39 and Holding Club

Thursday, July 8, 2021

Happy UN-Birthday 39ers JULY 2021

July 39ers Set Sail for Holiday Sales!

Happy UN-Birthday JULY 39ers! We all may not want Christmas IN July (like the Hallmark Channel) but we can certainly shop in July FOR Christmas. Seriously. I know people doing that already. You may think they’ve been brainwashed, but there could be a method to their age-old madness.

It used to be only grandmas and the hyper-organized folks who shopped for the Holidays in summer, but this year, especially, it’s the smart shopper who gets the early Holiday worm. And if we 39ers have learned anything over the years, it’s how to shop! Open … open … open … (Who recalls that iconic Mervyn’s ad?)

Celebrating JULY 39ers ~ And More!
It’s all over the news how independent retail shops have suffered terribly through covid. Those that made it, still need our business, and there may be some great sales to be had ahead of the Holidays. What better time, too, to show our appreciation for small, local businesses than with July’s Independent Retailer Month?

Great way to start is with your local liquor and book stores! After shopping, drink in hand, settle down with a good paperback book, and enjoy …

July 10^th: Pineapple lovers unite … it’s Piña Colada Day! Like many great cocktails, its true origin is obscure and claimed by numerous. Most stories link it to Puerto Rico where it's their official drink, and agree on the basic recipe. The IBA’s is listed as white rum, coconut cream (or milk) and pineapple juice. However it came to us, cheers 39ers! I vote for the Piña Colada to be Summer's official drink, how about you? (Its tribute link is to an informative Wiki page, but this one is way more fun!)

July 30^th: It may be Paperback Book Day but since there is no official link for it, I must give kudos to Kensington Book Publishing for the most innovative way of linking it to Piña Colada Day! While none of the five titles featured include a Piña Colada, they all are murder mysteries with a whiff of alcohol … wine, Kentucky moonshine, beer … are spirited stars of the stories, with other cocktail chasers. Good job!
We authors have Penguin Publishing to thank since 1935, for the inception of mass-producing books in the popular softcover editions we’re all now so invested in. Grab your Piña Colada and Rock On!

For 39ers who Follow the Stars …
This month, the Zodiac regales us with two of the most sensitive and compassionate signs in the sky. Thank your lucky stars if a Cancer (June 21-July 22) or Leo (July 23-August 22) UN-birthday 39er, is in your life.
Your Cancerian friend may be slightly reclusive, but is likely the gentlest in your close circle. You point out that your crab pal can certainly be crabby, and that’s true. You also know, however, that their depth of caring for you is as profound as the ocean from where they originated. Be gentle when you ask them not to sink the ship of someone trying to get close to you. They respond best to quiet logic and sincerity.
Leo, on the other side of the July star coin, is also protective and loyal, in a more vocal way. One thing for sure, you’ll always know where you stand with them. They may roar to the extreme, at times, but always out of love. Allowing a cool-down moment can be effective and constructive for both of you. Mention a party and your leonine friend will purr-k right up!

July 39er gift idea: While many of us consider birthstones by month, some gemstone experts prefer their jewels by Zodiac sign. The deep-red ruby is perfect for your Cancer 39ers’ UN-birthday gift of passion, and the lucky Leo who receives a spiritual black onyx will delight in its mystery.

Aging with ATT-i-tude Platitude
Shopping becomes easier “at a certain age,” when you realize your opinion is the only one that matters. ~ L. Rochelle

Cheers to your Happy UN-Birthday JULY 39ers!
This one’s for you, kids – Gary (IM*), John (IM*), Yvonne, Ed, Nancy Louise (IM*), Marilyn, Pat, Joyce, and Susan. (*In Memorium)

Join the 39 & Holding Club!
Chat on Twitter: @39HoldingClub

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*Important Legal Message: Any data, links, or opinions in this site are for your information only and does not constitute legal or medical expertise of any kind. My expertise is writing and sensible reporting. Period. Please use all data, links, or my skewed opinions at your own risk.

Are you a 39er this month? Feel free to share your UN-birthday comments below (click on Comments or if it says No Comments, click that to be the first) and tell us how you really feel about your age and aging. Keep the stories coming!

LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by trade, and author by way of Rock & Roll. She has published two books (of three) in her Blast from Your Past series, available on Amazon (eBook and print): Book 1 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The First Five Years 1954-1959; and Book 2 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging Sixties. Coming soon … The Psychedelic Seventies!

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Monday, June 7, 2021

Happy UN-Birthday 39ers JUNE 2021

Summer Moments Make the Years Melt Away …

Congrats on another 39 and Holding UN-birthday! 39AHC has a new slogan. While we still stand by our tagline, Age is a Number … LIFE is ATT-i-tude! we have a new way to give every UN-birthday and its new year, special meaning: Don’t count the years … count the Moments.

And we stand ready to offer a month’s worth of interesting ways to create moments in peaceful solitude, or with family and friends. Let’s get this party started …

Celebrating JUNE 39ers ~ And More!
Along with National Rose Month—an excuse to buy yourself roses to plant or simply enjoy—and National Camping Month—backyard and beyond, we’re keeping it real with 39AHC’s June health* feature: Cataract Awareness Month.
I know, we don’t want to think about maturing beyond our glory days, but we should be at least a tad realistic and prepared. For most of us, it isn’t an if type of malady, it’s a when. A couple of months ago, my optometrist succinctly stated, “Your left eye cannot be helped by another prescription. It’s time for cataract surgery.” Sigh.
The good news, the procedure to remedy this common age-related malady has been quite perfected over the past couple of decades. Like my surgery yielded, 20/20 vision restored, is most common. Yay! Though there is no link for this special month, my fave health go-to expert, Mayo Clinic, can help us out with the basics about this very curable condition. Let’s “see” what else is on tap for JUNE 39ers …

June 15^th: Grab your camera 39ers and head outdoors for Nature Photography Day! As the folks at North American Nature Photography Association say, “Build vibrant memories by picking something close to home that you’ve never photographed before. Then make plans to photograph that subject or scene every June 15. Enjoy the pilgrimage!” Their site shares many ways to enjoy this day. As an ardent nature photography buff, my favorite
subject is the ocean, but flowers are a close second! Enjoy your UN-birthday with Mother Nature.

June 19th: The great thing about International Surfing Day is you don’t need to live by the sea to honor it! If you live inland, celebrate the day, in “style.” Don a Hawaiian shirt, a hula skirt, or find a vintage straw beach hat and top off the day with a perfect 39er UN-birthday party of classic Beach Boys surf tunes.♪ (Don’t forget the Mai Tais!)
For a more hands-on celebration, find a beach clean-up adventure to join, or any natural habitat in your area. We all have the responsibility to keep our land as clean as possible for the next generations. Get stoked, dude, surf’s up!

June 20^th: Patriotism flies! It’s “American Eagle Day … a special day to commemorate the anniversary of the bald eagle’s selection as our National Symbol and to celebrate its return to America’s skies.” The American Bald Eagle represents the core of our country with strength, beauty, and freedom.
And something I had not known before, according to Wiki, "The sexes are identical in plumage, but females are about 25 percent larger than males." (My italics.) Isn't that interesting? Especially in a world still catering to the male species, and in ornithology, where males are generally prettier and larger than females.
So women, stand tall and proud with the American Eagle, and all hail to 2021's patriotic summer season of the American Bald Eagle and the United States of America!

June 20^th: However, also this day, let’s not forget another National Treasure—dear ol’ DAD—it’s Father’s Day! Apparently, it was quite the quest to establishing an official Father’s Day. From conception to presidential signing spanned nearly 70 years! But it’s here to stay … enjoy the day and say it with humor … “Why do dads feel the need to tell such bad jokes? They just want to help you become a groan up.” Happy Father’s Day, Pop!

June 24^th: Speaking of eagles flying … what’s that soaring on the calendar? It’s World UFO Day! Although the official link is a brief intro on Wiki, there are more than a few UFO sites on the ‘Net catering to anyone even vaguely interested.
Annnnnd, you have your choice to celebrate June 24, 1947—when fly-guy Kenneth Arnold reported the arguably first unidentified flying object(s) in the U.S., AND/OR barely a week later (coincidence?) July 2^nd, which marks the date of the infamous 1947 “Roswell incident.” The U.S. government still refers to the popularly construed New Mexico alien craft crash landing, as a collapsed weather balloon.
This month however, brings heightened interest as the Pentagon* (under public pressure) “… is expected to release a report this month on UFO sightings, the result of a program designed to record and investigate sightings by the U.S. military.” (*L.A. Times, June 2, 2021.) But don’t get your hopes up or pull your tinfoil hat out of the closet just yet. The report is also not expected to yield a definitive yay or nay on the controversial sightings. Keep your eye on the news, ufologists!
♪ ... But that's not the reason that I came to land | I wanna get a job in a rock 'n roll band ...! ♪ *

For 39ers who Follow the Stars ...
Happy UN-Birthday 39ers! Taking us into June, we know Gemini (05/21-06/20) minds move like the wind, both an asset and a detriment. At times, you tend to get all wound up in an inner tornado. Take a deep breath, think calm, and work it out. You’re a mastermind when you focus. Is your UN-birthday party in the works? When it comes to festive fetes, no one tops your creativity and attention to details. Kindhearted Cancerians (06/21-07/22) step into the spotlight for the last half of the month, ready to smooth their Gemini friends’ ruffled feathers. More lover than fighter, they’re supportive and nurturing, but can be a tad crusty on the surface. Don’t admonish, forgiveness and attention work wonders with your Cancer buds. Intuitive to your needs, their loyalty and love make up for a gruff comment or two, just in time to party!

Aging with ATT-i-tude Platitude
You’ll stagnate if you’re only counting the years. It’s the moments and memories that truly count. ~ L. Rochelle

*"Purple People Eater," 1958 one-hit wonder by Sheb Wooley.

Cheers to your Happy UN-Birthday MAY 39ers
This one’s for you, kids – Sally, Christine, and Melanie!