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Stress and weight gain
Stress and Weight Gain
It has been increasingly understood that being stressed is a factor in weight gain and the inability to lose weight. But before we look closer at that, let's first look at stress and its role in the body, and define exactly what stress is.
In biological systems, stress refers to what happens when an organism fails to respond appropriately to threats. While our modern day "threats" are more benign and less life threatening compared to our hunter-gatherer ancestors, the impact can be equally demanding on our bodies. Of course, we know that some stress can be beneficial and can give an incentive to accomplish necessary goals and improve performance. However, in many cases, stress can reach chronic levels and have harmful consequences, such as compromised immune function, poor digestion, weight gain and reproductive issues.
It is important to note that while we will be exploring the role of stress, cortisol and weight in this article, scientists continue to argue that it is not a simple one-to-one relationship between cortisol/stress and weight gain. There are many different mechanisms of action and we are slowly understanding more and more of the complexity of this modern epidemic.
Now let's look more closely at what we do know about stress, metabolism and weight issues. Stress is one of those things that can cause us to lose weight, gain weight or have difficulty losing weight. For some people being really stressed or suffering from anxiety can cause weight loss. For other people, stress can cause weight gain or a reduced ability to lose weight. Mechanisms for changes in weight involve a host of potential issues. Stress itself causes a change in behaviours for people - from changes to diet, to reduced exercise, late nights and poor sleep habits. Many people initially lose their appetite when suffering from acute stress and yet other people turn to food to cope and comfort eat. We will learn later, that both of these changes in eating patterns are in many cases caused by the complex and varied action of the adrenal hormone, cortisol. If you would like a bit more information about optimal adrenal health, please see my related article here.
The intensity of how the body responds to stress, and the impact that it has, is a large part to do with the stress hormones, particularly cortisol. Cortisol, can play a pivotal role in the maintenance of our body weight. It will have an impact in one direction when it is chronically elevated with ongoing acute stress or in the other direction when it is suppressed as what can happen with adrenal burn out. Getting a healthy balance in cortisol levels is essential in promoting normal adrenal function and promoting healthy weight levels. If the body perceives it is in a state of stress, it can go into a holding pattern and slow metabolism down. A whole cascade of interactions happen that create havoc for our desire to shift stubborn weight, even though it is the body's attempt at keeping us 'healthy'.
When we are stressed, the adrenal gland actually produces more cortisol and other hormones such as adrenalin to have a very specific action on our survival. Cortisol's main function is to restore homeostasis following exposure to stress. The effects of cortisol are felt over virtually the entire body and can impact a range of important mechanisms for health.
Cortisol in particular has a major impact on our blood sugar balance and promotes gluconeogenesis – which is the production of glucose. During states of fasting, when blood glucose has been depleted, cortisol ensures a steady supply of glucose through its promotion of gluconeogenesis. Cortisol is also involved in our wake/sleep cycle, has impacts on memory and has anti-inflammatory actions which in the short term can be beneficial, but in the long run can suppress immunity. The long-term, constant cortisol exposure associated with chronic stress impairs cognition, decreases thyroid function, and promotes the accumulation of abdominal fat, which in turn can increase risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Cortisol has a two-fold effect on our body fat. When the stress first occurs, fat is broken down to supply the body with a rapid source of energy. When we experience something stressful, our brains sends a signal to put the body on alert and send it into "fight or flight" mode. As the body gears up for battle, our appetite is suppressed, and the digestive system shuts off temporarily. Cortisol and adrenaline, help to mobilize carbohydrate and fat for quick energy for the body to use to flee or fight the stressor. Once the immediate stress is gone, the adrenaline dissipates, but cortisol hangs around to help bring the body back into balance.
An increase in appetite following a stressful event can often occur. This is primarily thought to be aimed at replacing the carbohydrate and fat we would have theoretically burned while fleeing or fighting the threat. However with modern day stress, we often have no need to actually expend much energy in physically fighting or running from our stressors, we often just feel stressed internally or emotionally. So this ancient mechanism that is operating to replenish our physical reserves after a stressful event, can lead in our modern times to weight gain. Sustained low grade stress often leads to chronically elevated levels of cortisol which promotes an increase in appetite and glucose production. The elevated glucose of course in turn causes insulin to be elevated and insulin resistance can occur, where the cells become resistant to insulin and fail to respond to the signals. Together insulin resistance and high levels of glucose promote the conversion of glucose into fat as a stored energy mechanism. Often this fat accumulates in the tummy region as this area is more sensitive to cortisol and insulin and is the preferred area for storing fat.
Now, enter the thyroid, a gland largely responsible for our metabolic rate and energy production. So how does the thyroid interact with stress, metabolism and weight? In a previous article I took a look at the thyroid gland in more detail, but here I am just going to focus on its role in metabolism and weight for the purpose of this article. Stress can suppress the thyroid gland which can further aggravate the situation, in particular by slowing down our metabolism. A low thyroid function can also make a person feel tired and flat may increase comfort eating or the consumption of caffeine and alcohol – both of which in turn increase cortisol. Moreover, stress can also lead to sleep deprivation which in turn will aggravate the situation. Some research showed that cortisol levels were elevated by up to 45 percent after a night of sleep deprivation and lack of sleep often leads to poor food choices and increased eating and snacking the next day.
So we have now identified how chronic stress and elevated cortisol may be factors in weight problems, so it stands to reason that we want to reduce our exposure to stressful events and improve our resistance to stress.
Exercise is one of the best things we can do to reduce stress and improve insulin sensitivity. Even a simple daily brisk walk will help as it can promote weight loss by burning calories, but it also reduces insulin resistance and helps to neutralize stress hormones and their effects, which in turn will further help to keep weight off. Even better, a walk out in nature will offer an extra break from our busy lives and helps us to get a better perspective.
Other stress reduction techniques that are excellent include meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises. Improving time management can also be essential to reducing stress in one's hectic lifestyle. These activities or similar techniques, as well as getting adequate sleep, can help reduce your body's physiological response to daily stressors.
Third, how a person perceives stressful situations is also important. One individual may feel major stress from a particular situation, whereas another person will handle it better by using the event as an opportunity to learn. Hence, stress makes life difficult, but our reaction to it is important as well. Learning to better manage stress and work with our inner mindset is a great way for tackling the underlying causes of stress and will help our goals of weight loss.
Next month, September 7th, I am offering a Mind-Body Workshop which will give you lots of tools for managing stress, supporting your adrenals and overcoming other health issues – everything from weight loss, hormonal imbalance, immune dysfunction and cancer to digestive issues, heart disease, depression/anxiety and everything in between! Stress impacts on pretty much everything and effectively managing stress and creating a positive mind set is a fundamental basic tool for optimal health and wellbeing. Click here to learn more about the workshop and book your spot!
5G safety concerns
5G Safety Concerns
As a health care provider, I have been an active advocate for reducing exposure to wifi devices and mobile phones for many years, and have closely followed the research into the various potential health impacts of this technology. You can see other articles I have written and my webinar for more detailed back ground information on this topic. As it is a constantly changing landscape with new technology coming onto the market all the time, it is time to write an update, particularly on the 5G network and related technology...
Of recent concern, is the imminent launch of the new 5G technology, which is being promoted as the vehicle that will deliver faster wireless speeds for mobile and internet users and will also spur new innovation for internet-connected devices. The internet-of-all-things (IOT) encompasses the new technological vision of a whole swathe of internet connected devices from self driving cars to smart devices and that is fast becoming a reality across the globe.
The new 5G network that is starting to be rolled out across many different countries will be substantially different than the existing 4G networks. This new technology employs waves of different electromagnetic frequencies - using a bandwidth of between 24-100 GHz, compared to 3-6GHz used in the current 4G network.
These smaller waves, know as millimeter-wave frequencies are more easily blocked by objects in the environment, such as trees and buildings, which necessitates erecting many small 'cell towers' around 100-500 metres apart to support the network. This means that dozens of these mini cell towers will likely be installed in your neighbourhood. Aside from been unsightly, these devices will continually emit millimetre wave frequencies and bathe neighbourhoods in radiation 24/7. Plans are also underway to install satellite cell towers in space that transit 5G technology, meaning that virtually no place on earth will be free from the impact of these unproven and potentially hazardous frequencies. Moreover, the delicate electromagnetic frequency of the earth, also known as Schumann resonances, may be influenced by this technology with unknown consequences on human and other biological life forms that have evolved on earth alongside this particular frequency and phenomenon.
Scientific literature has found that ambient electromagnetic fluctuations on the planet, such as geomagnetic activity, may affect the physiology and behaviour of humans and other species. In particular the heart, brain and nervous system are highly sensitive to EMF. Research has found that EMF both from man-made and natural sources, can cause disruption to cardiac function and melatonin output by the pineal gland.* Adding a new frequency into the earth's atmosphere and locally on the ground with this new 5G infrastructure, it is impossible to predict the possible changes in life rhythms and biological functioning of different species on the planet, particularly at a time when we are already facing unknown consequences from imminent and rapid changes in climate conditions.
Scientists, doctors, allied health professionals and environmental experts from all over the world have banded together to express concern for this unprecedented change to the environment and potential human health impacts, with the 5G Space Appeal. Research has conclusively shown that electromagnetic frequencies affect living organisms at levels well below most international guidelines, causing increased cancer risk, cellular stress, increases in free radicals, genetic damage, autoimmune disease, changes to the reproductive system, infertility, learning and memory deficits, cardiovascular and heart arrhythmias, neurological disorders, as well as disrupting the circadian rhythm of diverse life forms. The 5G technology and its high-frequency waves are absorbed into the skin and reach deeper into the body with sweat ducts potentially acting as antennas*. While some authorities argue that it is only a transient and surface penetration, my concern is the sheer magnitude and volume of the 5G tower network, that has the potential to be far a more pervasive and persistent exposure on the human body, than the current 4G technology. After all, 5G frequencies are already used in military protocols in the world's major defence departments as an effective non-lethal crowd control device known as the Active Denial System. The heating of the skin that these frequencies cause, creates an intolerable burning sensation that causes people to panic and flee.
Electrohypersensitivity syndrome(EHS) is now a known condition recognised by the WHO, diagnosed when people develop a range of health issues connected to exposure to electrical and electromagnetic frequencies. These individuals find it increasingly difficult to live in the modern wireless world and suffer from headaches, brain fog, heart palpitations, unexplained fevers, extreme fatigue, immune disorders and pain syndromes. Magda Havas PhD is a biologist, researcher and lecturer, who estimates that around 3% of the population have severe reactions to EMFs and another 35% are potentially compromised by EMF and experience symptoms such as poor sleep, anxiety, depression, brain fog and poor concentration. Here is one personal case study that provides a detailed account of living with EHS. It is impossible to know or even predict the potential implications for both the health and environmental impacts of 5G technology until we start to see the issues arising post roll out. As a health professional, it is difficult to ascertain the level of exposure and the unique sensitivity of each individual to these types of technologies and EMF. Many mysterious health issues that have no clear medical diagnosis may indeed be the result of cellular changes occurring in response to these frequencies.
The regulatory body in Australia (ARPANSA) whose job is to keep the Australian public safe and informed about radiation based issues, receives money from the telecommunication industry, posing an alarming conflict of interest. Moreover, their recent media statement on 5G seems to be out of step with the mounting evidence for EMF and specific health impacts. While they state they will continue to research frequencies above 6GHz, it seems that in the meantime we will remain the guinea pigs as this technology is being rolled out before the research has proven its safety.
Also of increasing concern is the fact that telecommunication companies have been making legislative inroads into federal government jurisdictions, to fast track the rollout and effectively eliminate local councils and the public's right to protest against or reject this technology being installed in their own backyard, school, workplace or neighbourhood. Interestingly, government documents on this issue seem to be largely concerned with safety of information and security of data rather than addressing health concerns and public safety.
It is time to get involved and help stop this new technology from being rolled out before it is proven to be safe for human and other life forms!
Sign the Australian petition to have your say....
And the 5G Space Appeal
Let's research and employ safety standards for human and environmental health first before rolling this new technology out!
* References for further reading:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2656447/#!po=9.37500
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/00207459108985440
- http://www.spirit-science.fr/ArchivesScientifiques/2001cherry-schumann-resonances.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29459303
- https://principia-scientific.org/study-human-sweat-ducts-act-as-antennas-for-5g-radiation/
Food Cravings and Instinctive Eating
Exploring the science behind food cravings...
Kale please, Mum!
After my son requested a bowl of kale (with lots of butter, please!) when he was recently sick, it got me thinking about the science behind instinctive eating. Hidden in our intelligent body are mechanisms that initiate cravings for certain foods that our body needs. But judging by the way most people eat, I think we have lost the art for healthy instinctive eating.
I am always fascinated how animals are so instinctive with their food choices - and yet humans seem to need to google for advice about what foods are good for them or maybe they come see a nutritional health professional like me!
So what went wrong? When did we humans stray so far from our innate intelligence about what is good for us to eat? Most cravings we experience now are for the addictive substances like caffeine and sugar! While we all know the damaging effects of too much sugar, the cravings for sugar have do a biological drive behind them. Those hardwired desires for sugar, meant we ate sweet foods when they were available seasonally and they kept us alive and ensured our survival through the lean winters of bygone eras. Unfortunately we have gone overboard on this front as modern life allows us to eat whatever we want, whenever we want. We are no longer at the mercy of nature to provide our food - we are indeed spoilt for choice!
I think the superpower that created us all those years ago, clearly didn't predict a time when we would be so disconnected from nature and our food supply. The clever system that allowed humans to flourish throughout history with all sorts of hardships, does not seem so clever now when we look at how we have ended up the fattest and most chronically unhealthy species. We were smart enough to develop agricultural methods of growing grains and crops, domesticating animals and eventually creating modern food manufacturing methods of processing and preserving. Clever on the one hand, yes, but our genetics unfortunately takes thousands of years to catch up with a changing landscape, not hundreds of years! So we are now at the mercy of a very different food and eating landscape than we were designed for, and where our fine tuned instincts for certain foods have gone been hijacked by the drive for sugar!
Instinctive eating - essentially means eating what our innate intelligence determines to be good for us. We are all born with the ability, much like other animals, to select appropriate food for our requirements. For example, a craving for bananas may show you are lacking potassium, while a craving for green leafy veggies may indicate you need more magnesium. The term 'pica' is used to define mineral deficiencies (often iron) that results in people eating strange things - such as dirt, rocks or ice. Most commonly seen in pregnant women and young children who have a high need for nutrients, pica is the most researched nutrient craving issue. Studies observe that individuals with symptoms of pica often have low iron, zinc or calcium levels. Supplementing with the lacking nutrients can reduce the pica behaviour in many cases. Craving for salt is also more common in those individuals who have low salt levels, so the wisdom of the body to correct the deficiency is obvious.
Evidence also shows that our need to eat certain foods (often unhealthy types) is sometimes driven by emotions. Many people are "emotional eaters" and tend to eat for reasons that are driven by emotions and have nothing to do with being hungry or needing a nutrient. People who craved foods were shown in studies to more likely to be bored or anxious or have experienced a depressed mood immediately before cravings. Several brain imaging studies have shown that overconsumption of certain foods creates the same changes in the dopamine receptors of the human brain as alcohol and other addictive substances.
So all in all, we do not fully understand what is happening in our brains when we crave or consume certain foods. It is definitely a vastly complex process and is attenuated by many different cues coming from social and cultural inputs as much as nutritional drivers. For example, most celebrations have particular foods that are so strongly associated together that we barely question it. What is a birthday celebration without the birthday cake?
The one thing that is worth taking home is to pay more attention! Try to differentiate when the craving is just coming from an old habit or an emotional driver and see if you can notice cravings for healthy choices that might still be available to you. Tune in first, before you eat and see what your body really wants! If you find you are really stuck on an underlying pattern with your eating habits or food choices, remember that there is a lot we can do (such as mind/body techniques like Psych K) to help remove the block and give you more freedom around food, so consider coming in and getting extra help!
Buon appetito!
Placebo effect
It's all in the mind….exploring the power of the placebo effect
The placebo effect is a term used to describe the benefit someone derives from taking a 'medicine' that is, in fact, not a medicine. When people take something they believe to be a medicine, the power of their belief causes a shift in their thinking which then in turn can influence the physiology of the body.
In 1955, the scientist Henry Beecher published the classic work entitled "The Powerful Placebo" and he was the first scientist to define the placebo effect. Since that time, the placebo effect has been considered a scientific fact and the placebo or 'dummy' pill has been used to test the validity of drugs and treatments. Unless a drug exhibits effects that are greater than the placebo, the drug is not considered effective. This powerful effect can be as high as 30-40% in some cases. Depression for example, has a fairly high placebo rate – with many people reporting improvements in mood whilst taking the placebo pill. Other researchers have found that 85% of the effectiveness of cough syrups can be attributed to placebo, leaving only a tiny 15% to be active medicine. Side effects have even been reported in healthy volunteers taking placebo pills during clinical studies.
Research has been conducted for quite a few years into the placebo effect and how we might harness this in medicine. After all if people can get better taking a dummy pill, then why don't we use this effect more often? Placebo pills are biologically inactive and are thus safe and (should) have no side effects!
So why does the placebo pill work? Our beliefs and expectations can influence and modulate activity in areas of the brain that are involved with perception, pain and the processing of emotion. Researchers have shown that our mental processes such as thoughts, feelings and beliefs as well as our will and intention can significantly influence brain function. Once upon a time, science viewed the way the brain functions as rigid and difficult to influence - especially in adulthood. However, we now know that the brain is far more open to influence and change and is in fact not rigid but quite 'plastic'. The term 'neural plasticity' has been coined to represent the fact that brain function is malleable and open to influence by our own subjective intention. Once we have control over the master organ – we then have far more control and influence over the rest of the body's functions.
So if we can positively influence our physiology through the 'placebo' effect – is it possible that we can negatively influence our body function through negative thinking? This has, in fact, been shown to be true and has been given the term the 'nocebo' effect. The nocebo effect has been scientifically proven, showing that with negative messages and verbal suggestions a patient can experience a worsening of their disease experience and outcome. It is not all just in the mind either – as blood tests shown increased inflammatory and pain markers after a nocebo procedure.
Even when someone is given a diagnosis of illness – particularly serious or life threatening illness – the nocebo effect can start to operate. This is why I find it counterproductive when well-meaning medical specialists tell a patient that they have "3 months to live" or they give similar limited predictions and opinions. Research has shown that the anxiety and stress that this causes can negatively influence pain, immunity and mood – and go on to negatively influence the disease progression.
Another aspect of this mind over matter business is when a person creates an illness. In these cases, that despite the inconvenience and suffering of the disease, the experience is giving the patient some other positive reward.
I love bringing mind-body aspects into healing as it can really support healthy outcomes. Helping people to see how their thinking and beliefs influence all aspects of their physical health and subjective experiences is really rewarding. Even asking the question how their disease may be benefiting them often brings many insights and shifts.
So if we have a choice to influence our physical reality with positive or negative thinking and beliefs – then why not focus on the positive!
Self Care
Radical Self Care
The power of putting yourself first for health and wellness (without the guilt!)
Self care is something that many people find hard. We are taught to put ourselves last in many cases, constantly attending to the needs of others before ourselves. Women in particular, and mothers even more so, often find it very hard to prioritise their needs and give themselves the care and attention that they need to feel happy and healthy. So many women tell me they feel guilty if they take time for themselves or spend money on themselves. As if everyone else's needs are more important than their own. The truth is, everyone is equally valuable, worthwhile and deserving. No-one's needs, wants or desires are more important than our own.
The practice of self care is simply a way of loving and caring for ourselves as though we matter – at least as much as anyone else! Over-giving, over-achieving and over-striving are all examples of habits that erode our ability to practice self care. Getting stuck in the doing and busyness of life, we feel overwhelmed and burnt out and our health can suffer on many levels. Getting a balance between the doing and the being, our outer life and inner life, and our need for work, rest and play is an essential foundation of health.
When we get out of balance we often experience physical, mental or emotional symptoms. I like to see these symptoms as calling cards or signals from our body or higher self as part of our early warning system. Something is out of whack in our life and needs to change to allow our body to return to health and vitality. It could be anything from changing our diet, our sleep habits, our exercise routine, an unhealthy relationship or our job. Attending to any of these things that need to change means that we can shift the focus in our life back to what is right for us. Indeed, all of these things are in fact a form of self care.
To truly care for ourselves, means we take the time and energy to give ourselves what we need to be happy and healthy on every level. If we gave ourselves the same level of love and care and nurture we give to our loved ones, I believe we would probably all be a lot happier! When we fill our own cup so to speak, we then have plenty to give to others. More importantly, we can give freely without feeling depleted or tired and we can let go of any subtle feelings of resentment or the feeling of being a martyr or victim in our life.
Many of us start the day by checking emails and text messages or looking at the latest news headlines or following the facebook feeds of others. In many cases, this habit gives our attention and energy to other people's "stuff". We might be inspired or learn something from some of the information we come across, but in many cases we are just distracting ourselves from attending to ourselves and establishing the inner focus we need to create the life we actually want.
There are always other people's agendas invading our own, but by being more aware and more discerning about what we allow in is an important self care tool. It is all too easy to lose focus or get derailed by other people's opinions, behaviours and habits. We need to learn how to stop doing things we don't want to do and be more conscious of the way we often do things that don't really serve us just to please or receive acceptance from others. Taking the time to reflect on our underlying habits and beliefs will often bring more awareness and free us from these self imposed limitations that block our success or happiness.
Bookending Our Days
It is very powerful to have a self reflection practice that we can engage in – both at the beginning and at the end of our day. I like to call this bookending, as it gives structure and support and serves as a container for all that happens in between our day, much like bookends hold up our books and stop them from falling over. Our days are often filled with so much busyness and activities and plenty of doing, doing, doing. Many of us certainly do enough that we could fill the pages of a book in any given day!
Giving ourselves space to pause and reflect on what we wish to have happen each day at the outset and then reflect on what actually happened at the close of the day, is a lovely way of bringing more conscious awareness into our life. We start to be a more active participant in our life, rather than feeling like life is something that is happening to us, that we have little control over. Any of the self care practices detailed in the download below can be used as bookends for our day.
The self care download sheet I have put together (see below) outlines a range of activities we can engage in to practice self care. I recommend that you choose one or two self care practices at a time, selecting ones that appeal to you and explore what they offer. Give the particular methods a try and stick to them for at least two weeks and monitor to see how it is working for you. It is good to reflect on how they have helped you feel more connected and nourished, so please consider the questions at the end of the sheet to help build more awareness and momentum.
So in conclusion, remember that we are always told on aircraft to attach the oxygen mask to ourselves before assisting others. So this is a perfect analogy to remember when considering the importance of self care, as we are no good to anyone if we fall in a heap from exhaustion, sickness or burn out!
Get My Guide to Self Care Strategies - click below to download
Self Care Strategies
herb trial
Are you or a friend experiencing anxiety or depression?
You are Invited to Participate in a Herbal Medicine Clinical Trial
Karen is a lead practitioner in an ongoing research project that is evaluating the effectiveness of herbal medicine on the management of depression and anxiety.
Your Medicine Costs Will Be Covered
Who is eligible for treatment and participation?
Only new patients or exisiting patients who I haven't recently treated for anxiety or depression will qualify. You must be experiencing depression or anxiety that has either been previously diagnosed medically or if you have a sense that you are experiencing mild to moderate depression or anxiety that is affecting your quality of life in some way, you are eligible to participate.
What if I am on medication already?
What is the benefit for me?
If I say "Yes", what will it involve?
What is the next step if I want to be involved?
You can learn more information about the study by visiting this website: http://herbsonthehill.com.au/anxiety-and-depression-study
If you would like to be involved, you can simply book online an appointment with Karen via clicking online bookings at either Buderim or Noosa clinics.
Or you can call the Noosa clinic on 5449 7088 for Noosa bookings.
Looking forward to helping your heal with herbal plant power!
preventative medicine
Preventative Medicine is the best medicine!
The traditional medical establishment often defines health as simply the absence of disease. However there are so many layers to wellness and health. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defined health in its broader sense in 1946, stating that health is "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." This definition is starting to get closer to a holistic definition of health and wellness. In 1986 the WHO went on to extend the definition of health beyond it being a state to achieve, saying that health is "a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities."
Preventative medicine and holistic health has been around for centuries but is once again the way of the future, as right now as a culture we have lost touch with the foundations of health. A true definition of health needs to take in all layers of our being – physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. If something is out of balance in any of these areas of our life, we are bound to end up sick. Most health approaches to wellness focus on supporting the physical body. The physical body is incredibly good at maintaining health and balance when we look after it in the right way. This includes making good lifestyle choices, eating nutritious foods and getting regular exercise.
However, wellness may also mean letting go of thoughts, feelings and beliefs that are getting in the way of achieving happiness in any given moment. This mind-body connection in health and disease is now well established in even mainstream medical research. Our state of mind has a powerful influence over our physiology - you only have to look at the oft-cited placebo affect. It is hard to feel physically energetic and well when we are experiencing sadness or depression. Yet it also follows that with a healthy frame of mind, wellbeing and happiness can even be experienced despite physical ailments.
In Australia we have a system of health care that is considered amongst the best in the world. Like most western countries however, our 'healthcare' industry could really be better defined as a 'disease care' industry. Mainstream medicine is good at managing diseases with their armory of drugs, surgery and technology. However, they are not so adept at preventing people getting sick in the first place. In traditional Chinese medicine doctors used to only get paid when their patients were well. As soon as a person got sick they stopped paying their doctor – as they were deemed to have not done their job properly if someone got sick under their care!
This seems like a good system – but it is a far cry from how medicine is practiced in most countries today. Yet, so many of our chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, obesity and diabetes are considered diseases of lifestyle and can be prevented.
When you focus on promoting wellness and preventing disease there should be many steps to take before you end up on drugs or undergoing surgery. Attending to the basic foundations of sleep, exercise, good nutrition and stress management is a great place to start. Then non-invasive therapies like meditation, counselling or yoga may be useful, followed by safe and supportive treatments like herbal or nutritional supplements or physical therapies like acupuncture or chiropractic. Powerful pharmaceutical drugs and surgery should be a last resort and while we are grateful that they exist, unfortunately they are a first resort in many instances for basic health issues.
As a naturopath, I feel like I have done my job properly if I can motivate and support my patients in making good diet and lifestyle choices that prevent them getting sick. Educating and empowering people to take charge of their health and look after themselves is a foundation of holistic healthcare practice.
The next time you are faced with a health issue, take some time to reflect on what might be out of balance in your life. Then take some steps to make positive changes to your lifestyle, deal with emotional stress before popping the next wonder pill on the market!
Don't forget if you need help sorting through the possible underlying causes, then come in for a session. I love searching for the cause and often joke that I am like a dog with a bone with difficult cases!
Natural Solutions For Hypertension
Natural Solutions for Hypertension
Hypertension is also known as high blood pressure and is a very common medical condition in developed western countries. Hypertension is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease and has been linked to heart failure, stroke and kidney dysfunction. High blood pressure is often known as the 'silent killer' as many people with it have an absence of symptoms and go undiagnosed.
Blood pressure is essentially a measure of the pressure that is exerted by the circulating blood on the body's blood vessels. With each heart beat blood pressure varies slightly. The maximum pressure exerted is called 'systolic' and the minimum pressure is 'diastolic'. These terms are used in measuring and diagnosing a person's blood pressure – with the measure showing systolic pressure over diastolic pressure in mmHg, for example a normal reading is 120/80. An elevated reading (at or above 140/90) over three visits to a medical professional will give a diagnosis of hypertension.
Hypertension is either classified as primary or secondary hypertension – referring to whether it is a stand-alone condition or it is a secondary symptom of another disease process. For example, high blood pressure can result from kidney disease – as the kidney is an organ that has a role in regulating blood pressure. However, most cases of hypertension are considered 'primary' and thus they have unknown or poorly understood causes.
Blood pressure normally varies throughout the day and also over the course of one's life. For example, children have lower normal ranges than adults and blood pressure tends to be higher in the elderly – primarily due to less flexibility of the blood vessels. Also blood pressure varies with exercise, sleep and digestion. Emotional reactions can have a strong influence on blood pressure and many people suffer from 'white coat hypertension' – where the anxiety about having their blood pressure checked by a doctor, causes it to be elevated.
Environmental factors, diet, stress levels, behaviour patterns and genetics are all thought to play a role in the development of hypertension. The typical western diet is often implicated – with excess intake of processed foods, sugar, salt, refined fats, alcohol and caffeine, along with a shortage of fresh, whole foods, water and fibre. Lifestyle factors linked to hypertension include lack of exercise, smoking, stress, occupational hazards and obesity. It is always important to address as many underlying causes as possible.
Research over the past two decades at the HeartMath Institute in America has found a direct link between high blood pressure and stress. They have found that stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, which increases adrenaline. Adrenaline makes the heart beat faster, causes blood vessels to constrict and initiates the production of the major stress hormone, cortisol. Cortisol causes blood-vessel constriction as well as salt and water retention in the kidneys and results in elevation of blood pressure. I have trained in HeartMath techniques and incorporate these along with other mindset and meditation tools to help people manage stress, anger and anxiety and transform their emotions. Learn more about these techniques here.
There are many natural solutions for hypertension and natural medicine has an important role to play in managing high blood pressure. Assessing each person's case history from a holistic perspective will reveal their individual contributing factors to their hypertension and a treatment plan can then be designed. Herbs such as Hawthorn and Dan Shen have been traditionally used for managing cardiovascular complaints and have been shown to lower blood pressure in some studies. Herbalists normally combine a range of herbs to suit the person's individual presentation. For example, if they are stressed or need to lose weight different herbs will be indicated. Other supplements such as omega 3s, vitamin E, magnesium, garlic, ginger and turmeric may also be beneficial.
Preventative health is always about educating people so that they make healthy choices and prevent disease from occurring. Understanding the benefits of a healthy diet, stress management and making wise lifestyle habits can make the difference between getting a disease or not. Hypertension, like many western diseases is a symptom of the body being out of balance. It heralds a time to assess your life and make some positive changes!
Adrenal Health
Adrenal Health
The adrenal glands are small glands that sit like a hat on top of the kidneys. They are powerful little endocrine glands that manufacture and secrete steroid hormones such as cortisol, DHEA (which in turn can be made into oestrogen and testosterone) as well as adrenalin (sometimes called epinephrine). Many of the hormones produced by the adrenals are essential for good health and vitality, so if your adrenals aren't functioning well, there can be widespread impacts. They modulate and support the function of every tissue, organ and gland in your body to maintain balance during stress or illness to help you heal or keep you alive. The adrenal hormones closely modulate many metabolic processes in the body:
- the utilization of carbohydrates and fats
- reproductive function and fertility
- the conversion of fats and proteins into energy
- bone density and muscle mass
- inflammation and immune function
- the distribution of stored fat – especially around your waist
- normal blood sugar regulation
- proper cardiovascular function
- gastrointestinal function and digestion
Some of the signs that your adrenals are struggling include:
- low energy, tired all the time
- up and down or erratic energy
- tired but wired feeling
- irritable, easily angered, cranky
- depressed, sad, teary, anxious
- poor sleep, waking often, insomnia, night sweats
- increased need for sleep, excessive sleep
- waking unrefreshed and tired in the morning
- recurrent illness (colds, flu, sinusitis)
- take a long time to recover from simple disorder
- chronic & autoimmune conditions like eczema, arthritis & allergies.
- headaches and migraines
- craving sugar or caffeine
- weight gain (especially around belly), difficulty losing weight,
- digestive problems (irritable bowel, nausea)
- muscle tension and pain
- chest pain, difficulty breathing
Stress and Adrenal Function
It is important to understand the role of stress and how it influences adrenal function when we are looking at improving the function of the adrenals and optimizing energy and vitality.
The body has an inbuilt survival mechanism which allows us to mobilize its resources to escape or fight off danger and survive. The fight or flight response is a well known cascade of physiological effects that harness energy and strength to enable us to survive. While we may have evolved dealing with real life threatening situations (such as escaping from a wild animal or enemy clan) our bodily response to modern day stresses are the same. We don't differentiate very well between true life threatening stress and mere emotional stress, because the part of our brain that responds to stress needs to act quickly and automatically. Taking time to consider the options and engage the rational mind, may delay actions that could be costly or deadly.
Modern life for many of us is fraught with constant low grade stress. Even being available and switched 'on' 24/7 can often give us a feeling of mild stress. We are always anticipating the next thing to do or the next stress to deal with. Common stresses that I see amongst my patients include work dissatisfaction, a difficult boss, financial stress, relationship dramas and parenting demands. Then we also have the issues of environmental stress such as air pollution, electromagnetic radiation and chemicals in food and water. The stresses in turn can lead to a variety of physical and psychological health problems that can themselves be a further source of stress.
It is also the job of the adrenal glands to keep our body's reactions to stress in balance so that they are appropriate and not destructive. Cortisol has a protective anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity that can help to minimize the inflammatory reactions in allergies and autoimmune disorders.
Adrenals & Reproductive Function
The adrenals are also responsible for producing DHEA which is a precursor to oestrogen and testosterone and thus have a role in reproductive function. Prolonged stress is a well known cause of reproductive dysfunction and in women can lead to delayed or lack of ovulation, erratic cycles or heavier periods. In men, chronic or acute stress can impact on hormones and lead to lowered sperm count and poor libido in men. After mid-life when the ovaries and testes start to decline in function, the adrenal glands gradually become the major source of the sex hormones circulating throughout the body in both men and women. These hormones themselves have a whole host of physical, emotional and psychological effects, from the level of your sex drive to the tendency to gain weight. Thus, I find in my patients that the function and integrity of the adrenal glands is an important predictor of how easy or trouble free a woman's experience of menopause will be.
Stress Management – the key to healthy adrenals
Learning to manage our stress is essential for health and wellbeing on all levels. Much of what I do with many of my patients is help them make choices and create strategies that can moderate their stress. We go through all the events or situations which contribute to their stress load and identify the things that they can change in a practical sense. In some cases, even just changing our attitude or perception of situations can help decrease the effect of these stresses on our health and wellbeing.
Generally I find the two best strategies for managing life's inevitable stresses are exercise and relaxation/meditation. Some people find one is enough, but most people will benefit from doing both. In terms of exercise, though, I want to emphasize that it is important to not overdo it. While many of us use exercise as a stress management tool, sometime it can add more pressure and physiological demands on our system. Many patients I have treated for adrenal fatigue and burnout have been over-exercising. Once they slowed down and did more gentle approaches, they started to improve.
I am a big fan of having a daily practice of some kind, such as meditation, yoga or breathing. Having a regular activity that allows us to pause and get perspective can make a big difference in how we feel and cope with stressful events. Learn more about managing stress with specific meditation and breathing tools I can teach you here.
Herbs & Nutrients for Adrenal Health
The first thing to know when it comes to supporting your adrenals is to ensure you choose foods and eating patterns that stabilize your blood sugar. Skipping meals or eating high carbohydrate or sugar laden foods will put more pressure on your adrenals (as well as your liver and pancreas!) Choosing regular meal times and ensuring there is a good quality protein (think eggs, nuts, seeds, dairy, meat/fish) at each meal. Protein and good quality fats will create a stable slow burning energy and avoid blood sugar swings. It is also good to avoid caffeine which can be too stimulating on worn out adrenals. There are a range of nutrients that can support optimal adrenal function and energy and normally I prescribe specific supplements designed to support the adrenal glands, that often include B vitamins, zinc, amino acids etc. You can learn more about foods and how they support energy here.
Herbs that support adrenal health are normally referred to as adrenal tonics or adaptogens. Kidney herbs can also be useful for supporting the adrenals. Some of my favourite adrenal herbs include Rhodiola, Withania, Siberian Ginseng, Licorice, Oats and Holy Basil. These herbs can help support our body to adapt and better cope with stress and promote good levels of energy. Generally speaking these types of herbs are taken for a period of at least 6-8 weeks and often for a number of months to get the best results in building resilience, conserving energy and preventing burnout during stressful or demanding periods.
So in summary, having well functioning adrenals is essential for optimal health. Take time to look after yourself, make healthy food choices, get regular exercise and manage your stress and you will be rewarded with healthy adrenals which will flow on and impact the rest of your body, mind and spirit!
Chocolate as an aphrodisiac
Chocolate as an aphrodisiac
Love is in the air
To the ancient Aztec's, chocolate was much more than a comfort food or a treat, it was considered a sacred food and a powerful aphrodisiac. The emperor Montezuma was thought to be particularly fond of chocolate and its ability to boost his prowess amongst the women in his harem. The Spanish went on to introduce the humble cacao bean to Europe, were it was then prized for adding stamina and strength to all activities, including those of pleasure.
Well fast forward to modern times, and we now have scientific ways of proving or otherwise these claims about chocolate. There are active chemicals in chocolate that could be responsible for its famous aphrodisiac qualities. Chocolate contains tryptophan, which is a precursor to our happy hormone serotonin. Serotonin is also involved in sexual arousal and libido. Another chemical in chocolate is phenylethylamine, which is a stimulant similar to amphetamine. This chemical is released in the brain when people fall in love. Anandamide, which translated means internal bliss, is another constituent found in chocolate. This happy little chemical interacts with the cannabinoid receptors and gives us a feeling of euphoria and bliss.
Researchers have looked into these chemicals in an attempt to find a link between them and chocolate's reputation as a love drug. The results have been disappointing and perhaps the active ingredients are in insufficient amounts to have a big impact. While research has not shown any strong physical effects on our arousal from chocolate, it is thought that it may be an emotional response, which can be harder to measure in standardised tests. Many people report feeling more happy and uplifted when they eat chocolate. However, the positive affect may be due to previous experiences and memories of eating chocolate that were associated with happy feelings.
If you are going to indulge your loved one in the gift of a little chocolate, then stick to good quality chocolate and preferably make it the dark variety. Quality chocolate is higher in real food ingredients, has less sugar and artificial flavours. Aside from the possible effects on libido and feelings mentioned above, dark chocolate contains many health benefits. It is high in antioxidants and polyphenols that have been shown to lower blood pressure and insulin levels and can help keep blood sugar levels stable. It has also been shown to have anti-ageing effects and improve circulation, memory and brain function.
The other benefit of rich, dark chocolate varieties is that most people do not overindulge compared to the sweeter milk chocolate types! Choose varieties that are at least 70% dark chocolate for the most active ingredients and also try to choose fairtrade and organic varieties to support cocoa farmers and be eco-friendly. If you would like a healthy, paleo chocolate recipe check out my Chocolate Walnut Brownies.
In any case, finding a way to share and celebrate your love for someone, beyond food is also a good idea! Last year, I bought my partner an apple tree to plant as a special gift that keeps on giving! Massages, baths, roses or a romantic beach or nature walk can all be special ways to share this day of celebrating love.


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This is a little blurry version of the pre-wedding picture of Zahra Buhari and Ahmed Indimi that surfaced online. The person downloading it must have been in a hurry.
After the whole issues they had during the introduction and Mr President not being sure he wanted his daughther with super rich people, they have picked December the 16th of 2016 to wed.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Hawaiians are usually given credit for having invented surfing, and yet until recently, surfwear — neon-splashed board shorts; baggy, logo-printed T-shirts — was usually made elsewhere. In the 1980s and '90s, it was mostly produced by three Australian mega-brands: Quiksilver, Rip Curl and Billabong. Then, a few years ago, small labels like the New York-based Saturdays Surf and Pilgrim Surf + Supply reimagined what après-surf clothes should look and feel like, slimming down the cuts and upgrading the fabrics.
These days, though, some of the coolest surfwear is being made in, appropriately, Hawaii, by a crop of mostly thirtysomething locals for whom the sport isn't just the means to a certain sartorial aesthetic, but a part of daily life. In doing so, they're reclaiming not just the history and the heritage of surfing, but creating a specific look, one that works as well in a cafe as it does on the beach, and in New York as well as in Honolulu.
Salvage Public
Founded in 2012 by the Oahu-born designer Joseph Serrao, his brother Noah and their friend Napali Souza, Salvage Public's organic combed-cotton T-shirts, slim nylon twill board shorts and Japanese cotton button-downs are printed with graphic updates of classic Hawaiian iconography — Diamond Head; camo patterns reminiscent of coral reefs — and given a retro-inspired flair, as with a Breton-striped T-shirt printed with "Hang Loose." The result is a look that's distinctly of Hawaii — but with a wink to other beach-obsessed cultures.
Moon Collective
Known for their high-concept, slightly psychedelic designs (T-shirts digitally printed with witchy-looking images of trees and moons; caps adorned with facsimiles of the human eye) Moon Collective is created by the California expat Ben King, an artist and graphic designer. "I quit my job, sold my possessions and moved to Hawaii to work on the label," says King, who now toggles between California and Oahu and draws inspiration from the island's extreme diversity. The best ideas come, he says, from "just sitting on a busy street in Waikiki and people watching."
Aloha Beach Club
Created by the Oahu native Kahana Kalama, a former pro surfer, Aloha Beach Club's designs include modern-cut board shorts (a streamlined version of the classic nylon model, with subtle designs featuring stripes or nautical flags), tees and, best of all, updated takes on that Hawaiian staple: the aloha shirt. On the mainland, the garment is a visual punchline, popping up at frat parties and retirement homes, but on the islands, it's daily wear for everyone from bankers to off-duty surfers. Aloha Beach Club's version is more refined, with patterns ranging from an understated landscape of palms to whimsical drawings of hula girls. "When you drive through downtown Honolulu, 90 percent of businessmen will be wearing some sort of aloha shirt," Kalama says. "I think it's rad that this piece of culture has stuck around, and it'll never go out of style here."
Island Fin Design
Made-in-Hawaii surfwear may be a recent phenomenon, but Island Fin Design has heritage on its side. Founded on Oahu by surfer Steve Mock in 1979 as a handmade surfboard fin company, it expanded two years ago into creating apparel and accessories. The wares — T-shirts printed with renderings of the brand's classic fins; miniature leather fin key chains — are designed by Mock's daughter, Alana Spencer, and her husband, Kyle. Both island natives, the Spencers attribute the new Hawaii aesthetic to their generation's global wanderings. "Hawaii has always been behind when it comes to fashion, but our generation is curious to experience different cultures and new terrain," Alana says. "And that brings fresh ideas back to the islands."
Quality Peoples
With Quality Peoples, John Esguerra, a Virginia transplant, and his Mexico-based business partner, wanted ''to take classic Hawaiian culture [and] recontexualize it with our own references, including contemporary art.'' This means vintage cotton T-shirts and sweatshirts printed with slogans in Ed Ruscha-like typography, along with hand-painted board shorts and alpaca wool watch caps. The label's mix of Hawaiiana and graphic art similarly informs Esguerra's boutique, Number 808, on the North Shore of Oahu, which he co-owns with his wife, and which is stocked with vintage clothing and surfing books and accessories: everything you need for a life spent on and around the beach.


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This is going to sound a little strange, given my well-expressed distaste for treadmills, but one of my favorite pieces of work-out equipment is my bike trainer.
I grew up riding my bike everywhere that I could -- to friends' houses, on trails (covering portions of the White Mountains, including Wildcat, with my family was one of the most fun experiences I had as a kid), and around campus as an undergrad at UConn. Partly because of this, the bike portion of triathlon training and competition has never been much of a problem for me.
However, as I started to increase my training, and as I began to set my sights on higher levels of competition, I ran into a critical New England problem.
How the hell are you supposed to ride your bike in the winter?
I tried using the stationary bikes at my local gyms, but found that it was completely non-representative of riding a road bike; despite maintaining my usual cadence and power, I would be lucky to cover 5 miles in an hour on one of those monstrosities.
So, after some sheer frustration and a fair bit of research, I settled my sights on obtaining my very own bike trainer. This is my RAD Cycle Max Racer Pro:
This is a magnetic resistance trainer, to which I have mounted my old Giant Kronos GS. There are also water and air resistance trainers, which have their own pros (quieter) and cons (significantly more expensive), but I don't have any personal experience with those. For even better training input, I affixed a small and inexpensive (about $20) CatEye bike computer to my rear wheel.
This modest addition lets me know my current pace, distance covered, and workout duration. You can reset those counters between sessions, but the lifetime odometer will continue to keep count (I've covered 110 miles so far, so I'm feeling pretty comfortable reviewing this combination of products at this time). Back to the bike trainer.
- Relatively inexpensive (this model was under $100 including shipping)
- Easy to assemble
- Fits most bikes
- Allows me to spare my competition bike
- Closely mimics the feel of riding on a road
- Multiple resistance settings, and you can still change gears as normal
- Able to watch Triathlon World Series coverage while working out
- Safer than dealing with traffic
- A little loud (but not terrible; I'm still able to hear the TV)
- Doesn't fully replace training outside (as much as we wish for sunny race days, that's not always the case)
- Can't practice turns*
- Can't practice flying mounts**
Today, despite our third Nor'Easter in ten days, I still managed to get in a 20-mile bike ride. I'd call that a success, and a rousing endorsement.
*Speaking of TWS coverage, being able to turn is important. Seeing both Jonny Brownlee and Flora Duffy wiping out on turns in the bike portions in Abu Dhabi was eye-opening.
**This isn't quite applicable to me yet. Remember from a previous entry: I am not good at jumping over things.


text: "Knowledgeable salesmen. Good prices. Used Car Post sale service is not very good in my opinion. Bought a 2008 Denali. Within 3 weeks check engine light comes on. It goes off & on for several more weeks. I'm back and forth to dealer 2 - 3 times. Dealer finally suggests fuel injection service but chooses not to cover cost as it is deemed a maintenance issue (even though car was recently purchased from them). Purchase used vehicle at your own risk. Seems that new purchasers are treated better."


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Imelda VirpioCommunity Members
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About Imelda Virpio
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WTM Hubs?
Imelda Virpio replied to John d'Alsace's topic in Warp To Me LocalIt's counterproductive to go to a "central" spot in a region when you jump to another clone. Usually it's faster to go from system A to system B directly than to go from system A to system C, and then from C to B, right? If you try to be "organized" about this, you're doing that exact thing. Where you place clones depends on how many you have. When I had two, I kept one on the "Amarr side" of things and one on the "Gallente side." At three, it was one Amarr, one Gallente, one Caldari. At four, one in each empire. When I quit... I have six sets, iirc. Ashab/Rens/Dodixie/Caldari/Kador Prime/Khanid, approximately. By the time you've got that many clones assembled, you have a fair idea of what the boundaries for each one are; there aren't that many hisec focuses.
Booster fits
Imelda Virpio replied to Timberton's topic in Incursion FitsBoosters are only flown by commanders in WtM, because it has huge skill & implant requirements, and we do not check those on line pilots. That said, the Claymore is the best booster for us because it has another mid. Utility mids can be a real benefit to the fleet, extra lows just get another power diagnostic tossed in for the 5% shield.
As everyone can see now, Hurley meant to run his fleet on FRIDAY. This one is SATURDAY. On the one hand I should'a waited some, but on the other hand NEW BHAALGORN WEIRDNESS WITH BAD PUN. Also I got party favors.
Bring it. I have one condition: have a Basilisk handy. Taking fleet down for lack of combat caps when there's enough logi that we *should* be fine would seriously annoy me. Also, let me warn you, they aren't cheap. I've only built the Loki (built-in passive EM makes it easier to build) but the Tengu fit that was the basis for discussion in command fora was [Tengu, ISS MERCY NDL-V1.0] Syndicate Damage Control Syndicate Signal Amplifier Corelum C-Type 10MN Afterburner Republic Fleet Large Cap Battery Pithum C-Type Adaptive Invulnerability Field True Sansha Cap Recharger Pithum A-Type EM Ward Amplifier Caldari Navy Large Shield Extender Pithum C-Type Adaptive Invulnerability Field Pithum A-Type Medium Remote Shield Booster Pithum A-Type Medium Remote Shield Booster Pithum A-Type Medium Remote Shield Booster Pithum A-Type Medium Remote Shield Booster Pithum A-Type Medium Remote Shield Booster Pithum A-Type Medium Remote Shield Booster Pithum A-Type Medium Remote Shield Booster Skirmish Command Burst II Medium Capacitor Control Circuit II Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I Medium Capacitor Control Circuit II Tengu Core - Augmented Graviton Reactor Tengu Defensive - Covert Reconfiguration Tengu Offensive - Support Processor Tengu Propulsion - Fuel Catalyst Light Hull Maintenance Bot II x5 Light Armor Maintenance Bot II x5 Make sure you're five-reps-stable; that makes you about as capable a repping platform as the scimi. Since you're not command, feel free to bring an 8-rep configuration or a 7-rep without the command burst. If you do bring the command burst, maybe an info boost with the sensor-boosting charge? We've never gotten to play with those.
This Is Bhaaloween Fun Fleet
Imelda Virpio posted a topic in Warp To Me NewsIt's that time of year, and we've got Bhaalgorns to play with. What better way to start things off with a fun fleet? The usual rules apply, battleships have to meet the usual tank standard (100k, 70% resists, DCU, passive EM). Logi should be logi, but it IS possible to make the Bhaalsilisk work. (I don't think we could handle more than one, maybe two. Oh god, it's horrible ) There may be some weirdly Bhaalgorn-themed handouts! I thiiiink... Saturday. November 3. From about 1700 EVE time to 2000, or whenever we run out of goats. Also, check this: https://forums.warptome.net/topic/907-crazy-imeldas-winter-clearance-sale/?tab=comments#comment-7240
Crazy Imelda's Winter Clearance Sale
Imelda Virpio posted a topic in Warp To Me LocalThe Bhaalgorn is cheap right now. Like, 250 million. This is, like, not-even-a-faction-battleship cheap. And the Navy Apoc... actually it's come down a lot, but it's still four hundred and some. And the Bhaal is Just Better in most ways-- it's got more shield, it's got a web! So we're going to take advantage of this. Until the end of the year, we are DROPPING the requirement that Bhaals must use T2 lasers. This makes it a very attractive ship for starter pilots. It's cheap, has more hit points than any starter ship except the Maelstrom, goes faster than any starter but Navy Apoc, produces acceptable DPS... there's some fun value here. Here, look at this fit: [Bhaalgorn, Face-Sucking] Damage Control II Heat Sink II Heat Sink II Heat Sink II Heat Sink II Drone Damage Amplifier II Drone Damage Amplifier II Pithum C-Type EM Ward Amplifier Adaptive Invulnerability Field II Adaptive Invulnerability Field II 500MN Y-T8 Compact Microwarpdrive Stasis Webifier II Mega Modal Pulse Laser I, Imperial Navy Multifrequency L Mega Modal Pulse Laser I, Imperial Navy Multifrequency L Mega Modal Pulse Laser I, Imperial Navy Multifrequency L Mega Modal Pulse Laser I, Imperial Navy Multifrequency L Heavy Knave Scoped Energy Nosferatu Heavy Knave Scoped Energy Nosferatu Heavy Knave Scoped Energy Nosferatu Large Anti-Thermal Screen Reinforcer I Large Core Defense Field Extender II Large Auxiliary Thrusters I Federation Navy Ogre x4 Look at this baby. Run up to a Romi, web it down, nos it into submission and punch it in the face with multifreq. What's not to love? But wait, there's more. The proposal I wrote up also included.. beam lasers. BEAM lasers, on a 250m hull. You want to pilot a laser sniper, but don't want all those spikes? I've got your Beamgorn, right here. [Bhaalgorn, Beamgorn] Damage Control II Heat Sink II Heat Sink II Heat Sink II Heat Sink II Tracking Enhancer II Tracking Enhancer II Pithum C-Type EM Ward Amplifier Adaptive Invulnerability Field II Adaptive Invulnerability Field II 500MN Y-T8 Compact Microwarpdrive 'Marketeer' Tracking Computer, Tracking Speed Script Tachyon Modulated Energy Beam I, Imperial Navy Multifrequency L Tachyon Modulated Energy Beam I, Imperial Navy Multifrequency L Tachyon Modulated Energy Beam I, Imperial Navy Multifrequency L Tachyon Modulated Energy Beam I, Imperial Navy Multifrequency L Large 'Regard' Remote Capacitor Transmitter Drone Link Augmentor I [Empty High slot] Large Anti-Thermal Screen Reinforcer I Large Core Defense Field Extender I Large Energy Metastasis Adjuster II Federation Navy Ogre x4 Anchor up, cap-buddy up, and you are CAP STABLE in this little darling. You've got enough drone range here to hit the Osti's in the second room of the TPPH while you're still in the first one. You've got better range than the Nightmare, and nearly as much tracking. This is a lean, mean killing machine. How much would you pay for a ship with all these amazing capabilities? For the ultimate in neuts, long range webs, AND the ability to run in either the DPS or sniper role? One billion isk? Two billion? More? No. You can drive away with this beauty, today, for the low, low price of three hundred and fifty million isk. But act fast, this offer is for a limited time only.
Fun fleet 2/11/2018
Imelda Virpio replied to Hurleyalex hurley's topic in WTM EventsBasically a chance to bring weird stuff into a TCRC and watch it explode.
Long Time No See
Imelda Virpio replied to Skyler Scar's topic in Warp To Me Local/me webs Skyler oh wait, that's not what he meant. Sorry, it's instinctive!
Theres any WTM logistics in place?
Imelda Virpio replied to Farah Black's topic in Warp To Me LocalThere are a number of Astrahus'es that were set up by Foshkey; if you're in HQ system and see one named "Foshkey's Something-or-Other", that's what those are. The NGA and TVP ones are also pretty much safe to dock in.
Fun Fleet!
Imelda Virpio replied to Juan Carlos Minjita's topic in WTM EventsThe plural of Gnosis is "Gnocchi."
Imelda Virpio replied to Blaze101's topic in Warp To Me LocalRead , show up with one of the fits from https://wl.warptome.net/fits/ , and we can get you in fleet. We're pretty good at dealing with new folks by now
Stop Flying Loaded Bowheads Through Niarja.
Imelda Virpio posted a topic in Warp To Me LocalIt's July now, so I could go and look at the total for June: One hundred and thirty six BILLION isk worth of incursion-loaded bowheads died last month. That's about 1/8 of the *total* isk generated by incursions during the month. Most of the kills were in Uedama or Niarja, but several were in Madirmilire, Sivala, and one in Bahromab (all adjacent to one of the Bad Systems, all 0.6). Stop paying for Kusions' subscription. Stop flying loaded Bowheads through the pipe systems. There are several ways to get around this problem. You can go "over the top" through Ammatar space. You can stop in Ashab/Kassigainen, unload the Bowhead, get it to Kaaputenen/Juunigaishi, and shuttle your battleships back and forth one by one. You can take the bling off your incursion ships, move the hulls in the Bowhead, and move the shiny bits separately in something sneaky. You can keep sets of hulls on each side of the Amarr/Gallente divide. There are probably other things you can do; goodness knows some of you are inventive enough with the battleship fits.
FC Can I bring my Paladin?
Imelda Virpio replied to k'takeshra's topic in Incursion FitsObviously Paladin is not optimal as either sniper or DPS. If a Paladin pilot decides to switch roles a bit, load Scorch, and shoot Maras in TPPH room 2, TPPH room 3 wave 1, and NRF wave 1, I'm not going to yell at 'em. The rest of the time, bring me that extra 400-ish DPS from Conflagration.
New Vargur fit cost is 6.4 bill why?
Imelda Virpio replied to Valmar's topic in Warp To Me LocalThe fits we're listing for marauders now are all full-on bling fits. You can still bring your existing marauder if it meets our standards for tank, gun type, damage mods, etc.
scimi Scimi V Advanced with 4 Links
Imelda Virpio replied to Knightandday558's topic in Incursion FitsBlobert, that four-link scimi takes 40% more damage than our optimal when hit. Remember what Tesso said above: look at shield HP and resists, not at the EHP total. Remember what I said: scimis die when Sansha can cut through 100% of shield on a hit, even if we have reps on them. Every time I see one of our current scimis slam down to 1/3 shield and say "oh my drop TWO reps on that one," four-link would be dead. I ain't having it.


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My guest on this episode is Gurpreet Sarin. He was my brother's roommate in college while I was still very much a committed evangelical. We played some music in those days, but lost touch for years and recently reconnected. You may know him from season 12 of American Idol.
Gurpreet is a practicing Sikh and grew up playing and singing Indian Classical music. He is an incredible singer and tabla player. During the preparation for this collaboration, he taught me about the way Sikhs meditate on their sacred texts by singing and improvising with them using various raag's (similar to the western idea of a scale, but more complex). We decided to take two pieces of music that I've always loved and perform them in as close to a Classical Indian style as I could get. It was a very meaningful experience for me.


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All groups are hosted at Open Studios Kingston (located at 39-1 Montreal St., in Kingston, ON.)
FYI: There is also the option of hosting an event/party at your group's address of choice. Contact Vanessa directly to make arrangements.
All groups are hosted at Open Studios Kingston (located at 39-1 Montreal St., in Kingston, ON.)
FYI: There is also the option of hosting an event/party at your group's address of choice. Contact Vanessa directly to make arrangements.
Vanessa also visits schools for one or two-day workshops. Vanessa discusses abstract paintings, explores texture and acrylic paint, and encourages creativity and uniqueness in their work.
Special pricing for schools helps accommodate larger numbers and variable education budgets.
School Workshop Pricing
$5-$7.00 per child for canvas
$10-$12.00 per child for wood
*Pricing varies based on the size of canvas/wood.
Want to have fun and enjoy a creative birthday?! Vanessa will come to you, bringing all the art supplies and creative energy you need for a memorable birthday. Paintings are pre-textured by Vanessa. The group then paints over the texture to create their own unique piece!
Kid's Birthday Pricing
$15.00 per child for canvas
$20.00 per child for wood.
*No minimum- max of 15 kids (No additional fees)
Vanessa instructs art workshops built specifically for adults. Her classes reflect her easy-going nature, designed to bring out your inner artist and ignite your creative energy.
Private/Small Group Pricing
$20.00 per hour
*The cost of supplies for private/small groups is not included in the per hour cost. Supplies are extra.
Want to have a paint party? Bachelorette, night out, work function, birthday, etc. There are two options to choose from.
Large parties start at $45.00 per person. Keep in mind that price is proportionate to size, please enquire here for a more accurate quote.
Option #1:
Single Night
Vanessa paints textured backgrounds to create images with paint. The group then paints over/finishes the painting much like Vanessa would finish her own paintings.
Option #2:
Two Nights
In the two night option, attendees paint the texture layer on the first night. They allow the texture to dry and return for a second night to complete the painting.
Vanessa has organized many events in Kingston, such as co-organizing the Kingston Holiday Market. If you're interested in collaborating on an event, contact Vanessa here.


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Great sages, physicians, and masters of all cultures and all instances have identified a couple of simple keys to health: proper breath; vitamin; inner cleansing; moderate exercise; sufficient relaxation; a positive, now-targeted outlook, and dwelling in harmony with nature. If you happen to do these three things, then you can also splurge on the treats like alcohol infrequently, resting after exercise and sweet each few days (not hours); as soon as you start to exercise correctly and ingest food regularly your physique's metabolism will work constantly and will devour no matter you put into it in order that even the 'bad issues' disappear extra shortly, and both manner, you'll notice an enchancment in your energy levels and an increase in your self esteem.
If we go ahead hoping for the very best but ready for the worst then we go forth with a constructive perspective and we're not horrified or defeated the second something 'unexpected' comes our way as a result of we were ready to cope with whatever life throws at us. Simplifying a life is one of the simplest ways to be at peace mentally; learning to get rid of unnecessary objects, folks or events is the simplest strategy to find a life with balance which in turn will create mental stability and psychological health.
There are actually quite a lot of spices and herbs which might be also thought-about as healthy foods that one can use with greens. Strong health-care systems may also help medical doctors spot illness outbreaks quickly and diagnose power ailments early sufficient that sufferers can nonetheless be treated.
Vitamins need to come back from healthy FOOD, not a laboratory. Soundness of physique or thoughts; freedom from disease or ailment: to have one's health; to lose one's health. Many employers them receive health insurance protection for his or her staff for a limited time thus enabling them obtain health insurance coverage coverage.
Nutritional and medical science, as well as government authorities, are sounding the warning alarm in regards to the effects of sugar in human health: Harvard University researchers, the Secretary of Health and Human Providers, a bone disease expert from Tufts University are all saying, principally, the identical: The common consumption of sugar in the USA is just too high and this can be very detrimental to our health.


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Call 1-800-AAA-HELP (1-800-222-4357)
November 01, 2016
AAA Washington is teaming up with 20 charities in Washington and northern Idaho provide an opportunity for those in need to have a fresh start to their day. AAA Washington is kicking off its ninth annual Soap for Hope donation drive today to collect unused travel-and full-size toiletry items for local shelters, food banks and other charitable organizations across Washington and northern Idaho.
"What's so great about AAA's Soap for Hope toiletry drive is that the items you donate stay in your community to help your neighbors in need," said Jennifer Cook, AAA Washington spokesperson. "Most of us have left over toiletry items from a trip we took recently. Put those items to good use by helping someone in need."
As a result of the generosity of members, the public, local businesses and community partners, AAA Washington has collected nearly 748,000 toiletry items for local charities the past eight years, and distributed more than 12,300 pounds of donations last year alone.
Want to be a part of supporting your local community? Scan your cabinets and gather items from your last trip, including unused and unopened hotel shampoos and soaps. Donations of new, full- and sample-size toiletry items such as conditioner, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes are accepted at all AAA stores in Washington and northern Idaho.
"Even the smallest luxuries make a world of difference to families who are struggling to meet their basic needs," continued Cook. "Free toiletry items are one less thing that families have to spend precious resources on."
Donations may be dropped off at any AAA Washington store. All donations stay in the community where they are donated. More than 20 charities in Washington and northern Idaho benefit from the donations.
For more information, including a list of recipient charities, visit www.aaa.com/SoapForHope.
2016 Soap for Hope Charities
AAA Washington has been serving members and the traveling public since 1904. The organization provides a variety of exclusive benefits, including roadside assistance, discounts, maps and personalized trip planning, to its million plus members. In addition, its full-service travel and insurance agencies provide products and services for members and the public. Additional information is available through the company's offices in Washington and northern Idaho, at www.AAA.com, or by calling 1-800-562-2582.
Jennifer Cook (425) 646-2055


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That's me.
I was graduating in 2017 with an English Literature degree and a belly full of anticipation and fear as to what the future was going to hold. What follows is sure to be a wild ride of unemployment, debt and desperate insecurities. Stick around if you are into books, theatre or just want to see how miserable it can be navigating life as a twenty something.
Stephanie Beaumont likes to write in third person to give the impression that she is a professional human with actual real achievements others may write about. Stephanie likes romantics meals for two and long walks on the beach… wrong bio goddamnit… She is passionate about literature of all shapes and sizes and an avid theatre consumer – she drinks it all in as though her eyes are straws. Miss Beaumont is also a raging intersectional feminist, vegetarian and general annoying do-gooder trying to make the world a better place taking small steps at a time.
Okay I am done talking in third person but I guess to be truthful, I am here to express my opinions, rave about things that I love and share the crippling anxieties that fill my silly little head. I don't really know how or what this will turn out to be but I'm going to give it a go.


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RB Marshawn Lynch - Free Agent
|5-10, 223
|Born: 4-22-1986
|College: California
|Drafted: Round 1, pick 2007
Main Career stats Game Logs Game Recaps Split Stats Play-by-play Latest News
Traditional view FanDuel view DraftKings view
Week 14: bye week
Weekly Performance vs RB 1, RB 12, RB 24, RB 36
Percentile ranks
Marshawn Lynch's percentile rank in each category, among RB with more than 50 fantasy points.
Footballguys ArticlesRegression Alert: Week 3
Adam Harstad - September 19
The Gut Check No.478: The Devil's Advocate Top 50
Matt Waldman - August 6
Coaching Change Analysis: Detroit Lions
Dwain McFarland - July 23
What are the paths to unlocking Kerryon Johnson's upside?
Dwain McFarland - July 19
The Gut Check No.474: Notable Yards After Contact Running Backs
Matt Waldman - July 12
3 Reasons Why Derrius Guice Will Disappoint
Daniel Simpkins - July 9
Will Josh Jacobs Be a Year-One Workhorse?
Daniel Simpkins - June 28
What's Going to Happen in the Detroit Backfield?
FBG Staff - June 27
Who Is the Top Rookie RB for 2019?
FBG Staff - June 2
Thoughts on Drafting Todd Gurley
FBG Staff - May 28
Articles from around the webTop Rookies for 2019 fantasy leagues
Michael Fabiano - April 29
Fantasy Football: Three RBs To Remember in 2019
Lauren Carpenter - May 30
Cam Newton Will Still Be a Top Fantasy Football Quarterback in 2019
Neil Dutton - June 7
Fantasy football preseason preview: Running Backs
David Dorey - June 11
Fantasy Football: Kyler Murray, Rookie QBs, & What History Can Tell Us
Kyle Borgognoni - June 27
Should You Be Scared of Kenny Golladay in Fantasy Football?
Neil Dutton - July 2
2019 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Industry is too low on Lamar Jackson, Kalen Ballage and Tyrell Williams
Heath Cummings - July 5
Fantasy Football Breakouts 2.0: Dalvin Cook, Josh Jacobs join the list
Jamey Eisenberg - July 5
2019 Fantasy Football Busts: Russell Wilson, Sony Michel and Adam Thielen will not live up to expectations
Heath Cummings - July 5
Fantasy pre-mortem -- If the top six picks fail, here's how it'll happen
Scott Barrett - July 9


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Choosing a Montessori School for Your Child
If you have decided that Montessori education is the right fit for your child, your next step is to choose a Montessori school. Because there are no official guidelines that all Montessori schools must follow, programs can vary dramatically from school to school. That means that it's important to explore the specific curriculum and approach of the schools you're considering to see which one feels right for your child. Here are some things to consider.
Professional Memberships
Although there are no standard requirements for calling yourself a Montessori school, many schools voluntarily participate in a professional organization that set certain educational standards. One such program is the American Montessori Society, or AMS. AMS sets specific standards for teacher training, learner outcomes, and curriculum. By finding out about a school's professional memberships, you can get insight into their approach to Montessori education. You should also check to see if there are any health and safety licensing requirements for schools in your state, and if so, that the school you are considering has the appropriate, current license.
Classroom Environment
There is no better way to get a feel for a Montessori program than to spend time in the classroom. Although classrooms can differ greatly, look for classes that are designed to embrace key Montessori principles, with child-sized furniture and learning tools, spaces for group and individual work, and defined areas for the different parts of the curriculum. Classrooms should be organized, and children should be working independently, with teachers there to provide guidance.
School Program
Some Montessori schools only offer programs for very young children, while others run through upper elementary school and beyond. Consider the length of the program offered and what your plans will be for your child after that program is finished.
The Montessori School is an AMS member with Montessori programs stretching through 6 th grade. We invite parents to visit our Montessori schools to explore our classrooms for themselves. Make an appointment to visit our Dallas location by calling (469) 685-1732, or contact our Montessori school in Allen by dialing (972) 908-5055.


text: Parking is available at a number of nearby places. We own the East half of the parking lot north of Gopher's Grill. Street parking is available on all nearby streets. Check out Washington Street north of our building, which almost always has available spaces. The city lot north of the County Building is huge!


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Living life to the full every second that she can, Dawn French sparkles with energy as she poses for our September issue of woman & home.
The comedian, author and actress has had us laughing ever since she first appeared on our screens all those years ago, and thankfully has no plans on stopping anytime soon!
'You feel more alive and more energised the more you do,' she reveals in our exclusive interview. 'So I'm not going to be lazy and I'm not going to lay back until I absolutely have to.
'I say live every moment as big as you can because every minute matters.'
Looking absolutely incredible as our cover star this month, Dawn highlights the importance of accepting who you are, 'we're obsessed with our physicality now and I get very bored with it,' she admits. 'It's important to accept your body whatever shape it's in. I want to get on with my actual life and not worry about it.
'I've never had a problem making jokes about my body. In French and Saunders I was just as happy to dress as an old hag or walk around in a swimming costume!'
And it's not just her body that she's more than happy to accept: 'When it comes to ageing I've got no choice about it. I'm fascinated by the way people change and the things that fall off. As long as i can still get about, I'll be happy.'
Latest Stories
Dawn, 56, is currently touring the UK with her solo show 30 Million Minutes, a one-woman show based on her life and career. Watch an exclusive preview of the show below. And why not join w&h's Editorial Director, Sue James, for a drink after the performance in Bristol? Here's your special invitation.
Read Dawn's interview in full by downloading w&h September to your tablet today.


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January 6, 2019 Spring Branch, Texas
Happy 2019! The year has started out awesome for us Rovers. After sitting in one place for over a year it feels good to tell you we are back on the road and heading for parts unknown. This is the first time in 4 years that we don't really have a plan nor any reservations…I really like the planning part and knowing where we will be but then we were locked in to those reservations, now we can roam at will.
I last left you way back in the summer of 2018, while we were at Camp Alexander waiting for our new RV home to be built. A lot has happened since then, but for some reason I couldn't sit down and write a blog. I guess I didn't think anyone would be interested in our down time.
In a nutshell here are some of the fun times we had while in Blue Ridge, Georgia. We continued riding our new electric bikes about 3-4 days a week thru the Chattahooche National Forest and attended a couple of neighborhood concerts.
Our friends, Steve and Paul were headed to their new home in Florida and wanted to stop for the night and catch up. We invited Karen and Al, that own an rv lot in Key West by Steve and Paul. I have read her blog for the last 5-6 years, but they have now purchased a home in Blairsville, Georgia. They still have a small trailer that they will be using now to travel. We all met in Blairsville and had a great mexican dinner along with wonderful conversation. Time sure flew by and before we knew it we were saying good bye to Steve and Paul. Someday we hope to get down to Fl to see their new home.
We met up with my sister Penny and her husband, Roger in Dallas where we took a tour of the "Gas Monkey Garage" as well as the John F. Kennedy museum. (If you haven't been there I suggest you go when in the area).
We were asked to spend the weekend at Lake Martin with our friends, Penny and John and Sherry and Gary. They took us on a great boat ride around the lake and by our old home we lived in for 25 years. It was great listening to the stories of all our friends and the happenings of our old neighborhood.
We spent many afternoons and nights with our Blue Ridge neighbor, Peggy, relaxing on her porch having adult beverages and playing with her two goldens, Bailey and Yogi. I'm amazed that after a year together I did not take any pictures.
I spent many days with my 1950 Singer featherweight quilting for friends and family. The top left quilt was for our 18 yr old grandson, Ryan, the bottom right was for my sweet friend Cori. The rest I still have on a shelf above our bed in the rig. I have a hard time giving away quilts as I fall in love with everyone of them.
We finally got the word Oct 9, that our new Luxe Toy Hauler was finished and we could head to Indiana to pick it up! To say the least we were excited. We headed to Shipshewana on our way to Elkhart Indiana so we could meet up with Craig and Jo, who are camp hosts at the Shipshewana Auction and flea market, campground. It was great seeing them and listening to what goes on at the campground. Craig cooked us a great dinner from a recipe of his grandmother.
We really didn't know what to expect when we got to the factory, but we were so surprised with our first look at our new home, it was beautiful. We had gone through many renderings on our color choices and in the end opted for one of their standard ones with our colors of choice, white , grey and red. With all new rv's there are changes and add on's that need to be made, as was the case with us.
In the design faze of our rv we had made many changes, removing the dinning table and replaced with a desk unit, removed the oven/stove unit and adding an induction stove with a cabinet for pots and pans under neath, adding more cabinets in the kitchen, replacing the couch with recliners, having the carpet replaced with tile and marine carpet in the slides, adding a sleep number bed, put silk window screens on the outside of the windows, removing the extra bathroom, loft and happy jack seating in the garage. We had 3 season glass/screen doors made for the rear of the garage, added a large tv cabinet in the garage. Guy changed out the generator to a commercial 7000 w Onan fuel injected gas. Above our fireplace we wanted to hang an art piece of Elephants, they did a great job of making the area sturdy enough for us to hang the piece. Needless to say we were loving all the changes we have made.
On our way to Indiana we got a text from Steve and Diane that they were in the area having some work done on their rig and wanted to know if we could get together. We hadn't seen them in 2 years when we were last in Az. It sure was fun going to dinner and catching up with each other.
The next day we all went to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum. We had been there before but seeing all the awesome cars again was even better. It was great spending time with Steve and Diane and will hopefully see them at the big RV show and flea market in Az.
We stayed in Indiana for 2 weeks while some minor repairs and add ons were being completed, but our generator and glass doors (specially made) were still not in yet. Instead of waiting in Elkhart, we headed back to Camp Alexander. We were sure hoping when we headed back it would be before the snow started. We weren't so lucky as we drove thru a snow storm on the way back to Elkhart which lasted off and on while we were in Elkhart. We were glad it was cold so that we could test our arctic package and happy to say we were toasty warm. Our tanks and pipes are wrapped and insulated and heated.
On our way to breakfast at 6:00am
Finally, when all was done on the rig we headed to Camp Alexander and loaded it up, leaving after 3 days and headed to Gulf Shores State Park, Alabama for 2 weeks. Long time friends, Debbi and Marty had just bought a new TT, and we all wanted to spend sometime together before Guy and I left town. I can't believe that I didn't take any pictures of our week together. It was a busy week, the weather did not co-operate with us as we had lots of rain and cold days. There were 2 good days where we could ride bikes, walk on the beach, as well as eating and drinking adult beverages. We also spent the day at the Navel Aviation Museum in Pensacola. If your ever in the area it really is a great museum.
While we were in Gulf Shores I was checking out Facebook and found a picture of David jumping high in the air by the beach yelling "I'm at my happy place"….I immediately called Sharon to find out where they were and what beach??
Wow, what a surprise it was when she said "Gulf Shores"….and they were camping in the same campground! How awesome is that…they had been camping at Camp Alexander with us in April, what a surprise it was that we could see them again. That was the start of more rounds of dinners and cut throat games of dominos.
The Frank Brown International Song Writers Festival which is put on by the Flora-Bama was happening while we were in town. The festival is dedicated to the late Frank Brown who was a night watchman at the Flora-Bama for 28 years. Song writers and up and coming stars of tomorrow come to perform original songs in multiple locations, such as restaurants, bars, pizza houses or the Flora-Bama. It was held around the areas of Perdido Key, Pensacola, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
Some of the singers and below the original writer of 'When Grandma got run over by a reindeer". Click on it twice to play, I hope it works.
The Flora-Bama has been around for the last 50 yrs and is known as an original honky tonk. It is on the state line between Alabama and Florida and right on the beach. The Flora-Bama holds a mullet toss (cow chip throwing) every year with over 30,00 attending. It has 5 full-service bars, snack bar and restaurants, numerous performing stages, 40 indoor restrooms and on Sundays it becomes a church. David, Sharon, Guy and I attended on Sunday, which was an all musical Sunday. Guy and I have attended many Sundays when they have held a normal church service.
David writes his own personal songs, plays guitar and sings, he put his name in to sing at the Flora-Bama. It was so great being there watching him sing on the stage. We have only heard him around the campfire where he really prefers to sing. He likes to tell the story of why he wrote a song and the history that goes with it, that way we can appreciate it better. It was so much fun going to numerous bars and restaurants around town and listening to the different musicians.
Thanksgiving and Christmas came and went in the blink of an eye. Both of our kids and families came up to Camp Alexander with their rigs for 5 days of camping, campfires, s'mores, laughter, sharing, and just all around having fun for Thanksgiving. There were 11 of us (counting 2 girlfriends). Our son in law hired a photographer to take family pictures at a farm\wedding venue, which was amazing that any pictures came out with all the joking that went on.
Guy and I put away all the yard art, furniture and packed the rig and left Camp Alexander on December 12, heading to Birmingham. Yikes, we won't be back until 2020, it seems like a long time away but it's just around the corner. There is a great rv place not far from our daughters home where we stayed. Our daughter who was having her 4th foot surgery and would be laid up for a few weeks. We tried to help as best we could with the kids, cooking, laundry and getting ready for Christmas. Our son and Cari came as well as our grandson, Stephen and Dixie. Everyone picked up where we left off over Thanksgiving, more laughter and lots of food. Guy and I packed up the rig again on the day after Christmas and headed to Texas, stopping in Lake Charles, LA to have dinner with rv friends, James and Cindy.
tree and village (our daughter made the ladder that displays the village)
Well, I think I have brought you up to date on the Rovers. We are now on the road and headed to Texas to spend some time with our friends Cori and Greg. Greg will be installing solar on our new rv home. So come on back to check out what our new travels will be.
Guy and I thank you all for following along on our journey in this wonderful life we live. Everyday is such blessing, we are so blessed to be able to do what we do and love sharing with everyone.
Please take time to leave us a message as we love hearing from you and appreciate any and all comments.