Get Out Your Game of Scrabble

Scrabble is a classic board game that I have been playing for as long as I can remember.  I was about 10 years old when I first played this game with my Mom, Dad, Grandmother and Grandfather up at the lake.  My word-building skills quickly developed as I took those seven small lettered tiles and transformed them into words that would fit on the playing board like a big crossword puzzle. I inherited my Mom's old game, and continued to play with family and friends.  The other night, I played with my husband with my new, Premier Wood Edition.  We cheat a little bit, by keeping a dictionary handy and make reference to it as we play.  You can learn about new words that you never thought existed, or you can hone your skills with words that you have some familiarity with.  Word-building skills and brain exercise as I call it, is very important.  Keeping the mind healthy and strong is just as important as keeping the body healthy.  I remember my Grandmother playing scrabble with my Mom and I into her later years.  Scrabble is a great game to play (ages 8 and up) for 2-4 players.

Check out this great video by Kalan Porter - "Scrabble - Take That, Grandma"!  It's set to the song, Hurray.  Make sure you watch it to the end, it's funny!



Have a great day!

~ Angela Gentile

Protect Yourself from Identity Theft

The realities are that Identity Theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in Canada and the USA.  An American friend recently shared her news of identity theft on Facebook, and a few of her friends responded with the news that they, too, had been a victim themselves.  I wanted to share here what I have learned and how we can protect ourselves - and what to do if we become victims.  The information below was written by Canada Post, and the original post can be found here:  http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/aboutus/corporate/security/identitytheft.jsf?

 

What is Identity Theft?

One of the fastest growing crimes in Canada, identity theft occurs when someone steals your name and other personal information with the intention of assuming your identity to gain access to your finances, make purchases and incur debts in your name, or commit other crimes. In addition to names, addresses and phone numbers, thieves steal social insurance numbers, driver's license numbers, credit card and banking information, bank cards, calling cards, birth certificates and passports. Once this information is stolen, it can be used to finance spending sprees and open new bank accounts, or to redirect your mail and apply for loans, credit cards and social benefits.
Two major credit bureaus, Equifax and Trans Union, indicate that they each receive approximately 1,400 to 1,800 Canadian identity theft complaints every month.

Fighting Identity Theft

Canada Post has long been engaged in the fight against identity theft. Canada Post Security and Investigation Services participates actively in joint investigations of identity theft with local, provincial and federal law-enforcement agencies, and liaises continually with these agencies to recommend improvements to various products and services. Additionally, experienced and knowledgeable Canada Post employees frequently prevent frauds with the assistance of customers.

How identity thieves get your personal information

Common techniques used to obtain personal information fraudulently include:

• Stealing mail, such as bank and credit card statements, credit card offers, and new cheque and tax information, before delivery.
• Stealing delivered mail by breaking into apartment, community and residential mailboxes.
• Completing a fraudulent change of address form to redirect your mail to another location.
• Searching through personal or business trash, or the public trash dumps.
• Breaking into mailboxes, delivery boxes and other Canada Post property to steal incoming or outgoing mail.

How to protect yourself against identity theft

There are a number of easy precautions you can take to reduce your risk of identity theft:

• Be careful about sharing your personal information, especially over the Internet.
• Provide personal information on the phone or through the mail only when you have initiated the contact or know with whom you are dealing.
• Protect your mail; deposit outgoing mail in post office mailboxes or at your local post office, and remove mail from your mailbox promptly after delivery
• Ensure you file a Change of Address Notification with Canada Post at your local post office or online at www.canadapost.ca, and advise all your financial institutions of your change of address, before you move.
• Pay attention to billing cycles; if credit card or utility bills fail to arrive, contact companies immediately to ensure bills have not fraudulently been redirected.
• If you are going away or are unable to pick up your mail for any reason, have it collected by a trusted neighbour, or go to your local post office or online at www.canadapost.ca and file a Hold Mail Request.
• Be careful what you throw out; your recycling bin and/or your building garbage containers may be vulnerable. Shred documents that contain personal financial information, such as statements, credit card offers, and copies of credit applications, receipts and insurance forms.
• Contact Canada Post Customer Service at 1-800-267-1177 if you have not received any mail for an unusual period of time based on your normal delivery patterns.

How to know if you might be a victim of identity theft

Here are a few things to look out for that might indicate that you're a victim of identity theft:

• Your bank statement, online activity or passbook lists transactions that you haven't performed or authorized.
• A creditor informs you that an application for credit has been received with your name and address on it, which you did not fill out.
• You receive credit card statements or other bills in your name that do not belong to you.
• You no longer receive legitimate credit card or bank account statements, or you notice that not all of your mail is being delivered.
• A collection agency informs you that they are collecting for a defaulted account established in your name, but you have no knowledge of the account.

What to do if you think you might be a victim of identity theft

If you believe you may be a victim of identity theft, it is very important that you act immediately by reporting the incident to the appropriate organization.

• Notify creditors and/or financial institutions immediately if your bank cards, credit cards or identification are lost or have been stolen.
• File a report with your local police.
• Cancel credit cards, and notify utility companies and government agencies
• Check your credit file with the credit bureaus:
  • Equifax Canada: 1-800-465-7166, www.equifax.com/home/en_ca
  • Trans Union Canada: 1-877-525-3823, www.transunion.ca
• Report fraudulent activities to:
  • Reporting Economic Crime Online: www.recol.ca
  • Phonebusters*: 1-888-495-8501, www.phonebusters.com

*Phonebusters is a national anti-fraud call centre operated by law-enforce
*Phonebusters is a national anti-fraud call centre operated by law-enforcement agencies, including the RCMP. The centre collects complaints and forwards them to the appropriate law-enforcement agencies.

Canada Living has also has an article on the subject that was very informative:  http://www.canadianliving.com/life/work/how_to_prevent_identity_theft.php


For those who are in the USA, I found a video that you may find helpful as well.  You can find this video called, Nine Ways to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft.


Keep your identity safe my friend!


~ Angela Gentile

If I Were Brave

My cousin sent me this YouTube music video, If I Were Brave, by Jana Stanfield (Sponsored by Awesome Women Hub).  It's very inspiring. Hope you enjoy!



If you can't see this, please go to this YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF5V2PEujqs&feature=player_embedded

Have a wonderful day!

~ Angela Gentile

Live This Life to the Fullest

My daughter showed me the video, "On the Brightside" by Never Shout Never (2009). It's quite cute, and the tune is really catchy.  Enjoy.



If you cannot see this, go to this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zm6i-C0p1Y&ob=av2el

Have a great day!

~ Angela Gentile

Jango - Free Internet Radio Your Way

I learned about a great way to listen to music when I am on my computer.  The website, www.jango.com has free music, that plays like a radio station right off of your computer.  It is free and easy to sign up.  Play music that you want.

From the www.jango.com website:

Custom radio that plays what you want

Discover new music you're likely to like

Jango is all about making online music easy, fun and social.


Just type in an artist - and your first station starts playing right away. You'll get the music you want, along with similar favorites of Jango users who share your taste. Customizing your stations further is just as easy. Just add more artists and rate songs that you want to play more or less.

You can also tune in to other people's stations - and they can tune in to yours! In your player, you'll see who's listening to the same music as you, who's listening to your stations, and what your friends are playing.

Tune in to Jango and see how easy it is!

Have a great music-filled day!

Angela Gentile

Jigsaw Planet - Online Personalized Puzzle Fun

Looking for some fun?  Here's a fun game that I found on the internet.  It's called, Jigsaw Planet.  I used to love doing jigsaw puzzles, when I had lots of time, and I found this game that you can do and it's quick and easy.  The most fun part is that you can take pictures from your computer, and "Create" a puzzle from your own private photo collection. 

Go to http://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=explore&tp=1 for some puzzle fun.  Create your own, it's very easy to do.

Have a great day!

~ Angela Gentile

How to Stay Young

How To Stay Young

Author Unknown

Try everything twice. (Tried everything twice...loved it both times!)

Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down. (Keep this in mind if you are one of those grouches).

Keep learning: learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain get idle. “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop,” and the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s!

Enjoy the simple things.

Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time with him/her.

The tears happen: endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. LIVE while you are alive.

Surround yourself with what you love: whether it’s family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

Cherish your health: if it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county, to a foreign country, but not to where the guilt is.

Tell the people you love that you love them at every opportunity.  I love you, my special friend.

Forgive now those who made you cry. You might not get a second chance.

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Remember: lost time can never be found!

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, 

but by the moments that take our breath away.

Have a wonderful day my "young" friend!

~ Angela Gentile

Another Good News Story - Golden Voice Ted

I have been following this great story about a homeless man, named Ted Williams (53), who was begging for money on the streets, and became famous for his voice.  He says he was having problems with drugs, alcohol and other stuff, and he has been clean for two years and he is wanting to get his life back on track.  His smooth, deep, velvety voice is what makes him so remarkable.  There is a video of him reuniting with his elderly mother.  It is quite touching.  He hadn't seen her for 20 years and you can just see the love between them..  Now there is talk of him appearing on Oprah.  He has already been on "Good Morning America".  This is a good news story, that definitely gives hope to those who have been struggling and have been homeless.  It takes a lot of courage to turn your life around, and Ted is definitely an inspiration.

Go to this link from Time Newsfeed, and see some videos of Ted, his voice, and the reuniting with his mother.  It's a real good news story!  http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/01/08/whats-next-for-ted-golden-voice-williams/

Have a great day!

~ Angela Gentile

Senior Humour

Here's a couple of jokes I found on the website, Inside Aging Parent Care - http://www.desperatecaregivers.com/.  Enjoy!

 
Senior Moments

Two elderly ladies had been friends for many decades. Over the years, they had shared all kinds of activities and adventures. Lately, their activities had been limited to meeting a few times a week to play cards.

One day, they were playing cards when one looked at the other and said, “Now don’t get mad at me .. I know we’ve been friends for a long time but I just can’t think of your name! I’ve thought and thought, but I can’t remember it. Please tell me what your name is.”

Her friend glared at her. For at least three minutes she just stared and glared at her. Finally she said, “How soon do you need to know?”

Problems Driving

Two elderly women were out driving in a large car-both could barely see over the dashboard. As they were cruising along they came to an intersection. The stoplight was red but they just went on through. The woman in the passenger seat thought to herself “I must be losing it, I could have sworn we just went through a red light.”

After a few more minutes they came to another intersection and the light was red again and again they went right though. This time the woman in the passenger seat was almost sure that the light had been red but was really concerned that she was losing it. She was getting nervous and decided to pay very close attention to the road and the next intersection to see what was going on.

At the next intersection, sure enough, the light was definitely red and they went right through and she turned to the other woman and said, “Mildred! Did you know we just ran through three red lights in a row! You could have killed us!”

Mildred turned to her and said, “Oh, am I driving?”

Have a great day!

~ Angela Gentile

Follow Your Dream

I have started writing a book.

I have a new dream and passion these days.  As of January 3, 2011, I have started writing a book.  There is a book inside of me, and it's just bursting to get out.  It is going to be about AGING.  I am very excited to put together all my new knowledge and many years of experience (both personal and professional) on the subject of aging and put it into a book.  It will appeal to those middle-aged and beyond.  I have started working on an Introduction, a Table of Contents, and I have been asking people to complete a survey on what their thoughts, feelings and opinions are on aging.  I have also registered for an online book writing course that I am very excited about.

I have been pleasantly surprised by all the support and interest that has been generated over the last few days.  I have always dreamed of being an author, and I feel this is my time.

Follow your dreams, fuel your passion, and soar with creativity.

Have a great day!

~ Angela Gentile

Say Hey (I Love You) - Music Video

I was introduced to this song and video by a friend on www.twitter.com (@SpiritualNurse).  I played it and thought it was a great song.  It reminded me of a tropical island and fun in the sun.  It's called, Hey I Love You (2009) by Michael Franti and Spearhead.  This song was written in the steam of a fogged up bathroom mirror at US Actor Woody Harrelson's house!  Turn up the volume and click on the arrow!



If you can't see this video, go to this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehu3wy4WkHs

To find out more about this artist and the song, go to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Say_Hey_%28I_Love_You%29

Have a wonderful day!

~ Angela Gentile

P.S. Thanks Sandy!

So Beautiful - Music Video

Jarvis Church (Gerald Eaton) is a Canadian R & B Singer originally from Jamaica.  He is the lead singer from the popular 90's band The Philosopher Kings.  He grew up in Toronto, and now lives in L.A.  Here's a great song, called So Beautiful, from his album called The Long Way Home (2008) done with lyrics I found on iammdq's YouTube Channel.  The lyrics and melody are so beautiful.  It's definitely a feel-good song about romance and love. Enjoy!



Thanks to iammdq on YouTube for sharing!


Have a beautiful day!


~ Angela Gentile

Do You Have a Magic Eye?

The world-wide 3D craze of the 90's

The other day my eyes were being lazy as I was looking at my computer screen, you know, like when you get into a really good stare, then realize you aren't really looking at anything?  Just looking "through" whatever it is that's in front of you?  Well, that got me thinking about those 3D "Magic Eye" images that were really popular in the 90's.  I don't see too much of them anymore.  They used to have big displays set up in the malls, and people would be staring at these messed-up, colourful collages, trying to see the "hidden" 3D illusion. It took me awhile, but finally I was able to figure out how to "see" these Magic Eye images and thought it was pretty fascinating.  Now, in addition to movies, there are TV's with 3D capability.  What will they think of next?!

Here is a link to the Magic Eye Inc. Image of the Week.   Check it out for some fun.  This website also teaches you how to see the 3D images.  They even have a contest where you put your name in to win a Magic Eye product.

Have fun!

~ Angela Gentile

The Top 5 Laziest Inventions

A funny video from videojug.com.  I laughed out loud, it's so ridiculous!


Random Hilarity:
The Top 5 Laziest Inventions

If you cannot see this video, go to: http://www.videojug.com/film/the-top-5-laziest-inventions

Hope you have a great day!

~ Angela Gentile

Videojug - Get Good at Life

I found an interesting website and YouTube channel called Videojug that is full of interesting and sometimes funny How-To and Instructional videos.  I laughed at the one called, "How to Stop Farting", and found "How to Sing High Notes" interesting.  

"1000s of videos, articles, answers and people, here to help you. You can do anything and Videojug will show you how - it's all free, so get involved and get good!"

I'll share one of the more popular videos they have done (over 8 million hits) - How to Kiss Someone Passionately.  It's done in a humorous way and I thought it was a good instruction video!


Dating Humor:
How To Kiss Someone Passionately

Or try How to Wolf Whistle, How to treat a sore throat with lemon,or How to tie a tie using a full windsor knot.

Go to Videojug.com or Videojug on YouTube to see what interesting videos you can find.

There's something for everyone! Beauty and Style, Creative Culture, Family and Education, Food and Drink, Health and Wellbeing, Lifestyle and Home, Love and Dating, Money and Careers, Sports and Outdoors, Technology and Cars.

Have a fun-filled, informative day!

~ Angela Gentile

Ode to January

http://tigrss.com/maxine.htm

Ode To January

'Twas the month after Christmas, and all through the house
Nothing would fit me, not even a blouse.
The cookies I'd nibbled, the eggnog I'd taste
At the holiday parties had gone to my waist.

When I got on the scales there arose such a number!
When I walked to the store (less a walk than a lumber).
I'd remember the marvelous meals I'd prepared;
The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared,

The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese
And the way I'd never said, 'No thank you, please.'
As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt
And prepared once again to do battle with dirt -

I said to myself, as I only can
'You can't spend a winter disguised as a man!'
So - away with the last of the sour cream dip,
Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip

Every last bit of food that I like must be banished
'Till all the additional ounces have vanished.
I won't have a cookie - not even a lick.
I'll want only to chew on a long celery stick.

I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie,
I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.
I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore
But isn't that what January is for?

Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all and to all a good diet!

by Alicia Moss 

Happy New Year's to everyone!

~ Angela Gentile