Health Talk Today

SoleMates Socks – A Testimonial

I love gardening! But as I got older and my feet got drier, all the cracks in my heels were embedded with dirt. I would scrub and scrape and put on lotion and it would look good temporarily, but it always went back to dry skin and cracks. After a while, the cracks were becoming so deep they actually hurt. As I researched this, I found I wasn’t alone.

Diabetics, folks with weight problems, and the elderly, all have major health concerns related to cracks on the sole and heel becoming infected. I read in a 2010 podiatric journal that podiatrists are so stymied as to successfully treating this problem, they actually glue the cracks together. They also recommend wearing plastic bags on your feet to conserve moisture. I tried it once. It actually works, but it felt like my feet were in two miniature saunas. I believed there just had to be a better way!

I was in a nursery looking at gloves when I had the “AHA!” moment. If garden gloves kept the drying effect of dirt off my hands, then a glove for my foot would do the same thing. I used the already proven track record of nitrile coated garden gloves and morphed it into a sock. After a lot of medical advice and testing, it became a sock that created a moisture conserving chamber for the foot, keeping the foot soft, moist and crack free. It also kept dirt outside the sock.

After testing the prototype, my heel cracks disappeared, and have never returned. That was 5 years ago. These socks are not magic. If I don’t routinely wear them a couple of days a week, my skin begins to dry out naturally. But if I do wear them, my heels are baby soft all the time with no effort other than wearing a comfortable sock.

About Bernadette Butz

I never intended to become an entrepreneur at 67, but I am determined to bring this product to people who have the same problems I did, necessity being the mother of SoleMates.

Connect with Bernadette on Facebook and Twitter.

Posted in: Health Issues, Internet, People, Websites.
Tagged: Bernadette Butz · Cracked Heels · Nitrile · SoleMates · SoleMates Socks
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Online Security

by Marilyn.

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It can seem so innocent. Your Facebook friend has posted a fun quiz on your wall. You just need to answer some questions about yourself and ask your other friends to do the same. How can this hurt you? It’s just your middle name, best friend’s name, favorite color, birthday and your pet’s name. Information to help your social media friends get to know you better. But, isn’t that the kind of security questions your financial sites use? If you forget your password there, what is the security question you need to answer to get into your account? If it’s your best friend’s name (or one of the others from the quiz), you just gave a hacker the info they need to clean out your account.

Password Security
If your passwords are real words, you’re at the mercy of hackers. Especially if they’re words that mean something to you – Like your birthday or your dog’s name. Strong passwords are a random combination of letters and numbers. But, how will you ever remember a password like tN2zW59? I think that’s what stops a lot of us from using cryptic passwords.

One way to remember cryptic passwords is to keep a list of them. If you’re online working and having fun, you’ll quickly acquire a long list of websites with login ID’s and passwords.

When I started finding sign up sites with a warning “Enter your info manually. Do not copy and paste or use programs like Roboform,” I had one of those AHA moments. First, I refused to sign up on that site. Why couldn’t I just paste in my info? It’s because the hackers can trace the keystrokes, but not the paste. Second, I wanted Roboform if the hackers can’t access my info if I use that program. I’ve been a happy RoboForm customer for a couple years now. It saves me time because with one click, RoboForm takes me to the login site and enters my ID and password. Safe, secure and easy!

PS: If you order RoboForm thru this link, I make a small affiliate commission. You don’t pay anything extra. It’s just a thank you from the company because I referrred you.

Posted in: Computer Software, Internet, Social Media, Technology, Websites.
Tagged: Facebook · Online Security · Password · Password Security · RoboForm · Security · Social Media
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Let’s Retire at the Holiday Inn

by Marilyn.

6 comments

I ran across this letter in my archives and think it’s worth posting here. If you’re starting to think about retirement and worry that a nursing home is in your future, worry no more. Here’s an alternative.

LET’S RETIRE AT THE HOLIDAY INN

A few days ago, we received one of those infinitely forwarded emails that struck our fancy because it was so clever and, as you’ll soon read, has a certain quirky logic. Kudos to the anonymous writer:

“No nursing home for me! I’m checking into the Holiday Inn.

With the average cost for a nursing home per day reaching $188.00, there is a better way when we get old and feeble. I have already checked on reservations at the Holiday Inn. For a combined long-term stay discount and senior discount, it’s $49.23 per night.

That leaves $138.77 a day for:
Breakfast, lunch and dinner in any restaurant I want, or room service.

Laundry, gratuities and special TV movies. Plus, they provide a swimming pool, a workout room, a lounge, washer, dryer, etc. Most have free toothpaste and razors, and all have free shampoo and soap. They treat you like a customer, not a patient.

$5.00 worth of tips a day will have the entire staff scrambling to help you.

There is a city bus stop out front, and seniors ride free. The handicap bus will also pick you up (if you fake a decent limp). To meet other nice people, call a church bus on Sundays.

For a change of scenery, take the airport shuttle bus and eat at one of the nice restaurants there. While you’re at the airport, fly somewhere. Otherwise, the cash keeps building up.

It takes months to get into decent nursing homes. Holiday Inn will take your reservation today. And you are not stuck in one place forever, you can move from Inn to Inn, or even from city to city. Want to see Hawaii? They have a Holiday Inn there, too.

TV broken? Light bulbs need changing? Need a mattress replaced? No problem. They fix everything and apologize for the inconvenience.

The Inn has a night security person and daily room service. The maid checks if you are OK. If not, they will call the undertaker or an ambulance. If you fall and break a hip, Medicare will pay for the hip. And Holiday Inn will upgrade you to a suite for the rest of your life.

And no worries about visits from family. They will always be glad to find you, and probably check in for a few days mini-vacation. The grandkids can use the pool. What more can you ask for?

So, when I reach the golden age I’ll face it with a grin. Just forward all my emails to the Holiday Inn!”

Upon telling this story at a dinner with friends and too much red wine, we came up with even more benefits the Holiday Inn provides to retirees:

Most standard rooms have coffee makers, reclining chairs, and satellite TV-all you need to enjoy a cozy afternoon. After a movie and a good nap, you can check on your children (free local phone calls), then take a stroll to the lounge or restaurant where you meet new and exotic people every day. Many Holiday Inns even feature live entertainment on the weekends.

Often they have special offers, too, like the Kids Eat Free Program. You can invite your grandkids over after school to have a free dinner with you. Just tell them not to bring more than three friends. Pick a Holiday Inn where they allow pets, and your best friend can keep you company as well.

If you want to travel, but are a bit skittish about unfamiliar surroundings, in a Holiday Inn you’ll always feel at home because wherever you go, the rooms all look the same.

And if you’re getting a little absent-minded in your old days, you never have to worry about not finding your room — Your electronic key fits only one door and the helpful bellman or desk clerk is on duty 24/7.

Being perma-skeptics, we called a Holiday Inn to check this story out — and are happy to report that they were positively giddy at the idea of us checking in for a year or more. They even offered to negotiate the rate (we could have easily knocked them down to $40 a night!).

See you at the Inn!

Posted in: Fun, Fun and Games, Places and Locations.
Tagged: Holiday Inn · Joke · Nursing Home · Retire · Retirement
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Cuckoo Clock Memory

by Marilyn.

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I found this cuckoo clock online and decided to add it to my sidebar, at least for a little while. It reminds me of my dad. He was always an entrepreneur. Together with mom, they owned a mom and pop grocery store when they were newlyweds. Then, a hydraulics manufacturing factory with 3 other men. And years later, a motel in Miami, Florida. Their last venture together was an antique shop just north of Miami. Dad was fascinated with clocks. He bought them, often not working, then repaired and restored them. The walls of the shop were lined with clocks of every size and shape, most with their pendulums swinging. You could hear ticking clocks throughout the shop. One of my favorites was the cuckoo clock. Some were rather plain wood and stained a shade of brown. Others were very ornate, with leaves, birds and people. The weights always looked like pine cones and dangled from long chains. To wind the clock, you raised the weights.

Stick around for the hour or any quarter hour and you’ll hear this cuckoo clock chime.

If you’d like to add a clock to your website or blog, there are many clocks, including this cuckoo clock at

Posted in: Internet, People, Websites.
Tagged: Antiques · Cuckoo Clock · Entrepreneur
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Cultivate the Skill That Will Set You Apart: Charisma

by Marilyn.

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(ARA) – You speak well, dress professionally, have impressive experience and can clearly communicate complex information in speech and writing. But thousands of other professionals and job-seekers possess the same qualities. So what sets the movers and shakers apart from the masses? Could it be charisma?

Many people can’t quite put their finger on that exact quality that makes certain professionals more desirable to prospective employers and many people believe charisma simply can’t be taught.

Not so, says Kurt Mortensen, a leading authority on persuasion, motivation and influence. It is possible for virtually anyone to develop a compelling presence. “Charisma is the ability to empower and persuade others to believe in you, trust in you and want to be influenced by you. If there is just one skill to master out of all the tools of persuasion and influence, it is charisma,” Mortensen explains. “It gives you the quickest return on your time and dramatically increases your success and income.”

It is possible to cultivate charisma, adding charm and the power to persuade to your repertoire of professional skills. Mortensen says that in order to develop charisma, you must hone 30 specific skills, traits and attributes. In his new book, “The Laws of Charisma,” Mortensen offers some advice for developing your personal charisma. Here is his insight into seven charismatic qualities and how you can develop them:

Find your passion
“Passion is critical to influencing others and transmitting charisma,” Mortensen says. “Charismatic people radiate heartfelt passion.” Exploring new tasks, topics and social or professional interactions will help you discover what you’re passionate about – and what doesn’t move you. Educating yourself about a particular topic, task or issue is a great way to increase your passion for it.

Know your purpose
When you find your purpose, your life will be easier and more enjoyable, Mortensen says. Ask yourself: “What is my destiny? Where do my interests, gifts and talents lie? What is my mission in life?” People with a purpose ooze charisma and naturally draw others to them. Their purpose inspires others.

Live with integrity
Integrity is consistency between your professed values and your actions. To enhance your charisma and influence others, you must radiate integrity. What do you really believe in? And what are you willing to stand up for?

Tap your creativity
Creativity is the ability to solve a problem by combining old ideas, new ideas and imagination. Tapping your creativity, or inspiring those around you to feel more creative, opens the door to new solutions – and enhances your charisma.

Establish focus
The ability to control impulses, resist distraction and stay focused on the task at hand is an integral element of success. You cannot influence others if you can’t stay focused. Ask yourself: What is the best use of my time right now? Am I wasting time on unimportant things? Do I confuse being busy with getting things done? Am I clear about exactly what I need to achieve?

Listen
“Listening and understanding enhance charisma,” Mortensen writes in “The Laws of Charisma.” When you listen well, you discover everything you need to know to help, change or influence, inspire, motivate and gain trust. “People feel more respected and valued when you listen to what they have to say,” he writes.

Motivate
Charismatic people not only motivate others, they help others motivate themselves, aiding them in visualizing goals and inspiring them to feel they can achieve those goals. Helping others self-motivate allows them to solve their own challenges and make their own decisions, while still feeling part of a larger team.

To nurture your personal charisma, you will need to practice every day, says Mortensen, whose new book is available now in bookstores and online. “I was once stretching in preparation for running a half marathon when I saw a T-shirt that revealed a great truth. It said, ‘The challenge is not finishing; the challenge is starting.’ Make up your mind to start the race, and you will know that you are moving toward your goal of finishing.”