Retirement Planning Strategies - August 2020

Retirement Planning Strategies - August 2020

Give us a call! 303-922-4304 www.AnnVanderslice.com Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. M–F

AUGUST 2020

HEALTHY, WEALTHY,

&Wise

1 Denver Federal Center Building 45, Entrance E-9, Room 1050 Lakewood, CO 80225

OUR UNSUNG HEROES Rewarding Those Who Aren’t in It for the Reward

Before I started my work as a retirement advisor, I worked in corporate America for 20 years. I was an executive assistant to the CEOs of three large companies, and after a few years, I began to notice a trend in each of these workplaces: there always seemed to be someone in every department who people knew could get things done. Even if it wasn’t that person’s job, people sought them out because they could count on them. What’s more was, these people never expected anything in return for going out of their own way. They were the kind of people you can’t help but remember and be impacted by. So 20 years ago, when I started my own business, I kept an eye out for those people. That’s how the Unsung Heroes Award came to be. We created the Unsung Heroes Award as a way to recognize those female federal employees who go above and beyond in their work. It started as a regional award in Colorado and has grown to include four different awards given to four different recipients across the country. We call it Unsung Heroes because we recognize that when it comes to government work, it can be easy for people to become lost in the shuffle and confines of bureaucracy. But as in nearly

inspires those around them to often take a harder look at themselves.

When one of this year’s recipients found out she won, she immediately emailed us to say, “The fact that someone somewhere took the time to write us [other regional winners] up and push our nomination forward is one golden act of generosity.” She went out of her way to thank those people who decided to recognize and honor her. It’s that kind of humility and spirit of generosity we could all learn to infuse into our lives just a little bit more. The women who receive the Unsung Heroes Award don’t receive it because they’ve been striving to receive it. They don’t win it for doing what they do; they win it for being who they are, through and through, day after day. We know there are so many incredible female federal employees out there who are deserving of recognition, and this award is only a small fraction of what we could give. But we do this because we believe in providing a reminder to think about how you can be more of who you are and how that can have a positive, lasting impact on those around you. –Ann Vanderslice

every other industry, there are always those who go above and beyond for the work they do, and this award intends to recognize and honor that. I believe in the seemingly universal truth that there will always be someone you can rely on to know how to solve a problem — that one person who knows where to find answers, assuming they don’t already know it themselves. Sure, there’s a branch of these people who harbor power and only divvy it up in ways that benefit them, but there are others, like the Unsung Heroes, who share knowledge and compassion with no expectation of earning anything in return. It’s that attitude, coupled with the true dedication to the work they perform, that

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Learning to Hear the Music When you find that one person you click with, it’s that much easier to click your way through life together. Martin and Betty Chavira have lived and worked in Denver since 1980, spending much of their careers as engineers inside the Denver Federal Center. But before that, they were just two kids who met by chance.

MARTIN AND BETTY STRIKE A CHORD WITH RETIREMENT

“It was 1969, and social consciousness was seeping into people,” Martin remembers. “We were both hippies who had just dropped out of college, and it was random fortune that brought us together.” After a happenstance meeting outside a library in Wenatchee, Martin and Betty have walked through life together in near tandem. “We worked for the Bureau of Reclamation for a long time before walking out of that building together on the same day 10 years ago and retiring,” Betty says. “We enjoyed our work, but had no regrets heading into retirement. We were ready to live life.” And so they did. “We traveled a lot at first,” Betty says. “We went on cruises to the Mediterranean, Alaska, and Hawaii, visited Italy and Greece, and explored hidden corners of many states.”

explore new instruments. “We’ve been taking lessons for years now because we finally have the time!” Betty says. “Martin plays guitar, electric bass, and mandolin. I’ve tried out a variety of instruments and love singing lessons and music theory, too.” On one trip to Hawaii, Betty purchased a ukulele, setting off a lifelong love for the instrument. Denver has its very own Rocky Mountain Ukulele Orchestra, and it’s everything you picture it to be. “We’re an orchestra of 80 ukulele players who put on three concerts a year, and they sell out every time,” Betty says. “It’s really a lot of fun.”

Coronavirus has postponed concerts and classroom gatherings for music lessons, but that hasn’t stopped the Chaviras. “Swallow Hill Music has been incredible with their online classes, so we haven’t missed a beat,” Martin says. “In fact, I’d say we’re playing our instruments more than ever!” Martin used to joke that his retirement plan was to sit on the couch, drink beer, and watch “Gilligan’s Island” for the rest of his life. To Betty’s relief, that hasn’t been even close to

But the real passion that has blossomed in retirement is music. “I’ve always loved music and playing guitar,” Martin says. “That love never went away, but for decades we were just too busy to play. Then Swallow Hill Music changed things for us.” Swallow Hill is a concert hall, school, and community in Denver for music lovers of every kind. They helped Martin and Betty tap into their love of music and

the case. “At first, we were worried we’d miss the camaraderie of our jobs,” Betty admits. “But we’ve discovered there’s a whole world out there, and we’ve met so many wonderful people. We have this whole new musical tribe that we love.” Making the most out of retirement comes in many shapes and forms, but it’s always about turning it into something you love and doing so with people you love. It seems that Martin and Betty have been doing that their entire lives.

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All About Collagen

THE PROTEIN THAT HOLDS US TOGETHER

1 collagen gives structure to our tendons, bones, connective tissues, and skin. When we’re younger, our bodies produce enough collagen to keep our skin tight and strong. However, as we age, our bodies naturally produce less collagen, which contributes to thinner skin and wrinkles. Fortunately, there are certain foods and nutrients you can consume to boost your collagen production and keep your skin smoother and stronger for longer. Collagen begins in the body as procollagen, which is created when two amino acids, glycine and proline, combine. Vitamin C aids this process, so any foods with high concentrations of these nutrients help your body produce more collagen. Egg whites are a great source of proline, along with foods like asparagus, cabbage, and dairy products. Additionally, pork skin, chicken skin, and gelatin all have high levels of glycine. If you want to get your vitamin C levels up, citrus fruits, bell peppers, and strawberries are tasty choices. Watch out for foods and habits that can damage your collagen production, like eating lots of refined sugar, exposing your skin to too much sunshine, and smoking. By adopting habits and diets that enhance collagen production, you can keep yourself looking younger and feeling better, even as you get older.

Even if you have heard of collagen, chances are you don’t know much about what it does for the human body. Collagen makes up a third of the body’s proteins. In some ways, it is the glue that holds our bodies together (the first part of “collagen” comes from the Greek word “ kolla ,” meaning “glue”). Getting your body to produce more collagen can have amazing health benefits, particularly for those who are aging and noticing more wrinkles.

There are around 16 types of collagen proteins in the body, but type 1 collagen makes up roughly 90% of a person’s collagen count. Type

BRAIN! Train Your

Peach and Arugula Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS

Inspired by AmbitiousKitchen.com

• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese • 2 large fresh peaches, diced or sliced • 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced • 1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved • 1 cup corn • 6 cups arugula, packed

• 8 oz penne or fusilli pasta • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

• 1/2 tsp sea salt • Pepper, to taste • 2 tbsp lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta for approximately 9 minutes or until al dente. Drain pasta and place in a separate bowl. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Drizzle the dressing over the pasta and toss with the feta cheese. 3. Add peaches, red onions, tomatoes, corn, and arugula to the pasta mixture. Lightly toss to mix well. Add more olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

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issue INSIDE THIS

Why We Created Our Annual Unsung Heroes Award PAGE 1

Retirement Is Music to Martin and Betty’s Ears PAGE 2

The Protein That Holds Us Together PAGE 3

The Story of Zen Buddhist Chef Jeong Kwan PAGE 4

FOOD FOR THOUGHT The Incredible Story of Zen Buddhist Chef Jeong Kwan

Why May Is the Best Month to Start Ripert invited Kwan to New York City to prepare food in a private room at Le Bernardin, where she sent global shockwaves through the entire fine cuisine community. New York Times writer Jeff The West’s perception of Korean temple cuisine was challenged shortly after Eric Ripert visited Kwan’s monastery and experienced her cooking during a trip to Korea. One of the world’s greatest chefs can’t be found in a restaurant. Instead, she serves fellow nuns and occasional visitors in a Zen Buddhist monastery in Korea. To fully describe the incredible success of Jeong Kwan, you must first consider a factor that Western cuisine has ignored for millennia. While most people would assume Korean food is all about its famed barbecue, another pillar of the culture goes largely unacknowledged: Korean temple cuisine, which originated in the country’s Buddhist monasteries. A philosophy of Zen Buddhism is to not crave food and satisfy yourself only enough to be prepared for meditation, so you might think that flavor would be of little consequence in a monastery’s kitchen. However, you’d be wrong.

Gordinier described her plates as “so elegant, they could’ve slipped into a tasting menu at Benu or Blanca” and her flavors as “assertive,” all while being vegan. More and more critics realized that Kwan’s combination of foraging, fermenting, dehydrating, and cooking by season was not a modern practice. In fact, Zen Buddhist monks like Kwan mastered cooking in this tradition hundreds of years ago. “With food, we can share and communicate our emotions. It’s that mindset of sharing that is really what you’re eating,” Kwan says at the start of her titular episode of Netflix’s documentary series “Chef’s Table.” She continues, “There is no difference between cooking and pursuing Buddha’s way.” Whether for enlightenment or simply connecting with friends and family, sharing home-cooked meals can be an emotionally restorative experience as much as it is nourishing. This month, indulge in something special and homemade or try your hand at Korean temple cuisine by Googling some of Jeong Kwan’s recipes.

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