Gary Chalk Recently, my wife Jan and I purchased a gas fire table so we can look forward to enjoying cooler evenings on our patio. “Gary, I am looking online at a nice fire table,” Jan said. “The problem is it comes unassembled, with a 30-page instruction book marked ‘Danger! Fire and Explosion Hazard!’” “Jan,…
Category: Features
October 2025, Features
Arizona Halloween
Stuart Watkins I’m not afraid of Halloween said the sly coyote as he slinked away jackrabbits knew better and hid in a hollow log young javelina reds scurried this way and that their parents had warned them about the sounds in the night sounds that would make them feel fright bats started circling in the…
October 2025, Features
Word of the Month: Contronym
David Zapatka Reader, friend, and bridge player, Maria Davis, writes, “I ran across a word that was new for me today: ‘contronym’, a word that can have opposite meanings, like sanction or oversight. I ran across it playing a New York Times free online game called Connections—a fun daily quiz. A quick Google search turned…
October 2025, Features
In Passing – November 2025
Richard S. Snead Richard S. Snead was born March 15, 1937, and passed away Sept. 6, 2025, with his beloved wife, Lori, lying next to him. Richard was born in Des Moines, Iowa, but soon after his birth, his family, including his older sister, moved to Long Beach, Calif. Richard learned to swim, surf, and…
October 2025, Features
Dollars & Sense: Medicare’s Required Scope of Appointment Form
Leah Kari, Retired Pharmaceutical Representative and Licensed Insurance Agent Medicare’s marketing rules protect you, the consumer. One of the responsibilities of CMS, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the federal agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is to administer the Medicare program. CMS annually approves all Medicare Advantage and Prescription…
October 2025, Features
Savor Retirement: Rediscovering Passions in Retirement
Tim Malone Retirement represents a profound shift in life’s rhythm, offering time and freedom that can be both exhilarating and unfamiliar. For many, this phase serves as an invitation to rediscover passions that may have been set aside amid the demands of a career or family life. Far from being an ending, retirement is a…
October 2025, Features
What It Means to Be Authentic
Suzanne Marlatt Stewart Most definitions of authenticity in psychological literature highlight one aspect as its cornerstone: awareness—awareness of our inner experience, our motives, our beliefs, our values, and our dispositions. What exactly does it mean to be authentic? Theo Tsaousides, Ph.D., is a neuropsychologist, speaker, and author. He states, “Authenticity is acting in accordance with…
October 2025, Features
Ask Emma—Advice and Paw-spective
Hi SaddleBrooke Progress friends! I’m Emma, a cheerful little bichon-poodle mix living here in SaddleBrooke with my human Bill. You may have seen us out walking on the golf course paths or cruising in our golf cart. In this column, I’m here to share a dog’s-eye view on your questions about life, pets, neighbors, and…
October 2025, Features
Fascinating Factoids
Mary Jo Bellner Swartzberg According to an online source, “The human brain’s capacity for information storage is estimated to be around 2.5 petabytes (PB), which is equivalent to about 2.5 million gigabytes.” This information storage includes not only facts, but also memories, experiences, emotions, and patterns. Here are some fascinating factoids to help you achieve…
October 2025, Features
How to Find Your Joy, Peace, and Contentment
Dr. Rose Bricker We all have challenges in our lives. Sometimes, it’s the stress of moving, the loss or difficulty in relationships, becoming a caretaker for a loved one, physical illness, or the death of a partner or friend. In fact, any transitions in our lives can bring on burdens and stress. Whatever the issues…