Hamilton Insurance Group - January 2020

Hamilton Insurance Group - January 2020

THE SILVER LINING To Your Life & Health

770-744-1855

O ne Y ear . F our C ontinents . N o I tinerary .

My Dream Travel Experience

In the weather app on my phone, I have the forecasts for four different cities: London, Tokyo, Cape Town, and Buenos Aires. I often use this app to check the weather in different cities before I visit them; that’s why I have the weather information for these four cities, on four different continents, right where I can see them. I might not be visiting them any time soon, but I can dream, can’t I? Jan. 13 is Make Your Dreams Come True Day, which got me thinking — if money were no object, what dream would I make a reality? It was surprisingly easy to come up with an answer: I would take my entire family on a yearlong sabbatical and just travel around the world. The farthest away from home I’ve ever been was Tijuana, Mexico. I’ve also been to Jamaica. I don’t want to just visit tropical locations to sit on a beach, though. A beach is a beach, but I want to experience different cultures, and I want my family to experience them with me! I’d want to spend three months each on four different continents: South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. I don’t want to just visit those cities I have on my weather app either — I want to see it all! In South America,

we really want to visit Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro, and Cartagena, Colombia. A woman I work with, who is from Colombia, recommended Cartagena to me; she told me that “Cartagena is for lovers,” and said that I should take my wife there. I don’t know what the kids would do while we’re there, but whatever. In Africa, I want to see the Sahara. I want to cross the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain into Morocco, visit the Pyramids of Giza, and just wander all the way down to Cape Town. Africa is such a huge continent, and I would just want to get lost! In Europe, I’d of course visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris. In London, I’d want to visit Lloyd’s of London, the inventors of insurance. They’re now one of the most diverse insurance providers in the world (I think Tina Turner’s legs are insured there, if you can believe that). In Asia, I’d have to stop in Tokyo. I’ve heard their fashion districts are a must-see. I’d also want to visit Hong Kong, the Korean Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea, and Phuket, Thailand. Even though I’m not a fan of beaches, my family loves going to the beach. So if I’m going, I at least want it to be somewhere interesting for my family as well. Done perfectly, I don’t know that there would be any sort of itinerary for any of the cities we visit. I picture

–Duane Hamilton 1 770-744-1855 again. That said, if you ever got an opportunity to take a year off from your normal day-to-day routine to travel the world, wouldn’t you do it? myself with my family, sitting at a restaurant in southern Spain or something, just picking the waiter’s or waitress’s brain on their favorite places in the city to hang out — and then visiting those places. If we’re going to be traveling for a year, I want to act like a local wherever we go and for our experiences to be relaxing and educational. Right now, this trip exists only in the musings and conversations that I’ve had with my family, but it really would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I don’t think I could do it forever though. I once read somewhere that an ambitious man has a schedule, and I know that eventually, I’d need the discipline and structure of work

first aid as well. While the pay isn’t incredible, the time you’ll spend sharing your passion for sports with young people is more than worth it. Give back as a personal care aide. If you’re looking for an opportunity to stay active and have a more direct impact on people’s lives, you can try being a personal care aide. Personal care aides help elderly and disabled people with everyday tasks, such as shopping, doing laundry, and bathing. Many people who require this assistance prefer older aides who can empathize with their struggles, so it’s a great job for recent retirees. Just because you’ve retired doesn’t mean you can no longer bring value to your community. With all the time you have on your hands, you could become one of your town’s most valuable assets.

names include St. Bernard’s lily, spider ivy, and ribbon plant. Aloe Vera These plants are best known for the healing properties of the gel-like substance within their thick leaves, but they also make terrific house plants. They don’t need a lot of water to survive, but make sure you put your aloe vera plant next to a big window because they need plenty of sunlight. Peace Lily These plants take a little bit more work to keep up, but the results are worth it. The peace lily’s vibrant green leaves and white petals will liven up the room — it’s no wonder many cultures believe having one will bring you good luck. These houseplants Pass along your knowledge as a teacher. Many community colleges and community centers offer part-time teaching opportunities for those who want to share their field of expertise with others. Many of these positions don’t require a teaching degree or certificate — just a wealth of knowledge from your years in the workforce. Alternatively, if you want to help younger students with their academics, you could also work as a tutor or a teacher’s assistant at a local school. Share your passion for sports as a coach. Coaching can be a satisfying way to spend your retirement and support younger athletes. However, there are a few things to keep in mind if you want to be a coach. You might need to pass a background check, and you’ll probably need to know

Whether you want to generate some extra income during your retirement or just keep yourself busy, getting a part-time job can be a great way to spend your golden years. But why settle for just any opportunity when you could stay mentally and physically active and give back to the community? If that sounds like your ideal way to spend retirement, here are a few options to consider.

All the Green for None of the Effort 3 Low-Maintenance Houseplants to Liven Up Your Home

You don’t have to be an expert gardener to keep your home lively with some houseplants. While some plants take a lot of maintenance to grow and care for, there are plenty of options that are aesthetically pleasing and easy to maintain. If you’re wanting to start a houseplant collection or add to the plants you already have, here are a few to look into. Spider Plant These plants are easily recognized by their long spindly leaves, which often grow to drape over the sides of their planter. They’re very easy to take care of because they only require a little bit of sunlight and only need to be watered every few days. They also do a fantastic job of getting the toxins out of the air in your home. Other

thrive in indirect sunlight with plenty of water. A peace lily’s soil should always be moist. You should also keep this plant out of reach of pets because its leaves are toxic for them to eat. Even though winter is still in full swing, with these plants, your home can be a beacon of the spring and summer months to come with hardly any effort on your part at all!

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G etting in on the T rivia C raze How to Win Your Next Trivia Competition

America’s obsession with trivia has only grown since Jeopardy first aired in 1964. Now, every pub, bar, and restaurant in town seems to host a weekly trivia night, and smartphone apps like Sporcle or HQ Trivia let trivia junkies get their fix on a daily basis. While it may seem like the only way to be good at trivia is to remember every fact you’ve ever heard and read the encyclopedia daily, there are actually ways you can improve your trivia game that don’t involve mind-numbing studying. Read Up on Things That Interest You Keep up on current events in the paper. Watch the news. Learn about the latest movies, TV shows, and music. While it might not all be interesting, you’ll no doubt run into some topics that engross you and stick in your memory. These

are the tidbits that will help you in your next trivia game. So, when you feel the urge to go down the rabbit hole learning all about the latest presidential election updates or a new band you’ve discovered, know what you learn might come in handy. Look for Patterns and Hints Trivia is only fun if it’s challenging, but the questions are never so hard that no one can get them. A lot of trivia competitions have themes, like ‘80s action movies or the TV show “The Office.” Other times, small sections of the competition will have categories, like famous Italian painters or ‘90s pop music, that narrow down your pool of possible answers to a question. Pay attention to these patterns and hints. Even if you haven’t seen the movie the question is about, you could still get the right answer.

Ultimately, the fun of trivia isn’t in whether or not you win; it’s in expanding your knowledge and honing your critical-thinking skills. But getting a gift card to your favorite restaurant when you win the competition isn’t a bad bonus either!

H ow to M ake Y our O wn S auerkraut

Inspired by NourishedKitchen.com

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs cabbage

• 4 tsp fine sea salt

EQUIPMENT

• Jar • Lid with airlock

• Something to weigh down cabbage, ideally made of a

nonreactive material like glass

DIRECTIONS

1. Remove outer leaves from cabbage. Slice very thinly. 2. In a large bowl, combine cabbage and salt. Let stand for 20 minutes. 3. Squeeze cabbage to release juices. Let the cabbage continue to soak and release juices for another 20 minutes. 4. Transfer to a jar and press down cabbage until completely submerged in its juices. Weigh down cabbage. 5. Seal jar with airlock. Let cabbage sit at room temperature and away from sunlight for one month. Once fermented, transfer to the fridge. Sauerkraut will keep for six months to one year. 3 770-744-1855

1170 Peachtree Street NE Suite 1200 Atlanta, GA 30309

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770-744-1855

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One Year. Four Continents. No Itinerary. Stay Active During Your Golden Years 3 Low-Maintenance Houseplants to Liven Up Your Home America’s Trivia Obsession How to Make Your Own Sauerkraut

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Enter 2020 With an Organized Computer

C trl , A lt , D elete Y our C lutter

Everyone relies on technology. Computers, laptops, tablets, and phones are staples of modern life. However, it’s easy for these devices to become cluttered with old photos, files, and general disorganization. Luckily, January is National Clean Up Your Computer Month and an excellent time to get your technology in order. Start by Dusting Over time, computer towers can become clogged with dust, which creates additional, unwanted heat within your computer. Regular cleanings will increase the lifespan of your computer and protect its essential components. Compressed air is great for removing most of the dust and other particulates. If the fans or filters are too dirty, you can remove them from the tower to clean them better. If you use water or liquid cleaning products on them, be sure they are

completely dry before placing them back into your computer. Organize Your Files Naming and arranging the files on your computer in such a way that they’re easy for you to find can end up saving you a lot of time. Declutter your workspace by creating one file for pictures, one for Word documents, one for spreadsheets, and one for programs to eliminate the hassle of frantically searching for the files you need. Back Up Your Computer Be sure to back up your computer before you start deleting things. This acts as a safety net in case you delete something you didn’t mean to. Additionally, consider installing a second hard drive. The extra space can help with storing important files without having to worry about how much room is left.

Clean Up Space Any files you’ll never use again should be deleted. Likewise, any programs you haven’t used in a while should be uninstalled. Check your hard drive for files that might be taking up unintended space on your computer. And remember to empty the recycling bin — it’s easy to forget just how much goes in there.

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