The Press-Dispatch
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The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, November 22, 2017 D-1 HOME LIFE TO ADVERTISE: Call: 812-354-8500 Email: ads@pressdispatch.net Visit: 820 E. Poplar Street, Petersburg Deadline: 5 p.m. on Monday Tech Solutions by Scott A. Hartley Thanksgiving thoughts and Black Friday 'bargains' Youth First Today by Alicia Slaton, Youth First, Inc. Celebrate the holidays with less stress THANKSGIVING THOUGHTS "There's one thing I should be … giving up now, and that's worryin' about life." Those lyrics from Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's first collaborative album resonated with me as I began writing this column. This week is Thanksgiving. The one day of the year we intentionally set aside to be grateful for all the bless- ings in our lives. It's a day when we should quit worryin' about life and fo- cus on the good. Here are just a few things I'm thank- ful for: • The opportunity to get up each morning, breathe in the fresh air, and work out at the gym • A loving, supportive family who is always there for me • Each of you, the readers of this column, I can serve by providing prac- tical advice and useful tips to help you better understand and use technology • My three dedicated staff mem- bers – Christian, Cai and Scott – who help make Calibre the company it is I could list dozens more. I bet you could too. What's on your list of thanks? I encourage you to take just 5 minutes today and write out some things you're grateful for. For that short period of time, I guarantee you'll stop "worryin' about life." BLACK FRIDAY "BARGAINS" If you're looking for a cheap lap- top this Black Friday, Best Buy is selling one for only $ 99.99. But before swiping your cred- it card to make that purchase, you might want to consider if you're okay with throwing your hard-earned mon- ey away. (How many hours do you have to work to make $100?) This steal-of-a-deal laptop can bare- ly be called a computer. It's hardware components are almost the lowest you can get. It's 2 gigabytes of memory is pain- fully inadequate to run the Windows 10 operating system. The 32 gigabytes of storage capac- ity leaves you unable to install future, required updates to the Windows 10 operating system. This means you'll be bombarded with constant pop-up warnings to install updates that you can't install because there's no room on the PC to do so. So after about six months of use, your $100 laptop is now a useless heap of plastic. Why do comput- er manufacturers and big box retail- ers sell these "bar- gain" PCs? To ap- peal to people who only look at price when buying them. I'd encourage you to skip the Black Friday "deals" on computers because most of them will cost you more in the long-run for repairs and updates in or- der to make them last. An investment in a good, quality computer may cost a little more up- front, but you'll spend less overall and you'll have a faster, easier-to-use, and more problem-free PC. Scott A. Hartley is the President/CEO of Calibre Computer Solutions in Prince- ton. For computer tips, information, and free software tools, check out our web- site at http://www.calibreforhome.com. NOW AT THE LOWER PRICE! 814 Niblack Blvd., Vincennes, IN 1-800-743-7004 www.bairdvincennes.com We have 1 on-lot 68ft home where you'll save A MINIMUM OF $6,000. Choose the home of your dreams It seems that before the new school supplies have been broken in and the Hal- loween costumes are put away for the next season, Thanksgiving and Christmas are upon us. The demands of the holidays can sometimes override the in- herent joy of the season, al- lowing stress to take over. Here are some tips to help reduce stress and make the upcoming holidays more en- joyable: Put first things first. In the words of Dr. Redford Williams, director of Behav- ioral Medicine Research Center at Duke Universi- ty, "The holidays are sup- posed to be about kindness and generosity, and people most often neglect extend- ing these courtesies to those who need them most – them- selves." Remember the airlines' admonition, "In the event of loss of cabin pressure, adults should put on their oxygen masks first, then put one on a child." As parents, this may sound counterintuitive, but let's face it, if you're not breathing you can't help any- one else. Healthy self-care allows us to handle those bumps in the road that are inevitable for us all. Set a realistic budget. The cost of food and gifts seems to have grown faster than Jack's proverbial bean- stalk. Decide how much you can spend and stick to it. Refrain from trying to buy the happiness of oth- ers, especially children. Those same children may try to convince you otherwise, but is that the message you want to instill in them? You may also want to consider a donation to the charity of your choice, your church, or a school. Large families may opt for a gift exchange. Just decide what works best for your family. Overspending during the holidays could result in a post-holiday financial cri- sis – not a stress-free way to start the New Year. Accept help. This is not a time to "out-Martha" Mar- tha Stewart. Remember, Martha has lots of help! The pursuit of perfection can put a damper on anyone's holiday. If Aunt Jane wants to contribute her famous horseradish-chocolate chip gelatin mold to Thanksgiv- ing dinner, accept gracious- ly. It may not be what you had planned, but it will make her feel appreciated and val- ued. Isn't that what we would all like? All family members can help with shopping and cleaning according to their age and abilities. Just say no. Avoid over-committing your time when you know you are over-scheduled. Not speak- ing up can cause you to feel resentful, overwhelmed, and out of sorts. You may think, "They should know how busy I am! " No one can discern our wishes or read our minds. And no one can participate in every project, no matter how worthy. Just choose what you can reason- ably accomplish. Give yourself a time- out. According to the Mayo Clinic, "Finding something that reduces stress by clear- ing your mind and slowing your breathing helps restore your inner calm." Fifteen minutes without the dis- tractions of family, friends, and electronic devices may be enough to refresh and al- low you to handle the next task at hand. Remain open to the joy of the season. The first snowfall, the innocence of a kindergarten Christmas pageant, the gathering of family and friends around the Thanksgiving table, or the sweet sounds of a church choir ... all of these and more are available to enjoy if we al- low it. In the words of those accidental philosophers, the Rolling Stones, "You can't al- ways get what you want, but if you try sometimes you find you get what you need." Peace and joy are gifts of the season, freely given. This column is contributed by Alice Munson, LSW, school social worker for Youth First, Inc., a local nonprofit dedi- cated to strengthening youth and families. Youth First provides 38 Master's level so- cial workers to 56 schools in seven southwestern Indiana counties. More than 60,000 youth and families per year are served by Youth First's school social work and after- school programs that prevent substance abuse, promote healthy behaviors, and maxi- mize student success. To learn more about Youth First, visit www.youthfirstinc.org or call 812-421-8336. THANKSGIVING LEFTOVER CASSEROLE By Monica Sinclair In my house, Thanksgiving leftovers don't last very long. We have them for almost every meal (yes, that includes breakfast), until they are gone. However, this year, I might try the recipe I found this week. It is a very creative way to use up those leftovers, making a whole new dish for those of you who are not leftovers fans (you know who you are)! Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Enjoy! INGREDIENTS 2-3 c. leftover turkey 1 1/2 c. cranberry sauce 3-4 c. leftover mashed potatoes 2 c. corn 1-2 c. turkey gravy 1/3 c. milk 4-5 c. leftover stuffing 1/4 - 1/3 c. chicken broth DIRECTIONS 1. Combine turkey and cranberry sauce and spread evenly on the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish. 2. Evenly press on leftover mashed potatoes and sprinkle corn over the top. 3. Mix together milk and leftover gravy and spread evenly over potatoes and corn. 4. Sprinkle on leftover stuffing and lightly drizzle chicken broth over the top (this will keep the stuffing from drying out). 5. Cover with tin foil and bake at 400 -degrees for approx. 35 -40 minutes or until heated through Source: favfamilyrecipes.com Share your favorite recipe! www.facebook.com/mealsinminutes Monica's Meals in Minutes PO Box 68, Petersburg, IN 47567 mealsinminutes@pressdispatch.net FACEBOOK MAIL EMAIL MEALS IN Monica's MINUTES