Verge january 15

2 Verge / January 2015

what’s inside 4

cover story

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Music Insider Music guru Jonathan Karow gives some insights into Augusta legend James Brown.

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Ask Dr. Karp The good doctor offers a three-step solution to making good new year’s resolutions.

Well-Adjusted Bodies Lactose intolerance and heartburn are two misunderstood problems.

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Healthy Lifestyles Whole Food Market’s Healthy Eating Educator can help you make informed decisions about your diet.

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Nightlife Behind the Curtain As a movie, Into the Woods is gaining more popularity than the stage version.

Verge is published at the beginning of the month.

Copies are available free at locations throughout the CSRA, including Publix, Kroger, Earth Fare, Bi-Lo and select Food Lion stores, and in 50-plus other locations.

Submit Information gkauffman@buzzon.biz or thegordongrouppr@comcast.net

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Verge is a publication of Buzz on Biz, LLC. Reach us at 706589-6727 or email the staff with story ideas, event listings or advertising inquiries.

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Calendar of events

Garden City Beat Resolutions for a musical new year.

values

vitality

vibe

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Dinner Date with Meagan & Drew A personal touch and great food earn high marks for Bonefish Grill.

Fundraising is a big deal for the area’s nonprofit organizations.

The Movie Chick Some movies seem destined for greatness, but the results leave our reviewer feeling disappointed.

It’s a new year and it’s time for a new you. But just what does that mean? For many people, it means improving their physical fitness, through weight loss and exercise.

Exercise, page 4 Weight loss, page 5 Nutrition, page 6

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Beers Locals Like A good workout can be rewarded with one (or more) of these stouts.

Love & Marriage R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Find out what it means to a husband.

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Your Faith How you view things depends on your perspective.

views

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Make Time for Travel The U.S. Virgin Islands offer you three tropical islands to choose from.

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Life Face First Our humorist keeps a wary eye on any sneak dieting by her husband.

Publisher Neil R. Gordon

Sales Janine Garropy/803-480-2800

Page Design Gary Kauffman

Editor in Chief Gary Kauffman/803-341-5830

Photography Gary Kauffman

Sales Manager Neil R. Gordon/706-589-6727

Writer Alexandrea Daitch/706-829-8029

Cover Design Design by Rob Forbes, Moving Canvas Media, 706-394-9905

Opinions expressed by the writers herein are their own and their respective institutions. Neither Verge or its agents or employees take any responsibility for the accuracy of submitted information, which is presented for informational purposes only.

3740 Executive Center Drive, #300, Martinez, GA 30907

Verge / January 2015

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It’s a new year and it’s time for a new you. But just what does that mean? For many people, it means improving their physical

By Gary Kauffman fitness, through weight loss and exercise.

I

t’s a time when gyms and fitness centers see an increase in people working out.

And soon they’ll see a tapering off of people who have given up. How can you be one of the ones who sticks it out and actually reaches your goals? Here are a few tips from the experts.

Give yourself time – We live in a world of instant gratification and many people want to meet their fitness goals the same way. This can be especially true with people who used to be active in exercise but haven’t worked out in a while.

“One of the biggest mistakes is being unrealistic, going too hard too early,” said Michael McCauley, owner of Fleet Feet, which supplies gear for runners and walkers. “We have many middle-aged customers who ran 20 years ago and think they can still do it like they used to.”

That doesn’t mean they can’t but they need to pace themselves.

“We surprise ourselves in what we can do but just not all at once right out of the gate,” he said.

Jonathan Branton, a personal trainer and member experience manager for Anytime Fitness, said recognizing your beginning abilities is important. He said often people start with weights that are too heavy, which leads to injury, or too light so that they don’t develop significant improvement.

“Not too many have the foresight to start at a moderate weight,” he said.

Set realistic goals – Many people have lofty goals when they start. McCauley said goals are great but need to be done in chunks.

“Set a goal and then break it down into doable pieces,” he said. “Celebrate the milestones and have cheat days.”

McCauley said the goals can be simple, like reaching a new personal record, or even tracking how much sleep you get and how much water you drink.

Individualize your goals – Each person has a different body, and people have different things they want to achieve. Trying a one-size-fits-all approach or following the latest fad can result in discouragement.

Consulting with a professional trainer or experts in the field can help you set up the right training program for your specific needs.

Accountability – One of the best ways to stay on course is to have someone else who in interested in your progress.

“If you have a good workout partner it’s fantastic,” Branton said. “On the days when you don’t feel it with the same intensity, you have some accountability.

And it’s fun.”

McCauley said one method of accountability most people don’t think about is social media. Posting your workout where others can see it can help keep you motivated, plus helps you keep track of what you’ve done.

Having workout partners can also help you achieve group goals. McCauley said three of his customers plan to do “2,015 in 2015” – running 2,015 combined miles during the year.

Hydrate and sleep – “Water, water, water and sleep,” Branton said about the keys to a good workout. “Water is the single-most important thing.”

Branton said most people are dehydrated, and since our bodies are the majority water, the cells won’t work as efficiently if they’re not properly hydrated.

And sleep is vital to the body’s recovery from a workout.

“If you’re not getting sufficient sleep then you’re fighting an uphill battle,” he said.

Be realistic about results – “There’s a reason there are not a lot of jack-ripped people out there,” Branton said. “It’s hard work and takes a really long time.”

If you work out diligently in the gym three to six times a week, or stick with your running program, you should begin to see results in a month. Branton said your clothes will start fitting differently in about six weeks.

While it might take a bit of time to see results in the mirror, McCauley said your mental outlook can change quickly.

“There are chemical changes in the body,” he said.

“You might not see immediate weight loss but you’ll see a change in that. If I go running in the morning it changes my whole outlook for the day.”

Eat right – Proper nutrition is needed when working out on a regular basis. That doesn’t necessarily mean eating less, but eating right.

“You can go to the gym seven days a week and work as hard as you can,” Branton said, “but if your nutrition is not paired with what your goal is, then it’s pretty much a waste of time.”

Squats:The essential exercise that works the body’s core

The most essential exercise, according to personal trainer Jonathan Branton, is the squat. A squat, when performed properly, works the body’s overall core.

“Everybody physically capable of doing squats should do them,” Branton said. “The more joints you can involve the better it’ll be for you.”

Start with feet slightly more than shoulder width apart, toes pointed out slightly.

4 Verge / January 2015

Place the bar at the bottom of the neck, top of the back, with middle fingers on the rings of the bar.

Not only do squats help with strength, they improve circulation, boost the central nervous system and stimulate hormones.

You don’t need to put a lot of weight on the bar to start.

In fact, Branton said you can start with dumb bells or with no weight at all.

For a proper squat, thighs should be parallel to the floor. A common mistake is to not go low enough.

Return to upright position with feet flat on the floor but most of the pressure on the heel.

A good generic starting point is to do three sets of 10 squats two or three times a week.

A personal trainer can help you determine the best starting weight for you and how to properly do squats.

As you progress in your squats, you’ll be able to add more weight.

Variation: You can use dumb bells instead of a barbell. You should still strive for a proper squat.

Variation: You can still squat even if you don’t have weights accessible.

Every little bit helps.

I

n the United States, estimates are that two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese, and a third of children are overweight or obese.

“Over the past three decades those numbers have doubled,” Elchoufi said.

The issue concerned Elchoufi so much that she opened Medical Weight & Wellness Specialists in 2014 and now specializes in weight issues.

The effects of obesity go far beyond

Saying that obesity is a huge problem may sound like a clever pun, but for Dr. Maycie Elchoufi, obesity is no laughing matter. needing to buy bigger clothes. It has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and other health issues.

“Virtually every organ system in the body is affected by excess weight,” she said.

Obesity has become such a big problem that it is now considered a disease and is treated as a chronic medical condition.

Elchoufi said even losing a modest amount of weight improves overall

Congratulations! You’ve lost all that excess weight. Now you don’t have to worry about it anymore, right?

W

rong.

“You can’t just say, ‘I lost the weight so I’m good to go,’” said Dr. Maycie Elchoufi.

Now comes the process of weight maintenance – giving the body what it needs to maintain your desired weight without anything extra. And that isn’t easy.

“Maintaining weight is one of the most difficult things to do,” Elchoufi said.

Exercise is an important component

of weight maintenance, such as 30-60 minutes of aerobic exercise.

“With losing weight, exercise is beneficial but diet is more important,” Elchoufi said. “But in maintaining weight exercise is very important.”

Elchoufi also recommends weighing yourself several times a week so that you can make adjustments more quickly and easily.

“It’s much easier to lose three pounds 10 times than to lose 30 pounds one time,” she said.

By Gary Kauffman

health. She recommends a loss of 5 to 10 percent of body weight as a great way to start. For a 200-pound person, that would be 10 to 20 pounds.

The trick to losing weight: Consume fewer calories than your body uses each day. But that doesn’t mean a starvation diet, since the body still needs essential vitamins and nutrients.

“You need to reduce calories while still having adequate nutrition,” Elchoufi said. “Get most of your calories from

low carbs, lean proteins and vegetables, and avoid processed food as much as possible. Refined sugars and carbohydrates not high in nutrition should be the first to go.”

She said that a reduction in intake by about 500 calories a day is feasible and will make a difference. Healthy weight loss is a half-pound to two pounds per week. Anyone needing to lose weight quicker for a medical reason should consult a physician.

The keys to losing weight

Set clear, achievable goals – “You can’t just say, ‘I want to be thin,’” Dr. Maycie Elchoufi said. “Do something you can track.”

Instead, set a specific goal, like “Eating less than 1,400 calories today,” or “Do not eat anything with refined sugar.”

Keep a food journal – Most people underestimate how much they eat and overestimate how much they exercise. Keeping track of what you eat and the number of calories provides a clearer picture of what’s going into your body.

Do something physical – Exercise is important in burning calories. Elchoufi said people who are successful at weight loss and keeping it off exercise about an hour most days of the week.

Behavior modification – “There are so many reasons for gaining excess weight,” Elchoufi said. “If you don’t identify the cause of your weight gain it’s hard to tackle it.” Stress, not enough exercise, lifestyle habits and even simple laziness are common causes of weight gain.

Sustainable changes – Any change made to reduce weight should be sustainable once the weight is lost.

“If it’s not sustainable you’ll gain back the weight you lost,” Elchoufi said. “In fact, most gain back the weight plus some.”

Verge / January 2015

5

Patricia Skolnik doesn’t like the

By Gary Kauffman word ‘diet.’

“’D

iet’ has become a four-letter word,” Skolnik, clinical nutrition manager at Doctor’s Hospital in Augusta, said. “A lot of people have an aversion to that word. I have an aversion to that word.”

The definition of the word diet is simply our eating habits; whatever you eat is your diet. But in America it has come to mean a restriction on food, or healthy but bland food.

“It’s part of my personal goal to change the connotation of that word,” Skolnik said.

When it comes to fitness goals – especially weight loss – most people think about diet in terms of eating less.

But Skolnik said what a person eats is more important than the quantity.

“People need to make well-balanced choices of foods,” she said. “Some fruits, some vegetables, some starch and some protein – a little bit from each of the food groups.”

Most people, when trying to lose weight and improve fitness, start exercising more. And that, Skolnik says, may mean eating more. Say what? Eating

6 Verge / January 2015

more while trying to lose weight?

“It’s important to fuel the body even though the overall goal may be weight loss, so the muscles can work out in the best way possible,” she said. “Not eating or skipping meals can actually get in the way of weight-loss goals.”

If working out in the morning, Skolnik advocates eating breakfast beforehand. She also believes that a light snack is necessary post-workout, no matter the time of day. That helps the body replenish the muscles that were used during the workout.

Contrary to most popular diet methods that promote eating less, Skolnik said people should eat more often – smaller meals five or six times a day.

“That keeps you full,” she said. “It helps maintain your metabolism so the body doesn’t think you’re going into starvation mode.”

That also plays a role in mental fitness. The proper metabolism improves the glucose levels in the brain, leading to sharper thinking.

Although there are many books and websites advocating specific diets, Skolnik said there is no one-size-fits-all diet.

Each person is different, so each person’s nutritional needs will be different.

“If I had to prescribe a one-size-fitsall diet it would be whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and small but frequent meals,” Skolnik said.

“But any specific food prescriptions won’t work for every person. Diets that eliminate one food group seldom have long-term results.”

Long-term results should be the goal for everyone, Skolnik said. And that usually involves changes in lifestyle, especially in the South where butter,

sugar and fats seem to be important ingredients in most foods.

“Cultural traditions are definitely a challenge, especially in this area,” Skolnik said. “It can be difficult if you work full time or you have kids. But the motivation has to come from within.”

She wants people to take the long view when thinking about dietary changes, five, 10 or even 20 years into the future.

“The choices we make today and tomorrow will affect our lives 20 years from now,” she said.

Verge / January 2015

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vibe

calendar

Thurs., Jan. 8

SYMPOSIUM Annual Jimmie Dyess Symposium, includes talks by several distinguished individuals, including the yearly recipient of the Jimmie Dyess Distinguished American Award, Augusta Museum of History, 5 p.m., free, augustamuseum.org COMMUNITY First Thursday, spend your evening exploring the shops of midtown and historic Summerville, shops along Kings Way, free, 5-8 p.m., augustaga.org

Fri., Jan. 9

COOKING Chef Series & 5 for $5 Wine Tasting, 5 p.m., Join Chef Erik Vonderhellen for a series of cooking demonstrations while sampling wines, for $5 you can try 5 different wines, Whole Foods, wholefoodsmarket.com/events?store=1312126 ART The Winter Exhibit opening reception, Arts and Heritage Center of North Augusta, 6 p.m., free, artsandheritagecenter.com

Sat., Jan. 10

ART American Dreams: Paintings by John Mellencamp Preview Party, The Morris Museum of Art, 6 p.m., $150, themorris.org BIKE RACE First race at Blanchard Woods BMX Track, Blanchard Woods Park, 6:30 p.m., free, blanchardwoodsbmx. com MONSTER TRUCKS Monster X, James Brown Arena; monster truck event with freestyle, doors open 6 p.m., show time 7:30 p.m., ticket prices vary, augustaentertainmentcomplex. com MOVIES Cheap Date Free Movie Series, Le Chat Noir, 7:30 p.m., free, lcnaugusta.com THEATER All My Sons, Aiken Community Playhouse, 8 p.m., $25, aikenplayhouse.us

Sun., Jan. 11

MUSIC Music at The Morris: David Burgess, The Morris Museum of Art, 2 p.m., free, themorris.org

Mon., Jan. 12

HEALTH Engine 2 healthy eating plan, Whole Foods Community Room, 5:30 p.m., pre-registration required, wholefoodsmarket.com/aboutour-products/product-lines/ engine-2 MONSTER TRUCKS Monster X, James Brown Arena; monster truck event with freestyle, doors open 6 p.m., show time 7:30 p.m., ticket prices vary, augustaentertainmentcomplex. com CONCERT Sarah Jarosz, presented by Morris Museum of Art’s Budweiser True Music Southern Soul and Song, Imperial Theatre, 7:30 p.m., ticket prices vary, imperialtheatre. com MUSIC 4 Seasons Chamber Jazz Series: Matt Shevitz, Unitarian Univeralist Church of Augusta, 7:30 p.m., $20, gardencityjazz.com THEATER All My Sons, Aiken Community Playhouse, 8 p.m., $25, aikenplayhouse.us

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Tues., Jan. 13

WINE TASTING Tuesday Night Tastings at Finch and Fifth, unique wine and spirit pairings with a different theme every week, Finch and Fifth in Surrey Center, 5:30 p.m., $10, finchandfifth.com

Augusta Futurity features plenty of action The largest cutting horse show east of the Mississippi will take place in Augusta Jan. 17-24.

The 36th Annual Augusta Futurity will be held in the James Brown arena and kicks off with a bull riding event on Saturday, Jan. 17.

Then comes seven days of cutting action.

Cutting is a sport that had its origins on cattle ranches in the Southwest. Occasionally a cow had to be separated, or “cut” from THEATER All My Sons, Aiken Community Playhouse, 8 p.m., $25, aikenplayhouse.us THEATER Be More Than Hips: A salute to the work of Dr. King, Judith Simon Drama Studio, Augusta Mini Theatre, 8 p.m., $15, augustaminitheatre. com

Sat., Jan. 17

Fri., Jan. 16

COOKING Chef Series & 5 for $5 Wine Tasting, 5 p.m., Join Chef Erik Vonderhellen for a series of cooking demonstrations while sampling wines, for $5 you can try 5 different wines, Whole Foods, wholefoodsmarket.com/events?store=1312126 COMEDY Jerry Seinfeld, Bell Auditorium, doors open 6 p.m., show time 7 p.m., ticket prices vary, augustaentertainmentcomplex.com

COMMUNITY 3rd Annual Columbia County Snowfest, Evans Towne Center Park, 10 a.m., $10, columbiacountysnowfest. com PARADE 2015 Martin Luther King Jr. Parade through downtown Augusta starting at the Dyess Park Community Center, parade begins at 11 a.m., 96kissfm.com MOVIES Dr. Who TV Episode

the rest of the herd. Certain horses excelled at this. Soon demonstrating a horse’s cutting skills became a popular sport.

At the Augusta Futurity, horses and riders will demonstrate their abilities while competing for cash prizes.

Last year’s futurity drew 414 entries from 19 states and Canada. For more information, visit augustafuturity.com.

Marathon, Maxwell Branch Library, 1 p.m., free, arcpls.org ART Drawing from Memory with Charlene Montgomery, Draw with the Morris series, Morris Museum of Art, 1 p.m., $18 advance, $20 door, themorris.org HEALTH Gluten Free Fair, sample great tasting glutenfree foods, Whole Foods Community Room, 1 p.m., free, wholefoodsmarket.com/ events?store=1312126 THEATER The Diary of Black Men, Bell Auditorium, a comedy and discussions about manhood from a black man’s perspective, doors open 6 p.m., show time 7 p.m., ticket prices vary, augustaentertainmentcomplex.com BULL RIDING 2015 USCA Extra Inning Bull Riding, James Brown Arena, held in conjunction with the Augusta Cutting Horse Futurity, Proceeds benefit the University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team, doors open 7 p.m., show time 8 p.m., tickets $10 to $24,

augustaentertainmentcomplex. com THEATER All My Sons, Aiken Community Playhouse, 8 p.m., $25, aikenplayhouse.us THEATER Be More Than Hips: A salute to the work of Dr. King, Judith Simon Drama Studio, Augusta Mini Theatre, 8 p.m., $15, augustaminitheatre. com

Sun., Jan. 18

CUTTING HORSES 36th Annual Augusta Futurity, James Brown Arena, the largest cutting event east of the Mississippi doors open 10 a.m., show times vary, ticket prices vary, augustafuturity. com MUSIC Music at the Morris: David Burgess, Latin American guitar, Morris Museum of Art, 2 p.m., free, themorris.org THEATER Be More Than Hips: A salute to the work of Dr. King, Judith Simon Drama Studio, Augusta Mini Theatre, 8 p.m., $15, augustaminitheatre. com

Mon., Jan. 19

CUTTING HORSES 36th Annual Augusta Futurity, James Brown Arena, the largest cutting event east of the Mississippi doors open 10 a.m., show times vary, ticket prices vary, augustafuturity.com HEALTH Engine 2 healthy eating plan, Whole Foods Community Room, 5:30 p.m., pre-registration required, wholefoodsmarket.com/aboutour-products/product-lines/ engine-2

Tribute for Sinatra’s 100th Pay a tribute to Old Blue Eyes on Jan. 30 and 31 when the Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre presents its Frank Sinatra 100th Birthday Tribute.

The U.S. Army Signal Corps bands will perform Sinatra hits using original arrangements by Nelson Riddle, Axel Stordahl, George Sirvano, Billy May, Quincy Jones and more.

This is a customer appreciation night so the event is free.

Tues., Jan. 20

CUTTING HORSES 36th Annual Augusta Futurity, James Brown Arena, the largest cutting event east of the Mississippi doors open 10 a.m., show times vary, ticket prices vary, augustafuturity.com

MUSIC Tuesday’s Music Live with David Burgess on guitar, 30 minute concert and catered lunch, St. Paul’s Church, 12 p.m., free concert, $10 lunch, tuesdaysmusiclive.com WINE TASTING Tuesday Night Tastings at Finch and Fifth, unique wine and spirit pairings with a different theme every week, Finch and Fifth in Surrey Center, 5:30 p.m., $10, finchandfifth.com

Wed., Jan. 21

CUTTING HORSES 36th Annual Augusta Futurity, James Brown Arena, the largest cutting event east of the Mississippi doors open 10 a.m., show times vary, ticket prices vary, augustafuturity.com

Thurs., Jan. 22

CUTTING HORSES 36th Annual Augusta Futurity, James Brown Arena, the largest cutting event east of the Mississippi doors open 10 a.m., show

times vary, ticket prices vary, augustafuturity.com ART Artist Talk & Reception: Ben Sloat “The One in the Center Cannot See the Whole,” Georgia Regents University, artist talk 5 p.m., reception 6 p.m., free, calendar.gru.edu

tickets $25, calendar.gru.edu THEATER All My Sons, Aiken Community Playhouse, 8 p.m., $25, aikenplayhouse.us Schrodinger’s Cat presents Tales from the Box, comedy, Le Chat Noir, 8 p.m., $10 advance, $12 door, lcnaugusta.com

Fri., Jan. 23

Sat., Jan. 24

CUTTING HORSES 36th Annual Augusta Futurity, James Brown Arena, the largest cutting event east of the Mississippi doors open 10 a.m., show times vary, ticket prices vary, augustafuturity.com ART Art at Lunch, Lauren Faulkenberry discusses books as an art form, Morris Museum of Art, 12 p.m., $14, pre-registration required, themorris.org COOKING Chef Series & 5 for $5 Wine Tasting, 5 p.m., Join Chef Erik Vonderhellen for a series of cooking demonstrations while sampling wines, for $5 you can try 5 different wines, Whole Foods, wholefoodsmarket.com/events?store=1312126 HEALTH Farmer Friday, Let Food Be Thy Medicine, meet local farmers and food activists who have used naturallygrown, fresh, local food to heal themselves from illness, Whole Foods Community Room, 6 p.m., free, wholefoodsmarket. com/events?store=1312126 MUSIC The Jacob’s Concert Series presents Stanislav Khristenko on piano, Georgia Regents University, 7:30 p.m.,

ART Bookbinding, learn to make three types of handmade books with Lauren Faulkenberry, Morris Museum of Art, 10 a.m., $65, pre-registration required, themorris.org CUTTING HORSES 36th Annual Augusta Futurity, James Brown Arena, the largest cutting event east of the Mississippi doors open 10 a.m., show times vary, ticket prices vary, augustafuturity.com MUSIC Soiree: Jazz and Wine – Henry Johnson and 3 Generations, dress to impress and enjoy classic jazz and light eats paired with wine, Jessye Norman School of the Arts, 7:30 p.m., $5 advance, gardencityjazz.com DANCE The Kevin Locke Native Dance Ensemble, Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre, 7:30 p.m., tickets $15, calendar.gru. edu THEATER All My Sons, Aiken Community Playhouse, 8 p.m., $25, aikenplayhouse.us CONCERT Merle Haggard, Columbia County Exhibition Center, 8 p.m., $ 22.50, $67.90, ccrentalfacilities.com/events

Mon., Jan. 26

HEALTH Engine 2 healthy eating plan, Whole Foods Community Room, 5:30 p.m., pre-registration required, wholefoodsmarket.com/aboutour-products/product-lines/ engine-2

Tues., Jan. 27

WINE TASTING Tuesday Night Tastings at Finch and Fifth, unique wine and spirit pairings with a different theme every week, Finch and Fifth in Surrey Center, 5:30 p.m., $10, finchandfifth.com

Wed., Jan. 28

ART Dr. Sketchy’s Anti Art School Augusta, Le Chat Noir, 7 p.m., $10 advance, $12 door, lcnaugusta.com

Fri., Jan. 30

TEDX TEDxAugusta, Imperial Theatre, 9 a.m., ticket prices vary, tedxaugusta.com COOKING Chef Series & 5 for $5 Wine Tasting, 5 p.m., Join Chef Erik Vonderhellen for a series of cooking demonstrations while sampling wines, for $5 you can try 5 different wines, Whole Foods, wholefoodsmarket.com/ events?store=1312126 MUSIC The Dixie Boys Melody Quartet featuring gospel legend Ed O’Neal, Bethesda Baptist Church, 7 p.m., free, donations accepted, bethesdachurch.weebly.com

vibe

calendar

US Army Signal Corps Band, Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre, doors open 7 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m., free, fortgordon. com/programs/leisure/entertainment/fort-gordon-dinnertheatre

Sat., Jan. 31

5K RUN Dog Gone Cold 5K, Julian Smith Barbeque Pit, 9:30 a.m., register online, hopefulhounds.org CONCERT Tony Howard’s Motown Review, Imperial Theatre, 7 p.m., ticket prices vary, imperialtheatre.com THEATER Book of Days, winner of the Best Play Award from the American Theater Critics Association performed

by Le Chat Noir’s Youth Theatre, 8 p.m., $15, lcnaugusta. com THEATER Frank Sinatra 100th Birthday Tribute featuring the US Army Signal Corps Band, Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre, doors open 7 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m., free, fortgordon. com/programs/leisure/entertainment/fort-gordon-dinnertheatre

Sun., Feb. 1

ART Artrageous Family Sunday: Sixth Annual Book Reading Spectacular, The Morris Museum of Art, 2 p.m., free, themorris.org THEATER Book of Days, winner of the Best Play Award from the American Theater Critics Association performed

by Le Chat Noir’s Youth Theatre, 8 p.m., $15, lcnaugusta. com

Tues., Feb. 3 THEATER Book of Days, winner of the Best Play Award from the American Theater Critics Association performed

by Le Chat Noir’s Youth Theatre, 8 p.m., $15, lcnaugusta. com THEATER Frank Sinatra 100th Birthday Tribute featuring the

MUSIC Tuesday’s Music Live with Blair McMillen on piano, 30 minute concert and catered lunch, St. Paul’s Church, 12 p.m., free concert, $10 lunch, tuesdaysmusiclive.com WINE TASTING Tuesday Night Tastings at Finch and Fifth, unique wine and spirit pairings with a different theme every week, Finch and Fifth in Surrey Center, 5:30 p.m., $10, finchandfifth.com.

Verge / January 2015

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nightlife

Thur., Jan. 8

Pierce Edens, Stillwater Taproom, 10 p.m., $5, facebook.com/stillwater. taproom M.A.D. Open Mic with Catherine the Great, M.A.D. Studios, 7 p.m., $5, madstudiosaugusta.com

Fri., Jan. 9

Skunk Ruckus, Stillwater Taproom, 10 p.m., $5, facebook.com/stillwater. taproom Michael Stacy, Country Club, doors open 7 p.m., music 10 p.m., $3 ladies, $5 guys, augustacountry.com Sunset Company/Waterpoint Indie Film Double Feature, M.A.D. Studios, 7 p.m., $5, madstudiosaugusta.com

Sat., Jan. 10

Sat., Jan. 24

Maddie and Tae, Country Club, doors open 7 p.m., music 10 p.m., $3 ladies, $5 guys, augustacountry.com M.A.D. Open Mic with Catherine the Great, M.A.D. Studios, 7 p.m., $5, madstudiosaugusta.com

Fri., Jan. 16

Crying Wolf, Stillwater Taproom, 10 p.m., $5, facebook.com/stillwater. taproom The Independents with special guests Black Cat Attack and Sick Sick Sick, Sky City, doors open 8 p.m., music 10 p.m., $5, skycityaugusta.com Tim Elliot, Country Club, doors open 7 p.m., music 10 p.m., $3 ladies, $5 guys, augustacountry.com Rudy Simone, M.A.D. Studios, 7 p.m., $6 advance, $8 door, madstudiosaugusta.com

Tue., Jan. 20 The Ruby Brunettes, Stillwater Taproom, $5, 10 p.m., facebook.com/stillwater.taproom Elementz 2 The Ultimate Hip Hop Experience, Sky City, doors open 8 p.m., music 10 p.m., $5, skycityaugusta.com OutShyne, Country Club, doors open 7 p.m., music 10 p.m., $3 ladies, $5 guys, augustacountry.com Brooks Dixon, M.A.D. Studios, 7 p.m., madstudiosaugusta.com

Tue., Jan. 13

Two’sday Nite Music Club Open Mic, M.A.D. Studios, 7 p.m., $2, madstudiosaugusta.com

Two’sday Nite Music Club Open Mic, M.A.D. Studios, 7 p.m., $2, madstudiosaugusta.com

Thur., Jan. 22

Vicky Grady Band, Stillwater Taproom, 10 p.m., $5, facebook.com/stillwater. taproom M.A.D. Open Mic with Catherine the Great, M.A.D. Studios, 7 p.m., $5, madstudiosaugusta.com

Fri., Jan. 23

Carlina Wray, Stillwater Taproom, 10 p.m., $5, facebook.com/stillwater. taproom

Wed., Jan. 14

Beauty Fools, Seth Robinson and Jordan-Morgan Lansdowne, M.A.D. Studios, 7 p.m., $6 advance, $8 door, madstudiosaugusta.com

Thur., Jan. 15

Willie and the Hand Factory, Stillwater Taproom, 10 p.m., $5, facebook.com/ stillwater.taproom Author with special guests Capital Arms and Celia Gray, Sky City, doors open 8 p.m., music 9 p.m., $5, skycityaugusta.com

10 Verge / January 2015

Earphunk, Sky City, doors open 8 p.m., music 10 p.m., $10, skycityaugusta.com John Karl, Country Club, doors open 7 p.m., music 10 p.m., $3 ladies, $5 guys, augustacountry.com Redleg Husky, M.A.D. Studios, 7 p.m., $6 advance, $8 door, madstudiosaugusta.com

The 200s, Stillwater Taproom, 10 p.m., $5, facebook.com/stillwater. taproom B-Rob’s 40th Birthday Bash featuring Gypsy Lord, Brian Kaye, Passage and Six Rock, Sky City, doors open 8 p.m., music 9 p.m., free, skycityaugusta.com James Otto, Country Club, doors open 7 p.m., music 10 p.m., $3 ladies, $5 guys, augustacountry.com

Fri., Jan. 30

Sinner and Saints, The Menders, Stillwater Taproom, 10 p.m., $5, facebook. com/stillwater.taproom David Kroll, Country Club, doors open 7 p.m., music 10 p.m., $3 ladies, $5 guys, augustacountry.com

Tues., Jan. 27

Two’sday Nite Music Club Open Mic, M.A.D. Studios, 7 p.m., $2, madstudiosaugusta.com

Thur., Jan. 29

Stephen Wines, Stillwater Taproom, 10 p.m., $5, facebook.com/stillwater. taproom Charles Cronk Band with special guests Vicky Grady Band and Vilai Harrington, Sky City, doors open 8 p.m., music 10 p.m., $5, skycityaugusta.com M.A.D. Open Mic with Catherine the Great, M.A.D. Studios, 7 p.m., $5, madstudiosaugusta.com

Mr. Blue Sky, M.A.D. Studios, 7 p.m., $6 advance, $8 door, madstudiosaugusta.com

Sat., Jan. 31

Underhill Rose, Stillwater Taproom, 10 p.m., $5, facebook.com/stillwater.taproom Larry Frick, Country Club, doors open 7 p.m., music 10 p.m., $3 ladies, $5 guys, augustacountry.com

Tue., Feb. 3

Two’sday Nite Music Club Open Mic, M.A.D. Studios, 7 p.m., $2, madstudiosaugusta.com

Verge / January 2015

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garden city beat

Hopefully there’s something for you to ponder in this list of resolutions and the New Year provides you both joy and reflection.

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t seems like every year with the Holidays behind me I spend the better part of January and February trying to figure out resolutions – whether to have them and how to stick to them.

And while I won’t bore you (or embarrass myself ) with my full list of resolutions, I might share some musical related reflections and resolutions for the New Year.

Mind Your Ears I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met that regret the damage they’ve caused to their ears.

Years of neglect – from standing close to speakers at concerts, cranking up the volume in your car for a “nobody’s watching” sing along, or pumping your ears full of over-driven, distorted music through cheap headphones – can all do irreversible damage.

This resolution doesn’t apply to everyone but just might hit home with the most impassioned music fans. If you’re like me at all and music means a lot to you, give your ears a break and give yourself the peace of mind that you’ll be able to enjoy music for years to come – tinnitus is real and you don’t want it.

Take Time with Some Old Favorites One of the things that I lament about my listening habits these days is the mania that comes from just how easy it is to constantly hear new music all the time. Between music blogs, YouTube videos, satellite radio, Soundcloud, Pandora and every other form of new-fangled music listening technology, sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed. My resolution is to do more deep listening.

Listen intensely, live in an album, anticipate the lyrics like we all used to when it was reasonable to wear an album out and know it back to front. With great access comes great responsibility, which leads me to the next resolution.

Show Your Support This is a big one, and it’s multi-faceted. There are so many ways to support music and music culture, and if you enjoy music at all (you are human after all) this is a big one. Whether you support a local act by paying a cover at a gig, even if they are your son/daughter/ co-worker/exterminator, or by actually paying for an album online despite how easy it is to stream or download the same content for free from some shady

Russian MP3 site, you are doing an important part in making a world filled with music possible.

Sure, musicians love what they do, but they also love to eat, and it’s as simple as that. You like music?

Let’s all agree to pay for some it – seems fair to me.

Another way to show support can even have a broader impact. Augusta hosts a number of benefit shows annually that are worth mentioning. Ed Turner and his Number Nine band have been putting on stellar performances all in the name of a good cause for years and put on a great show to boot.

Even Augusta’s own First Lady of Soul, Sharon Jones, will be lending her remarkable talents to raise money for the University Health Care Foundation on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Bell Auditorium.

Proceeds from Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings Heart Song Concert will go the UHCS Smart Heart Fund, which helps provide free community screenings, heart and vascular screenings for area student athletes and for public safety first responders. It’s a great way to show your support and do some good while hearing what is sure to be a great show.

Matthew Porter is a music fanatic, record collector, deejay, and occasional soundman, living in Augusta.

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music insider

When people think of Nashville, “Music City,” they commonly think of country music.

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hen they think of Memphis, they commonly think of the blues and Elvis Presley. Augusta undoubtedly should be on the map of “Music Cities” for the soul and funk, thanks to James Brown.

As a music historian I cannot stress enough that Augusta was the birthplace of the Modern Dance Groove.

You can hear James Brown’s influence in pop, country, rock and hip hop. His influence is endless but it started in Augusta. I have yet to find any other musician or band since the jazz and Big Band swing era that came close to inventing this new kind of rhythm. James Brown is truly “The Godfather of Soul” – yet so much more.

Most strong foundations start at rock bottom. For Brown (born May 3, 1933) this takes an entirely different meaning. Being abandoned by his birth mother at 4 years old and raised in the childhood years by his hard-working father was just the start at the bottom.

His father wanted a better life for James and himself.

When Brown was 6 they walked 40 miles from Barnwell, S.C. to Augusta, the city Brown would consider his home until he died on Dec. 25, 2006.

I last saw Brown at the Imperial Theatre the day

14 Verge / January 2015

before he died. He seemed under the weather yet he was giving away toys and bicycles to children, and cooked turkeys to underprivileged people in need.

This had become an annual event for him and made a wonderful way to remember him.

Despite a life of early poverty and only an eighth grade education, Brown was a prodigy musician and performer. He managed to “get on up” from the bottom to become a musical pioneer who practically invented Soul and Funk music.

But he did more than music.

His daughter Deanna Brown told me, “My father helped numerous people get their start in broadcasting and radio, including long time popular radio personality Minnesota Fats, among others. He also helped a lot of kids get scholarships. My dad was a hard working, generous man.”

Brown’s story was told in the movie Get On Up, released in August and scheduled to be released on BluRay and DVD on Jan. 9. My wife, Jeanie, and I had the privilege of walking the Red Carpet in Augusta on July 24 for the movie premier of Get On Up. The movie was directed by Tate Taylor and starred Chadwick Bosemen as Brown and they both attended the screening. Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones produced Get On Up and the HBO Special, Mr. Dynamite, about Brown.

I found Get On Up to be an instant classic and a well-rounded movie with drama, comic relief, music and Augusta history that highlighted past historic cultural differences.

I am commonly asked, “Why wasn’t the movie filmed in Augusta?” Well, it was filmed mostly in Mississippi, in Jackson and Natchez. If you have lived in the Central Savanna River Area for the past three decades you have seen extreme growth that no longer portrays the period the historic film represents.

There were some local residents involved, like Keith Robinson who played Baby Roy in Get On Up. He grew up in Greenville, S.C., then moved to Augusta and graduated from Lakeside High School. He attended the University of Georgia and, while there, signed a recording contract with Motown Records.

Deanna Brown said, “There were numerous consultants from the Augusta area,” which included her sister, Yamma Brown, son Jason Brown, mother Deidra Jankins, Darren Glenn and Keith Jenkins, who was

Jonathan Karow and Deanna Brown

Brown’s guitarist of 13 years.

“While consulting for the movie in Jackson, Mississippi,I made friends with actor and comedian Craig Robinson who played the role of James Brown’s saxophonist Maceo Parker,” Jenkins said. “He is also a serious musician and has an amazing sense of humor.

We keep in touch regularly. He even plays keyboards in the recent Dodge Dart commercial.”

Jenkins does a cameo in the last few minutes of the movie, being seen twice on stage.

Jenkins is an active guitarist and guitar teacher who helps lead pupils at J.A.M.P. – the James Brown Academy of Musik Pupils.

“J.A.M.P. is an educational hub for teaching youth music education,” Deanna Brown said. “It’s not just for the kids. Parental participation is an essential element to the program.”

Jonathan Karow is the owner/founder of Rock Bottom Music in Augusta and an active musician. He has handled artist relations and concert promotions for internationally recognized musicians for over two decades. He is also a consultant and product development designer for famous brand musical instrument manufacturers.

Verge / January 2015

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The Movie Chick

Movies that should have been good, but weren’t. jj

Neighbors (R) I’ll admit it, the previews for this film had me pretty excited. I don’t typically go for frat house humor, but frat house moves in next door to young couple with a baby? That sounds comedically promising! Unfortunately, while there were some things about this film I enjoyed, Neighbors did not live up to my expectations.

The one thing I loved about this film was just how realistic the couple was portrayed. Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) star as a couple coming to terms with the fact that their new daughter has changed their lives. Once they lived the party life, but now they only desire a night of uninterrupted sleep. As the fraternity moves in next door, Kelly and Mac are filled with trepidation. Will they ever get a good night’s sleep?

Kelly and Mac decide the best way to handle this new situation is to face it head on. They go next door to introduce themselves to their new neighbors, give them a peace offering and ask them to just keep it down a little.

Some things, however, are not so easily avoided and Kelly and Mac soon find themselves in an all-out war with the frat boys.

Thirty minutes into the film I still had high hopes, but I quickly found myself growing bored. The acting wasn’t bad, but the jokes were a bit tired. Neighbors didn’t have anything I hadn’t seen in Role Models, Old School or any other film in the genre. By the end of the movie I was barely watching and certainly not laughing. Neighbors might be entertaining on television, but don’t waste your money on renting it.

jj

When the Game Stands Tall (PG) Everything about me wanted to like this movie. It has some of my favorite qualities: A great story, a positive message and realism. There was one very important thing, however, that this film was lacking: Great acting.

When the Game Stands Tall is the true story of a high school football coach who coached his team through a 151-game winning streak, a streak that surpassed all other sports records.

The film follows Coach Bob Ladoucouer (Jim Caviezel) and his struggle to balance faith, family and work. As the story opens, the De La Salle Spartans are on

16 Verge / January 2015

top of their game, winning yet another state championship and working together as a team to do so.

As the seniors graduate, the rising leaders of the team are excited. They look forward to their opportunity to continue the streak, becoming a bit arrogant in the process. Then, something completely unexpected happens.

Coach Ladoucouer has a stroke and is told he cannot return to coaching for some time. The team begins to fall apart without his leadership, squabbling on and off the field.

As one might imagine, the winning streak for the Spartans eventually ends, but not before a tragedy takes them by surprise. The remainder of the film follows the team as they shake off their loss and learn how to put their egos aside and work together as a team, as a family, once again.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the acting in When the Game Stands Tall made it difficult for me to enjoy the film. I even found the game scenes to be lacking. My son, however, enjoyed every bit of this movie. He was not put off by poor acting and was touched by the positive message. So it definitely wasn’t a waste of time or money. I guess I’ll just read the book!

moment of introspection was lost. In short, everything that made this story amazing was changed. If I were author Lois Lowry, I’d be angry.

Another reason I disliked this film?

The acting was terrible! I mean, come on folks. This movie had Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep and Katie Holmes and I still felt like I was watching some amateur production. Surely they read the novel before taking on these roles!

“When people have the freedom to

j

The Giver (PG-13) Reading The Giver was one of the highlights of my first year of teaching.

It’s the story of a society striving for perfection. The people of this society have chosen sameness and contentment over being unique and feeling things like love, pain, and passion. It was a simple story, but compelling all the same.

Imagine my excitement when I drove by the movie theatre and read The Giver on the marquee! Could it be? One of my favorite stories on the big screen?

Maybe my former students were just as excited as I was! When The Giver finally made its way to the Redbox I picked it out without so much as a second thought.

Unfortunately, as I watched The Giver I became increasingly frustrated.

The filmmakers took a story that was cohesive and complete and threw in a bunch of hoopla. Characters were aged up, romantic feelings were exaggerated, a single “bad guy” was created, and any chance for viewers to have a

Rating System

j Couldn’t even finish it, don’t waste your time. jj Watch it on TV, while you’re doing something else. jjjEnjoyed it! Definitely worth renting. jjjj Plan to watch it again. Just go ahead and buy it.

Samantha Taylor “Sam the Movie Chick” is on a mission to find the best movies for you to rent from Redbox or download from another source. She loves good flicks, good food and good friends. Her eclectic tastes are sure to give readers a wide range of viewing choices.

choose they choose wrong, every single time.” This is one of Meryl Streep’s lines in the film. When it comes to the making of The Giver, this quote is, unfortunately, spot on.

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behind the curtain

“Sometimes the spell may last Past what you can see And turn against you”

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can’t sum up the plot of Into the Woods much better than Stephen Sondheim did in those lyrics to probably the most famous song of the musical. It’s a beautiful and sordid tale, and it’s finally getting it’s chance to shine.

We’ll get to the popular movie adaptation in just a moment, but indulge me with a bit of my personal history with this show that makes it one of my absolute favorites. Almost every character is from a fairy tale, except for a baker and his wife, who take the “leading” roles in what is really an ensemble piece. Several years ago, I got to take my first journey into a leading role as I took the Baker in and out of the woods with the Augusta Players.

It was a dream come true. But only for the people on stage. Into the Woods is what theater folk lovingly refer to as an “actor’s show.” That’s because performers can’t wait to be in it, but you can barely get an audience to show up. Every part of the show is done in song, besides a few lines from a narrator and a few spoken by your fairy tale friends come to life. The music is complex, and at times jarring, only to turn into some of the most beautiful melodies you’ve heard.

But none of that can prepare you for the plot. In Act 1 you see all of your fairy tales come to their traditional conclusion. In Act 2, you see the consequences these characters pay for what they have done. When Jack stole from and killed the giant at the top of the beanstalk, he left a very angry wife. As

18 Verge / January 2015

for princesses like Rapunzel and Cinderella, it turns out happily ever after gets a little lost when they have to face everyday life with a prince.

So imagine my surprise when Disney told us they were making a movie of this twisted tale. This isn’t what people want from Disney! We want happy endings, not the sordid backstory of our favorite characters. Not to mention very few people came to see our show, so who wants to see it as a movie?

Turns out, plenty of people will turn out for the movie, as long as actors like Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick and Chris Pine take to the screen. There were probably more people in the single showing I attended than most companies get in a weekend run of the musical. In fact, Into the Woods had the biggest opening of a Broadway musical adapted for the screen ever. And I could only laugh as other moviegoers gasped at the twists and turns around every corner of the second half of the show.

So I hope we are seeing a trend – incredible pieces of art getting a second chance at life. Because the witch will tell you, “Careful the tale you tell, children will listen.”

Wes Hennings has been in the performing arts since he could walk. Since moving to Augusta has been in dozens of productions, both on stage and behind the curtain. Contact him at wes.verge@ gmail.com.

Verge / January 2015

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dinner date with meagan & drew

Meagan Luda and Drew Williamson are a twenty-something career-oriented recently-engaged couple that enjoys catching up while relaxing and dining at local restaurants. They also enjoy sharing their opinions about those restaurants.

Where They Went Bonefish Grill 2911 Washington Rd, Augusta 4-10:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday 11 a.m. - 10:30 p.m., Thursday 11 a.m. - 11:30 p.m., Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday What They Ordered Appetizer: Crab Cakes Entree: Drew: Lobster stuffed shrimp and a cup of lobster bisque.

Meagan: Bang bang shrimp and a cup of lobster bisque Total Cost with Tip: $61

She Says

He Says

The atmosphere was perfect! It was low lighting and romantic.

Although the restaurant was full, I still felt like it was just Drew and I sitting in there.

I really like Bonefish. Although it is not a “locally-owned” restaurant it still gives you that vibe. It is romantic, clean and fun. Although we were there for a dinner date, they do have a large bar area for customers to sit around for a few drinks.

Entrée

The food was great! Although I got what I always get, the bang bang shrimp, it still hit the spot. I tried the lobster bisque for the first time, and it was perfect!. Also, I talked Drew into ordering the crab cakes for an appetizer because I love them, but let’s just say I only got about one bite once they hit the table!

The food was the best seafood I have had in a while. I had never ordered the lobster-stuffed shrimp before and after I finished I wish I had ordered some to go. It was a perfect size for an entrée although they consider it a starter. It was five large shrimp stuffed with a cheesy lobster blend. The lobster bisque was perfect, not too fishy. I really enjoyed the meal.

Price

I didn’t think the price was bad for the type and amount of food we got. It really was worth it to me!

The price was very fair for a dinner date for two, especially when we both ordered seafood and enjoyed an appetizer.

The service was perfect! Our waiter made sure we had everything we needed at all times. He also recommended different things that he thought we may like (which is how I wound up with the lobster bisque).

The service was great. We were sat in the middle of the packed restaurant, but to our surprise, we were treated like we were the only ones there. Our waiter checked on us throughout the meal, gave suggestions on the food and portions, and kept our sweet teas full!

I have always loved Bonefish Grill and will definitely make sure we continue eating there!

I had a great night! I got to enjoy a night out with my favorite girl and the food was really good. I will definitely keep this a regular dinner stop!

Atmosphere

Service Overall 20 Verge / January 2015

Fundraising for non-profit organizations is a really big deal.

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lackbaud reports that more than 4,129 non-profits raised $12.5 billion in 2013. That’s what most people not named Mark Zuckerberg would call “a lot of money.”

Charities in Augusta are always seeking new, creative ways to raise funds. Some are quite spectacular, like the Ronald McDonald House event featuring celebrities rappelling down the Marriott. Some are just spectacularly done, like the annual Jingle Jam for SafeHomes. And others are unspectacular flops, like any number of cookie-cutter events that waste more money on T-shirts than they put in the bank.

Fundraising event success requires some seemingly obvious things: • A definition of “success.” Is it just the amount of money raised? Mission awareness? All of the above? Organizers should agree in advance so they’ll know if they’ve met their goals.

• Buy-in, literally and figuratively, from the organization’s leadership and top supporters. The greatest idea in the world is destined to flop if too few

people are on board during planning.

• Location, location, location. Bad sites are where good fundraisers go to die. That would include any venue that is inconvenient for any reason – such as bad weather for outdoor events.

• A good date. Too many events seem to either stack on top of each other or hit too close to conflicting holidays.

• A creative idea. Many fundraisers basically are glorified bake sales. And if an event is no more creative than a bake sale, then just have a bake sale. After all, everybody likes cookies.

Because supporters always have choices of whether, and how, to spend their money, the best fundraisers make them happy to do so – not just because the event itself hits all the right marks, but because the organization is worth supporting.

At Goodwill, we’re confident that reNew & Brew meets this criteria. Held at the Snelling Center on Washington Road at Fury’s Ferry, reNew & Brew (goodwillworks.org/renewandbrew) features craft beer tastings paired with creative cuisine from Helms College

culinary students. In addition, items purchased from Goodwill and repurposed by local artists and designers are sold in a silent auction.

ReNew & Brew celebrates the renewal of lives through Goodwill’s job training and education programs that last year helped put more than 4,300 people to work. We hope the event is creative enough, and Goodwill’s

life-changing mission is compelling enough, for supporters to put on their blue jeans and bowties and join us on Feb. 6.

Because it’s a really big deal.

Barry Paschal is Senior Director of Marketing and Communications for Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA.

Verge / January 2015

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vitality

ask dr. karp

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appy New Year, Tom. Yes, it’s January and all those New Year’s resolutions you made just a few days ago are already beginning to feel burdensome. Why did you even bother making them? What’s the use?

Do you make the same healthy New Year’s resolutions, year-after-year, and never seem to get anywhere with them? You know the ones – lose weight, exercise more, eat healthier, have your blood pressure and cholesterol checked, stop smoking or chewing tobacco…on and on. There is no doubt that it is very

Tom, a Pinterest follower from Savannah, asks…

“Should I bother making healthy New Year’s resolutions? They never work.” easy to make New Year’s resolutions and very hard to follow them. Have you ever thought about “why?”

Instead of feeling “down,” spend just a few minutes reflecting on what it takes to successfully change health behaviors.

What is the “no-nonsense nutrition advice” to begin your New Year? Simply this; don’t give up on making resolutions. However, take the time to sit down and think about what it will take to make them happen.

Surround yourself with people who will help you believe that lifestyle change is important. Figure ways of

Taking steps toward resolutions that last Changing behaviors involves a lot of steps and maybe the problem has been that you’ve never really thought about all the steps. Start with these three steps.

Belief

Knowledge It is very easy to calculate your chance of having a heart attack or stroke within the next 10 years. Just put “Heart Attack Risk Assessment Tool” into your internet search engine or simply go to this NIH site, cvdrisk. nhlbi.nih.gov/. Within a few minutes, you will know your chance of you having a heart attack or stroke within the next 10 years.

And, if that risk is higher than 20 percent, you honestly need to make some lifestyle changes to reduce your risk – ASAP.

22 Verge / January 2015

So, now you are aware of your risk, but do you believe it? Will you simply think it was “interesting” and “fun” calculating your risk and then forget about it or, worse yet, deny it? You have to move on from that mindset.

The next step is to believe that changing is important. If you don’t believe it, you will never move onto the last step, doing something about it. So the important question is, “How do I believe that change is important?”

One way is to surround yourself with people who have successfully changed their own health behaviors, speak to them and listen carefully to what they have to say. Talk to the guy who had diabetes, lost 50 pounds and is now off medication. Talk to your friend who reduced salt in her diet, stopped eating such high fat and greasy foods and started eating more veggies. Listen to what she says about being able to dramatically reduce her blood pressure medication. You need to figure out a way of believing that health behavioral change is important for you. Once you accomplish this, you can start moving away from simply “knowing” and “believing” to actually doing something about it.

applying your new knowledge and beliefs into your unique and wonderful life. Happy New Year. I wish you good health and prosperity.

Dr. Warren Karp is a Professor Emeritus at Georgia Regents University. “Ask Dr. Karp” focuses on food, diet, and nutrition.

If you have a question you would like answered in this column, post it on his Facebook page, “AskDrKarp”

Action It may be that the weight loss program you see on TV has helped a famous Hollywood star lose weight, but will it help you?

Will Nicorette gum help you stop smoking or do you, with your own unique life, need to find another method to stop smoking? One of the main barriers to changing health behaviors is applying solutions for other people’s lives to your own. Instead, you need to reflect on your own needs and motivations.

One important way of being healthier is to substitute poor health behaviors with good ones in your life, not just eliminating the poor behavior. You need to “fill the behavioral gap.” So, instead of smoking that cigarette every morning when you first get up, maybe you need to get into your car, drive to your local gym, and meet up with a group of your friends also working on change. This will not only replace one habit with another, it will also help your belief system by surrounding yourself with people who also both believe and are acting upon their beliefs. Sitting on the couch in the morning, not smoking, but thinking about that cigarette while you sip your first cup of coffee…that simply is not going to work.

Instead of piling all that salt onto all your food, go out and buy some Ms. Dash or creole spices or Tobasco sauce and pile that on. Don’t think you have to eat salt-less, bland food. Replace the salt with other great tastes. Instead of weighing yourself 10 times/day and watching your weight go up and down all day long, weigh yourself once a week, instead. Then you can see if you really are losing weight, gaining weight or staying the same.

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well-adjusted bodies HEARTBURN

There are a couple of topics that seem to be misunderstood by many people.

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Gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD/heartburn) is not caused by too much stomach acid. It is caused by stomach acid reaching a location (the esophagus) that it is not supposed to be.

Common causes of GERD: Eating an unhealthy diet, eating within two hours of lying down, eating within two hours of exercise, life stress and not chewing adequately. The high acid content

of the stomach is incredibly important to the health of an individual.

One important feature is that it sanitizes the food that enters our bodies. Many different bacteria are unable to survive the low pH of hydrochloric acid (stomach acid).

Also, the acidity of the stomach acid is necessary for stimulation of the “alkaline tide.”

Simply, when the stomach

dumps its contents into the small intestines, receptors respond to the acidity of those contents and stimulate the pancreas to dump critically important enzymes to allow for the proper digestion of food. If the acidity is inadequate, so will be digestion.

My view on antacids (such as Tums and Prilosec OTC) is to avoid these tablets like you would avoid a charging bull.

enzyme lactase in order to break down the substance lactose, which is present in breast milk. However, at a certain age children cease breast-feeding and begin eating whole foods. Hence the drop in lactase levels.

Milk is not a great source of calcium. When people ask, “How am I supposed to get enough calcium in my diet?” my typi-

cal answer is “How do you think the cow gets the calcium?” The important aspect of calcium is the calcium absorption rate of different products in the human body.

For example, green leafy vegetables such as kale, broccoli and spring greens have an extraordinarily high calcium absorption rate compared to milk.

he body is self-healing under the right conditions. Never underestimate the power of the human body to heal and maintain itself.

One cannot simply view the food he or she eats as “energy.” Every cell in the human body is either rapidly or slowly reproducing. These cells must build from the broken down materials of the food that humans ingest on a daily basis. If a person were to consume a healthy, whole-food diet his or her body would build itself from those materials, leaving less of a chance for harmful genetic expressions and disease.

I must state that you should not discontinue the use of any prescription pharmaceuticals you may be currently taking without consulting your doctor.

Dr. Brad Steinle practices out of Advanced Chiropractic and Wellness Center, His office is located at 122 Old Evans Road, Martinez, GA. Find him online at www.chiropractic4augusta.com or contact him by phone at (706) 738-7731.

LACTOSE INTOLERANCE Lactose intolerance is another generally misunderstood topic.

This is not considered an allergy (or hypersensitivity). Instead, the reaction felt by many people is due to the lack of the enzyme lactase.

The drop-off in the quantity of lactase is normal after the age of about 5. Breast-feeding children require the presence of the

24 Verge / January 2015

vitality

healthy lifestyles

Healthy eating and healthy living is a goal many people have in mind for 2015.

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f you don’t know where to start in your journey towards healthy living, Whole Foods Market has a Healthy Eating Educator to show you the ropes. This service is provided free for customers. Whether dairy-free, nutfree, gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan, or if you just want to eat healthier, Tamara Barber can help.

As the Healthy Eating Educator, Barber brings more than 20 years of experience in health and nutrition consulting to Augusta. She is certified in personal training and weight management counseling. While in Chicago, she was a founding member of the Mayor’s Fitness Council, and served two-and-a-half terms as the Council Secretary. Barber has been featured in local and national newspapers, such as The Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune and Time-Out Chicago and in national magazines, Marie Clare and Ebony.

Barber is ready to help those who need it. Whether you’re taking that first step toward a complete health overhaul or just trying to put quick, nutritious meals on the table night after night, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.

Barber will give you the tools you need to make getting healthy easy.

Get all of your healthy eating questions answered, plus: • Learn about Whole Foods Market’s Four Pillars of Healthy Eating and how the Health Starts Here program takes the guesswork out of

choosing the right foods.

• Find out what’s in season and discover how to choose and use the most nutrient-rich foods.

• Learn how to create a healthy meal plan and get recipes that fit your lifestyle, needs and budget.

• Take a Healthy Eating Tour of the store and find out about upcoming classes and educational opportunities, such as learning how to decipher and read nutritional labels.

The products Barber talks about must meet rigorous standards. That means no hydrogenated fats and artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives – and that’s just to start. Standards range from basic ingredients to farm animal welfare, seafood sustainability, body care, cleaning products and more.

Barber can be found in the Health Starts Here kiosk at Whole Foods, located next to the Produce department.

She is excited to serve the Augusta Community and is ready to help you reach all of your 2015 Health goals.

In future issues of Verge, Barber will be sharing insights, information and recipes to help you achieve the healthy lifestyle you desire.

Melissa Brown is Marketing Team Leader for Whole Foods Market in Augusta. She has more than five years of marketing experience in Augusta and the surrounding areas. If you can’t find her in the store you will find her out and about spreading the word about Whole Foods.

Healthy Eating Educator Tamara Barber

Verge / January 2015

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vitality

beers locals like

I really don’t like going to the gym. I get there, and all the elliptical machines that face a TV are taken.

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o, I decide on one over in the corner and start working out only to look down at the timer to see that what seemed like an hour of cardio has actually only been three minutes.

I press on, finish my work-out, and then walk slowly toward the door, defeated. Then, the lady at the front desk has the audacity to say, “Bye. How was your work-out?”

It’s all I can do not to turn around and say, “How do you think my work-out was? It was horrible. I hated it. Oh, and, by the way, I’m the only person in this entire gym that looks like he actually needs to be at the gym, and I’m only here because one of my New Year’s resolutions was to go to the gym more so I can keep writing this beer column and not gain weight! That’s how my work-out was.”

However, I can only muster up the energy to turn around and solemnly say, “It was fine, thanks.” So, here’s to a 2015 of great craft brews and soberingly pragmatic trips to the gym!

Founders Breakfast Stout – I had this during a Founders tap takeover at the Bees Knees a few weeks ago with my buddy, Brendan. I’ve had

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this one before, and every time I taste it I’m reminded why I think this is one of the best beers out there, period. The nose isn’t the most robust aspect of this stout ale, but it’s significant in and of itself, as well as being a precursor to a balance of coffee, chocolate and just a hint of cream (it’s in there somewhere) that’s just about as close to perfect as this craft of beer can be.

I like Breakfast Stout just fine out of the bottle, but having it on draft at the Bees Knees put it over the edge.

Try it all by itself the first time. Then, try it with the calamari frites from the Bees Knees. The trade-off of sweet and salty on the tongue will remind you why chocolate has been a delicacy for centuries.

Goose Island Bourbon County Imperial Stout – The very next night, Laura and I went out on a date, and guess where we went: The Bees Knees.

We sat at the bar to eat because of the wait, and the meal was, as usual, perfectly delectable all the way from the goat cheese bruschetta to the pad Thai. I chose the aforementioned beer at the recommendation of my brother who described it as having quite the

drinkability for being 13.8% ABV, and indeed it does.

The barrel aging comes through on the nose and even more so through the mouthful, with robust and significant savors of molasses, a hint of smoke and a chocolaty finish. I’m partial to the barley wine sister of this brew, but I’d rate this stout ale highly and found it went particularly well with

my avocado chop chop for reasons I cannot readily explain.

Ben Casella wishes you and yours a happy and prosperous New Year.

Here’s to a year of great times and great brews with great friends in Downtown Augusta.

Verge / January 2015

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values

love and marriage

As we’ve interacted with couples from all over the world and researched the keys to happiness and fulfillment in marriage, one surprising discovery is that most husbands are absolutely desperate for the respect of their wives.

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or many men, the drive to be respected is even stronger than their drive for sex.

This isn’t a new discovery. The Bible records a 2,000-year-old tidbit of marriage wisdom by stating, “So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” (Ephesians 5:33).

There’s a great book by Dr. Emmerson Eggerichs called Love and Respect which delves into the deeper meanings of love and respect in marriage. This book is a helpful resource to add to your marriage toolkit.

We believe most women genuinely want to show

respect to their husbands, but they don’t always know how to do it. What a wife may do to show respect and what a husband may need to feel respected are often two different things. To help bring more harmony to your marriage, we’ve outlined below the main ways a husband feels respected from his wife.

This is not a comprehensive list and all of these may not all apply to every marriage, but we’re strongly convinced these seven principles hold true for the vast majority of men. We plan to write a follow up

article addressing the specific ways a husband should display love and respect for his wife.

Dave and Ashley Willis are founders of the facebook Marriage Page which currently has more than 500,000 subscribers worldwide. They serve in ministry at Stevens Creek Church in Augusta. For more tools to help you build a rock-solid marriage, connect with us online atDaveWillis.org andAshleyWillis.org.

A husband feels respected by his wife when…

R- E1. She is content to live within the family’s financial means.

A husband has a deep desire to be a provider. In our modern society, the man is not usually the sole breadwinner, but he still wants to feel that his work is meeting the needs and desires of his wife.

When a wife will live within the family’s financial means, she’s communicating respect to her husband by validating his hard work and his need to be a provider.

She’s also removing financial stress from the marriage.

2. She prioritizes what happens in the bedroom.

When a man feels starved sexually, he will often feel both the physical frustration of unfilled desire and the emotional frustration of feeling undesirable to his wife. When the wife will initiate intimacy and also be receptive to his advances, he will feel more respected and fulfilled and he’ll also be more capable of fulfilling his wife’s needs.

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P-

E-

3. She builds him up with her words (both in public and in private).

A wife’s words have the power to shape her husband.

A wife shows respect to her husband both by how she speaks to him and by how she speaks about him. In both public and private, a wife’s words can build up or tear down her husband.

She’s affirming, not sarcastic. She’s warm, not cold. She’s his biggest encourager, not his biggest critic.

4. She laughs with him (not at him).

When there isn’t much laughter in the marriage, that’s usually a warning sign of deeper issues.

Find opportunities to laugh together. Your husband desperately wants you to be happy. Most husbands can’t be happy unless they believe they’re making their wives happy. Also, laugh at his jokes. This one might seem silly, but you’d be amazed how important it is for most men to know his wife believes he has a great sense of humor.

5. She trusts his judgment.

We’re certainly not saying a wife should blindly agree to everything that husband wants. A marriage requires a lot of conversation, mutual submission and sometimes even debate. What we are saying is that a man feels strongest when his wife affirms his strength.

A man feels wisest when his wife affirms his wisdom. A man feels most respected when his wife respects his decisions.

C6. She doesn’t mother him.

There’s a motherly instinct in most women and that instinct can sometimes be misdirected towards mothering a husband. When a wife attempts to change, discipline or correct a husband from the posture of a mother instead of a partner, the husband will feel emasculated and it will often cause a cycle of frustration for both the husband and the wife.

T 7. She has his back.

Above all, a husband needs to know his wife has his back.

In all times, in all situations, let him know you love and respect him. Your love, your words, your actions and your respect have the power to bring out the best in him.

Ongoing giving and nurturing by caregivers can produce physical and emotional symptoms and lead to eventual burnout.

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he American Psychological Association reports that 40 to 70 percent of family caregivers exhibit “clinically significant� symptoms of depression. Headaches, backaches, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system are other ailments that affect worn-down family caregivers.

Here are ways to help family caregivers boost their own health this year: Keep exercise simple. Walk an hour every day. Lofty exercise goals do not mix well with a busy caregiving schedule. Instead, look for ways to blend exercise into your week. Do stretches and ride an exercise bike while watching TV. While your loved one naps, reserve 20 minutes to take a brisk walk outside or climb indoor stairs.

Eat smart, the smart way. Substitute fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables for calorie-laden snacks and desserts. Drink more water and less soda and juices.

Guard your stress level. Learn to recognize your stress buttons and plan for ways to decompress. Anticipating stress is one way to conquer it before it

conquers you.

Plan for respite breaks. Make sure you circle days on the calendar each month to connect with friends, go out to eat, watch a movie or stay over at a spa resort. Getting away refreshes your mind, body and spirit and improves your communication and patience with your loved ones.

Connect with support resources.

Hiring a professional agency to help care for your loved one or home tasks can be a lifesaver. It can help you stay ahead of the cooking, laundry, cleaning and errands for your loved one. As a burnt out caregiver, this may be the wisest decision and investment in your health you make for 2015.

Kathy Crist co-owns Right at Home of the CSRA. a leading provider of in-home care and assistance, supports family caregivers and is dedicated to improving the life of the elderly and disabled. Call 803-2780250 or visit www.csra. rightathome.net.

Verge / January 2015

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values

your faith

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While in grade school a friend introduced me to the world of telescopes.

It opened up a whole new world of wonder.

Look Back • Have a one-to-one conversation with your spouse or a good friend. Talk together about the last year. Play the “high-low” game. Talk about specific achievements and high points from the year as well as the “valleys” and challenges that were part of the year’s landscape.

• Think back to resolutions/goals for 2014. How did you do with your follow through? Who can help you be accountable to help you make forward motion in the coming year? A side note: It’s my opinion and life observation that most people don’t live intentional lives, but lives that are more like pinballs, bouncing this way, then another, allowing everything and everyone around them to determine their life direction.

• How have you invested in your health? Family? Faith? I find it fascinating that the condition of our “inner lives” often takes a back seat to everything else – even though it’s our soul

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eeing the moon and other planets (the rings of Saturn are spectacular) greatly expanded my concept of the solar system we’re living in as well as the vastness of space.

In high school, I brought a sample of the creek water from behind my house to science class and with the help of a powerful microscope I again had my eyes opened to the wonders unseen all around me.

Recently a couple of friends of mine (in two different states) bought drones.

I’ve seen some of the video they’ve shot with these technological wonders – soaring over a winding stream, flying down a neighborhood street and high above a football game, winging over the Texas Rangers ballpark and over a Renaissance fair.

This was sharp, clear video from an entirely new point of view. Nothing changed about the scene except the vantage point; in this case obtaining a new view from above. The perspective had radically changed. The drones have provided a tool to see familiar surroundings in a whole new way.

The beginning of another year is a natural time to think about where we’re

at, and where we’re headed. It can be a time to reflect, remember and consciously consider the path we’re on in our life, work and relationships.

The easy thing to do, of course, is to mindlessly create a list of “resolutions” without a plan to actually do anything to affect the changes you’re looking for!

So below are a few practical ways to look back, and then focus forward.

A New Year really is brand new territory that you can navigate when you allow the God who made you to be your GPS – God Positioning System.

Join me in entering the 2015 with a sense of great expectation, about what God wants to do in and through our lives. The future is as bright as the promises of God! Be blessed throughout the New Year!

I welcome your comments at stevelistens@wafj.com Steve Swanson serves as the station manager for Family Friendly 88.3 WAFJ. He’s invested 30-plus years in the world of radio and was named the Christian Music Broadcasters Program Director of the Year in 2009 and 2011. He and his wife , Susie, live in North Augusta.

Focus Forward – the part of us that will live forever. I’d like to recommend a book by Gordon McDonald called “Ordering Your Private World.”

• I’m all for simplification. Forget about making a list of 10 or 12 things you want to accomplish in 2015. What

.A he year ret h g u o al thr p you al journ me, it will hel ness. n o s r e co ap ful keeping in the years to nd God’s faith r e d i s n a Co ey and m now, ur journ year fro he steps of yo rt membe

is the one goal you want to be sure to accomplish? I’m reminded of the phrase, “The Main Thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” Be realistic but focused. I suggest you pray and ask the Lord about your priorities.

It only makes sense to seek the Creator’s direction and priorities with our time and the days that make up our lives.

• When will you “check in” on your forward movement? Who will be the person that will serve as your cheerleader in this quest?

• Because you won’t be making a long wish list for the coming year, you need to be realistic about measuring your progress. Remember that the decisions you make today will determine where you end up tomorrow.

• Leave the past in the past. Choose to forgive past hurts and let go of past disappointments. Life really is too short to waste energy on things that you cannot control.

views

make time for travel

The U.S. Virgin Islands, located 1,100 miles southeast of Miami, are an excellent entrée to the Caribbean without leaving the comfort and security of home.

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ure you’ll actually leave the United States mainland, so it feels as if you’ve left the country, but the language, currency, driver’s licenses and banking are all the same so you won’t have to feel out of your element.

The U.S. Virgin Islands are comprised of three magnificent islands: St .Thomas, St. Croix and St. John. They are all uniquely different and are located close enough together so that whichever island you make your home base, you can easily take a day trip to the others via high speed ferries or a catamaran.

St. Thomas is known primarily for its

heavy concentration of duty free shops in the capital city of Charlotte Amalie.

It is a bustling stop on the cruise ship routes and is the busiest cruise-ship harbor in the West Indies. This small island is only 12 miles long and three miles wide, but there is a lot of activity for such a small space.

Rich in history, it is delightful to walk the narrow passageways in town where chic shops now occupy ancient Danish warehouses that once stored pirate loot.

St. Croix, the largest of the three U.S. Virgin Islands, is a little more tranquil

natural wonder with postcard-perfect beaches and views. Accessible only by boat, there are no cruise ship ports, airports or high-rise buildings; just a simple, natural, beautiful island.

Margaret Centers is the owner of Margaret’s Travel, www. margaret’stravel.com. She worked for Morris Travel for nearly 20 years and formed her own agency in 2010. For questions or bookings call 706-396-3769.

views

life face first

It’s 2015.There’s much to look forward to, such as purchasing a new calendar.

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than St. Thomas, although the capital city of Christiansted does offer numerous shopping venues. The real attraction of St. Croix is Buck Island National Park.

Several tour operators offer day trips to this protected underwater national monument, which has excellent underwater trails for snorkelers, filled with brightly colored corals and marine life.

St. John, the smallest of the three, is really the most beautiful and least developed. Two-thirds of St. John is a national park with guided trails and a third of the park is underwater. St. John is a peaceful, non-commercialized

hope this year I’ll buy my new calendar before May. There are also challenges such as remembering to write the correct year when writing the date. Last year, it was Halloween before I remembered it was 2014. This year I’m setting myself a goal of October 30!

Who am I kidding? I won’t get the year right until November.

There is only one thing to dread in 2015: The diet.

It is that time of year again when we swear off burgers and choke down salad for three days. Until calorie depravation frees our brains and we abandon the madness and settle in with a box

of Oreos. After all, it won’t be swimsuit season for five months, two if you live in south Florida. (No cookies for you, Florida readers.)

This year, I have a new diet strategy, one that can’t fail. I’m not going to diet.

Surely, that’s a strategy that even I can stick to.

Waistlines in the Blithe household could benefit from a diet but not even a vacation to south Florida in early spring could tempt me to stop eating junk food. I abandoned bikinis in 2014; 2015 isn’t looking good for two-pieces either.

There is one thing that could coerce me to munch lettuce like a self-loathing

rabbit. If my husband Brian decides to diet, I’ll be forced to step away from the corn chips. God forbid!

Brian’s midsection is squishier than he desires. As long as he is proportionately more overweight than I am, I don’t have to diet. But if he should embark on a fit of healthiness he’ll drag us both with him.

Frankly, I like my chances.

Still, I’ve begun suspiciously eyeing inbound groceries, making sure he isn’t planning a stealth diet attack.

Just the other day I offered to help put the groceries away so I could peruse his purchases, eliminate any overtly healthy food and order a pizza instead.

“What is this,” I demanded brandishing a head of broccoli.

“Broccoli,” he replied.

“I know it is broccoli. Why did you

buy it?”

He looked at me as if I was crazy. It’s a look I see a lot.

“To cook it for dinner,” he answered slowly. “I haven’t had broccoli cheese soup in a long time.”

Whew! Dodged a bullet there. Nothing says unhealthy like a vegetable smothered in cheese. Now to address the Brussels sprouts.

Happy 2015. May your year be wonderful and your diet plans include cake.

Nora Blithe is an Augusta native, an entrepreneur and a syndicated humor columnist. She lives in Greenville, S.C., with her husband, Brian, and their pets. Find her online at doorinface. com or email her at norablithe@gmail.com

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