Changing addresses and emails

One of the biggest frustrations in this move to the Forum (other than trying to shelve 70 photo albums and hang 100 paintings) is trying to make address/email changes for organizations, magazines, etc. I've yet to find a form that includes that information slot. I first have to unsubcribe then resubscribe. However, since my old email is no longer active, I don't have a form to use nor do I have the original mailing material so I can include an account number or even the form of my name. There's a big fail here, and I don't think it's mine. Someone in the career field for subscriptions/memberships form design never thought that a member/subscriber would both move AND change the email/password.  Today I was notified of lunch with retired librarians.  My request (I was notified) can't be processed because the listserv (whose owner is deceased) doesn't recognize my new email.

 
One interesting quirk is I think it was one of my doctors' offices did notify the board of elections, something I didn't do. I'm now properly registered.  If I'm not mistaken (will research) my husband worked in the firm that designed/built the school (Winterset in Columbus) where we'll now be voting.

DesMoines school superintendent to be deported

The superintendent of DesMoines schools has been arrested to be deported. I know the Left will go crazy, but the charges against Ian Andre Roberts are considerable and he was actually ordered for deportation under Biden, not Trump. (a rare catch?)  Roberts has existing weapon possession charges from February 5, 2020. Roberts entered the United States in 1999 on a student visa and was given a final order of removal by an immigration judge in May of 2024. What happened to all the security checks schools should be doing? What agencies are schools using to do those background checks, and how many other criminal aliens are paying to have fake credentials and authorities are relying on them. 

This is not new. I recall that in the fall of 1955 a sex offender was hired by the school board of Mt. Morris, the little town where I went to school. I think it was one of the moms of a football player who got suspicious and blew the whistle. Unfortunately, in those days, these characters were just dismissed and moved on to another school, or church, or business.

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-arrests-criminal-alien-serving-des-moines-public-schools-superintendent-prior?

My elevator AP news feed

I know how much AP hates to announce anything positive about Trump, his economy, his tariffs, his supporters, his values, his patriotism or his family, so that's why I used the AP article. Our elevators at the Forum use a news feed from AP (left of center) and I just wait for it to switch to volleyball or pick up sticks tournaments. It's all in the verbs. https://apnews.com/article/economy-gdp-spending-trump-federal-reserve-rates-97346d37c4edaa00f519e45941f75264?

"An uptick in consumer spending helped the U.S. economy expand at a surprising 3.8% from April through June, the government reported in a dramatic upgrade of its previous estimate of second-quarter growth.

U.S. gross domestic product — the nation’s output of goods and services — rebounded in the spring from a 0.6% first-quarter drop caused by fallout from President Donald Trump’s trade wars, the Commerce Department said Thursday. The department had previously estimated second-quarter growth at 3.3%, and forecasters had expected a repeat of that figure."

PBS--who should judge information for children

This is why PBS does not have my support. They fear "right wing" but not "left wing" influence on education. To them, right wing is telling the truth about the universality of slavery, or using the words of the founders. I've watched hundreds of Prager U videos and usually have learned more in 5 minutes than hours/years in the classroom. But this article itself is narrow, one sided and just ridiculous. My opinion is just as valid as the "actors" in this script. Unlike the author of the article, I've actually watched them. Leftists rule our culture from education to entertainment to the judicial system, from sea to shining sea. Name the critics. I'm not alarmed if children see a Prager Video. Who are these "critics" and what is their political affiliation? What is the writer's standard? The 1619 project?  As far as not being a "real" university, would that be the ones rioting and not allowing Jewish students in the classrooms and libraries while screaming Free Palestine?

      https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-critics-are-alarmed-about-the-influence-of-pragerus-educational-videos

https://www.prageru.com/videos/dennis-pragers-reaction-to-charlie-kirks-memorial?

Charlie Kirk's last interview

On Saturday I watched the final interview of Charlie Kirk which I think was the assassination day at a conference for entrepreneurs. I guess I shouldn't be surprised since he started his non-profit while a teen-ager, but he also has started businesses and mentored others. I didn't know any of this although I'd heard him on a number of different conservative podcasts and seen some of his videos. This was a business audience, so there was nothing particularly evangelistic about it, however, even if I'd known nothing about him or his fame, I would have known from watching this or attending that conference there was something different about him and how he treated people. Watch: Charlie Kirk's last interview right before the fatal event was all about entrepreneurship, Gen-Z, and Elon Musk - US News | The Financial Express

Friday's All-In podcast also was devoted to him--it's a group of 4 venture capitalists--also featured his life and story. Remarkable man, Charlie Kirk. Jason Calacanis, the so-called liberal of All-In, was shocked and respectful, but I doubt he understood the enormity of what our nation has lost. The other three do. Charlie Kirk Murder, Assassination Culture in America, Jimmy Kimmel Suspended, Ellison Media Empire

The aftermath of the Kirk memorial

Don Lemon, formerly of CNN, wasn't happy with the over 100,000 who turned out to memorialize Charlie Kirk, according to a brief clip I saw. He's desperately afraid of the First Amendment. You know, the one that guarantees him the right to sleep in on Sunday and talk smack all he wants. I wonder if he noticed millions were attending church that same day, and no one seemed to show alarm at that.

Joe Biden closed down our churches and schools (technically it was governors) and most haven't recovered. Did Lemon complain? Nearly all churches have returned to in-person worship since the lockdowns ended in addition to their online services. Yet most churches still have not returned to their pre-pandemic attendance rates. Maybe we'll see an uptick, maybe not. But it wouldn't be a bad thing for people to return to regular church attendance. Interestingly, 23% of pastors of small churches (fewer than 50 in attendance pre-pandemic) report being up to 90%-100% of pre-pandemic attendance rates! This is much higher than for larger churches. (Lifeway Research)

Yesterday, I watched the Kirk memorial prelims and then 7 hours of the memorial itself. I'm feeling grief and sorrow for the likes of AOC, the Squad, the View, Jimmy Kimmel, Tim Walz, Kamala Harris and all the "leaders" elected or not of the Democrats. They know so little and have missed so much. In a nation of winners, they are losers. In a nation of abundance of good will and honorable people, they are poverty stricken, they are beggars with empty cups. It's so sad.

Why history matters

Interview with Doris Kearns Goodwin for Echoes Magazine, July and August 2025, p. 34.  "Lincoln was worried as the Revolutionary generation was dying off, and it was a very tumultuous time. It was in the 1830s when there were abolitionists being killed and lynchings being done in the South.  And Lincoln was afraid that when those people died, we would forget the ideals of the Revolution.  He recommended that mothers read history to their children, that pastors talk about it from their pulpits, that we had to teach history in the schools--the history of the Revolution--so those ideals would remain strong in our countrymen's minds and hearts." 

Sunday at Central at the Forum

Although it isn't Sunday, today at the Forum we enjoyed the musicians from the "Sunday at Central" Symphonic Group playing Bach. Fantastic flutist/flautist. Description: "Sunday @ Central’s mission is to expand the audience for classical music through imaginative and interdisciplinary programming, and to promote the appreciation and enjoyment of music in the Central Ohio area by funding and presenting the highest quality musical events. Sunday at Central is positioned as a top-caliber nonprofit classical music organization that strives to be accessible and inspirational to all arts appreciators in the Central Ohio area." 

If you hustle over to Broad Street Presbyterian tomorrow at 3 pm (September 21) you might see the same program. There is a YouTube site you can subscribe to. 

https://sundayatcentral.org/event/6164963/727092495/bach-brandenburg?

Sunday At Central - YouTube

Remember Roseanne Barr's firing--they even killed off her character!

 

AOC slimes Charlie Kirk

AOC says Charlie Kirk disenfranchised millions of Americans. I think she should be required to prove that she lies. Lying got Kimmel fired.

 
AOC slimed Kirk: “...His rhetoric and beliefs were ignorant, uneducated, and sought to disenfranchise millions of Americans, far from the 'working tirelessly to promote unity' asserted by the majority in this resolution.” AOC and other Kirk detractors love to call him "uneducated" because he didn't go to college. She did, and worked as a bartender.

How did Charlie Kirk keep millions of Americans from voting, or citizenship? He encouraged the highest values of citizenship--and that was definitely voting. Does AOC realize that Congress controls those laws? Not a preacher? What AOC means is that Charlie didn't suggest anyone vote for her. Perhaps she means Charlie said illegals shouldn't vote. But that wouldn't be disenfranchisement--that would simply be following the law.

Just to remind her. Before 1830 white men had to be property owners to vote. Black men got the franchise (to vote) in 1870. Democrats did all they could to stop that with Jim Crow local laws and the KKK terrorist groups. Women didn't get the franchise until 1920 and based on AOC's political acumen and support for a Communist for NYC mayor, that was perhaps a mistake.

Time to renew the DL?

Today I renewed my drivers license and changed my address and encountered a really nasty BMV employee. I almost cried. I almost told her she was nasty. I almost reminded her some day she would be old. I almost told her I'd call my daughter for back up. But, I didn't. Maybe she's a caregiver; maybe she's sick; or maybe she's a Democrat.

 
On a happier note, while I was waiting for my number to come up, I had a nice chat with a woman returning to the Philippines to build a home in her family compound. She's a US citizen so will need to return annually to keep her citizenship. We had a lovely chat.

On Golden Pond again

The movie at the Forum tonight was "On Golden Pond" (1981). I know I'd seen it several times in the last 44 years, but I'd forgotten most of it, especially the character Billy (Doug McKeon), the 13 year old who bonds with Norman (Henry Fonda) the emotionally distant father of Chelsea (Jane Fonda), the girlfriend of Billy's father. And goodness, I had no recall of Dabney Coleman, who I think has had some great comedic roles. Henry Fonda was really playing to type based on what I've read about his relationships with his own children--distant and remote. In real life he was married 5 times and not the loyal husband of the movie. He was actually 76 when he made this award winner, but now that I live with a lot of 80+ and 90+ year olds, I thought he was trying a bit hard to "act" 80 in the movie. It was well attended and I think we laughed and sighed in the right places.

Tonight I had dinner with a woman who moved in today, so we're becoming the experienced residents as I had the opportunity to give her some tips and introduce her to our table mates and the dining room manager.  But the main topic of conversation was her missing 19 year old cat, who has either gone into hiding or slipped out the door as the movers were arranging things.

In mid-afternoon four men performed on piano and brass with a lively sing-along and the theme of Oktoberfest music.  We have some really fine voices among the residents who thoroughly get into the singing of "Autumn Leaves," "Beer Barrel Polka," and Auf Widersehen," among others. The musical group played a lot of polkas, too.

I caught a cold on Thursday and Bob came down with it yesterday, so we've had most of our meals in the apartment and have enjoyed some quality time on the deck in the beautiful weather. Mine is clearing up as Bob's is settling in. 

Bye, bye Jimmy

So Jimmy Kimmel has been closed down. His numbers were appalling and even in a leftist industry like late night TV, the company answers to the investors. What's that saying? You dance with the one who brung ya. Now the Democrats discover the First Amendment. They shut down the country (except for powerful Democrats and people who could work by laptop), and allowed Twitter, Google, Instagram, etc. to control our speech, jobs, travel because private companies can do what the government can't--deny speech, assembly and religion. They so intimidated us that pastors closed churches and didn't stick up for us. Those who told the truth about life and sexuality were called hateful and totalitarian by politicians and government agencies. To this day Democrats named Pelosi, Harris, Clinton, Watters, Crockett, Pritzker, Walz and Omar call conservatives Nazis and fascists. Jazzy Crockett, a rich kid who went to private schools, all of a sudden speaks black English and acts like a pompous ass, yes m'am, that's free speech. That's free speech, and their reckless behavior gets people killed. However. When capitalists hire a skinny man to dress like a woman to sell beer, they get to lose their profits. When capitalists hire a one note political comedian who was nasty and not funny for years they were losing money for their non-coastal affiliates, they are allowed to say bye bye Jimmy.

The Nation magazine lied about Charlie Kirk

 JD Vance On Democrats & George Soros Paying Political Violence in America Full Speech #shownewtrend

The left continues to lie about the assassination and reputation of Charlie Kirk, and insult conservatives and put their lives in danger. There are not two sides to this issue because in this era, the violence is on the left. That is, Democrats, shame on you, for allowing these violent people to take control of your party.

Democrats are besmirching their reputation and history

 What the Left calls divisive, polarizing and hateful is saying that men can't be women and that no one needs to play the victim to be worthwhile. What the Left believes is hateful is proclaiming Jesus is Lord. There is no record of Kirk being a racist, saying racist things or being nasty to people. That's a myth passed along by the media or people who hate free speech they don't like. It's secondhand Trump hate.

https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/09/11/mainstream-liberal-media-covered-themselves-in-shame-after-kirks-assassination/?

It's not easy being the judge of the whole universe or the mind of God

I've just read an article by Brandon Ambrosino who doesn't like President Trump for a number of reasons, and hopes he doesn't get into heaven. Yet, his autobiography sounds like the most pompous, arrogant liberal Christian who has decided he can take on Jesus' job of judgment. He needs to look in the mirror.

"I’m a theological ethicist currently teaching at Villanova University. I am also an award-winning journalist and essayist whose work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including POLITICO, The Atlantic, The New York Times, Globe & Mail, BBC, Playboy, The Economist, Commonweal, and the Boston Globe. I am also a columnist for Christian Century. My first book — Is It God’s Will? Making Sense of Tragedy, Luck and Hope in a World Gone Wrong — will be published in September by Morehouse Academic."

I quickly glanced at a few interviews and learned he was raised Church of God Cleveland TN (Pentecostal), attended Liberty (Baptist) and is now a Catholic but married to a man. The Trump assassination attempt a year ago bothered him--in a sort of childlike way--like why did God save Trump and not the firefighter since he thinks Trump is bad. And this man teaches theology and ethics! I wonder if he's pondered why God allowed 100 million people to die from socialism/Communism in the 20th century and will he ever speak up about it, or will he just bash Trump?

Kirk means church

Charlie Kirk's message was the same words our pastor used in a letter to the congregation, "The way of Jesus is the saving alternative to the cycle of escalating violence in which everyone loses." The word KIRK means church. Charlie offered facts and evidence to answer the lies of his enemies who stalked and threatened him. He told them about Jesus. Unfortunately, there are people in many churches that hate President Trump so much, that they'll not hear the message of Kirk or anyone else who admired or worked for the President. In fact, without the filter of MSNBC or CNN or the liberal MSM they'd probably never heard Kirk speak on campus or at a conservative gathering. We supported his organization "Turning Point" primarily for Kirk's pro-life and pro-family views, including his outspoken facts about sexuality. We didn't listen to his podcast. We missed a lot. Some, including the New York Times are rushing to correct the lies they printed or said.

Words actually are violence, even with the guarantees of our First Amendment. "For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery," Mark 7:21. The week before Kirk was killed, there was the murder of the Ukrainian woman, the murder of a retired veterinary professor at Auburn walking her dog, and the murder of an elderly couple in Queens who were tortured, killed and set on fire. Maniac who killed elderly NYC couple inside their home makes chilling admission  And shortly before that children were murdered in a Catholic church during Mass. Three of the men were black with criminal records, and prior charges, released into the public to commit more crimes by liberal judges. Two of the men were white and had their minds twisted by leftist lies about sexuality, supported by the Democrat party. Christians should be speaking out about why half the nation votes for the people who allow this.

Happy Anniversary--65

 

  

Here we are at an afternoon concert at the Forum, Bill Cohen and his wife, musical story telling

Be Charlie. Make a difference

MSNBC has fired Matthew Dowd for being a hate-filled SOB for what he said about the assassination of Charlie Kirk. I've never watched him, never knew he existed to spew lies to the public. Did he ever listen to Charlie Kirk? Charlie believed in Jesus and preached it without apology. He believed that marriage was between one man and one woman and that one's sex cannot be medicated or surgically mutilated into changing to the other. He believed in American values and cared about the issues that affect young people--like abortion, economy, war. He challenged young people to think critically. When he talked to young adults he treated them with respect and with the truth. He believed in the first amendment--freedom of religion and freedom of speech. That first amendment is an anathema to Democrats and other leftists "serving" in Congress. As a teenager he had a dream that the future of conservatism was with the youth, And he changed the direction of our nation. It's why they hated him. Be Charlie. Make a difference.

Democrats in Congress couldn't even pray!

"When you cover everything in the world through the lens of Donald Trump, and Trump must not only always be wrong but the avatar of ultimate evil, outlets like the Times and CNN are forced forever to find opposing angles to anything he criticizes. A horrific murder can’t just be that, but an “accelerant for conservative arguments about the perceived failings of Democratic policies.” " Matt Taibbi. 

He wrote that about the murder of Iryna Zarutzka. But it applies even more so to the terrorist murder of Charlie Kirk, a man who joyfully preached and demonstrated our first amendment right to freedom of religion and speech. It drives the Left absolutely bonkers and around the bend senseless to have our form of democracy actually lived and demonstrated to others. They want us quiet. Dead quiet. Democrat/socialist/Communist quiet.

Charlie was very dangerous in the demented minds of the Leftist media, the Democrats, the agitators and uglies who won't even allow us to say, "all lives matter." He loved Jesus, his family, his country and American values of political, religious and economic freedom. For that the leftist media called him divisive on the day of his murder. Communists can't tolerate it--we should rejoice in what Charlies did in his short life. The Illinois governor, the California governor, the Squad, the candidate for mayor of New York, the Maxines and Hillarys and Nancys and millions of Americans who are slouching toward socialism are morally bankrupt. 

Mike Johnson said tonight that Democrats in Congress couldn't even agree to have a verbal prayer for Charlie--that how great their hate is for Trump.

My second trombone gone to auction

I knew what was happening, but it was still a shock to see my personal items on an auction site so we could move. I need to remind myself they are just things. It wasn't even my original trombone--that had been sold in 1967 when we moved from Champaign to Columbus. I think Bob surprised me with this one on my 50th birthday, which means I had it a lot longer than the one I played in high school band. Some lucky kid will get to use it for learning and practice before she moves up to a good one. I did try it a few years ago at in a summer class at Lakeside. I couldn't even play Twinkle twinkle little star, as I recall. Collecting My Thoughts: Trombone review I rechecked my blog and see that in January 2019 I made a New Year's resolution to play it and then crossed it off the list.

The yoga bandit

Did you hear about the Yoga Bandit? Just heard this on "Live with Kelly and Mark." A woman comes late to Yoga class, tells the desk clerk she'll come back at a later time, then steals from the belongings of other class members and doesn't return. All caught on video. The victim of the theft found this out when he reported the theft (including his phone) to the police. I recall a number of years ago this was happening at churches with late comers stealing from purses in the choir rooms at churches and a lot of choir members left their purses and coats when they went out to the sanctuary.

Google's loss my gain?

I don't check my blog stats too often because I write for myself, not others, but recently I'd noticed a huge increase in the hits on my blog. The last year or two they had dropped from 200-300 a day to 15-20. Oh well, I thought, blogging is just not a thing these days. Now they are back up around 200-250. Do you suppose the lawsuit that went against having Google be the default search engine had anything to do with it?
"In a ruling aimed at restoring competition in the search engine market, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta refrained from ordering Google to sell off Chrome, the world's most popular browser, but ordered the tech company to end exclusive deals that make Google the default search engine on phones and other devices." (Sept. 2, NPR)

Communism has never been successful

Communists like Zohran Mamdani of NY believe the basic Marxist lie: wealth is stolen from the poor and his supporters are victims. The Marxist lie of the last 50 years has moved from worker to race: white man bad. The shift allows for more victims, since the ethnic Europeans are vastly outnumbered. Making the victims intersectional, only adds to the millions they've conned. Although if you've noticed, Mamdani is white and wealthy. He had a huge elaborate wedding (don't know the sex) back in his home country of Uganda from which his parents had to flee so he could grow up a rich kid in the U.S. His lies and those of Bernie, Pelosi, AOC and others, only work on the ignorant and those who've forgotten the 100,000,000 killed in the 20th century by his Marxist lies. For all its faults, free market capitalism has liberated more people from poverty than any other system. The middle class in the U.S. isn't disappearing--they've moved up. "Between 1820 and 2015, extreme poverty plummeted from 90% to 10% globally in that span. This statistic is one of the greatest accomplishments of mankind and should be celebrated as such."

Another tenet of Communism in addition to victimhood, is destruction of the family. This is one they work hard on through social media, entertainment industry, school system. Loyalty must be to the government, not God.

Communists like Mamdani and his colleagues called Democrats, Socialists and Progressives lie, cheat, steal the wealth of others, maim and enslave, as seen with our border crises, for their own gain. Those of you old enough to remember Stalin, it's the same lie with some definition changes. Their attraction is to the uneducated and the over educated at our universities.

More changes--we've been transitioned!

Yesterday, all the residents of The Forum were "all shook up" when we discovered that our "corporate" had transitioned to new management. Five Star is the operating division of AlerisLife which is selling its assets, which includes 17 communities

"Diversified Healthcare Trust (Nasdaq: DHC)  [a real estate investment trust (REIT) that specializes in healthcare and life sciences properties] today (Sept. 3) announced that it has entered agreements with AlerisLife Inc. (“AlerisLife”) and seven different operators to transition the management of 116 of DHC’s senior living communities managed by Five Star Senior Living (“Five Star”), the operating division of AlerisLife. The transition of these management agreements will occur in tranches beginning in September and is expected to be completed by year end. AlerisLife is also selling all its assets, including its 17 owned communities, and expects to complete a full wind-down of its business and operations in the first half of 2026. In connection with the sale of AlerisLife’s assets and after repayment of debt and payment of estimated wind-down costs, DHC expects to receive estimated net proceeds of between $25 million to $40 million for its 34% interest in AlerisLife. DHC plans to use these net proceeds to reduce leverage and for other general business purposes, including reinvestment in its SHOP segment."

Even our own staff here didn't see this coming, and just a week ago we had a party for our new director! As new residents Bob and I and 2 other newbies were introduced to the community in a special reception at 4 p.m. yesterday, however it was sort of overshadowed by the news of our management arrangements.  I had seen articles going back to 2023 about AlerisLife and Five Star, but didn't see a final conclusion, We are being told there will be no changes, but the rumor mill is churning.

Cemetery monument at French Broad Church of the Brethren Tennessee

In sorting files, I found this in my genealogy file, source unknown, but the handwriting looks like my father's and I know he visited cemeteries in Tennessee while visiting relatives, but there is no signature on it. We also talked a lot about genealogy and family stories which makes sense of the final sentence.

"There is a monument in the cemetery at French Broad Church of the Brethren which reads (near Oak Grove, Tenn.) "French Broad Church of the Brethren

Charter Members              Side 1

Jacob Wine, Minister

Elizabeth Wine

Geo. W. Hepner

Martha Hepner

William Finck

Americus E. Finck

Thomas Finck

Sabrina Hepner

Maggie Satterfield

William Silvis

Betsy Forder

JNO. A. Collins

Mary A. B. Sloat

Mary Steadman

J. McClure

---------

Ministers Elder                    Side 2

Jacob Wine

Sterling W. Noe

JNO. A. Collins

Emanuel Newcomer Elder

JNO. Satterfield

W. R. Williford [our family name] Rev William R. Williford (1873-1938) - Find a Grave Memorial

Revel B. Pritchett Elder

                                                        Side 3

In memory of Alexander Mack 1679-1735 Founder of the Church of the Brethren (Dunkers) in Schwarzenau Province of Wittgenstein in Hesse-Cassel on River Eder, Holy Roman Empire 1708

"Dunkers were pioneers of religious education and Sunday School on this continent. Printed first religious magazine in North America and the first Bible in a European language in the new world, 1743, 1763, 1776.

Emigrated to America in 1719-1724-1729

Tennessee in 1783

Jefferson County in 1870"

Thought this might be of interest to you after our conversation the other evening."

NB: On Facebook I found the current name of the church, "Established in 1875, French Broad Community Church (formerly French Broad Church of the Brethren) is about continuing the work of Jesus. Peacefully. Simply. Together."

 

Group singing with YouTube

Today at The Forum I did something I hadn't done in a long time--2006--I sang with a group. Yes, apparently there are singalongs on YouTube and our activity director gathers a group and we do singalongs. It was quite a variety like Moon River and Yellow Rose of Texas and Take me home, Country Roads. So, I looked it up, because that's what I do, right? I found a 2025 review article on the cognitive benefits of singing.

"Results: Key benefits of singing include improvements in verbal fluency, executive function, and episodic memory. Structural changes such as increased white matter integrity and enhanced auditory–motor integration highlight the potential of singing to stimulate neuroplasticity. Among individuals with dementia, singing fosters episodic memory, mood enhancement, and social connection, while healthy older adults demonstrate improved verbal flexibility and cognitive resilience. However, methodological limitations, such as small sample sizes and cross-sectional designs, preclude definitive conclusions about long-term benefits. Conclusions: Future research should explore the specific neural mechanisms underlying these effects, with an emphasis on longitudinal studies and diverse populations. Tailored, inclusive singing programs could address individual cognitive and physical abilities while fostering sustained engagement and social connection. As a low-cost, scalable intervention, singing holds promise for addressing cognitive and emotional challenges associated with aging, offering an accessible avenue to support healthy aging and enhance quality of life across diverse populations." Brain Sci. 2025 Feb 21;15(3):227.

There is also a choir here as well as three different church services and a Bible study. So, I'll work on that white matter. Another article I looked at suggested that amateur musicians may benefit even more than professional musicians in lowering the brain age (pros have more stress). Well, I sure qualify in the amateur department.

Jon Martin, class of 1957, obituary

Jon Robert Martin, 86, a Marco Island, Florida resident since 1994, formerly of Roselle, Illinois, passed away Saturday, August 23, 2025, in Cape Coral, Florida. He was born July 27, 1939, in Rockford, Illinois to Vivian and Robert Martin, now deceased.

Jon was a member of the Wesley United Methodist Church, Marco Island, Florida. He was the former owner and president of Martin Funeral Home in Roselle, Illinois for over 29 years.

He is survived by his companion of 13 years Nadine Thornton; two beloved children, Kip Martin and his wife Gwen of Fort Myers, Florida and Mitzi Sanders and her husband Todd Biddison of Cape Coral, Florida; one brother, Roger Martin of Mt. Morris, Illinois; eight grandchildren, Brittani and huband Ben, Sydney, Elysia and husband Stephen, Clarissa and husband Austin, Alexis and husband Jaen, Cassandra, Blake and Samantha; three great grandchildren, Kasen, Briella and Braxton; as well as a niece, Shawn and a nephew, Chad.

In addition to his parents, Jon was preceded in death by his wife Dixie Martin in 2012.

Memorial visitation Saturday, September 13, 2025 from 11:00am until time of service 1:00pm at his former funeral home, now Countryside Funeral Home and Crematory 333 S. Roselle Rd. (1/2 mile south of Irving Park Rd.), Roselle, Illinois.