More Lifestyles category, Page 14
White elephant gift exchange parties popular with millennials
Millennials are revamping white elephant holiday parties. The tradition stems back to Southeast Asia when the white elephant — considered a sacred animal — was given by a high-ranking person as a gift to someone who displeased them. The gift was given almost as a punishment because the recipient would...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County: Dec. 15-17
From family fun nights to liquor sales, there’s something to do for everyone this weekend. ‘Home for the Holidays’ At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra will be performing its annual sing-along show,” Home for the Holidays,” at the Palace Theatre in Greensburg. The show will feature guest conductor...
Would your documents survive a disaster? What to protect and how to do it
Floods, fires, historic storms — severe weather events are on the rise. If your home was hit by high water or a wildfire, would your important papers be safe? “Unfortunately, I’ve had clients who’ve been victims of fires, flooding, hurricanes,” says Sev Tamayo, an agent with Goosehead Insurance in Palm...
Forget the surprise if you’re thinking of giving a pet as a holiday present
NEW YORK — Adriene Mishler was still grieving the loss of her beloved blue heeler mix when her boyfriend at the time surprised her with a Christmas puppy that was nearly identical. “I wasn’t quite ready to fall in love with another animal,” she said. “At the same time, looking...
Technology built the cashless society. Advances are helping the unhoused so they’re not left behind
WASHINGTON — John Littlejohn remembers the days when lots of people had a couple of dollars to spare to buy a copy of Street Sense, the local paper that covers issues related to the homeless and employs unhoused individuals as its vendors. Today, he’s finding fewer people are walking around...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County: Dec. 8-10
Chestnuts are roasting on the open fire, and Jack Frost is already starting to nip at noses. If that isn’t enough to get you in the holiday spirit, there are plenty of activities that will this weekend in Westmoreland County. Free improv workshop Leaders of StoryZ, a nonprofit theater and...
When is St. Nicholas Day? And how did this Christian saint inspire the Santa Claus legend?
NEW YORK — The white-bearded Christian saint whose acts of generosity inspired America’s secular Santa Claus figure is known worldwide — but Saint Nicholas’ origin story is not. The legends surrounding jolly old St. Nicholas — celebrated annually on Dec. 6 — go way beyond delivering candy and toys to...
Murrysville consumer advocate: Don’t get scammed during your holiday shopping
Last year, during the open enrollment period for Medicare, Mary Bach of Murrysville began receiving calls morning, noon and night about how she and her husband weren’t getting all of the benefits to which they were entitled. Bach, who is a nationally recognized consumer advocate and member of the AARP...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: Dec. 1-3
The holiday season is in full swing. Instead of bundling up by the fire, here are five things to get you out and about in Westmoreland this weekend. Holly Jolly Christmas From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, the annual Holly Jolly Christmas returns to downtown Latrobe. The event will...
New incentives could boost satisfaction with in-person work, but few employers are making changes
NEW YORK — Justin Ryan Horton has two jobs. When he’s not putting in 24-hour shifts as a firefighter, the 22-year-old is working as an administrative assistant for a local community college from his home in Colorado Springs. Firefighting is, of course, not a work-from-home kind of job. So when...
Jill Biden says White House decor designed for visitors to see holidays through child’s eyes
WASHINGTON — Ninety-eight Christmas trees, more than 142,000 twinkling lights and nearly 34,000 ornaments deck the halls of the White House in ways that Jill Biden hopes will inspire visitors to embrace their inner child and experience the “magic, wonder and joy” of the season. It’s her theme for the...
What’s Merriam-Webster’s word of the year for 2023? Hint: Be true to yourself
NEW YORK — In an age of deepfakes and post-truth, as artificial intelligence rose and Elon Musk turned Twitter into X, the Merriam-Webster word of the year for 2023 is “authentic.” Authentic cuisine. Authentic voice. Authentic self. Authenticity as artifice. Lookups for the word are routinely heavy on the dictionary...
Companies’ deceptive ‘dark patterns’ online cost you money — here’s how to fight back
See if any of this sounds familiar: ● You can’t find an easy way to cancel an unwanted subscription, so you let it continue for another month — telling yourself you’ll try again later. ● You feel rushed into an online purchase you regret, but there’s no option to undo...
Greensburg Y stresses wellness with new yoga, sound therapy, gym sessions
The Greensburg YMCA is offering residents a chance to counteract the stresses of the holiday season with a series of new yoga and sound therapy sessions. “Peace on Earth Sound and Yin Yoga” will be available in four, hourlong weekly sessions beginning at 7 p.m. Monday Sound therapy is effective...
Meme your way through the Thanksgiving meal
From vicious competition for the last can of pumpkin pie mix to the guy who starts blasting Christmas music as soon as the meal’s over, there’s never any lack of meme-worthy moments to Thanksgiving. While you’re waiting for the turkey to be carved, here’s a selection of wholesome holiday memes....
5 things to do this weekend in Westmoreland County: Nov. 17-19
The last of the season’s farmers markets, along with an unusual poultry bingo, are on tap for this weekend in Westmoreland County. Greensburg YMCA Family Fun Night The Greensburg YMCA is hosting its first in a series of monthly Family Fun Nights from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday in the...
Kennywood’s bumper cars get Potato Patch makeover
In an effort to be more appealing — or would this count as “a peeling”? — Kennywood is rebranding its bumper cars. Fresh for the 2024 season, the park’s Gran Prix attraction will see its 20 bumper cars re-themed with a nod to Kennywood’s iconic Potato Patch fries. Both the...
How researchers, farmers and brewers want to safeguard beer against climate change
MOUNT ANGEL, Ore. — On a bright day this fall, tractors crisscrossed Gayle Goschie’s farm about an hour outside Portland, Ore. Goschie is in the beer business — a fourth-generation hops farmer. Fall is the off-season, when the trellises are bare, but recently, her farming team has been adding winter...
Cabbage Patch Kids, NERF, baseball cards make Toy Hall of Fame
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Fans have pushed the Fisher-Price Corn Popper into the National Toy Hall of Fame, elevating it from perpetual finalist to 2023 inductee, alongside baseball cards, Cabbage Patch Kids and NERF foam toys, the hall announced Friday. But Barbie’s kind-of boyfriend, Ken? He was left out, despite having...
5 things to do in Westmoreland this weekend: Nov. 10-12
From a benefit concert by The Clarks to a candlelight tour of the Compass Inn, there are plenty of things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Laurel Region annual benefit concert At 7 p.m. Saturday, The Clarks will be taking the stage at...
Harrison program highlights the dangers and warning signs of teen dating violence
Teenage relationships are bound to bring angst, but they should never come with abuse. Still, 1 in 3 teens experiences emotional, verbal and physical abuse from a dating partner, according to the Hope Alliance, a Texas-based group that works to heal those affected by violence. A program by the Alle-Kiski...
5 things to do in Westmoreland this weekend: Oct. 27-29
The last hurrahs of the fall festival and Halloween seasons welcome visitors this weekend. Bushy Run Battlefield in Penn Township tries out a new programming approach to replace its traditional hayrides, and local vendors gather for the Irwin Farm Market. Bushy Run Duncan Campbell Haunting As a replacement for the...
5 things to do in Westmoreland this weekend: Oct. 20-22
Those craving spooky experiences, artistic endeavors or some home brew and fun will have plenty to do this weekend. Art after dark Westmoreland Art On Friday from 5 until 7 p.m., the Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg will be hosting Art after Dark. Partnered with Stage Right, the...
Study: Climbing 5 flights of stairs a day may reduce heart disease risk
Climbing five flights of stairs can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 20% according to a recent study published in Atherosclerosis Journal. The study collected data from more than 400,000 adult participants in the United Kingdom. “These findings highlight the potential advantages of stair climbing as a primary...
Amid a mental health crisis, toy industry takes on a new role: building resilience
NEW YORK — As more children emerge from the pandemic grappling with mental health issues, their parents are seeking ways for them to build emotional resilience. And toy companies are paying close attention. While still in its early phase, a growing number of toy marketers are embracing MESH — or...
