October 2020
Mental Health Is Not Just One Part: It’s Everything
When I looked at the calendar this month and saw that Oct. 10 is World Mental Health Day, I thought it was perfect timing. Even if we’re on our way to a slow recovery, everyone is still trying to figure out how to work through the mess COVID-19 has left us in, and in that mess, it’s so important that we’re taking care of ourselves. Being aware of not just our physical health but also our mental health is crucial in times like these. That’s something I have to work on too. I had my own struggles with my mental well-being this year. I’d been a business owner back when the Great Recession hit in 2007–2008 and felt a bit helpless as I watched my business get turned upside down. When I saw how COVID-19 was shutting everything down, I kept thinking, “My god, here we go again. I can’t do this again.” The feeling I had this year was the same feeling I had nearly 12 years ago. I did what I could to help people stay in business, while worrying about staying in business myself. The pandemic was such an overarching thing that impacted everything and everybody. It’s overwhelming. But, eventually, we need to reach a point where we can stop, take a look at what’s directly in front of us, and ask ourselves, “What’s important here?” That allows us to prioritize things in our lives and take stress off ourselves. One of the most important things we can do right now is take care of our bodies, even if it’s just in some tiny way. Years ago, when I had a rough time (both mentally and physically), I went to see my doctor, who’s also a client and a good friend of mine. She looked me up and down and asked how I was sleeping, because good sleep usually fixes a lot of other problems. It turns out, she was right.
To do what we can to ensure our health is balanced, we need a lot of sleep, a lot of water, some form of exercise, and spiritual health. By sleeping 6–8 hours every night, staying hydrated throughout the day, and doing something to exercise, our bodies stay healthy and our mind remains sharp. As far as spiritual health goes, some people don’t put too much stock in it, but I believe it’s just as important as everything else. We’re kind of like a car; you have to change the oil, change the tires, make sure all the liquids are full, keep the engine running — it’s not just one thing that gets you to that healthy spot. I think someone can be mentally healthy without the other factors, but I wonder how long that will last. Everything needs to come together, and for me, it’s absolutely true. Last year, I lost 50 pounds, and I was over the moon about it. When I finally lost all that weight, my mental health improved tremendously — the confidence I gained alone was enough to keep me
happy for weeks. This year, it’s all come back, and on top of an already stress-induced year, it’s been rough. I was furious with myself, and being angry like that is never good for mental health. What’s helped me most to relax in these dark times is my humor. My humor is all over the place, and I believe you have to be on the up and up, staying as positive and light as you can even when things are hard. Focusing on the humorous side of things as much as possible helps me see the brighter side of life, and it may help other people too. And, in uncertain times, I feel like we all deserve a few good laughs.
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Halloween Laws Across the U.S. Halloween can be a mischievous holiday. The most innocent of us reserve it for backyard parties and trick-or-treating, but some like to get a little rowdier than others. That’s exactly why various city councils across the U.S. have passed some seemingly unusual laws to regulate spooky festivities. Rehoboth Beach, Delaware: No Sunday Trick-or-Treating If Halloween falls on a Sunday, children in Rehoboth Beach are required to trick-or-treat the night before. The explanation in the city code is simple, but ambiguous: to prevent children and their guardians from going door to door on Sunday evenings. Rehoboth Beach law also forbids children from roaming the streets on Halloween “with the intent to cause trouble,” but what exactly that means is ambiguous as well. Hollywood, California: No Silly String The Los Angeles City Council has banned Silly String and all other brands of aerosol string from use on Halloween in the Hollywood area. From midnight on Oct. 31 until noon on Nov. 1, no one is allowed to spray, sell, or distribute Silly String in public locations. Use of Silly String got so popular in the city on Halloween that the mess left behind became a strain on sanitation workers, and the city sympathized with them. Belleville, Illinois: No 8th Graders Trick-or-treating is most often viewed as an activity reserved for younger generations, but how do you determine what age is “too old” for this type of generally good-natured fun? Well, the city of Belleville settled the ambiguity by Spooky City Regulations
passing a law restricting teenagers who are past the eighth grade — generally older than 13 — from going door to door on Halloween. Walnut, California: No Masks Without Permits In a simpler time, there
was no paperwork required to celebrate Halloween to the fullest. But in the city of Walnut, no
one can wear a mask or other disguise on public streets without a permit from the sheriff. The law doesn’t specify any exceptions, so residents are left to assume that everyone from age 5 to 100 must abide. Whatever your Halloween celebrations might look like this year, it’s important to have fun, but remember to abide by any rules or laws your city might have in place in an effort to keep its citizens safe. Our Community Gardens Helping Mental Health and Our Communities
As I wrote on the cover, mental health is so important these days, and I wanted to extend that theme to this article, as well. For quite some time now, Shelby and I have volunteered at our community garden. It’s not only a lot of fun, but it also helps both our mental health and our community. The two of us have always been pretty excited about going over to the garden once or twice a week, but we got to a point this year where we couldn’t wait to get out there. It has truly helped us through the pandemic. We started growing back in February, so it gave us something to look forward to during some of these harder months. The garden also gave Shelby and me a chance to get out of the house, enjoy the sun for a while, and break away from the monotony of our usual day-to-day routines. We’d drive out the few miles to the garden to water everything, weed, and do whatever else was needed, and when we’d come back home, we’d feel refreshed.
whole. Shelby and I do have a chance to take some of what we grow home, but we don’t get to keep very much. In fact, we only keep about 20% of the produce, and sometimes even less if the harvesters come through and take everything first. Last year, Shelby and I ended up picking green tomatoes just to make sure we had a few for ourselves. But, even if we don’t get much, it’s still one of the best benefits of the community garden. The garden donates everything that is grown to the Metrocrest Food Pantry. Even if you think you’re not the best gardener in the world, there’s nothing to worry about. There are plenty of people out there who are willing to help you learn the ins and outs of gardening. If you’re worried about mental health or are eager to give back, both Shelby and I strongly recommend volunteering at a community garden, or at the very least, taking the idea into deep consideration. While the end of the year may be coming to a close, there’s always next year.
While the garden helped boost our spirits, our work as volunteers also benefited the community as a
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Don’t Wait Until the Year Is Over
As we enter into the last quarter of the year, staff at Tim Thompson want to urge you to look at your tax information before 2020 comes to a close. Normally, reviewing your taxes before the end of the year is something we recommend to everyone at this time of year. It can help you get organized and prepare for what your next tax season will be like and help you spot anything that might be wrong. However, because this year is so peculiar, this double-check is not only a precaution but also significant. Over the past few months, everyone has lived through difficult situations and, at some point, may have come to rely on financial support from the government. Whether that came from unemployment or the $1,200 Stimulus Check, it can impact your taxes in 2021. Because 2020 has been such a twisted year, it is now more important than ever to look at your taxes before the end of Dec. 31. It’s essential to set up a time to chat with Tim Thompson so we can get a feel for what might have changed in the past year and where you might be sitting for the next tax season. We’ll take into account anything that may have happened this year, such as the impact to those who took any IRA distributions.
SPOOKY STRAWBERRY GHOSTS
2020 has been full of uncertainty, surprises, and stress; we want to reduce that anxiety when it comes to your taxes. If you feel like you need to discuss your tax situation or have any questions, Tim Thompson is ready and willing to set up a time to chat with you. You can schedule that time by keying in this link into an online
• 16 oz white chocolate, chopped
• 24 strawberries
• 1 package mini dark chocolate chips
1. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the white chocolate at 50% power for 30 seconds. Remove it and stir, then repeat the process until melted. 2. Lay out a sheet of parchment paper. 3. One by one, dip the strawberries into the melted white chocolate and set them on the parchment. Allow the extra chocolate to pool to form a “tail” effect. 4. Before the chocolate coating fully cools, add three mini chocolate chips to each berry to form two eyes and a mouth. 5. Let chocolate set, then serve your spooky snacks!
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One Part of the Whole Inside
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Weird and Wacky Halloween Laws Time to Work on Your Green Thumb Look at Your Tax Information Now: Know What’s Ahead Spooky Strawberry Ghosts
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Tips for Buying New Outdoor Gear!
W hen was the last time you bought new ski pants or hiking boots? Now that you’re thinking about it, you might be realizing it’s been many years since you updated your most used athletic gear, which might explain why you’ve been colder than usual on the ski hill or why your feet ache after a short hike. If this sounds familiar, it might be time to consider investing in new gear. It can be very expensive, but you’re in luck — the holidays are just around the corner, which means so are the sales! Before you drop cash on new gear, sort through your current inventory and decide what to keep, sell, and toss. This might be hard and you may be tempted to skip it, but making these decisions can help you save money. If you have equipment or athletic wear that’s still in good condition but you no longer need, find a consignment shop where you can sell or trade it. After all, your gear might be perfect for someone else and still give you some money to get a great upgrade for yourself. As you sort through your gear, see if any equipment is damaged and requires repair or replacement. Test flashlights and headlamps to make sure they work and inspect gear that’s been stored and forgotten, like backpacks and tents, that you might not notice the wear and tear on while Tips for Buying New Outdoor Gear! FALL AND WINTER SPORTS ARE ON THE HORIZON
out in the wild. You don’t want
any equipment to malfunction when you’re in the middle of an excursion.
Now that you know what gear you want to replace, it is time for the fun part.
Decide what outdoor activities you want to do in the upcoming months and in the next year. Adjust your inventory to your new needs and research which brands have the best ratings and reviews. Then, find which retailers tend to have the best prices. Shopping smart takes a little bit of preparation, but it can save you hundreds of dollars and lots of stress during those busy holiday weeks. So, dig through your closet or garage, take note of your current gear, and prepare to find some awesome deals for the whole family on new gear for the coming year.
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