Age 70 and good news about naps.

QUOTE from Clara Barton, first president of the American Red Cross.

I MAY SOMETIMES BE WILLING TO TEACH FOR NOTHING, BUT IF PAID AT ALL, I SHALL NEVER DO A MAN'S WORK FOR LESS THAN A MAN'S PAY.


TODAY IN HISTORY: 1935: Aviator Amelia Earhart began an 18-hour trip from Honolulu to Oakland, Calif., that made her the first woman to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean.


I LEARNED today why naps are good for you - they give you energy. I never used to take an afternoon nap but as I got closer to age 70 I found myself heading to the recliner about 1:30 PM and dozing for a half hour or so. I used to think a nap was a waste of time but I have wisely rid my mind of that idea. According to The Family Health Quiz in Sunday's Parade Magazine naps are good for you. Researchers at the University of Surrey in England found that older people who have trouble sleeping at night are often reluctant to take naps because they worry it's a sign of laziness. In fact, the opposite is true: Participants who took the nap had the energy to lead more active lives than their siesta-resistant peers. (I agree with those findings - I find myself refreshed and do have more energy after the nap. I already knew this but it was comforting to see medical research confirm it.))

HUMOR for today: A man was telling his neighbor, "I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me $4,000, but it's state of the art. It'perfect."

"Really," answered the neighbor. "What kind is it?"

"Twelve thirty."