Held on ten acres of ground, under our pavilion and massive tent, our “Original Oktoberfest” is one of the largest in the country.
Held Rain or Shine.
Admission only $7.00 • Children under 12 FREE Plenty of FREE Parking (Preferred & Handicap Parking available for $10.-)
COME JOIN THE FUN!
Beer-Tapping Ceremony
Parade of Flags
Delicious German & American Food
Original German Oktoberfest Beer
Song & Dance
2 Bands direct from the Munich Oktoberfest
Souvenirs/T-shirts/Arts & Crafts
Kid’s Area – Carnival Rides
And MUCH MORE..
We offer authentic German cooking such as Bratwurst, Potato Salad, Leberkäse, Sauerkraut, Original Hofbräu Bier, imported from Munich/Germany or domestic beer, liqueurs, wine or non-alcoholic beverages, and for dessert some German pastry.
Enjoy traditional folk dancing performances, choral singing, and sing-along’s with two Bands coming straight from Germany, vendor & craft booths, Biergarten and a kids’ zone.
Folk dancing performances will be featured, vendor & craft booths, and a kids’ zone.
At the German American Club. Visit the website for a $2 OFF coupon –
Check out our recent photos from our AroundWellington.com table at the Mall at Wellington Green at the 23rd Annual Home, Health & Recreation Expo, thanks to photographer Patty Boxold. We had fun seeing a lot of you and re-connecting with some of you, who told us you used to enjoy the magazine in print and didn’t realize that we had gone online!My 5-year-old daughter thoroughly enjoyed handing out candy and refrigerator magnets.
Our really great contests continue!Between October 1st – 12th, you have the opportunity to win a one-hour massage at The Wellness Experience, located in Kobosko’s Crossing (just East of 441 on Forest Hill Blvd.) Just visit our “Contest” page for contest guidelines. For those who have become old pro’s at doing our contest, it’s the usual one – just find the hidden “AW Contest” inside one of the ads on the right side of our website! The winner will be posted on AroundWellington.com on Oct. 13th.
I want to introduce you to two new wonderful writers this month, who will be writing regularly for AroundWellington.com – Ruth Mansmith and Stephanie Courtois.
Did you know that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month?Ruth Mansmith writes about this topic in “Health & Fitness” this month.Mansmith is a former CEO for a national chain of health-care facilities and author of the international award-winning “Fit For Life Wellness Program,” which offers wellness strategies for people of all ages. She has trained thousands of participants across the country on strategies to avoid disease and enjoy the fullness of life. She’s working on her new book, “The Wellness Handbook” and offering private wellness consultation. In addition to writing “Health & Fitness” for us every other month, she has also begun working with me on website updates and advertising as well.
We also are proud to have Wellington teen Stephanie Courtois writing “Teen Talk,” beginning this month. She writes about her positive experience with the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization in “The Impact of a Youth Group.” Courtois is a junior at Wellington High School. She is involved in tae kwon do, French, National and Chemistry Honor Societies, and is the news editor for the school newspaper. As far as I’m concerned, she is the perfect person to be our next “Teen Talk” writer!
Thanks again this month to our terrific intern Damon Webb, who helped us in getting these October articles posted on our website!
I really enjoyed interviewing Juan Cocuy for our “AW Spotlight” story this month. In addition to being a partner at Cocuy, Burns & Co. (Wellington’s largest accounting firm), he is the Chairman-Elect of the Hispanic Chamber of the Palm Beaches. Since we’ve previously written about the great work going on at Cocuy, Burns & Co., we took a look at the Hispanic Chamber this month. I also want to thank Juan for being one of our regular columnists with “By the Numbers.”
Are you getting in or out of a relationship?Or struggling with a current one?If any of these situations apply (which they probably do to over 90% of you), check out this month’s “Lighten Up with Lisa.”She tackles the age-old problem of relationships, conflicting desires and unmet expectations and does so quite well!
Looking for a few tips on an “eco-friendly” Halloween?Read “Living Green” this month by Christine Smith! A few good ideas can go along way, if more and more do these things each year – like buying local pumpkins and having a costume exchange party.
When my daughter went off to kindergarten this fall, her school had a “Boohoo/Yahoo” breakfast to welcome the parents of kindergarteners and welcome all of the different emotions they might be feeling. In this month’s “Mommy Moments,” Melanie Lewis writes about her own “Boohoo/Yahoo” experience. And she adds a nice low-fat lasagna recipe that her family uses quite often during the week. Melanie, by the way, is a certified Weight Watchers instructor. So you know that this lasagna is not going to do too much damage and it will be “low in points.”Thanks, Mel!
If you have a budding astronomer in your household like I do, you will enjoy looking up at the sky and finding the planets and the constellations with a little help from “The Space Room.” My 3-year-old son will be an astronaut for Halloween this year, and we are somehow talking about the planets throughout the day every day! And I must admit that we print out Anna Sanclement’s column each month before we head out and look at the night sky.
We have an interesting celebrity interview again, thanks to “Cultural Corner” columnist Marla E. Schwartz. Remember Gwen Ifill, the woman who moderated the Presidential debates in 2008?Ifill is the moderator of Washington Week In Review, the longest-running news & public affairs program on PBS. She has many accomplishments and she’s written a best-selling book The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama. Thanks to Marla Schwartz for getting this exclusive interview with Gwen Ifill this month!
I finally sat down and interviewed someone who’s a celebrity, according to me – my wonderful Aunt Shirley! She has traveled to almost every country in the world! If you’re interested in covering as much of the planet as you can during this short trip that we have (called life), you will want to read about the travels of Shirley Woods and see Shirley’s map in “AW Stories of the Month.” Don’t forget to see the list of locations she has visited at the end of my article.
Speaking of travel, don’t miss Terri Farris’ article about Colorado Springs in “Travel with Terri.”It’s a beautiful write-up with beautiful photos, thanks to photographer Greg Holder.
Welcome to our newest advertiser this month, the Lake Wellington Professional Centre. These professional offices are located right in the heart of Wellington, behind the Wellington Community Center. They offer executive suites, corporate offices and virtual offices with packages starting at the affordable price of $75 per month. It’s a beautiful place to conduct your business, right on Lake Wellington. The Law Office of Malcolm E. Harrison, the Wellington Chamber of Commerce and many other professional businesses are located there. If you’re looking for an ideal office space, call them at (561) 227-1500.
Thanks for everyone’s contributions toward our October content! Please see below for the latest stories and photos!
The New Moon will be on Thursday the 7th, followed by the First Quarter Moon, on Thursday the 15th. This month’s Full Moon comes on Friday the 22nd, with the Last Quarter Moon on Saturday the 30th.
Planet Lineup for October 2010
Jupiter continues to shine throughout this month and can be seen all night. You will see it shortly after the Sun goes down in the southeastern horizon. With binoculars you may be able to see its bigger moons, which will look like stars around the planet.
With a small telescope some of Jupiter features like its cloud belts can be visible, especially when the gas giant is at its highest point in the sky later at night.
In early October, about a half hour after the Sun sets, Venus can be spotted near the western horizon. It is so bright that it can even be seen during twilight. The brilliant planet looks amazing with the naked eye, but with a telescope it really looks dazzling as it appears in a crescent shape. As October progresses, however, Venus starts to set earlier and earlier, until it slips out of sight.
Mars is still hanging on in the west, but it is increasingly hard to see against the bright twilight these days. Binoculars will definitely help spot the small ruddy red dot that is now Mars.
Saturn appears in the early mornings towards the eastern sky after the middle of the month, but its visibility won’t improve much until next month.
Stars, Constellations and Galaxies to view in October
The Pegasus Constellation is high up in the sky in mid October and can be spotted by its signature square shape. Then, a few degrees to the northeast from Pegasus lies the Triangulum Constellation, which of course has a triangular shape. Just west of it, if you have a telescope or live in a dark area, you can spot the Triangulum Galaxy also known as M33.
M33 is one of the galaxies in our Local Group of galaxies and although it is smaller than our own Milky Way galaxy, its shape is very similar to it. Because it is faint, M33 is best viewed with a small telescope in a magnification of 25x.
A bit more to the west of M33 you may spot M31, or the Andromeda galaxy, another one from our group, however, this one is much larger and can easily be seen as a fuzzy patch from dark skies.
“O beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain.For purple mountain majesties, above the fruited plain.America! America! God shed His grace on thee and crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.”
Imagine a place beautiful enough to inspire these words.In 1893 Katharine Lee Bates, a professor and poet, agreed to join a wagon expedition to the summit of Pikes Peak.At the summit the view left her in complete awe and admiration.She immediately wrote the poem that became the anthem “America the Beautiful” which led to Pike’s Peak becoming known as “America’s Mountain”.
Colorado Springs and the Pike’s Peak region is a destination filled with beauty and grandeur so enticing that General William Jackson Palmer, a Civil War hero from Pennsylvania, wrote to his wife upon first sight of the area in 1870 “Could one live in constant view of these grand mountains without being elevated by them into a lofty plane of thought and purpose?”He was so enticed by the stunning scenic beauty he began planning the city of his dreams – a resort community that today – more than 130 years later – is visited by millions.
Appropriately labeled the gateway to southern Colorado’s “Outdoor Adventure Play Land”, Colorado Springs and the Pike’s Peak region is filled with options for outdoor activities.With over 300 days of sunshine and moderate temperatures, the area is perfect for hiking, biking, horseback riding and numerous other outdoor pursuits.www.visitcos.com
In November 1806, American explorer Zebulon Montgomery Pike traveled through the area and is credited with discovering Pike’s Peak.He and his group attempted to reach the summit but were unsuccessful without the proper dress or equipment.The summit is 14,110 feet and the trek to the summit is memorable no matter what method of transportation you use to reach it.Regarded as one of Americas’ top scenic drives, taking a car to the top of America’s mountain requires – at the very least – a very alert driver!Most of the 19 mile highway is without guard rails and with the twists and turns in the road it looks as if you will drive right off into the clouds!While the ascent is thrilling the descent is even more so.Vertical drops, narrow lanes and controlled two-way traffic results in a thrill ride better than any roller coaster.In fact, there are t-shirts in the gift shop on the mountain with the motto “Real Men Don’t Need Guard Rails”!
Highway to Pike's Peak.
The summit can also be reached via the Manitou Springs and Pike’s Peak Cog Railway.With tracks running along the edge of the mountain and unsurpassed views of the land below, the railroad is the way to go for those not up for the challenge of driving without guard rails.www.cograilway.com
Manitou & Pike's Peak Railway.
There is also an option for the classic over-achiever – The Assault on the Peak.A bicycle race to the summit.One of the most challenging cycling events in the world, the 18.5 mile route ascends 6,360 vertical feet from the base of Pikes Peak to its 14,110 foot summit.Now that is a challenge!www.RidePikesPeak.com
Colorado Springs has an abundance of activities and attractions off the mountain as well.Many of the original homestead ranches are now authentic dude ranches. The Pike’s Peak or Bust annual rodeo held each July showcases the area’s Wild West Heritage.The rodeo is one of the nation’s premier rodeo competitions and features many other activities including a Chuck Wagon Cook Off competition.www.coloradospringsrodeo.com
Keep an eye out for wildlife while in the area.At any juncture visitors may spot red fox, bobcats deer or bears.If you want to be assured of a wildlife spotting, there are three excellent options. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of the largest breeding zoos in the nation.One of the zoo’s highlights is the opportunity to hand feed the giraffe herd.www.cmzoo.org
A visit to The Colorado Wolf & Wildlife Center is another place to go for an amazing look at wildlife from the area.The center is an operating wolf sanctuary and provides educational walking tours and an option for a private photo session with the wolves.www.wolfeducation.org
There is also the Serenity Springs Wildlife Center, a big cat sanctuary with over 120 big and exotic cat species.Tours are offered as well as package options to view the cats being fed and photo sessions.Many of these beautiful cats were used in films and commercials. www.serenityspringswildlife.org
Just below Pike’s Peak is the Garden of the Gods.This amazing public park is filled with spectacular red rock formations.The huge boulders are tilted and balanced in the most unusual ways.There are numerous trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Due to the steep rock formations, rock climbing is a popular activity within the park.Visitors can also drive through the park to view the spectacular rock formations.In August 1859 two surveyors were assisting with the set up of nearby Colorado City.In their explorations of the region they discovered this site.One of the surveyors, M. S. Beach, declared it would be a “capitalplace for a beer garden”.His companion, Rufus Cable, was awestruck by the impressive rock formations and exclaimed, “Beer Garden!Why it is a fit place for the gods to assemble.We will call it Garden of the Gods.”There is no beer garden here, but it truly seems as if the gods could assemble in this spectacular place! www.gardenofgods.com
View from a lodge room at Garden of the Gods Club.
In a place as beautiful as Colorado Springs no ordinary hotel will do and the Garden of the Gods Club is anything but ordinary! While the Club is private, anyone is welcome to reserve lodging in one of the 69 spacious rooms and suites as well as 18 golf cottages.Guests of the club have access to superior amenities includinga full-service spa, 27 holes of championship golf at Kissing Camels Golf Course and a state-of-the-art fitness center.During the summer months, the resort’s Recreation Center features a junior Olympic-sized pool, cabanas and a recreation room.There are also four tennis courts, a basketball/soccer court and a children’s playground.After all the fresh air and exercise, guests can choose a casual gourmet dining experience in the Kissing Camels Grille overlooking the golf course or celebrate with a special dining experience in the Main Dining Room with stunning views of the Garden of the Gods Park and Pike’s Peak.The amenities are unquestionably extraordinary, but even they cannot compete with the views.Imagine enjoying breakfast on the balcony or patio of your room overlooking thespectacular cliffs, towers, red rock formations and Pike’s Peak.You may never want to leave!www.gardenofthegodsclub.com
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 tfarris60@hotmail.com.
Many of my recent sessions with clients have addressed relationship issues that I thought I would share in this month’s column. Firstly, I’d like to say that relationships, more specifically couples’ relationships, will undoubtedly be analyzed until the end of time and my given responses are only a few of the many perspectives to be had. One question that was posed was, “Why do people bother to get divorced when ultimately they seem to seek out the same type of relationship they left and deal with the same old “crap”?Another topic that came up was, “What do you do when there are conflicting desires within the relationship?” For example, one person wants the relationship to continue or move forward and the other doesn’t. And lastly, “ How does one best deal with unmet expectations in and of the relationship?”
Each question can basically be answered with varying degrees of Acceptance, Tolerance, Patience and Growth; all of which are closely related, almost synonymous, and go hand in hand with one another. If we go upon the premise I discussed in a prior column (Sept. 2009) that we are spiritual beings having a human experience, then we can surmise that it is through our relationships that we learn about our humanity. Remember that as spiritual beings in our true state we love unconditionally and have a complete sense of oneness with others, God and the universe.However, as human beings in our ego state we see others separate from ourselves and love based upon many conditions and expectations that need to be met. Realistically most of us are not living 100% spiritual lives 100% of the time; therefore, it becomes necessary to use these four tools to find a comfortable blend of the two realities which exist(oneness/separateness) in order to experience all the joys and benefits of relationships.
ACCEPTANCE
We all wish to be loved and accepted just as we are. So, I think it is fair to say that to truly love someone is to accept him or her unconditionally without trying to change them. Personally, I don’t believe that a leopard cannot change its spots. I believe if a person is willing and committed to change, anything is possible. That being said one person cannot change another; even though I know we’ve all tried.Instead we can choose to accept the other person, with or without complete understanding, and change our behaviors, reactions and thoughts towards the other.If one cannot fully accept a person or their behavior, then in order for the relationship to survive one must look towards Tolerance.
TOLERANCE
Whereas, acceptance indicates final and ultimate approval, tolerance suggests temporary endurance or allowance without contradiction.One may choose to tolerate a behavior within a relationship without really or ever accepting it.It can be some trivial pet peeve, such as leaving the cap off the toothpaste, or something serious, such as infidelity. On a daily basis we all choose situations to tolerate about our partners and within the relationship. When we can no longer tolerate what we choose to never accept is when problems flare, fighting ensues and breakups become inevitable. How long our tolerance lasts depends upon how much patience we have.
PATIENCE
A couple months ago I wrote about the revered virtue of Compassion. Well, Patience is another major virtue well worth having and can be defined as quiet perseverance or the bearing of pains, misfortunes or annoyances calmly or without complaint. While Patience does not come easily to most, it is a virtue and a practice that is essential for successful interpersonal relationships as well as personal growth. It affords us time to explore lessons others have to teach us as well as lessons we have to learn about ourselves. As challenging a struggle it may be to persevere “quietly and without complaint,” it is an effective way to allow the other person the freedom to exercise their choices and behaviors. Additionally, sometimes we need to be patient with ourselves as well so that we can be free to make specific choices that we need to that feel right for us at a given moment.It is through our choices that we all grow.
GROWTH
I know I’ve said it before, but it warrants repeating, “There are no mistakes only lessons.”Each relationships is an opportunity to learn more about ourselves; how we feel, how we react, how we define and honor our boundaries; and ultimately what we might need to change because it doesn’t work for us anymore. Since we are all at different places in our lives and different places in our personal and/or spiritual growth and we all grow at different rates, speeds and spectrums, we must honor and respect these differences with our varying degrees, from all to none, of Acceptance, Tolerance and Patience.
So, let’s go back to our initial questions.
1.Why do people bother to get divorced when ultimately they seem to seek out the same type of relationship they left and deal with the same old “crap”?Spiritually speaking, if one continues to seek out the same situations it’s because they haven’t learned the lesson yet that they are supposed to learn. Additionally people stick in “comfort zones” to avoid growth, but stagnation serves no greater purpose.
2.What do you do when there are conflicting desires within the relationship? If there is a commitment to continue the relationship, then through Patience and Tolerance of the conflict the couple must work toward the mutual goal of an acceptable solution that honors and respects, at least in part, both parties points of view. If it is a question of one wants to end it and the other does not, then I think Acceptance of the truth, not so much the individuals but of the partnership, becomes the crucial focal point to address. Sometimes the right choice is to walk away, move on, and seek out another experience.
3.How does one best deal with unmet expectations in and of the relationship? Honestly the best answer is to try NOT to have any expectations to begin with. That’s not to say don’t have any standards to abide by. Everyone deserves honesty and respect. The golden rule always applies. However, sometimes we need to have patience to let the other person meet our needs on their timeline, not ours. Other times we need to accept someone may simply be incapable of meeting certain needs without further growth on their part. Lastly, we may need to tolerate that people have to be true to themselves, while we do the same; and while we may feel a person may have “wronged us,” it doesn’t necessarily make them wrong.
It all comes down to choices. We choose our relationships. We choose what to accept and/or tolerate. We choose whether or not to continue with them. We choose whether or not to learn, to grow, to love, to hate, to be happy, to be bitter.Other people cannot make these choices for us. God cannot even make these choices for us, for he gave us the gift of free will.When Moses spoke to God on Mt. Sinai and asked, “Who are you,” he received the response, “I AM.” Keep in mind that loving ourselves does NOT make us selfish; it aligns us with our most important relationships, God and our true nature, higher spirit. Love and honor yourself enough to do what’s best for you, but also love and honor others enough to allow them to do what’s best for them, so that together we can create a harmonious and loving universe.
Lightworker Lisa
Until next time, may your days be brighter and your lives be lighter.
Let me ignite the light in your life!
If you would like to submit a question for publication, you can email me directly at lisa@lightworkerlisa.com.
A Lightworker is someone with an innate ability to know and heal. Lightworkers believe it is their divine mission or higher purpose to write, teach or counsel others that spiritual methods can heal any situation. Lightworkers are souls who volunteered, before birth, to help people learn about love and heal from the effects of fear. Lisa Dawn Wax, aka Lightworker Lisa is a born Lightworker, certified Angel Healing Practitioner and Reiki Master Practitioner; all of which basically confirm her intuitive abilities to help, heal and teach. Using reiki (energy healing), guided meditations, divine messages and intuitive readings, she has helped many people to identify the source of their pain, clarify current life situations, and successfully redirect their focus into positive channels.If you are in need of affordable healing and life coaching with immediate results, call her at 561-594-3948 or visit her website www.lightworkerlisa.com.
Flu season is fast approaching, and you do not want to be unprepared.The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, including death.
The flu virus is spread mainly by inhaling droplets made when infected people cough, sneeze, or talk.An infected individual may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to seven days after becoming sick. Symptoms of the flu include fever or feeling hot/cold, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, fatigue, and occasionally vomiting and diarrhea. The onset is usually abrupt.
Certain populations are at a greater risk for serious complications if they get the flu.This includes people older than 65 years, children younger than 2 years, and persons of any age with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, asthma or other chronic lung disease, heart disease, or weakened immune system.The most common complications of the flu include bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions.
The single best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccine each year.The Center for Disease Control recommends that all people age 6 months or older be vaccinated against influenza on a yearly basis.The flu vaccine is available via an injection or a nasal spray.
The injection contains dead, inactivated flu virus. It is approved for use in persons older than 6 months, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions, and pregnant women.
The nasal spray is made with live, weakened flu-viruses that do not cause the flu.It is only approved in healthy persons aged 2 – 49 years old who are not pregnant.Approximately two weeks after vaccination, regardless of type, your body produces antibodies that will protect against influenza virus infection.
Yearly flu vaccination should begin in September and continue throughout the flu season which can last as late as May.Flu season typically peaks in January.The seasonal flu vaccine will protect against the three influenza viruses that research suggests will be most common that year.The 2010-2011 flu vaccine will protect against 2009 H1N1, an H3N2 virus, and an influenza B virus.
Contraindications to the influenza vaccine include severe egg allergy, history of previous severe reaction to a prior influenza vaccine, history of Guillen-Barre Syndrome within six weeks of getting a previous influenza vaccine, age younger than six months, and people with moderate to severe illness with a fever should delay vaccination until their symptoms resolve.
If you have questions about whether you should get a flu vaccine or would like an appointment to receive your flu vaccine, please call us at Family Medical and Wellness Center- (561) 721-1953.
Heather Loguidice, ARNP, joined doctors Glover and Vizcaino at the end of 2000 and is certified in Family Practice. Her experience spans 14 years and she has worked in Fast-Track ER’s and a few large Family Practice offices. Her interests include Women’s Health and Pediatrics and she has a wide range of experience in all Family Practice related matters. Heather is a big Gator’s fan; she lives in Boynton Beach and enjoys spending her free time with her daughter.
If you’re a perfectionist, the only time you probably laugh at being one is when you’re talking to another perfectionist, because they just “get it.”But you know perfectionism isn’t really all that funny – it can paralyze you and keep you from getting things done, from taking action, from sticking your neck out and taking a risk – perfectionism keeps you safe, but keeps you from growing.
And when you’re a home-based business owner, if you’re not growing on some level, you’re falling behind – you need to write that article, to call that sales lead, to give that presentation, to raise your prices.But when your perfectionism kicks in, the amount of time and analyzing and thinking you pour into doing these things doubles, and can be exhausting – and more often than not, that extra level of polish, of detail, of perfect just goes unnoticed and isn’t worth the effort.
I know, because I’ve been there, and so have many of my clients.
What you want to do is make a list of all the times you didn’t let perfectionism get the best of you – think back to that time you put out that article without being 100% satisfied with every detail of it; the time you gave that presentation with a simple handout; the time you quoted your higher prices or called that sales lead even though you didn’t feel fully prepared; the time you didn’t rewrite that e-mail to your client 50 times looking for just the perfect wording; the time you put up that page on your website announcing your new product even though you wanted to keep tweaking it.
Then name the list something that speaks to you, something that reminds you that this list is about appreciating the imperfect.And then step back, read it, and relish all the time and exhaustion you saved yourself every time you did each of those things less than perfectly. And how you got through it, and how you’re still here.And how you learned a lot more from taking action than overpolishing and overpreparing and overthinking.
So if you’ve never made one of these lists, go ahead and make one – and put it away somewhere safe so you can take it out the next time you’re overdoing anything – and go do it imperfectly instead.
2010 Claudine Motto, All Rights Reserved.
Productivity Coach and Professional Organizer Claudine Motto helps home office geniuses, entrepreneurs, and independent professionals get organized and in control of their workload so they can reach their goals with less struggle and less stress. She offers one-on-one coaching and group training programs – please visit http://www.vistalnorte.com or call 561-641-9500 for more information, to sign up for her monthly newsletter, or to schedule a complimentary 20-minute consultation.
Honorary Event Co-Chairs, MaryJo McPhail, MBA PT of JFK Medical Center, and Kelly Hafferly, of JFK Medical Center;
Honorary Chairs, Dr. Michael Schweitz, rheumatologist, andDr. Greg Martin, orthopedic surgeon
8AM Registration; 9AM Walk Begins
Bring your dogs (because pets get arthritis, too!) and join the Arthritis Foundation in their annual “Walk for Those Who Can’t & ‘ARRF-ritis Walk” on Saturday, November 13, 2010 at John Prince Park in Lake Worth.
For more information, visit our web site at www.2010awlakeworth.kintera.orgor contact Susie Rhodes, (561) 833-1133; srhodes@arthritis.org
Just a few highlights of happenings Around Wellington. For many more photos, visit the link “Photo Galleries” on this site! For recent videos, click on our “Videos” link.
(Clockwise from top right) - Sanda Gane of Sanda Gane European Day Spa at the Wellington Women's Club Open House. Holly and Deborah Morgan of Palm Beach Harvest and a friend at their fundraiser car wash. Ronald McDonald performs a magic show at the Lantana Public Library. Peace poster award winner Tamara Frazier at the Wellington Peace Ceremony.
Traveling the World through the Eyes of My Aunt Shirley
By Krista Martinelli
So you’ve heard the phrase, “Welcome to my world?” This map is the world of my Aunt Shirley. She keeps this map inside a closet, keeping
The thumbtacks represent the places Shirley Woods has visited.
track of all of the places around the world where she has visited. As you can see, there’s a thumbtack just about everywhere. She is, without a doubt, the most well-traveled, adventurous person I’ve ever met. Seriously – from the North Pole to the South Pole to the Galapagos Islands to Hong Kong and almost everywhere else in between, she has been there. (See the list of places visited at the end of this article).
Shirley Woods, former school administrator in Fort Lauderdale, got a taste of traveling in 1971 with her friend Betsy, when they took an extensive tour of Africa, including the breath-taking Victoria Falls. However, her consistent traveling really started in 1990, after she was retired and stepped out of the school system. Then it was off to Australia and New Zealand, just the start of an ongoing series of international trips, usually between four – six per year.
My daughter and my Aunt Shirley, holding a Tibetan prayer wheel and bell in Shirley's home
We love visiting Aunt Shirley’s house and seeing her souvenirs from her world travels. She collects crystals, and my kids love seeing the many crystals displayed in her home. Interesting books are everywhere you look. And you will see lots of musical instruments, souvenirs and artifacts.It’s one of the most fascinating places in the world to my children.
I asked about her favorite place, and she narrowed it down to two trips. The first was her trip to China and Tibet. “Tibet,” she explains, “is a country that speaks to my soul.” When she visited in 1995, China was in the process of taking over Tibet, and the Dalai Lama had been expelled from the country. Tibet holds many ancient traditions and its own ancient wisdom of medicine. Yet China is making every effort to expunge anything and everything Tibetan.
The experience of visiting Lhasa was almost surreal, she says, as its located 12,000 feet above sea level and takes some acclimation. With the help of a Tibetan guide, she visited Lhasa, experiencing life “above timberline.” Traveling in the countryside outside of Lhasa, she came across something so startling; it made her stop in her tracks. A rustic home with a Swastika painted on one side and a Star of David on the other side of the front door. Her guide explained that these pre-historic symbols originally were used to invite good spirits into the home and expel bad spirits from the home. So the dwellers in the home, oblivious to the history of Nazi Germany, were simply warding off bad spirits and welcoming the good ones in their older-than-Christianity and Judaic ways.
The other most amazing place she’s visited is Antarctica. She took a small passenger ship, the Marco Polo, and explored some small islands along with setting foot on the continent of Antarctica, that very few people ever get the chance to visit. “It’s a purity beyond all purities on Earth,” she says. “Antarctica is a place where you see no footprints of civilization anywhere.” As she explains, there are no electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs). “You immediately feel a lightness of your being. There’s nothing pushing at you.” The wildlife does not seem to be afraid of people. For example, the penguins do not run away. They have had very little exposure to people and have no fear. Spectacular in its primordial beauty, Antarctica is a place to behold.
As far as difficult trips, there’s been only one trip where Shirley ran into political uprising and was unable to fly home on time. However, things were not so bad when stuck in Kathmandu in Nepal. She just spent three extra days in the Yak & Yeti Hotel. “We felt safe because the hotel was right next to the king’s palace,” she recalls.
When asked if there’s any place that she still would like to visit, Shirley mentions Bali. “It’s the last stop in the book/movie Eat, Pray, Love,” she says. It’s a place she’s been curious about for a long time.So it’s already on the travel schedule. She’s aiming for Bali next June with her long-time traveling companion Jackie, as well as with a retired Wellington High School teacher Barbara Dale McCall.
Fjords near Greenland, a photo from Shirley's most recent trip
According to Shirley, the overseas image of Americans has improved over the years. The book “The Ugly American” depicted our unwelcome and sometimes unattractive image as a nation about forty years ago.“Personally, I’ve always been treated warmly while traveling,” she says, although she did find one exception to this rule – in France. She remembers a French shop owner who refused to serve her “because she was an American.”However, her husband stepped in, graciously apologizing for his wife, and helped us.As Shirley is quick to point out, that was just one person among many kind individuals in France that she met. For the most part, people in other countries tend to treat Americans warmly.
Shirley is adventurous when it comes to her travels, but not so daring when it comes to the exotic foods. While their food, in general, is amazing, Thailand also offered possibly the most exotic and frightening variety of things to eat. Some of the delicacies in local marketplaces were silkworms and “crispy beetles.” While Shirley’s friend Jackie was willing to give these things a try, Shirley played it safe.
I asked what the makings are of a good traveling companion, since
Shirley and her traveling companion Jackie
Shirley has taken countless trips with her friend Jackie.Because of the intensity that traveling brings out, it’s certainly difficult to find the right person to travel with. “Jackie is always in a good mood,” says Shirley. “She is very helpful and always joy-filled.”
Among many types of trips, Shirley has been very happy with a company called Grand Circle trips. She’s taken 14 of these guided trips, and they include a home-hosted meal with a local family. “They are precious, gracious, hard-working people,” says Shirley, speaking of the families who host these special meals. She loved the tea ceremony in Japan, as well as the meals with families in Russia, Italy, Turkey, Egypt and other countries.
Why does she travel so much? “Traveling opens hearts and minds beyond the cocoons that we are used to living in.” By venturing to new places, you will find “deep, enriching experiences,” says Shirley.
So until my kids are a little older and I’ve saved up a little more money for trips, I will be traveling vicariously – through my Aunt Shirley.And I’m really excited about the next big trip – Bali!
