I have been subscribing to People magazine since the mid 1990s. Like clockwork, my People arrived in my mailbox every Friday and by Friday evening, after my babies were tucked in bed, I would read each section with great excitement, carefully studying each picture so that I was well enlightened with not only what was going on within the entertainment industry, but also within pop culture.
Even though I loved the movie reviews (now a more watered-down version), fashion sections and sexiest man alive reports, the crossword puzzle was always my favorite and I saved that for a quiet moment on Sundays.
I would happily share my People magazine with family members but only under the condition of the promise that they were, under no uncertain circumstances, to EVER attempt to fill in the crossword puzzle. Today, although my mothering responsibilities have drastically subsided, when it comes to my feelings about my People magazine, not much has changed …
If I know that I will be travelling or going away for a week or so, I will purposely not read my People magazine for a period of 2-3 weeks prior to the trip so that I have a nice collection of them to read on my flight or in the hotel room.
In particular, knowing that I have a stash of People’s tucked neatly in my plane carry bag means that I also have a stash of crossword puzzles to get through which makes me feel, to be completely transparent, happy!
Over the years, I realized that I may care less about entertainers and actors who look like they could be my children (or even grandchildren!), doing things that I would never in my wildest dreams ever do (like surfing in the scary Pacific Ocean) and using platforms of expression that feel like a foreign language to me (like podcast streams), but I still care deeply about the crossword puzzle. Despite my inclination to skim most of the articles presented in the magazine, I still look forward to the arrival of my People every week and make sure that I have a quiet moment to get through the crossword puzzle.
Over the years, I have also learned that I do not care if anyone judges me about my infinite love for People magazine. I do not, in any way shape or form, believe that reading something that makes you happy should be judged for its content IQ worthiness. Who cares!? I am a rather intelligent person but I do not need to flex my intelligence muscles by doing the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle, wherein I find that I can only solve one or two answers, which makes me feel “not smart” and, quite frankly, somewhat aggravated as if the puzzle is a task I must attempt to accomplish, rather than an enjoyable outlet I get to succeed at. As a “smart” psychologist, in terms of psychological well-being, the latter would be my unequivocal recommendation.
Renew! Renew!
Kathy Naumann, possessor of NATURALLY curly hair and the understanding that you can’t control everything!
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Tough start
for Centaurs
baseball team
While vaccinations may be on the increase, the pandemic isn’t over yet. The Woodstock Academy baseball team has found that out already.
The season hasn’t even started yet and Brian Murphy’s team has five players on the sidelines due to pandemic protocol.
“I told the kids that you make the sacrifice to play baseball,” Murphy said. “With that being said, I may be a (New York) Giants fan, but I’m going to take a page out of the (New England) Patriots playbook and say, ‘Next man up.’”
The Centaurs will be missing those five players through their opening game April 10..
“The first game will be a little bit of a challenge, especially defensively, but we have a good core of guys at the JV level who are coming up to help us. When we’re full strength, we’re going to do some damage,” said senior catcher-pitcher Jon Smith.
On the field, Murphy thinks it’s the deepest team he has had in his now five-year tenure with the Centaurs.
“I’m getting a lot of kids now that have played a lot of baseball, not just at the top of the lineup, but throughout,” Murphy said.
He doesn’t have home run hitters, but he has bats with pop. “We’re deep 1 through 9 and we have more contact hitters especially in the middle of the lineup on down,” Murphy said.
The pitching staff did take a hit early when both junior Brendan Hill and sophomore Carter Morissette went down with season-ending injuries.
Murphy still has eight to 10 athletes who can throw.
“I’m happy with what we have. We had 14 guys at pitchers and catchers (who started a week earlier than the rest of the team), all of us pitched. Two freshmen are great prospects who could come up if we need them for a couple of games. It’s the most arms we’ve had in a long time,” Smith said.
Smith, the team’s No. 1 catcher, will be one of those on the hill along with sophomore Kaden Murphy, senior Eddie Niejadik and juniors Zach Roethlein, Vincent Tocci, Jackson Goetz and Hamilton Barnes.
“It’s early so they will go 70-80 pitches and if I get four innings, maybe five out of them, I’m lucky,” Murphy said.
Murphy said he is also confident with the defense as many have come up through the system including ones he had worked with at a younger age and whom he taught to play multiple positions.
“I have a lot of interchangeable parts,” Murphy said.
It is a different year, not only due to the effects of the pandemic, but also due to the scheduling. The Centaurs will play large-school teams like Norwich Free Academy, but will not be in the same division with them in the ECC. The league decided to retain its regional scheduling for those sports in spring that can do so and baseball is one of them.
It means the Centaurs will be playing the likes of Putnam, Tourtellotte, Killingly and Plainfield.
“I set the bar high. We may not get there, but we may get close. Our goals don’t change; we want to win our division in the ECC, we want to win the ECC tournament and we want to win the state tournament. Just like with life, I want the kids to set their goals high and you may be surprised at just how close you can get,” Murphy said.
Schedule: Sat., Apr. 10: NFA, Away, 11 a.m.; Tues., Apr, 13: Tourt., Home, 4 p.m.; Sat., Apr. 17: Putnam, Away, 11; Mon., Apr. 19: Wtfd., Home, 4:15; Tues., Apr. 20: Wind., Home, 4; Sat., Apr. 24: St. Bernard (2), Away, 11; Tues., Apr. 27: Lyman, Home, 4; Sat., May 1: Gris. (2), Away, 10; Tues., May 4: Plfd., Home, 4; Sat., May 8: Kill. (2), Away, 11; Wed., May 12: Wheeler, Home, 4:15; Sat., May 15: Tourt., Away, 11; Tues., May 18: Putnam, Home, 4; Thurs., May 20: Ledy., Away, 4; Fri., May 21: Wind., Away, 11. (* 2 = doubleheader).
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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Stay the
course on
COVID-19
The Northeast District Department of Health sees good news in vaccination eligibility expanding but concerning news that positive COVID-19 cases are continuing to rise.
In short: You can’t return to “normal” activities yet.
After vaccination residents are urged to continue prevention strategies including: wearing masks, staying 6 feet apart and avoiding crowds.
For more info go to: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html.
Residents 16 and older are now eligible to get the vaccine. For information about scheduling, type your zip code into: https://portal.ct.gov/vaccine-portal/COVID-19-Vaccination-Scheduling-Options.
Homebound individuals may register on the state website for in-home vaccination at https://dphsubmissions.ct.gov/homebound.
Additional information regarding vaccination can be found at the CT Vaccine Portal or the NDDH vaccination webpage.
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Spring!
These crocus are sunning themselves in Woodstock. More photos on page 5. Linda Lemmon photo.
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