“She is just always so hungry!!She looks at me with those eyes…and I just can’t say no!”
“He really isn’t much heavier than my other dogs.I think that because he exercises, he is just really muscular.”
“I don’t ever give her anything extra.It is my husband’s fault!”
“It’s mostly fur…really.”
Really?I have heard so many excuses for obese pets, and they continue to get more and more interesting with time.The sad truth is that our pets are getting fatter. And it isn’t their fault.It is ours.
Unlike their human friends, our pets do not have any control over their own weight.We control exactly how much food they are given each day. So, when our dogs and cats start to tip the scale, it is because we are the ones guilty of overfeeding them.
When feeding your dog or cat, it is important to actually measure the amount of food you are giving.This is important so that you know exactly what is going in…so that if your dog is still gaining weight, you know how much to cut back.It is not enough to “eyeball” the measurement, or use nonstandard amounts like “a handful.”Get in the habit of keeping a plastic measuring cup in with your bag of dog or cat food, and measuring out the exact amount of food, every time.
It is best to ask your veterinarian for a recommendation on exactly how much your dog or cat needs to be eating.Although the bag of food will come with instructions on how much to feed, this is typically too high.It is important to remember that the pet food companies are in the business of selling pet food.Therefore, it is in their best interest for your pet to eat more of their product.The true amount of food needed, is often less than the recommendation that is on the bag.
For cats, especially, one of the major contributors to obesity is ad lib feeding.This is when people just continuously fill and refill the food dish with dry kibble all day long.This is most often a problem in households with multiple cats.Ad lib feeding is just not healthy for cats.It is better to feed them controlled amounts of dry food, or better yet, canned food that is only offered at specific feeding times (usually twice per day).
Another major contributor to pet obesity is lack of exercise.In our busy lifestyles, we often don’t find the time to take our dogs on long walks.We would rather just come home from work, and rest on the couch.But we really owe it to them to get them out for some exercise.It is healthier for dogs both physically, and mentally to go on at least two long walks per day.This has the added benefit of being good for us as well!
Cats also need exercise.Most people feel that their cats are content to just lay around all day, but really, cats should be exercised.In the wild, cats would spend a large part of their day hunting.These types of activities can be replicated at home with various different types of cat toys designed to encourage a cat to stalk prey.You can do this with “fishing pole” type toys that have feathers or little mice on the end.You can also play with a cat by encouraging them to chase the little red dot produced by a laser pointer.
If you feel that your dog or cat is overweight, please take them in to your vet for an examination, and for advice on how to go about a safe and effective weight loss program.As is true for people, pets do best when they lose their extra pounds very slowly and gradually.Your vet can set you up with a concise diet and exercise program designed to help your pet reach a more healthy body size.
Dr. Karpf is the co-owner of The Visiting Vet, a housecall service for dogs and cats serving Palm Beach County.For an appointment, please call 561-252-8874.
My mother died when I was 8 years old and my little brother was 5, leaving my father a very young widower.Despite all of his grief and despair, he never skipped a beat with us.He did an amazing job raising us and he worked really hard to provide us with everything we needed physically and emotionally.He has sacrificed so much for us and gave us his whole life.I do know how lucky I am to have him but the problem is I now feel so much pressure to always be there for him, as he always was for us.
My brother is away at college now, but I am 25 years old and still living at home.I never went away to college so that I wouldn’t have to leave my father alone.I am in a serious relationship right now and even feel guilty when I stay at my boyfriend’s house or when we go away together.My boyfriend has talked about taking the next step in our relationship (i.e. marriage and moving in together) but I feel overwhelmingly panicked and torn at the notion of leaving my father.What should I do?
Signed,
M. P.
Dear M.P.,
I certainly understand why you feel so grateful for having a father who dedicated his life to his children and who did everything in his power to ensure you felt loved and nurtured, despite the tragic loss of your mother.Your father sounds like an amazing man who deserves to be honored and loved for the sacrifices he made and the selflessness he has shown.He did his job well!
That being said, it is time for you to “leave the nest” so to speak, and embark on new adventures.Given the way you have described your father, I am sure that he wants you to live a very full and happy life; one that he can be a part of.Leaving your childhood home, finding true love, and starting your own family are the milestones in life that parents hope for and dream about for their children.
Try not to underestimate your father’s strength or over inflate his dependency upon you.Your father has an opportunity to create a life for himself now outside of his children.He has the opportunity to explore his own hobbies, interests and maybe even find new companionships.While he may have some of his own fears and may express reservations about what lies ahead, he might also be filled with some excitement as he enters into this next phase in life.Encourage him to explore this new path.
You and your father have a special relationship and a loving foundation to build on.Talk to him about the future and share your concerns with one another.He has always been there for you in the past so there is no reason to believe that now will be any different.
Signed,
Dr. Z.
Laura Zipris holds a doctorate in Psychology and is licensed to practice psychotherapy in New York, as well as in Florida. Laura is certified in Imago Relationship Therapy, a transformational approach that has been used successfully with couples around the world to help them to strengthen their partnerships, deepen their connection and reignite their passion for one another. Laura sees individuals of all ages and sexual orientations, couples, families, and groups in her offices located in Wellington and Delray Beach. In addition to her psychotherapy practice, Dr. Zipris works part time as a licensed school psychologist for the Palm Beach County School District.
For more information about Laura, please visit her website atwww.drlaurazipris.com or to set up an appointment, contact Laura directly at (561) 558-7815.
Happy Birthday Geminis!It is your birthday month, and you get to celebrate by going out on the town in your newest outfit, and yes, you get to socialize, celebrate and amaze anyone that will listen, with your gift of gab.We have all learned that you also have great intuition. Your ruler, Mercury, causes you to think and act swiftly, and your mind is usually going a mile a minute.Communication and speech are important to you and your mind frequently jumps from one thing to another.It is with ease that you keep communication going, but you must keep in mind the harm that you can do by being a chatterbox.Your thirst for knowledge and study is eager, and your capacity to learn is high.You can easily write, and are good at constructive criticism.It is important for you to get the right kind of education to keep that mental energy from going to waste. You have so much to offer to the world, so give it up!If you are not properly trained, you can make life unbearable for others.If you are well educated, however, you are the most charming and refined individuals around.Your reactions are usually spur-of-the moment, and this gives a dual quality to your personality.
In your way of thinking, variety is the spice of life and this philosophy can make you high strung.If things do not go your way it is easy for you to become depressed.Happiness comes to you if there is more than one dominant interest.Meditation is good for you because it causes you to focus and keeps your mind from jumping around.It also reminds you that God is good all the time, no matter how it looks in some bewildered moment.Because of your inherent nervousness it is difficult for you to find intellectual or physical tranquility, but in emergencies you rarely lose control and you can provide many unsuspected solutions.You gain much pleasure from giving either from your hands or your ideas, and there are many ideas that you have to offer.It is important for you to eat slowly, as you tend to gulp your food down.Your popularity is usually great because you are such a witty conversation maker, as well as being sociable, courteous and intuitive.You greatly dislike being bound to any particular person or place, therefore you are continually curious and always searching for personal intellectual experiences.You like travel and changes of atmosphere.You see money as power and freedom and feel attracted to it.You can be quite thrifty.Gemini kids are so charming and ingenious that parents are often blind to their defects.They should be trained early, since any objectionable traits are very difficult to correct in later years.If education and discipline comes through your own volition, then passion turns into creative energy and originality, which can be manifested in both business and in the arts.You are usually the nonconformists of the zodiac and consequently you remain different from those around you.You rebel against the status quo, often breaking rules and resisting authority, and you rarely yield to any one person or place.As you grow older you will realize that cooperation is necessary to your own self-fulfillment and because we are all in this together.You also tend to grow younger the older you get, and one has to only be in your presence for short periods of time in order to understand what that means.Your inner child likes to play.
This month is especially energizing for you on both a mental and a physical level.Exercise and get rid of physical energy build up so that you don’t lash out at others as pressure is exerted upon you.Stay focused on inner peace and find that balance inside of you.
Cancer – Reflect upon the past gently, as a great force is lifted and you get to look beneath the surface for a while.Work extra hard at keeping your emotions stable and remember that you really cannot control much; only yourself, as a greater power is already running the show and doing a perfect job of it.
Leo – Yes, it is family time for you so go ahead and tell all the funny stories that you have been saving inside of you.You get to enjoy the spotlight, but remember to invite your friends.Isn’t life grand?
Virgo – Your mind is very active as you are trying to figure out all the details of your newest venture.Towards the end of the month it is a good idea to turn inside and spend some quiet time with yourself and a close family member.Yes, you need some nurturing right now.
Libra – You are always balancing things and have the ability to see both sides with keen observation and objectivity.It is time to speak your words now and let those close to you know what is going on inside that pretty head of yours.Yes, balance is important in your life.
Scorpio –Your ability to stick to things and think them through is a positive attribute now.Your reward is just around the corner, so don’t give up.Adjust what you need to only and move forward.You have earned the right to command your destiny now.
Sagittarius – Happy little star, you are bouncing all around, sprinkling star dust everywhere.Your power is in your hands, as well as in your ability to communicate openly, so be honest, speak your mind, and let the ultimate wisdom speak to and through you.Share what you know to be true as others will be receptive.
Capricorn – Don’t work so hard and try to pace yourself or you will find that you are burning out quickly.This month, balance is important, so spend some quiet time getting to know the driving forces of the universe.Life can be so effortless if you will only listen to the still voice inside of you.
Aquarius –You feel driven to start new things and you have a lot of physical energy to support you right now.Make your mark, but remember to spend as much time meditating as you do thinking and doing.Answers will come easily if you open yourself and let the life force work through you.
Pisces – You are feeling extra sensitive and are able to communicate on levels that amaze even you.Spend as much time in and near the water as you can, as a deep healing is permeating your very being.Sunsets can open the most artistic channels inside of you and may literally move you to tears.
Aries – Have you been wanting to plant a garden and work the soil?This is the time to do it, as you are ultimately creative in finding the perfect plants to fit that space that has been trying to capture your attention.Your energy is high and the sun and heat won’t bother you as you watch your own creations taking place.
Taurus – Spoil yourself now as you tend to spoil others most of the time.Can you let go and allow them to do for you?A massage would be heaven, as would a beautiful meal designed for your gourmet taste.Just let others pamper you and stay out of the way.Enjoy!
Karola Crawford, MAFA, has been a certified Astrologer for 25 years. She has cast charts for clients all over the world and also practices Holistic medicine, Yoga, Shiatsu, Reiki, Auricular Acupucture and is an accomplished artist. Where does she get all of her energy? A grand trine in fire, of course. Karola can be reached at 561-234-6338 or by visiting the web site at www.shamanofvisionsforhealing.com.
While the initial furor over the ‘Tiger Mom’ memoirs penned by Amy Chua has abated somewhat, the questions it brought to the national stage regarding how we, in America, and many other advanced countries raise our children, has stayed with this mom.Questions that brought a self-examination of parenting methods vis à vis the best interest of our children.
I had the same initial reaction upon reading about the methods that were reiterated in news articles that highlighted the book as controversy, as it seemed, did most parents in America.I was aghast at the examples most cited by the media that told of extreme parenting methods including no sleepovers, play dates, or TV (actually something I agree with), extensive hours practicing music which were intimately criticized by the girls’ Tiger Mom.Indeed it seemed all aspects of the two girls’ lives were given such inordinately harsh review, Chua made Simon Cowell look like Santa Claus by comparison.
The Wall Street Journal1 published an article by the author summarizing some main points of her book under the provocative title, ‘Why Chinese Moms are Superior’ – a guaranteed attention-getter and one that invites an equally superior response, Oh, really?Chua makes no excuses for her methods citing how different ‘Western parents’ are from their Chinese counterparts when it comes to demanding academic excellence for instance.She goes on to claim that most Western parents focus on making learning fun while by contrast, none of the Chinese parents she interviewed felt that fun even factored into the equation.
In the same WSJ article, Chua states, ‘Chinese parents understand … that nothing is fun until you’re good at it.”Yet in her memoir she tells of her younger daughter’s public outburst forcibly demonstrating her intense dislike for playing the violin which she had to learn and became very good at, being taught by a Juilliard teacher at the time.I don’t think Lulu thought it was much fun even though she was so good at it.Thirteen year old Lulu’s blow-up cited how she hated her life and everything in it.This made Tiger Mom Chua do a 180 where Lulu was concerned.My question regarding all this is:Was it really necessary to put her child and herself through all of this?
Being of Indian descent raised in North America, I have to say that while I gained an indelible belief that academic success was of paramount importance, it was not a punishable offense to bring home a B.Feeling like a failure was punishment enough.Having said that, I can see how effusively praising the fact that your first grader colored the sun yellow may be giving a false sense of accomplishment when it may be better, for your child in the long run, to demand their best effort in all they do.
So where’s the healthy balance?Do you threaten to burn a child’s stuffed animals as a disciplinary tool, or might it be better to take away the toy and donate them, which I actually did?Is one worse than the other?I think so.In a toddler’s mind in which the child believes the world is a consequence of their actions, she is now responsible for the destruction of a beloved toy.
In her interview with NPR2, that bastion of impartial reporting, she told interviewer Michel Martin, “… I think in some ways a part of the parent’s job is to help their child see what they’re capable of.”In the same interview, she admits she doesn’t have the answers.I do agree that we’ve grossly underestimated our children’s capabilities and given them a pass on striving for nothing less than their best.Here’s where I’m reminded of the age-old script, echoed through the generations of “When I was little, I had to take out the garbage, mow the lawn and walk the dog – all before breakfast.” And of course, the further back in time, the more arduous the chores.I remember hearing something similar and can’t believe that I want to voice the same thing to my own children.
What are we left with?An issue that has been creeping up for a long time as we leave our future to zone out in front of the TV and place 18th out of 33 countries in math on the test given by the Program for International Student Assessment3 – the issue of engaging our kids in meaningful ways and having them learn what they need to in order to succeed.While I don’t come close to the methods employed by Chua who claims that everything she’s done for her daughters she did out of love, I can see her point of what being a parent means – guiding and instructing and giving our children all the opportunities we can.Perhaps it’s more a cultural difference that defines how we choose to engage our children.
Let’s face it; parenting is far from an exact science.In fact, because it involves human interaction at a highly emotional, impacted level, it probably occupies the ‘inexact’ end of the science spectrum all on its own.This is unquestionably a divisive issue, but with some common ground.We all want to raise happy, healthy, well-adjusted, self-sufficient and successful (a very subjective term) children.It’s the how and the degrees to which we employ our methods, while keeping in mind the individuality of each child, that will impact our kids in a hopefully positive and healthy way.And of course through our kids, society and ultimately, these days, the global community will be positively impacted too.
Happy Father’s Day to all the great dads – Tiger or Teddy Bear!
Shakira is Mom to two vibrant children who have taught me as much as I hope to have taught them.I love to keep active biking or playing sports with my kids and also enjoy knitting or reading when I get the chance to.I’ve always loved to write as a hobby and am relishing the opportunity to contribute to .
You’ve just finished yet another set of abdominal crunches, you look down and “hey presto”……… no, you still don’t have a flat, defined set of abs.
So what are the key ingredients to achieving a perfectly toned midriff?
Firstly, you need to reduce your total body fat.Even 1,000 sit-ups a day will not give you’re the flatness or definition you desire if your body fat is too high.
Secondly, you need to understand the function of the abdominals and the role each muscle plays.
There are six muscles within the group that extend from various places on the ribs to various places on the pelvis and spine.They provide movement and support to the trunk as well as assisting in the breathing process.
All six muscles affect body posture.The deeper the muscle is located (i.e. closer to the spine) the greater capacity it will have for creating and maintaining a healthy back.
From deep to superficial the abdominal muscles are:
·Transverse abdominal – is not involved in any movement of the trunk, it plays an important function in forceful expiration of air from the lungs; as well as compression of the internal organs.
·The internal obliques x 2 –flexes the rib cage and pelvic bones together, sideward bending of the trunk and rotating the trunk. Due to the fact that the lower fibers of the internal oblique muscles run horizontally, they are also strong trunk rotators. Their fan-like fibers extend all the way around the sides to the lower back in much the same way a corset fits a person.
·The external obliques x 2 – as the internal obliques.
·Rectus abdominis – flexes the spinal column, bringing the rib cage and/or pelvis towards each other, and assists in sideward bending.It is also actively involved in stabilizing the trunk when the head is raised from a lying position.
For abdominal training to be effective you should include a variety of movements i.e.shortening, lengthening and static work.
The exercises we have featured this month include all of the above.Make sure you train at least 3-5 days per week, with a daily workout being permissible.Unlike other muscles, you rarely fatigue the abdominals enough so that they need a day of rest.
The amount of repetitions per exercise will depend on your individual muscular strength and endurance in this area.The key to success is to ask the muscles to work until overload i.e. fatigue and that will be different for each and every one of you. So listen to your body, it will tell you when enough is enough.
Ensure that your last repetition is as good as the first. You should be in control of every movement and SLOW DOWN! – Speed and momentum cause injuries.Correct technique is the key to your success not how fast or how many you do.
Before taking part in the following exercises ensure you have been cleared by your physician or other
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Around Wellington, 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.
BASIC SIT-UP
·Lie on your back with both knees bent and feet on the floor.
·Place your hands by your ears or support the weight of your head in your hands.
·Draw your navel into your spine and pull your waistline in.
·Lift the head and shoulders off the ground and lower.
Key tips:
·Do not pull on the head as you lift.
·Only lift your shoulder blades off the ground before lowering.Research suggests that the abdominals flex the spinal column for about the first 30 to 45 degrees of movement.Beyond 30 degrees the powerful hip flexors begin to take over.Due to the potential pressure placed on the lower spine full sit-ups cannot be recommended.
·Exhale on the lift.
FULL PLANK/3/4 PLANK
·Start on your elbows and knees.
·Draw the navel into your spine and pull your waistline in.
·Extend both legs out fully for the full plank or stay on your knees for the ¾ position.
·Lower your body weight until your pelvis is below your shoulder line.
Key tips:
·Ensure your elbows are underneath your shoulders.
·Draw your navel into your spine and pull your waistline in throughout the exercise.
·Do not lift the pelvis high into the air.
·Breathe normally.
TABLE OPPOSITE ARM TO LEG
·Start on your hands and knees ensuring the wrists are under the shoulders and hips over the knees.
·Draw your navel to the spine and pull your waistline in.
·Slide one leg out. When fully extended lift to hip height.
·Once stable, extend opposite arm to leg.
·Hold as long as you can keep good form.
Key tips:
·Keep your pelvis in neutral.
·If extending the arm is too intensive only extend the leg.
·Ensure your navel is pulled to your spine and the waistline is drawn in throughout the exercise.
·Breathe regularly.
CYCLE
·Lie on your back with both knees bent and feet on the floor.
·Draw the navel into the spine and pull the waistline in.
·As you extend one leg draw the opposite knee into your chest and rotate your torso to the bent knee.
·Repeat on both sides
Key tips:
·Do not pull on your head.
·Lead with your shoulders not your elbow as you turn.
·Ensure your navel is drawn to your spine and your waistline drawn in throughout the exercise.
Exhale on the turn.
Cheryl Alker specializes in flexibility training, facial exercises and postural alignment.Her 28 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.For more information about professional continuing education and 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, 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.
What’s a short? The freshest, funniest, fastest 5 – 20 minutes of your life. Add Broadway and television star Jai Rodriguez to City Theatre’s award-winning mix, and you get a fresh, bold Summer Shorts unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. See 7 of the nation’s best short plays in one program!
JUNE 2 – 26 AT THE ARSHT CENTER Buy Tickets
JUNE 30 – JULY 3 AT THE BROWARD CENTER Buy Tickets
Caldwell Theatre Embraces Diversity for Their Summer Season
Boca Raton. May 24, 2011. Caldwell Theatre Company announces a summer season that embraces diversity and theatricality.Embarking on the successful formula of summers past, they will open the summer season with a World Premiere by South Florida’s foremost playwright Michael McKeever, and his hilarious take on the famous Collyer Brothers of Harlem, titled Stuff.The comedy will be followed by a classically executed drama, Six Years, by the up and coming writer Sharr White.
“Our greatest success during our summer seasons has come from counter programming against traditional summer fare,” said Clive Cholerton, Artistic Director of Caldwell Theatre Company.“As was the case with Vices: A Love Story, a world premiere, followed by The Whipping Man, a compelling drama,” continued Cholerton, citing Caldwell Theatre Company’s overwhelmingly successful summer of 2009, “we have programmed a summer season that is as eclectic as it is entertaining.”
Stuff, tracks the story of the Collyer Brothers from the late 1920’s, soon after their family has moved into their upscale brownstone, in the fashionable neighborhood of Harlem.Our second act fast forwards 20 years to a vastly different Harlem, where the brother’s habit of collecting newspapers, mechanical devices and pianos, has now imploded into a full-scale obsession of floor to ceiling debris.Throughout it all, McKeever has provided non- stop laughs and tremendously insightful wit, which has you loving the brothers and rooting for their journey.
Six Years, is the poignant and powerful drama that tracks the marriage of Phil and Meredith Granger, in five separate scenes, each separated by six years, beginning at the end of WWII and ending with the Vietnam War.We see them first deal with the aftermath of war, transition to a tremendous business success and continue forward dealing with their son in the Vietnam era.Mr. White’s razor sharp script illuminates an understanding of marriage reminiscent of the classic American writers Arthur Miller and Eugene O’Neil.
The design team for both productions will feature the respected talents of Tim Bennett, scenic design, TomShorrock, lighting and sound design, Alberto Arroyo, costume design and Deborah Veres, property design.
Cholerton will direct both productions which he gushed, “It’s an added thrill to reunite with McKeever after our collaborative success on Dangerous.I am certain the passion and energy we conveyed with our most recent project, will be recreated with our latest endeavor”
The Caldwell Theatre Company is located at 7901 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, FL 33487. For the box office call 561-241-7432 or 1-877-245-7432. The Caldwell Theatre Company’s upcoming production schedule can be found at www.caldwelltheatre.com.
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Media Contact:
Clive Cholerton, Artistic Director of Caldwell Theatre Company and play director
Group pricing for all performances are available. Groups must consist of at least 15. Groups receive one comp for every 20 tickets purchased. Contact Group Sales at (561) 995-2333 or groupsales@caldwelltheatre.com.
About Caldwell Theatre:
Caldwell Theatre Company is the longest running regional theater in South Florida. The 2010-2011 Mainstage Season celebrates our 36th Season. The theater has 333 seats with no obstructions and no seat is over 60 feet from the stage. You’ll feel as if you’re watching a
performance from your living room. Accessible seating is available upon request. All donations are 100% tax deductable. Caldwell Theatre Company is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
Delray Beach, FL – Anne Gannon hosted a campaign kickoff to launch her re-election campaign for the Constitutional Tax Collector serving Palm Beach County. The campaign kick-off at the “Spotted on 2nd Gallery” in Delray Beach was attended by more than 50 friends and supporters. Gannon told supporters “I decided to announce early because 2012 is going to be a very competitive election year. We are at war, we have high unemployment, local foreclosure rates are 5th highest in nation and many people’s lives are still in economic distress. Our local voters will be bombarded with tons of election communications – from the Presidential Primaries, to hotly contested congressional races, and a ballot overloaded with divisive and controversial referendum issues. My Constitutional Tax Collector race will have to work even harder in 2012 to reach the voters.”
Gannon was elected Constitutional Tax Collector in 2006 and re-elected in 2008 by a large margin. Since taking office Gannon has made major changes in an agency that had stagnated prior to her taking leadership. “I believe our agency must continue to embrace customer service first, second and always,” said Gannon. Among the reforms initiated by Gannon include establishing an ethics policy prohibiting gifts of any amount which makes it stronger than the Palm Beach County ethics policy, a Pay for Performance Plan which ties employee pay to client satisfaction ratings, a non-smoking policy, a number of system improvements to upgrade outmoded and out-dated systems and technologies, requiring competitive bidding on all contracts, and a wellness initiative “Journey To Good Health” to reduce health insurance premiums in the annual budget.
Gannon has a strong business background working as an Operations Analyst for a Fortune 500 company and then owning her own business. “I definitely came to this job with a clear vision of customer service and am still working hard to transform a long standing culture”. Most recently Gannon’s efforts have been recognized by the National Association of Government Accounts with the prestigious “2011 Excellence in Government Leadership Award” for the improvements in her Agency.
Meet Sharon Gless. This deeply shy yet effervescentindividual is known for playing outspoken leading ladies. This charismatic, stunning dame of American television, film and theater, is currently recognized for her magnificent portrayal as Madeline Westen in the hit USA Network series BURN NOTICE. Gless is a testament to how one should nurture a career, so it’ll blossom into a lifelong journey by a woman who dearly loves her craft.
Sharon Gless. Photo: USA Network.
Gless has portrayed numerous iconic characters:
Maggie Philbin, Switch, Sgt. Christine Cagney, Cagney & Lacey, Rosie O’Neill in The Trials of Rosie O’Neill and Debbie Novotny in the Showtime series Queer as Folk. Her portrayal of Cagney earned Gless two Emmys®, a Golden Globe®, six Emmy® nominations, and five Q Awards and for her portrayal of O’Neill she received her second Golden Globe® and two more Emmy® nominations. In 1995 she was honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
She excels at portraying courageous characters. “I don’t know if I’ve actually played courageous characters, but I’ve portrayed characters who did courageous things, like Christine Cagney who had her life on the line. Madeline is courageous because she raised those boys while being battered. Debbie was courageous as she would fight for those boys against authorities. Jane, she didn’t have to put herself out there emotionally, it’s a different kind of courage. I do play courageous women,” she says, rather surprised at not previously making this connection.
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Gless has received much recognition during her career. If you want the entire run-down, go to sharongless.com, aroundheeledwoman.com or usaburnnotice.com. For now, let’s focus on her recent achievements. The Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival honored her with its 2010 Career Achievement Award the night it premiered her starring vehicle HANNAH FREE. She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Delray Beach Film Festival; a Gracie Award at the 35th Annual Gracie Awards Gala for Individual Achievement as Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama Series for her role in Burn Notice and was honored with the Bridge to Unity Award by the Lesbian & Gay Police Association Gay Officers League of Chicago.She also received an International Sony Award for her work on the BBC radio play ‘Night Mother. Her performance on Burn Notice earned Gless a tenth Emmy® nomination in the category ofOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
The accolades keep pouring in for this woman who appears in one groundbreaking role after the next. Although she began her career in television, it was work in the theater that she wanted to experience. She appeared in Watch on the Rhine, Cahoots, The Vagina Monologues and Stephen King‘sMisery at the Criterion Theatre, and Neil Simon‘sChapter 2, at the Gielgud Theatre, both in London’s West End. She has now established herself in another plum role as Jane Juska in A Round-Heeled Woman, a stage adaptation by Jane Prowse from the book.
Juska, a retired English teacher who hadn’t dated in thirty years decided to place an ad in the New York Review of Books: “Before I turn 67 next March, I’d like to have a lot of sex with a man I like. If you want to talk first, Trollope works for me.” Thus begins her adventure which she wrote about in A Round-Heeled Woman: My Late-Life Adventures in Sex and Romance. The meaning of round-heeled woman, if you haven’t already figured it out, is a woman who yields readily to sexual intercourse.
The play opened in San Francisco before it came to GableStageat the Biltmorein Coral Gables. The Miami production featured the exceptionally-talented Antonio Amadeo, Stephen G. Anthony, Howard Elfman, Laura Turnbull andKim Ostrenko. Ostrenko appeared in Season 2, Episode 11 of Burn Notice. “I’m so fortunate to be working with these actors. How lucky am I! They totally hold me up,” Gless said. “All six of us are in that little dressing room, so we’ll get to know each other pretty well. Antonio is a dream. He’s my son, my lover, and my salsa teacher.”
“Working with Sharon is great,” Amadeo said. “She and director/playwright Jane Prowse are very kind and have embraced us local artists, which makes it easy for us to feel welcome in the development of the play.”
The partnership between Prowse and Gless is unique. “She’s one of the best actors I’ve ever worked with in my life,” Prowse said. “She’s funny, compassionate, warm and we’re bonded way beyond something we understand, especially around this play because we both so believe in Jane and her story.”
This is the first time Gless is appearing on stage in Miami, her residence of fifteen years. “What’s really scary for me is that I’m doing what’s now my hometown. Sometimes it’s easier when you’re trying out something new and you do it someplace where you don’t know anybody,” Gless said. “I’m not classically trained but I’ve learned that acting is like music and you go to certain words like you’d reach for certain notes. I want to make sure that I hit the right notes, especially when playing Madeline.”
BURN NOTICE — Season:4 — Pictured: (l-r) Sharon Gless as Madeline Westen, Jeffrey Donovan as Michael Westen, Gabrielle Anwar as Fiona Glenanne, Bruce Campbell as Sam Axe — Photo by: Nigel Parry/USA Network.
In terms of Burn Notice, “At the beginning of year four, we were picked up for seasons five and six, unheard of in the history of television,” Gless explained. “We shoot eighteen episodes, it’s a big order for cable and I couldn’t be happier.” Gless speaks very fondly of all her co-stars on the show, and the feeling is clearly mutual.
“Working with Sharon is like working with a live wire that’s broken off from a power line. It’s alive with energy, vibrant and utterly transfixing,” Jeffrey Donovan, who brilliantly portrays her son Michael Weston, said. “Though you think you’ve seen her performance in rehearsal, during her performance out comes spontaneity and an immeasurable depth that’s mined take after take. One of my favorite scenes with her isn’t always on the page. Last year she had a look, a quizzical ‘I know you look’ that just called Michael on all his shit. I was embarrassed and taken aback.”
“My favorite scene with Sharon is every scene with Sharon. I just want to marry Michael, so I can call her Mom,” Gabrielle Anwar said. “Working with Sharon on Burn Notice is hardly considered work. I’m in awe of who she is as a woman – which transcends even her virtuosity as an actor. We share a double trailer and I’m hoping that simply by being so close as to feel her move around the confined space next door, it’ll elicit some improvement in my own proficiency.”
“Sharon is awesome. Most people wouldn’t know that she’s unassuming and shy,” Bruce Campbell said. “I always look forward to scenes together, because Sharon is game for anything. After 170 years in the business, she’s still like a kid when she works and it’s infectious. We had to do a scene where the spies have to recruit her to help. She reluctantly infiltrates a bingo game and the results are hilarious. For having done so much drama, Sharon is really funny.”
After her vibrant performance at GableStage Gless says, “I’m going to California, checking into The Oaks at Ojai, lose weight, rest and get ready for Burn Notice.”
GableStage, led by its incomparable Producing Artistic Director Joe Adler, who recently received five Carbonell Awards at the 35th annual presentation honoring South Florida thespians in April 2011, for: Blasted: Matt Corey/ Sound; Tim Connolly/Scenic Design; Jeff Quinn/Lighting; Joseph Adler/Best Director of a Play and Best Production of a Play. Fifty Words: Gregg Weiner won Best Actor in a Play. And most recently GableStage received news that it was one of the fifty-six Knight Arts Challenge (www.KnightArts.org) finalists. Let’s hope GableStage gets its wish and receives a grant, because this is what it’s going to do with it: introduce a new audience to an old master by launching a Winter Shakespeare Festival, which will blend classic techniques with contemporary references in collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company and acclaimed Miami-native playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney. If you haven’t made the drive to Coral Gables yet – this’ll certainly get your motor running!
GableStage continues its extraordinary season into the summer with the following not-to-be missed productions:
IN THE NEXT ROOMorThe Vibrator Play by Sarah Ruhl
May 14 – June 12, 2011 Southeastern Premiere
A comedy about marriage, intimacy and electricity. In the 1880s, a new medical device is developed to treat and pacify “hysterical” women, but it unknowingly produces a very different result. The Pulitzer Prize-nominated playwright shares this story of repressed sexuality and physical exploration with equal doses of humor and emotion.
MASKED by Ilan Hatsor
July 9 – August 7, 2011 Southeastern Premiere
An explosive Israeli play about three Palestinian brothers locked in a life-and-death struggle over issues of deception and betrayal. Set in a village on the West Bank in 1990, it depicts the tragedy of one family torn between duty, kinship, principles and survival.
THE BROTHERS SIZE by Tarell Alvin McCraney
September 3 – October 2, 2011
Winner of the New York Times 2009 Outstanding Playwright Award
Set in Louisiana’s bayous, the play explores the struggles of two brothers locked in a fierce tug-of-war for their souls. This is the first Southeastern production of a work by this 28-year old Miami native and New World High School graduate whose plays are pushing the boundaries of form, language and sexuality in provocative and poetic ways.
Thursday at 8 pm & Sunday at 7 pm: $37.50
Friday at 8 pm & Sunday at 2 pm: $42.50
Saturday at 8 pm: $47.50
GROUP SALES
Discounts are available for groups of 20 or more. Information and reservations may be obtained by contacting the Box Office Manager at 305.445.1119.
For information go to, GableStage.org.For questions or further information call 305.446.1116 or e-mail us at contact@gablestage.org.
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Burn Notice (BN) on the USA Network is one of those rare jewels of an action/drama television series that has captured a worldwide audience enthralling the masses with its fascinating storylines. Because the program takes place and is filmed on location in Miami, South Floridians are abuzz with elation over a show they can call their own. Many people may not realize that the series was originally envisioned to take place in Newark, New Jersey – but the colorful arena of people from poor to wealthy, above the board to sketchy along with its eclectic atmosphere, makes Miami a perfect locale for BN.
This electrifying series begins its fifth season in the 9 PM, Thursday night timeslot on June 23rd, after a day-long Season 4 marathon, beginning at 6 AM, while the cast and crew continues shooting its sixth season right here in Miami. BN hit the scene in June 2007 and in 2009 it became the highest rated original cable program. The series title refers to burn notices issued by various intelligence agencies. In this case, Michael Westen, the main character of the show, who is consummately played by Jeffrey Donovan, had served in Eastern Europe and the OPEC countries as a covert operative spy. He now finds himself dismissed and discredited but uses his training to help others in trouble. The majority of each episode focuses on a person who desperately needs Michael’s help while other elements focus on Westen’s journey toward finding out who burned him.
The credit for BN’s success belongs to creator Matt Nix who is also one of its three Executive Producers, along with Mikkel Bondesen and Jeff Freilich. In 2008 Matt won the Edgar Allan Poe Award, honoring him for Best Television Episode/Teleplay. Matt first conceived the show to be a lot darker but Bonnie Hammer, President of NBC Universal Cable, thought it would be better if a few changes were made to it. He took her suggestions, did a re-write, turned it in and the rest is history.
“The USA Network is the most amazing network and Bonnie has been at the helm since its inception,” said Sharon Gless, one of the stars of the show, who portrays Madeline Westen, Jeffrey’s mother. “She’s so hands on in our show and was precise about what color of sunglasses I had to wear. She knows her stuff. She’s a very, very, very lovely woman. I’m sure she has her tough moments because you cannot run a network without being tough. But everyone loves her and for a woman to have that reputation and be as powerful as she is and still be loved is unusual. She built that network from nothing and now we’re the highest rated cable show in the nation. In fact, we were opposite Mad Men on Thursday nights and they had to change their time slot. They get all the respect, but we get the numbers.” She also gives kudos to Matt. “I call him my boy genius,” Sharon explained. “He always writes me a little gem for me when Michael walks in the door.” And for fans of Sharon – you’ll be happy to know that the second episode of season five
prominently features this extraordinary gifted actress.
It seems the question foremost in the minds of fans is whether or not Michael will want to return to the spy business after making a difference in the lives of so many people, which he doesn’t do alone. His ex-girlfriend, former IRA agent, Fiona Glenanne played by Gabrielle Anwar, and his best friend, a former military intelligent operative Sam Axe portrayed by Bruce Campbell help him out. “Absolutely,” Jeffrey said. “That’s what he was born to do, bred to do.”
The Paley Center for Media hosts various opportunities throughout the year for members of the BN team to speak to its fans and the press about the show. During one of these events Matt, spoke about the main cast. “You guys get together and do whatever you do and that’s really magical when it happens and it’s inspiring. It’s fun to write.” And in return Jeffrey said, “The writers are so good that they inspire us.”
The show is associated with many celebrities who have either appeared as an actor and/or a director in it. The list includes such luminaries as Moon Bloodgood, Tyne Daly, Tricia Helfer, Jay Karnes, Richard Kind, John Mahoney, Tim Matheson, Robert Patrick, Seth Peterson, Danny Pino, Richard Schiff, Michael Shanks and Ben Shenkman. But the one celebrity the local’s were delighted to see on the show was Burt Reynolds. Adding another layer to fan excitement was the reunion of Sharon (Sgt. Christine Cagney) and Tyne (Sgt. Mary Beth Lacey) from the NYC 1980s detective hit Cagney & Lacey. It was the episode called ‘A Dark Road’ that re-teamed these two incomparable talents. Tyne was a widow who hired Michael to help thwart a group of con artists and in turn Michael needs his mother’s help in the situation.
“They had me go undercover,” Sharon said. And watching them perform one heartbreaking scene in particular was very poignant. Working together again was “kind of like bicycle riding,” Tyne said. “You know, with Sharon we fall into a rhythm and it was nice and easy. It felt like a great tennis match.”
Of course the glamorous and alluring Gabrielle as Fi re-enters Michael’s life after he’s dumped in Miami. She’s a trigger-happy explosives expert but serves him well. The question on everyone’s mind is whether they’ll get back together? “I don’t know to be perfectly honest whether she does want to settle down,” Gabrielle said. “I don’t think that’s interesting to her at all. I think she wants to feel secure, but I don’t know what that definition of security might be to her. It’s certainly not your typical conventional idea of marriage.”
Then we have Michael’s relationship with Sam. Bruce plays him with such ease that his portrayal seems innate. Yet don’t let this fool you because it’s not easy playing a character who is now best pals with a guy he used to inform on. His character is a mojito loving former Navy SEAL who makes his living as an unlicensed private investigator. “They do have a bromance,” Jeffrey stated. This Royal Oak, Michigan native now finds himself in the thick of Floridian swampland in some of his scenes. Bruce finds it very important that BN is filmed in Miami.
“It matters, it really does. People can tell. We’re on beaches and we’re in swamps and at the edge of the everglades and running around in funky alleys and buildings, so you don’t have to fake your angles,” Bruce pointed out. “And we’re really the main show that has stayed. Dexter left, CSI Miami left and we’re it. People are excited to have us here.”
If you missed the prequel movie, “The Fall of Sam Axe” based on Sam’s life before the events of BN occur it’ll surely be repeated. The gist of the story focuses on Sam’s life before he met Michael that serves as a lead into the current season and is directed by Jeffrey. The prequel was absolutely seamless and it’s sure to shown again on the USA Network, so keep your eyes peeled for it.
One of the most resourceful elements to the series is the fact that two local casting agents, Ellen Jacoby and Lori Wyman, cast Floridian based actors to be in it. Jeffrey has actually taken his association with Ellen to another level. “We created an acting seminar together which is basically a small institute for beginners, advanced and intermediate actors in the area.”
Ellen Jacoby Casting International has also done work for such highly successful films as Something About Mary, Birdcage, and True Lies. Ellen has received countless awards but it was in March 1990 when the Mayor of Miami Beach Alex Daoud presented her with the World’s Greatest Casting Director Award, declaring that day to be Ellen Jacoby Day. Her company is located at 3525 Collins Ave and you can call 305.531.5300 for more information.
Lori Wyman Casting, one of the prominent casting agencies in the southeast, also conducts casting calls for The Glades, Dexter, and C.S.I Miami. She has worked on B.L. Stryker (with Burt), 21 Jump Street, Cane, The Sopranos, and more. She has also done casting for Striptease (also with Burt), Wild Things, 2 Fast 2 Furious, The Perfect Storm and many others. She has written a book called ‘The Organic Actor’. “The writing of this book has really been a selfish journey for me, because we’re running out of actors to hire locally,” Lori said. “Instead of going to Louisiana or South Carolina, I thought we can increase the talent level of the locals, so that’s why I wrote it.” BN is always looking for actors of all ages and types, Florida residents only. Send pictures/resume to lori@loriwymancasting.com. In the subject line of your email note the name of the show that’s of interest to you. Also check out loriwymancasting.com.
There have been many gifted Floridian actors who have appeared on BN. The two most impressive casting coups have been Paul Tei in the recurring role of Barry Burkowski and Gerald Owens as a therapist.
Barry first appeared in the pilot episode and continues to thrill us with his antics as a metrosexual money-launderer. Michael is Barry’s source to Miami’s underworld that occasionally doctors financial records and creates covers for him. Michael’s requests are-risky for Barry, but always come around. Why? “Because he’s comfortable with his relationship with the crew,” Paul explained. “I think he’d like to be a part of that crew.” Paul went on to explain how he feels lucky to have had “the freedom to develop the character and to shape his destiny.” What most people want to know is what’s in Barry’s bag, and my favorite question which is, when is Barry coming back?” Paul said. “Which I say, I wish I knew.”
Gerald also waxes eloquently about his experience. “I auditioned in late summer. Television series make casting decisions very quickly, so I knew within a matter of days that I’d be working the following week,” Gerald explained. “The director of the episode who sat in on the callbacks was Tim Matheson. My episode was entitled ‘Double Booked’, and Tim also played the villain, an affable, sociopathic contract killer, a onetime colleague of Michael’s. I was part of the subplot that week, a pompous family therapist engaged by Michael’s mother to help them mend their relationship. The shoot itself was pleasant. Sharon, Jeffrey and Tim were very charming. Surprisingly, the mother’s house has been constructed in its entirety as a standing set inside the Coconut GroveConvention Center – they’ve hung a false sky on all four sides. One of my Laughing Gas colleagues Fawad Siddiqui, was cast earlier in the season as the head of the fictional Pakistani consulate in Miami. He got to do an extensively improvised argument with Bruce.”
For everything BN you can go to the following websites and twitters pages:
usa.network.com,
burnnoticefansite.com,
facebook.com/burnnotice,
@MattNixTV,
@Jeffrey_Donovan Miami,
sharongless.com,
tim-matheson.com,
@Tim_Matheson Los Angeles, California.
A Toledo, OH native, a graduate of Kent State, Marla E. Schwartz is a Senior Writer for Miami Living Magazine, afreelance writer forLighthouse Point Magazine and the a cultural arts columnist for AroundWellington.com Her photographs have appeared in these publications, in many Ohio periodicals, as well as in The Miami Herald, The Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel and The Palm Beach Post. She has had numerous plays published and produced around the country. Her short play, America’s Working? was produced in Los Angeles at both the First Stage and the Lone Star Ensemble theater companies, in Florida at Lynn University and at an Off-Broadway playhouse in NYC. Her piece, The Lunch Time Café, was a finalist for the Heideman Award,Actors Theatre of Louisville. Please check out the re-prints of her interviews with authors Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson and Dexter novelist Jeff Lindsay in the October 2010 issue #2 and Chris Bohjalian in the April 2011 issue #3 of Duff Brenna’sServingHouse: A Journal of Literary Arts at www.servinghousejournal.com. You can contact her at marlaschwartz@att.net.
The Dixie Art Loft presents Circles of Light a photographic exhibit by Raymond Gehman.The exhibit will take place from June 23 to June 28, 2011.Opening reception is on Thursday, June 23, 5:30 – 7:30 PM.The Dixie Art Loft is part of the Craft Gallery, 5911 South Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach.The Dixie Art Loft presents Exceptional Work by Exceptional Artists.
Melting Sunflowers
For 24 years, Pennsylvania-based National Geographic photographer Raymond Gehman has traveled the world chronicling the world’s pristine environments. He has also been shooting closer to home, creating fine, impressionistic photographic art. Everywhere he has found circles of light gracing both the natural landscape and his heart’s own intimate landscape. Mr. Gehman’s Circles of Light exhibition will open at the Dixie Art Loft in West Palm Beach on June 13, 2011 with a reception on June 23. This exhibition features film images representing Mr. Gehman’s love of big sky places: arctic night canopies with swirling beams; dusk-drenched mountain tops hanging out under sparkling moons. It also exhibits more recent digital images conveying Mr. Gehman’s belief that art can be made anywhere: everyday subjects transformed into the mysterious and bizarre. Having been awarded three National Geographic Magazine covers and having been published in numerous books and articles, Mr. Gehman increasingly allows his internal experience to color his images, always searching for wilderness places where people are few and far between, and where numinous luminosity abounds.
Betty Wilson, founder of the Craft Gallery has been creating “Invitational Group Art Exhibits” to showcase Celebrated Artists as well as Emerging Artists in a collaborative event. The “Invitational Group Art Exhibits” now has a home of its own at the Dixie Art Loft.
For additional information contact:
Betty Wilson
DIXIE ART LOFT at The Craft Gallery
5911 South Dixie Hwy.
West Palm Beach, Fl 33405
561-585-7744
561-762-8162 www.dixieartloft.com
