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April, 2012 – Want Longer Legs?

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April, 2012 – Want Longer Legs?

Cheryl AlkerHealth & Fitness

Want Longer Legs?

By Cheryl Alker

I am challenging you this month to try something and let me know your results.  I can almost guarantee that you will feel your leg literally grow!

Intrigued?

Then let’s go!

Firstly before you begin:-

 

·         Check with your Doctor or therapist.  Is it safe for you to stretch?

·         Warm up first.  Cold muscles will increase your risk of injury.  Take a short brisk walk and mobilize your joints first or stretch after your work-out.

·         Hold stretches for at least one minute.  It takes time to lengthen tissues safely, also time must be allowed for correct alignment.  Continually assess body alignment and learn to explore the muscle by changing leg arm or upper body position and weight applied.

·         Don’t bounce.  Bouncing as you stretch can cause small tears in the muscle.  These tears leave scar tissue as the muscle heals which tightens the muscle even further – making you less flexible and more prone to pain.   

·         Focus on a pain-free stretch.  Expect to feel tension while you are stretching but not pain.  You should take the stretch to the point where you feel tension and then hold it, the feeling should go away after approximately 20 seconds, however, if it increases and the leg starts to shake back off and start the process again but more slowly this time.

·         Relax and breathe freely.  Do not hold your breath while you are stretching results will be far greater if you increase the stretch towards the end of the out-breath.  Ensure you breathe deeply focusing your breath towards the front, sides and back of your ribcage.  Be aware of your diaphragm (your main breathing muscle) – as you inhale your ribcage lifts and opens but the diaphragm flattens moving downwards towards the abdominal cavity.  When you exhale your ribcage comes down and inwards, however, the diaphragm starts to lift and float upwards towards your sternum (breast bone) almost like an open parachute.

 

Are you ready?

 

Start by lying on your back, if more comfortable lie on a mat, on the floor with both legs outstretched and hands by your side.  Take a moment to close your eyes and notice the contact of the legs, pelvis and lower back on the mat; also note the position of your head. 

stretch-healthnfitness

Position:

 

·         Lay on your back.

·         Either bend one knee or leave leg lying flat.

·         Place a strong band around the other foot closer to the ball of the foot.  If you do not have a band anything that you can comfortably wrap around the foot and hold onto without lifting your head and shoulders off the floor.

·         If more comfortable place a cushion under your head and lay on a mat.

 

 

Steps:

 

·         Slowly lower the leg towards the floor and up again, no speed or momentum, just test your range of motion, repeat 3 times.

·         Hold the leg towards the ceiling and circle the leg several times to the right then left, keeping the leg passive in the band.

·         Bring the leg back to centre still with the heel facing the ceiling, hold the leg centre and breathe in.  As you exhale drop the weight onto your pelvis and feel the contact of the tailbone on the mat.

·         At the end of exhalation, pause just before the in breath and push the heel towards the ceiling and toe towards your face.  You will feel a “bite”. This will almost definitely feel very uncomfortable so don’t panic, everyone doing this stretch will be experiencing the same discomfort. Hold this position.

·         You may start to feel a tingling in your toes, at this point circle the leg a few more times and gently point and flex your toe.

·         Keep breathing and continuing to drop weight through the pelvis, focus on the leg lengthening.  Do not push through the knee joint but focus on the bulk of the hamstring and calf and push from the front of the leg to the back.

·         Repeat the circle again.

·         Ease the leg across the midline of the body, towards the opposing shoulder; continue to drop weight through the pelvis.

·         Bring back to centre and continue with pushing through the heel and ensuring that your pelvis is in contact with the mat.  You want to feel opposition, weight dropping toward the pelvis and the heel pushing up toward the ceiling.

·         Gently point the toe to the ceiling, see if you can ease the leg closer to your face, do not force the leg it will move if it wants to.

·         Now ease the heel towards the ceiling one more time whilst dropping weight towards the pelvis.  Hold again.

·         This should take from 1 to 2 minutes to complete.

 

If the other knee was bent when you started, lay this leg flat on the mat.  Lower the leg in the band until it is approximately one inch off the mat circle a few times one way and then the other, turn the foot in and then out.  Let the band go and lay the leg down next to the other one.

 

Analyse how this leg now feels, does it feel longer?  Let me know!

It may not only feel longer but you may experience a difference in weight and contact, check out the position of your lower back and even your head position.

Remember to do the other side though before you stand or you might just fall over!!!!!!

 

Cheryl Alker specializes in flexibility training, facial exercises and postural alignment.  Her 30 year career started as a group fitness and personal trainer, she has lectured and directed fitness training programs in both Europe and the USA and was an advisor for a Governmental health promotion program. Alker and her company Stretch Results International continues to work with a select clientele from a base in Palm Beach County, Florida, certifying health professionals in her results based stretching program, educating consumers through public speaking and offering consultation to clients who wish to lose their muscular pain and gain flexibility to achieve full and active lifestyles.   Alker has just released a DVD for back pain sufferers and provides all exercises for the Muscle Language DVD series, a program specifically designed for Equestrians. For more information about one to one consultation options, e:books or DVD’s please call Cheryl on 561 889 3738 or visit www.stretchresults.com.  

 

 

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Around Wellington. Stretch Results International, the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider

April, 2012 – Delaware: A small state with big discoveries

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April, 2012 – Delaware: A small state with big discoveries

travel-with-terriTravel with Terri

 

Delaware:  A small state with big discoveries

 

By Terri Marshall

 

 

You should go to Delaware.  I can hear you say “Why?”  That is what I said – until I went.  In just three days in Delaware I played the slot machines, walked the aisles of Air Force Two, watched from an air traffic control tower as Air Force One practiced takeoffs and landings, felt the scars left behind by enemy fire in a World War II plane, visited a historic Quaker meeting house, toured a lightship, climbed a World War II fire tower, stood on top of an Army bunker, met an entrepreneur extraordinaire who had laws rewritten to open a winery, witnessed the production of unique craft beers, held bricks of gold worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, drank a shot from a bottle of rum that spent 300 plus years at the bottom of the ocean and met an Indian chief!  Yes, I said three days. 

 

The logical place to start your explorations would be in Delaware’s capital, Dover.  In 1787 Delaware became the “First State” when its delegates were the first to ratify the United States Constitution.  The document was signed at the Golden Fleece Tavern on Dover’s Public Square, later called “The Green”.  Today this is firststateThe First State Heritage Park and is Delaware’s first urban “park without boundaries”.   Guided tours are offered as well as many other events. 

  

 

Another interesting place is the historic Camden Friends Meeting House.  Built in 1805, this Quaker meeting house is still in service.  Adjacent to the historic building is the grave of John Hunn who was responsible for assisting thousands of fugitive slaves to freedom via the Underground Railroad during the Civil War.  John Hunn was the richest man in Delaware but lost all his possessions after being convicted and fined in 1848 by the U.S. District Court for assisting the slaves.

 

Just outside Dover Air Force Base, the Air Mobility Command Museum began in 1986 with a single aircraft previously rejected by other museums as being “beyond salvage”.  The museum’s Director, Mike Leister, rejected that label and today that C-47A aircraft stands immaculately restored complete with D-Day invasion stripes as it was when it served with the 61st Troop Carrier Squadron in World War II.  It is joined by an extensive collection of vintage planes, photographs, artifacts and memorabilia that reflect the evolution and history of Air Force aviation.  Each item from the largest aircraft to the smallest artifact is documented and painstakingly restored by volunteers – many retired military personnel. The museum also houses the recently retired Air Force Two used for transporting America’s First Ladies and other dignitaries.  Walking through the aircraft  I fully expected to run into Harrison Ford!  An onsite air traffic control tower provides an opportunity to listen in on air traffic in the area while watching aircraft take-off and land at Dover AFB.  With a little luck, you may experience an Air Force One sighting. 

 airforce1

For nightlife in Dover, try your luck at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino.  Delaware’s leading casino hotel offers a variety of entertainment options including concerts, live harness racing, numerous dining options, a four diamond hotel, shopping, a luxurious spa and 24 hour gaming.  

 

Southern Delaware is a popular beach destination in the summer, but the area’s rich history and unique entrepreneurial culture give it year-round appeal.  As the First Town in the First State, the seaport of Lewes provides some of the richest history in the nation. Discovered by Henry Hudson on a voyage up the Delaware River in August, 1609, Lewes was first settled by the Dutch in 1631.  Here you will find the Lightship Overfalls – one of only 15 remaining lightships.  A lightship is essentially a floating lighthouse serving the same functions as a stationary lighthouse.  Manned by a military crew of 14 who were broken into three sections and worked on a rotation schedule of two weeks on, two weeks off, duty aboard was both lonely and dangerous. The danger stemmed from the lightship staying on station no matter how severe the weather.  The Lightship Overfalls has been completely restored to its original condition by volunteers with an average age of  70 – dubbed the “Dirty Hands Gang”! 

 

Built in 1941 to defend the port of Philadelphia, Fort Miles is a massive coastal fortification. Hike atop a bunker housing a massive cannon used during World War II. If you are feeling energetic, climb the stairs to the top of the fire tower for a view of the spectacular coastline. The top of the fire tower is a popular place for marriage proposals. The man writes “Will you marry me?” with twigs on the ground at the base of the tower before inviting his lady for a hike to the top.  Of course, he is risking rejection if his lady love is not a fan of stair climbing for diamonds!  

 

The Nanticoke Indians were in Delaware before it was Delaware. Today the history of this tribe is preserved in the Nanticoke Indian Museum. This place of discovery is filled with thousands of arrowheads, stones, pottery, axe hammers and other cultural artifacts. The tribe’s symbol is the turtle which was used to determine the cycles of the moons.  A turtle’s shell has 13 sections (or squares) representing the 13 full moons in each year and 28 notches around the edge representing the days of the moon cycles!  It seems we can learn a lot from the Indian tribal cultures. 

 

Further down the coast in Fenwick Island on the second floor of a pink building above a sea shell shop is the Discover Sea Shipwreck Museum. Dale Clifton, Jr., Director, says each time a ship sinks time stands still.  Dale has spent the past 30 years exploring these underwater time capsules!  This continuously evolving exhibit includes only 10% of his collection with the remaining 90% on loan to museums around the world.  I held gold bricks stamped by the King of Spain and viewed photographs perfectly developed from a camera which sank aboard the RMS Republic – the pride of the White Star Line prior to Titanic.  Dale’s collection includes 30 bottles of rum discovered in the wreckage of a fleet of Spanish ships which sank in 1733.  When the bottles were discovered in the 1990’s, 18 of them were still sealed and drinkable – worth around $20,000 each!  Testing proved these were not ordinary bottles of rum.  The rum was originally bottled for the British Navy and was pillaged from the British fleet by the Spanish prior to the sinking of the Spanish fleet.  When the rum was bottled in 1730,  the distillery lined the bottom of the bottles with coconut fiber, added 145-proof rum up to the base of the neck and filled the remaining space with water and two tablespoons of lime juice to prevent scurvy – hence the expression “he’s a limey”.   Dale offered (and we did not refuse) a shot of the rum – literally drinking a shot of history!

 

Speaking of spirits, when Peggy Raley decided to begin producing wines Delaware’s law prohibited the production and resale of alcohol.  Peggy drafted legislation and lobbied the Delaware General Assembly to create the Farm Winery legislation for the state.  The law passed in 1991 and Nassau Valley Vineyards opened in 1993 as the “First Winery in the First State”!  Peggy’s efforts paved the way for all other Delaware breweries and wineries.  Thank you, Peggy.  Nassau Valley Vineyards produces award winning wines from estate grown grapes along with other high quality fruit sourced from local and regional growers.  The onsite museum chronicles the 8,000 year-old history of wine.  Sample the fruit of the vine and enjoy a picnic on the pastoral grounds of the property.

 

nassauvalleywineryIf rum and wine are not enough for you, check out the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Milton.  Dogfish Head started out as the smallest commercial brewery in America brewing its first ale on three little kegs with propane burners underneath.  Today it is one of Delaware’s most popular brews. The creative brews developed by creative people with a very creative tree house on property for meetings is best understood by a tour of the brewery followed by samples of the brews.  Of course.  By the way, if the cows in Southern Delaware seem particularly happy you can thank Dogfish Head Brewery. The grains used in the brewing cycle are recycled and delivered to local farmers to be used as feed for cattle.  When the truck from Dogfish Head appears – the cows come running!

 

Where to stay?  In Dover, check out the new Hilton Garden Inn property. Its convenient location coupled with comfortable beds and all the amenities you need at a reasonable price makes it the perfect home base for your Dover explorations. 

 

In Southern Delaware, check out the Boardwalk Plaza Resort Hotel in Rehoboth Beach for Victorian beachfront accommodations coupled with unsurpassed customer service – a winning combination!

 

Go to and to plan your Delaware discovery! 

 

 

Terri is a freelance writer with regular columns on travel, chocolate and bar reviews. She is busy each month visiting new places to bring unique travel destinations and events to you. Yes, it is a sacrifice – but she is willing to do that for her readers! You can see more of Terri’s writing at www.examiner.com where she is the National Chocolate Examiner and at www.barzz.net. You can contact Terri at [email protected].

April, 2012 – Love Moves

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April, 2012 – Love Moves

copy-of-img_1273Teen Talk

Love Moves

By Jessica Small

 

Being a teen in today’s world is complicated. There is so much going on, all over the planet. Social media has made it easy for people to connect, and be a part of change on totally separate continents. At any given second, it seems as if a thousand people are trying to redefine society.

 

But when we focus on such global issues, we tend to lose sight of the pressing issues right here in Florida.

 

Many of the kids at my school, Wellington High, have started charity clubs. Even more people have dedicated their precious time and energy to volunteering in these groups. In a system that basically trains kids to focus on having the best HPA and highest SAT scores and the most money, that’s a pretty wonderful thing.

 

So this month, rather than talk about my own opinions, I’d like to focus on a very special individual.

 

I recently met with Valentina Ferreira, a junior in my high school, to talk about a club she started, called Love Moves. This club is aimed at basically loving anyone and everyone who needs it, regardless of who you are. And to Valentina, the victims of human trafficking needed to be shown some love.

 

“I have a big God and in my heart He has put big dreams. Everybody said I was thinking “too big”. That’s also how Love Moves kind of started,” Valentina said. “If I can’t join them, because my ideas are “too big”, let’s create a club where ideas can be as big as they want.”

Human trafficking is a $22 billion industry, with over 30 million victims a year. Of those, a shocking 17,500 are brought into the United States each year, Florida having the third highest instances in the nation. Sadly, 99% of the victims don’t get rescued.


“It’s not just sexual, involving girls. In Palm Beach Gardens, [human traffickers] rent out homes in nice neighborhoods. They bring in workers [like maids and cooks], and keep them there underpaid, overworked and abused. Then they transfer them from house to house against their will. Since there are a lot of [service jobs] in that area, being an area of wealth, people think it’s normal. Human trafficking is really all around us, we just don’t know it. So, hey, let’s look at what’s going on right here,” Valentina says.

 

To support this cause, Valentina and her club have decided to take action. On April 21, from 8 am to 1 pm in the Wellington High School bus loop, Love Moves will be holding a yard sale. Anyone can buy a spot in the yard sale to sell their own things. Spots are only $25, and you can keep the profit of what you sell, or donate it to Love Moves. Valentina has also made it easy for anyone to donate their things to be sold by volunteers on the day of the event. All of the proceeds go to the Freedom Safe House (a home for rescued victims) project – building it, furnishing it, having materials, and getting specialists to work with the victims once they come in.

 

“It’s not like were just looking for money. We’re saying ‘Please listen, and share! Spread the word.’ If more people know, it’s not that easy to get away with,” says Valentina.

 

So, my message to you is this: take a look at the world around you. Chances are there are problems occurring really close to home, that you overlook everyday. We can all dedicate a few hours a month, or a few dollars to making a difference. And we should. If not for ourselves, do it for the upcoming generations who are trying so desperately to stabilize a future in this ever-changing society.

 

For more information about human trafficking and Valentina’s fundraiser, you can email her at [email protected] or contact her through Facebook by visiting http://www.facebook.com/pages/Love-Moves-yard-sale/283209118412497.

 

Jessica Small is a junior at Wellington High School. She is the Sports Editor of the school’s online publication, whswave.com. She is enrolled in rigorous courses at WHS and aspires to study journalism and business in college. She is involved in her high school dance team and is president of ThinkPinkKids.

April, 2012 – Democracy

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Democracy

By Langston Hughes

Democracy will not come
Today, this year
Nor ever
Through compromise and fear.

I have as much right
As the other fellow has
To stand
On my two feet
And own the land.

I tire so of hearing people say,
Let things take their course.
Tomorrow is another day.
I do not need my freedom when I’m dead.
I cannot live on tomorrow’s bread.

Freedom
Is a strong seed
Planted
In a great need.

I live here, too.
I want freedom
Just as you.

April, 2012 – We Interrupt This Program. . .

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April, 2012 – We Interrupt This Program. . .

Alan WilliamsonAs I Was Saying

We Interrupt This Program. . .

By Alan Williamson

 

           

          Before you get the wrong idea, let me get my cards out on the table: I’m not one of those TV snobs who claim to only watch the news and public broadcasting. The truth is, before I downgraded my TV service to basic cable a couple of years ago, my curiosity about “what else is on” was usually limited to random searches for basketball games, Seinfeld reruns, and intellectually stimulating biographical profiles like the E True Hollywood Story entitled “Yasmin Bleeth: The Curse of the Baywatch Bombshells.”

          But if television is a vast wasteland, basic cable television is a tiny, repulsive crawlspace where beastly, odious things lie in wait, hoping to jump out and plant their grubby stain on your unguarded consciousness. Marathon city commission meetings on storm drainage and street signage, pretentious book readings by gasbag authors with bad haircuts, shopping channel shows hosted by scaly reptilian creatures selling hydrating body lotion – these are the meager provisions that pass for quality programming in basic cable’s desolate domain . . .

         

. . . Wow! How about that? Hi, everybody, I’m Jordan Chandler your PBS pledge drive host. We’ve been enjoying a column by Alan Williamson, a humor writer who really gives voice to the human dilemmas of everyday life. His comic musings about basic cable are intensely personal and yet really strike a nerve with so many, many of our viewers. I don’t know about you, but I can’t get enough of Alan’s shameless clowning, warped wisdom and wonderful wordplay. Imagine what the world would be like without the uplifting, comic relief of Alan’s observations about life in all its live-and-learn, give-and-take, yin-and-yang splendor. It would be a dark place indeed, I think you’ll agree.

            Unfortunately, without support from viewers like yourself, programs like this will not be there to offer soothing relief at the end of your hectic day. Funding to the arts has seen drastic cuts in recent years and many of our corporate sponsors have suspended their financial contributions. If you like seeing Alan’s column read live on your local PBS station, it’s up to you to get up right now, grab that phone and call in a pledge of support.

            With a pledge of $100, we will send you a brand new CD entitled “Alan Williamson at Border’s Books: A Live Reading of His Columns.” This CD isn’t available in stores or online, but it’s all yours with a $100 pledge. Call in with a pledge of $200 or more and we’ll send you a special limited release DVD entitled “Alan Williamson at Border’s Books: A Live Reading of His Columns With a British Accent.” I’ve seen this DVD and I’ve got to tell you, it’s absolutely hysterical hearing and seeing Alan reading some of his most popular columns while using a British accent. It’s kind of a cross between Masterpiece Theatre and A Night at the Improv.

            Joining us live in our PBS studio right now is the man himself, Alan Williamson. Alan, thank you for stopping by to talk with our viewers.

            It’s my pleasure, Jordan. Glad to be here.

          Alan, what has being on PBS meant to you?

          Wow, what hasn’t it meant? It’s the difference between reading my column to a couple dozen people on a Tuesday night at my local Border’s Books, to reading it in front of a TV audience of tens of thousands of people across the country.

          How has that changed your life?

            I’m able to buy premium brands of lunch meats at the deli, mostly Boar’s Head. Also, people come up to me all the time now and say, “Hey, aren’t you that guy who was on PBS last night?” I tell them I am and then they say, “Could you sing at my daughter’s wedding, Mr. Bublé?”

          That’s terrific! What’s your favorite PBS show?

            Anything that has the words “Live at the Greek” in it. Josh Groban: Live at the Greek, Il Divo: Live at the Greek, Fergie: Live at the Greek. It’s all good.

          What would you like to say to our viewers about the importance of supporting public broadcasting?

          A couple of years ago, I had hit rock bottom. Basic cable had sucked the soul out of me. Just when my hopes for intelligent life in the TV universe had flickered and faded, I discovered one night that I had not one, not two, but three public broadcasting stations at my command. Suddenly there was wonder in the wilderness – an oasis of art, science, culture and inspiration waiting to enrich my barren mind. Andrea Bocelli: Under The Desert Sky; James Taylor: One Man Band; American Soundtrack: Doo Wop’s Greatest Hits; Carreras, Domingo and Pavarotti in Concert; This Old House; Ken Burns’ History of Baseball; Roy Orbison: A Black & White Night. Every evening was like an all-you-can eat buffet at a gourmet restaurant of entertainment. Let’s all do our part to make sure that the feast of public broadcasting continues. For me, for you, for your children, and for your children’s children’s children. Thank you. God bless. Night now.

          Thank you, Alan, for that heartfelt plea. I know those phones will be ringing shortly. Now, let’s get back to our program already in progress – “Carrie Underwood: Live at the Greek.” See you in three minutes everyone!

Alan Williamson is an award-winning writer with 27 years in the field of true fiction (advertising). A practical man who knows that writing for a living is risky going, he has taken steps to pursue a second, more stable career as a leggy super model. Alan can be reached at [email protected].  © 2011 Alan Williamson.

April, 2012 – An Open Letter to George Clooney

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April, 2012 – An Open Letter to George Clooney

Wendell AbernCantankerously Yours

 

An Open Letter to George Clooney

 

By Wendell Abern

 

Dear Mr. Clooney,

 

          I have some good news and some bad news for you.

          I will start with the bad news, since I can be quite succinct:  I may likely replace you as a selectee on this year’s list of the world’s 100 most beautiful people.

          Since People Magazine first compiled this list eighteen years ago, I have been summarily snubbed each year – an oversight I consider heinous and criminal.

          This year, however, my outstanding credentials can no longer be ignored.  Please observe the accompanying photograph.  (Editor’s Note: The photo has been inserted at a larger size this month, so you can appreciate a face you will not forget). Note that my hemi-facial tic has now created a droop to one side of my mouth, resulting in an asymmetrical rakishness; clearly, the likes of Halle Berry and Jennifer Lopez will consider this irresistible.

          Unseen, but unequalled, are my back and shoulders, which boast a mature character no peaches-and-cream complexion could match:  I have sprouted so many warts, welts and liver spots that every Dalmatian in the county wants to mate with me.  Also invisible, but enticing:  my love handles have reached the size of elephant ears.

          Needless to say, George, you are in deep trouble here.  I suggest you prepare yourself emotionally to be bumped.

          As for the good news, you needn’t worry about me entering the acting profession.

          I recently took a role in the play, “Murder in the Cathedral,” T.S. Eliot’s famous take on ugly Twelfth Century English political juggling and back-stabbing (much of which sounds eerily like the shenanigans going on in our current presidential campaign). 

I thought if news reached you that I was engaging in my first acting experience, you might start quaking.  But fear not, Mr. C.  I had a small part in a staged reading of the drama, which was performed only twice at two different cathedrals.  (Actually, it was a full production with actors on book.)  I played one of Thomas a Becket’s tempters.

          The lead, a superb professional named Todd Caster, memorized his entire role, and played it so well I doubt you could have matched it.  Another of Becket’s tempters, a beautiful professional and Carbonell Award winner, Nina Baeza, also memorized her role – and she had twice as many lines as I did.

          At the first read-through, I thought … if Todd can memorize three entire acts and Nina can memorize three pages, I should be able to memorize three paragraphs.

          I started slowly, deciding to master only my opening line for the first rehearsal:  “I am an unexpected visitor.”  Concentrating so hard on these five simple words – IamanunexpectedvisitorIamanunexpectedvisitor – I almost missed my cue and tripped when I came onstage and blurted out,

“I am an unexpected klutz.”

          Todd looked at me and tried to say his next lines with a straight face.  He very generously dismissed my mistake as a typical faux pas due to inexperience.

          I’m not sure why, but learning my lines became somewhat of an obsession.  I recited them while driving; mumbled them to myself while shopping (eliciting many stares); delivered them to my mirror while shaving.

          One day, while dusting, I was so deep into my role that when the phone rang, I picked it up and shouted, “I am a country-keeping lord who minds his own business!”

          Long pause.  Very long pause.  Finally, a timid, “Dad?”  Amy.  My daughter.  My kids call from Chicago a few times a week.

          I had told my kids about the play, and thought Amy understood I had simply been rehearsing by myself.  Until five minutes later, when my son called.

          “Dad,” Joel said with no preliminaries, “are you okay?

          I explained again.  I was sure my kids had been mollified.  However, since then, one of them calls every single day.  

          Eventually, I gradually learned most of my lines and seemed to be doing well until we moved into the blocking phase of rehearsals.

          Marge Lyons, our canny director, worked out a simple routine for my role, one in which Todd and I sort of circled each other while delivering our lines.  I felt the action worked very well, kind of like a Medieval dance.

          Later, Todd took me aside and said very politely, “Look, I know you’re new at this, but it’s kind of hard for me to move around when you’re standing on my toes.”

          By the time of our first performance, I knew my lines well and the play went over very well.

          Then we moved to our second venue at another cathedral.  On the day of our second (and last) performance, I stood backstage while our sound technician hooked up my microphone, silently going over my lines.

          The play would start in a few minutes.  The sanctuary was filling up.  We all talked very quietly. 

I sat down next to another tempter and started kidding him, telling him his shirt wasn’t black enough.  (We had to wear black shirts and pants, black shoes and socks underneath the white robes we were about to don.)

          Suddenly, the audience started laughing.  We all looked around, curious, when Marge came racing in and said, “Your mikes are on!  Your mikes are on!  They’re laughing because they all heard Wendell saying he feels like a greeter in a funeral parlor!”

          Well, Georgie old boy, you’ll be happy to know the performance went well in spite of me.  I did not forget one line.  In fact, to this day, the words still haunt me.

          But I’m sure you’ll be very gruntled to learn I have no aspirations in the acting world. 

          However, you have been forewarned about the People Magazine “most beautiful people” issue.  I fully expect to be contacted for a photo op any day now.

          Cantankerously Yours,

 

          Wendell Abern

Wendell Abern can be reached at [email protected].

April, 2012 – The Importance of Self Expression

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Dare To Dream

The Importance of Self Expression

By D. Gatekeeper

Hello Dreamers!

I recently came across an article that subject matter dealt with arts and humanities in colleges and universities. The debate in question was if the arts and humanities served a direct purpose to certain curriculums and degrees offered in schools today. This led me to think about what I hear constantly in the news and communities alike.

With budgets being cut and funds being redirected, some feel arts and humanities can be scaled down or removed altogether within schools and communities. In many cases however, great potential has been displayed time and again for those who study within the arts and humanities fields. It encourages self expression and the ability to relate to each other as humans on a basic level. I believe this to be a basic need that all human beings crave. (Even if we are not always conscious of it, there are direct and indirect benefits.)

Self expression is the vivid color that makes our world alive. It powers our creativity and allows us to roam and discover things within ourselves and our surroundings. We can then imagine and dream of an array of people places and things and we interact with them. If we did not dream and continually imagine and create things, life would be dull and lacking in the excitement and newness area. That’s a life I would certainly not like to be a part of not one bit.

 

Afterthought:  We must always be appreciative of our ability to create and dream. Through them we are able to communicate and connect to others on basic levels of humanity. We must also foster environments that development and challenge these abilities. If we don’t, we run the risk of losing programs and activities in our schools and communities. This directly leaves us inept to express ourselves properly and lessons our quality of life in the long run. What have you done to be a champion of arts/culture and humanities in your school or community?

We are always looking to profile people making a difference and making dreams come true for themselves and others. Please submit stories (for possible use) to [email protected].

D. Gatekeeper is the curator of the blog State of Dreams. State of Dreams explores the universe of dreams and the power they contain. Through them we can imagine and create. State of Dreams will premiere in summer 2012. D. Gatekeeper can be reached at [email protected].  © 2012 State of Dreams.

April, 2012 – The Lorax & The Environmental Message

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April, 2012 – The Lorax & The Environmental Message

Jathy GarciaLiving Green

The Lorax & The Environmental Message

By: Jathynia Garcia

“Your Plumber in a Skirt”

Who doesn’t love Dr. Seuss & his magical books of rhythm & rhyme. They are engaging for children & adults as well as enticing with their colorful eye-catching illustrations. But have we thought about the deeper meaning behind the stories such as the powerful message about the environment in The Lorax Movie (produced by Universal Studios)? The film topped the North American box office with $17.53 million on its opening day (Friday, March 2, 2012).

In a nutshell, The Lorax (the current 2012 movie) is about a 12-year-old boy who searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world. At the end of the story,lorax what began as Ted’s desire to impress Audrey becomes an inspiration by the Once-ler’s gift of the last Truffula Seed to plant it to remind his town of the importance of nature.  It’s a fun-filled movie with an enviromentally sustainable message for our youth and for ourselves.

Originally when the book was written in 1971 it was during a time when the U.S. was dealing with the backlash of the 1960’s environmental movement. Most notably, trees in the Pacific Northwest were being cut down at an alarming rate by logging companies. So you can imagine how unhappy these companies were to hear that good old Dr. Seuss had written a story about deforestation.  In fact, a lot of people were upset about The Lorax. 

 Here are a few interesting facts about it (thanks to greenopolis.com):

1.                              It was banned in some schools and libraries that have timber-rich industries.

2.                              In 1989 the Laytonville, CA Unified School District tried to ban the book because they said it criminalizes the foresting industry.

3.                              Several timber industry groups sponsored the creation of a book called The Truax in rebuttal to the book.  It was written to help kids understand the importance of harvesting trees.

4.                              The line, “I hear things are just as bad up in Lake Erie” was removed more than fourteen years after the story was published after two research associates from the Ohio Sea Grant Program wrote to Seuss about the clean-up of Lake Erie. 

 Okay, I understand why the logging industry was upset about the book, but to the point where they banned it was a little excessive.  It’s a great Dr. Seuss story & makes us aware of our environment & the ecological factors that occur from cutting down trees!  In my opinion The Lorax should be required reading for all children in school.  When you look beyond the rhymes and the pretty pictures you realize that the story teaches children about conservation, respect for the environment and love of all living creatures.  That’s something that every human being, regardless of age, should consider.http://hi-techplumbing.com/Going-Green.htm

“Living Green,” it’s just one more way Hi-Tech Plumbing can help so Don’t Fret … Call Hi-Tech Check out more advice on Going green at

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April, 2012 – Let’s Talk About Older Dogs

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April, 2012 – Let’s Talk About Older Dogs

barbaraphillippi1Dog Walkin’ Wellington

Let’s talk about older dogs

 

By Barbara Phillippi

 

Today, I took a fond, long look at my elderly Jack Russell Terrier, “Woody,” who will be 15 in May. What happened to that lightning-fast boy, with the bright, ginger colored points, the dog who greeted customers at the shop door, outwitted woodchucks, treed raccoons, and chased the cows, in the lane across the road?woody_young2

 

I glanced over my shoulder as he padded slowly down the hall behind me, ever vigilant, still convinced that I might disappear into the bathroom, and never return. He has never failed to accompany me as I move from room to room in the house, and, as usual, he sits beside me while I’m, well, occupied – he has my undivided attention at last. I scratch his head, bright color now faded, take a tissue to wipe some moisture from the corner of his eye.

Surely, more than a few readers are also aware that their beloved dog’s years are piling up, are wonderingwoody_2011 when they’ll spot signs of pain, notice dimming eyesight, and the day that the dog just didn’t hear that whistle, or call to their side.

What do we need to know about our aging canines? How old are they, really, in “dog years?”

       Notice that the old saying, “one human is seven dog years,” isn’t really copy-of-dog_age_chartaccurate. And dog size and breeding complicate the accuracy of statistics. Mutts tend to live longest, having come from a diverse gene pool, and small dogs usually have longer life expectancy. Mark Stickney, DVM, director of General Surgery Services at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, says that although it’s not unusual to see a 17-year-old miniature poodle, a 12-year-old Labrador retriever is considered old, and any dog in the giant breeds — dogs weighing more than 100 pounds, is considered geriatric at 6-7 years. “Generally speaking, the larger your dog is, the less time it will live,” Stickney says.

     Sadly, faithful older animals, who have known love and a home environment, often wind up at animal shelters, through no fault of their own.

     “Older dogs lose their homes for many different reasons….most of them having nothing to do with problems the dog has, but rather with those of the person or family surrendering the dog. Many folks think dogs who end up at shelters or in rescue are all genetically and behaviorally inferior. But, it is not uncommon for very expensive, well-bred, well-trained dogs to outlive their usefulness, or novelty, with folks who bought them on impulse, and no longer want to take responsibility for them.”

      “Other reasons older dogs become homeless: death of a guardian….not enough time for the dog…… change in work schedule….. new baby…..need to move to a place where dogs are not allowed…. kids going off to college…. allergies…. change in ‘lifestyle’…. prospective spouse doesn’t like dogs,” according to The Senior Dogs Project, http://www.srdogs.com/index.html

     People looking for an adoptable dog ask to see puppies, and dogs up to three years of age. Veterinarians know that four-year-old dogs are not “geriatric,” but with every year past age three, shelters find them increasingly harder to place.

      “The ultimate barrier is at age five. Once an animal turns five, it is nearly impossible to place quickly. And, if turned into a shelter, is almost certainly guaranteed a quick euthanization. Most shelters are so overcrowded, the only practical solution for them is to destroy the ‘unadoptable’ animals.” — Notes from Dachshund Rescue.

      I visited Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Wellington, the largest no-kill shelter in South Florida, and spoke with Christina Wood about the older dog population at that facility.

      “About 20% of our shelter population (around 120 dogs) fit the category,” she says. “Most of our animals average two months here before adoption, but the older dogs, who really need to be out of here, have a harder time.” She did mention Hank, a 15-yr-old Springer Spaniel, who found his forever home after several years at the shelter. “A guy came in one day, and that was it,” she smiles.

     Peggy Adams and PB County Animal Care and Control Shelters have programs that encourage the adoption of senior animals by senior citizens, often lowering, or even eliminating, adoption costs for seniors. Big Dog Ranch Rescue doesn’t have such an agenda in place at the present time, but “we probably should,” says Christina. She believes that senior citizens and older dogs are a perfect combination. “And we do have a foster program, which encourages people to take these animals out of the shelter environment.” The older animals are healthy, know the ropes, and gratefully adjust to a new routine in a new home. Sometimes, fostering results in permanent adoption.

     Christina shows me a few of the older residents of the shelter, most of whom have been there longer than she’d like. They’re healthy, seasoned, and ready to go. Each has its own appeal; I’d like to take them all home, of course. I return to a small, Yellow Lab type named Leslie. Her tail never stops, she begs the question, “Why not me? I’m just perfect!”

leslie

I promise Leslie that I’ll put her picture in my column. She’s on the Big Dog Rescue Ranch website, http://www.bdrr.org/

      Many senior citizens are unable, for one reason or another, to access the internet. If you are, or know, an older individual who might benefit from the company of a gentle, faithful, housemate, please encourage them to visit Big Dog Ranch Rescue, or another shelter facility.

     Christina wants me to emphasize that the “BIG DOG” part of the shelter name shouldn’t discourage potential adopters and foster prospects from checking out the facility and its tenants. “We have many small dogs too, on a regular basis.” At first, we were just big dogs, but now, we have all types.”

     The vet says that my old dog, Woody, is basically in great shape, some arthritis, a little heart murmur (he’s had that for years), he doesn’t have the really sharp vision that the younger dogs do, and he’s almost deaf. But because these conditions usually advance slowly, dogs adjust pretty well.

Woody is slim and trim, a factor that his vet says plays a big part in healthy longevity for dogs.
      When I snap on the leash, to take him out, he know why, gets his “business” done right away, no sniffing around and hunting the lizards. At bedtime, I say, “nite-nite,” and he enters his crate by my bed, and lies quietly ’til morning. Today, he played toy “tug of war” with one of my other terriers, but he’s increasingly happy to leave the noisy, frenetic activities of his housemates, and enjoy less stressful activity.

     When the sun shines this afternoon, I’ll let Woody lie in the grass for awhile, and take him for a short walk. I’m a senior citizen too, and he doesn’t tow me down the street, like Gracie and Buck do. We’ll meet a neighbor’s dog, without the drama; he’ll enjoy a pat on the head from the little boy in the stroller, and he won’t try to chase that squirrel on the fence. Yes, we seniors know, and enjoy each other very much. 

    If you’re thinking about adding a canine companion to your household, please consider that older dog; it could be the love match of a lifetime.

 

“In a perfect world, every dog would have a home, and every home would have a dog.”

 

Over a lifetime, Barbara Phillippi has had mostly “normal” dogs – a few German Shepherds and a bunch of wonderful “mutts,” each with its own wonderful, quirky, qualities. For many years, she taught 4-H dog obedience courses, under the authorization of Cornell University’s Cooperative Extension Services. That terrific program teaches the basics of dog behavior, of every breed, to young dog owners. Today she lives in Wellington with three Jack Russell Terriers – Woody, Gracie, and Buck. “These guys showed me a learning curve that I never knew existed!”

April, 2012 – Act of Valor, a Few Notes

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April, 2012 – Act of Valor, a Few Notes

Cultural CornerDanny Smith

 

Act of Valor

 

By Danny Smith

 

Act of Valor, a film directed by Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh, focuses on a group of Navy SEALs going through dangerous missions in order to rescue a kidnapped CIA agent.

 

I interviewed James S., a freshman at Palm Beach State College, who recently watched the movie. He had this to say about it.

 

“Act of Valor was a story about Navy SEALs acted by actual Navy SEALs.  It was an unfiltered version of the generic war movie. It was similar to the Hurt Locker in its uncensored violence.  This movie takes realism into account more so than movies such as Windtalkers, Flags of Our Fathers, and Pearl Harbor.”

 

“The acting wasn’t the quality of top actors like Tom Cruise, Leo DiCaprio, or George Clooney. It’s narrated by the main character who’s reading a letter written for his best friend’s son by his best friend”.

 

“Cristo and Abu Shabal were the main antagonists. Cristo is a Russian drug lord and Abu Shabal is an Islamic Fundamentalist. The group of Navy SEALs perform a few missions and eventually confront Cristo and Shabal and bring them to justice.”

 

“The movie is a lot more complicated than people would assume” says James S.  “There are very well choreographed fight scenes and military tactics.” 

 

          Overall, my interviewee found the film to be entertaining andact-of-valor action-packed, but he noted that it seemed lacking in the drama of casualties in war that an audience wants to see.

 

Real-life SEALs, while realistic in the aspect of being elite and nameless, need to have emotion and depth too. An audience wants to connect with the good guys and have a reason to hate the bad guys. The viewer felt an experienced actor could have better portrayed the Navy SEALs drama than what came across as performed by the SEALs themselves.

 

One sort of realism trades for another, leaving the directors (who call themselves The Bandito Brothers) stuck between 1) crowd-pleasing drama that is sometimes considered unrealistic and other times considered the “true realism” or 2) focusing on the action and combat aspect of combat and how soldiers who have their heads in the game wage war, but could seem shallow or uncharismatic to certain audiences.

 

          As far as any disparities in acting, every actor was a true Navy SEAL, which warrants them some serious credit as being their own stunt double and still putting up a decent and believable performance.  James S. said he did enjoy the film and would recommend it to anyone who likes ‘that kind of movie’.

 

Danny Smith is a member of the Journalism and Literary Class “Lit Mag” at Wellington High School where he is a junior. He is a member of the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta the national math honor society. He has diverse interests, including being a cartoonist and an experienced guitarist.

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