" Possessions mean nothing in the end..." 'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Sunday)

"Guest-blogger Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst N.Y. and has worked in the

 ophthalmology field of medicine for over 30 years...
 Today she talks about what's really important in life.  Enjoy...  ;D)

Possessions mean nothing in the end

My parents grew up in the Great Depression, when every cent saved went to survive another day .Their upbringings were difficult financially , and they both learned early on how to make ends meet. My dad was 10 y ears older than my mom. After World War II ended, he decided to start his own family and asked my mom to marry him after their third date.

Family was important to my father, and he saw it as his responsibility to take care of my mother and their children. He worked long, hard hours on the road as a salesman, and he could turn whisky into wine with just about any thing he sold.

My mother was his queen, and his goal was to make her happy . Since they grew up from humble beginnings, he wanted her to have any thing she needed. But she was also a saver and only would
buy those things she felt she needed.

They spent 50 happy y ears together until her untimely passing, when he was left to go on alone. His beloved queen left him far too soon. All the mementos that they had collected over the years
from their many trips and celebrations meant nothing to him any longer. They were merely possessions, meaningless without her to share them with.

Several y ears later, we sold the house we grew up in, and Dad moved into a senior housing complex. He wanted nothing to take with him. No knickknacks, no accessories. Just the necessities – a few pictures and clothing – because he realized that all that stuff meant nothing without his wife.

Now that he is in his mid-90's, with limited mobility and failing memory , he has downsized to a room with a bed, TV and dresser, with basic meals to sustain his life. It is more than sad to visit
with him every day and to witness what his life has been reduced to.

Seeing my father’s situation has also made me take a huge step back and take note of all the possessions I have accumulated over the y ears. It was fun to collect them and admire them, but I now realize that having them means nothing if there is no one to share them with.

What do we do with all this stuff when we have to move from our houses into an apartment, a smaller home or a nursing home? It all becomes things that we don’t know what to do with. The objects become burdens for our children to dispose of.We sell them, we hand them down, and we donate them.

It is not things that make our lives worth living. Life experiences, sharing ourselves with others and making each day count are the most important things – they make real memories.

My father was and always will be a scraper and a survivor, and he has handed down those traits to his family . He has shown me, without say ing one word, that stuff means nothing without having
memories of family and friends to share your life with.

My dad has little to do now except read a few magazines a day , watch TV and peruse the newspaper, but there is one thing that he still has – his fondest memories of his lovely wife, whom
he lost so long ago. He has a treasure chest full of wonderful stories that he can dream about
every day .

I am grateful that he still has those memories, and I only hope he can hold on to them a little
longer.

The Buffalo News also published this  on January 26,2013
http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130126/LIFE/130129370/1057

"If only they told the truth on Wheel of Fortune..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen'

Yes Pat, can I buy a vowel? This blog originally ran as Dakinetalk Blog  #532
on January 4,2012, under the title,"Yea pat, Can I buy a vowel.?" 

The blog has been updated and refined to fit current hot topics in the media.
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2012/01/yea-pat-can-i-buy-vowel-obama-da-dog.html

The Wheel of Misfortune...

One of my favorite TV shows is "Wheel of Fortune," I guess every person over 55 including myself loves 'Wheel of Fortune!?'

After the first round puzzle Pat Sajak introduces the players and they all say something about themselves. Usually something like I've been married for 10 years to my beautiful and awesome wife, who is also my best friend.  They always say positive things.  Now imagine if players really told the truth about their families and jobs. The introduction might sound something like this, "Yea Pat, I've been married to that drug addict  wife of mine for 12 years, she has  gained 60 lbs  and looks like hell. She recently caught me cheating with anther woman and that's the reason I am on wheel of fortune. Divorces are expensive and I pray I win some good money and maybe a trip to get away with my new 21 year old girlfriend." "I have 3 teenage children that are in constant trouble with the law and I have not held a job in over 3 years, so to pay the rent I have been dealing ice."

 Personally I think it would make the show more interesting if the players told truthful bio's instead of all this positive malarky that most likely just ain't true. 

In the meantime I would like to solve the prize puzzle, Is it, "The Kaua'i Multi use trail rocks?" "Yes it is" replies host Pat Sajak, and you have just won a trip to Detroit's best drug rehab center where you will travel on a  beautiful  air conditioned Greyhound bus escorted by football star Manti Te'o!

It's fun being a rock star..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen'

Time sure flies, birthday's come and go and before long your life has passed before your eyes... 
James "Kimo" Rosen above at Rocky River Alaska across the bay from Homer Alaska 1985.
This blog originally ran on February, 10, 2012 (Blog #570) ,"Facebook Birthday greetings."

http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2012/02/facebook-birthday-greetings-james-kimo.html

Aloha, Check out my opinion article in today's  the 02-05-13 edition of the Kaua'i Garden Island news, 
"Happy Birthday Kimo."
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-tuesday-feb/article_bd9f4f92-6f63-11e2-ad26-001a4bcf887a.html

Birthday's are like any other day of the year, in fact every-day is some-body's birth-day. It's nice to be recognized, usually loved ones and close friends will send greetings, however with the advent of social media with such sources as Facebook, birthday greetings can now make one feel like a rock star.

I have over one  thousand friends on Facebook, most of whom I have no idea who they are. I started befriending everyone who sent me a friend invite and actually starting inviting others to be my friend on the recommendation of Facebook. I did this since I post a daily blog  on Facebook and was hoping for increased readership. The fact of the matter is; I do have an increased readership due to Facebook, in addition to many friends I have never met.
This past January 23rd  I celebrated a  birthday and to my surprise I had over 100 birthday greetings, I think I knew 12 of the people who sent me a birthday greeting, all others I had no idea who they were, none the less it sure felt good thinking I really had that many friends! 
Now I can go back to being the quiet hermit I am until next January when once  again I will hopefully achieve rock-star stature!


Aloha, Check out my opinion article in today's  the 02-05-13 edition of the Kaua'i Garden Island news, 
"Happy Birthday Kimo."
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-tuesday-feb/article_bd9f4f92-6f63-11e2-ad26-001a4bcf887a.html

Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen, Publisher.

"GI Bill renewal needed... 'Bettejo Dux' (Classic Wednesday)

Bettejo Dux  one of Kauai's true gems, Today she 
guest-blogs about what to do when our service men and woman come home.

www.bettejodux.com

GI Bill renewal needed

Now comes the problem: what to do with all those gallant young men and women when they come back home.

They are returning to one of the unhealthiest economies this country has ever known and it isn't getting any better. I do hope the Obama administration is considering a GI Bill renewal as happened at the end of the second world war.

Give these kids the option of going back to school, then prod our home grown philanthropists — Gates, Buffet et al — into investing their bucks in factories mass producing green alternatives to power: windmills, solar panels, hydro electric plants, whatever.

Compete with China’s Solar City in a battle resourceful America can win. Turn Detroit into an All-American Solar City: a peaceful, human friendly, industrial city of the future.

Think of the problems this would solve! It would create jobs, put brilliant young minds to work imagining innovative solutions to the very real issues we face, and kick our addiction to war and oil.

If they need my tax dollar to make this happen, I’m in. How about you?

This opinion article originally appeared  in the Kaua'i Garden Island news on  September 26,2010
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-tuesday-september/article_f93154e4-ba32-11df-95e3-001cc4c002e0.html

"Bro-Bowl or Universe-Bowl..?" 'Obama Da Dog'

Most call the Super-bowl a world championship, is it really a world championship
or just an arrogant American game billed for 2013 as the "Bro-bowl?"  Enjoy...

Aloha, Check out my opinion article in the 02-02-13 edition
 of the Kaua'i Garden island news, "Arrogant Bowl"
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-saturday-february/article_f4115c2a-6ccd-11e2-8e35-001a4bcf887a.html
.

The National Football League where the minimum salary even for a third string bench warmer is approximately $300,00 a year, and many of the super-stars make in excess of 20 million a year along with outrageously generous signing bonuses.

The 2013 Superbowl  rivals two brothers against each other, blood brothers that is. Jim Harbaugh the head coach of the San Francisco 49er's and John Harbaugh, head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. This Superbowl is being  christened as the Bro-bowl and Harbaugh bowl.

The only thing certain about  the upcoming Superbowl  is that Jack and Jackie Harbaugh the parents of John and Jim will be able to  say, Our son's team won the Superbowl!

TV commercials will cost 3.8 million dollars for a 30 second spot."The cheapest ticket available on the ticket resale Web site Stub-Hub is being sold for $2,119. The most expensive ticket on the site is a suite that is being valued at over $315,000, while the highest-priced individual seat is going for $53,333.69, not really affordable for the average family of 4.

Every member of the losing team will receive $42,000 and 
very member of the winning team will receive $88,000 
additional to their contracts, along with a Superbowl Gold and Diamond ring worth around 50,000, even more when hocked on Ebay. There are 150 rings made for the winning team.

The irony of this game is no other country  besides the United States partakes in it, yet it is billed as a world championship? I am hoping in the future it will truly be a worlds championship with  Kenya, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Germany and many other countries involved.


Until such time as the Superbowl is  truly a world championship, or better yet a Universe championship,  I remain in favor and  like the idea of the Bro-bowl even after the Harbaugh's have their day  on the football field.
In fact why not just call it the 'Arrogant bowl' for young American millionaire men.    Go Niners!

http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-saturday-february/article_f4115c2a-6ccd-11e2-8e35-001a4bcf887a.html

"Imagine..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen'

Sometimes it's fun to be silly, writers block had set in and all I could think of was funny
local humor, I apologize to those not familiar with   the local Kaua'i editorial page of the 'Garden Island News,' however for those who follow I hope you find this entertaining...

Imagine, if Kauai's prolific letter writers  told their deepest darkest secrets?

Glenn Mickens  power walks every morning during the sunrise on the east-side multi use trail, after his walk he slips off to the beach and does his special baseball yoga exercises.

Michael Mann on the other hand has been spotted texting behind the wheel of his monster pick-up truck with tinted windows. The tint faded and that is how he was spotted not only texting but talking to  Police Chief Darryl Perry on his cell phone.

During all this I stayed quiet, humbled and said nothing, but thought to myself it would be nice if the Kaua'i county council got a raise,since they are  so grossly underpaid for what is deemed a part time job. 

Of course I am just being facetious... Call it  Letter writers block or better yet call it comedy relief from our stressful lives.

" Dry Eyes are not to be taken lightly..." 'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Sunday)

"Guest-blogger Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst N.Y. and has worked in the ophthalmology field of medicine for over 30 years...Today she talks  about her field of expertise. Enjoy...  ;D)

Dry Eyes are not to be taken lightly

This is the season; we are seeing more and more dry eye symptoms coming in for eye problems in the ophthalmology practice that  I work. Dry Eye is a problem all year long but even more so with the dry, cold air we are experiencing this winter.  Symptoms like, itching, blurry vision, burning eyes  and watering eyes are all indicators that the eyes may be dry.  People are mislead by the fact that their eyes are watering and think, ‘how can they be dry’; the fact is that eyes defend themselves by watering, it is a defense to irritation. 

 When people think their eyes are watering they neglect to seek help because they can’t imagine that they may be dry.  The tears are not of good quality and only wet the eyes for a short time and do not cure the problem.  When someone has dry eye their tear film is inadequate to re moisten the eye which can lead to infections and irritations for many people.  There are also many medical conditions that cause dryness to the eyes including a disease called Sjogrens syndrome in which the mouth is also dry.  

To obtain the best vision, the cornea must be well hydrated and if the eyes are dry, the cornea is not able to work properly. There are tests that can be easily performed in a medical office to determine if the eyes are  dry .  There are also simple procedures that can be performed in an office setting that can alleviate the symptoms as well.  There are several tear lubricants that can be taken that are over the counter as well; some thicker than others depending on the extent of dryness.  Prescriptions drops are also available if need be to restore the natural tear base needed to hydrate a severely dry cornea.  There are also special glasses that can be worn called moisture chamber glasses that can adapt to any pair of glasses to keep the moisture in the eyes. Any optician can order these for you.   What people make the mistake of doing is using a tear drop with a whitener in them which only makes  the condition worse and gives temporary relief. Tears that say “get the red out” also blanch the surface blood vessels in the eye,  make the eye appear  whiter for a short time and dry out the eye.

Dry eyes are not to be taken lightly; if left untreated, they can cause a host of other eye problems including infections, discomfort and inability to see properly.  Even taking small steps such as adding a humidifier to your room can put moisture into the air and your eyes as well.

The most vulnerable age group that have dry eye are woman in the baby boomer age group.  Research has found that this group has  one of the greatest percentages  of  dry eye suffers in the population. If over the counter solutions don’t give relief then make a visit to the eye care professional; it may save your vision.