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JUNE 2024
HEALTHY, WEALTHY,
& Wise
1 Denver Federal Center Building 45, Entrance E-9, Room 1050 Lakewood, CO 80225
MR. FIX-IT HOW MY FATHER TAUGHT ME THE ART OF REPAIR
My dad could have fixed anything from engines to lawn mowers. He was known for his knack to repair everything and I will forever remember him imparting the value of fixing something with my bare hands. As I reflect this Father’s Day on all the lessons he taught me, I see so many similarities between us. My dad wasn’t interested in hiring out projects. He felt great joy and pride in getting something to work or even improving something himself. He passed on his repair skills to me as he taught me to work on every kind of engine you could think of. I even learned how to remodel a home from him — including electricity, plumbing, and everything else in between. Nowadays, I find it rewarding to complete a project by hand. When I step away from work, I love doing projects around our home. It brings me much joy to feel that sense of accomplishment and see the transformation before my very eyes. Working with your hands like that is relaxing and makes you feel more connected to what’s around you. I can understand why my father loved this part of his life. In my neighborhood, I’m the person friends turn to when they need something fixed. It’s not uncommon for me to receive a call about a problem with a light socket or a lawn mower that won’t
start. I enjoy helping out and my repair-savvy, which I got from my dad, has been a valuable trait throughout my life. I have Dad to thank for being known as Mr. Fix-It. As a father, I hope to pass on my love of DIY repair to my children and show them how to work on some of the same things my dad showed me even though my 18-year-old son doesn’t have the same passion or love of the work as I do. But I still drag him along to help me with tasks. I love being a dad; it’s my favorite thing and brings me much joy. I love to be there for my kids, helping them and seeing them succeed. Just the other day, my 28-year-old called and we spent a whole hour on the phone. It’s those little moments that remind you that everything else comes second. My life revolves around being a father. I have so many proud memories of all my children and they’ve grown into successful adults. My two older children have already graduated college, and my high school senior is soon going to university. Not only have they done well academically, but they have also grown into wonderful people. They care deeply about others and have an incredible work ethic. Over the years, I’ve cheered them on at so many sporting events, graduations, and other significant life moments. I always tell them I’m just bursting with pride. As Father’s Day approaches, I’ve been reflecting on my dad and I see so much of him in me. His love of the outdoors carried over to me and still brings me peace and happiness. I have so many happy memories of fishing, camping, and being in nature with him. We were poor growing up, but Dad always managed to pay for the horses to ride out into the backcountry and just disappear for days.
I’m thankful to my father for many reasons, but above all, I’m so glad I can continue his legacy of being a caring parent and Mr. Fix-It.
Happy Father’s Day!
–Jeremy Rafferty
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We are aware that water drinkers consume fewer calories than nonwater drinkers, and the link between consuming sweetened beverages and obesity attests to this. Beverage brands may boast the supposedly remarkable attributes of their energy drink and mineral water brands, but none can beat the benefits of water — and there’s research to prove it. Water is necessary to keep our bodies functioning, and drinking enough is essential to live healthily and reach our full fitness potential. However, a new development shows that it is possible to unlock even more of water’s potential — by drinking it hot! ENHANCED WEIGHT LOSS While many know that drinking enough can make you feel full, it may actually do much more, depending on the temperature of the water and when you drink it. Research shows that drinking water can increase your metabolic rate and daily energy expenditure, which helps you burn calories and lose weight. If you want to lose weight, try drinking some hot water before your meal. Studies also show that drinking hot water 30–40 minutes before you eat can increase your metabolism by 40%, compared to just 30% from drinking room-temperature water! Additionally, researchers recommend drinking two liters of water, Revived and Revitalized The Wondrous Properties of Hot Water
heated to at least 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, to kickstart your energy expenditure throughout the day.
CLEANSE YOUR SYSTEM One of the first side effects of drinking hot water is increased body temperature, which can lead to sweating and natural detoxification. Additionally, drinking hot water aids in preventing constipation, bloating, and hemorrhoids and helps break down food faster than cold water.
If you want to lose weight or partake in some natural detoxification, it may be time to incorporate some hot water into your diet. It may be a hot take, but science suggests that ditching soft drinks for some heated H2O will benefit your health! GLOBALIZE YOUR RETIREMENT
What the TSP I Fund Overhaul Means for You
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO YOUR INVESTMENTS?
The Federal Employees Thrift Savings Plan is undergoing a seismic shift with the introduction of significant changes to its International I Fund this year. This cornerstone of retirement planning for federal employees is evolving to reflect the global economic landscape by offering participants unparalleled opportunities for diversified investment. With this adjustment to the I Fund’s benchmark index, TSP participants will have greater access to more markets. So, what exactly do you need to know about the revamped I Fund in 2024? Let’s dive in. WHAT IS CHANGING? The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board will change the I Fund’s benchmark index from the MSCI Europe, Australasia, and Far East Index to the MSCI All Country World Investable Market. The shift will diversify I Fund investments and give participants a wider variety of companies from which to choose. The current index,
for example, includes about 800 large and medium capitalization companies, and the new index will consist of more than 5,000 large, medium, and small companies. It will also add 23 emerging market countries. The latest index excludes investments in the U.S., China, and Hong Kong. The board expects this new index to provide higher returns without significantly increasing risk.
If you already have money invested in the I Fund, it will remain there unless you decide to change your investment. As the index changes, you will continue to have the same access to the I Fund. There should be no disruptions to services like reallocation requests, fund transfers, or changes to your elections. WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR THIS CHANGE? The board has yet to announce the exact completion date for the index change to prevent other investors from having an unfair trading advantage. However, the shift will be completed by the end of the year at the latest. TSP fund managers will still need time to sell stocks or buy others for the new index. As the FSP prepares for this significant transition, rest assured that access to the I Fund will continue seamlessly, ensuring stability for your retirement savings strategies.
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HERO HUSKY SAVES THE NEIGHBORHOOD
On Dec. 15, 2023, pet owner Chanell Bell of Philadelphia was taken aback when she noticed that Kobe, her 4-year-old miniature Alaskan husky, had dug a hole in her home’s front yard. This was a stark departure from Kobe’s usual behavior, which Bell initially dismissed as boredom and promptly refilled the hole. However, when Kobe began to dig again in the same spot, Chanell realized something was amiss.
fixing the issue, the company told Bell that if Kobe had not discovered the leak, the line would have posed significant health and safety concerns for the whole neighborhood. “They told me something as simple as a light switch turning on could’ve caused an explosion,” Bell told USA Today. After Bell shared Kobe’s story on social media, it caught the attention of PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who awarded the young husky the Heroic Dog Award. Inspired by Kobe’s efforts, Bell wrote a children’s book dedicated to him called “The Dog That Saved the Block Before Christmas.”
“We’ve been here at our home for a while now, and he never digs holes,” Bell told USA Today. “So, I knew something was up.”
She investigated further, reviewing footage from the family home’s security camera overlooking Kobe’s newfound digspot. Then, she witnessed Kobe sniff the air around the area before digging the hole in the same spot again. Thinking something Kobe smelled must have alarmed him, Bell phoned Philadelphia Gas Works, which sent a crew out to investigate. The engineers discovered that the gas lines beneath the Bell household were old, dilapidated, and beginning to leak. After
Train Your
BRAIN!
Baked Sweet Potato Fries These fries are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with nutrients!
INGREDIENTS
• 2 large sweet potatoes, cut into ½” wedges • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper • Salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Place sweet potato wedges in a large bowl and add olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat the wedges. 3. Arrange the sweet potato wedges on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. 4. Bake for 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy.
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Fixing Things and Building Bonds With My Dad PAGE 1 Hot Water Is Phenomenal for Your Health? Your Ultimate Guide to 2024’s Thrift Savings Plan Changes PAGE 2 How a Pet Husky Prevented Disaster Baked Sweet Potato Fries PAGE 3 The Appeal and Evolution of Scrabble PAGE 4
the game did not become the surefire hit he expected it to be. It wasn’t until fellow New Yorker James Brunot discovered the game that things changed for the better. Brunot offered to mass-produce the game and, in exchange, would provide Butts with a portion of the profits, which Butts happily agreed to. BRUNOT’S BARGAIN As soon as Brunot secured the rights to the game, he began making significant changes to it. These included redesigning the board, its color, players’ starting position, and the location of various score multiplier tiles. But his most important contribution was changing its name to Scrabble! The owner of Macy’s then discovered the game and offered to carry it in his stores. Brunot went from creating 12 copies of the game an hour when he first acquired the rights to 2,000 sets per week by 1952. By 1954, millions of copies were sold. Today, the game has been translated into over 20 languages and has sold over 100 million copies. People play the game worldwide, in tournaments and living rooms alike, and it has allowed millions to share in the joy initially envisioned by a down-on-his-luck architect in a time when hope was a distant prospect.
MY WORD! Exploring the Rich History of Scrabble
In 1931, the Great Depression — the worst economic crisis in American history — had thoroughly dampened the country’s spirit. Amidst the crisis, Alfred M. Butts, an out-of- work New York architect, decided to create a game to take his mind off the economy. Aspiring to develop a classic to join the ranks of other timeless card and board games, Butts came up with the idea for a board-and- tile game he non-committedly named “Criss Cross,” which we now know as Scrabble. THE ARCHITECT’S PLAN At its core, Scrabble was inspired by crossword puzzles and always featured
the iconic lettered tiles, each with separate quantities and point values. Butts determined the point values by surfing through his collection of local newspapers and counting how often each letter appeared. To prevent players from creating too many cheap plurals, he included only four “S” tiles in each box and assigned the letter a measly 1 point. Butts was eager to share his idea with the world, but the world was not as eager to receive it. He pitched the game to several publishers and retailers, but all rejected it. Butts had to retail it on a small scale, and
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