Playing music for Hospice Patients Using Youtube

There is a lot of research that using music with hospice and dementia patients accesses a part of their memory and brains which is very powerful.  I always ask patients what music they like to listen to and try to include that in the playlist that I bring to visit them.

Clearly this changes with each person you visit, and I do have a few that I play for almost everyone like "Amazing Grace" and "To My Old Brown Earth".  I also include Unitarian Universalist Hymns when I am visiting people from our denomination.

Here is how I manage my Favorites Folder in Youtube:

1) Login into Youtube

2) Search for an Artist or a Song you like and think the patient might like

3) When you find an arrangement of a song that you like click on the icon second from the rightunder the video screen with the horizontal lines and + sign:

This screen will appear and you can either add to a current play list of the last option is "+ Create New playlist":

Music and visiting hospice patients

Four years ago, during the Holiday season, the Hospice Volunteer Coordinator asked the Hospice choir I sang with to sing at their annual service to acknowledge all those in their community who has passed away during the year.  We were all honored to be invited to sing at this powerful and heart warming service.

The service was held in their function room, and attended by the Hospice Social Worker, the Chaplain and the Bereavement Coordinator.  There were about 20 hospice patients who had been wheeled in to the room.  Some of them were very alert and participatory while others seemed to be totally withdrawn and even asleep.

Since it was the holidays and near Hanukkah one of the staff had included a traditional Jewish prayer in the order of service, to honor her own traditions.  She started to say the prayer and one of the individuals in a wheel chair, who up until that time had been "asleep" sat upright and said the prayer along with the Staff member.

The choir all noticed this and many of us left with lumps in our throats and tears in our eyes recognizing the power of prayer, and the power of rote learning.

This moment in time shifted forever how I view the patients I visit.  I never again assumed that because someone looked as if they were asleep, that they were actually asleep.  I spoke to them as I held their hand, as if they could hear me.  Many times, they squeezed my hand even though they might not open their eyes.

Grove Collaborative - GOOD Customer Service

I complain a lot and blog about HORRIBLE customer service so I always like to balance it with a blog about GREAT customer service.

I clicked on a link in Facebook for Grove Collaborative and the deal seems too good to be true so I took their offer of some free things, trial period as a VIP customer and then would receive a recurring monthly order.  It is always a red flag to have a monthly recurring charge so my antenna were up.  They reassured me that I could cancel at any time.

For a few months when I got the reminders that an order would be on the way in a week, I went to the website and cancelled the things I did not want and shopped for a few things I did want.

After a few months, there was just not enough demand in our house for laundry detergent, or castile soap or pot scrubbers.  Don't get me wrong!  The quality of product they provided was excellent and and I actually have fallen in love with a few of their "cleaning" tools like this one.  We just don't need that much window washing liquid or anti-bacterial bathroom spray.  Now you know for sure that we are not keepers of a spic and pan house.  My attitude is that "It is just going to get dirty again".

I also like to be in control of shopping so having someone else tell me on a monthly schedule what I need rubbed me the wrong way.

Last week, the dish scrubber wasn't working right in that the dowel that attaches to the replaceable head seems to have broken off so the head rotates making it's usefulness diminish.  I read some reviews and this has happened to other customers, and they solved it by gluing it into the head.

I emailed their customer service 4 days ago.  3 days ago I got an email that they were very busy and would still get back to me (Sure they will the skeptic in me said).

2 days ago I got an email that they had credited my account $8.  WOW just WOW!

I know, I know, it will make me go back and use their website AND I want to use their website because they have a high quality product and are a fabulous company.

My other reasoning for not ordering from them is the whole Amazon effect that is causing local shops to go out of business.  If I can get the same laundry detergent from our City Market, why would I order from a distant company and waste all those resources in the shipping process and not support a local business.

So, I have $8 to use and will order from Grove Collaborative when I cannot find something locally and I will write posts like this when I find companies that offer STUPENDOUS, EXTRAORDINARY and GREAT customer service.

Planned Parenthood / Stopping to have the conversation

On my way back from yoga on Wednesday morning a woman stood outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in the block adjacent to our condo building, in a bright orange vest with the name tag "Volunteer Greeter".  I slowed down my stride and said "Thanks for being here."  She said back to me "Thanks for taking care of yourself and going to yoga."

Her response caused me to stop and have a conversation with her.  Instead of stopping to smell the roses I found myself stopping to have the conversation.  It might have been that the reading at yoga inspired me to Live in the Moment AND it was definitely that one of the value driven issues I put my energy is to make sure that women have choices about their bodies.  When I hear that someone might be defunding Planned Parenthood my inclination is to send them even more money.  I once told someone "abortion rights are one issue I would go to the mat for."

We talked for about 10 minutes about our experiences, about friends who had to have abortions before they were legal in the United States, about protesters outside this clinic, and we connected in a way that is how I define my theological development.  When I have conversations with people like this, that cause me to grow, and transform, and reaffirm my beliefs and values, then my spiritual development has happened.  It does not have to be inside a sanctuary or fellowship or church for this to happen.  It can happen outside a Planned Parenthood clinic.

I did not catch her name, but next Wednesday on my way back from yoga, if she is greeting people again, I will make sure to get her name and ask how to get on the list to volunteer.  I will stop and have the conversation.

Here is the Leonard Cohen quote my yoga teacher read on Wednesday and I apologize in advance if the swear word offends anyone (this is why I placed it at the bottom and not at the top):

Tired of so many catalogues? - Catalog Choice is what I have used for 10 years

This is my dashboard for Catalog Choice 😀💗🙏

I have blogged about this before AND I am still surprised at how many people are not aware of this website so here is my take on it.

Each year I challenge myself to become more green and energy conscious.  In 2007, I decided that the number of catalogues I was getting through the mail was outrageous and was a waste of resources.  I usually shop online and I don't need all of this colored paper.  Even today, when someone offers me print materials for something I say "No thanks, I will go look at it online."

In 2007,  I became aware of Catalog Choice and I started using it.  Immediately, or within a couple of months the number of catalogs decreased.  I keep a stack of catalogs next to my desk and periodically I go in and add them to my opt-out list.  I also check periodically to make sure the request to opt-out is honored.  A couple of companies are not on the Catalog Choice list, so if I have some free time, I actually call the company and ask to be taken off the mailing list and if I am in particular snarky mood I ask "How did you get my name?".

Just this morning I got a mailing from Whole Foods, and I don't want to keep receiving this, AND they are not on Catalog Choice so right after I push send on this blog post I am going to call them.

In the 10 years that I have been using Catalog Choice to opt-out I have only run into a half a dozen companies who are not on the list who I haver had to then call.

My two pet peeves for waste of resources are bottles of water and wasted print received through the mail.  I hope that my efforts on both of these fronts are having a positive result for our precious earth so that it is around for my grand children and in better shape than we received it.

How NOT to buy a LOTTO ticket

I have been following the story of Blue Paddle Bistro and their Dog Lotto ticket and the tickets go on sale today October 6th.  I actually have a TODO on my calendar to "Buy Lotto Ticket"

As I left at 8:30 to go buy a LOTTO ticket this morning, my dear husband asked "Do you know where to go buy one?"

With snark in my voice I said "Of course I do, Kerry's Kwik Stop down the street must sell them."

They are the closest to us so a 5 minute walk later and a scan of the store revealed that they DO NOT sell LOTTO tickets.

Googled "VT Lotto tickets" and found out that King Street Deli sells LOTTO.  Another 7 min walk later and a small wait in line.

"We do not have the new dog LOTTO ticket yet, but Hannafords sells a lot of tickets."

OK, now I need the car because I cannot walk miles to buy this damn ticket so 5 minutes later I am in the car.

Champlain Farms on Main Street MUST have the new tickets.  NOPE, they don't have them yet.

In rush hour traffic (rush hour for BTV) I drove 3 miles to Hannafords.  Waited in line again and asked the wonderful customer service person.

"Oh yes, in that machine over there, just make sure to only put what money you want in because it does not return change."

"How much are they?"

"2 dollars I think"

Good I have two 1-dollar bills, and after the machine rejected them a few times I was golden to buy a ticket

"Number 16" the wonderful customer service person said from behind her desk.

I pushed Number 16 and got a CAT LOTTO ticket not the Blue Paddle Dog LOTTO ticket I was trying to buy.  Everybody knows that I don't really like cats.  Stocking stuffer for a cat loving family member perhaps.  They have to sell out all the CAT tickets before the DOG ticket is in the machine.

How can you FAIL at buying the LOTTO  ticket you want 4 times in 30 minutes?

So, I won't be one of the first people to post a selfie of themselves with a Blue Paddle Dog LOTTO ticket, but now I have bought a LOTTO ticket which was not true before today.  A CAT one but nevertheless a LOTTO ticket.

Hiking Hadrian's Wall

Hiking Hadrian's Wall was not really on my bucket list, but some other friends proposed the idea and I went along with it.  I am not a big hiker and as I age and accumulate those nagging physical ailments I wondered if I would be able to complete the 5 days of hiking.

I bought hiking boots and did NOT break them in as everyone told me to.  I don't follow directions very well.  I wore them once, up the hill in Burlington VT but I don't think that counts as breaking them in.

Well, a few weeks after we completed our hiking I am here to say that I am thrilled to have taken on this challenge.  Part of my anxiety was not knowing what to expect from the hiking.  How hard would it be?  What does 13 miles of hiking feel like and look like?  Would my boots fit OR would I get blisters?  Would I hold up the group?  Would it rain for 5 days straight?  Would my waterproof be sufficient? yadda yadda yadda

OUCH, will I be able to stand and walk?

Each day was like a new book and it was like a slow wonderful novel that you cannot stop reading.  The views were amazing and the company was incredibly supportive. Even when my knee buckled and I did a somersault, coming down a pretty steep rock laden path, the other 7 hikers were there for me and attentive to my injury but not too attentive.  That day after my fall, I hiked 8 miles.  The knee was tight, but I kept going.  I got into a very zen like state and my mantra became "One foot in front of another"

I grew to love the turnstiles and cantilevered rock stairs.  I never got tired of whipping out my camera to take more pictures of the sheep.  The vistas were incredibly beautiful.  Each Bed and Breakfast we staying in was beautiful and perfect.  The best part of each day was taking off my muddy hiking boots and not discovering too many blisters.

My learning is that I will always have anxiety as I take on a new physical challenge but if I deprive myself of these opportunities I will miss the pictures of sheep and beautiful Roman Walls.  As I return to Vermont I am planning on pulling the hiking boots out and taking on some of the challenging hikes we have up here, but I think I will start with some easy ones and build up to more challenging ones.

I am so glad to check this trip off of my non-bucket list.