Clinton Township Newsletter

1 A p r i l 2 0 1 6 April 2016 April 2016 Jie Fly, Edit Jie Fly, Edit Since 1982 People say "Take It To Trenton" when you have a problem in New Jersey, so a couple of years ago my neighbor Deb Nolan and I did just that. We, along with another neighbor, Jahna Romano, formed a team to try to figure out a safe solution for our neighborhood's intersection at Route 22 and Blossom Hill Road. Accompanied by our former Mayor, Kevin Cimei and our Town Administrator, Marvin Joss, we made a presentation to the Commissioners at the Department of Transportation in Trenton. I've done many pitches and presentations for clients in my (advertising) past, but this situation had me feeling a little bit like "Lucy and Ethel Go to Washington". Since our ultimate goal was safety, we soldiered on despite our awkwardness. Deb's husband Andy gently teased her that now she could consider herself an "activist." Personally, I was happily surprised to find that the higher ranked people at the DOT were just that – people – who, as you can imagine, know a heck of a lot about traffic. I felt they were empathetic to our cause and could probably relate our safety concerns to those of their own families. It's been a long road, however, considering NJ's budgetary concerns. About that word "activist"... one definition is: "an especially active, vigorous advocate of a cause, especially a political cause." None of the three of us, I can assure you, have any political aspirations and I don't think of myself as really that active or vigorous, but we were then and are now persistent and, actively involved. Involved residents are what makes Clinton Township great. Full of so- called "activists": the many people who routinely volunteer their time to benefit not only the residents of Clinton Township, but also the fantastic County of Hunterdon and our State of NJ, we are rich indeed. The list is too huge for this column (in no particular order): non-profit volunteers, the PTA, the BOE, our local commissions and committees (formal and grassroots), coaches, our local churches and places of worship, the Mayor and Town Council because, even though they do receive a small stipend for their time and effort, by my estimate it breaks down to about 35 cents per hour. I'm proud to live in a town where our residents care so much about each other and actively prove it on a daily basis. One of the most constructive ways you can take an active role towards improvement is to remember to VOTE during the New Jersey Primaries on Tuesday, June 7. I'm gently reminding my two (newly) adult children to make sure that they're registered to vote – it's important! I hope to see you at the polls. And I'll tell Trenton you said "hey." CLINTON TOWNSHIP Newsletter ® – Julie Fl�nn "Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!' " ~ Robin Williams Oh to retur n to the days b e f o r e G L U T E N w a s discovered. Before there was any cholesterol or LDLs; no thoughts of calories or daily workouts. Folks went to nearby gyms to play basketball or volleyball. The YMCA accommodated pool dunkers and, in the case of Westfield in the 1950s and 1960s, a merry group of young marrieds called the Westfield Married Couples Club. My husband and I were members. The club's only mission was to have fun. We didn't contribute a penny to any charity and we didn't "do good" for anyone outside of WesMarCo. I remember when food was made totally for nourishment and ENJOYMENT. Few of us had ever heard of calorie counting. If you didn't own a dog, taking a daily walk was seldom a priority in Scotch Plains and Fanwood where we lived. I thought nothing of devouring a pint of vanilla ice cream smothered in Hersey's chocolate syrup on a nightly basis. Admittedly, a 35 year old body could handle this far better than one over 50. How many of life's pleasures are we spoiling because our obsessions have taken over? A lot of people take Nexium or Prilosec or similar products to calm the symptons of heartburn. We surely must have had heartburn in 1955 but I think we just lowered the consumption of spicy foods and slept with a couple of pillows to take care of the problem. I very well may be over-simplifing a nasty illness, but can't you become addicted to that stuff on a long-term basis? My Father ate red meat several times a week. My Mother knew the way to her husband's heart (and wallet) was to feed him what he most enjoyed. Want a new Spring jacket? Soften up the old man with a rare T-Bone. There were no such things as "too much fat" or "too much sugar" and fiber was something woven into a favorite cardigan. To be honest, my Dad died of a heart attach in his 50's, but I attribute that to his pack a day cigarette habit. I respect nutrition. My daughter-in-law is a Nutritionist. I have even been known to modify a few recipes to make them healthier. But mostly I eat what I like whenever I like. I am very fortunate to be able to eat this way. Things like prime ribs, cherry pie and, like in the good old days, ice cream with chocolate sauce. Truthfully, I practice portion-control and if I pig out at lunch I cut down at dinner. But I refuse to comply with the latest food no- no's and let my diet take control over my life. And, as we are all aware, I will never die young! P.S. This column is dedicated to my friend Muriel, who I hope will understand.

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