A simple breathing exercise can help with stress and anxiety

| April 7, 2020

Likely I’m not the only one needing to de-stress or at least fall back on a few techniques to “Keep Calm and Relax.” Here’s a Navy Seal technique to beat stress. With a little practice, you can learn “box breathing” or four-square breathing as a way to reduce anxiety. Here’s how it works: Breathe in […]

April 1 is no joke this year, yet I am counting our many blessings

| April 1, 2020

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Looking for something positive amidst the #COVID19 Pandemic

| March 31, 2020

Although few of us really want to be tracking the exponential explosion of the COVID19 spread, a friend asked me if there was a preferred site to go to for updated information. I responded with CDC.gov or Department of Health here in Ohio as trusted sources, but then suggested that if he was like me, […]

Music Monday: Neil Diamond #COVID19 contribution

| March 30, 2020

Neil Diamond sings “Sweet Caroline” with updated lyric for safety during Covid-19 pandemic. Stay safe out there!

What should you do about the Coronavirus? #COVID19

| March 28, 2020

Here’s an easy Question and Answer put together by Apple: Take this simple test as a starting place to know what you should be doing. L I N K

Music Monday: Band on the Run – Paul McCartney and Wings

| March 23, 2020

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As depression kicks in, watched the film “Miracle” for inspiration

| March 18, 2020

For those of us who in December thought this Coronavirus ‘thing’ was a Chinese story and not going to be a big deal here in America; we were wrong. COVID19 and the economic impact is being felt far and wide by everyone in the world. I still want to believe it will be short-lived and […]

Campaign for Americans to “do their part” to fight COVID19

| March 17, 2020

Since all Americans are in this fight together, it is appropriate we take the precautions necessary to slow the spread and "flatten the curve" of the Coronavirus so that our hospitals and medical professional can help those who are in need of their care. Appropriately each state has stepped up with their own actions – […]

Just home projects while ignoring work and financial markets

| March 17, 2020

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Workshop weekend after a miserable week of COVID19 contagion

| March 14, 2020

It was a tiring week with the drip, drip, drip Coronavirus news and highly-reactive financial markets. Although frightening, investors rightly or wrongly responded with a selloff of historic proportions. The entire meltdown seemed more like hysteria and panic and had me wondering how our country and nation ever faced plagues, a weak economy due to […]

Down, Down, Down the stock market goes on #COVID19 fears

| March 11, 2020

Although I suspect all the selling on Wall Street has to do with needed cash or the “sell and re-assess later” attitude, I’ve been puzzled that gold (usual safe haven) and utilities have been hit as well. Personally I thought these areas might balance exposure to industrials, tech and energy. Obviously not as Wednesday’s market […]

My thoughts on the Coronavirus COVID-19 and investing

| March 7, 2020

I’ve purposely put off posting anything to MyDesultoryBlog as the worldwide spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (#COVID19) began. Partially since it is challenging to separate the unfounded fears and panic from the real threat since the reporting varies based on news sources (Information from China is particularly questionable but western media sources aren’t all […]

Music Monday: Be Prepared but be sure to enjoy your life now

| February 17, 2020

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When is it time to say goodbye to family pets? #PumpyUmpy

| February 15, 2020

While emailing my daughter this week about taking her “long living” bunny, Pumpy Umpy to the vet (injury and can’t move his leg), I mentioned that I eventually had to take Tootsie to the Butler County Humane Society as a way to prep for her eventual decision. I ended up seeing this “Keep in touch” […]

Prayers for medical issues have been on my mind this week

| February 7, 2020

The week started with heartache. A  funeral for our neighbors son. That was followed by my friend Jeff heading to be with his dad’s wife Thelma in Orlando after a fall. (his dad is 93 and she is 90). It looks as if Jeff with be soon trying to figure out their care and living […]

The Chinese Coronavirus. What you might want to know.

| January 29, 2020

Read an outstanding article in the WSJ this past week as the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) continues to spread and take lives. It is currently a China-based virus that likely stems from bats that mutate and spread through other mammals. Efforts are being made in China to prevent spreading within their country, but with travel and […]

There are safer ways to use a ladder

| January 12, 2020

Being young, and someone who looked to be vying to be listed in this year’s Darwin Award, had me telling this worker, on a questionable set ladder, that he may not be as invincible to injury as he thinks? (he said to me, “oh, I’ve done this before”)  We noticed a bit of water seeping […]

My one and a half armed brother heads for surgery #TBT

| November 14, 2019

I probably shouldn’t make a joke about my brother Ron going in for a surgical repair to his shoulder on Friday, but since he was the one joking with me about how he has felt like a “one and a half armed man” since summer, I continue the joke. Hopefully, he will “slice” (ouch!) right […]

Do improvements in technology change views on abortion?

| October 29, 2019

It has been 26 years since the U.S. Supreme Court decided on Roe v. Wade. In 1973, our nine justices decided that pregnant women should have the right to legally choose an abortion (would it be different today?). Our national debate has continued non-stop for decades, but the call is getting louder to re-address the issue […]

Evaluating the Fitbit Versa – three month in and a little #TBT

| October 10, 2019

Previously I mentioned that Katelyn and Drew brought me kicking and screaming (not really) into the Fitbit “wrist device” wearing age and world. I had given up wearing a watch decades ago when I started carrying a pager. Eventually I adopted the Nextel belt holstered cellphone, then pocket folding Samsung i500 PDA phone. The new […]

Toxicodendron radicans, or better known as Poison Ivy

| August 19, 2019

Since there hasn’t been time to put together a summary post for our week with my little helper Annalyn, I’ll update the latest of many poison ivy encounters Brenda and I have had over the years. Brenda usually tangles with poison “something” yearly and I do my best to just avoid the evil plants until […]

Will the average American middle class family rent forever?

| August 11, 2019

As the cost of education, health care, cars, etc. goes up, it should be no surprise our financing habits change in order to pay for priorities like higher education … or luxuries like newer and more reliable cars. Paying for semi-essentials is significantly more expensive than in the past and we now extend paying for […]

Tech Friday: My Fitbit encourages exercise, including swimming

| July 5, 2019

So far the Fitbit Versa “watch” that I received for my birthday has been great … and I’m using it far more than expected. It has already encouraged me to be a little more active as I work hard to hit the 10,000 step goal each day. Thank you Katelyn and Drew! This past weekend […]

Finally joining the smartwatch and Fitbit wearer club

| June 26, 2019

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This is why we own shares of Pepsi $PEP and Coke $KO #TBT

| June 13, 2019

We have so many cans (mostly Brenda’s Diet Pepsi, but plenty of my Diet Mountain Dew as well) is almost embarrassing how I take aluminum cans to a local recycling center. It is even more eye-opening to “see” just how much pop (soda) we buy and consume! How is it possible to drink this many […]

Ticks, screwy metal things and working on mulch landscaping

| June 5, 2019

Nasty bugger … thankfully I think I caught this guy (or any of his buddies) before sucking my blood. Nowadays with Lyme Disease you can’t be to careful with letting ticks bite or burrow. I’m not sure our area is considered risky, but I don’t want to chance getting infected either (I thnk this guy […]

Habitual glucosamine use and risk of CVD – UK Biobank study

| June 4, 2019

One of the long running medical debates in my family is my  use of a fairly expensive supplement called glucosamine. Ever since I injured my knee 15+ years ago and received what seemed like a miracle steroid injection – suffered for weeks — I’ve been more serious about taking better care of my joints. Aging […]

For those who pray, would you pray for my niece Sarah Gerber

| June 1, 2019

For Christians, who pray for wisdom, for the health and safety of our families and the stressful issues we face daily, prayer is something most of us have been taught to do from an early age. I’d like to think that this daily “practice” of prayer prepares us to be great “prayer warriors” for others […]

Childhood obesity and healthy weight challenge in Toledo Ohio

| April 6, 2019

View this post on Instagram Pediatrician Katelyn Oostra, MD, talked about the prevention of childhood obesity this past Wednesday night at a presentation for Super Fitness Weight Loss Challenge contestants. Each year the physical fitness center joins together with WTOL, Channel 11, to host a healthy weight loss challenge. This year, physicians from ProMedica participated […]

Medscape article on the treatment of Meniere disease #archive

| March 27, 2019

A couple of decades ago I suffered from Ménière disease (Ménière’s disease) and struggled to find treatment and relief from the miserably vertigo episodes. One does not understand how debilitating and miserable that this be, so much so that any potential treatment, regardless of the risk, seemed worth it at the time. In my case, […]

The Great White Shark hunting from below #photo #filler

| February 20, 2019

Just an ominous filler photo that you probably don’t want to be looking at before going for a swim in the ocean. The Great White Shark can definitely give you nightmares. EDIT 2/22/2019 with an image from a Twitter friend: Let’s just hope sharks don’t like the crunchy texture of surfboards?

Tech Friday: The best TECH life-changers in the last couple years

| January 11, 2019

The Amazon Echo in Kitchen/Great Room and the new Echo Dot 3rd Gen in my workshop Not a day goes by without Amazon’s Echo devices doing something for us in our home … and it is only a matter of time before “she” (Alexa) will be assisting me in the car too. It is almost […]

When it comes to dentistry, be glad you live in the 21st century

| October 17, 2018

There was a time we winced at dentistry pre-20th century (some still do today), but imagine going to an Egyptian dentist back in 2000BC or there about? Yikes! "Egyptians were very comfortable with and knowledgeable about the human body. Mummifying bodies required them to drain the blood and extract the organs leading to a basic […]

Apple introduces their new iPhone Xs line-up and new Watch

| September 12, 2018

The biggest awaited tech news for most Apple lovers took place yesterday as they introduced their latest Watch Series 4 with "heart monitoring" capabilities and improved everything. From edge to edge larger screens, to a 64-bit processor that is twice as fast at their earlier version. The speaker is louder (common complaint), a walkie-talkie feature, […]

Do you understand what PBM’s in health care are?

| August 25, 2018

Here’s a great explanation of the history and current role of Pharmacy Benefit, Managers (PBMs) as it relates to health care, drug cost and insurance plans. LINK to Marketplace story

Do you appreciate modern dentistry?

| August 8, 2018

With a niece a new dentist and both a late father-in-law and brother-in-law who were dentists, the #70 Mike Rowe "The Way I Heard It Podcast" was interesting – You Might Feel A Little Pinch. I’m thankful for modern dentistry … although may look at my dentist with a little more scrutiny. Check out mikeroweWorks […]

Mike Rowe talks about doctors in his #TheWayIHeardIt podcast

| July 28, 2018

As a fan of Mike Rowe‘s The Way I Heard It podcasts, his praise for medical doctors highlights the debate of earning the "title" of doctor and being addressed as ‘Dr.’ based on "what you want to be called" or receiving honorary degrees. As Mike Rowe comments on Twitter, "according to my producer, this brand […]

Charles Krauthammer sends a message to his colleagues

| June 8, 2018

It is with great sadness to hear cancer has returned for one of the brightest political minds and talented writers of our generation. Charles Krauthammer, who has been included in several blog posts over the years, sent a note out today to his colleagues and many friends. Most who follow politics have appreciated his writing […]

Tips on detecting warning signs of skin cancer – ABCDE system

| May 22, 2018

Just a few self-observations can be helpful between doctor visits when keeping an eye on your skin when it comes to early diagnosing basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Experts explain how to detect the warning signs of skin cancer Skin cancer, defined by the fact that it starts on the skin, is […]

Disruptors in the health care business – then and now #TBT

| April 5, 2018

From the inside I have watched the disruption in healthcare for decades now. Early on it was Brenda and our somewhat laughable attempt in thinking we could start an independent mail order pharmacy, this was in the early 1990s. We looked at leasing property and duplicating existing “store” pharmacy components of a drugstore and at […]

Airbag recall: Inefficiencies at either BMW or their supplier?

| January 23, 2018

One wonders as to the legal responsibility of auto companies when "making a best effort" to correct the airbag issues in their customers’ cars? Are manufacturers held liable when using parts from their suppliers?  Here’s a comparison: I took our 2006 Honda Pilot in a couple years ago after they notified me about the Takata […]

Backpacking filtration hack for emergency water too

| January 10, 2018

Bits and pieces are still arriving from my Christmas shopping. Sometimes I forget that not every company/individual doing business online is shipping with the efficiency we become accustom to with Amazon and other big online retail sites. In any case, one of the gifts I assembled was an emergency kit that included survival items we […]

Food for thought from a pediatrician on gender identity

| December 19, 2017

Although I have the traditional conservative view that one’s gender is in our DNA and one that we are born with, I understand there are those who differ. Let’s at least try to agree as a nation that we should at least protect young kids and early teens from the irreparable damage parents and doctor […]

So what is your plan for social security and retirement?

| October 7, 2017

A friend of mine is receiving his first social security check this month and so I’ve been doing some reading on the subject (it is a long way off yet for me … just in case readers had me already over-the-hill!) One of the biggest concerns for those nearing retirement and doing calculations is that […]

Poor Sense of Smell May Signal Impending Dementia

| October 3, 2017

A poor sense of smell may indicate an increased risk for dementia, a new study has found. Researchers recruited 2,906 men and women ages 57 to 85, testing their ability to identify five odors — orange, leather, peppermint, rose and fish. Five years later, 4.1 percent of them had dementia. Of all the factors the […]

Answering questions on the Motley Fool Industry Focus podcast

| September 21, 2017

Tuned into Motley Fool’s Industry Focus podcast this week talking about how drugmakers get patents and drug trials through the FDA. The Q & A segment was  helpful for those looking to understand the process and pitfalls before adding shares of these companies to their portfolios.   Motley Fool Industry Focus Podcast (mp3) | 9/20/2017 […]

An interview with Dr Francis Collins triggered a book order

| September 14, 2017

While driving this week I had a opportunity to scan through a few SiriusXM stations and picked up on part of a Bloomberg interview between philanthropist David Rubenstein and National Institutes of Health director Dr. Francis Collins (looked up the video so I could listen to the entire interview later – below).  Dr Collins seemed […]

A couple doctors back to the hospitals that cared for me

| September 12, 2017

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At least with the ACA we all have affordable healthcare #sarcasm

| September 7, 2017

Obviously the "promises" made by the Obama administration, and the Democrats who passed the Affordable Care Act (ACA), have failed us … and the current GOP controlled congress have failed to fix, repeal or replace (their promise if elected). Who in middle class America can afford health insurance at $1000/mo with a $12,900 deductible?  As […]

Congratulations Drew and welcome back home to Ohio

| July 1, 2017

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Thinking of a college roommate and his family today

| June 11, 2017

It was one short year ago (6/11/2016) that the the news shocked me that one of my college roommates collapsed and died while cycling near Columbus Ohio. My college orientation roommate and one of three 4th year roommates, Bill Gordon was an avid cyclist and was probably in far better physical shape than most, but […]

Archive: A look at allergy medication options

| June 8, 2017

A lot of people struggle with seasonal allergies, but for me it seems to be something I’m noticing later in life? As with most minor health issues, we deal with it and move on when it goes away. This past month or so the runny-nose and watery eyes symptoms have bothered me enough to take […]

Rep Tom McClintock (R-CA) weighs in with Neil Cavuto

| April 5, 2017

As California Congressman Tom McClintock (R-CA) excogitated his ideas and explained the slow progress of repealing and replacing Obamacare with Neil Cavuto, he quoted one of his late fellow Californians, Paul Masson, "We will sell no wine before its time." How apropos to healthcare reform (listen or watch below). That wasn’t the only smart saying […]

What does one do with an old cigarette box or cigarettes?

| February 21, 2017

I was fortunate to have one of the greatest childhoods. My immediate family was very close with my mom’s parents (my grandparents) and her sister and family. We spent many times together and every holiday. My cousin Diane and husband Bert remain “relatively” close to this day and occasionally text message back and forth. Hm, […]

Can the Federal Government find political balance?

| January 26, 2017

My answer: Rarely does the pendulum find the middle. Neither the fiscal or social policy balancing coming from Washington DC makes much sense to me. There have to be moderates who see validity in each others positions? Rather than the black and white collisions between the liberal Democrats and the conservative Republicans’ points of view, […]

CVS Generic Competitor to EpiPen for $109.99

| January 12, 2017

CVS is now selling a rival, generic version of Mylan’s EpiPen at about a sixth of its price, just months after the maker of the life-saving allergy treatment was eviscerated before Congress because of its soaring cost to consumers.The drugstore chain says it will charge $109.99 for a two-pack of the authorized generic version of […]

Music Monday: Starting 2017 with a favorite song by The Carpenters

| January 2, 2017

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Dad posts heartbreaking photo of daughter 

| November 3, 2016

This is not a feel photo or story, and I suspect like me, seeing 4 year-old Jessica Whelan suffering from cancer and in pain in front of her dad is enough to bring tears to the eyes of any parent. For those sheltered from this kind of agony, a social network shared photo like this speaks […]

Can science and snakes help solve our Opioid problem?

| November 2, 2016

Our go-to pain killers are addictive and over prescribed … that’s a given. The problem is what can be done besides better management and stiffer penalties (debatable) to solve the near epidemic problem with Opioid addiction (PDF). Enter the lowly venomous snake. Toxins in the venom of poisonous snakes have the properties of triggering nerves […]

Eating Fruit While Pregnant May Boost A Baby’s Intelligence

| August 31, 2016

Now that I’m going to be a grandfather, it is time to start reading (or re-reading) all those important articles about babies again.   Eating Fruit While Pregnant May Boost A Baby’s Intelligence By DANA WECHSLER LINDEN Aug. 29, 2016 9:00 a.m. ET New research raises the intriguing possibility that eating more fruit during pregnancy […]

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
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