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A Clear Day, A Clear Mind, A Clear Purpose
Waking up to sunshine, melting snow, and temperatures warmer than expected brought an unexpected lift to my morning. It reminded me of something David McNally shared on How to SuperAge (https://youtu.be/UByP_9KShfY): finding one positive thought each day, no matter our circumstances, can shift us toward a happier, more content, more purposeful life.
I’ve lived by this philosophy for years. It keeps me grounded in what I can control—my thoughts. And when those thoughts become clouded by physical or emotional challenges, reaching for help is not weakness; it’s a choice toward clarity. I believe deeply in choosing the supports that help us see more clearly.
There’s a line from a familiar song that has always stayed with me: “On a clear day you can see forever…” That clarity—literal and emotional—is the foundation of purposeful living. Sometimes we just need someone to help us see what’s already right in front of us. A guide. A coach. A compassionate voice reminding us that perspective is powerful.
It has taken me many years to understand why holidays and special occasions have often felt heavy. Expectations—those storybook images we carry—set me up for disappointment when reality didn’t match the script. As a child, I was known as a crier, and disappointment only amplified the tears.
With age and a bit of earned wisdom, I’ve learned to soften those expectations and stay present. It’s not always easy, but it’s liberating.
This holiday season was gentle. Lighting the Chanukah candles brought me back to childhood—my dad reciting blessings, all of us singing “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel.” Christmas was quiet and heartfelt, just time with my husband and simple connections with family through calls, texts, and social media. New Year’s didn’t need champagne or fanfare; preparing food for my husband and son and acknowledging the close of 2025 and the start of 2026 felt meaningful enough.
Now we return to “normal”—whatever that means. My work through podcasting, coaching, and blogging continues to give me purpose. But normal also includes guiding my older brother through his health challenges from more than a thousand miles away. It’s not simple, and it’s certainly not something any of us are trained for.
And I know I’m not alone. So many of you are supporting aging parents, spouses, siblings, or adult children. Often we learn as we go, and by the time we find one answer, three new questions appear. The system is complicated, and the emotional weight is real.
I’ve always said I was lucky with my parents and brothers. Our bond has been strong, loving, and full of passionate care. But that same level of care should come from our medical teams and our communities—and too often, it doesn’t.
Maybe that’s the path opening for me in 2026. A new avenue. A new purpose. A clearer day ahead.
Left Alex in Texas – healing on his own
I’ve been home about 36 hours and I am trying to catch up. Leaving Alex yesterday was not easy, we both agreed the time I spent with him was needed, and not just for his recuperation from surgery. Although I am his mother, being in his home made me take a step back. I did help him get organized something he’s been trying to do since he moved in December, but with work, Christmas break, and returning after the holidays ill, he just never got his things in order.
I respected his need for privacy, and he respected my efforts to keep him comfortable and on the road to wellness. Knowing that he still has a few weeks before he will be feeling more normal, I had to return home and leave him to sail his ship.
Sometimes as parents we tend to jump in and do the work for our kids and then one day, they have a problem, and they don’t know how to handle it. However, Alex has been observing us all these years and he is navigating his ship, steering away from the ice burgs. As a mom observing her child who is a young adult live on his own and prosper is a warm feeling of well done!
I think my fatigue is catching up with me and a good night’s sleep is needed. Tonight, when I lay my head on my pillow I know my sweet dreams will include both of my sons and my husband who are very special to me.
Good night, Rich…
Good night, Steve
Good night, Alex
“you are my sunshine…”
Getting Older means WE R ALIVE AND EVOLVING
Women can be beautiful and amazing – it is time WOMEN like YOU & I 2 Believe in OURSELVES – JOIN me!
It is 5782
6 September 2021 The Jewish new year is not celebrated, it is observed. Depending on what sect of Judaism you practice you may observe for one day or maybe two. “Since the time of the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem in 70 CE and the time of Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, normative Jewish law appears to be that Rosh Hashanah is to be celebrated for two days, because of the difficulty of determining the date of the new moon.” The Jewish practice is the day/holiday that begins at sunset and ends at sunset, Reform Jews typically observe for one day – that would mean beginning tonight at Sundown until tomorrow night at Sundown.
Many of us, especially those of us living in the U.S., are more cultural in our heritage than religious. I was raised in a conservative home – “Conservative Judaism, religious movement that seeks to conserve essential elements of traditional Judaism but allows for the modernization of religious practices in a less radical sense than that espoused by Reform Judaism.” My parents were not religiously observant however when it came to the High Holidays they were a bit more pious.
I have chosen Reform Judaism because it has enabled the Jewish people to introduce innovation while preserving tradition while embracing diversity. The Reform movement offers me a hint of the tradition I grew up with and yet allows me to live my life and observe in a manner that has meaning to me. Tomorrow morning I will be attending Rosh Hashannah services virtually. I have chosen to remain at home and observe in this manner as I am still not comfortable being in a large gathering, so I will offer up my prayers in front of a computer screen.
Religion, as well as traditional acts, are not important to everyone and I accept that we can choose to believe and pray to whomever. I share my love and kindness with all of you and ask that you find it in your hearts to accept others whether they believe in the same things you do. We need not clone ourselves – but we must be ourselves – authentic.
I’m Not LIKING LICHEN PLANUS
We all have something to brag about or complain about. I usually find when I am bragging someone always one-ups me and when I am complaining their problem(s) take precedent.
I have shared that I suffer from a condition called, Lichen Planus – Lichen planus is a common disease that causes inflammation (swelling and irritation) on your skin or inside your mouth. Inside your mouth, it may cause burning or soreness. YEAP, that is, what I have and I was diagnosed over 10 years ago when it appeared on my feet, hands, and mouth. My hands and feet responded to treatment however my mouth has continued to get inflamed and never goes away. It may simmer down, so to speak, but it is always there, lurking for a flare-up which I am currently experiencing.
Lichen planus (LP) is thought to be an autoimmune disorder in patients with a genetic predisposition but may be caused by drugs or be associated with disorders such as hepatitis C, and I had HEP C which developed from contaminated blood when I had my thyroid surgery in 1974. However, the first sign of this disease in my body was detected in 2010/11. The research shows that the typical LP disorder lasts 6 – 18 months and mine is going on 132 months! If left untreated Oral lichen planus increases the risk of oral cancer. Left untreated, lichen planus of the ear canal may lead to hearing loss. This may be linked to the hearing loss I experienced around the same time as this onset and the ear canal surgery that I had not once but twice.
I am sharing this again with you for a couple of reasons:
- No, I do not have COVID and I am taking all the precautions I need to stay healthy including wearing a mask to keep you and others healthy!
- As soon as I can get the COVID booster I will as I do not want to compromise my health.
- I do not have the FLU and I will once again get my FLU shot to minimize any chance of getting this year’s variant.
- I will not die from Lichen Planus unless it goes untreated and turns into oral cancer.
- I will find it difficult to eat certain foods, so if I refuse something please understand there may be a valid reason that needs no explanation.
- My mouth will feel dry and you may notice I have to keep my mouth moist and I do this with gum and drinking a lot of water that keeps me running to the Loo. (I like saying Loo over the bathroom.)
- The pain can be exhausting and some nights it keeps me up even when I slather my mouth with ointment that eventually dries out.
- Swallowing is difficult as well and I have this sensation that something is stuck in my throat, and the sounds I might make as to attempt to clear it are wretching!
No, I do not have a debilitating disease but I have a medical condition that is difficult to treat and therefore like my migraines, that I have suffered with since I was 18 – I cope the best I can – sometimes that means not answering the phone or ignoring others around me.
The truth is – I don’t wish this on anyone!
A memory and A thought
I may wake up feeling BLAH – and I may not understand why – BUT even the BLAHS are an opportunity for me to make my FUTURE the best – starting now!
Podcast with newclevelandradio.net
10 May 2021
MAY THERE BE NO EXCUSES!
Ok Ladies and Gentlemen it is time to share your story, your journey, or your mission in life. We are not promised tomorrow, but we have today, we are in the present, and on behalf of newclevelandradio.net, I want to invite you to become part of our podcasting family.
Have you thought about starting a podcast but didn’t know where to begin? Are you motivated enough to invest in the right equipment, software programs, and editing tools to make your podcast stand out? Sure you can podcast on your Smart Phone and you may have a zillion and one friends but will you reach all of them when you post your link?
I have been podcasting now for over 5 years and recording for another 5 years before that and I am still learning the tricks of the trade. I have taken over newclevelandradio.net from my son Alex and I have grown the podcasts and listeners exponentially. When you team with other podcasters you are privy to their friends and contacts and they are privy to yours and together we can be successful.
Our mission is to produce only positive messaging shows. The majority of us are not experts in our field but we know enough about life experiences to share them and learn from them. If we touch just one listener we have created a decisive moment for them. Wouldn’t you like to help someone just by sharing what makes YOU FEEL GOOD?
We are not here to sell products but to share products, ideas, concerns, strategies, and a lot of smiles and laughter along the way. So it’s your turn and you are welcome to be part of something bigger than any one of us alone… TRY IT, YOU MIGHT LIKE IT! (Mikey tried and he liked it – the 70’s Life Cereal Kid!)
Email karen at newclevelandradio@gmail.com
Sharing the Words of AMY FERRIS – Please READ
Donald Trump was pissed off that Governor Gretchen Whitmer didn’t thank him after the militia group was arrested (eight real nasty looking goons) and stopped from kidnapping and murdering her. He felt she was ungrateful. Just a little side note: Joe Biden called Gov. Whitmer after this event unfolded today to make sure she was okay and thanked HER for her courage. Donald Trump literally tweeted nasty shit about her. It was Mr. Trump’s inability to call out Militia groups and denounce them; he empowered them. He ignited them. He encouraged them. They were ready to violently act today because of his words: stand back, stand by.L’shanah Tova with Love
9/13/20
SUNDAY
We are preparing to celebrate using new virtual methods, Rosh Hashannah. The other day I read a Facebook message and someone from my generation (growing up in the 50s and 60s,) asked how many of us remember getting new Fall Outfits for Yom Tov? Often they were wool or something very warm despite the temperatures that may influence something less, but it was September/October and we must be dressed appropriately for the Jewish New Year. I remember one year my mother sewed me a black & white hounds-tooth wools suit and I got this corduroy black corduroy hat that today has the 60s written all over it.
Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur were traditionally spent in shul, while my parents sat in the synagogue with all the other parents and grandparents, the three of us went to youth services and met up with our parents when their services ended. It was a solemn day of reflection and it also was a time to show off your best and make your parents proud.
After services on Rosh Hashannah, we would either walk home with friends or pack into my dad’s car for the short 5-minute drive home. Once home, the men in the family took off their jackets and loosened their ties, but we all remain in holiday finery. I would help my mother serve the traditional foods like homemade chicken soup with noodle kugel, and course after course I would jump up to assist. Momma made a tzimmis (a carrot, honey, prune sweet side-dish), sweet and sour 
meatballs, a sweet kugel with raisins, brisket, and or a roasted chicken (and sometimes we would go to the Shechitah days before to pick out our live chicken and watch the Rabbi, kill it, bless it, and make it kosher.) Can You Say Tradition?
That was Rosh Hashannah and ten days later for Yom Kipur again we would have our traditional meal before attending Kol Nidre Services. Much was the same as the week before, but in our home, my mother added Kreplach to the meal (a Jewish Ravioli.) After filling ourselves up to the gills with food, we began our 24 hour fast for the Day of Atonement. And just like Rosh Hashannah, my parents sat in the main chapel while my brothers and I went to youth services.
I miss those days – those were the days when my paternal grandparents attended our Shul and they were part of our inner circle, and years before my mother’s parents would join us for the break the fast 24 hours later. Again, break the fast was centered around food, fresh bagels, and rolls with condiments including LOX, also my mother baked Mandel Bread, Chocolate Chip Cookies, a yeast coffee cake. Food brought us together after a day of repenting.
Many of those traditions faded for me when I got married and moved away. It took me over 36 years to find a Temple where I feel accepted. However, this year I will not be able to sit in the sanctuary with my new family of Temple Friends I will be sharing in a zoom service like so many of us due to COVID. However, I hope and pray next year we can feel safe in coming together as one, and as we say at the end of the Yom Kippur service, “Next Year in Jerusalem,” May we say next year in our Temple/Shul.
2020 or 5780 has not been the best year of my life, nor the worst. However, I pray that 5781 will bring new peace to OUR LIVES so we may live in harmony. Even those of us who sing off Key should be appreciated for the value we bring to this world. We must make this year the first step to doing this and making it an everlasting journey for those that follow.
I ushered in 5780 last year with my Temple Israel Akron family. Sadly, too soon after that COVID crept into our lives and turned things upside down. However, if I have learned nothing else as I turned 70 in March, I am responsible for my feelings that can contribute to my happiness or sadness, and I have chosen Happiness! I have spent the last year reaching out and making new friends and relationships. I have continued to follow my dreams with newcleveleandradio.net. I have been a support system for my family encouraging them to follow their dreams and not settle because someone has told them to. I will go into the new yeat 5781 with new hopes and dreams and I will take the steps forward because that is what life is all about.
To all who may be reading this whether you observe the Jewish Holiday or not, know that I believe in you and all the good you too will put forth in the days to come.
L’Shanah Tova!
Love, Karen KIKI
#AGE Magnificently (AGEMARCH.ORG)- Barbara Rose Brooker
As I borrow the tag line from AGEMARCH.org and the founder, Barbara Rose Brooker, #AgeMagnificently, I challenge you to become the best YOU. By becoming the best versions of ourselves we allow ourselves to be open to the opinions of others and dialogue rather than argue or fight! We are all products of our environment, we bring to the table not only cultural differences but the interpretations of the culture we have (and are) experiencing.
My Jewish upbringing as a Conservative Jew is not necessarily the same as another who may identify as the same. Growing up my parent’s kept a Kosher home, however, on Pizza nights we all sat around eating Pepperoni Pizza off Paper Plates because my parents created their personal interpretation of the Kosher Laws. However, my Baube and Zayde would have said we were creating a ‘SHANDAH’ or a SCANDAL!
Whether my parents were right or wrong in the eyes of my maternal grandparents, they chose to create their version of keeping kosher.
Today we are living in a global society full of tags – we all need a tag line to be identified and often the tag lines do not give us enough information. They are often like sound bites that do not give us the whole story. However, #AgeMagnificently provides us a picture that with AGE comes Magnificent if we choose it.
To be magnificent means to be “admirable in action; displaying great power or opulence, especially in building, way of living, and munificence. Magnificent(adj) grand in appearance; exhibiting grandeur or splendor; splendid’ pompous.” However, leaving out pompous, we can be admirable in our actions if we accept that all people are created with goodness, some may need a little more guidance than others. Opulence does not necessarily reflect wealth but the rich and kindness of one’s personality. We can all build a world of fairness that will lead to the growth of FAIRNESS! We can walk straight and tall with our heads held high without stick our noses in the air, avoiding the truth. Facing the truth is not easy but no one said that change was easy!
If we age magnificently from birth we will no longer be judged by a number, a color, gender, sexual preference, or no preference. Our religion will be accepted and our traditions will not be frowned upon. We will be the BEST of OUR BEST while lending a hand to someone who may appear to be different. It is time to accept differences and come together.
It is time to make a Change – Do it!
D5 Creation