Healthy thoughts

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Indian Rock, Franklin MA

Could there be an Incredible Edible Franklin?

Pam Warhurst explains how they started:

We tried to answer this simple question: Can you find a unifying language that cuts across age and income and culture that will help people themselves find a new way of living, see spaces around them differently, think about the resources they use differently, interact differently? Can we find that language? And then, can we replicate those actions? And the answer would appear to be yes, and the language would appear to be food.

Food, ah yes. We all need to eat to live. This TED Talk describes how the community of Todmorden is working to change what they eat and how they eat. The Incredible Edible Todmorden is a story worth replicating.





We have the basics of this underway already in Franklin with the Community Garden. We just need to get more folks involved.

For more information on Todmorden, visit their webpage here
http://www.incredible-edible-todmorden.co.uk/

Reflections

The tree along the edge of the DelCarte Property in Franklin casts its reflection on the water.

Does the reflection mimic the root system?

Something to ponder. 

I had a good long run yesterday. Wanted to do at least 5.9 miles and ended up with 6.8. More the merrier especially as it was a sort of photo run. I did pause here and there to take a photo or two, like this one.

No running today, I only do that three days a week now. The schedule works for me. Running keeps me physically healthy. Writing keeps me mentally healthy. Work provides the where with all to allow this all to happen.

How do you approach your day?

Retrofit

Hmm, very interesting concept. Doing something like improving overall health does require dedication and positive reinforcement. Using current technology to assist with the data capture and incorporating that data into the program seems like a good combo.



The pricing may be reasonable given the results and the need to get fit.

There are additional videos with client stories. Much to explore on their website.

I feel comfortable with my health and approach as a life long runner, but maybe this would be a good fit for you or someone you know?



Thanks to my brother Bob for the tip to this service!

Nourish life

Michael Pollan talks about the price we pay for the cheap food we eat.

"Food is not just fuel. Food is about family, food is about community, food is about identity. And we nourish all those things when we eat well."    — Michael Pollan

According to the schedule for Nourish LIfe, it doesn't look this is being shown on WGBH
http://nourishlife.org/pbs.html

Disclosure Announcement

Keeping my promise to let you know when things change, I do have an announcement to make. I am honored to have been offered a role on the Board of Directors for the Franklin Food Pantry.

I have accepted this role and look to help the Food Pantry in a couple of ways. One, they have expanded the membership of the Board and are embarking on a strategic plan initiative. I believe my project management skills and my work creating a good customer experience can help in this effort. Two, I will work to help the Food Pantry in their communication efforts. Drawing upon the experiences I have had using and implementing social media tools, I will help to spread the word about the work of the Food Pantry.

What won’t change?
My priorities won’t change with this new role. My number one priority remains my focus on finding appropriate full-time employment. My second priority remains contributing to the well being of my immediate and extended family.

My third priority has been giving back to my community via the work I do for Franklin Matters. I see the Food Pantry time requirements fitting within the time I have available. The Food Pantry will allow me to explore what matters in Franklin in an important way. I see this as a natural extension of the outreach efforts I have already made through the Franklin Downtown Partnership and the United Regional Chamber of Commerce.

What may change?
The Food Pantry Board is currently scheduled to meet on the last Tuesday of the month. Depending upon how the calendar works out, this poses a potential conflict with the School Committee meetings. As a result of this conflict, I may be reporting on the second School Committee meeting more from the video archive than the in person/live reporting I have been able to do.



My disclosure statement can be found here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/p/why-franklin-matters.html

and here http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/04/disclosure-statement-updated-4809.html

Congressman McGovern on Healthcare Reform

On Monday October 26th, the United Regional Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring a Legislative Breakfast at Highland Country Club in Attleboro and we would like to invite you to join us. The keynote speaker will be Congressman James McGovern and the topic will be Healthcare Reform.

Registration begins at 7:30am and the program will begin at 8:15am.

The cost to attend is $20. 

Please RSVP by e-mail or call the North Attleboro office at 508-695-6011 

The napkin method of explaining health care reform

Best description of health care reform that I have seen. Now I have a better understanding what the discussion is all about.

Healthcare Napkins All

View more documents from Dan Roam.

thanks to the tip to this from Common Craft

HealthCamp Boston - Inside @polarwisdom

Inside @polarwisdom the topic of a really good, dense presentation. Dense because it was chock full of info, much to refer to and dig into later. Good insights on how this account/company is attempting to do business via twitter in the health space on a touchy topic as bipolar disorder.

Meet @polarwisdom

View more presentations from Jen Mccabe gorman.

Thanks to @jenmccabegorman for putting this together to share!

#hcbos #socpharm

World AIDS Day

Thanks to Christopher S Penn for the prompt via Twitter

Caring.com

My father has had some recent health issues. Yes, he is getting as much older each day as I am. Hard as that is to believe as it is to accept, we are as young as we will ever be. This has forced my siblings and I to face some issues with his health, his driving, and his medical coverage. I found Caring.com and a quick read shows it to be a good source of information. For example:

1. figure out if my parent has Alzheimer's
2. understand why driving is such a charged issue
3. keep my parents from getting scammed
4. sort through the Medicare maze
5. move my parent to assisted living or a nursing home
6. understand my parent's cancer prognosis

If your parent or parents of friends have similar needs, let them know about this site.

Health Care Options Reviewed

The historic deal between GM and the UAW on health benefits is the latest and loudest signal that health care will be the largest domestic issue facing the next President. That news, combined with Hillary Clinton's announcement of her plan and the Mayo Clinic's release of its proposal, starts to set the firm outlines of the coming debate.

It will be big and messy, taking us places we haven't imagined, but here's one probable - and surprising - consequence: Americans will increasingly realize that their own health depends on business's health.

Read the rest of the article here

Health care will be a defining issue for the presidential election, be informed.

Franklin School: Open circle addresses health and fitness?

Blogging the School Committee meeting:

Michele Kingsland-Smith, Director of Instructional Services is presenting to the School Committee at the regular meeting tonight. I think she just said that the open circle program in K-5 addresses health and fitness.

Excuse me... open circle addresses fitness and health... maybe by talking about it! You can't get much fitness by walking around the circle. Open circle will help social competency but not physical fitness.

Oh, she just re-stated herself and it made more sense. Franklin is "in compliance" with the state recommendations but is not in compliance with the Federal recommendations.

We have cut our health and physical education opportunities in half recently. Gee, I am not surprised. Can anyone say budget cuts!

Research reveals that health is more important than money. If we want a better learning environment for our students, we should start by improving their health.

It starts with a priority. It starts with an appropriate budget.

It starts with an understanding amongst the Franklin voters about what the school requirements are, what we provide today, and what we should provide.

Prayers asked for

News spreading amongst the poetry world that Sekou Sundiata is hospitalized. I had the great fortune of hearing Sekou read and speak a few times at the Dodge Poetry Festival during 2006.

Updated: Sekou passed away on July 18th.

My writing about (and pictures of) Sekou at the Dodge Poetry Festival 2006;

Poets on Poetry: Sekou Sundiata

Everlasting Life: Spoken Word as Jazz, Performance and Conversation
(Sekou and Kurtis Lamkin)

Main stage - Friday evening = Sekou Sundiata

Main stage - Saturday evening = How is the truth to be said?