Oh, to be 25 again! Love what I found on Anibundel. Paris Fashion Week Fall 2014! Reblog!
How My Fitbit Helps Me Keep Moving
Fitbit and other devices can help us keep moving, and moving is our best line of defense against aging.
I’m sure all of you have heard about Fitbit by now. I actually had not heard about it, until one of the kids a few years ago said that she wanted one for Christmas. I said, “What’s a Fitbit?” She said, “It is an activity tracker that keeps up with how many steps you make in a day.” The cheap part of me told her that I had a step device that could do the same thing. She said that the Fitbit did so much more.
So I checked it out, and she was right. It was the perfect Christmas gift for each of our children and their spouses.
The Fitbit gives each an opportunity to challenge one another. Then it keeps up with what each is doing and displays it. Shortly after Christmas, all of them were involved in these challenges. They kept talking about who was ahead and who was lagging behind. I just couldn’t stand it, because I felt left out.
So Chuck got me one for my birthday, not too long after Christmas. Immediately I was challenged daily by several of the kids to keep up. I actually liked it a lot.
My Fitbit recorded several of my daily activities, including the number of steps taken, the distance traveled on foot, number of floors climbed, calories burned, the number of active minutes, sleep efficiency, movements during sleep, number of wake-ups during sleep, etc. It is a wireless-enabled wearable device that is always measuring data. The company who makes it made the first generation in 2010, I believe, and they are located in San Francisco.
ge” href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fitibit_Flex.jpg”> Fitbit with Accompanying Wrist Band
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It seems, though, that my lifestyle is doing well for me. I’m coming in second or third in each of the challenges, and the kids do things like 10K’s and half marathons and ironman types of activities. They belong to gyms and run and walk in their neighborhoods. They are the hares.
Me, I’m just a turtle, but I move continuously throughout the day. For example, on my computer is a 20-minute clock that is always running. It is called Workrave 1.10; and if I work nonstop for 20 minutes, it lets me know that it is time for me to take a break. It says that I should stretch and relax, but I always find something else to do.
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Breaks for me include activities like washing clothes, washing dishes, gardening, straightening the house, etc. These are activities that I need to do, and it takes lots of steps to do them. My Fitbit just keeps gathering the “steps” data.
Also, when I watch TV I skip the commercials, nor do I watch more than an hour of TV a day. It is amazing what you can get done during TV commercials. I jump up and wash a few dishes or carry a load of laundry upstairs to put away or sweep the front porch. And my little wrist Fitbit just keeps gathering data.
I seem to have a lot of energy, and I believe it is because I keep moving. Just moving slowly but always moving.
And sometimes the turtle wins! 🙂
One Stunning Parental Role Model
Every child needs a role model, and so do parents. Harry Connick, Jr. the former judge on “American Idol” is in my opinion a good parent’s role model.
My Chuck better watch out, because he’s got some competition. I used to watch American Idol, and I fell in love with Harry! Harry Connick, Jr., that is.
He’s certainly easy on the eyes; but I really noticd him when he began to be honest, forthright and constructive with the young contestants. He wasn’t brutal like Simon; nor did he sugar coat it like Randy. He seemed to have just the right touch. When they added him to sweet J. Lo and wonderfully authentic Keith, the mix between that year’s judges seemed just right.
Speaking Honestly
Later I noticed that Harry was a family man. Or at least that is how he appeared. But he really won me over when someone said that the judges needed to resist being cruel. I guess Harry thought they aimed the comment at him, because he said that he wasn’t being cruel, just honest.
Hooray for Harry! Finally, someone who speaks honestly. With all this PC talk, it seems as if no one speaks honestly anymore.
When Parents Don’t Deal Honestly
We all just shake our heads, when these clueless, tone-deaf young people come to “Idol” to auditioon. Surely someone in their family noticed that John or Mary cannot sing, and yet there stand the parents to comfort him or her when the frustrated kid walks out crying.
Some really act up, as if they were still toddlers. This type of “stand by your child no matter what” type of parenting doesn’t really help these kids.
I also wondered who paid to get them to the audition in the first place. What happened to talking honestly with your kids, even about their shortcomings? What happened tomrefusing to fund a shortcoming? And come to think of it—what happened to honest parenting?
We are doing our kids a disservice when we encourage them to win for the sake of winning, when we give them trophies just for trying, or when we look the other way when their behavior is inappropriate. Many of these kids never quite understand why they don’t fit into social circles. And to make matters worse, some are taught to have an attitude when they don’t as if that makes it all ok in the end.
Be a Parent First and Foremost
It might be considered cool to parent like this in some circles; but from where I hail, it is simply considered lazy parenting. It is so much easier to be your kid’s friend, than to be your kid’s parent.
There are no perfect parents, but there are those who really try–who consistently try. They know that parenting is hard, around-the-clock work. One of our kids was more difficult to raise, and there were many times that we wanted to give up and say “what’s the use.” We kept trying though until she finally left home for college, and even then it wasn’t quite over.
Strive to be a Good Role Model
Please America, wake up and teach your children well. How many young adults do you know who have messed up their lives, due to poor judgment. How many chances have they missed?
How many are still living with their parents, instead of gaining independence and reaching for their own ambitions? How many are floundering in a sea of debt from college loans–another example of poor judgment passed on fromall of us parents?
My mother once said that as a parent my number one job was to raise my children to be independent adults. She didn’t have to tell me to love them. She knew I would fall hopelessly in love with every one of them. No, she reminded me that it was my job to make sure they survived; and she wasn’t just talking about food, clothing and shelter.
If we really want our kids to succeed, then we have to be their role models. We have to remember that we are not only teaching them to mature and become functioning adults, we are also teaching them how to teach the next generation. It is an awesome responsibility.
A Role Model in the Entertainment Industry
Thank you, Harry, for saying what everyone else in the entertainment industry isn’t saying. The entertainment community is littered with young people who feel hopeless and out of place in life. What a breathe of fresh air to have one of their own who publicly exercises good judgment and talks about it honestly.
Thank you for being a role model–maybe even a good role model for parents.
So I was already in love with Harry, and then he performed last night! I loved it! What an entertainer. Good looks! A good character! A Role Model! This renaissance man is hot!
What’s the Difference Between a SAHWM and a AFHWM?
I learned the meaning of a new acronym SAHWM. A blogger named Anna at In Honor Of Design used it in one of her posts.
SAHWM means “stay at home working mother.” I have three in my family–two daughters and a daughter-in-law; and they don’t have it any easier than I did, though I was a mostly an AFHWM “away from home working mother”. All three of my daughters either have businesses that they operate out of their homes, or they are bloggers. One does both. All three struggle to balance their child-rearing, work, and housekeeping.
Jamie, Tracy & January
I Was a AFHWM
By the way, I was not a SAHWM most of my child-rearing days; though, I did it for three years with my first child Jamie, who is in the top photo. I owned a florist, and she was there day in and day out as a toddler. During the first years, the florist was downtown; but I finally moved it into my home for the last year and a half.
My days were at least ten hour days, as florist work is long and demanding. I finally sold the florist and took a full-time job just to get back to regular hours and to make more money. We wanted to go on vacations and belong to the country club and play golf and tennis, so I felt I had to go to work.
At my new job I worked at the end of a 30-minute commute each way. The hours were 7.5 a day, but I made a good salary. I had sick leave and vacation leave and other good benefits. I kept the kids in daycare and enjoyed those precious kid-free hours away from arguing, crying, and general house wrecking.
Dinner was cooked as soon as I walked in the door. I house cleaned at night after the kids went to bed and got up an hour before anyone else to exercise and have a few minutes of peace and quiet while I enjoyed my breakfast. I lived on about six to seven hours of sleep a night for many years.
Me and my girls, Tracy & Jamie
My commute was almost a meditation. I remember the solitude of my car. There was a point in the road halfway between Monticello and Tallahassee that held significance. On my way from work to home, I realized that I left the hassles of work behind by the time I reached that point. The opposite was the same. The pressures of home seemed to melt away going the opposite direction.
Finally, my kids entered those special years of teenage puberty; and I needed to be home more, so I worked jobs that allowed me to work from home. I was then a SAHWM. As they got older and began driving I went back to college, eventually getting my Ph.D.
So as you can see, I was the flip side of the SAHWM for most of my kids’ years at home. I was a AFHWM, an “away from home working mother.”
We Are All WMs
Our commonality is that all of us are still WMs. We are all working mothers.
I believe, though, that my mother had it the best. I grew up next to my grandmother, a wonderful role model and provider. My mom went to work full-time when I was about 3-4 years old, but I never went to daycare. My grandmother watched after me.
Me and my Grandmother Roe
She home preschooled me. I can still remember the blackboard on her sleeping porch. She taught me my numbers, my abc’s, and how to tie my shoes before I ever got to kindergarten. I wish she had lived long enough to see me get my Ph.D.
She was super old fashioned having been born in the 1890s. She taught me etiquette and how to play in a dress without ever showing my panties. I’m sure I slipped up, but not without embarrassment if I knew it.
Yes, she even taught me guilt, something that I resented when I was younger because I thought it held me back. Now, though, I welcome it as a comfortable barometer–a good part of growing older I guess.
I never resented Mom’s work. We grew up knowing that her salary paid for vacations, dancing and piano lessons, cheerleading uniforms, 4-H camp, and much more.
Pam, Mom & Me
So you see, I had the best of both worlds–two moms. Grandmother was my SAHWM, and mom was my AFHWM. Still, both of them were simply working mothers.
What kind of mother did you have, a SAHWM or an AFHWM? What role if any did your grandmother(s) play in your raising? What kind of mother are you today?
The One Concealer That is Affordable and Travel Friendly
Are you always looking for the next best concealer? Well, you certainly are not alone!
Ladies, I found a new concealer that covers well without being obvious. If you read my earlier posts, you remember that my favorite concealer up until now was made by Hard Candy and was called Glamoflauge Concealer by Hard Candy. I bought it through Wal-Mart. I still have a tube of it, though; because it is the best thing for covering some broken capillaries on my right thigh.
My new best friend, though, is made by L’Oreal; and you can probably find it at Wal-Mart, though I bought mine at CVS for about $8. It is called L’Oreal True Match Crayon Concealer. That’s right! It is a crayon, but it goes on so smoothly.
In fact, I just pat mine in. It glides easily over my under eye circles and hides the little barely-visible scars from my plastic surgery. No tugging on the delicate skin there. It covers beautifully without looking cakey. It comes in different shades, and I found one that matches me perfectly.
The My new BFF is also easily packable, as it is a short, chubby pencil. It fits in my purse, in my makeup bag, and anywhere else I need it to travel. It comes in a twist up design so you don’t need a sharpener. That means less to carry around.
Other Concealers
Most of the makeup crayons up until now haven’t been my favorite products, but I guess I need to go back and try some more. This concealer glides on so smoothly. Maybe, they’ve figured out the formula for blendability. Blendability? Is that a word? Probably not, but it fits what I’m trying to say here.
I’ve read some of the reviews from others, and some of them say it is not good for dry skin. I’m glad I bought mine before I read these particular reviews, because I may have never given it a try.
I go a long way to make sure I stay hydrated, so that may be why this concealer works so well for me. I also think the secret is in patting it in instead of rubbing. It covers well.
Love, love, love this product! Oh, and just so you know. No one sent me a trial or is paying me for this post. When I find something I like, I just like to share the news.
Jumpstart Your Dieting with Water
Have you ever met an Aquarian who doesn’t like water? Actually, I love it for swimming, skiing, and viewing but not so much for drinking. Frankly, I’m a fish out of the water.
Credit Pixabay
My parents pleaded with me to drink it. I didn’t see the need, but now I do. Water is what makes our skin healthy, not to mention our insides, our organs. So I’m always trying to remember to drink water.
The other day I read that as we age, we lose our ability to gauge our thirst. I’m not sure I ever had that ability, to begin with.
If you’ve been reading my blog lately, then you know that I’m thrilled with this new lifestyle change that I’ve been practicing. I’m talking about the book called “The Skinny Rules”; and how it changed how I live my life, as it relates to nutrition.
I wrote about this last week–about my biggest challenge, my quest to eliminate the added sweeteners in my foods. I continue to practice this every time I buy a groceries. If I’m not familiar with the product, I read the label and look for a sweetener in the first five ingredients. If it is there, I put the product back on the shelf.
There is also another big change that I’ve embraced. Rule 1 in the book is to drink a large glass of water before every meal—no exceptions. If he placed it at #1, then it must be the skinny rule that matters most. There’s lots more about it in his book.
Credit Pixabay
I’ve always wanted to drink more, but I forget. Plus, as stated before I don’t really like to drink it anyway. I believe that my forgetfulness has to do with selective memory. My mind keeps telling me that it isn’t that important, but I know it is.
The author Bob Harper says, “Just by drinking water, your body increases its burning of calories. The scientists estimated that, if you just do this, you’ll burn off an extra three pounds over the next year.”
Let’s see! Nicer skin, better digestive system, and weight loss! Sold!
Credit Pixabay
I don’t always remember to drink water before each meal, as suggested; but it helps me remember to drink it either before, during or after the meal. That is half my battle.
I am drinking more—lots more. That’s a good thing!
I love this book.
Stop!! The Sugar in Your Diet is Not Your Friend
We see sugar everywhere. For example, have you noticed all the rolls of fat and puffy skin we carry these days? And I’m not just talking about middle-aged and older people, like myself. I see it on everyone—young and old alike.
Just walk through the mall! It wouldn’t be so obvious, but the young girls and women like to wear their shirts tight. I’m not sure if they think it is sexy or if they simply cannot afford to buy new clothes. What I do know is that it is caused by all the added sugar in our diets. Sugar turns into fat, and it settles around our middle.
Chuck has always been a slim man, but he has been fighting this battle of the bulge lately, too. It concerns him that his love handles may be here to stay.
The man never eats dessert. He always buys low-fat products. He exercises. In a restaurant, I order the meal with the plum sauce and he orders the plain grilled salmon. He is better at this than I am, so why is he having this problem?
A Book called The Skinny Rules
I read a book called “The Skinny Rules: The Simple, Nonnegotiable Principles for Getting to Thin.” Written by Bob Harper with Greg Critser, it contains rules for losing weight and for maintaining. A hard copy edition of the book can be bought below,
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or you can purchase it for your Kindle here.
Printed in 2012, I discovered the book when Chuck and I dined with a friend of his. We noticed that he lost a lot of weight. I mentioned it, and he told us about this book that he said changed his life.
My Life with Diets
I’m no novice when it comes to diets. Years ago, when I was in my 40s, I gained about fifteen pounds over about fifteen years. Finally fed up I decided to do something about it before I went over the 150 lb. mark.
I tried the Atkins Diet, but I didn’t like the way it made me feel. It left me always hungry—no, not just hungry, ravenous. I tried the South Beach Diet, but I still had problems and felt hungry all the time. Finally, I went to see Jenny Craig, and the ladies there helped me totally change my eating habits.
I lost weight, all the way down to what I weighed when I was 32 years old. It took me months, but I loved my old/new “me”.
I weighed 127 lbs, but I felt I was too thin so I allowed myself to gain back to about 133 lbs. The most important lifestyle change I made during this time was watching my intake of fiber, making sure I was getting the amount my body needed.
I loved vegetables and fruit, so I just increased them in my diet. I also stopped drinking sugary beverages. No more sweet tea or Cokes. This last one hit me hard, but I lost 8 pounds just by doing this alone. By the way, it is one of the skinny rules.
I learned many of these diet lifestyle changes while on the South Beach Diet, but what I learned from the Atkin’s Diet was that this food, weight and exercise thing is all about chemistry. The Atkin’s Diet, though, didn’t give me enough information to figure out the puzzle.
Jenny Craig used all these lifestyle changes, and they taught me one more extra important change—portion control. I learned to gauge how much food to eat in comparison to the calories I received. I learned that I got enough calories to keep me satisfied with a very small portion of certain calorie-rich foods.
I retrained my mind to understand this and to stop the cravings. It worked. That is, until about two years ago.
I have fluctuated from about 134 to 137 lbs for the last two years. Lately, my weight crept up to 138 to 139 lbs. I cut out all bread and alcohol, and it took me about three or four weeks to get back to 133 lbs, but then as soon as I went back to eating regularly the weight roared back. So I decided to try “The Skinny Rules”.
These writers certainly do understand the chemistry involved in eating.
Let’s talk about one of the rules!
One of the rules involves learning to read labels. I read labels for years. My biggest pet peeve, or so I thought, was bread made of wheat. I was as aggravated as the next person with the many, many different ways food manufacturers tried to trick us into eating bread that was not a whole grain.
It seems that most of the country thought and probably still thinks that “unbleached, enriched wheat” is better for you than “bleached flour”. The fact is, neither of them is good for you. If it is wheat bread, the first ingredient must say 100% whole wheat; or it is not nutritious.
In fact, I’m certain it is like eating glue. My best way to check their claims is to look at the grams of fiber in a slice. If it has one gram of fiber, then they have stripped out the good and left the glue. So I’m already pretty good at reading labels—or at least I thought I was!
“The Skinny Rules” just taught this old dog a new trick.
But what I missed was all the clever ways they add sugar to our foods. Here is what changed my lifestyle again. The authors of “The Skinny Rules” say that if sugar appears in the first five ingredients, then “keep walkin’”. So for the last several weeks, I’ve been walking the shopping aisles reading labels on foods that I thought were good…until now.
Oh my gosh! I had no idea. It is amazing how many foods I have to put back on the shelves and in the freezer cases. I had no idea (sorry, I just had to say this twice). Frankly, I believe the authors should make this a rule all by itself.
Rule 21: If the food product has any type of sugar in the first five ingredients, don’t buy it! (Unless it is a dessert or candy. Sorry I just cannot help myself.)
Even this can of collards would be disqualified. Sugar is its hard ingredient.
Here’s an example of how we’re fooled. Chuck was making one of his casseroles last Sunday evening. As I passed through the kitchen, I picked up one of the cans of corn that he was using as an ingredient. It was a low sodium version. On the label, though, the third ingredient was high fructose corn syrup.
Chuck was shocked and upset. He thought it was just corn. We started going through our pantry, and you wouldn’t believe the cereals, canned vegetables, and soups that were laced with sugars of all types.
I went on “The Skinny Rules” diet, and in about a week and a half, I lost all the weight needed. Back down to 133 lbs I lost down to 135 lbs within the first five days. I have never had weight fall off of me so quickly. The recipes were great, and I couldn’t eat all the food offered.
So remember! It isn’t the fat in our diets that are making us fat, it is the carbs–the sugar!
I love this lifestyle change brought on by “The Skinny Rules” and will continue to read labels looking for sugar. I count it right up there with my zero calorie beverages, whole grains, fiber, and portion control.
The best result of all, the puffiness around my waist is gone! No more muffin top!!! Even over a month later!
Taking Joy in Life is a Woman’s Best Cosmetic
Sometimes life deals us a solid blow, but woman’s best cosmetic is remembering the joy and letting go of the sadness. It is important to always count your blessings.
I’m sad today, because I lost another friend. I say another because I lost a life-long, childhood girlfriend almost a decade ago; but that is another blog. Today, this is about Lisa.
Lisa and I met through work back in the 1980s. We were kindred spirits. We both were small town girls living in a big city. We came from such small towns that we both thought Tallahassee was big.
She was a single woman, after a divorce; and I was a married woman, on my way to a divorce. I remember when I asked her to dinner at my home one evening. My soon to be ex-husband complained about the food right in front of her. He didn’t want spaghetti that night. She didn’t bad mouth him then, but about eighteen months later after he moved out, I found out that she wanted to punch him in the face.
Because of our work, we traveled together. Traveling with her was such an adventure. The piles of luggage alone were comical. She always wore way too much makeup, but I never said anything. I didn’t need to, because her mother did that enough.
Lisa traveled with a plastic fishing tackle box full of face creams, eye shadows, lipsticks, and anything else she thought she might need. She traveled like someone out of “Downton Abbey”, but without a porter. One good steamer trunk might have sufficed, but I’m not sure.
We partied hard, talked about everything, shared clothes, and dreamed dreams. One time we were at dinner in a very nice restaurant. I had trouble cutting my prawn, when my hand slipped and my surf flew out of my plate. She casually leaned down and retrieved my shrimp out of her shoe.
The girl had taken off her shoes in this very nice eating establishment; but she never missed a beat when she said with a wink, “I guess you can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl.” Of course, she meant both of us. There were some puzzled looks around the table, but she kept my secret. We laughed and laughed over that one.
Moving Apart
Finally, we moved on with our lives. She left and moved back to her hometown. We both remarried. For the next twenty years, we kept up with each other over the phone. Every once in a while, we got together again; and it was like we never parted.
One morning I got a phone call from her oldest daughter. Lisa passed away three days before. Her daughter was so apologetic. They already held her service; and in the calm of the aftermath, someone finally remembered to give me a call.
I cannot blame them for forgetting. They’re all young girls in the prime of their lives with young children of their own. It was truly a shock. Lisa had a massive heart attack.
It is so sad to lose an old friend. I’m sitting here, remembering all the good times we had together. She was the epitome of something Rosalind Russell said, “Taking joy in life is a woman’s best cosmetic.” Lisa was once the joy in my life.
Thank goodness for wonderful memories that sustain us for when life moves on.
How to Sleep Without Counting Sheep
I have always been a champion sleeper. Sleep came easy for me. For most of my life I fell asleep within minutes of lying down; but thanks to menopause, that changed. At least I thought it was menopause, because now I’m not so sure.
Here’s why I thought it was menopause. Just about the same time I began to have hot flashes, I began to lose sleep. I tried to go to sleep at 11 p.m., my usual bedtime. I tossed and turned until about 12:30 a.m. or later, then fell asleep and woke up around 4-5 a.m. If I had the time, I ate breakfast and then slept until noon. It wasn’t a good schedule, even for a teenager—let alone a woman in her 50s. I was sleepy at all hours just not at night.
I Tried Everything
I read everything I could get my hands on about sleeping. I got really good about setting and keeping a schedule. Eleven to seven was the norm that I aspired to keep.
Chuck is a restless sleeper, so we got twin beds. He is a light snorer, so I got a sound machine. We don’t allow the cat to come into the bedroom at night. I made sure to never work on the computer after 10 p.m.
I even tried counting sheep; but after all the changes, I still couldn’t sleep.
So I began hormone replacement therapy. Premarin worked like a charm, and that is why I was sure it was hormone related. I had had a partial hysterectomy so I never had to replace the lost Progesterone. I did, however, on my own take bio-identical Progesterone; but never did I take the synthetic version. Thank goodness for that, because we’ve since learned it can be a real problem.
Finally, though, I wanted off the Premarin after about six years. I gradually weaned myself, and that was when the hot flashes and sleeplessness came roaring back and hit me like a ton of bricks.
Next, I tried bioidentical estrogen and progesterone. The hot flashes disappeared, but not entirely the sleeplessness. I was sleeping better, but I would still have a bad night from time to time. The next time I saw my doctor, we discussed it.
My Doctor Helped Me Find a Solution
Notice that I said “a solution”. I believe it may be different for each of us. My doctor put me through a whole bank of blood tests. If your body makes it, I’m sure I was tested for it. Nothing jumped out, but my doctor had been doing some reading of his own.
He suggested three supplements—250-500 mg of Magnesium Citrate, 25 mg of Zinc and 3-6 mg of Melatonin. He said to take this each day for a month and to come back if I still had trouble sleeping.
The result? I never had to go back. It only took me about three weeks, and I began to sleep well. It was like old times. I am still on the bio-identicals too.
I still struggle to get eight whole hours, but I get seven easily. Nine times out of ten it is my own fault for getting less than eight. I stay up late working, and then I get up early the next day because of work. I just need to cut back on work and relax more. After all, I am retired.
I once read that menopause will make you learn to be patient with your body. This is so true, but patience does not come easily to the women in my family. I am no exception.
Why I’m a Capitalist
This morning I made a statement. I said, “The whole damn country has lost its mind.” Chuck in reply said, “No, it’s more like it has lost its soul.” Here’s what caused us to feel this way, and how I know that I’m a capitalist.
It all began when I told him about some research I was doing and about a project that was done during the Great Depression in a South Florida city. It was a FERA project, where they hired people to interview the elderly in that community. They were asked if they remembered anything their parents told them about their family moving to the area. They picked their brains for any information they could glean. What I found were extremely good stories about how people migrated to south Florida during the mid to late 1800s.
Chuck said, “What is FERA”. I said, “You know, one of those projects where people are given jobs to put more money into the economy. Only back then they used their money to put people to work, while we just passed a stimulus bill and gave most of it away.” Then I added, “The whole damn country…” Well, you get the picture.
FERA was the Federal Emergency Relief Administration which President Herbert Hoover created in 1932. They gave loans to states to operate relief programs. Along with the Civilian Conservation Corps, it was the first relief operation under the New Deal. Florida is full of FERA projects, like the community center in Davenport, the seawall around Spring Bayou in Tarpon Springs, and one of the Education buildings still standing at Florida State University in Tallahassee. These were considered socialist handout programs back then even though people still had to work for the money. The people of the 1930s didn’t think these were capitalist programs.
Spring Bayou in Tarpon Springs, Florida
FERA’s main goal was to alleviate household unemployment by creating new unskilled jobs in local and state governments. This was more expensive than direct cash payments (called “the dole”), but it was psychologically beneficial to the unemployed at that time. The unemployed wanted and needed any sort of job for self-esteem issues. Men especially wanted to maintain the role as their families’ breadwinners, but women took jobs too.
Through FERA women learning to basket weave, providing a product they can sell to take care of their families.
By the time FERA closed in 1935, it provided work for over 20 million people and developed facilities on public lands all across the country. Over $3.1 B was given to states and local governments to run the program. In 1935 it was replaced with the WPA, the Works Progress Administration.
I’ve always felt that working was a good thing. It makes me feel good to be productive. I get satisfaction in what I do. I’ve been this way since my first job sweeping hair in a beauty salon at the age of 14. I made fifty cents an hour. Back then minimum wage wasn’t required for teenagers.
I wanted a beautiful red and black plaid wool skirt with matching vest made by Bobby Brooks. The skirt was a tad short, but with the vest one could wear it on the hips and pass the dress code. It was tough being a teenager in those days.
I asked my parents, and they told me that the outfit cost too much. I told them I wanted a job, and Mama got me one working at the place where she got her hair done. That was 1968. I worked three afternoons a week and a half day on Saturday.
By the end of my first week, I made enough to go have the skirt placed on lay-away. The outfit was sold in separates. I was just hoping no one came in and bought the vest before I could get it, too.
Feeling lucky and smart, almost two months later I paid for and took home the entire outfit. What a wonderful feeling! I had been bitten by the capitalist bug. Years later, while attending college, I worked in a dress shop and spent everything I made in that one store. Can you tell I love clothes?
Eventually, I learned to live within my means and spread around the good cheer. Thankfully, I also learned how to save.
It is too bad that people who love to work and who save for the future seem to be fewer in number today. It has been a good work life for my husband and me, and we’re retired now.
I wrote this almost five years ago, and I’m happy that our country seems to be turning this around. Under the new presidential administration, it seems that more people than ever are back at work. It seems that fewer people are waiting for a handout. This is indeed good news for America.
What was your first job and what was your first big buy? How do you feel about our current welfare system? Do you believe we are getting closer or farther away from our capitalist roots?