My parents had over sixty years of a happy marriage before my dad died at the age of eighty eight.

My mother told me she had prayed that dad would die first so he wouldn’t be alone.

Living alone after a long marriage is very difficult regardless of who is left behind.

A comedian of the past, after his wife died, slept on her side of the bed so he wouldn’t have to look at her empty pillow

My mom thought God had forgotten her because she lived three years longer than my dad.

After a long, happy marriage you’d think the surviving spouse would enjoy the good memories.

But, the surviving spouse feels half of them has died too.

It takes patience for children and friends to listen to the old stories.

But, they must be told.

If you decide to pursue an issue, even if you’re upset, present yourself to the school as a collaborator, not an adversary.

You’re on the same team, trying to help your child get a good education.

Whether you’re talking to a teacher, principal or the school board — and do start with the teacher if that’s where your concern is — assume officials have good intentions.

If you approach the conversation as a conflict and try to prove someone wrong, “creating tension or escalating tension is not going to help the situation move forward,”

“That just sets up a dynamic that is less likely to get you what you want and what you need.”

What happens when your child tells you one thing and the school says another?

“Knowing your kid is helpful.

Is your child reactive and “does a touch become a hit or a push?”

Or does your child tend to underreport things? If you’re not sure what version of events to believe, make your best guess based on how your child tends to react. (CNN)

A mom is always a mom!

Carrying a dead calf is part of the grieving ceremony.

The grieving mom had carried the calf for four days.

This is just what dolphins do.

The dad is nowhere in sight.

No, mom gave birth to the calf and was there at the beginning and the end.

That’s what moms do!

Iran’s strategy to counter military might with economic pain has exposed a vulnerability in one of the world’s most vital interests: AI data centers.

Iran has aimed significant firepower at its neighbors’ refineries, oil exports and tourist attractions, inflicting economic havoc on the Gulf states and the countries that do business with them.

Now data centers, which power the technology most crucial to the global economy’s future, are becoming targets.

Iran has bombarded several of its neighbors’ data centers, and the United States responded by attacking one of Iran’s. (CNN)

When the creative team behind the latest Broadway production of Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” began envisioning their show, they knew Willy Loman’s car would play an integral role.

A real car is a tangible reminder of Willy’s “life of a salesman,” Joe Mantello, the show’s director, said.

But Mantello is not a car guy, and before rehearsals started he was planning to use a sporty make and model. Wisely, he consulted a car-fanatic friend.

“He was like, ‘That’s not Willy Loman’s car,’” Mantello recalled. “He said, ‘He would have a four-door.’”

And so he does, a 1964 Chevrolet that Chloe Lamford, the show’s scenic designer, said has a “characterful presence” on the vast Winter Garden Theater stage.

“He leans on the car in the play, and there it is, under his hands. (NYT)

The Broadway revival of “Death Of A Salesman” is getting phenomenal reviews!

Critics and audiences are calling it a major triumph!

As we get older, our reaction time slows down, This is usually the primary cause of falling.

According to the National Safety Council, falls injure about 2.4 million people in the U.S. each year and kill about 27,000

We always hear that it is important to exercise regularly.

But, exercise alone will not prevent you from falling.

There are courses available that focus on reaction time.

Such courses feature cognitive learning.

Cognitive means relating to the mental processes of thinking, learning, remembering & using judgement.

Learning how to avoid falling is a cognitive power your brain must learn!

It will help you reduce reaction time.

You may respond by saying you don’t have the time.

And that’s the problem.

You’ve got to take the time!

Maybe, if you are driving somewhere, you won’t accept calls.

I also think the distraction of a phone call while driving can affect your safety.

Do you take time to pray?

A simple exercise program is another way to take care of you.

You deserve time to yourself.

If not today, when?

In California, a place famous around the world for its viticulture, winemakers produced less wine last year than at any point in the last quarter century.

It’s often cheaper to let grapes rot on the vine than to harvest them because so many unsold bottles clog the shelves of storerooms and wine shops.

So on a sunny morning in Soledad, Calif., in a valley made famous by the author John Steinbeck, Jason Smith acquiesced to simple economics.

A worker unceremoniously drove a tractor and ripped out Mr. Smith’s pinot noir grapes from the ground.

Another set fire to the wooden posts that for years had propped up the vines.

And Mr. Smith leaned against his white Suburban, under the shade of a coastal oak, watching one of his pinot vineyards go up in smoke. (NYT)

Another huge industry faces a shrinking customer base.

As an electrician in training in Detroit, Tyler Shelton spends most of his days popping down manholes to fix cables and other electrical gear.

But lately, his company has sent many of its workers to a sprawling data center that just broke ground about an hour away.

“Everybody wants that money,” Mr. Shelton, 29, said during lunch break at his apprenticeship’s twice-a-month classroom day.

“We have work to do, but we’re also losing a good chunk of manpower to these data centers.”

Soon, he could join them: OpenAI’s project in Saline Township is the biggest single investment in Michigan’s history, according to the state, requiring hundreds of electricians working 10-hour days, seven days a week.

Despite the overtime bonanza, Mr. Shelton has mixed feelings. (NYT)

There are plenty of things you can lease: a car, an apartment or an office space, for example.

Now you can add your next iPhone to that list!

Apple is launching a new leasing program to make iPhones, Macs and other products feel more affordable at a time when electronics prices are climbing and consumers are holding onto devices longer.

Apple is partnering with payment platform Klarna on the program, which will be available in the United States starting Tuesday through retail locations, online and in the Apple Store app.

iPhones and Apple Watches can be leased on either a 12- or 24-month basis, while Macs and iPads will have a 24- or 36-month lease term. (CNN)

Good news for all those who can’t afford to buy one!