the 9th, Marilyn Buchanan explaining the new Friendly Visitor program on the 16th and MCMC on the 23rd. But you may notice there is no one scheduled for next Tuesday the 2nd. But fear not. I am going to show two short taped presentations one by Dan Gilbert author of “Stumbling on to Happiness” and the other by Barry Schwartz on the “Paradox of Choice” from TED, a website that features internationally respected speakers. Come and find the answer to one of life’s most perplexing questions, “Does having a choice of 24 different deodorants really make us happier?

It is only 12 days till “The Super Bowl” hits the America’s television airwaves on Sunday February 7th; when we all wait in anticipation not to see the gridiron exploits of grown men abusing each other but to watch the latest and greatest TV commercials! To celebrate this American tradition, this week’s question is “In the first Super Bowl in 1967 the Green Bay Packers won their first of two consecutive Super Bowls. Who was Packer’s quarterback? This time the winner will not receive a special prize, but the public recognition that they are old enough to remember such events. Last week’s answer was Skitch Henderson, Johnny Carson’s first bandleader. And Joanne Scott was the winner.

Well that is another note in the song of life. Until we meet again, keep your feet dry, your nose clean and your eyes on the road.

One of the many opportunities the Center offers is its Tuesday Lecture Series. Last Tuesday we watched a video on Blue Zones: longevity hot-spots where the inhabitants live longer, on average, than anyone else in the world. One common characteristic found for living so much longer is to keep moving naturally: staying physically active in everyday activities such as climbing stairs, cutting wood, or riding a bicycle. We all have been graced with different circumstances and we all don’t move as well as we did forty years ago (the tread on these tires are getting a little worn), but within our own limits, the goal is to keep moving and staying actively engaged.

Kathryn Savage, from the website Blue Zones, suggests five ways to change how we live at home in order to keep moving naturally. First, get rid of the remote or better yet watch less TV. Second, take the stairs. Many times to feel safe, we move less. Third, when spring arrives, plant a garden to nurture the body and soul. Fourth, get rid of the garage door opener and better yet get rid of the car. Walk whenever you can. And last but not least, cook instead of eating convenience foods. Preparing dinner is a simple but excellent way to keep moving naturally.

For those who enjoy exercising in a group setting which may not be natural but still beneficial and fun, there are many opportunities in the community including MCMC’s Center for Mind and Body and The Dalles Fitness and Court Club. At the Center Debra Lutje, the Motorcycle Momma, teaches both the Seniorcise class on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays mornings and the Yoga class on Tuesdays and Thursdays mornings. There is also the Strong Women class on Mondays and Wednesdays afternoons. And to round out our offerings, Tai Chi taught by Corlis Marsh is on Tuesdays and Ardyce Edling will tap circles around me (or on me) if I forget to mention Tap and Clogging on Thursdays.

Next Tuesday the 26th at 11:00, the lecture speaker will be Pat Visser, RN with cardiac rehab at MCMC, explaining the risk factors for heart disease. The lecture is timely because coming soon is the Heart Expo at the Civic Auditorium on Friday, February 5 from 11 – 2 followed on February 6 with a 3k/5k Walk/Run. Spend some time to learn how to love your heart.

Although Santa Claus won’t bring you any gifts until next December, you can still ask the “Sugar Daddies” for a special treat when they play tonight at the Center. And next week the Jazz Generations are back playing their “big band” sounds. The music starts at 7:00 and everyone is invited – long and short, sweet and sour, and young and old. The music is free but donations are appreciated. And Sunday the 24th will be the Center’s turn to host the Jammers for a Pie and Jam Social from 2:00 – 5:00pm.

A last minute bulletin just added. Martha has asked to have a $1 a bag sale this Thursday the 21st at the Center’s Nu-2-U Shop and her slightest wish is my sternest command. So come one, come all and find some great bargains.

If you read last week’s “Remember When” question and it didn’t quite sound right, it was probably because you couldn’t imagine the reserved and by-the-book Joe Friday from the TV show Dragnet calling anyone “mama”. As you probably guessed I meant “ma’am which was close by no cigar. Thanks to Joe Usatine for pointing it out to me.

But this week I hope to get it right. One of my favorite treats was staying up late to watch The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson – when it was an hour and a half long. Everyone remembers his sidekick for all those years, Ed McMahon, but who was his the first band leader for the show? (And it wasn’t Arlington’s favorite son.) Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or drop it off at the Center for a chance to win a free Saturday Night bingo packet.

Well it’s time to round up the cows and bring ‘em home. Until we meet again, keep moving and keep smiling, because as it is often heard around the Center, “what counts are not the years in your life but the life in your years”.

It was bound to happen. My son has started sending me articles on what I should do as I enter this “oldie but goldie” stage of life. (I’m just an old 45 on the turntable of life!) Next will be the oughta’s. “You know, Dad, you oughta move someplace where they will take good care of you.” And then the inevitable final step. “Dad we have decided to move you into this really nice retirement home. Oh, by the way, we have also taken your car keys away.”

I figure this first step is just payback for the years I worried about his future and bought him books and educational toys for Christmas when he really wanted a Laser 4000.

But just as he found Harry Potter exciting – which was my recommendation before the series became an international hit – I do appreciate the articles he sends.

The most recent was a New York Times article on “How to Train the Aging Brain” by Barbara Strauch. She points out that the brain continues to develop as you age and although you may have more difficulty remembering facts you are more prepared than younger folks to recognize patterns which helps in finding solutions and seeing the consequences. But that only occurs if you keep your brain in shape.

I have mentioned many times the need to stretch your brain by breaking patterns; taking the path less traveled. But this article suggests that engaging in conversations that challenge your ideas and forces you to critically reflect on new ideas may also be a way to keep your brain in shape. Or in the words of Dr. Taylor, professor at St. Mary’s College of California, each day you need to “jiggle your synapses a bit” and find a way to “scramble your cognitive egg”.

Even though you may not see or hear as well or run any faster – or can’t run at all, you may still be better prepared to understand the big picture if you stay actively engage, seek out new ideas and continue to challenge yourself.

La Clinic del Carino, MCMC and Nuestra Comunidad Sana of the Next Door, Inc will be presenting “Steps to Wellness” for anyone who is overweight or had diabetes and would like help and support to eat better, exercise more and live healthier. The classes will be taught in English and meet at the Senior Center on Wednesday evenings from 6 – 8 pm for 15 weeks beginning February 3, 2010. It is free with prizes, healthy foods and a good dose of fun. For more information call Eli Bello at 541-296-4610. And to learn more about Diabetes and this valuable class (and the services provided by La Clinica), Eli will be the speaker for the Center’s Next Chapter Lecture at 11:00 on Tuesday, January 19th.

Next Tuesday bring your dancing shoes and your derby hats to the Center and enjoy the sounds of the Sugar Daddies. They have played all over the Gorge including the Mint downtown. And tonight Truman Boler’s one man band will be playing his Country Gold. The music’s good, the price is right and tonight’s the night.

What can you do with your grandkids that is fun, clean and the both of you can enjoy? Youththink is sponsoring Free Saturday Kid Movies at Columbia Cinema every Saturday for the next seven weeks. The doors open at 9:15 and movies start at 10:00. And this coming Saturday the featured movie is Madagascar 2.

The answer to last week’s “Remember When” question was “The Phil Silver Show” (originally titled “You’ll Never Get Rich”) where the role of Sergeant Bilko made Phil Silvers a national star. Loretta Commander’s name was drawn and won the box of chocolates. This week’s question is “What character in the 1950’s television series was famous for the following line “All we want are the facts, ma’ma.”? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or drop it off at the Center for a chance to win a free Saturday Night bingo packet.

Well as Porky Pig said, Th-th-th-that’s all folks! Until we meet again, I know I should enjoy this season as much as the others, but all I keep thinking is – only sixty-seven more days till spring.

“Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.” Henry David Thoreau

Dan Buettner: How to live to be 100+ | Video on TED.com

I should learn not to wait until Monday to write this column especially when there is the possibility of spending Monday morning shoveling snow. But all things shall pass, and soon it will be a new year: a time to turn over a new leaf, to open a new door and maybe even find the car keys. It’s also a time to make those New Year’s resolutions that spring from hope and optimism and usually end in defeat and disappointment. But the real lesson is that we keep trying. And each year we identify old and new ways to make ourselves and the world a little better.

Do you have any resolutions for this new year? Trying something new: writing a poem or a song even though it may not be heard by anyone else. Or to start walking or maybe just to get out of the house more often. Or to spend more time with family and friends which according to at least one survey is the most common resolution. They don’t have to be spectacular or memorable. They can be small steps, but steps nonetheless that will help us fulfill our purpose during this sacred and noble stage of our lives.

Thanks to all the folks who gave of themselves to make this Christmas season special for others. There are many examples from the small but meaningful gifts of cookies or special Christmas ties to church and community Christmas programs, to the Christmas Eve dinner; a community effort spearheaded by Tracy and Mark Linebarger that fed hundreds. And Meals on Wheels would like to thank those who made Christmas a little more special for the folks who receive home delivered meals: Mid-Columbia Medical Center and the Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors for providing the Christmas gifts and Gloria Vanderzanden from Regence Blue Cross for arranging the large donation of small live Christmas trees.

Tonight Truman Boler will have the Center bouncing with his “Country Gold” – he was snowed out earlier this month and hopefully it won’t happen again. And next week I am not sure who is playing until I get word from the one who shall not be named who books all the musical talent. All I can say is he always lines up good music. The music and dancing starts at 7:00 and there is no charge although donations are appreciated.

The correct answer to last week’s question, “What 1939 Christmas story was put to music and sung by Gene Autry in 1949?” was Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer. Of the many correct answers, the first name drawn and the winner of a bingo packet for Saturday Night bingo was Diana Weston.

For this week’s “Remember When” question, I am adding a little twist. There will be no wrong answers and all answers will be included in the drawing for either another Saturday bingo pocket or a box of chocolates – which ever sin you prefer. And the question? “What is your favorite New Year’s Eve memory?” Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 296-4788 or just drop off your recollection at the Center.

Well that is it; another day, another year and another decade. Until we meet again, tread carefully and keep the faith.

Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. ~Hal Borland

We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives… not looking for flaws, but for potential. ~Ellen Goodman

As we experience life we realize there are no absolutes. Though we may strive to be perfect, we are imperfect; we make mistakes; we hurt others intentionally and unintentionally, and we pray “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

At the Center’s lecture last Tuesday, Dick LaFever testified to the power of forgiveness and the benefits it has to our mind, body and spirit. But in many ways forgiveness is misunderstood. It is not about minimizing the hurts and wrongs which are real and painful. It is not about forgetting, but we need not let the offense dominate our lives. It is not about condoning or excusing the act, although there may come a time when reasons are better understood. It is not the same as reconciliation for the offender does need to be a part of our future. And forgiveness is not a sign of either weakness or saintliness, but an expression of human strength.

We carry with us conscious and unconscious hurts that bonds us to the past; unable to enjoy and explore the future with passion and love. And although it is extremely difficult and may take time, forgiveness can set us free. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu has said “without forgiveness there is no future”.

As we get closer to our own sunset and realize the importance of the years remaining, Joan Chittister in her book “The Gift of Years” asks, do we really want to waste any more time on the grievances we hold – no matter how legitimate and hurtful? Do we want to be like the men Alfred Lord Tennyson describes? “Two aged men, that had been foes for life, Met by a grave, and wept – and in those tears They washed away the memory of their strife: Then wept again the loss of all those years.”

The answer is no! As Joan Chittister concludes “forgiveness puts life back together again” because “life does not have to be perfect to be perfect; it only needs to be forgiving – and forgiven.”

As long as the weather doesn’t turn white or a sheet of ice, there will be music at the Center every Tuesday night in December. Tonight Truman Boler will be playing. And come early because Truman draws a crowd like a cold winter day draws electricity. Next Tuesday you can enjoy an evening of “double your pleasure and double your fun” with the Jazz Generations and the Notecrackers both playing on the same night. The music starts at 7:00 and the cost is zippo, but donations will show Santa what a good boy or girl you are.

The answer to last week’s question was Gillette, the company that sponsored the Cavalcade of Sports every Friday night. Marcia Wynn’s name was drawn from the six correct answers that were submitted and wins a free breakfast – but only if she brings Al – to this Saturday’s Christmas breakfast. Mill Creek Point has planned special surprises to go along with a breakfast of Texas French Toast, scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, plus fruit and your favorite beverages.

This week I am going to spice things up a bit by offering a bottle of Bolton Cellars’ fine wine – thanks to Design Structures – instead of a free breakfast. I will see who prefers wine over breakfast – or who considers a glass of wine to be breakfast. So in the Christmas spirit, the question this week is “In what movie was the song “White Christmas” first sung?” Call 296-4788, email to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com or drop your answer off at the Center by midnight on Wednesday.

It’s almost the end of another year. Until we meet again, don’t forget to not only listen with your ears, but also with your eyes, your head and your heart.

“The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.” Thomas S. Szasz

Is it going to snow? How cold is it going to get? And why do Portlanders whine when the temperature gets below thirty – as if it’s really cold? And why do we complain when it gets below twenty as if it is really, really cold? Some believe the Scandinavians – who know a little about cold weather – have the secret to happiness. They have the good sense to know that it can always get worse!

But as we enter this winter season, it becomes more difficult to get out and about for many folks. I know when it is cold and blustery outside, my first thought is to watch a good movie with a cup of hot chocolate inside. And who wants to drive in the snow or ice with the chance of getting stuck. Or after dark when the eyes just don’t adjust as well as they use to.

But although this hunkering down at home may reduce certain risks, it can be harmful if it creates greater social isolation. We as human beings need a social network – however limited – to keep active and engaged, to provide help when needed and to know that someone cares. Some of these connections are provided by neighbors, church congregations and Meals-on-Wheels, but we can do more to help folks who are more isolated during the winter months. On the horizon there are some exciting possibilities including electronic communication: emails and video conferencing, but that technology is too new and too intimidating for many.

But this winter, the Center wants to be a resource for you. We may not be able to help everyone, but we can get you in touch with Marilyn Buchannan and the Friendly Visitor program at the Area Agency on Aging, Scout Troop #395 – they have shoveled snow on an hours notice, or other appropriate agencies and volunteers. So if you need any help this winter, give the Center a call at 296-4788.

The music will continue nonstop through the month of December, because sometimes you just gotta get out there and shake a few tail feathers – with what tail feathers we have left. Tonight the Cherry Park Band will be playing their crowd pleasing favorites and next Tuesday the Sugar Daddies will be back. These bands are so hot, when they play we have to turn on the air conditioner – even in December. The music and dancing starts at 7:00 and the cost is absolutely nothing, although we do appreciate any donations to keep the doors open and the bands happy.

Last week, I forgot to mention the answer to the question, who sang “See the USA in your Chevrolet”. It was Dinah Shore and Alex Currie was the winner. This week’s winner of another free breakfast was Marilyn Ciranny who still remembers Xavier Cugat, the conductor who was known for holding a Chihuahua in one arm while conducting with the other – and still had time to marry the flamboyant and provocative Charo.

In the fifties, as with Dinah Shore’s show, it was common for companies to sponsor the whole show. One particular sports show my father use to watch every Friday night on NBC was the Cavalcade of Sports from Madison Square Gardens featuring all the great boxers of the time. The sponsoring company even had a popular theme song: “Look Sharp, Be Sharp March”. What was the name of the company? To enter the drawing email the correct answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 296-4788 or drop it off at the Center by 5:00 on Wednesday.

Start planning for this month’s Saturday Breakfast on December 19th sponsored by Mill Creek Point with special entertainment and other goodies. Last year’s special December breakfast was canceled because of snow, but the folks at Mill Creek Point have promised the weather on the 19th will be so warm and balmy, Santa will be wearing shorts and flip flops!

Well it looks like it may be one of those “Baby, it’s cold outside” weeks. So until we meet again, keep your hands and heart warm this holiday season.