Patience has its limits

I came to realize that living in a condo community not only has its good points but also bad. I made quite a few good friends here. However, the downside are the difficult neighbours. Like when I found that water leaks from the upstairs unit to my son's room, destroying all the paintwork on one side of the wall, the unit owner had not heeded my repeated requests to get her piping fixed. I think I shall approach her calmly one last time, after which I may have to make a written compaint to the management as a last resort.

I remember the quote by Titus Maccius Plautus "Patience is the best remedy for every trouble", but I would add that patience also has its limits!

Goodness is the only investment that never fails

Today I felt very sad when my friend announced that he has decided to close down the company which he started 8 years ago. The company was actually already on its track 3 years into its formation. However, internal personality problems 2 years ago sidetracked its development. I had been helping him on a part time basis since 2 years ago. Maybe we did not try hard enough , maybe it was a lack of entrepreneurship on our part, and maybe it is the nature of the business, being very competitive. Whatever the reason, I really feel very sorry that I had failed him. And, I feel sad for him because the truth is he had actually kept it open for sentimental reasons much longer than we should have. I wish the best for my kind friend who has so much goodness in his heart and I have no doubt he will continue to enjoy much happiness in his golden years.

" Goodness is the only investment that never fails."--- Henry David Thoreau

What this country needs is more unemployed politicians

What this country needs is more unemployed politicians -Edward Langley speaking about the United States of America in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Looking at the antics of our own politicians, with their ridiculous claims and counter-claims, support for Statutory Declarations and support for withdrawals of Statutory Declarations and tearing the hair out of each other like cavemen, we should make sure the whole lot join the ranks of the unemployed politicians! One good cost-cutting measure!

Work is either fun or drudgery, it depends on your attitude.

Spent the whole day from about 7 am Saturday until 10 minutes ago, working on my report. Except for the 1 hour break for my regular walk at 6 pm and a few shorter breaks in between, I was at the computer the whole day, making it a total of more than 17 hours to complete the first draft of the report. That's how it is for me every Saturday, a day in which I would try my best to write at least the first draft of my weekly report, without major interruptions. The next few days, until I have to deliver on Friday, I would spend a couple of hours improving on the report. That's how it has been for me for the last 7 years, but I am not complaining.

Work is either fun or drudgery. It depends on your attitude. I like fun -quote Colleen C. Barrett

Best shopping tip in times of inflation !

Source: http://www.nirmaltv.com/2007/12/15/weekend-fun-funny-cartoons/

The innocent, the beautiful and the angelic

Case 1

In New Hampshire, USA, a woman age 29 is accused of repeatedly throwing her 8-year-old stepdaughter down the stairs and beating her with a belt over a nine-hour period on July 10. A police officer called it the "worst case of child abuse I've ever seen." The 8-year old girl, who suffered kidney and liver damage, three broken vertebrae in her neck and three broken ribs as a result of the attack, is a patient at Children's Hospital in Boston where her condition was upgraded from critical to serious. She was badly beaten on July 10, a Thursday, but didn't receive medical attention until the following Saturday night, when her father took her to Concord Hospital. After seeing how badly she was injured, doctors contacted police.

Case 2

In Jackson County, USA a 27 year old Army paratrooper who served in Iraq was sent to prison for child abuse. The Judge said the extent of the girl's injuries, which included nearly 20 broken bones, injuries to her private parts and brain bleeding, inspired him to impose a stiff penalty. He said "This case is one of the most horrible I have ever seen. The reality is, but for the grace of God, the girl would probably be dead." She was only 3 months old at the time!

We must first set our hearts right

Every day when we open the newspapers we are confronted with a barrage of accusations and counter-accusations...so much so that I no longer care what is true what is not and who is right or wrong. Actually what all our politicians should do is to stop fighting and to look deep into their hearts.

To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must cultivate our personal life; and to cultivate our personal life, we must first set our hearts right - quote Conficius

97th Birthday!

We organized a 97th birthday celebration for our father Joon Sang Chew recently on 12 July. Present at the gathering were 3 of his 5 children who are in Malaysia, their spouses, 7 of his 16 grand children (2 came with spouse /girlfriend) and 2 of his 5 great grandchildren.

He is 97, belonging to the group of the oldest old. Alhamdulillah (praise to God) he is healthy for his age. This reminds me of an article I read recently (written by Dr. Thomas T. Perls) that “contrary to the belief that the incidence of chronic, disabling disorders, particularly Alzheimer's disease, increases inexorably with age …when I became a fellow in geriatrics, I was surprised to find that the oldest old were often the most healthy and agile of the senior people under my care”.

Dr. Thomas T. Perls also wrote, “What biological and environmental factors might allow the oldest old humans to reach age 95 and beyond in good health? Multiple and intertwined influences undoubtedly play important roles. So-called longevity genes seem to protect against the development of diseases; genetically or otherwise determined adaptive abilities enable survivors to avoid potentially life-threatening conditions. Modifications in everyday activities, such as not smoking, practicing better nutrition and exercising, may also help some people stay fit longer. Basic good luck surely helps as well”.

I am just grateful to the Almighty that my father is healthy, relatively agile (he walks with a walking stick which he holds in the air!), has a good appetite and definitely not senile.

Old age has its pleasures

Whenever we go on our regular evening walks, we would see an elderly Malay gentleman sitting contentedly on a reclining chair in the porch of his big house in this posh neighbourhood. Sometimes he would be just looking out, sometimes reading the newspapers and at other times reciting pieties while counting the tasbih. Whatever he might be engaged in he always stops and greets us in his usual cheerful manner. I wonder what he was like when he was younger, I wonder what he used to do for a living when he was younger...I may never know the answers to these questions, nor that it matters. He seems perfectly content and happy sittng on his reclining chair. He paints a picture of one old man really enjoying his golden years in his own way. That is what matters now.

The complete life, the perfect pattern, includes old age as well as youth and maturity. The beauty of the morning and the radiance of noon are good, but it would be a very silly person who drew the curtains and turned on the light in order to shut out the tranquillity of the evening. Old age has its pleasures, which, though different, are not less than the pleasures of youth.
Author: W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Beyond Mud!

It seems to be a matter of faith among our politicians that if you throw enough mud some of it will stick. I hope our politicians realize that no two persons can throw mud at each other without first getting their own hands dirty! And this time they have gone beyond mud…in 2008 we not only witnessed a big extended mud fest…but also a tsunami of dirt and filth! I hope our politicians realize too that while mud can be easily washed away, dirt and filth can be embedded in their skin! The general election campaign period is long over, just SHUT UP please and get on with what you are supposed to deliver to the people who voted for you!

Confucius said " He who slings mud at neighbor is losing ground”

Impact of soaring prices of oil and gas

Help me feed my wife and 2 cars!

Gas prices costing an arm and a leg!

Source: http://www.laughparty.com/funnypicture/Feed-my-Cars/1046/

Just a little extra effort

I had to renew my car insurance yesterday afternoon. The insurance company was a small office, on the first floor of a retail bank. Customers had to stand in line to wait for their turns. There were no chairs and no numbering system. There were only 2 girls on duty. After a good 1/2 hour I was still only 3rd in line. On top of that I had rushed there from my work place so that I could reach there before the office closes, so I hadn't had any lunch. Anyway I was hungry, tired and really pissed off. I made a decision in my mind then that I would definitely change to a another insurance company the next year. Just then a smartly dressed man in his 40s came out from a side door and walked towards us. He shook my hand and said "Madam, I am so sorry you have to stand and wait so long. You see, it happens that 2 of my staff are on sick leave. We have also ordered some chairs so the next time you come you would not have to stand. Then he went down the line shaking hands and apologizing to each one. By the time he finished apologizing, all of us were smiling. Miraculously I did not really feel that tired any more. Well, maybe the company is not that bad after all. A little effort goes a long way!

The politician

Rick Gaber: "The politician is a type of creature known for its propensity to lie, exaggerate, embellish, and use all kinds of hysterical or bombastic attention-getting."

Ronald Reagan: "Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."

Rejected by the cow and the pig!

Why is it that every couple of days, some politicians in the country are beating the shit out of one another? They should focus on governing the country and provide good wisdom to lead the country out of the doldrums. They should bring immediate solutions to help the hard core poor, think of good ways to address the huge fuel price increase. The opposition should focus on providing effective check and balance to ensure good governance. Politicians should serve the public, not obsessed with lying, scheming and conniving to bring each other down. Are we not fools to put our trust in them? No wonder the cow and the pig rejected them!

A doctor, an engineer and a politician were traveling together in the countryside. They stopped at a small country inn for the night. "I have only two rooms, so one of you will have to sleep in the barn," said the innkeeper. The doctor volunteered to sleep in the barn, went outside, and the others went to bed.

A short time later they were awakened by a knock. It was the doctor, who said, "There's a cow in that barn. I'm a Hindu, and it would offend my beliefs to sleep next to a sacred animal." The engineer said he'd be willing to sleep in the barn and left.

The others went back to bed, but soon were awakened by another knock. It was the engineer, who said, "There's a pig in the barn. I'm Muslim, and I can't sleep next to an unclean animal."

So the politician was sent to the barn. It was getting really late, the others were very tired and soon fell asleep. But then they were awakened by an even louder knocking. They opened the door and were surprised by what they saw: It was the cow and the pig!

Source: http://freedomkeys.com/politicians.htm

Roots and Wings

Roots to Grow and Wings to fly -this is one of those clichés that actually mean something.

Today as I watched my nephew Meng and his girlfriend Jane leave for a new life thousands of miles away, it seems to me time just passes by so quickly. Wasn’t it only yesterday that we were celebrating his first birthday, together with my own first born son who is 6 months younger?

Planting the 'Roots' and preparing their “Wings” were a pleasure most of the times, rather frustrating at times and a major challenge some other times – providing them a stable and nurturing home environment, helping them grow, learn and believe in themselves, nurturing their values, giving them all opportunities to ensure they achieve academically, creating trust, giving them the moral support to overcome disappointments and to ride through the rough spots...

The time will come to untie the apron strings, to allow them to take flight with the very wings we have given them - this is quite an emotional challenge. I felt both happy and sad when my second son got married a year ago and left home, even though he lives not far away. You are happy with their choices and their independence yet you will miss them at home and what you had with them.

I know my sister will miss her son. Her everyday life will no longer be the same for her again. I want to tell her that it is alright. You have given him the Roots and you have given him the Wings. This is how it is meant to be.

New Born Baby!

Two elderly gentlemen from a retirement center were sitting on a bench under a tree when one turns to the other and says:

"Slim, I'm 83 years old now and I'm just full of aches and pains. I know you're about my age. How do you feel?"

Slim says, "I feel just like a newborn baby."

"Really!? Like a newborn baby!?"

"Yep. No hair, no teeth, and I think I just wet my pants".

Source: http://www.thejokeexchange.com/

Life after 60

The following passage is quoted from http://www.seniorindian.com/positive_attitude.htm
Life after 60 should not be looked as an end of a lifetime's work. It should be seen as the beginning of a new chapter. It should not be seen like climbing down a hill after having worked hard to climb up the steep slope of life. It should be viewed as another climb, gentler this time with more time for living, loving and caring. You are a treasure house of experience. You can impart that experience to the youngsters around you. View your life with an up-beat positive attitude.All over the world people over 60, are being regarded in a new and positive light, and rightfully so. The quality of health care has increased and with it the quality of life itself has become better. Life after 60, should not be taken as just a time to sit back and watch flash backs, or pretend to be a 20 yr old. There is nothing wrong in sitting back but it should be done so in satisfaction and comfort. You can now look at your children and appreciate the efforts they make to stand on their own. In Australia, Germany and US, retired people have formed organisations which are sending representatives as political parties to represent them in Parliament and take an active role in the governance of the country.

Why I blog

Actually, to be honest, starting this blog was a spur of the moment decision. My brother was down for a visit in May. He was in my house one day and we were reading some interesting blogs. Then we had an inspiration, why not blog too and see what it is like? Well, so we each claimed a blogspot space that day.

These 2 months had been a muddling through period for me where blogging is concerned. What should I do with my blog? I slowly began to make some entries. Then slowly everything fell in place.

I realized that I could just write about my own experiences, any silly little things that happen, any nice things that happen, my feelings about things or issues I feel strongly about. Not that these would interest anybody, but it doesn’t matter.

I realize too that I like to read about hints on keeping healthy, why not then share these with other seniors like me? I also like a good laugh. I constantly look for jokes and any funny stuff from magazines and the Internet. Why not brighten up others a little by sharing these funnies with them?

So when I started this blog I was driven by a sense of curiosity. It was like, “Okay, let me find out what it is like, let me give it a try”. Now after 2 months I find gratification in having a space to put down my thoughts and feelings and to share what I like with others.

Economy Class...

Of all days, the day on which one has not laughed is the one most surely wasted.— Sébastien-Roch Nicolas de Chamfort



Hope this cartoon will make you laugh today.

http://crazy-jokes.com/Funny_Pictures/index2.shtml

Correct, correct, correct...

You Know You're Getting Old When..

Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off.
You feel like the morning after when you haven't been anywhere the night before.
You don't care where your wife goes, just so you don't have to go along.
It takes twice as long to look half as good.
People call at 9 PM and ask, "Did I wake you?"
The pharmacist has become your new best friend.
You quit trying to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks into the room.
Your idea of a night out is sitting on the patio.
You look for your glasses for half-an-hour, then find they've been on your head all the time.
You begin every other sentence with, "Nowadays..."
You constantly talk about the price of gasoline.
The little gray-haired lady you help across the street is your wife.
Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them either.
It takes longer to rest than it did to get tired.
You have too much room in the house and not enough in the medicine cabinet.
You are cautioned to slow down by the doctor instead of by the police.
Younger women start opening doors for you.
Your medical expenses go up 50%.
A 'late night' now ends at 11 pm.

Source: http://www.c-boom.com/

The innocent, the beautiful and the angelic

About 2 weeks ago I subscribed to Google News Alert on the subject of “child abuse”. What I have read so far made me sick in the stomach. I stayed awake all night several nights ago...I could almost visualize the children's suffering...trying to find an answer... what has happened to human morality such that one is no longer able to differentiate “right” from “wrong”? People who abuse children are pretty low down scums of the earth, to say the least. Do they have a heart or a soul?

Case 1: The police in Los Angeles described this 5 year old’s body as “a study in pain”. He was covered in cigarette burns, including to his genitals. He couldn't fully open his hand because it had been burned on a stove. His tooth was broken with a nerve exposed. And he had been made to sit in his own urine and feces. The 5 year old remains hospitalized by kidney failure brought on from malnutrition and from months of "unbearable psychological and physical abuse.

For two years, authorities said, the mother subjected her son to what veteran detectives described as shocking, ritualistic abuse. The 5-year-old was hung by his hands and wrists from a door jamb and beaten with some sort of leash or chain, police said. He was routinely denied food and water, burned with cigarettes on his body and genitals, and left to sit in his own urine and feces.

In the past few weeks, his hands were held to a hot stove, according to Capt. Fabian Lizarraga, causing injuries that may leave them permanently disfigured.

The boy's 24-year-old mother, allegedly committed the acts for about two years without detection -- until a bizarre series of events last week.

Case 2: In the USA a Bensalem man allegedly beat his daughter so badly she was hospitalized for two months because of bleeding on her brain. Parts of the 6-year-old victim's brain weren't receiving blood and other parts were under pressure from the bleeding inside her head after more than four months of abuse that began in August. She told police that her father continually struck her in the back, chest, legs, neck and head with both his hands and various household objects. The child had abrasions to her forehead, chest and back and was unable to move her left arm and leg, according to court records. She had retinal hemorrhages and bleeding causing pressure on her brain. Other portions of her brain had softened due to limited blood flow while others weren't receiving blood, according to court records. Doctors also found a still-healing rib fracture while examining an X-ray. Dr. Cindy W. Christian, the abuse and neglect specialist, told police the injuries showed repeated physical abuse.

Case 3: Two months after a Chandler woman took her 2-year-old stepson to the hospital unresponsive and weighing less than 13 pounds, the woman and her husband were arrested and charged with child abuse. The boy had to be resuscitated when he arrived at Chandler Regional Medical Center on April 26, and was flown to Banner Desert Medical Center where he was placed in the intensive care unit. He was discharged from the hospital almost a month later weighing 18 pounds, 11 ounces - almost 6 pounds more than when he arrived. "The profundity of what happened to this kid, this is dramatic, this is way out there," pediatrician Dr. Glenn Diebert told police. "This is a 10 on a scale of 10." Dr. Diebert compared the boy to a neglected child in a prison camp.

According to medical records, the boy was born healthy and weighing 6 pounds, 3 ounces. He gained weight consistently until he was 7 months old, when he weighed 17 pounds, police said. The child lived with his biological mother until he was 5 months old.

Are we doing enough to protect our innocent, beautiful and angelic children?

The "off the rocker" grandma

This is cute!

In the dim and distant past
When life's tempo wasn't so fast,
Grandma used to rock and knit,
Crochet, tat and baby sit.

When the kids were in a jam,
They could always call on Gram.
But today she's in the gym
Exercising to keep slim.

She's checking the web or surfing the net,
Sending some e-mail or placing a bet.
Nothing seems to stop or block her,
Now that Grandma's off her rocker.

Author-unknown

Source: http://www.unwind.com/

A Little Wisdom

A little boy is telling his Grandma how "everything" is going wrong.
Meanwhile, Grandma is baking a cake. She asks her grandson if he would like a snack, which of course he does.
"Here, have some cooking oil," she says.
"Yuck" says the boy.
"Then how about a couple of raw eggs?"
"Gross, Grandma!" he replies.
"Would you prefer some flour then? Or maybe some baking soda?" she asks.
"Grandma, those are all yucky!" he replied.
To which Grandma replies: "Yes, all those things seem to taste bad all by themselves. But when they are mixed together in the right amounts and the right manner, they make a delicious cake!

"God works the same way. Many times we wonder why he would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when he puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!"

Source: http://www.suddenlysenior.com/grandmacake.html

The older you are, the more important it is that you exercise

I chanced upon this small useful article which I would like to share with other seniors.

The older you are, the more important it is that you exercise. Even moderate exercise can reverse the effects of aging if you do it consistently. It's not just about living longer — but living better — you'll be able to do more of the things you enjoy, with fewer aches and pains, even if you have arthritis.

The only kiss of death is being sedentary. Period! It's really that simple. Start exercising moderately (almost any type of moderate physical activity counts) and do it consistently. Regardless of whether you want the benefits of fitness walking or other exercises, do it now. The best exercises? The ones you'll do on a regular basis.

The sooner you start, the more you'll benefit. There are no guarantees in life, but you can stack the odds in your favor to reduce your chances of ending up in a nursing home.

Remember — you are NEVER too old to start. Many elderly people can't even lift a gallon of milk (it weighs about 10 pounds). But, researchers at Tufts University showed that elderly nursing home residents in their late 80s and mid-90s dramatically increased their strength and improved their balance after just 8 weeks of weight training.

What should you do for the best results? A balanced combination of aerobics, strength and flexibility exercises is very important for physical functioning (increases strength, flexibility and endurance) — and mental functioning (increases blood flow to your brain cells).

Aerobic (endurance) exercises:

Frequency - 30 minutes every other day, 3 times a week

Examples:

Walking (eventual goal: one mile in about 17 minutes), jogging, running, hiking, cycling, dancing, tennis, swimming, gardening, mowing the lawn, golf (if you walk and don't use a cart), climbing stairs instead of using the elevator, workouts on stationary bikes and climbers

Strengthening exercises

Frequency - 30 minutes every other day, 3 times a week

Do strength training on the days you don't do aerobic exercises (8-10 different exercises per workout; 48 hours of rest between strength training workouts is essential)

Examples:

Lift weights (3 sets of 8-12 repetitions, with 30 seconds to 1 minute rest between sets), resistance exercises, calisthenics (push-ups, crunches, etc.), resistance tubes and bands

Stretching / flexibility - 10 minutes every other day (at the end of your workout)

Gently stretch each of your major muscle groups, including your arms, legs, back, shoulders and trunk, for about 30 seconds, with 3 or four repetitions for each major muscle group. Don't bounce and don't stretch until it hurts.

Finally, if your exercise program is a success, you'll improve your odds of staying out of a nursing home

Source: http://www.todaysseniors.com/pages/Senior_Exercises.html

In the company of good friends

Last night while having a barbecue party by the pool with my neighbourhhod friends, it dawned upon me that it is already 9 years since I moved into this neighbourhood, not by intention but by chance. After having to give up the house where I stayed for 19 years, I chanced upon an advert of this guarded community. I had never planned to stay so far away from my work place, but fate brought me and my children here since April 1999. In the past 9 years I watched the neighbourhood children growing from cute unfants to school goers, from curious toddlers to boisterous kids, from young children to graceful young people and my own 3 now adults in the working world. As for myself, the new environemnt was like therapy, I regained my lost trust, my self-worth, I slowly moved on, got over my dear Mother's passing, regained my sense of humour and my optimism amidst a new circle of friends, some of whom worth more than their weight in gold.

The best of friends,
Can change a frown,
Into a smile,
when you feel down.

The best of friends,
Will understand,
Your little trials,
And lend a hand.

The best of friends,
Will always share,
Your secret dreams,
Because they care.

The best of friends,
Worth more than gold,
Give all the love,
A heart can hold.
- Author Wendy Hinson

Source: http://www.friendship.com.au/

My young friend's baby

Several years ago upon re-entry into the work force after my retirement, I made several new young friends. One of them is Janice, who has since ventured to London. She is a really cute girl, always willing to learn. She had kept in touch with me occassionally and she recently shared with me her joy of motherhood.

Isn't he a cute one!

Sometimes it's a change of job that brings a friend your way - a journey or a party or a summer holiday. You turn a bend upon the road and suddenly you find - you've met a kindred spirit. Thus the threads of fate unwind. Your path in life is crossed by someone who is meant for you - and everything takes on a sweeter note, a brighter hue.
Author - Patience Strong.

This one is hilarious!

Source: http://retirementtips.homestead.com/RetireJokesOld.html

School Friends

This picture was taken on 18 May 2008 at a lunch party with my secondary school classmates (Form 5 class of 1964, MGS Kuala Lumpur). I am right at the back in white (with glasses).

School Friends

The friendships of our schooldays linger strangely in the mind - after we have left the world of childhood far behind.
Though we make new ties as through the years our lives advance, changing with the buffetings of time and circumstance.
A friendship of those early days will always live and last - remaining when the friendships of the later years have passed.
- Author Unknown

Blame the Victim Syndrome

Met a few friends for lunch yesterday. I was eating through ½ way when one of them interrupted me. The conversation went like this:

Miss X: Hey Woon, I heard you lost your handbag to a snatch thief. How did it happen?
Me: Oh! I was getting into my car. I noticed 2 men on a motorbike behind my car. Suddenly one of them opened my passenger car door and snatched my bag from my shoulder…
Miss X: Why did you not lock your car when you get into it? Me, everytime I go into my car, I lock it without waiting for the automatic locking. Me, I don’t carry a handbag on my shoulder…see… even when I am in the restaurant, the handbag is on my neck. I also do not carry a lot of money…he..he…you know I have only RM30 in my bag now.. You know, you people make yourself so tempting for the snatch thief…

She went on and on…I lost my appetite! Fortunately I had an excuse to leave early.

Why am I held responsible for what happened to me ? Hey…I am the poor traumatised victim, remember?

Why? Why must people hold the victims responsible for what has happened? Why must the victims be derogated? Rape victims are often blamed for their “sexy” attire, a women found murdered in a hotel room was blamed for being of loose morals for having gone to the hotel room with the murderer...so it was a case of “she asked for it”, people who are mugged are often told they should not have taken unnecessary foolish chances.

Can we have more compassion for the victims instead and understand how they feel?

Benefits of exercise

Went for a brisk walk alone today without my regular walking partner who is abroad. I actually owe it to Nor for being able to keep up a regular walking routine because it is definitely more interesting to walk with a friend or a group.

We often hear that the greatest benefit to health is obtained by changing from a sedentary lifestyle to doing just 30 minutes of activity a day, such as walking, bicycling, step climbing etc. I find that brisk walking as a form of exercise provides health benefits that cannot be obtained in any other way and actually helps with my mood and state of mind.

Some of the benefits of exercise (Source: http://www.depression-guide.com/depression-and-exercise.htm)

People have reported that, when they exercise, they can think more clearly, feel happy, feel better about themselves, lose weight, develop strength, and enjoy a sense of well-being.
Exercise increases positive mood
Exercise helps people to sleep better
Those who exercise have less nervousness and anxiety
Exercise decreases negative mood
Exercise improves vigor
Exercise is effective in reducing stress, anger, fatigue
Many evidence proved that exercise plays a vital role in uplifting depression
Exercise improves motivation and self-esteem in a person
Many people even report that they look and feel younger when they exercise regularly.
Exercise may help in increasing the feelings of coherence
Exercise increases the feelings of social integration
A study concluded that medication may produce quicker relief but exercise yields more long term benefis.

Some Good quotes !!

One is not born a woman, one becomes one. Simone DeBeauvoir

I am a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man I keep his house. Zsa Zsa Gabor

Whatever women must do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult. Charlotte Whitton

Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you cry with your girlfriends. Laurie Kuslansky

In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man - if you want anything done, ask a woman. Margaret Thatcher

I never married because there was no need. I have three pets at home who answer the same purpose as a husband. I have a dog that growls every morning, a parrot that swears all afternoon, and a cat that comes home late every night. Marie Corelli

Behind every successful woman is a cleaner and a nanny. -- Unknown

Source: http://www.c-boom.com/women_humor.htm

Yummy Peanuts!

There was an old man whose family could no longer afford to take care of him. So the family decided that a nursing home for the aged would be appropriate.

Of course the old man rejected the idea, but no sooner he was convinced that it was the right thing to do. On his first day at the home, he spent most of his time laying in bed reflecting on life, feeling lonely. A while later, an orderly stopped by to see how the old man's first day was going.

"How you doing today?", she said to the old man, "First day I see". The Old man replied with a nod.

In no time the two began talking up a storm. As the conversation began to drag on, the orderly was eyeing the room filled with fresh flowers, cards and balloons from friends and relatives. She noticed a bowl full of peanuts sitting on top of the table next to the bed, and help herself to a handful.

As the two continued to converse with each other, the orderly kept eating more helpings of the peanuts. She look at her watch and noticed that nearly 2 hours had passed and said, "My goodness, the time has gone by quickly. I have to tend to other people here too." "That's okay.", said the old man, "I feel so much better being able to talk to someone." Looking into the bowl the orderly said, "I feel awful! I ate almost all of your peanuts!" The old man responded, "That's okay. Ever since I got these false teeth, all I could do was suck the chocolate off of them anyhow."

Source: http://www.ahajokes.com/age44.html

Sharing tips with other senior women

Don't stinge on spending money (within our means, of course)to improve our own comfort, health and quality of life. We do deserve it!

Keep our bodies active, join an exercise group, dancing group if you like to dance, gardening,not to difficult to do a brisk walk just 1/2 hour a day, travel, even window shopping.

Keep our minds active, read, do crosswords, sudoka, blog :), write a book? write our memoirs?

Maintain good nutrition (we certainly need it!) but eat in moderation.

Socialise, seek out friends, have a good laugh.

Relax, do not worry unneccesarily (Still a challenge for me!)

If somebody unintentionally hurt us, forgive him, it is not important; if somebody intentionally hurt us, forget him, he is not important!

Whatever we do, enjoy it!

Anybody wants to add to this list?

Forgot my Rose

An elderly couple had dinner at another couple's
house, and after eating, the wives left the table and
went into the kitchen. The two gentlemen were talking,
and one said, "Last night we went out to a new
restaurant and it was really great. I would recommend
it very highly."
The other man said, "What is the name of the
restaurant?"
The first man thought and thought and finally said,
"What is the name of that flower you give to someone
you love? You know... the one that's red and has
thorns"
"Do you mean a rose?"
"Yes, that's the one," replied the man. He then turned
towards the kitchen and yelled, "Rose, what's the name
of that restaurant we went to last night?"

Source: http://www.jibjab.com/view/1003

Long Time Friends

This evening joined seven old friends for dinner. I first got to know them in 1961 when my family relocated from Parit Buntar to Petaling Jaya and I continued schooling in MGS Kuala Lumpur. Wow! That's a good 47 years ago!

"Among Life's precious jewels,
Genuine and rare,
The one that we call friendship
Has worth beyond compare"
~ author unknown

It is not an achievement to make a thousand friends in a year, but an achievement when you make a friend for one thousand years.

Elderly Gentleman

An elderly gent was invited to his old friends' home for dinner one evening.

He was impressed by the way his buddy preceded every request to his wife

with endearing terms-Honey, My Love, Darling, Sweetheart, Pumpkin, etc...

The couple had been married almost 70 years, and clearly they were still

very much in love. While the wife was in the kitchen, the man leaned over

and said to his host, "I think it's wonderful that, after all these years,

you still call your wife those loving pet names." The old man hung his head.

"I have to tell you the truth," he said, "I forgot her name about 10 years

ago."

Source: http://iranscope.ghandchi.com/Fun/gentleman.htm

Death risk higher for elderly women who lose weight

From: University of Maryland Medical Center

Death risk higher for elderly women who lose weight, says University of Maryland School of Medicine study

Elderly women face an increased risk of death if they lose weight or are underweight, according to researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Elderly women of average weight who lose weight may be at greatest risk.

The six-year study, which appears in the December issue of The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, involved 648 Baltimore area women between the ages of 65 and 99. The women were interviewed and weighed at their homes once a year for three years, and were followed for another three years.

The risk of death was highest for women with an average body mass index (BMI), who then went on to lose weight. These women were nearly four times more likely to die than women who either maintained their weight or gained a few pounds during the course of the study. A weight change of 4.5 percent or more from one year to the next was recorded as a gain or a loss.

"Our findings run contrary to the popular belief that losing weight always makes you healthier," says Matthew W. Reynolds, M.S., of the School of Medicine's Department of Epidemiology. "We believe doctors should pay close attention to weight change in older women because it could signal potentially serious health problems."

The risk of death was the lowest for elderly women who maintained an average BMI over the six-year study period. Thirteen percent of these women died, compared to the group's overall death rate of 16 percent. The death rate was 22 percent for elderly women who began the study with a lower than average body mass. For the heaviest women, the death rate was 18 percent.

"This work has some very important implications for older women and their health care providers because weight changes are relatively easy to monitor," says Jay S. Magaziner, Ph.D., professor and interim chair, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine and director of the division of gerontology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. "Even small changes should be taken seriously."

The study found that weight fluctuation also appears to increase mortality for women over the age of 65. "Fairly minor weight cycling-from five to eight pounds for a five-foot, five-inch woman-is associated with a significantly increased risk of death," says Magaziner.

Regardless of a woman's initial BMI, investigators found that losing weight always increased the risk of dying. "Dieting or trying to return to an "ideal" weight may not be the best recommendation for older women who are not obese," says Reynolds. "It is possible that maintaining body weight may actually help keep you more robust and healthy later in life."

Investigators cautioned that their results do not explain the reasons for the increased death rates. The study took age, income, smoking habits and alcohol use into consideration, but the cause of death for these women is not known. Reynolds says interviewers tried to screen out women with serious pre-existing health problems, but he says some illnesses may have gone undetected, accounting for some of the weight loss.

This article comes from Science Blog. Copyright � 2004http://www.scienceblog.com/community