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Massage therapy is more than often seen as an expensive pampering service rather than something people do to give themselves a little relaxation or just a chance to escape reality for even an hour. I’ve spoken to many people who say that they haven’t ever experienced a professional massage and my response, aside from shock or bewilderment, is typically, “you really don’t know what you’re missing!” Massage therapy is much more than just a chance to relax and unwind, it’s a chance to realign and restore your body and mind as well.

With that being said, massage therapy is much like physical therapy in that it helps facilitate the healing process for an injury or reoccurring pain you might be experiencing. Regular massage therapy can help reduce blood pressure, alleviate stress, and boost the auto-immune system. It helps break down lactic acid build-up, helps to break down scar tissue, increases the muscles range of motion thus elevating pain, increases circulation providing much needed blood and oxygen to the muscles, among other things. Seeing a massage therapist once or twice a month has been proven beneficial to countless clients here at Healing Hands Day Spa, but also around the world. With the ability to customize a massage to fit your needs, it’s pretty much guaranteed you’ll be kicking yourself for not trying it out sooner!

There are varying techniques for massage, the three most common being Swedish, a light pressure, therapeutic, a medium pressure, and deep tissue (exactly as it sounds – a deeper, more intense pressure). We offer lymphatic massage to help get rid of excess fluid build-up (it also helps with cellulite, wink, wink), aromatherapy with various scent options, foot reflexology and my personal favorite, hot stone massage. You can book a 50 minute massage for those days you don’t have a lot of time, an hour or up to 90 minutes on any type of massage. We even offer a 30 minute neck, back and shoulder massage for those days you need to squeeze some relief into your schedule. I truly believe that massage is a necessity, not just a luxury.

Over at Healing Hands the skilled massage therapists are happy to cater to your personal needs regarding any service you decide to get. We believe your personal health and overall comfort is incredibly important, so give us a call at 925-362-9892 or visit our website at www.healinghandssalon.net for more information. We look forward to making you a believer, too!

In May we remember and pay tribute to our mothers. It makes sense to just think back on a couple of memories and what our moms did for us and mean to us.

My mom is an amazing 93 years old. She is still loving, sharing, passionate and full of ideas. This has been the year that she decided to put a group of her original poems and parodies together into a book. I offered to help and it has been an interesting ride. Her material is very good. She is passionate—almost to distraction and aggravation. When she is on the path of an idea, she is a pit bull. After our conversation and work sessions, I walk out of my home office and my wife looks at me with a smile. By now, I know what she’s going to say. “Sweetheart, you’re so much like your mom.” I have to look back on life to know that it makes sense that that is a wonderful compliment.

For example, Mom taught me at an early age that I was a terrible liar. She told me that everybody could see it on my face and hear it in my voice. She said that I should never try it because people would be able to tell. Now I’m not going to say that I’ve never told a little white lie, but mom scared me enough that even the thought of trying to wiggle out of a situation makes me very uncomfortable.

She also taught me some semblance of humility by telling me when I dabbled in a “shouldn’t dabble area,” it was her fault. She’d tell me, with a smile on her face, parents always made mistakes with their first child (me, oldest of four boys) and that she had really messed me up. It always made me stop. I don’t know that I understand it totally today, but it did make me think.

Mom had a lot to overcome. When she was 32 years old she contracted Polio. At first doctors told my dad that she wouldn’t survive. She did. Then they told him she would spend the rest of her life in an “Iron Lung.” She didn’t. They said she would be paralyzed for the rest of her life. She isn’t. She is still going strong. Her life experiences taught all four of us about work ethics and working through things. She always told us to be creative, work hard, think and not to listen to people who said we wouldn’t be able to do something.

She left a career that she loved in music, writing, and singing to take care of her four boys, but she never stopped performing. She would perform for the neighborhood kids. We would have a household full of friends wanting her to help plan games. When she went back to work part time teaching music, she figured out that the rhythms and beats of music might help kids learn how to read. She actually ended up helping a number of kids who were disabled, in some way, learn to read through music. It was amazing to watch.

Mom would take us on a camping trip to the beach. The fog would roll in, the wind would blow, and we would be freezing. She would say, “What an adventure! Isn’t this fun?”

As adults, with our own families, we love to see her and talk with her. She brings an energy; a love and excitement about life that renews us with every breath. She is an amazing woman.

So, to the mothers in my family—my unbelievably wonderful wife, daughter and daughters-in-law—I love you all.

To mom—you still are my inspiration. When Janet tells me I’m just like you, it is the greatest compliment I could ever receive. I think it Makes Sense.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Editor’s note:  Alive is proud to be publishing Ed’s moms book.  Laughter All The Way: Poetry, Puns, and Parodies, by Marty Baxter is available now on Amazon, and other online retailers.

Dear HSSS,

I’m newly single and ready to start dating, but I feel intimidated by the dating sites showing beautiful people who seem so much more interesting and accomplished than me. How are we average folk supposed to compete?
JJ, Livermore

He Said: You’re not AVERAGE! Everyone has unique characteristics and if you don’t recognize yours, how exactly do you plan on impressing anyone? The online dating world is an easy way for people to “highlight” their personalities and share them, using profiles that show the best of the best from that person’s life. You shouldn’t feel intimidated if you haven’t traveled the world or swam with the dolphins. You’ve done some great things too, I’m sure, and if you haven’t, get out there and make some memories. Then go on a few dates and share those stories and see who likes you for you. Stop viewing yourself as average; that won’t get you anywhere!

She Said: The truth is, most people are up-selling themselves on these sites, sort of padding their resumes, if you will. You could do the same –use a photo that’s 10 years old and photo-shop it, call yourself a yogi because you took a class or two once, claim not only to love sushi but to make it as well (how hard could it be?), OR you could be more honest and tell it like it is. Sure, you’re going to get fewer “hits” but it’s going to be a case of quality over quantity. And use those dating sites sparingly. You might have better luck joining a club or taking a class and meeting people of similar interests who will get to know the real, anything but average, you!

Dear SSHS,

My dad read something on my social networking site that he didn’t like and now he’s taken my phone away for a week. Isn’t that invasion of privacy?
A.M. age 15, Danville

She Said: Privacy is not a right when you’re under 18. Many parents are afraid to parent their teenagers, but it’s really the job of your mom and dad to know who your friends are, what you’re doing after school, etc. Checking things out on your computer and phone may seem like a violation of your rights, but that’s just called good parenting. Be thankful your dad loves you, and use common sense: don’t disclose so much…but maybe keep your diary hidden!

He Said: Here’s an interesting statistic: there are almost three billion internet users in the world with potential access to what any person posts online. So the reality is, you’re invading your own privacy anytime you post something personal. Social network sites are not private! If you really have something you don’t want your parents to see, then I agree with Robin, don’t share it at all. Your parents are only doing what I wish more parents would do. It’s their job to help you navigate this crazy world and help prevent trouble if they see it coming.

Robin Fahr and Shawn “Shizzo” Alikian host Conversations and He Said/She Said seen daily on Tri-Valley TV, Channel 30. Send your questions to www.AskHeSaidSheSaid.com.

 

 

Without a doubt, the least known and least understood of all the Western World’s instruments, are the oboe and the bassoon. These instruments of ancient origins are indispensable and are respected components in today’s symphony orchestras and concert bands. Composers and arrangers write parts for the oboe and bassoon in most serious musical compositions.

Oboes and bassoons are members of the oboe family but more specifically, the “double reed” family. They use a double reed made out of cane separated by a very small opening. When the player blows air through the reeds they vibrate against each other, producing a sound or pitch in the instrument. This is in contrast to the single reed of the clarinet and saxophone.

Ancient Origins
The ancestral forerunner of the oboe was an instrument called a Shawm. It was a high pitched double reed instrument from the Medieval and Renaissance periods. Introduced from the Near East in Approximately the 12th Century, it was used prolifically until the 17th Century. By the 16th Century a whole family of Shawms –Soprano through bass had been developed and appeared on the musical scene. These instruments served as the progenitors of modern day double reed instruments.

Oboe
In the 1650’s two French oboists, Jean Hotteterre and Michal Philidor, were credited with the modification of the Shawm and the further development of the oboe. The oboe was officially added to the French orchestras in the 1700’s. The characteristic nasal sound of the oboe is due to the double reed and construction of the instrument that has a conical bore in contrast to the cylindrical bore of the clarinet. The oboe is made in three sections: top joint, lower joint and bell. Fine oboes are usually made of grenadella wood. Student model oboes are usually made of plastic or resin to avoid cracking or splitting.
The modern oboe has a range of more than two and a half octaves. “The oboe is capable for the expression of poignant melodies or short expressive phases,” said Gordon Jacob in Orchestral Technique. “It is also capable of considerable agility and can take part in woodwind dialogues in which little phrases are tossed about.”

English Horn
The English horn is not English and not a horn in the usual sense of the word. It is unknown how it got its name. In actuality it is a lower pitched oboe sounding a fifth below the written note, for example, when a C is played it sounds like a F. It is a cousin to the oboe but is somewhat longer and it shares the same key work and fingering system. It has a conical bore and a pear shaped bell that produces a soft, somewhat melancholy sound. The English horn was accepted into orchestras, circa 1830. A modern day type of English horn was created by French maker, Henri Brod, in 1839. He called it an hautbois alto or a low oboe. It is essentially a solo instrument treated as such in many compositions. A prime example is the slow movement of Dvorak’s New World Symphony.

Bassoon
This instrument is the bass of the double reed family. Its main function is to provide the lower notes of the woodwind group. The dynamic range (volume) is wide. The written lower notes are in the bass clef and higher notes are in the tenor clef. Vivaldi wrote many concertos for bassoon. Mozart and Weber also wrote a concerto for bassoon. Jacob reminds us, “The instrument, once called the clown of the orchestra is worthy of better labels.”

Double or Contra Bassoon
The contra bassoon is the very lowest sounding instrument of the double reed family. It sounds an octave below the bassoon. An older form of the contra bassoon was used by Handel in 1727. Later it was used by Haydn in The Creation and Beethoven in the Fifth and Ninth Symphonies.
A more modern version was developed by Heckel, circa 1880. Composers generally write parts that avoid extreme high or low notes because of poor tone quality on the instrument. Some notes on the contra bassoon are more “growly” and not pleasant to hear thus they are less frequently used.

A good contra bassoon can be almost prohibitive in cost. It is not uncommon to pay $50,000 and up. Consequently, you rarely see one in orchestras and bands that are not of professional status.
Even though the oboe and bassoon are considered the “odd couple” due to their different sounds, they are an important component to make the ensemble complete. These are not easy instruments to learn or play. The musician needs to have patience and self-discipline to master these instruments but they will always be in demand in orchestras and bands.

Mark your calendar for the Danville Community Band’s Annual Free Spring Concert, Sunday, June 8, 2014 at 3 p.m., Community Presbyterian Church in Danville. For information call 925-372-8420.

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.

 

 

 

The mid-size sedan category is an extremely competitive battlefield of winners and losers. Many have wonderful performance, interior and safety scores. Trying to figure out which one is best suited for you depends on your own personal taste and what matches the features and style of the vehicle with what you are looking for. One option that improves with each remodel and revision is the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu.

The Chevrolet Malibu went through a transformation in 2013 and due to the lukewarm reception it made additional changes for the 2014 model year. It’s all about the “POP” and the Malibu just needed a slight push to take it to the next level. The new profile has a sleeker design with a more prominent lower grille, narrower upper grille and shinier chrome accents, as well as a roomier back seat and improved suspension.

The 2014 Chevrolet Malibu is available in the following trim levels: LS ($21,365), LT ($22,452), Eco ($24,682), and LTZ ($26,167). There are also a number of major packages including the 1LT, 2LT, 3LT and 2LZ.
The styling of the 2014 Malibu is clean, and in my opinion, sportier than the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry but falls behind the Ford Fusion. The front end is bold with its large wide-mouth grille and lower front fascia. The rear end molds the tail lights into the rear quarter panels and tailgate. It’s a good looking sedan and front to rear is well balanced, projecting a masculine stance.

The interior is well-accessorized with a contoured, flowing dash that sweeps into the door panels. Silver trim helps accent the gauges and center console. The seats in front are comfortable, however, a person in the six-foot range might find the rear seats a little tight. The gauges pop out like two square bowls dipped with silver trim; not the best look. The center console has a beautiful silver-wood-like finish; however, the best feature is the two cell phone pockets. All interior designers should incorporate a handy place for our over-used telecommunication devices!

My test car was an LT with the 2LZ tipping the $30,000 range, and yet, didn’t come with push-button start or smart door handles to unlock the car. Personally, I like these techy features and think that cars in this price range should automatically come with them. Keyless access with push-button start is available if you up the sticker price. On the other hand, the Malibu did have mobile apps, backup camera, navigation and satellite radio.

The 2014 Malibu is available with three 4-cylinder engine options: 2.5-liter, 2.0-liter Turbo and a 2.4-liter Hybrid. All are mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. My test model had the all-new 2.5-liter Ecotec engine that is rated at 25 mpg City and 36 mpg Highway and generates 196-horsepower. It had decent power and shifted quickly. For 2014, Chevrolet added a smooth operating start-stop engine feature to help conserve fuel. The turbo charged 2.0-liter adds improved performance and ups the horses to 259. Also new for 2014 is a revised suspension that feels much-improved over the previous version and delivers a smooth and comfortable ride.

Room for improvement:

• The rear seat is still a bit snug

Cool Features:

• The hands-free phone displays the picture of the person calling that you have associated with on your smart phone
• Pillow-top front seats

Safety on the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu receives NHTSA 5-Star safety rating. Coupled with technologies that can help avoid collisions altogether, include 4-wheel antilock disc brakes, traction control and the StabiliTrak® Electronic

Stability Control System. Safety doesn’t stop there. Newly available Side Blind Zone Alert uses sensors to let you know when a trailing vehicle enters your blind spot on either side. Available Rear Cross Traffic Alert, new for 2014, notifies the driver to crossing traffic from behind while the vehicle is in reverse. The available rear vision camera assures more confident backups.

In Summary – The 2014 Chevrolet Malibu just keeps improving with age. It offers good performance and styling with a comfortable and high-tech interior. Safety is plentiful with 10-airbags and many other features mentioned above. It offers ecologic engine options that help the Malibu sip gas as it cruises down the road.

Specifications
2014 Chevrolet Malibu LT 2LT 4-Dr Sedan

Base price: $25,215 as driven: $30,125 (including destination and optional features)

Engine: 2.5 liter 4-cylinder

Horsepower: 196 @ 6,300 RPM

Torque: 191 @ 4,400 RPM

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Drive: Front-wheel Drive

Seating: 5-passenger

Turning circle: 37.4 feet

Cargo space: 16.3 cubic feet

Curb weight: 3,532 pounds

Fuel capacity: 15.8 gallons

EPA mileage: City 25/Hwy 36

Wheel Base: 107.8 inches

Warranty: 5 years/100,000 miles powertrain limited

Also consider: Ford Fusion, Kia Optima, Honda Accord, and Toyota Camry

 

The following story was written in 1985 during our first trip to China. It has never been published. We have revisited China several times since then and could not help but be overwhelmed by the change. We attempted to enter the “diplomatic compound” described in this story on later visits, but were rejected. Hope this story will rekindle memories for you as it has for us.

A Touch of Diplomatic Opulence

Traveling in your own Lear Jet, occupying the penthouse suite in a posh downtown hotel, limousine service whenever you go out – dreams of opulence which probably will never be realized by most of us. Yet way down inside rests the hope that winning the lottery or some other quirk of fate will make such a life possible, if even for only a moment. But there is an even higher level of opulence. One that money alone cannot obtain. It is the status achieved with political power. A level of opulence not even winning the lottery can help one attain. Powerful rulers are immersed in this. I had a brief glimmer.

The flight to Bejing from Xian on the Russian built airliner was typical of the other seven flights we had on this trip around China. My knees rested uncomfortably close to my chin, and my row mates’ elbows were very close to my ribs. The orange pop was wet and sweet, and the little bag of gifts was appreciated.

As an old pilot I was convinced that the Chinese commercial aviators were all ex-fighter pilots because of their landing patterns and other techniques. It was, after all, 1985, and China’s entire infrastructure was still becoming familiar with the flood of foreigners that was taking advantage of the fabulous sights and sounds of this vast nation.

The sixteen of us on this trip left the plane and huddled in our usual fashion in the terminal. The hotels we had stayed at had been quite good, but in each instance there had been some slip-ups in which hotel was to be ours. So we patiently awaited our German tour guide’s report now being received some fifty meters from us.

As she approached I felt a measure of comfort because she had a wide smile on her face. “The new Presidential Hotel where we were booked is full with no room for us, but we really made out. They are putting us up for the four days we are here at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse compound.”

Now the Diaoyutai complex is a very prestigious place. It consists of about one hundred acres of fenced-in gardens, streams, and bungalows located about fifteen kilometers from Tiananmen Square. This was the area where diplomats and special envoys visiting Chinese leaders were billeted. For once we were going first class.

The bus which took us from the airport wound through the heavy bike and car traffic of Beijing and headed to the compound. The importance of this area was apparent when we stopped at the guarded gate and were ushered in by the elite guard. The roads were wide and wound among large established trees. Below was one flower bed after the next, with a stream meandering through them. Walking trails were evident everywhere.

We arrived at our “hotel,” a large two story brick and stucco building – built to last. It was architecturally simple in design but solid in detail. The lobby resembled a home more than a hotel. We were each given a room key, and a polite young man directed us to our bedrooms. The accommodation was huge – well furnished with sturdy furniture – and every surface was polished to a shine.

I couldn’t wait to explore the building. Off the lobby was a large sitting room filled with overstuffed chairs. But the real delights were the pictures on the wall. Photos taken in this room by a national photographer. There sat Richard Nixon next to Chairman Li Xiannian. Over here was Henry Kissinger and his aides with his Chinese counterparts. Ambassadors from many countries – along with Chinese dignitaries. One couldn’t help but feel the history of this room.

Later we walked the trails winding among beautiful flower beds and flowing streams. Every so often a group of three or four black limousines would rush by with their country’s flag proudly displayed on the front fender.

Our dinner was also a wonderful experience. It was completely vegetarian, but the various dishes were served in the form of animals. The noodles, for example, were in the shape of a chicken. We felt guilty about disrupting the design as we filled our plates.

During the meal our host introduced us to yet another charming but very dangerous tradition. He gave a short speech praising our nation, and then with a flourish downed a shot glass full of baijiu (strong spirits often made from rice,) and he shouted “Gan bei.” Being responsible guests, we returned his praise, downed the shot, and shouted “Gan bei.” Now the ice was broken. We “Gan bei’d” to each other, to the feast, to the time of year, to our leaders, to our comrades, and… well to our health. It is a wonderful tradition. I felt history wash over me in this place. I felt the past, its struggles and its successes all around me. I experienced a measure of political opulence I will never forget.
“Gan bei!!”

I just returned back to my motel room on Vine in Hollywood. There may or may not have been a murder in this room once but there most certainly has been illegal sex and drugs, perhaps within the last week. The secret part is that I love that. It’s clean…enough. Safe…enough. Just the type of place that brings us artist types back to the edge of real.

I only drove into town for a day and some change for some business. After a quick 20 minute snooze to rest off the road trip, I hit the streets with my rose color glasses. I know that if I were to stay more than a day, the desolation and filthiness of the street would be more prevalent, but today it is romantic. Every little collection of individuals is a street-play being acted just for me. People with mustaches and tattoos, short skirts and long cigarettes, some with stuff and many without, but they all seem oddly happy.

I walked without a destination the six blocks to Hollywood Blvd and then followed the sidewalk stars the 20+ blocks to the Chinese Theatre; all the while my private performance continued. I wove the many blocks back through side streets and connectors, past Sunset, then to Santa Monica. This is when my stomach reminded me that my dream like walk had created an awakening in my depths. Must eat food.

All of a sudden, where there was once a plethora of eateries, there were none. I was not about to top my adventure off with El Pollo Loco or Winchell’s. Down Santa Monica back to Vine and that’s when I saw it. A real food truck. Not the Portland spin-off of fancy food in a pristine truck or the San Francisco spin-off of Asian Fusion from a repurposed ice cream truck—a real cafeteria food truck slinging authentic Mexican food. Pop up tents out front with Christmas tree lights around, a multitude of folding tables and chairs with a separate folding table with Costco packages of napkins and buckets (literally buckets) of Mexican food accoutrements. Pickled carrots and radishes, six types of homemade hot sauces ranging from “spicy” to “remove your finger prints,” plastic forks and knives, finely sliced onions and cilantro and diced onions and jalapeños.

I ordered the Carne Asada Burrito. There were no questions like pinto or black? White or brown rice? Cheese or sour cream? This was the real deal. Spanish rice and steak. Something about the food truck requires that you drink a bright colored sugary beverage out of a bottle with your meal, so I pulled the Orange Fanta from the shaved ice in front, paid the $7 and began to gather my tiny plastic ramekins to accompany my meal then sat down at a chair with questionable integrity.

All around me was a sub section of everything I had just witnessed on my Hollywood adventure, ordering or waiting for their paper plates of authenticity. Men in fedoras; a table of Muslim gentlemen in suits; two dainty twenty-something girls looking at their iPhones; the spitting image of the lead singer of the Spin Doctors, and quite a few Mexicans (which is always a good sign).

Then it came, wrapped in foil and ready to devour. I alternated between liberally dousing each bite with the habanero and diced onion/jalapeño blend, or the lesser but still spicy red salsa and pickled onions/cilantro blend. One napkin was for my hands and the other for my runny nose. Many napkins were used. Pauses were only taken to wipe or swig orange soda to temporarily halt the fire in my mouth.

At a time in life where I am delightfully busy carving out a career and raising a family, this small stitch of time for just me was brilliant, but the meal at the end was cathartic.

 

 

Did you know that transitions during the day are common times when people are vulnerable to “mindless eating?” For many people, in-between times throughout their days—shifting from one activity to another—are challenging and often lead to unhealthy and compulsive snacking. For example, the transition time of:

• Driving from one destination to another
• Shifting from one project to another (at work or home)
• Coming home from work
• Relaxing before bedtime

I hear from many of my weight loss clients that one of the most vulnerable times for their unhealthy snacking and “mindless eating” is after dinner, before going to bed. They’ve had a full meal, aren’t hungry, but because they’ve had “a long day,” they head for the couch and the TV to help them unwind. A few enticing, junk food commercials later…the administering of salty, super-sugary “rewards” (for making it through the day) begins.

When we’re tired and feeling a great need for pleasure, it’s easy to give in to the “grab-and-gulp” impulse. Can you relate? If so, you’re not alone. Eating when we’re not hungry—using food to self-soothe—is called “emotional eating.” When we emotionally eat, we are trying to push down uncomfortable feelings, such as sadness, anxiety, frustration, or anger. In today’s high-pressure, fast-paced world—with unhealthy food temptations lurking around every corner—it’s no wonder many folks are emotionally eating (and as a result carrying excess weight).

In my 2-CD kit, Weight Loss—Powerful and Easy-to-Use Tools for Releasing Excess Weight, I offer numerous tools and strategies for changing unhealthy habits. One of the tools in my weight loss kit teaches people how to practice mindful eating. I decided to include this valuable tool after I heard many weight loss clients complaining that they eat fast and never feel satisfied or full afterwards. That’s when I suggest that they replace “mindless eating” with mindful eating. After sitting down to eat, you might try the following:

The Art of Mindful Eating

1. Take a couple of slow, deep breaths from your lower belly. Feel the seat supporting you and sense your feet on the floor.

2. Look at the food in front of you and notice the colors, shapes, and textures.

3. Bless the food in any way that feels appropriate to you. You can bless it from your own Higher Self, or if you’re spiritual or religious, you can ask God to bless it. Become aware that this food will turn into fuel for your body. Can you muster a moment of gratitude for the food? If you are with loved ones, you may all want to take turns saying or praying the blessing.

4. Breathe in and let the aromas of the food enter your nostrils. Whether warm or cold, focus on receiving a scent from the food as you bring a bite toward your nose and mouth.

5. Take bites of your food while being mindful of the textures, tastes, scents, and temperature of each bite. Let in the full sensual experience of eating. I also suggest that you put your fork or spoon down between bites as you honor and savor this process.

Meanwhile, when you are experiencing a daily transition, I encourage you to be mindful of making healthy choices and foregoing unhealthy snacks. Then, the next time you sit down for a meal (or a healthy snack), let all your senses enjoy the delicious experience of eating slowly and mindfully.

Finally, mindful eating will help you transform the unhealthy habit of eating too fast—so you can leave “mindless eating” (aka: grab-and-gulp) in the dust! As a result, feelings of satisfaction and fullness can be experienced when you remember to eat mindfully…and gratefully savor the present moment.

Attend Trina’s upcoming workshop for women and men: Managing Emotional and Compulsive Eating—John Muir Women’s Health Center, Walnut Creek: Tuesday, June 3, 6:30-8:30 pm. Cost: $40 (Includes Weight Loss: 2-CD set). Register today: (925) 941-7900 option 3. For more info, go to www.TrinaSwerdlow.com & click on “Private Sessions & Workshops.”

Trina Swerdlow, BFA, CCHT, is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, an artist, and the author of Stress Reduction Journal. Trina has a private practice in downtown Danville. You can reach her at: (925) 285.5759, or info@TrinaSwerdlow.com.

Certified Clinical Hypnotherapy services in California can be alternative or complementary to licensed healing arts, such as psychotherapy.

 

 

The 34th Annual Kings X Trivia Tournament was held on April 27 at WPLJ in Walnut Creek. The winning team was “The Crying Babies of Claremont Hotel,” who won 19 to 14 over “It’s Fun Until You Poke Yourself in the Eye.” The captain of the losing team, Dana Rodriguez, one of our best players, lost with equanimity and grace (two of my favorite people). I was fortunate enough to captain the winning team. My partners RJ, Maddy, Kathryn and Pauline were all sterling performers. Our host, MC and quizmaster was Jim Buchanan, an excellent moderator and one of the great players in the area. I am sure Jim will not mind if I try a few of his questions on our interested readers.

1. The Washington Redskins have only retired one number of an ex-player. Who was that player?

2. What was the first movie directed by Elia Kazan?

3. In 1955, Steve Allen had a best-selling recording of a song, which was also recorded by Roger Williams later in the same year and became a giant hit. What was the song?

4. On what long running TV show did Diana Muldaur and Blair Underwood appear?

5. What 19th Century book has a caption, “This is a book without any heroes”?

6. What is the Capitol of the Cammelia State?

May is a time of renewal and celebration; there is sunshine and flowers blooming, and we acknowledge that most important person—mother. It’s also a time to reflect upon the freedom that we enjoy; a legacy paid for in years past by the supreme sacrifice of patriots.

A few days after Memorial Day, another day of unparalleled significance comes when we consider the high cost of liberty—June 6th. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy—D-Day—the day the marked the beginning of the end of WWII. In this issue of ALIVE, beginning on page 18, you’ll read Anita Venezia’s superb account of the D Day invasion. Her article includes several first-hand interviews with some of the brave men who fought in the cause to liberate Europe from the scourge of the ruthless Nazi war machine.

As the American flag serves as our symbol of remembrance, so the red poppy serves as the symbol for our Commonwealth allies, as they observe Remembrance Day on November 11 (our Veteran’s Day). The poignant story of how the red poppy came to be a memorial symbol clearly tells of the enormous value of, and price paid for, liberty.

Red poppies grow naturally throughout Western Europe in areas where the soil has been disturbed. In the early 19th Century, vast blankets of scarlet poppies appeared in battlefields after the Napoleonic wars, as they sprouted up around the remains of fallen soldiers. World War I brought the same type of destruction, and later, the poppy was again one of the only plants to grow on the desolate battlefields. After the war, the symbolism of the red poppy was captured in the poem, In Flanders Fields, by Canadian surgeon and Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. It came to represent the enormous sacrifices made by his fellow soldiers and soon became a lasting memorial to those who died in World War One and later wars and conflicts.

How do we measure the value of freedom? How do we calculate the worth of peace and liberty? We enjoy these fruits today because someone in the past gave their all. They paid the supreme price, and their loved ones bore or now bear the weight of profound sorrow.

So this Memorial Day, wave the flag and don a red poppy as we recommit ourselves to honoring the fallen, including our comrades in arms—the allies who fought alongside American troops.

As past patriots did their duty, ours is to forever honor and never forget their sacrifice.