Malia and Sasha Obama are in the White House (almost) and one of the places they will be making friends is in the kitchen. There will be no shortage of staff ready to serve up a hot coco and a fresh baked cookie. And, much to their delight, there won’t...
Let Your Home Work For You
Decreasing the time spent taking care of your home and increasing the time your home takes care of you. According to a survey conducted by the AARP, 89 percent of people older than 50 wish to remain at home, rather than move to other housing options. The question not being...
Living Large in the 70’s
See it in video: Living Large in the 70’s Ahh, the 70’s. Muhammad Ali, Mark Spitz, Vietnam, China and Watergate. What about Star Wars, disco, Atari and video cassettes? How about the New York City blackout, Son of Sam and Guardian Angels? A pretty amazing decade, but, I’m not talking...
Interior Design
Design isn’t just making things pretty or trendy, not anymore. Design includes neuroscience; maybe one could say it IS neuroscience. It’s your nervous system that matters now (it’s the planets nerves too). Our world has changed. The Smithsonian Institution has this list: The Ten Most Disturbing Scientific Discoveries, third on...
Kaitekisei
Kaitekisei roughly means comfort translated from Japanese to English. In more specific terms it describes a condition of spiritual and physical satisfaction, a very pleasant feeling. What comfort is to different people varies as much as the people themselves. What is clear is that comfort only comes after a certain...
I Owe You: I.O.U.S.A.
Topics: Blog, Universal Design
Warning: This blog entry has strong moral overtones. I just watched the documentary, I.O.U.S.A. It’s about our nation’s economy. What’s clear is that we don’t need a terrorist hiding in a cave or a rouge dictator to wipe out this great country, we’re doing a fine job by ourselves. The...
Geriatric Planning
I don’t really do something that we are all supposed to do: I don’t have a fire emergency plan for my home – not really. I live in an attached-house part of town and know my neighbors, as do my kids. There’s a lots of people just a few doors...
Geriatric II
With forethought and planning, you can recognize and then optimize the ability to enjoy life, reduce chances of hospitalization or institutionalization, and continue independent living. This might be for yourself or for someone you care for such as a parent, spouse or sibling. Consider this endeavor as meaningful as having...
Gadgetmania!
Ages ago, the only gadget was a pair of specs. When not used, they hung neatly from one’s neck. If I hung today’s gadgets from my neck, I’d soon be crippled. Gadgets start with the cell phone. Next would be the TV clicker. But given today’s level of remote controls,...
Hurricane Irene … EMERGENCY!
Hurricane Irene hit a sawth of country not normally accustomed to disaster on a large sacle. Furtunately it turned out a bit less worse that expected. But say, how did you do? While it is fresh in your mind, what did you prepare for well and what left you with...