Category: Uncategorized

The importance of protein to start the day

Back when I gave up eating meat almost a half-century ago, it was common to be asked how I got enough protein. I would reply that I ate dairy and soy products, nuts, and beans. I’d add that we need less protein than we might think — an opinion that came from researching vegetarianism.  As... Read more »
By Marianne Goss,
Monday at 12:28 pm
• 1 comment

Grumble and then move on

Following an aggravation, I often think, “Maybe I can get a blog post out of this.” Last week’s aggravations could have supplied more than one post. “Glad you weren’t planning to go to Yellowstone this year,” my sister texted after the park flooded. Guess I’d forgotten to tell her. “I was,” I answered. “Not just... Read more »
By Marianne Goss,
June 20, 2022 at 8:11 am
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More affordable hearing aids coming

The Hearing Loss Association of America expects that by the end of the year, the Food and Drug Administration will allow sales of over-the-counter hearing aids. Adults with mild to moderate hearing loss will be able to buy hearing aids without going to a hearing professional. OTC hearing aids should be mostly a good thing... Read more »
By Marianne Goss,
June 13, 2022 at 8:51 am
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Tired of the arguments against gun control

I had a different post written for today, but a personal focus felt crass after a week when 19 innocent fourth graders were gunned down in their classroom in Uvalde, Texas. That came 10 days after 10 African Americans were shot in a Buffalo grocery store. In both cases, the gunman was an 18-year-old male... Read more »
By Marianne Goss,
May 29, 2022 at 11:02 am
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First swimming lessons at 73

One in five Americans say they can’t swim, according to the Red Cross. The next level up (barely swim?) is where I was. I had never had lessons but taught myself to float, tread water, backstroke, and manage a couple of weak freestyle strokes. For some reason, it’s embarrassing to not swim, almost up there... Read more »
By Marianne Goss,
May 23, 2022 at 9:25 am
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Is it normal to forget the day?

I was sitting comfortably in my reading chair one morning, my cat Fanny on my lap, my phone off. At around 10:35, I suddenly jumped up, toppling Fanny. It had occurred to me that it was Friday and that a Zoom call with my mother was scheduled for 9:30 and online Scrabble with my friend... Read more »
By Marianne Goss,
May 16, 2022 at 8:34 am
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The downside of decorating comparisons

Do you ever wander around your home and think that it could use more pizzazz? Browsing through an Apartment Therapy book recently, I thought about why my condo seems uninspired in comparison with the places in the photographs.  To begin with, the apartments and houses have high ceilings, architectural details like molding and wainscoting, gleaming... Read more »
By Marianne Goss,
May 9, 2022 at 7:24 am
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Dramatic Sunday evenings with PBS

It’s Sunday evening, almost 7 p.m. My excitement grows as I get cozy on the couch, pick up the remote, and turn on Chicago public television station WTTW. An episode of my favorite show, Call the Midwife, is about to start. The program will be recorded on my TiVo and available on the WTTW website.... Read more »
By Marianne Goss,
April 25, 2022 at 8:25 am
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Chicago history in small doses

Being a Chicago Greeter and curious about where I live, I regularly try to learn more about the city. A recently published book, Greg Borzo’s A History Lover’s Guide to Chicago, is a treasure trove of information. If you’re not into reading history, don’t be turned off by that word in the title. A History... Read more »
By Marianne Goss,
April 18, 2022 at 8:43 am
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Caffeine and tea: it’s complicated

Every so often, I think that I should cut back on caffeine. The Food and Drug Administration recommends a limit of 400 milligrams a day. The problem for tea drinkers is difficulty figuring out how many milligrams of caffeine we consume. Counting milligrams of caffeine in tea is not as simple as consulting the label... Read more »
By Marianne Goss,
April 11, 2022 at 8:42 am
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