Column

 

“Just win baby,” the famous words of legend, Al Davis, still motivates the players of the Oakland Raiders. The “must win” attitude of all professional athletes is “why we play the game,” so it goes. Winning at all costs seems to be the measure of success for many coaches, athletes and programs, throughout the world.

It is easy to get caught up in this thinking, and I too, love to see my favorite teams and players win. But winning is a by-product of a combination of many things, built around one fundamental principle: improvement.

In the profession of golf, if someone’s goal is to win, many things need to be broken down, analyzed, built back up and kept in a proper perspective. Golf is a number’s game and, obviously, winning means shooting the lowest score. A golfer will need to develop many aspects of their game to be at their best. This will include their focus and concentration. There are many levels in the golf competition ladder so I will assume, whether the player is a junior, amateur or professional, the level is appropriate for their skill level.

I am a big believer in setting long and short term goals. I am also a big believer in setting goals of improvement in all areas and maybe choosing a weak area to attack first. Let’s say, for example, that a player is trying to learn to hit the ball farther. It’s important to address with that player the benefits, but to also point out how that will directly relate to short term scoring. The number one player in the world recently admitted that since he stopped trying to hit the ball further, his scores have improved.  He set a goal to hit the ball farther, believing it would help him shoot lower scores and win more tournaments. The current number one in the world, Luke Donald, now say’s that was a mistake. So, if a player decides that they want to increase club speed, it’s important for me to help them see the big picture and how that may or may not be beneficial.

I have a few students who do have all aspects of their game in order and their improvement has been impressive. They still are hungry for “wins.” They are in a place where they are learning how to win. Perhaps it might better be called “conditioning their minds to perform at the highest level possible, to be the best they can be.” These players often let the importance of winning get in their way. They have the tools but get into situations where they don’t quite perform well enough to finish first, or at least play their best. They are “getting in their own way,” or, “beating themselves.”

I recently heard a coach of the 49er’s say, “WIN broken down means WHAT”S IMPORTANT NOW.” I translate that to mean, “playing in the moment or playing one shot at a time.” This is most certainly a way to improve focus and concentration. Thinking ahead or dwelling on the past breaks your concentration. These never have beneficial results. What’s important now challenges us to stay in the present and maintain focus. So if you’re competing for a win at any level, whether that’s to win your flight or to qualify for some event, remind yourself to focus on what’s important, now. That will help you to stay focused and not get ahead of yourself.

Please contact Dave at 925 997-3683 or ddelongolf@aol.com for lessons or program information. Gift certificates are also available.

What is Peripheral Neuropathy?
Peripheral Neuropathy is a condition in which there is damage to the peripheral nervous system, which transmits information from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. This can result in pain, tingling, loss of feeling, and inability to control muscles. As with any other condition, there is no “one size fits all” remedy for those suffering from this malady and treatment may vary depending on the cause and severity. However, many individuals find relief using natural remedies.

Peripheral Neuropathy is a condition that affects people in every walk of life. It is estimated that 20 million Americans and 60% of diabetics suffer from this disorder. There are hundreds of different kinds of neuropathy, the symptoms of which include burning, tingling, weakness, numbness, paralysis, and dull to excruciating pain – especially in the limbs.

Although many neuropathies have no known cause, neuropathy is often associated with another condition, such as: Diabetes, HIV, shingles, toxins, autoimmune disorders, neurological conditions, carpal tunnel syndrome, and malnutrition. Statin (cholesterol) drugs and chemotherapy can also cause neuropathy.

While medications can sometimes help with the symptoms, they cannot be relied upon to restore the health of the nerves. Most often the drugs that treat Neuropathy leave the sufferer feeling intoxicated and hopeless to lead a normal active life.

Understanding the Nervous System
Nerves carry the electrical signals that allow us to move, feel, breath, digest, detoxify, respond to our environment, and much more. Nerves are the electrical wiring of the human body. Plain and simple, if the nerves do not work the body will not work, in some capacity. It is also important to understand that unlike other tissues, the primary blood supply to nerve tissue is actually located WITHIN the nerve itself. So, if a nerve becomes impinged or compromised, so does the blood supply to the nerve. Without proper blood supply, the nerve does not receive the energy and nutrition that are needed for the nerve to heal itself. Over time neural impingement leads to a painful chronic condition called Neuropathy.

Natural help for Neuropathy sufferers
For the past eleven years Align Healing Center has been offering many natural therapies to soothe and heal painful neuropathies. In 2009 we began using Class IV Laser Therapy and the results have been outstanding! Class IV Laser Therapy allows the practitioner to stimulate healing within the nerve tissue by delivering the necessary energy directly to the injured area. During each painless treatment, laser energy increases circulation, drawing water, oxygen, and nutrients to the damaged area. Laser therapy is a photochemical process that is able to bypass the arterial “highway” that has been compromised. During Laser Therapy the infrared laser light interacts with tissues at the cellular level and metabolically increases the activity within the cell, improving the transport of nutrients across the cell membrane. This initiates the production of cellular energy (ATP) that leads to a cascade of beneficial effects, increasing cellular function and health. This creates an optimal healing environment that reduces inflammation, swelling, muscle spasms, stiffness and pain. In other words, NO MORE Pain, NO MORE Numbness, NO MORE Tingling and NO MORE Burning! Depending on the type and severity of neuropathy we have witnessed patients begin to get relief after the first visit and with continued care receive complete relief long-term.

Dr. Niele Maimone of Align Healing Center in Danville, CA has been active in natural health & wellness since 1999. For more information or to set up a consult call 925.362.8283 or visit www.alignhealingcenter.com.

Q. My wife bought a pale, lavender Clematis vine last summer and planted it along a south-facing fence. The new growth is on the top three to four inches of a seven-foot long, pencil thin stem that’s burned to boot. Should we cut it down really short and hope for the best next spring?

A. I wouldn’t be overly concerned now, as the foliage probably has turned yellow, as the plant has gone dormant. While dormant, prune off all the growth at the base. This can be done now or you can wait until March. You should select the time that’s most convenient for you. Most Clematis varieties are deciduous, so they drop their leaves and the new growth emerges from the base in the spring. There are two varieties, Armandi and Avalanche, that are evergreen with white flowers. Clematis thrives in a southern exposure as long as its roots are kept cool, moist and insulated from the afternoon sun, June through September. The roots should be shaded during the heat of the day but it’s okay for the foliage to be in the sunny afternoon exposure. A two-inch layer of mulch is the recommended method of protecting the surface roots. It should be spread evenly from the trunk to beyond the drip line. This is especially important when the temperatures are over eighty-five degrees. This may explain the scorching or burnt stems last year. Also, the lack of vegetation will expose the stems to sunburn on those very hot days. A good balance fertilizer provides the nutrients necessary to encourage the growth through out the growing season. I’d make my first application after pruning and follow up with regular repeat applications. You may need to transplant the Clematis if the present location isn’t adequate. This can be also done in March or earlier. Clematis is watered three times a week and more often when the temperatures are over eighty-five degrees. They do not develop large thick stems like other vines so the pencil thin stem(s) is typical. Deciduous plants big advantage over evergreens is that they shed all the mistakes from the pervious year. So, you start fresh with the new year.

 
Q: I have a nice sized Boston Fern but I found on the back of a single frond these perfect dots the other day. They’re a rusty, brown color and in perfect rows. I’ve removed the frond. What are they and how do I prevent it from reoccurring?

A. Ah, Mother Nature is wonderful. What you were witnessing is the beginnings of the plant’s reproductive cycle. Unlike other plants that produce seed, ferns produce spores. The spores are the reddish brown dots; however, they’re sterile so they will never produce new plants. This is typical on many varieties of ferns. Tissue culture and/or plant divisions are the primary method of reproducing ferns. The sterile spores have an aesthetic value so I wouldn’t remove the fronds. Besides, they’re going to continually form naturally anyway.

Buzz Bertolero is Executive Vice President of Navlet’s Garden Centers and a California Certified Nursery Professional. His web address is www.dirtgardener.com and you can send questions by email at dirtgarden@aol.com or to 360 Civic Drive Ste. ‘D’, Pleasant Hill, Calif. 94523

 

The Bay Area is hardly a college football hotbed.

The local schools ostensibly competing for the national title, Cal and Stanford, have stringent admission standards which make it difficult to attract enough elite athletes to compete at the highest levels. And unlike places like Norman, Oklahoma and Tuscaloosa, Alabama; there are loads of professional sports and other entertainment alternatives that tend to distract the focus of local sports fans.

Thanks to Stanford football and its quarterback Andrew Luck, this year could be a major exception to the usual state of affairs. Instead of being a college football backwater, the Bay Area could find itself as the home of the Heisman Trophy winner, the top pick in the NFL draft, and a contender to play in the BCS Championship Game next month.

Stanford was undefeated through October and faced mostly home games the rest of the way. Luck was a Heisman Trophy finalist last year and has been touted as the 2011 frontrunner since he announced last winter that he would return to Stanford for what technically is his redshirt junior season.

Luck’s story is especially compelling. He was widely expected to be the number one choice in the 2011 NFL Draft, which can be worth upwards of $30 million. The only college head coach he had known, Jim Harbaugh, had left to lead the 49ers. Despite all that, he chose to stay in college to pursue his degree in architecture and enjoy the college life for one more year.

“I am committed to earning my degree in architectural design from Stanford University and am on track to accomplish this at the completion of the spring quarter of 2012,” Luck said in a statement at the time of his decision.

And while Luck has been portrayed as an excellent student who fits in well as part of the Stanford community, it is unusual for someone who has been a Heisman runner-up, a finalist for several other prestigious awards, and MVP of the Orange Bowl to come back to college football and accept the risk of injury and the loss of millions of dollars. Even if he did not get hurt, Luck was risking the fate of Matt Leinart who returned for one last year at USC after winning the Heisman and the National Championship. Leinart slipped a bit on the field, fell in the draft, lost some money, was a disappointment with the Arizona Cardinals, and is struggling to regain his touch as a journeyman backup in the NFL.

Unlike Leinart, Luck has been better on the field this year, is avoiding injury and is still in position to cash in. His father, former NFL quarterback and now Athletic Director at the University of West Virginia Oliver Luck, said: “This is a win-win for him. He gets to spend another year at Stanford, be part of a highly-ranked team, finish his degree and enjoy Palo Alto. It’s not like the NFL is going anywhere, it’s one of the best run leagues in the world. It will still be there when he graduates.”

By Dec. 10 Luck will know if he won the Heisman. The BCS Bowl games take place in early January, and Stanford is in line for strong consideration to get a bid. The 2012 NFL Draft which will tell Luck where he will be playing and living the next few years is in April, and the negotiations that could set him and his family financially for several generations will last through the spring. Through all this he will try and finish his degree.

Yes, the next few months will be some of the most memorable of Luck’s life and will put a unique and unusual spotlight on Bay Area college football.

 

In a perfect world I would spend this month leisurely baking cookies, tying tartan ribbons around the hundreds of(imaginary) jars of jam I made last summer, and writing personal notes in every single holiday card. But the reality of December is an entirely different matter. In addition to my regular work schedule, there are dozens of parties to attend, an inordinate amount of cooking and entertaining at home, and lots of time spent with friends with whom I may have lost touch during the year. Paired with endless trips to the grocery store and last-minute shopping for gifts, it’s easy to become frazzled and lose sight of what’s really important. I know. I do it every year.

An early morning excursion to the farmers’ market is my personal form of therapy, however. No nasty traffic jams or cranky shoppers at that hour. No fluorescent lights or recorded carols to raise my anxiety level. Just warm people and nature at its most beautiful, in the crisp morning air.(If the truth be told, I secretly enjoy the rainy mornings even more, when only the most discriminating shoppers show up.)

While I pick up what I’ll need for weekday meals and potlucks, I scout out the many bargains available at the market. Along with fragrant wreaths and seasonal flowers, gifts of good taste abound. Our farmers’ market carries much more than perishable produce; there is locally produced extra virgin olive oil, vinegars, artisan jams and preserves, and glistening jars of sun-dried tomatoes. All make deliciously practical gifts.

As I linger over all the little bags of freshly dried fruits and nuts at the market, my mind always wanders back to the kitchen. Gifts from the kitchen show you care—but procrastinators like us don’t have much time for starting a new project mid-December. Then my mind turns to chocolate bark. Homemade candy in less than an hour. No thermometers, no marble slabs, no sugar that refused to caramelize. Easy breezy.

Face it: this is a chocolate-coated month. There is simply no way around it. But joining the masses doesn’t mean you can’t sneak a few healthy ingredients into the mix. And it’s the quality of the ingredients that give this recipe the edge.

Good chocolate abounds in the Bay Area, and buying in bulk makes it affordable. As far as all the bumpy little goodies that lend personality and flavor to your bark, shopping at the farmers’ market ensures the nuts are part of this year’s crop—not something recently liberated from a warehouse freezer—and the dried fruit is consistently plump and moist.

Packaging is also key: I opt to pack homemade bark in either clear cellophane bags tied with red-and-white bakers’ twine, or plain white Chinese takeout boxes. (Most restaurant supply stores sell them in large plastic sleeves for next-to-nothing.) Or, when I find small tins that aren’t festooned with crazy caricatures of snowmen and reindeer with red noses, I stock up on them. If you’re a thrift shop or flea market kind of person, you can usually find great prices on single china plates—so pretty to pile a mound of bark on top, and wrap in clear cellophane with a festive bow.

A custom-made gift has never been simpler.

Chocolate Bark with California Nuts and Fruit

• 2/3 cup unsalted California slivered almonds, coarsely chopped walnuts, or pistachios
• 1 to 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt, to taste
• 1 cup dried California fruit, such as chopped apricots or figs, cherries, or dark or golden raisins
• 1 pound semisweet or other favorite chocolate, finely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the nuts in a pan and bake, stirring once or twice, until just golden and fragrant, 7 to 9 minutes for almonds or walnuts; or 5 to 7 minutes for pistachios. Sprinkle with salt and toss gently to coat. Set aside to cool.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. In a heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water, add about two-thirds of the chopped chocolate. Cook over low heat just until melted. Remove the bowl and add the remaining chocolate; stir gently with a rubber spatula until melted and smooth.
3. Pour the warm chocolate onto the parchment paper and spread into a rectangle that roughly measures13-by-9-inches. Working quickly so the chocolate doesn’t set, scatter the salted nuts and dried fruit evenly over the top; then gently tap the baking sheet on a counter to remove any air bubbles and allow the toppings to sink into the chocolate slightly. Refrigerate until firm, at least 15 minutes. Break the bark into irregularly shaped pieces. Serve at once, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 1 1/2 pounds—enough for 3 generous gifts.

Some thoughts on making your bark as good as your bite:

• Most people agree that chopping chocolate can be tedious, but it makes the whole melting process go such much faster and efficiently, you really don’t want to take a shortcut here. I find a serrated bread knife makes the job a little easier.
• For a change, top the bark with chopped crystallized ginger and/or candied orange zest.
• Or add a little zip to the chocolate by stirring in a teaspoon or two of chipotle or other chili powder and a generous pinch of ground cinnamon
• For those who choose to gild the lily, melt a little white chocolate and drizzle it over the completed bark. A holiday homage to Jackson Pollock.

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com.

’Tis the season! This is the sacred time of year when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus and one of the most popular songs of the season, Silent Night, is played and sung around the world.

Secular happenings abound in this season. Shopping probably tops the list, much to the dismay of many who condemn the commercialization of this holy time. For others, holiday parties, eggnog, decorations, Christmas trees, presents and a general feeling of good cheer dominate this time of year. Ever-present is the playing and singing of Christmas carols with Silent Night being the most pre-eminent of all Christmas songs.

Origins
Musicologists and music historians are in agreement that the song was conceived and composed in the early nineteenth century by two gifted men in Austria. Organist and choir master Franz Xaver Gruber (1787-1863) wrote the music for Silent Night and his friend, a priest Friar Josef Mohr (1792-1848) wrote the words to the carol.

According to several reliable sources the story of the creation of the song goes something like this: Fr. Mohr wanted to have some special music for the midnight mass on Christmas Eve in 1818. Unfortunately the organ was broken and unplayable and both, Fr. Mohr and Franz Gruber were unable to fix it. Why the organ was broken is still a mystery but one of the early stories claims a mouse had chewed through the bellows – later this story was discounted by historians.

Mohr, an accomplished writer of sacred poetry and an excellent guitarist had written the words to Stille Nacht (Silent Night) two years before in 1816. He provided Gruber with the words and asked him to compose an arrangement for two solo voices, chorus and guitar. Mohr would play the guitar, Gruber and Mohr would be the solo voices and the church choir would sing the choral parts. Unbelievably, Gruber finished the arrangement the very same day. It was quite a feat given the short time frame in which to work.

The completed song was first performed that night, Christmas Eve December 24th 1818 at St. Nikolaus Kirche (church) in Oberndorf, a village near Salzburg, Austria. Needless to say it was extremely well received by the congregation and to this day it is considered a national treasure in Austria.

Sometime later, organ builder and repairman Karl Mauracher came to fix the broken organ. He may have either found or was given copies of Silent Night. Mauracher took copies to his village and gave them to two well known musical families of singers, much like the famous Von Trapp family. The families, Rainers and the Strassers liked the carol so much that they added the song to their Christmas repertoires. The Strassers spread the song across Northern Europe. In 1834 they sang it for King Frederick William IV of Prussia. He then ordered Silent Night to be sung every year on Christmas Eve by the cathedral choir.

Epilogue
Twenty years after Silent Night was written the Rainers brought the song to the United States singing it in German at the Alexander Hamilton Monument located outside of the Trinity Church in New York City. In 1863 Stille Nacht was translated into English. Today the words are sung in more than 300 languages around the world.

And interesting and heart warming anecdote connected with the story of Silent Night came out of World War I. The English and French forces were fighting a horrendous battle with the Germans on Flanders field. It was Christmas Eve and somehow a temporary truce was called to celebrate Christmas. The soldiers on each side sent greetings and small gifts to each other and sung carols from their own countries. Silent Night, by this time, was known all over the world. The song was sung simultaneously in French, German and English by the troops during the Christmas truce of 1914. That was truly an implausible, remarkable and once in a lifetime experience.

Silent Night

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Savior is born
Christ, the Savior is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

Please submit your questions and comments to banddirector01@comcast.net
Visit our website at www.danvilleband.org for up-to-date information about the Danville Community Band.

I love Christmas. I love Christmas movies. So, needless to say, I’m in heaven when the weather changes and the movies start coming. I’m not going to “rank” them because I believe that every generation has its favorites. I love them all, so this is going to be a Christmas Movies 101, refresher course!

Let’s start with some of the oldies but goodies. One of my favorites is White Christmas (1954) with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. If you haven’t sang along with your sister to “Sisters”, you haven’t had Christmas yet.  It makes you want to get up and dance, fake snow and all!  Your checklist should also include the regulars, It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), Holiday Inn (1942), Christmas in Connecticut (1945), Babes in Toyland (1934) and of course, Miracle on 34^th Street. If you have children or grandchildren, be sure to watch some of these with them. It’s amazing how the young ones are enthralled with the simplicity of life in a kinder, gentler era.

Enter the next generation…A Christmas Story (1983) is still priceless. We also have The Muppets Christmas Carol (1992), Home Alone (1990),  Scrooged (1988) with the awesome Bill Murray and the still delightful National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) starring Chevy Chase. The Santa Clause (1994) with Tim Allen is also worth a trip down memory lane.

So, now we’ve worked our way into this century. Is your head spinning or your pen writing? We can start with How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000).  im Carrey is scary and funny and eventually charming in this all-time favorite. Kids and adults alike love The Grinch. If you’re a Will Ferrell fan, you will want to see Elf (2003) again. In 2004 we were graced with the genius of Tom Hanks in Polar Express. I still can’t believe they don’t bring this one back to the 3D theaters every year. I’ve written letters but I guess no one is listening. Polar Express on the big screen is totally amazing.

The little ones will love Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) but please, do your self a favor and rent or buy the timeless, A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965). A little known but absolutely marvelous little movie my thirty something kids loved is Emmett Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas. This is Jim Henson at his sweetest and most brilliant. Your young ones are sure to be mesmerized.

Now I’m going schmaltzy on you.  One of my favorite contemporary films is The Holiday (2006) with Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Jack Black and Kate Winslet. What can I say; it’s a feel good movie. While I’m at it, if you like the Christmassy feel good stuff watch your TV listings for the plethora of Hallmark contributions. I record literally dozens of them every year to have something to watch on a rainy night with a big bowl of popcorn!

My last recommendation is the reason for the season! You’ll want to watch The Nativity (2006), a beautifully filmed story of Jesus’ birth.

Now you have your December cut out for you…20 of my favorite, all for different reasons. Pop the corn, cuddle up and enjoy. And, oh by the way, you can always email me with your comments at chastings@rockcliff.com.