February 2014 South Aurora Magazine

February 2014

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AURORA e n i z a g Ma SOUTH

SOUTH AURORA’S PREMIERE MONTHLY COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS SOUTH AURORA MAGAZINE

southauroramagazine.com

In This Issue

Magazine

February 2014 Vo l u m e 6 Issue 2 Publisher Mike Waid mike.waid@waidpublishing.com

Editor

Pamela Waid pam.waid@waidpublishing.com

Ad Sales Tiffany Grizzle tiffany@waidpublishing.com 303-805-9455 xt 14

Graphic Designer Adrienne Zeak Brust adrienne@waidpublishing.com South Aurora Magazine is published 12 times per year by Waid Publishing (www.

WaidPublishing.com), a division of Mike Waid & Associates, Inc. (www.MikeWaid.com), 19751 E. Mainstreet, Suite R-18, Parker, CO 80138, 303805-9455. South Aurora Magazine is available online at www.southauroramagazine.com.

South Aurora Magazines is a trademark of Waid Publishing. All rights reserved. The views, opinions and/or statements made or expressed by individuals and/or entities, are not necessarily reflective of the views and opinions of Waid Publishing. No part of this publication may be reproduced without explicit permission from South Aurora Magazine. Copyright 2013 South Aurora Magazine - All rights Reserved.

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Metro Area Arts & Culture

South Aurora Creative

Treatment Options for Lumbar Disc Herniations

Bookends: Doctor Sleep

Local Author Spotlight: Confessions of a Mediocre Widow

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WIN $100 CASH CONTEST

Here is your chance to win a cool $100 cash! Simply enter our South Aurora Magazine scavenger hunt contest. It’s easy to enter. Simply go online to www. southauroramagazine.com and click on our contest page. There you will find two “phrases” that are located within the pages of this issue of South Aurora Magazine. Simply enter the page number of those phrases on the online contest entry form and, as long as the page numbers are correct, you will be entered to win! We will randomly draw a winner from all correct entries. GOOD LUCK! WWW.SOUTHAURORAMAGAZINE.COM 4

February 2014

South Aurora

W

ith a backdrop as majestic as the Rockies, it’s no wonder there is no shortage of creative inspiration in and around the Denver area. We are lucky to live in an area with such a wealth of artistic talent as well as such a rich history with strong ties to the many cultural influences of the area. We could fill the entire magazine with listings of gems of the metro area Art & Culture community and we’d still never be able to list them all. Here are just a few of the gems in the Denver Metro area.

MOLLY BROWN HOUSE MUSEUM Denver

Don’t miss an opportunity to visit one of the most frequented historic sites in Colorado and one of just a few dedicated to telling the story of an amazing woman. Many people have heard of “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” but few know the extent of her influence throughout her lifetime. www.mollybrown.org

BUFFALO BILL MUSEUM AND GRAVE Golden

Owned and operated by the City of Denver, this museum exists to preserve the memory of William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody by collecting, caring for and interpreting artifacts associated with his life and recording his influence on American Culture. www.buffalobill.org

CHEROKEE RANCH & CASTLE FOUNDATION Sedalia

Not only committed to preserving the 3100 acres but repurposing one of our historic structures and providing educational opportunities relating to our western heritage, preservation, wildlife and the arts. It also serves and a breathtaking backdrop for special events and weddings. Upcoming events include a lecture on the great gardens of Europe, Lincoln’s Civil War Presidency and Emancipation Proclamation: An Evening with Colorado Lincoln – Presenter John Voehl, and Castle Teas every other Wednesday and Saturday. A Special Royalty Tea is scheduled for March 1st. www.cherokeeranch.org

HISTORY COLORADO CENTER Denver

Connecting what was to what’s next with their hands on, high tech exhibits. Upcoming Living West, Food: Our Global Kitchen, RACE: Are We So Different? The Denver 1860 Diorama, and the incredibly popular Destination Colorado – designed specifically for families to experience life as a resident in the town of Keota almost 100 years ago. Ride a Model T, sell and buy goods at the general store. www. historycoloradocenter.org

MCA DENVER Denver February 2014

Interactive school tours for K-5, Failure Lab – the MCA’s Teen Program, is an internship for high school students, named for the belief that risking failure is an integral element of creativity. Fox Family Idea Box on the top floor offers families an opportunity to relax, hang out or get creative and make art together. Art Fitness Training (through March 29th), Rashid Johnson: New Growth (2/21-6/15), Critical Focus: Ian Fisher (through 4/13), Joel Swanson: Left to Right, Top to Bottom (through March 30th.) www.mcadenver.org

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LITTLETON MUSEUM Littleton

With almost 32,000 square feet of galleries, classrooms, offices, a lecture hall and research center as well as two living history farms; the Littleton Museum is one of only 700 museums fully accredited by the American Association of Museums and the only Colorado Museum represented in the 140 member group of the Smithsonian Affiliates. www.littletongov.org

COLORADO BALLET Denver

For over 53 years, the Colorado Ballet has been a fixture in the arts here in the Denver Metro Area. Each and every year, breathtaking performances leave audiences spellbound and encourage future dancers to dream of being on stage. This year, the CO Ballet will be moving to a new home at 11th and Santa Fe. This new building will allow the Company and the Academy to continue to grow and help dance flourish in Colorado by training the next generation of dancers. This year, be sure to catch Cinderella, running through the 23rd of February, as well as the Ballet Director’s Choice the end of March and April 5th. www.coloradoballet.org

MUSEUM OF OUTDOOR ARTS Englewood

The Museum of Outdoor Arts focuses on site specific sculpture in Colorado. Collections are located in various locations around the Metro area. The Museum headquarters and indoor galleries are located in Englewood and other collections can be seen in parks, gardens and buildings all around town. Guided and self-paced tours are available of the outdoor collection and indoor gallery; you can download a brochure for the walking tour to view the permanent collection at your own pace. www. moaonline.org

COLORADO SYMPHONY Denver

This isn’t your grandmother’s symphony! The Colorado Symphony is a dynamic part of the arts in Denver. If you don’t have plans for the 14th yet, check out Denver’s Biggest Date Night – A Valentine’s Day Party in the Rings at Boettcher Concert Hall. Friday the 14th from 6-7pm, tickets are only $15 per person and include a glass of wine, chocolate and a red rose for your Valentine. In addition to special events, the Symphony has more than 150 concerts throughout the year. No matter your taste in music, the Symphony offers something for everyone; including their Classic Rock Concerts, Pops Concerts and Family series that literally brings the music to life. Engagements with violinist Itzhak Perlman and Grammy Award-winner Chris Botti are also on tap this year. www.coloradosymphony.org

DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE Denver

February 2014

For many, this museum is at the top of the list of “must see” attractions in the Denver area. If for some reason you haven’t yet made it over to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, make a point to do so, and soon! Their newest attraction, Maya Hidden Words Revealed begins its six month run on February 14th. Along with world class exhibits, the museum also houses a planetarium, an IMAX theater and countless educational programs for students of all ages. Adults can get in on the fun as well with programs like Art and Archaeology on the Green River and Paleontology Certification classes. It’s impossible to NOT find something amazing to see or do at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. www.dmns.org WWW.SOUTHAURORAMAGAZINE.COM 6

H

ave you ever been curious about the various arts and culture organizations around Aurora? We are lucky to have so many great groups providing a wide variety of artistic endeavors. Here are a few amazing organizations serving Aurora and our cultural community.

>> AURORA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA www.AuroraSymphony.org

The Aurora Symphony Orchestra embraces our community’s rich cultural diversity and appreciation for the arts by performing symphonic music that honors our heritages, celebrates our contemporary artistic environment and forges a cultural legacy for the future. Part of out mission is to use music for building bridges within the community and promoting a greater understanding of our shared humanity.

>> IGNITE THEATRE www.ignitetheatre.com

Ignite Theatre exists to ignite passion for the performing arts. We connect and strengthen communities by producing an eclectic mix of shows and productions, fusing them with exceptional talent and completing them with a brighter vision. We illuminate our communities through our benefit and outreach performances. We are a resource for new and seasoned performers, talented professionals and students with a spark for performing. We are proud to be a performing arts family that brightens the lives of the communities that help us thrive.

>> DOWNTOWN AURORA VISUAL ARTS (DAVA)

www.davarts.org Downtown Aurora Visual Arts provides communitybased arts education programs for youth ages 3 to 17.

From the OASIS Studio program to job training skills, DAVA enriches and supports the creative growth of kids in a high-risk urban community within Aurora, Colorado. DAVA’s core values of inclusiveness, pluralism, and arts learning have driven years of vibrant youth expression that are seen as a valuable resource in our community.

>> THE COLLECTION thecollectiongallery.webs.com

The Collection is the Aurora Arts District Consignment Gallery. The space was donated by Troy Gladwell of Medici Communities LLC. All artwork in the gallery is for sale. A portion of each sale goes to the Aurora Arts District which is a 501c3 organization. Thank you for your support! Artists are welcome to come hang out and create during open hours!

>> AURORA FOX ARTS CENTER www.AuroraFoxArtsCenter.org

February 2014

Owned and operated by the City of Aurora Cultural Services Division, the 245-seat Aurora Fox Theatre is home to the Aurora Fox Theatre Company, a professional company widely recognized for its eclectic, high-quality fare, the Aurora Fox Studio Theatre a smaller black-box theatre where more cutting-edge works are produced, and the Aurora Fox Little Foxes, which annually produces the popular theater for youngsters. Having just celebrated 26 successful seasons, The Aurora Fox wants you to relax, have fun, and get excited again.

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February 2014 WWW.SOUTHAURORAMAGAZINE.COM 8

treatment options for

LUMBAR DISC HERNIATIONS

T

by Scott Stanley, MD

here are many potential causes for back pain, but one of the more frequent diagnoses is a herniated disc. The spine is made up of a series of connected bones called “vertebrae.” The disc is a combination of strong connective tissues that hold one vertebra to the next, and acts as a cushion between the vertebrae. The disc is made of a tough outer layer called the “annulus fibrosus” and a gel-like center called the “nucleus pulposus.” As you get older, the center of the disc may start to lose water content, making the disc less effective as a cushion. This may cause a displacement of the disc’s center (called a herniated or ruptured disc) through a crack in the outer layer. Most disc herniations occur in the bottom two discs of the lumbar spine, at and just below the waist. A herniated lumbar disc can press on the nerves in the spine and may cause pain, numbness, tingling or weakness of the leg called “sciatica.”

February 2014

EIGHTY TO NINETY PERCENT OF PATIENTS WITH AN ACUTE LUMBAR DISC HERNIATION WILL IMPROVE WITHOUT SURGERY. Non-surgical treatments may include a short period of rest, antiinflammatory medications (to reduce the swelling), analgesic drugs to control the pain, physical therapy, exercise or epidural steroid injection therapy. The goals of nonsurgical treatment are to reduce the irritation of the nerve and disc and to improve the physical condition of the patient to protect the spine and increase overall function.

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MEDICATION AND PAIN MANAGEMENT Epidural injections or “blocks” may be recommended if you have severe leg pain. These are injections of corticosteroid into the epidural space (the area around the spinal nerves). The purpose of the injection is to reduce inflammation of the nerve and the disc.

SURGICAL TREATMENT Surgical treatment usually entails a common outpatient procedure called a “microdiscectomy” in which part of the herniated disc is removed. Under anesthesia, a small incision is made in the skin over the herniated disc and the herniated disc and any loose pieces are removed until they are no longer pressing on the nerve. Any bone spurs are also taken out to make sure that the nerve is free of pressure. Once home, patients are instructed to avoid excessive lifting and bending forward for the first four weeks. Most patients can return to work within a week.

Eighty to 90 percent of patients with an acute lumbar disc herniation will improve without surgery. However, if pain keeps you from your normal lifestyle after completing non-surgical treatment, your health care provider might recommend surgery. Surgery results in a 90 percent success rate for relief of leg pain, but is less effective in relieving back pain.

If you are suffering from back pain, a spine specialist may be able to recommend the treatment that is best for you. v Scott Stanley, MD is a fellowship trained spine surgeon on staff at Parker Adventist Hospital. For more information visit www.parkerhospital.org.

February 2014 WWW.SOUTHAURORAMAGAZINE.COM 10

BOOKENDS Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

Have you ever wondered what happened to Dan Torrance, the little boy from The Shining? In Doctor Sleep we meet him again when he is eight years old and living with his mother....and a few reminders of his year at the Outlook Hotel in Colorado. As he matures he is haunted by his past and becomes an alcoholic drifting from one place to another. He finds a home in a small New Hampshire town, commits to AA and has a decent job at a nursing home where he is known as Doctor Sleep. With his psychic ability, called the shining, he helps patients move to the other side. The quiet life that he has recently found will soon become complicated again as he is contacted by Abra Stone.

She too has a shining but it is much stronger than Dan’s and is desired by a group of people called the True Knot that need Abra’s shining to continue existing. Dan and Abra are about to unite and go to war against this evil force that travels the country in RV’s.

BECKY: The Shining is a classic thriller so although I haven’t read a Stephen King book in years I had to know what happened to the little boy from the Outlook Hotel. Did this spooky tale grab your attention right away?

PAM: This book grabbed me right away and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I have seen the movie, but never read the book. However, after reading Dr. Sleep I plan to go back and read The Shining. Were you pulled into the book from the start as well?

BECKY: The writing style did not flow well for me so that was a bit frustrating.

The Shining was written quite some time ago and I expected more reflections on the past characters than I found at the beginning of this story. Once I identified with the various characters I enjoyed the book much more but still felt that the story was missing depth. Do you think that it has potential to become a movie?

PAM: I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this book eventually became a movie, especially since some of his other books have ended up that way. King is known for his paranormal topics. Did you enjoy this about the book or did you find it too far fetched?

February 2014

BECKY: There are some parts that I found interesting but some of it was too much for me. I do believe that there are people that have a unique ability to communicate on a different plane and this book has multiple people that have that talent. What piqued my curiosity the most was the concept that when someone dies a mist or steam is released. The True Knot in this story is fueled by this steam. During this story there is a boy that is kidnapped and killed for his steam which is more valuable to the True Knot because of his Shining. I found this not only interesting but a disturbing way to explain missing children. While I didn’t necessarily find this book to be scary, I certainly had some odd dreams during my time reading it. Were you able to embrace the paranormal characters and situations in this book?

PAM: I was able to embrace many of the characters, but not all. I did like the main character, although his struggles with addiction at the beginning of the book were sad and I had a hard time connecting with him at that point of the book. I also enjoyed a child that he connected with later in the story. However, the true knot group was hard to grasp. The idea of them was very abstract and a little scary. I agree that this brought a very disturbing twist to missing children.

However, it was an intriguing way to incorporate these far-fetched characters into a real life situation. Did you find that the author tried to encourage sympathy for 11 SOUTH AURORA MAGAZINE

the members of the true knot? Did you find yourself feeing that way?

BECKY: That is always interesting when an author can create sympathy for the antagonist in the story. That exact thought did not cross my mind but I’m sure that there are some readers out there that might connect with those characters and they possibly felt an affinity towards this group during the story. I was thinking that the author was trying to humanize the characters that were paranormal. At the beginning of the book we meet Andrea whom has led a hard life. She becomes part of the True Knot family and I enjoyed the author’s direction here.

Andrea was a loner but now had a “family” to call her own and in an odd way that was endearing. The character that I enjoyed most was Abra. I pictured her as a young Dakota Fanning and enjoyed her spirit. Who do you think is the stronger character in this story, Abra or Dan? PAM: I felt that Abra was definitely the stronger character. Her Personality and paranormal power were very strong. Although Dan was a strong character in his own way, he didn’t have the same passion and confidence that Abra possessed.

However, he found himself thrust into the role of mentor with the young girl.

What did you think of that aspect of the story?

BECKY: Abra started to contact Dan when she was just a baby. At the time he didn’t know who she was or how she would impact his life. It was random thoughts and small messages. He was just starting his journey in AA so he was busy trying to control his addiction issues but overall, he was on a good path when Abra became a larger presence in his life. I thought that they had an interesting partnership. We have a young, naive girl and a recovering addict as partners. He wasn’t a typical hero or someone that you would want around your young daughter and the extreme difference made it hard for me to embrace.

Stephen King has experienced addiction issues in his past. Do you think that the True Knot or Abra represents something or someone from that time in his life?

PAM: interesting! I did not know that about Stephen King. I imagine there are deeper meanings to the two opposing forces for Stephen King. They could certainly represent the struggles of addiction and the hope and healing of the process of recovery. That would be such a great question to ask him...I wonder if he has done interviews about that time and the impact on his writing. Do you feel that the True Knot and Abra symbolize his struggles?

BECKY: I haven’t read any interviews about Mr. King but I did feel like it was an interesting character combination and maybe there was more to it than just writing a story. Who knows what runs through the mind of someone who can come up with stories like Carrie, Salem’s Lot, Misery and Cujo. It’s time to say good bye to this paranormal tale. Please tell us where we are heading next month.

PAM: Next month we will go in a very different direction and discuss A Tale for the Time Being: A Novel by Ruth Ozeki. v

February 2014 WWW.SOUTHAURORAMAGAZINE.COM 12

LOCAL AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT Confessions of a Mediocre Widow by Catherine Tidd

“I

spent my 11th wedding anniversary planning my husband’s funeral. If I could just figure out how to make that rhyme, it would be the beginning of a great country song.”

And so begins Catherine Tidd’s journey into widowhood at the age of thirty-one. Left with three small children to raise after her husband dies from injuries he sustains in an accident on his way to work, Catherine struggles to find the “right way” to grieve and put the pieces of her life back together again.

“My goal with Confessions of a Mediocre Widow was to be the voice I was looking for years ago when my husband died,” says Tidd. “I wanted a book that would help me laugh at my grief and something that I could relate to as a young widow with children. I needed a ‘friend on a page’ who understood what I was going through. And after years of searching for that book and not finding it, I decided to write it myself.”

In Confessions, Catherine talks about widowhood in a way that allows others who have walked a similar path to know that they’re not alone…and gives those who have not experienced such a significant loss a glimpse into how much it changes everything in life. From getting through the first set of milestones to going out on her first date, Catherine tells her story – including all of her successes and mistakes – in a way that will have you crying on one page and laughing the next.

“If there is anything that we all have in common it’s that life very rarely turns out how we pictured it when we were young,” says Tidd. “It’s how we deal with the situations that are beyond our control that truly determines the life we are meant to lead.”

Catherine Tidd has been published in several anthologies about grief and is a regular contributor to The Denver Post’s Mile High Mama’s. For more information about Catherine, visit www.catherinetidd.com. v

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