This is the time of year when we tend to reflect on how fast the years are passing. It seems like the millennium wasn't that long ago and now we are trying to remember to write 2006 on our checks when we just got used to writing 2005. It's a time to reflect on the good things from 2005 and to renew those New Year's resolutions that weren't quite fulfilled last year with renewed determination to succeed in 2006. Maybe this year we can make our lists of things to accomplish, and then try not to lose the list.
Those who attended our Holiday party know what a success it was. This was our second year for holding this event and all agreed that there was great food, great music and a very festive atmosphere. Thanks to Lorri Jordan for making the arrangements and successfully dealing with all the details that made it so special. We plan to do it again this year at the same place on December 8.
Our spring line up of programs and events is firming up quite nicely thanks to Virginia Clagett and her committee and the Board members who have taken the lead to arrange specific events. Please see inside for details and mark your calendars accordingly.
I am pleased to announce that Mary Barkl has agreed to fill the vacant Secretary position for the balance of this year and to be a candidate for that position in the next election for 2006-7. It is also a pleasure to advise that Sharon Forrester has volunteered to join the Staff as resident photographer, so you might want to introduce yourself and put on your best face when you see her at future events. We welcome both Mary and Sharon.
Additionally, it is with regret that, Doug White , due to personal scheduling conflicts, has advised that he will be unable to continue as Treasurer next year. Accordingly, we are seeking candidates for that position in 2006-7.
On behalf of the Board, I extend to you our best wishes for a happy and healthy 2006.
Ed Frick
THE ELECTRONIC BRIDGE NOW AVAILABLE AS A STANDARD OPTIONWe first announced The Electronic Bridge as a standard communication program of the HRC in November 2005. This program remains optional and in no way replaces our past hard copy mailings of The Bridge. For anyone with e-mail there are many benefits:
You can elect to either receive both printed and electronic versions or electronic only for those who prefer this. We will also not publish e-mail addresses if so requested and you will continue to receive a dues status reminder with each issue. To date over 80 members have signed up to take advantage of The Electronic Bridge with nearly half opting for “electronic only”. It must be emphasized that the sole purpose of this program is to improve the quality and convenience of our communication to members who prefer this electronic format – we are not trying to avoid mailings. Participation is totally optional, but does have many benefits. It you are interested in receiving The Electronic Bridge (or even a trial copy), you can sign up by contacting us via e-mail at: hotline@hrcaz.org . Please send your : 1) name , 2) e-mail address , 3) if you wish your e-mail address not published in The Bridge periodically (see pages 5 & 6), and 4) if you want “ electronic only ” or both electronic & hard copy. You may “opt in” or “opt-out” of this program at any time by simply notifying us via e-mail. Contributed by : Ted Rees |
Remember the day when you could just take your junk mail out of the mailbox and throw it straight into the trash, bypassing the wastebaskets in the house? Or when you could receive a credit card bill, write a check without reading the bill, and throw the bill out? Those days are long gone--sacrificed to the specter of identity theft.
I've had my identity stolen several times, each time by a foster child who snagged a credit card to charge small things like fast food and gas. But I've not (yet) experienced "the big one" --the kind of identity theft where someone assumes your name, but not your frugal lifestyle, and causes you untold hassles just to prove you are really yourself. I say "not yet," because I figure identity theft is like bird flu; it will either mutate and catch me, or not, and there's little I can do about it. I am, however, irrationally hoarding a dose of Tamiflu, and I'm irrationally trying to prevent identity theft as well. And I can only tell you that living in fear is terribly time consuming. First I had to buy the shredder. Then I had to figure out what to shred. This meant I had to start reading my junk mail. If anything says "pre-approved," or comes with one of those fake checks, I shred it.
Sometimes I even wait for the postman, because my mail is delivered to a slot in the front of my house, but it doesn't all fit through, and it hangs out until I get it from the outside. I imagine this was a very secure way of getting mail fifty years ago, when the house was built, before all the deluge of catalogues, flyers and newspapers that now constitutes the bulk of the US Mail (bad pun). I shred my bank statements, which now come in both paper and plastic (computer). I also shred my credit card bills -- the ones I still have to receive in the mail. I've stopped almost everything from coming in the mail, because the mail is a big source of identity theft. This creates problems in and of itself, because if my QuickBooks fails, I have no tax records. This summer, my PC was stolen, and that's where I have all my financial records. Although they were backed up, it was a struggle restoring them. And there's no paper trail. The days of the paper trail are over.
All this takes time. It takes even more time if you try to shortcut the process by overloading the shredder, which then stops in the middle. Then you have to un-jam it and begin all over again, with the half-shredded documents in your hand. All this is a long way of saying that I am moving again: this time to a high rise condo in the Central City where they deliver the mail to a locked box in a secure room.
| Where: | Four Peaks Brewing Company, Tempe |
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| Time: | 4 PM | |
| Cost: | $20.00 per person – includes tour, beer and a light meal | |
| Coordinator: | Lorri Jordan 480-473-1335 Call for more information |
Some more details on the brewery – won the 2005 best local beer award and it has a yearly production capacity of 10,000 barrels of beer (that's 20,000 kegs). They have a 20 bbl. brewhouse with nine 40-barrel fermenters and one 60-barrel fermenter for producing all of their distribution and in-house beers. Their most recent installation is an SMB bottling machine – look for Kilt Lifter and 8th Street in bottles around Arizona. They have two great locations and a great little restaurant .
| Where: | Heard Museum – 2301 N. Central Ave., Downtown Phoenix |
| Time: | Tour starts at 1:30pm – arrive early |
| Cost: | $7.00 per person |
| Reservations: | REQUIRED BY FEBRUARY 7, 2006 |
| Coordinator: | Virginia Clagett 602-992-4204 or VMClagett@aol.com |
We will be taking a Las Guias tour with a specially trained guide who can focus on areas such as jewelry, pottery, basketry, kachina dolls, textiles and contemporary art depending on the interest of the majority of our participants. Send your money and special areas of interest to: Virginia Clagett, P. O. Box 31937, Phoenix, AZ 85046
Depart: |
Tuesday, March 14, 2006 |
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Return: |
Wednesday, March 15, 2006 |
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Hotel: |
Flamingo (changed from Edgewater because of meal changes) |
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Cost: |
$34.50 per person double occupancy |
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Includes: |
Bus transportation, one night at the Flamingo, and buffet one meal per person and fun book |
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| Reservations: | REQUIRED BY MARCH 4, 2006 | ||
| Coordinator: | Dale Wendt (our usual leader!) Questions: call 480-922-1402 |
Send your check, payable to Honeywell Retiree Club, to: Dale Wendt , 7540 E. Becker Lane, Scottsdale, AZ 85260. Also, with your check, please enclose a note stating your preference for sleeping accommodations (e.g., one king bed or two queen beds, smoking/non-smoking, etc.) and which pickup location you will be at on Tuesday morning.
There are two pick-up locations:
We will depart Laughlin at 2:00 PM on Wednesday and get back to Phoenix about 6:00 PM that evening.
| Coordinator: | Ed Skutecki 623-572-9004 33fisherman33@cox.net |
| Game: | Oakland Athletics vs. San Diego Padres |
| Date: | March 14, 2006 |
| Starting Time: | 1:05 PM |
| Location: | Peoria Sports Complex, 16101 N. 83 rd Ave. |
| Seat Pricing: | $10/seat (regularly $16, upper box, shade requested) |
Come and join us for HRC's first Spring Training Baseball outing. The Peoria Sports Complex is an excellent baseball facility. You may bring in your own food, snacks, and sealed bottled water. No coolers are allowed. We have just 25 tickets, so make your reservations early. Call or e-mail Ed Skutecki to reserve your seats and then make out a check to Treasurer, HRC and note "baseball" on it. Send the check to: Honeywell Retiree Club of Arizona; Honeywell, Mail Drop XO; 2500 W. Union Hills Dr; Phoenix, AZ 85027.
| Where: | North Mountain Park, Pima Ramada, Peoria & 7th Street The park is just south of the Pointe Hilton on 7th Street. Turn west into the park. Follow signs up the hill to the Pima Ramada near the Ranger Station. Parking is limited, so carpool or park at the Havasupai Ramada and walk up the stairs. |
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| Time: | 11:00 AM to whenever you finish visiting with friends | |
| Event Coordinators: | Shirley Krieger (602-942-4235) & Don Roeber (623-561-0678) |
The HRC will provide baked ham, rolls, coffee, tea, paper plates & napkins. Attendees are asked to bring a covered dish to share, such as salad, baked beans or dessert. We will have door prizes, music and lots of fun visiting other retirees. The HRC will also arrange for a beer permit. You may bring beer or soft drinks in cans – no bottles please! Call the coordinators if you have any questions.
| Where: | Pima Air Museum – 6000 E. Valencia Rd., Tucson, Arizona 85706 |
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| Time: | Tours starts at 1:00pm Thursday and 9:00am Friday – arrive early | |
| Cost: | $18.00 per person for the combined tour | |
| Reservations: | REQUIRED BY MARCH 15, 2006 | |
| Coordinator: | Virginia Clagett 602-992-4204 or VMClagett@aol.com |
On Thursday afternoon, experience a century of aviation and explore over 250 aircraft. The Pima Air & Space Museum is the largest Air & Space Museum in the Western United States. We have a special treat in store for you. Our own Honeywell Retiree member, Bob Preising , volunteers at the Pima Air Museum in the B-36 restoration project. He is arranging for us to visit the B-36 area, which is not on the normal tour. After he gives us the special tour, you can take a tram ride, ride the Morphis Simulator, climb aboard President Kennedy's Air Force One and gaze at the spectacular, supersonic, SR-71 Blackbird "Spy Plane".
Then plan to relax and stay overnight in Tucson Thursday evening at a motel of your choice. On Friday morning we will tour the Titan Missile Museum at 9AM. The Titan Missile Museum is the only publicly accessible Titan II missile site in the nation. When you visit the Titan Missile Museum you travel through time to stand on the front line of the Cold War. Tours include a six-story view of the Titan II missile in its silo, a visit to the underground launch control center, and a simulated missile launch. Walking shoes are required (no heels please). Food and beverages, except bottled water, are prohibited. Smoking is not permitted inside museum buildings or while on the guided tour. The underground portion of the missile site is accessed by a flight of 55 steps in the Access Portal. The Titan Missile Museum is an ADA compliant facility. A limited number of wheelchairs are available at the Visitor Services Desk, and all restrooms are wheelchair accessible. An elevator is available to access the underground portion of the missile site for those who have limited mobility or who need special assistance. Non-commercial photography and video recording are permitted. Commercial photography is not allowed without written permission.
After the tour you can visit other scenic sights in the area such as the San Xavier Mission, Tubac, Tumacacori, Green Valley, Rio Rico and Nogales.
Cost for the combined Pima Air & Space Museum and the Titan Missile Museum is $18. Please make reservations by March 15. Send your money to: Virginia Clagett, P. O. Box 31937, Phoenix, AZ 85046 . Contact via e-mail at VMClagett@aol.com if you have questions.
The Nominating Committee for this year's officers and directors are Lorri Jordan, Ed Skutecki and Ike Templeton. Election of the Officers and Directors shall be held at the Annual Meeting in April 2006. The ballot will be sent out in The Bridge at the appropriate time this year. We need to fill two Director positions. The Nominating Committee will submit their report to the Board of Directors prior to the February Board meeting.
Any active member may make nominations by submitting, either verbally or in writing, the candidate's name to the Board of Directors (or the Nominating Committee) by January 31. Nominees must be verified and agree to serve before being placed on the ballot. You may send your nominations to the HRC e-mail address or our regular mailing address, both of with can be found on the last page of this newsletter.
This group will help those who need repairs that they cannot do themselves, including minor electrical, carpentry and plumbing problems. You will have the security of having someone you can trust in your house. The cost of material is not covered. The Fix It Guys are Bob, Matt, Dick, John, Mike, Perry, Sam, Paul , Ed, Clint and Gene. Call 602-870-0813.
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things---God, your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else---the small stuff.”
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.”
"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked.
It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."
Getting Enough Vitamin D to Fight Fractures ?
American Medical Association (JAMA), concluded that the answer is no! The RDA of vitamin D for older adults is between 400 and 600 IU per day. Researchers concluded, however, that higher daily doses of vitamin D—in the range of 700 to 800 IU—may reduce the risk of fractures by approximately 25%. Vitamin D promotes the absorption of dietary calcium.
No Sweat? Exercise Still Boosts Health
The key to heart health is how much time you put into physical activity. Recent research published in “Chest” stated that walking briskly for 12 miles or 125-200 minutes weekly significantly improves aerobic fitness and lowers the risk of heart disease. Overweight and sedentary men and women in the study showed benefits even without intense exercise and without necessarily losing weight. You're improving your fitness level, decreasing fat and increasing muscle and improving your lipid panel.
Early Weight Gain Tied to Prostate Cancer Return
Clinical research scientists at M.D. Anderson found that men who didn't gain weight between the ages of 25 and 40 were less likely to suffer a post surgery recurrence of prostate cancer as those who gained
weight the fastest. Those who were obese at age 40 were 2.35 times more likely to suffer prostate cancer recurrence than men of normal weight
Weigh-in to Keep Weight Off
Stepping on the scale every day can be one way to make sure you like what you see when you weigh yourself. Daily weighers regain less weight than those who don't check the scales often. Most dieters regain a third of the weight they've lost in just a year, and two-thirds after two years. You are more likely to catch small changes in body weight if you step on the scale every day.
Folate and Other B Vitamins May Fight Mental Decline with Aging
A new Tufts study published in the “American Journal of Epidemiology” using data from the Framingham Offspring Study found that high homocysteine levels were linked to lower cognitive performance in subjects over age 60. Homocysteine” may be neurotoxic and B vitamins, including folate, B6 and B12, and may protect against lower cognitive levels by lowering homocysteine levels.
A long list of Phoenix area attractions with phone numbers and web sites are listed on the HRC web site for your reference. Check out photos of our past events as well as useful information from seminars like the Medicare Drug Seminar presentation. Also listed are all of our club's upcoming activities, with dates and contact information, plus a copy of The Bridge . If you have any photos of club activities, we'd love to publish them. Attach the pictures to an email and send to hotline@hrcaz.org .