December 15, 2009 by Current Publishing

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Tuesday December 15, 2009 FREE

Carl Harvey dips his caramel and pecan clusters into milk chocolate to create the family's famous turtles. Photo by Zach Dunkin

Sweet tradition Candy maker carries on Christmas ritual started by his late Uncle Henry

By Zach Dunkin Current in Noblesville The home of Carl and Brenda Harvey in Cicero is immaculately decked out in garland, Nativity scenes, lights and Christmas trees. Holiday tunes drift endlessly through the spacious three-story home just west of Morse Lake. Nothing unusual about that, right? After all, ‘tis the season. But what is a bit odd is the huge, silk Santa Claus tapestry that hangs on a wall 20-feet high in the Harveys’ living room -- year-round. And that Harvey flips on the Christmas music in September. Christmas is a big deal here. And so is making hand-dipped, milk chocolate turtles, chocolate-covered peanut clusters and white chocolate bark with M & M’s for the holidays. Welcome to the home of Uncle Henry’s Candies, a zone-approved, health departmentinspected business operated out of a wellequipped kitchen in the Harveys' basement. This is where a holiday family tradition endures. “Tradition is the secret ingredient to all of this,” says Harvey, dipping freshly hand-cut sections of a caramel and pecans into a small Pyrex bowl of gooey milk chocolate. “I may not make as much money doing it this way, but it isn’t always about making money. “It’s about tradition. It’s about making this candy for family and friends. It’s about helping the vendors and suppliers my Uncle Henry used back in the 70s.” Henry Pence once farmed about 100 acres on the southwestside of Indianapolis at I-465 and State Road 37. There’s a truck stop there now. Each

» Products

Turtles, $12.75 1-pound box or $16 24-oz. can. Peanut clusters, $5.50 pound Sugar-free turtles, $23 pound Milk chocolate bark with pecans, $10 pound Pecan logs, $6 White chocolate bark with M & M’s or peppermint, $10 pound (Smaller quantities at lower prices are also available) 2 | December 15, 2009

Photo provided by Carl Harv

Photo by Zach Dunkin

(Above) Warm caramel is poured onto a tray of pecans early in the process of Carl Harvey's turtle-making. (Top Right) Carl Harvey's Uncle Henry was a farmer on the southwestside of Indianapolis who made candy for Christmas once the crops were in.

fall after the crops were harvested, he would move inside the farmhouse and begin making his candy for Christmas. “He’d start in the fall and then in December Aunt Nellie would call everyone and say, ‘Your candy is done. We’ll be here Sunday afternoon between 2 and 5 p.m. when you can come pick it up,’ ” said the 59-yearold Harvey. Cars would line the long lane from the highway up to the farmhouse. “It was like the scene from the movie ‘Field of Dreams,’ ”

remembered Carl. Make candy, and they will come. But then came the autumn Uncle Henry was too ill to make his candy. The candy dish that usually sat next to his chair brimming with chocolate at the family’s annual Christmas party was empty. “I remember when we were younger all of us cousins would sneak over there and grab some of his candy while he pretended not to look,” said Harvey. “But that year, Christmas didn’t seem the same without Uncle Henry’s candy.” By then, Carl was in his late-20s, and mature enough to appreciate the meaning of family custom. He thought about how his uncle’s special recipe and method might disappear. So, he asked his uncle to teach him how to do it. “The first couple of times he kinda laughed at me because I didn’t have the same technique down,” said the father of four. “But after I finally learned, it became a lot of fun.” Uncle Henry died in 1983, but Harvey is still making “his” candy for family, friends and a growing collection of customers, including two of his uncle’s original buyers. Come each fall he turns on the Christmas music and, with the

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help from his wife and mother-in-law, Wilma Pittman, Carl makes, packages and distributes his Indiana Artisan-approved candy nationwide via his Web site and regionally through local stores. The turtles packaging ranges from small four-piece holiday boxes to a 24-ounce can with custom labels. His biggest orders are for the holidays – Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter, and, especially Christmas. “Sometimes I’ll stand here making candy 12 hours a day,” said Harvey, who supplements his income by selling jewelry at JCPenney at the Hamilton Town Center in Noblesville. “We do everything by hand so there’s a lot of labor involved.” Harvey’s dream is to “make it big” someday with a small candy-making factory or shop where automation would produce more candy and more profit. But he says some of his more loyal customers hope that never happens. “They like the way each turtle is cut individually and there are all these different shapes,” he said. “It’s just the way they turn out.”

Where you can buy it • • • • •

www.unclehenryscandies.com Gatewood Vegetable Farms, 9555 E. 206th St., Noblesvillem, (317) 773-1214. Sullivan Hardware, 60 W. Jackson, Cicero Simply Sweet Shoppe, 30 N. Rangeline Road, Carmel Cicero Coffee Co., 150 S. Peru St., Cicero

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317.489.4444 Publisher – Brian Kelly brian@currentincarmel.com / 414.7879 General Manager – Steve Greenberg steve@currentincarmel.com / 847.5022 Managing Editor - Zach Dunkin zach@currentnoblesville.com / 908.2697 Associate Editor – Terry Anker terry@currentincarmel.com Art Director – Zachary Ross zross@ss-times.com / 787-3291 Associate Artist – Stefanie Lorenz stefanie@currentincarmel.com / 340.1836 Senior Reporter – Martha Allan

OUR VIEWS

It is our opinion that we citizens of Noblesville need to be watching out for each other during this holiday season. Aside from remembering to remove the snow from an elderly neighbor’s sidewalk, take note that we are at an elevated risk of being robbed or otherwise harmed during the happiest time of the year. While the Noblesville Police force does an excellent job protecting us, it is not omnipotent. We are responsible to be vigilant and take simple steps to ensure we are not putting ourselves at risk of becoming a victim. While it is rarely advisable to confront a thief, we can surely take basic steps and keep our gift packages out of sight. Like, make sure Nephew’s new iPod is tucked away in the trunk and not on the back seat. We should have our keys in hand as we approach our cars in well-lit parking lots. And shop with a buddy. It is more fun and safe. But if one becomes a victim, be observant and recall to the police all the details. And, if something suspicious is noted, please take the responsibility to help the police maintain order – not only during the holidays but throughout the year.

A civilized welcome

A civilized welcome It is our position that the Civic Theatre’s move to Carmel is good for all of Hamilton County. Carmel’s considerable investment in the arts has been panned by many, but the move shows that established and successful organizations are taking the City Center project seriously. Specifically, the century-old Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre of Indianapolis will open in Hamilton County during the 2011-2012 season in a new 500-seat traditional theater as a part of the now-under-construction performing arts center complex. We believe the Civic Theatre’s move shows a great deal of trust in Hamilton County and in its ability to deliver and serve the patrons of the professional theater. Hamilton County residents should consider this new addition to our home county as we invest our entertainment dollars in the coming years. It is our feeling that the addition of the Civic Theatre to the Performing Arts Center will help put Hamilton County on the map as a true arts center. And proximate cultural venues are critical in maintaining a high quality of life – essential in a competitive national housing market. The addition of assets like the Civic go a long way to legitimizing that truth.

Advertising Sales Executive – Maggie Green maggie@currentnoblesville.com / 538.3790 Sales Executive – Kate Holleman kate@currentnoblesville.com / 379.9400 Sales Executive – Dennis O’Malia dennis@currentincarmel.com / 370.0749 Sales executive – Mike Janssen mike@currentnoblesville.com / 490.7220

Business Office Bookkeeper - Deb Vlasich deb@currentincarmel.com / 489.4444 The views of the columnists in Current In Noblesville are their own and do not necessarily reflect the positions of this newspaper.

strange laws

CONSTITUTION CLOSEUP

Photo Illustration

Our nation has all sorts of arcane, nonsensical laws on the books. Each week, we’ll share one with you. In Long Beach, Calif., it is illegal to curse on a minigolf course. Source: Weird Laws (iPhone application)

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Every week, we will print a portion of the U.S. Constitution, followed by a portion of the Indiana Constitution. We encourage you to benchmark government policies against these bedrock documents. Today: the U.S. Constitution.. Section 7. Continued Every order, resolution, or vote to which the concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of

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Representatives, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in the case of a bill. Section 8. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States; To borrow money on the credit of the United States; To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes;

December 15, 2009 | 3

Noblesville’s Wariner up for 15th Grammy

From the backshop TARP dough? Give it back. Now! We’re sure you’ve heard the latest from the Treasury Department about the TARP bank rescue fund, which, in the next decade, will cost $200 billion less than originally expected back in August. Any savings or profits realized in this massive program must be returned to taxpayers. Granted, that makes too much sense, so, instead, we’re going to get some harebrained initiatives (“deficit reduction,” “jobs programs,” etc,) funded by these dollars. Don’t let them steal our money again. We can’t let them take those dollars and apply them to the deficit, because that would let those congressional clowns off the hook for their profligate spending. As for the jobs program, we all know it would be designed to save THEIR jobs, not ours. Give the money back. Now. Don’t you think we should force all members of Congress who are lawyers to recuse themselves from voting on the heath care bill? These members are against tort reform, so it’s an obvious conflict of interest. ••• While Harry Reid is losing health-care initiative votes in Washington, one of our spies, who is in a position to know, says the Democrat from Utah is taking a beating back

Brian Kelly & Steve Greenberg home in polling numbers. It seems the home folks are fed up with his antics. So, should he lose a re-election bid, no one will be shocked. ••• Congratulations to former Current Publishing reporting intern Margaret Sutherlin, who last week won second-place in the Indiana Collegiate Press Association’s feature writing category in its annual awards competition. She is a student at DePauw University. ••• Since Conseco has decided to further reduce the price of the former Hilbert estate in Carmel to less than $10 million from an original $20 million, we figure, what the heck, we’ll go for it. (All we need to complete the deal is $9 million.)

COMMENTARY By Zach Dunkin It’s time for another one of those Update Noblesville reports we like to do occasionally on town-related topics we have reported on in previous issues Our Oct. 20 cover story featured an interview with the country music star and Noblesville native, Steve Wariner, about his 26th album, “Steve Wariner c.g.p. – My Tribute to Chet Atkins. The 1973 Noblesville High grad was extremely proud of the all-instrumental project that paid homage to his idol and mentor, the late Chet Atkins, as well he should have been. Already the recipient of 14 Grammy Awards, Wariner found out this month he is up for another. His “Producer’s Medley,” a 5-minute cut from the album featuring classic songs by artists Atkins produced, was nominated for Best Country Instrumental Performance. The winners will be announced Jan. 31. The number includes snippets of “And I Love You So” by Perry Como, “Welcome to My World” by Jim Reeves, “The Three Bells” by The Browns, “I Can't Stop Loving You” by Don Gibson, “Java” by Al Hirt, “Let It Be Me” by

the Everly Brothers, “End of the World” by Skeeter Davis, and “When You're Hot You're Hot” by Jerry Reed. “It’s amazing the people he produced; most people don’t realize he actually coproduced ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ for Elvis,” Wariner told me last October. “When I was touring with him he’d play this medley of the hits that he’d produced, but he never recorded it. I did it because it showcased his incredible body WARINER of work as a producer.” Somewhere in Hillbilly Heaven, a proud picker is smiling down on Steve Wariner. By the way, you can watch Steve in the studio laying down a guitar track on a new holiday song – with Chet’s “Country Gentleman” Gretsch axe, no less -- at his Web site. www.stevewariner.com. “Feels Like Christmas Time” is available for purchase at Amazon.com. Just type in Steve Wariner under Music MP3 downloads. Zach Dunkin is the managing editor for Current in Noblesville. You may e-mail him at zach@ currentnoblesville.com

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4 | December 15, 2009

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Man overboard

READERS' VIEWS Remember why you were elected Editor, What is my best Christmas memory? It occurred last year when Barack Obama was elected President, bringing a renewed sense of hope to a country and a world which drastically needed it, and electrifying a whole new generation of voters. What is my best Christmas wish? For President Obama to remember why he was elected. He needs to get our military out of Iraq and Afghanistan. He needs to follow the

wishes of almost three-quarters of Americans by insuring that, at the very least, a strong public option for healthcare is made available to all. And he can finance it by cutting unnecessary weapons from the Pentagon budget, and raising taxes on the top 1 percetn of all American incomes. Have a backbone, Mr. President! Then we will all sleep better this Christmas! Andy Ray 46033

Looking forward to more good work Editor, I would like to commend you for the great product I have received from your organization the last few months. I look forward to it now every week. Just got the latest edition. Looking

forward to more interesting articles. Keep up the good work. Jack Stone 46062

Wanna write us a letter?

You can do it a couple ways. The easiest is to e-mail it to info@currentnoblesville.com. The oldfashioned way is to snail mail it to Current in Noblesville, 1 South Range Line Road, Carmel, IN 46032. Keep letters to 200 words max (we may make exceptions), and be sure to include your home zip code and a daytime number for verification.

COMMENTARY By Terry Anker Over the years, I have been faced with making many firing decisions. I’ve been removed myself. And, I’ve advised scores of managers on how to go about terminating others. Regardless of the direction from which it comes, a forced exit is always painful. Even if someone in my employ does a horrible job, I feel that I somehow should have done more to train, coach or lead them. But the truth is that some jobs are just not for some people. That doesn’t make them bad people or us bad managers; it simply means that the fit is wrong. But when a livelihood (and ego) is on the line, things can get dicey. I try to remember two things. First, removing someone from one’s company is not easy or pleasant. Regardless of how badly they may need to go, one should always mourn the loss of potential resulting from their departure. And second, recruitment of new talent and the removal of ineffective personnel can be very im-

portant in maintaining an organization’s overall health. Companies in difficult times remind me of life rafts at sea after the sinking of a liner. They can hold only as many people as they are equipped to carry. But even as survivors come aboard many more are in the water. If one brings on too many, it sinks and all drown. As we triage the severely wounded, do we push them over the edge to bring onboard another who might be able to survive? Regardless of the decision we might make, not all can be saved. Isn’t the better leader the one who works to preserve those who might be rescued and mourns the loss of the others? Is it right to invest the resource in the dying while condemning the living to certain death? Terry Anker is an associate editor of Current Publishing, LLC. You may e-mail him at terry@ currentincarmell.com.

As we triage the severely wounded, do we push them over the edge to bring onboard another who might be able to survive? blesville No

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December 15, 2009 | 5

DISPATCHES » Police looking for impersonator – Investigators with the Noblesville Police Department have released a composite drawing of a person possibly believed to be the suspect in the police impersonator case from Dec. 1. The case is still an open investigation, and anyone with information about it should contact Detective Mike Sadler at (317) 776-6371. At approximately 2:31 a.m. on Dec. 1, officers responded to the intersection of S.R. 38 and S.R. 32 on a complaint of a battery. Officers arrived on the scene and located the victim. A 29-year-old female from Noblesville, in the parking lot of the Speedway gas station. » Countywide borrowing program set to start – Beginning Jan. 2 library cardholders in Hamilton County will see an increase in their access to public library services without an increase in cost. The program will allow Hamilton County residents who live in a library district to borrow from any library in the county using their “home” library card. Cardholders also will be able to attend programs and utilize many of the services other libraries offer. There are five library systems in seven locations in Hamilton County – Carmel Cla, Hamilton East (Noblesville and Fishers), Hamilton North (Cicero and Atlanta), Sheridan and Westfield Washington. » One more nature event – The final Family Nature Program of the year is from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Dec. 19 at Forest Park Lodge, 878 Forest Court in Noblesville. The free family event includes activities with a nature theme. For more information, call (317) 770-5750. » You can still park free – Free parking in the metered City Hall lot will continue until the end of the year as an incentive to promote downtown holiday shopping. “The City Hall public parking lot is just one block away from the Courthouse Square and we hope that this program will encourage residents and visitors to come and shop in the downtown stores for unique gifts for the holidays,” said Mayor John Ditslear.

6 | December 15, 2009

Be a kid again and create with family or on your own COMMENTARY By Krista Bocko Children have an innate need to create and the gift of creativity. So do adults, whether we recognize it or not. My family does lots of creating -- rarely is our table free of some sort of project in the works. Children are wonderful and open artists. I love watching their progression from stick figure drawings that can’t really be distinguished to more sophisticated recognizable animals, and their excitement over any new form of media they discover, whether it be different paints, watercolor crayons, making cut-out Christmas cookies, or building a fairy house out of found natural materials. Last week I was at my parents’ house, and my mother had a large basket full of pottery that we kids had made in art. I looked through it, pretty sure that there wasn’t any of mine left in there, since I’m the oldest and it was probably long gone. There was one, a little pinch pot, and it was painted greenish-gray. It was pretty homely, really. But I looked at it and thought about the times my art projects were judged, and how the joy of creating was taken from me. If I could talk to myself back then, I would have looked at the little girl that made that pinch pot and found something good to say about it to her. So what if it wasn’t cute? She

Photo by Krista Bocko

There’s usually some project in the works as Krista’s kids – Lily, 3, Grace, 11, and Eric, 6 – demonstrate

had made it and because of that, it was special. Do you have childhood experiences like that, too? Remember that we all need to create, in whatever form it takes -- there are many -- and honor that. There is a wealth of ideas out there to get you started. As a new year approaches, commit to making space in your life to create and experience the joy of making something, too, either

with children or on your own. Krista Bocko lives in Old Town Noblesville with her husband and four children. She strives to encourage creativity and enjoys documenting their creative adventures. She can be reached via her blog at www.cachetwrites. blogspot.com.

The five best things about Christmas Commentary By Danielle Wilson Though every August I agree with Staples that the start of school is the most wonderful time of the year, I must confess I do love Christmas and the weeks leading up to it. Here are my top five reasons for ranking Dec. 25 as the best of all holidays. 1. I get to spend money, and a lot of it. If I were rich, I would shop 24/7. I love shoes, clothes and finding that perfect gift. Because I am not independently wealthy, or even jointly wealthy, I must limit my mall and online purchases throughout the year to necessities and obligatory presents. But not at Christmastime. I give myself free financial reign (to a certain extent, of course) to provide a memorable Christmas for my kids and family. Chia pets, Buzz Ballads, Snuggies, you name it. And more importantly, I give myself permission to lock Buyer’s Remorse in her room until the first of the year, even if she’s throwing a tantrum and yelling she hates me. 2. Idle threats really work. When else can I say to my children, “If you don’t stop throwing Monopoly pieces at each other, Santa will bring you sticks and coal,” and have them actually buy it? Christmas is the perfect time to lay the guilt on thick

and reap the rewards of easily coerced kids who really, really, really want a PS3 and will do anything, even be nice to a sister for a whole hour or call a truce on the ongoing smelly-sock war, to get it. God bless you, Santa! 3. There are loads of legitimate opportunities for FFO’s (that’s Forced Family Outings, for you amateurs out there). “Let’s go see ‘New Moon’ and eat popcorn.” “Let’s go get our tree and stop off at Starbucks for a latte.” “Let’s hang ornaments and pretend we’re having a precious moment even though Maddie just hung all the ceramic handprints on one limb, clumped the tinsel on the left side, and broke Mommy’s favorite porcelain angel from her grandmother.” We’re having fun, damn it! 4. Calories don’t count. Conveniently, Christmas is in the winter in our neck of the world, which means we are already wearing bulky sweaters and snow boots most of the time. So nobody but me and my husband will notice if I gain a few pounds from extra helpings of Yorkshire pudding and a third glass of red wine. Everybody’s doing it, so overindulging on the gastronomic front is perfectly acceptable and relatively non-caloric (i.e. if all

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of my sisters and sisters-in-law gain 10 pounds, no one actually becomes fatter). At least that’s what I tell myself as I down eggnog and homemade fruit cake, which I’ll admit I adore. Honestly! 5. “Wrapping presents” is the perfect excuse for “alone” time. This can mean a quiet moment in your office surfing the Web for vacations you’ll never be able to afford or, if you play your Season’s Greetings cards right, playtime with your significant other. “Mommy and Daddy are wrapping Christmas presents right now, dear; so, no, you may NOT come in.” Using this technique correctly can get you 10, maybe 20 minutes, of uninterrupted adult time for whatever helps you find some Christmas spirit. Brilliant, I know. You can thank me later. I hope you have a wonderful and healthy holiday season. I’m looking forward to the many column ideas that will surely come out of the next two weeks of insane amounts of family, gifts, sugar and hot toddies. Peace (on Earth) out. Danielle Wilson is a Carmel resident and contributing columnist. You may e-mail her at danielle@ currentincarmel.com.

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NHS students research light rail route to Indy By Sharon Trisler For Current in Noblesville The future of commuting from Noblesville to Indianapolis is on the drawing board of high school students today. Five Noblesville High School students - along with students from several metro-area high schools - are focused on easing the commute from Noblesville to downtown Indianapolis. They are studying the rail corridor along the Nickel Plate line and developing design ideas that could help lead Central Indiana to the use of a light rail system. The group gathered at Hobbs Station in Forest Park on Dec. 4 to ride the rail and begin to identify issues associated with the development of light rail. Armed with camcorders and digital cameras, they recorded the path from Noblesville to the Indiana State Fairgrounds on the northside of Indianapolis. Eventually, said NHS technology education teacher Joe Toms, the information collected on the trip and through students’ research will be brought together in a video presentation that will provide a look at the corridor and give viewers an idea of what it would be like to ride a commuter train. The schools are working with the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization. Each school has a part of the problem to solve, said Mr. Toms. The schools’ goal is to complete the project by the end of the school year. “Some are doing interviews, some are looking at traffic counts,” he said. “Basically we are trying to get traffic off I-69, through Fishers, and into Indianapolis. We want to relieve congestion, pollution and the stress of people going to Indianapolis.” Noblesville’s role in the project is to illustrate the need for a rail system to extend north to Noblesville. “There are enough people here and farther north that we need a hub here,” Mr. Toms said. “Fishers is so congested; a hub here would relieve

Submitted Photos

Noblesville High School freshman Nick Geiger and technology education teacher Joe Toms rig a camcorder to the front of the train as they prepare for a trip along the Nickel Plate line.

some of that.” NHS students are looking at an area on Noblesville’s southside as they begin to formulate a recommendation for the site of a hub. They prefer the southside to downtown or Forest Park to prevent congestion downtown. At NHS, this student-run project is an afterschool activity although students also may work on it during their Academic Lab at school. Sharon Trisler is public relations director and education foundation executive director for Noblesville Schools

Storytime session concludes ‘Books and Badges’ program By Zach Dunkin Current in Noblesville The Noblesville Police Department heads into the final two weeks of its “Books and Badges Program” Dec. 19 with a storytime reading session at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 17090 Mercantile Boulevard. The reading by police officers at 7 p.m. will culminate the department’s first full year of the program that promotes literacy through public readings and the giving of books to children the officers encounter during the course of their work. The gift of a book is in lieu of similar programs in which law enforcement officers give kids stuffed animals as a way of personalizing or comforting them while on patrol or answering a call. The officers also participate in book reading sessions throughout the city when requested. “I think it has gone over rather well,” said Lt. Bruce Barnes, public information officer for the police. “I try to handle most of the reading sessions since I’m typically available most of the time versus a road officer who might have to handle a call for service. “But we definitely have our share of officers that do an extremely good job at communityrelated events like this. We encourage all of our

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Coupon Exp. 12-29-09

Carmel Community Players Proudly Presents...

An Evening with...

Sunday, March 7, 2010 7:00 pm

Photo provided by the Noblesville Police Department

Carmel High School

Patrolman Craig Pittman captivates a group of young listeners during at a storytime reading.

officers to take part in programs like ‘Books and Badges’ when they have the opportunity to do it and manpower permits.” The department depends on donations of gently-used to new books from retailers and the public, and Barnes & Noble is a major source. Since Nov. 1 Barnes & Noble has been providing a chance for customers to donate books to the program as part of its annual Holiday Book Drive. The drive continues Jan. 1. “We definitely look to continue the program in the years to come,” said Barnes. Donations can be dropped off at the police department, 135 S. 9th St., or picked up. Contact Barnes at (317) 776‐6340, ext. 126 to arrange a pickup or a book-reading session.

An amazing and inspirational Broadway Lecture featuring stories, song and dance from one of Broadway’s legendary performers.

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Proceeds to benefit Carmel Community Players, Inc. a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization

December 15, 2009 | 7

How sweet it is! Cupcakes no longer contraband

Photo courtesy of Noblesville resident Sid Davis, owner of the Noblesville Golf and Batting Center.

The J.H. Fisher Horse Shoeing and General Smithing shop was located at 10th Street and Monument Street, across from where the North Elementary School is.

COMMENTARY By Leslie Webber I like rules. I’m the last person someone would label rebellious, but for the past two years I was a rule-breaker. When my oldest child started kindergarten, I couldn’t wait to host class parties. We would ring in the holidays with cupcakes and orange drink out of a carton, just like I did as a kid. Imagine my surprise when I found out I was 15 years too late. Cupcakes and holiday themed sugar cookies met the same fate as riding on Grandma’s lap in the car. In an effort to combat childhood obesity, many school systems adopted policies limiting the amount of sugar and fat that made its way into schools. I’m all for teaching children to make healthy food choices and stressing the importance of physical activity; I just don’t believe a cupcake consumed during a holiday party will tip the scales. The first classroom party I was a part of, the children were given a packet of tropical flavored cookie-like bears and a bottle of water. That went over well. I decided to do things differently for the next party. So began my life of

cupcake crime. I started sneaking in sweet treats. I was violating school policy, but I did it for the kids! I’m not a good liar and signed in at the office with a bright red face. I got pretty clever at hiding cupcakes in giant shopping bags. Our principal was a smart guy and caught on to my act pretty quickly. He strolled through more than one party to see what sugar-laden contraband I managed to smuggle. I steeled my spine and smiled through his knowing looks. When the new school year started, I was elated to learn my life of crime could come to an end. The Noblesville school district reviewed the nutrition policy and decided common sense would once again rule. We could now provide one “unhealthy” party snack as long as it was paired with something healthy. I’m so relieved to resume life as a law-abiding citizen. Leslie Webber is a Noblesville resident, wife and mother of two very young children. She writes a blog at www.lesliewebber.blogspot. com.

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DISPATCHES » Blues could be age related – If you’re feeling down, it could be the midlife doldrums. American women are least likely to be satisfied around age 40. The enthusiasm of youth disappears in your 40s as you battle job and family stress. The good news is that as you get older, the depression levels drop. In the meantime, when you feel gloomy, take a 30-minute brisk walk to lift your spirits – and burn calories. -Health

» Your brain on fruit – Carmen Miranda had the right idea – apples, bananas, and oranges are great for your head. Antioxidants in these fruits could protect brain cells from oxidative stress, which can contribute to memory loss and diseases like Alzheimer’s, according to a study in the Journal of Food Science. Apples may offer the best defense, but eating more than five portions a day of a variety of fruits and veggies will help safeguard your noodle. -Health » Eczema treatment standoff – Which is better to fight eczema, $100 cream or $8 salve? Sixty patients applied prescription MimyX ($100 for about 5 ounces) to one leg and OTC Albolene ($8 for 6 ounces) to the other, daily. After four weeks, the researcher couldn’t tell the difference. The drugstore cream eased redness, dryness, and other irritations just as well as the pricey drug. -Good Housekeeping

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Ask the right questions before you choose a trainer COMMENTARY By John Bellmore Last week we talked about some basic guidelines to consider when choosing a personal trainer. Today we’ll discuss the interview process with a potential trainer, a process which is a must. Significant questions are necessary to properly evaluate this individual. Here are some useful questions that you need to ask a potential trainer: • What is your certification? • How long have you been certified? • How long have you been training? • Did you go to college and graduate with a degree? • What is that degree in? • What kind of people do you train now? • Do you train in groups or as a one-on-one situation? • Do you offer a group discount? • Do you offer nutritional consulting (requires additional training and certification, illegal in some states)? • At what gyms do you train? • Is your membership included in the price? Are there special rates?

• • • • •

Do you offer package rates? Is there a discount for prepaying? What is your cancellation policy? Do you provide a fitness evaluation? Do you work with local physicians to help with various conditions? • What hours do you work and much time do you take off for vacations? • What other qualities do you have related to my specific needs? • What other normal fees are charged? Additional training outside of the gym can include many things. • Do you have a Web site? • Do you carry malpractice or liability insurance? • When was your last CPR certification? • What is the best way to contact you? If this all seems complicated, it should be. You are about to put someone in a command position of several aspects of your life and it should be the right person.

Anyone who has had chicken pox is at risk for shingles, which can trigger the rise of painful blisters and debilitating nerve pain that can persist for years. Shingles affects one in three Americans in their lifetime. The vaccine, which is for those age 60 and over, cuts the risk of shingles in half and reduces the risk of lingering nerve pain by 70 percent. Still less than two percent of those who are candidates have received the vaccine. -Healthy Living

John Bellmore is a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Health and Fitness and has been working with clients in the Noblesville area for the past six years. You can reach John or submit questions for future articles at jwbellmore@hotmail.com

The less-is-more project: joy, laughter and cold feet COMMENTARY By Tracy Line Christmas is in 10 days. 10 days. I have roughly two weeks left in my weight loss for charity project and I’m feeling overwhelmed. It’s not because I’m dieting. As I take in the holiday season, I find myself overwhelmed by all that I have. I have joy as I watch my seven-year-old dance around the family room oohing and ahhing over holiday decorations. I have a warm heart (and cold feet) as I patiently observe my daughters helping their father find the tree, a process that seemingly takes hours. I have laughter as I hear my youngest child ask Santa for gift cards. This holiday season reminds me of my abundance. It also reminds me of what the children of Christel House don’t have. One of my responsibilities at Christel House is to interview students and write their stories. What I learn is shocking. One student lives in a shack so small only two of four family members can sleep inside at night. Another lost both parents to illness and is now raising her siblings while still attending school. Those with little are being given much through Christel House. I’m not on a soapbox. Or maybe I am.

Fighting shingles

» Tracy’s progress report

Week 5: Feeling grateful Pounds lost so far: 5.4 Goal: 10 pounds Money raised for Christel House: 5.4 x $62 per pound is $334.80. Thoughts: Abundance is in the heart and mind

Either way, I have two points. First, thank you to all the wonderful people sponsoring me in this venture. That you are helping me lose weight and giving to Christel House at the same time brings me more joy than I thought possible. Secondly, even as I’m frazzled and sometimes ungrateful in this holiday season, I realize I live abundantly. I may have shopping, baking, and wrapping to finish, but I also have a home, food, and family. And if that isn’t enough, I have joy, a warm heart and laughter, if only I remember to take it in.

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Tracy Line is a wimpy yet soon-tobe-fit freelance writer and Noblesville resident. To sponsor her in her weight loss efforts, email her at Tracy. Line@comcast.net.

Skinnier salads Most people know that ordering a salad doesn’t necessarily mean you’re ordering something healthy. Still, it’s nice to know what salads really are good for you (calorie counts do not include dressing): • Au Bon Pain Turkey and Strawberry Salad (110 calories) • Panera Full Classic Café Salad (170 calories) • Wendy’s Chicken Caesar Salad (180 calories) • Starbucks Farmer’s Market Salad (220 calories) -Good Housekeeping

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p. 317-674-8668 • f. 317-674-8669 December 15, 2009 | 9

Fitness hints to keep your holidays healthy COMMENTARY By Angela LaSalle, M.D. Holiday eating is in full swing, and the New Year is almost here. Get a jump start on the new you for 2010 with these simple fitness principles. Drink water. Two thirds of our body is made of water. We need to stay hydrated to keep our cells processing and to flush toxins. Eliminate caffeinated beverages and keep alcohol to a minimum. Coffee and soda zap B vitamins and minerals and cause fatigue. Celebrating with a holiday drink? Try a wine spritzer, or better yet, a few ounces of fruit juice with sparkling water and citrus slices. Decrease your processed foods. Keep your holidays colorful with a wide array of fruits and vegetables. Be wary of items made with flour and sugar, as these can elevate blood sugar and insulin and contribute to dreaded holiday weight gain and energy slumps. Remember your body can only process so much food at one time. While it might be fun to pig out and pass out under the Christmas tree, those who graze their way through the

Proposed ‘botax’ discriminatory, unjust

holiday goodies win in the long run. Get moving! Every movement counts. Consider wearing a pedometer for your holiday shopping or take a break from stress with yoga or Tai chi. Anyone up for the Santa samba? Make use of that pervasive holiday music and dance up a storm with family and friends. Fitness is a gift. Resistance bands or a DVD make excellent stocking stuffers. Looking for a fun time with friends? Check out a “try me” fitness class and share some laughs. By being mindful and making good choices, you’ll be ahead of the game when the ball drops for 2010. Taking care of yourself will give you more energy to share with those you love, so eat, drink and be merry … the healthy way. Happy Holidays. Angela LaSalle, M.D. practices integrative medicine with the Indiana Health Group in Carmel and is board certified in family medicine. For more information, visit, www.angelalasallemd.com.

By being mindful and making good choices, you’ll be ahead of the game when the ball drops for 2010.

COMMENTARY By Dr. Barry Eppley There is sure to be much discussion about a provision in the Senate’s version of health care reform that would impose a tax on elective cosmetic procedures. With a tax rate of 5 percent, the measure will presumably raise close to $6 billion of the projected $850 billion price tag of the bill. Called “botax” by many, the intent of this measure is to tax those who can “afford” to pay it. Some call it a tax on the wealthy, but those who do so clearly have no idea who really makes up the cosmetic population. As one would expect, all sides of the cosmetic surgery industry are voicing opposition. Their argument is that such a tax unfairly targets the middle class – and working women in particular. Statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show that most people who undergo cosmetic procedures make less than $90,000 per year. And the vast majority (more than 80 percent) are women between the working ages of 18 and 65. Clearly this is not a tax on the wealthy. It is a discriminatory tax that falls largely on women. It may not be a tax on the wealthy, but it is a tax on the healthy. Contrary popular opinion, the vast majority of cosmetic procedures are performed on health-conscious individuals. Most are already reasonably fit and “appearance

focused.” This proposed discriminatory tax is targeting those who take care of themselves to help some who have made poor health choices. It would make more sense to tax unhealthy food items. This type of tax proposal is also troubling because it treads on choppy waters that health insurance companies have trouble deciphering. What is the official or tax definition of a cosmetic procedure? IRS rules for tax deductions state that any procedure necessary to treat a deformity arising from, or directly related to, a congenital abnormality, a personal injury resulting from an accident or trauma or a disfiguring disease is a medical procedure. Anything else is a cosmetic procedure. With so many differences between the House and Senate health reform bills, it is difficult to say what will happen. But this hidden tax will largely penalize health-conscious women. It is a troubling signal of how far your legislators will go to get more of your hard-earned money. And once again, the beneficiaries of your “generosity” will likely be those who have sacrificed less. Dr. Barry Eppley is a certified plastic surgeon at Ology Medical Spa in Carmel. You may reach him at info@ currentincarmel.com.

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DISPATCHES » Tree party – Make treats and decorate a tree at the Strawtown Koteewi Park 12308 E. Strawtown Ave. There’ll also be free hot chocolate. Registration is required by calling (317) 984-5556. » Director search – The resident Community Theatre Group of the Carmel Regional Arts Complex is looking for directors for the next three seasons. Professional series will be booked three or more years in advance in this building as well as our other sister resident companies. Directors are encouraged to send their resumes and a list of preferred shows they would like to direct. Carmel Repertory Theatre, Inc. will consider dramas, comedies and musicals. Send resumes and information to: Jonathan Horton, Carmel Repertory Theatre, Inc., 484 East Carmel Drive, #162, Carmel, IN 46032 » Three more days, and he’ll be gone – Santa Claus is putting the finishing touches on his list-making for Noblesville-area kids. He’ll continue listening to the Christmas wishes in Santa’s House on the Courthouse lawn just three more days – Dec. 17 from 5 to 8 p.m. and Dec. 19 and 20 from 1 to 5 p.m. » Audition announcement – Carmel Community Players will be presenting “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” in February, 2010. Auditions are Dec. 20 & 21, from 7-10 p.m. Readings will be from the script. Please contact director R. Brian Noffke at brianactor@hotmail.com with any questions. It is recommended that you are familiar with the script before auditions. » Specialty beverage – You can make a party memorable by creating a specialty cocktail like Santa's Helper. Start by soaking peeled and sliced cucumber wedges and crushed mint overnight in Bacardi Limon. Then right before the party, strain out the solids and add limeade concentrate, no-sodium soda water and enough cranberry juice to create a beautifully crimson cocktail. Garnish with edible gold or silver leaf flecks and tie a bell around each cocktail glass. - www.ivillage.com » Vacation for health – A vacation is actually healthy for you, but to reap the best benefits from your time away consider these tips: • Trips of seven days or more are more restorative. Fewer long vacations are better than more short ones. • Keep travel through time zones limited; jet lag is a form of stress. • Maximize your free time. Commitments limit the curative effect of travel. • Get off your chair. Moderate activity enhances benefits of the vacay. -Conde Nast Traveler

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Capt. Critic’s DVD pick

The Mel Brooks Collection

G, PG, PG-13 & R, 969 minutes

If you’ve got a Mel Brooks fanatic among your friends or family, this new Blu-ray collection is prime holiday gift material. “The Mel Brooks Collection” contains practically the entire oeuvre of the comedy legend, including eight of the 11 films he directed: “Blazing Saddles,” “Spaceballs,” “Robin Hood: Men in Tights,” “History of the World Part I,” “Young Frankenstein,” “High Anxiety,” “The Twelve Chairs” and “Silent Movie.” It also has “To Be or Not To Be,” which Brooks merely starred in. The nine-disc collection doesn’t include his first (and perhaps funniest) movie, “The Producers,” which hurts its value. But let’s face it, the omission of “Life Stinks” and “Dracula: Dead and Loving It” probably isn’t going to disappoint anyone. At a suggested retail of $140, the collection is pricey, though you shouldn’t have to search too far to find it substantially discounted (it’s listing on Amazon.com under a hundred smackers). A similar collection is already available on DVD (for around

$75), but where else but Blu-ray could you see the king’s oversized posterior from “History of the World” in hi-def, or hear the infamous farts from “Blazing Saddles” in crystal-clear audio? Movies: B (aggregate)

Read more of Chris Lloyd’s review of current films and DVD’s at www.captaincritic.blogspot.com or www. TheFilmYap.com.

Get outta town

DERBY DINNER PLAYHOUSE Where: 525 Marriott Drive, Clarksville, Ind. Getting there: Take I-65 south from Indianapolis to Exit 1, take Exit 1 to Stansifer Avenue. Go to first stop light and turn right, then immediately turn left onto Marriott Drive. It’s about 135 miles, 2 hours, 10 minutes from Noblesville. Hours: Doors and buffet open at 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, and 11:45 a.m. for Wednesday and Sunday matinees, through Dec. 31. Closed Monday. Cost: $29-$42, including buffet dinner. Info: (812) 288-8281, www.derbydinner. com What: Frank Capra’s 1946 film classic, “It’s A Wonderful Life,” is brought to life on the Derby Dinner Playhouse stage. Set in 1945, the play tells the story of George Bailey, a man who is continually setting aside his own dreams in order to keep his late father’s building and loan business afloat. The book and lyrics were written by Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winner Sheldon Harnick

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Photo provided by Derby Dinner Playhouse

Annette McCulloch (left) plays Mary Bailey, Tyler Bliss plays George Baile and Madison Lawson plays ZuZu Bailey in "A Wonderful Life" at the Derby Dinner Playhouse.

with music by Grammy- and Emmy Award-winner Joe Raposo. The Derby Dinner Playhouse is one of the oldest and largest, continually-operating dinner theater in the country. It is in its

35th season and has become southern Indiana’s only professional dinner theater. The buffet includes a full salad bar, a variety of vegetables, fish, beef or turkey, hot rolls and beverage.

December 15, 2009 | 11

CHRISTMAS

THEATRE

Conner Prairie by Candlelight

Guests travel back to Dec. 24, 1836, where Prairietown residents are preparing for the holidays at Conner Prairie, 13400 Allisonville Road, Fishers. Guests stroll along lantern-lit paths through Prairietown and visit homes during a 60-minute guided tour that will culminate with a holiday party at the Campbell’s home, where they will share refreshments. Each family along the way has a story to tell. Tours leave every 10 minutes from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec.18 and 19. Cost is $12 adults and $10 children and reservations required.Call (717) 776-6000.

Mo’s Irish Pub

“The Wacky & Wonderful”

The Carmel Community Players presents a holiday variety show featuring plays, stories, songs and surprises for kids at 2 p.m. and 4 p .m. Dec. 19 and Dec. 20 at the Carmel Community Playhouse at Clay Terrace 14299 Clay Terrace Blvd., Ste. 140. Tickets are $10. Save $2 with donation of tw0 non-perishable food items. Children 3 and younger admitted free. Tickets available at the door or by calling (317) 815- 9387 Visit www.carmelplayers.org for more information.

Drive through seven acres of lights and arrangements, including religious and commercial holiday depictions and a tractor theme at 12501 Reynolds Dr., Fishers, beginning at 5 p.m. through Jan. 3. Santa will visit Dec. 18 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Free.

Visitors take a hayride with Santa to cut down a Christmas tree, visit farm animals and shop for wreaths at 11366 State Road 38 East in Noblesville. The event is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Dec. 21. Info: (317) 776-9427

Chelsea McLean, from Noblesville, is in the singing and dancing chorus in “A Beef & Boards Christmas 2009” at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre, 9301 N. Michigan Road, Indianapolis. On stage through New Year’s Eve, the performance features singing, dancing, a salute to the military, a live Nativity, and a special segment for children. Tickets are $34-$57, including buffet dinner. For reservations and information, call (317) 872-9664 or visit www.beefandboards.com

SUBARU

The following musical acts will play live at Mo’s Irish Pub, 13193 Levinson Lane in the Hamilton Town Center, Noblesville. For more information, call 317-770-9020. Dec. 17 – Greta Sparks Dec. 18 – Lemon Wheel Dec. 19 – THUMP! Dec. 26 – Aberdeen Project

Mickey’s Irish Pub

“A Beef and Boards Christmas”

Reynolds Farm Equipment

Stonycreek Farm’s Country Christmas

LIVE MUSIC

The following musical acts will be playing live at Mickey’s Irish Pub, 13644 N Meridian, Carmel. For more information, call 317-573-9746: Dec. 18 – Zanna-Doo! Dec. 19 – Big Daddy Caddy Dec. 26 – Toy Factory

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Making good mashed potatoes not as easy as you think By Molly Herner Current in Noblesville Mashed potatoes are an American holiday staple and with this easy recipe you can continue to please your holiday guests and complete your holiday meal. This wonderful starch has sustained human life for centuries and deserves the respect of great flavor and consistency when served. Though a seemingly easy dish, fixing mashed potatoes can be a difficult task to master. They should be smooth, but not pasty. Fluffy, not chalky. And not over-salted or over-buttered. Using too much salt and too much butter are easy mistakes to make. Contrary to the common American mindset, more salt or more butter does not always equal better potatoes. I always use plain old baking potatoes, but you can use whatever type of potato you please. You might want to try Yukon gold or redskins. Keep in mind that a potato itself has very little flavor and will absorb the flavor of whatever you add to it. Often people over-salt or overbutter mashed potatoes in fear that without doing so the

potato will taste bland. This is a grave injustice to the potato. Another common misconception is that you should wait until your water is boiling to add your potatoes. Adding potatoes to alreadyboiling water will quickly cook the outside of the potato, but not the middle. This leaves you with a big pot of unevenly cooked potatoes and will prove difficult to mash thoroughly. This is the main cause of lumpy inconsistent mashed potatos. Add your potatoes to the water as soon as you put the water over heat. This process will allow the water and the potato to heat at the same time cooking the potato evenly all the way. Also, salt your water a little from the very beginning so that flavor is immediately immersed into your potatoes. This recipe gives you a wonderful potato base to use. If you want cheesy potatoes add cheddar or parmesan cheese with the cream, salt and butter. You can also add chopped chives or parsley for color. Molly Herner, is the baker/pastry chef at Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano. You may email her at odette05@aol.com.

MASHED POTATOES Ingredients: • Desired amount of potatoes, three or four large bakers will serve four to six people. If you are using redskins, use the whole bag. • Salt • Pepper • Milk or cream • Butter Directions: 1. Peel all potatoes and chop them into even pieces. If you want skins in your potatoes simply leave the desired amount of skin on and chop the potato evenly. The more consistent your pieces the more evenly they will cook. You don’t want several overcooked small pieces and several under cooked large ones. 2. Fill a large pot with lukewarm or room temperature water 3. Put all of your potatoes in the water and place over med/high heat 4. Add a sprinkling or two of salt and let the water cine to rolling boil, at which point you can reduce the heat a bit so your pot does not boil over. The starch from the potatoes will form a white foamy layer on top of the water. You can skim this off with a spoon, or leave it. The layer is of no

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consequence really. 5. Your potatoes are done when they break easily on the end of a fork or knife. If the potato offers any resistance to slicing, it needs more time. Check a few different pieces to make sure they are all cooked. 6. Drain your potatoes using a colander and return to the same pot, but over low heat. 7. Add a few pats of butter, a tablespoon or so of salt and a half-cup of cream or milk to start with. 8. Mash the potatoes using a hand masher, or whip them with a hand blender. Be careful to not over-whip them, or they will become pasty very quickly. I suggest using a hand masher or whisk, which is more work but eliminates the risk of pastiness. If you have a free-standing or countertop mixer, you can use the wire whisk attachment to make this process easier. 9. If you like creamier potatoes add a bit more milk or cream during this process. 10. Taste the potatoes and add more salt if needed. If they taste good and well-flavored do not add any more salt. The salt flavor will continue to meld with the potato the longer they sit, so you need not immediately add more. If they are at all dry or starchy tasting add a bit more milk or cream.

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Free day at Conner Prairie

Photos provided by Conner Prairie.

(Above) The girls of Brownie Troop 1132, Noblesville, won first place in the scout category with their colorful scouting scene. (Left) Marjorie and Ronald May, Carmel, won first place in the professional category with their flour mill winter scene.

Guests can check out more than 35 amateur and professional gingerbread creations at Gingerbread Village and stroll throughout 1836 Prairietown for free from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 19 as Conner Prairie takes part in the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association’s 12 Free Days of Christmas. At Prairietown, the residents are preparing for the holidays and taking care of winter tasks. Guests can also visit with a Victorian era Santa Claus, enjoy a theatrical presentation and make a holiday decoration to take home. Gingerbread Village will remain open through Jan. 3 with a regular admission price of $5. Conner Prairie is located at 13400 Allisonville Road in Fishers.

PICK OF THE WEEK

Holiday in the arts district gallery walk

When: Dec. 3 – 23 Where: Carmel Arts & Design District Cost: Free Details: First stop is the Simply Sweet Shoppe (30 N. Range Line Road) to pick up the gingerbread map and clues and then the hunt begins! Stops include businesses displaying hand-made gingerbread houses n their windows. Answer the corresponding question specific to the gingerbread house displayed and proceed to the next stop! Complete the tour and stop by the Arts & Design District Office with your completed list and receive a special holiday treat! Completed lists are also entered into a drawing for a large gift basket filled with goodies from local merchants! Info: 317-571-ARTS or carmelartsanddesign.com

YOUR SOURCE FOR: Movie and DVD reviews Commentaries Interviews Podcasts

Plus, free movie screenings and DVD giveaways!

Santa Claus Open House

Come visit Santa Claus at his house on the Noblesville courthouse square and tell him what you’d like for Christmas! Fri, Dec 4 Sat, Dec 5 Sun, Dec 6 Thu, Dec 10 Sat, Dec 12

4:30 – 8:30pm* 1 – 5pm 1 – 5pm 5 – 8pm 1 – 5pm*

Sun, Dec 13 Thurs, Dec 17 Sat, Dec 19 Sun, Dec 20 Thurs, Dec 24

1 – 5pm 5 – 8pm 1 – 5pm* 1 – 5pm noon – 3pm

Call 776-6367 for more information. A free photo of your children with Santa is available or parents are welcome to bring their own camera. *On December 4, December 12, and December 19, stop by the tent next to Santa’s house and enjoy a free cup of cocoa, thanks to Noblesville Main Street!

14 | December 15, 2009

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How to eat, drink and be merry at your New Year’s Eve party Spumante. These wines cost about 75 percent less than French champagne and are available in domestic and imported varietals. Have drink recipe cards displayed and let guests attend to their own drinks. This is fun for guests and gives you time to tend to the food.

By Molly Herner Current in Noblesville After the whirlwind of Christmas has subsided it can be daunting to plan your New Year’s Eve party. Have no fear, with a few shortcuts and Christmas recycling, a low-stress New Year’s Eve is achievable. Here’s how:

What to eat

Setting the scene

Make sure your guests know that your house is not the Waldorf, so they need not be dressed for a back-tie event. If you are relaxed your guests will follow. Set your party to start around 8 p.m. Your guests will likely have eaten dinner and will be content with hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and dessert. There is no need to buy decorations when you can simply recycle your Christmas best. Save some pieces of wrapping paper and ribbon from gifts for party decorations. You can make small paper folds to set on buffet tables. Trim branches from your Christmas tree and wrap them around candles. People love to bask in the glow of Christmas decorations a bit longer. And while basking, have cocktails to make you glow.

What to drink

Try a themed drink menu this year. To decrease liquor costs, make a few cocktails using

Photos by Molly Herner.

A limoncello (or lemoncello) champagne cocktail with four parts limoncello, two parts dry champagne and a splash of lemonade makes for an economic party drink.

one main ingredient, like champagne. Try limoncello (or lemoncello) champagne cocktails using four parts limoncello, two parts dry champagne and a splash of lemonade, all served in a chilled glass. Another great cocktail is champagne sangria. Pour champagne over a glass of ice about a third full. Add orange and pineapple juice and a splash of triple sec or Cointreau. Have a bowl of mixed frozen fruit for garnish. Don’t want to spring for Veuve Clicquot this year? Try Prosecco, a lovely semi-dry sparkling wine. To accommodate sweeter tastes try Asti

Where I Dine

RESTaurant

Cara Matthews

Alexander's

Manager at Mancino’s Pizza and Grinders Where do you like to eat? The Melting Pot What do you like to eat there? Fiesta Cheese Fondue Why do you like to eat there? It’s a nice date. It’s quiet, and there’s time to talk. The Melting Pot 5650 E. 86th Street Indianapolis 317-841-3601

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Have a few warm hors d’oeuvres and some smaller cold dishes. Keep your menu simple and make easy-to-assemble dishes. Try bruscetta. Slice and toast a baguette and top it with a mixture of chopped tomato, garlic, basil and olive oil. Or baked brie and apples. Wrap a wheel of brie in puff pastry and bake until golden and serve with sliced apples. Some great cold options are cheese and sausage platters, shrimp cocktail and assorted olives. One of my favorite dips is cream cheese and olive spread with pretzels. Blend chopped green olives, cream cheese and spoonful of mayonnaise and serve with pretzels of varying size. If you plan on serving dessert try freezing your leftover Christmas pumpkin pie. Slice up the frozen pastry and layer it in a large glass dish with whipped cream, cinnamon and white chocolate to make a New Years trifle. Trifle is easy and a sure crowd-pleaser.

Finally …

Remember, when it comes to entertaining,

Six keys to a successful New Year’s Eve toast A host or a guest may want to propose a toast on New Years Eve, Here’s what they should remember: • Know what you are going to say and rehearse it. • Don’t offend anyone. • Make a blanket statement everyone can relate to. • Use good humor but don’t try to be funny if you are not. • Read the audience to decide if you should improvise. • Keep it under two minutes. – Tracy Goodwin, award-winning professional speaker and author of “Be Delicious: The Art of Voice & Movement Integration.” simpler is better. Don’t attempt to make complicated dishes for the first time. Have a splendidly simple cocktail party that includes these recipes. Recycle your decorations and use a drink theme to save your pocketbook. Have plenty of candles and a roaring fire. Watch the ball to drop and sing “Auld Lang Syne” in good company.

Restaurants often use the term “old-fashioned” a little too loosely. Sure, there might be something traditional on the menu, but that doesn’t make the entire establishment a relic of the past. Alexander’s, though, is the exception. Housed in a building erected at the height of Victorian style (complete with original tin ceiling), Alexander’s is truly an old-fashioned ice cream parlor, soda shop, and restaurant. Try one of more than 35 flavors of ice cream, including savory cinnamon, fresh, chunky strawberry cheesecake, and wild black cherry. If the time’s right, try one a seasonal favorite. Alexander’s periodically offers peaches and cream, pumpkin pie, and holidayfriendly peppermint ice cream, too. Make sure to take advantage of the homemade waffle cones, browned to perfection and delightfully crunchy. If in search of something sturdier, Alexander’s also offers an array of lunchtime necessities: burgers and fries, reubens on rye, salads, and sandwiches. 864 Logan Street | Noblesville Phone: 317-773-9177 Hours: Monday - Thursday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. | Saturday: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

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1-888-800-7916 December 15, 2009 | 15

Are you boring your audience?

DISPATCHES » Chamber elects new board members – The Noblesville Chamber of Commerce recently elected individuals to serve as board of directors and officers of that board. New to the board for 2010 are Michael Better, DDS – Family and Cosmetic Dentistry; Andy Foster, Premiere Planning, Inc.; Judi Johnson, City of Noblesville; Gabrielle Sauce, SaucePan Creative; and Bill Taylor, Taylored Systems. They will join current board members John Adams, Jerry Barr, Dave Carter, Mike DeBoy, Libbie Conner, Jerry Deering, John Elmer, Mark Flinchum, Pat Fox, Myron Glover, Monica Peck, Sharon Smith and Cindy White. Officers selected for the 2010 term are Chairman of the Board Cindy White, First Merchants Bank; Chairman-Elect Jerry Barr, Krieg DeVault, LLP; Secretary Monica Peck, Hare Chevrolet,;and Treasurer Jerry Deering, Community Bank. Chamber board members are elected to a three-year term, which is renewable for a second three-year term if elected. Officers are elected by the board for a one-year term. » Business group is two-years-old – Noblesville Marketing Group (NMG), a group of local business owners representing retail and service providers throughout the Hamilton County area, is celebrating its second anniversary. The members network to promote excellent business practices, support the Noblesville community and help those businesses who choose to participate to grow through shared marketing ideas. NMG meets bi-weekly on Friday at 7 a.m. at Jim Dandy Restaurant in Noblesville.

MONEY MATTERS What's the best Christmas deal you've found so far? “The cornhole games I bought for my husband at [the high school].” Krista Shields Noblesville

“Elf hats I bought for a buck at Dollar Tree.” Debbie Wittstein Noblesville

“A sheepskin steering wheel cover I’m buying for my brother-in-law at Sierra Trading Post for $6.36.” Bill Kenley Noblesville

16 | December 15, 2009

COMMENTARY By David Cain It’s that time of year when the holiday-party invitations are flowing, despite the rocky economy. My party attendance has got me noticing what boredom looks like. Here it is, my top four signs your guest is not engaged. Or, we could say, the four signals you are boring your audience. 1. Abrupt departures. You are chatting with a person when they say, “Oh, I need to say hello to this person,” and walk away. Sudden or abrupt departures are a red flag for boredom. Same things apply to online marketing. If your visitors spend little time with your Web site, there’s a good chance you are causing some yawns. 2. Little exchange. If the person you are talking to simply nods in agreement or uses terms like “wow,” “oh really,” and “no way,” you might be getting the brush off. Engaged listeners genuinely listen and, as such, pose questions that are deeper than simply saying “no kidding” to all your conversations. 3. Poor posture. People who are attentive and interested generally are less restless during the conversation and have better posture. If you are talking to someone who is standing up straight and leaning into the conversation, it’s usu-

ally a good sign. Chatting it up with someone who can’t stand still? You can bet they are wishing this were over. 4. Abrupt changes. If you are covering some ground on a topic and your guest changes the topic abruptly, you might have the wrong subject. Let’s say you are having a conversation about politics and world peace and the first time you take a breath they say, “How is your family?” That’s a strong signal it’s time for a new topic. It’s always important to know what your audience is thinking. You might be boring people and not even know it. That’s like talking with your lunch stuck in your teeth, but no one will tell you. It’s embarrassing. You are always better off knowing, and then you can make a change. Whether it’s a cocktail party or your company’s Web site, look for signals that you are not engaging people. And don’t ever forget, if you don’t have many people interested in what you are saying, you are probably boring. David Cain works at MediaSauce, a digital media and online marketing company in Carmel. David welcomes your questions or comments at David.Cain@MediaSauce. com.

It’s always important to know what your audience is thinking. You might be boring people and not even know it.

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The 60-plus club

MY OPINION

The 60-Plus Club is a non-profit Indiana corporation founded to give 60-plus year old residents of Hamilton County affordable and professional day services to older adults with special needs. It is a place where families can take those whose activities are limited by injury, disease, or frailties of age under the supervision of a staff of health care professionals and therapists. The 4,200 square-foot space in the former Bureau of Motor Vehicles licensing office was renovated to include a full-service kitchen, a reading and quiet room, a social activity area and offices. The club works in partnership with proven and reliable providers to offer a variety of home services at lower costs, as well as to ensure that members have preferred access to quality health care. Services include home finance assistance, lawn care, transportation, personal shopping, home-delivered meals and personal chefs, social activities, long term insurance, physical fitness evaluations and activities and mental and health care monitoring. Membership is open to all Hamilton County and its adjacent neighborhood residences with anyone 60 years of age or older. All memberships are good for one year. Cost is $125 for an individual membership or $250 for a household membership. 1101 S. 10th St., Noblesville Phone: (317) 294-5352 | Web site: www.60-plusclub.org. Hours: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday.

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180K

Type: Tri-Level Age: Built in 1973 Location: U.S. 31 North near 161st Street Neighborhood: Outside of a typical subdivision Square footage: 3,087, including 672 in the partially finished basement Rooms: This four-bedroom home has three bedrooms located on the upper level and a master suite on the main level. The floor plan has a family room with a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, formal living and dining rooms and a nicely finished media room in place of what was once the garage. The home has new laminate flooring and new paint inside and out. Strengths: The exterior is stone on all four sides. The house is on a sizable over ¾ acre lot and has no homeowner association restrictions or mandatory fees. The backyard is fully fenced. There is a newly built detached garage that is nearly twice the depth of typical garage with high ceilings and overhead walk-up storage. The rental rate on this home is $1,500 per month. Challenges: This home has a water restriction that would limit the number of occupants. The front of the house faces U.S. 31.

John Pacilio and his team specialize in Hamilton County real estate with RE/MAX Ability Plus. Contact him at 216.8500 or John@JohnPacilio.com.

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Fire Chief Jeffrey L. Reveal began this program in 1977. That year, the department assisted thirty families. This holiday season, over 120 Noblesville and Noblesville Township families will be assisted. The need is greatest for new, unwrapped toys; however, the Fire Department is also requesting canned goods, non-perishable food items, and monetary donations (checks are preferred—made payable to the Noblesville Fire Department Legacy Fund). Donations will be accepted at any of the Noblesville fire stations until Friday, December 11. read more

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Sobczak Construction Services has been serving Hamilton County and surrounding areas for 20 years, but business has boomed recently after owner Dave Sobczak added a new in-house Realtor to the team: his wife, Stacey, an F.C. Tucker agent working in the company’s Suburban North office in Carmel. Dave builds the houses, Stacey sells them and the husband-and-wife Sobczak team has used the unique arrangement to survive the economic downturn while some competitors have gone out of business.

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Want to keep receiving Current in Carmel and/or Current in Westfield? Please take 20 seconds to fill out this card and help us secure a periodicals rate. The City of Carmel Ethics Board secretary has dismissed a complaint against Mayor Jim Brainard, citing insufficient facts to support allegations of unethical conduct.

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The complaint, filed by City Council member John Accetturo, alleged Brainard violated the ethics ordinance when he, as a member of the Board of Directors of the Carmel Performing Arts Foundation, Inc., an Indiana non-profit domestic corporation, permitted the CPAF to receive grants from the Carmel read more

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There's a fungus among us, and the city can help COMMENTARY By Holly Funk A recent pass through our historic district has me thinking twice about driving down a certain street that I will not name. While I usually enjoy my jaunts through town, this particular day I spotted an extremely dangerous street tree that has me wanting to go a completely different way to work from now on. Yikes. A tree cannot live forever, as some may think. Like any living thing, it has a life span. Sometimes that span is cut short due to lack of water or care…but when a tree has lived a long life, it can have a good amount of decay and that can be the tree’s demise. All trees have a certain amount of decay and it can be relatively harmless if the rest of the tree is in good shape. However, the amount of decay in this particular street tree has me a bit frightened. The tree is sporting a shelf-like type of fungus called “conk.” Fungal conks grow on rotting wood, and this tree is absolutely covered on one whole side of its trunk – the street side. It is a ticking time bomb waiting to snap in two. At this point, there is no hope for a tree like this but to remove it…before it removes your car. Or your house. But for most people tree removal is a great expense. However, a street tree can be removed by the

city’s Street Department. Under the direction of the Urban Forester (776-6348), both City crews and private contractors perform work to street trees. This includes tree removal, dead wooding, and routine trimming. Since this tree is at such a great risk of snapping, it could be deemed a high priority for removal. And while I don’t normally don’t like to speak of such dreadful and depressing topics, I figure in life you take the good with the bad. And the same must be true for trees. C’est la vie. Holly Funk is an Indiana accredited horticulturist and advanced master gardener residing in Noblesville. Email your gardening woes (or wisdom) to hollyfunk75@yahoo.com.

Taking a deep, healthy breath COMMENTARY By Craig Todd Winter’s outside air can be so clean and refreshing, so clear and bracing. But winter’s inside air can be a downright health hazard. Winter is the cold and flu season not because of the snow, ice and freezing temperatures outside, but because of stuffed-up, unventilated, bacteria-laden air inside. A variety of devices can be added to home heating and ventilation systems without a major overhaul or furnace replacement. The first thing, of course, is to install a new furnace filter. Replacing the filter is the cheapest, simplest thing you can do. I’d say the degree of difficulty is roughly equivalent to changing a florescent light bulb. It’s a good idea to change a standard one-inch filter monthly. The four-inch-wide filters can be changed two times a year. More aggressive measures for clean, temperate inside winter air can involve mechanical add-ons to your current furnace system. Most of these can be done quickly, and generally they are best suited to professional installation. For example … HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Arresting) filters capture particles as small as 0.3 microns,

18 | December 15, 2009

collecting such annoyances as dust, mold spores, mites, pet dander and other troublesome allergens Air purifiers capture and kill airborne pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and mold, re-purifying the entire house roughly eight times an hour. Humidifiers are your dry skin’s and nasal passage’s best friend when hooked into your whole-house ventilation system. They also reduce “carpet shocks” from static electricity. Ventilators bring in a controlled amount of fresh, outside air through your HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system and can actually reduce heating and cooling costs. UV lamps in evaporator coils zap any trace of mold. Any of these items, including a thorough, professional cleaning of your HVAC ductwork, will make that next big breath you take inside a healthy sigh of relief. Call me with any questions.

Craig Todd (ctodd@gottabegodby. com, 317-244-3444) is the CEO of Godby Family of Services.

Kid does just fine at Retching 101 COMMENTARY By Joe Shearer Primary among a parent’s tasks in raising their children is being a teacher. Anyone with kids knows all about teaching their progeny to tie their shoes, ride a bicycle, or drive a car. Next time you’re watching a movie of the week where a dad is teaching his kids important life lessons, consider this one: I just taught my son how to throw up. Not the actual process, of course. That’s more or less involuntary, or so they taught me in 10th grade health class. We’re talking real life lessons here. I had the stomach bug first (it knocked me flat on a Sunday, and was gone the next morning). On that Wednesday night it was Riley who approached, pale-faced and frowning, saying "I have to frow up." I shepherded him to the bathroom, where he let fly a solid if not epic spew. About 20 minutes later, another. A third just before bed, and the pattern was firmly established. So, we sat down, a bucket next to his bed, and talked vomit protocol: taking the bucket with him on the way to the bathroom, acceptable places to let fly (in order, the toilet, the bucket, or the bath tub), and prioritizing

in case of emergency (“Is it better to upchuck on the bathroom linoleum floor or on the carpet?” I asked). It was a 20-minute conversation, and included instruction and quizzes. I’d have liked to have had time to prepare flash cards, but hey, you can’t have everything. After I was satisfied I’d drilled it into his head, I put him to bed and waited. He was up at least seven more times during the night, and actually started carrying the bucket after the third or fourth trip. We didn’t have any big accidents, but still a few near misses as he hesitated before going into the bathroom. Now, that he’s graduated Retching 101, I guess next time around he’s ready for grad school. And to fulfill his student teaching requirements, he has his little sister and brother. Joe Shearer is an editor, freelance writer and the father of three children living in Noblesville. He blogs at daddyheaven.blogspot. com and also writes for www. thefilmyap.com. E-mail him at joeshearer@gmail.com.

‘Preserve’ your memories; seal them well COMMENTARY By Darla Kinney Scoles Editor’s note: Due to a computer error some content was missing in last week’s column. This is the column in its entirety: My most recent interest in family history information was actually the result of a different quest years ago at this very time of year. Searching for an affordable and meaningful gift to give a long list of family members, I stumbled upon the idea of a journal jar. A journal jar is just that, a jar, decorated and filled with paper strips on which journal prompts are printed or written and rolled into a scroll. The recipient of the jar is encouraged to take out a strip each day or week and write down a response in a corresponding journal. A year ago last spring, when my mother-inlaw passed away, a nephew revealed that she had secretly been writing in that Christmaspresent-journal and had only wanted us to find it after her demise. That journal is a treasure of stories and life’s little (but often undocumented) details. I had known Mary Scoles for almost 30 years and thought I had heard all of her stories, but that was clearly not the case. As I read her entries, made in response to a wide variety of inquiries, I discovered an entirely new woman whose early-year history I had apparently missed along the way. I’m sorry we did not receive these memories verbally, but maybe this way they will be more enduring. They certainly are endearing. This holiday season as lists are made and

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gift-choices considered, please consider giving family members a journal jar. Instructions for making – or purchasing - one can easily with an online search for “journal jar”. Give yourself one, too, while you’re at it. Preserve your memories Seal them up well. What you forget, You can never retell. But a journal that’s kept fresh on the shelf Will help someone through rough times Maybe even yourself. Darla Kinney Scoles is a freelance journalist living in Noblesville. Her most recent work involves the creation of “Stories,” an individualized writing service helping people get their personal histories down on paper. Contact her at darlas@mpinet.net

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DISPATCHES » Christmas programs at Hinkle Creek – The first and second graders of Hinkle Creek Elementary School will stage their Christmas programs Dec. 16, beginning at 7 p.m. All performers should report to their classroom no earlier than 6:30 p.m. » A do-over for credit-- Noblesville Schools is offering a credit recovery program for NHS students. The program allows students who have failed a core course to re-take the course for credit. Instruction will be provided primarily through the computer software NovaNet, which hosts a standards-based, online curriculum. A licensed teacher supervises and assists students as they progress through needed courses. The fee per course is $125, and the student must finish the class within nine weeks. If the student does not complete the required curriculum, he or she must sign up for another nine-week session for another $125. The fee for students currently receiving free or reduced-price lunches is based on a sliding scale. » Parents can join the fun – Hazel Dell Elementary School parents are welcome to

join students and teachers for caroling at 1:45 p.m. Dec. 18. Classroom holiday parties for students in Grades 1-4 will follow from 2:30-3:15 p.m. Early childhood and kindergarten classrooms will have their parties on Dec. 17 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Students from kindergarten through fourth grade are having a book exchange. Students are being asked to purchase a book costing $5 or to exchange with their classmates. » School closings, delays on Web first – Information about weather-related delays and closings will be available on the Noblesville Schools Web site, www.noblesvilleschools.org, before anywhere else. To receive e-mail notification goes to the Web page and click on the “E-Mail Alert” logo. You will be asked to enter your e-mail address. Local radio and television stations will also be notified. » Instrumental holiday show -- Musicians involved in Guerin High School Instrumental Music Department will be performing at the Christmas Concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 15 in the cafetorium. The concert will include performances by the drumline, band and guitar students.

Let it snow, let it snow, and then ... let us sled! COMMENTARY By Hannah Davis Kids, no matter what age, have an automatic reaction to seeing snow. Don’t deny it. At school, we point toward the nearest window and direct the attention of every classmate to the single flake we thought we saw four minutes ago. And if we’re lucky enough to be at home, we ask where the sled is. Yes. The sled. That half-inch of snow that fell a week ago? Perfect. All we need is a slope, a little white stuff, and a pair of jeans that Mom won’t get too upset about having to take to the laundromat because they’re too darn muddy to throw in her own washer. Silly, you say? Impractical? Of course, it’s impractical. But it’s sledding, for Pete’s sake, and someone has to break in the hill. I distinctly remember begging to go sledding when I was too little to take control of these things by myself, finally convincing Dad it was worth the trip, and then being too crabby, too stubborn, and generally too Hannah-ish to have any fun. There were a few winters I spent thoroughly disliking sledding just because it involves

» Hannah’ unofficial Top 5 sledding hills • • • • •

Forest Park Golf Course Dunn Meadow, IU Campus, Bloomington Fort Harrison State Park, Indianapolis Pokagon State Park, Angola Slayter Hill, Purdue Campus, West Lafayette

being cold and exerting oneself. Now, I regret it. There is nothing -- absolutely nothing -- half so much worth doing as simply messing about on sleds.

Hannah Davis is a senior at Noblesville High School and the opinions editor for The Mill Stream.

I can't get no satisfaction By Brandie Bohney You may be surprised to learn I scored higher on the SAT in math than I did in language. Quite a bit higher, actually. It just so happens that I disliked math and put little effort into it. Writing and literature, though? Loved them. Still, I grasped math concepts with relative ease, so I performed well. Take, for example, the concept of two negatives making a positive in multiplication. See there? I know some math. The double-negative concept holds true for language too, but unlike math, where no one will do you bodily harm for putting two negatives together, two negatives in language can be deadly – at least to how people interpret you. Here’s how the double negative works in language: I don’t have no explanation actually means that you must have some explanation. Not having nothing means having something, right? But people using double negatives rarely mean what their words really state. In using a double negative, the speaker or writer actually winds up saying the exact opposite of what is intended. Unless what is intended is to make oneself appear to be a fool who uses double negatives, when, in fact, one is just a fool trying to lead one’s audience astray.

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I haven’t the vaguest notion how the double negative came about. Its relative commonness, however, indicates that it has been in existence for a long time and that it is a widely accepted construction in certain groups. I know it was a problem for a number of students at my former school, and I hear double negatives used in situation comedies with relative regularity. And it’s somewhat pervasive in music. I have to say, though, that in the case of music, sometimes songs just work better with the inclusion of the double negative. Hit me with the grammar stick, if you like, but I think that The Rolling Stones’s “Satisfaction” would be much less satisfactory if the lyrics were, “I can’t get any satisfaction.” Besides that, the lyrics are so true if you interpret them as written: Mick Jagger, possibly one 1485 1245 101 207 2716 382 230 250 of the ugliest men on the planet, is not exactly short of satisfaction, I feel quite certain. He just isn’t capable of getting no satisfaction.

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Brandie Bohney is a grammar enthusiast and former English teacher. If you have a grammarrelated question, please email her at bbthegrammarguru@gmail.com.

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» Geeky gifts under $50 – Unplggd has released a list of gifts for the geek in your life at a price point of less than $50. They note that tech gear under $50 is pretty scarce, so they’ve rounded up some home décor items for geeks in addition to some tech stuff like a shower radio that looks like a shampoo bottle. From keypad coasters to periodic table throw pillows to an emoticon shower curtain, it’s an interesting list. - www.unplggd.com » Keeping track – Vehicle tracking is no longer just for large businesses and private detectives. Now anyone can check up on their kids, spouse, and employees with the easy to use Tracking Key Pro from LandAirSea. The Tracking Key Pro is a passive GPS device that can be hidden in a vehicle to automatically log trip information for up to 30 days. The person tracking the vehicle can check real-time movements by computer or smartphone or check the information after a trip has been logged. - the-gadgeteer.com

Beware of online coupon scams COMMENTARY By Gary Hubbatd It’s no surprise in a down economy that the use of coupons is on the rise. Estimates say more than 1.5 billion coupons will be redeemed this year – up almost 25 percent over last year. Lots of scams have risen to reflect the popularity of coupons in both the physical and online worlds, including those claiming you can make “big money” selling and clipping coupons. The following are some easy-to-spot “red flags” for questionable coupon offers. • Any site that asks you to pay for a coupon should immediately be questioned (and avoided), because that would violate the manufacturer’s policy for how its coupons are distributed and acquired. Most legitimate coupons can be acquired for free via the official methods chosen for distribution by the manufacturer (newspapers, partner Web sites, etc.). • Any site suffering from “link rot” should also be avoided. Link rot is when a link no longer works. This is an indication of a site that has not been maintained and is likely to have old or invalid offers. • Any site that requires you to provide lots of personal information to access coupons is likely in the business of remarketing your information. • Look for expiration dates and the usual legal jargon. Coupons that have neither are likely modified or forgeries.

S Range Line Rd.

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Gary Hubbard is the owner of Data Doctors Computer Services - www.datadoctors.com. Have a technology question? Send it to CurrentInCarmel@datadoctors.com

126th St.

City Center Dr.

. Gradle Dr

A good way to see if a coupon site is reputable is to see how popular it is with other Internet users. A great place to check up on any site is Alexa.com. By going to the “site info” tab at the top, you can input the Web address of any site you would like to learn more about. The first thing to look at is the “traffic rank,” which is a relative number to all the sites Alexa ranks in its database. Another good way to see if a site has been validated by others is by checking the number of sites Alexa shows are linking in to it. The last quick check should be to the “online since” date (older dates don’t mean much since sites can be repurposed, but very new sites should be considered more risky.) If you are looking up a specific site, a great way to learn about other related sites is to click on the “related links” tab to see a list of sites with similar content and their respective rankings. Based on those elements, here are a couple of the higher-ranking coupon sites: • SlickDeals.net • FatWallet.com • DealTaker.com

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December 15, 2009 | 21

The Christmas cynic finally comes around, sort of COMMENTARY By Mike Redmond Why yes, that WAS me stringing Christmas lights all over the front of my house the other day. Me, the guy who used to work every Christmas because he preferred it to a forced march through Holiday Happyland. Me, the guy who went 20 years without so much as a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree in his house. Me, the guy who wrote the song, “I Really Don’t Like Christmas, I’m Just Here For The Food.” What can I say? Things change. And that, in a nutshell, is why I was up on the porch roof muttering some very non-holiday sentiments as I tried to get an uncooperative string of C-9 Christmas lights attached to the gutters. For years, I’ve been a little cynical about Christmas. OK, on some years, a LOT cynical. I would remind you, however, of the old saying “Scratch a cynic, and you find a disappointed romantic.” I think that pretty much sums it up for me and Christmas. Truth be told, I always wanted Christmas lights on the house, going back to kidhood. No, wait. ESPECIALLY at kidhood. One December night each year, Mom and Dad would tell us

to get our coats and pile into the car so we could drive around to look at Christmas decorations. It was great. We’d go from neighborhood to neighborhood, for what seemed like hours, looking for the shiniest examples of Electrified Holiday Cheer. I loved it – especially the houses with all-blue light displays, as was quite the fashion back then. My sister thought I was nuts. She preferred the multicolored displays as long as they were something she called “tasteful,” the meaning of which eluded me then, and come to think of it, eludes me still. My brother didn’t care about color; he was partial to displays that included plastic Santa figurines, preferably on the roof, waving frantically, as if to flag down a passing DC-3. I always wondered why it was OK for other houses to have Christmas lights, but not ours. The closest we ever got was a string of bulbs on a wreath in our front window. Mom says it’s because Dad wanted it that way. She says this about a lot about things from kidhood. Whatever we didn’t get to do, it was always because Dad wanted it that way. Of course, Dad isn’t around to confirm or deny, and hasn’t been for 22 years, so Mom’s pretty much in the clear, allegation-wise

Anyway, everyone else had lights (or so I said) and we didn’t, and evidently it stayed with me until this year. And that’s what put me up on the roof, overloading the circuits with strings of Festive Yuletide Amperage. I put them along the gutter, going horizontally across the front of the house, and then circling, candy-cane style, down the porch columns. Then I put a string around the front door. I’m thinking it still looks incomplete. I think I’ll get a big wreath, put a string of lights on it, and hang it in the front window. Dad would approve, I think. And so would Vicky. I may not know tasteful, but I know enough to know multi-colored lights are the way to go … until January, when I can get a good price on a whole bunch of blue ones.

Mike Redmond is an author, journalist, humorist and speaker. Write him at mike@mikeredmondonline.com or P.O. Box 44385, Indianapolis, IN 46244.

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Frank L. Gigliotti, 42, Fishers, passed away Dec. 6, at home. He was born Dec. 31, 1966 in Milwaukee, Wis. Frank was a 1985 graduate of Hamilton Southeastern High School. He is survived by mother, Kristine Blaszyk; sister, Lisa Rose; niece, Rachel Rose; grandmother, Dorothy Cegielski; aunt, Kerry Engler; and six cousins. He is preceded in death by his step-father, Roy Blaszyk, and his grandfather, Harold Cegielski. Patricia A. (McBride) Kneip, 83, Noblesville, passed Dec. 4, 2009. She was born Nov. 23, 1926 in St. Joe, Ind., to James A. and Vera (Keller) McBride. Patricia was a retired legal secretary. She was a member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Noblesville, a volunteer at Riverview Hospital and the Indiana Repertory Theatre and a member of the Red Hat Society. She is survived by daughter, Pamela (Tracy) Burroughs of Noblesville; son, Robert C. (Cindy) Kneip III of West Palm Beach, Fla.; three brothers, James A. McBride and Michael McBride, both of Idaho, and Richard L. McBride of Butler, Ind.,; six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband, Robert Kneip who passed away on Sept. 17, 2003. Memorial contributions may be made to Riverview Hospital, Memorial Foundation, PO Box 220, Noblesville, IN 46061 -or- Hamilton County Humane Society, 1721 Pleasant Street, Suite B, Noblesville, IN 46060.

Charles Edward Smith passed away on Dec. 1, 2009 at the Jordan Valley Medical Center in West Jordan, Utah due to complications from cardiovascular disease. He was born on Dec. 4, 1930 to the late Rastus and Sophie (Stillwell) Smith of Oakland City, Ind. After graduation from Oakland City High Schoo, he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War from 1951-1953 before being honorably discharged as a corporal. Upon returning from the service, he attended Oakland City College majoring in education where he graduated in 1957. Charles spent most of his career in the North Gibson School Corporation serving first as a teacher, then as assistant principal at Princeton High School. Since 2005, he has resided in Fishers, Ind., to be near his children and grandchildren. Survivors include his wife, Charlotte Cantrell Smith, son, Edward CR, daughter, Rachel Ann Briscoe and five grandchildren: Jordan Alyse, Quinton Oliver, Lydia Grace, Sophia Rose, and Alanna Marie. Memorial Contributions may be made to the Living Word Bible Church in Indianapolis. Condolences may be made online at www.corncolvinfuneralhome.com

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Current in Noblesville