My career in the insurance industry has been very rewarding one and from it many lessons have been learned.  One is that we all need to address taking better care of this body we live in.  The last twenty years of my career has  been in the area of assisting employers to design and insure plans for their employees and their dependents.  This has exposed me to many of the problems that we face as a nation in providing a way to pay for the cost of medical.

From what has passed across my desk and surfaced in many conferences with clients as well as what data analysis reveals, points to life style as a major contributor to our dilemma.  This has resulted in employers instituting “Wellness Programs” in an effort to encourage and even reward employees to change their life style to better care for their body.  While this has proven to be a worthy approach and successful in many cases, it only touches a fraction of the population.

At the risk of appearing to many as a dreamer of an impossible dream I am embarking on a quest to make a difference one person at a time, then ten, then one hundred, then one thousand, then ten thousand, then one hundred thousand and finally one million.  This will require more effort than just myself.

Maybe you would like to consider joining me.  But there is more you need to think about before that is even a possibility.  First do you have a strong desire and motivation to change your life style, what you eat, exercise, etc. and a willingness to make suggestions to those you know to do the same.

It would be misleading on my part not to also include that one of the ways change comes about in health is proper nutrition, which is not always available in our daily food.  For over thirty years my daily diet has included food supplements produced and sold by Shaklee Corporation.  Right there you are likely saying “For goodness sake another network marketing opportunity pitch”.  Yes “but” with a bigger purpose than promise of big money, big houses, luxury vacations and all of the other hype.

Think about it, if we do not start somewhere to make a change in the way we care for these bodies we live in the cost of the older years will be unsustainable.  If you have any interest in making a difference just take a few minutes and send me an email bstrader29@gmail,com.

On a Mission

I have begun to make jewlery after a five week course of hands on instruction at “Dings” here in Winston Salem.  The bug has bitten me and I am having a blast. l like makeing pieces that use a pendant and the pendants are hard to come by.  My leaning is toward  more elegance and that requires a little more upscale piece for the pendant.

So off to Blowing Rock I went today and behold found three great pieces and really look forward to matching them up with some terrific beads.  Spent most of the day on the Blue Ridge Parkway getting some great photo’s.  There were herds of motor bikers which sort of take over and you have to move over or suffer the deafing noise of open mufflers.  For the life of me why do they have to run in packs?

Why Bestlifementor

I guess most people wonder why the user name like Bestlifementor.  Briefly my late wife and I had a Shaklee Distributorship and we used Bestlife as the name for that.  We helped a lot of people to gain a helthier life through the use of those dietary supplements.  When she passed over to the other side over two years ago I took on the handle of Bestlifementor because I really get great pleasure from helping others live a more full and rewarding life.  I still distribute and sell the Shaklee line of products, but it goes beyond that now.

Thought some out there might want to have a little history for whatever it is worth.

Evening

I have been sitting here on my deck from which I can see the street which is a main thoroughfare for a number of town houses like mine and a multitude of apartments.  It also faces west so I can watch the sun set through the trees.  It is a beautiful time of day.  It is quiet and peaceful and a glass of good wine rounds it out.

Life is good as my daughter said today even in the midst of all he rough journey this year.  I( must agree with her and I have sat here and reflected on that.  I am Roman Catholic and try very hard to attend church each Sunday.  The church starts Sunday on Saturday evening and so I went this evening.  I plan to be out of town tomorrow.  Well all of that to say the peace of that service came home with me.  It just causes me to see things differently, see and think about people differently.

Good News

Had coffee with my main woman (my daughter) who has been on a Safari for almost a year now looking for employment after being downsized.  She has two interviews scheduled, one for next week which looks so good and another to be determined here shortly.  She like so many  others who are on their own and raising children has kept her head high and outlook upbeat (though at times the beat was on the low end of the musical scale).  I just want to commend her and all who are seeking to get back on their feet. 

 

Say a little prayer for them all that doors will open, forclosures will cease and peace will reign in their lives.

Observing People

I had shut down the computer and was on the way to some zzzzz’s when the urge hit to post.  I have spent the past two days in a symposium conductied by a professional association that was jammed packed with speakers and vendors.  This was not the first one of these by a long shot, as I have been a part of this for quite a few years.  It just seemed a little more, what can I say, superficial.  The theme for the two days dealt with the issue of health care and insurance mostly from the perspective of the impact on the individuals who provide the coverage.

What seemed to grab my attention was the dialogue of speakers and panelists who seemed to say a lot but really did not say much.  My observance of the presenters in most every case centered on their attempt to present or deliver profound opinions and arguments that were generalities with little in the way of  definitive answers.  But the “strut” was on from the opening bell.  I do not want to come across as cynical or unappreciative of their efforts, but in these times of financial crisis it appears everyone is out to protect themselves and not solve the problems of the masses of people who have lost jobs, had their mortgage foreclosed. on unemployment, can’t get in front of a prospective employer and wonders what the hell am I going to do.  This is the time that all of us who are not faced with the above step up, pitch in and solve the problem not just talk about what should be done or cover our rear out of fear.

I’m tired, rambling and want to get the zzz’s.  So good night.

Soup Kitchen

For about 20 years now I have worked on the first Saturday of the month team at the Samaritan Ministry Soup Kitchen here in Winston Salem NC and never before have we seen so many people come through the door from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm.  When I started we might serve 100 guest’s at most.  Now it is often over 300 in that same period of time.  Not only the numbers, but the mix of ages is now much younger than in the days of old.  Times are hard for more young people with children.  I fear the so called congressional representatives of the people do not really understand the impact the financial mess created by a few has had on so many people.

It is not just food, but shelter as well.  We have a shelter for men that has 60 beds and we can put down 20 mats for sleeping.  We have been at capacity for weeks and not just due to weather.  People have been put on the street due to lack of employment. 

My purpose in this post is not to point a finger at anyone or lament a lack of concern, but only to say those of who not been hit so hard need to share some part of what we have to help those who have been hit hard.  I grew up in the depression of the 1930’s and know the fear and dread that comes from not knowing what tomorrow will or will not bring.  In time things will be better for those who are so harshly effected by this economic downturn, but in the meantime lets do what we can to lift some of the burden for them.

If you share any of my thoughts on this let me know and together we can do something other than stand by.

Tired of the Negatives

We are in bad trouble and the newly elected President is attempting to get us back on track, but what do you hear?  Everybody knows better what to do especially the GOP.  Let’s get together here and put our collective shoulder to the wheels and get this country righted.

Spur of The Moment

Yesterday at the office was a real bummer.  I made a decision that was in the best interest of the company and jerk in another department countered it to the embrassement of a bunch of people.  it was one of those things “what do you do”.  Well I just said I will see you Monday.

Then when I woke up this morning a quiet voice said go to Pinehurst and get the picture.  What that meant was before last Christmas I was in Pinehurst Village and stopped by a shop I have frequented for many years to pick up a small gift for my next door neighbor.  While in the shop I saw this wonderful watercolor sketch of Mother Teresa and she had signed it.  Several weeks ago I heard our Pastor Fr. Cook relate how he had worked with Mother in a home she ran in Washington D.C. and what it had meant to him.  So the little quiet voice was saying go and get the picture for him as he has been such a contributor to my journey in the Catholic faith.

Obedient as I am (ha!) I set out for Pinehurst this morning.  When I got to the shop the picture I saw was still there, but not for sale as it was a gift to the shop owner from Mother when he was her driver in Washington.  But he had another painting of her that sort of took your breath away.  This obviously was the picture I was supposed to get and Tom knocked off a sizeable chunk of the price.  Needless to say I bought it.

While there I thought it would be good to drive over to Southern Pines and see an old friend and business associate of mine.  Just as I pulled into the parking lot at his office he drove up.  We had a great visit, but the surprise to me was he had been talking a few days ago with some old accounts and wants me to work with him on them.  My point here is you sometimes get quick pay back on good thoughts after bad situations.

Brought the picture back home and went by the Parish and Fr. Cook was there, unusal as so often he is out on call.  Seeing his pleasure and gratitude took away all of the bad stuff that occured yesterday.  When I forge ahead life always gets better.

A CHANGE OF APPERANCE

Some how it just did not feel like me the old format.  So I changed.  That is the beauty of life,you can change if you so choose. 

My very best friend (my daughter) somehow instilled that in me.  What a friend, here I am almost at the 8th decade and my daughter turns out to be so awesome.  You know life cannot get any better than that.

You really need to go to her site Middelife and check her out.  What a photograhor and witty on top of of that.  I know this is gushy, but geez give me a break.  Look at “about me” and you will see why I feel this way.