Josephine March 2013

Josephine St. Joseph’s women’s magazine

Ecofriendly makeup tips Look good and feel good

Work it out

How to handle the inevitable problems between you and your boss

M arch 2013

More inside: Acne doesn’t just afflict teens Potato dishes to help celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Are you really saving money?

Underpriced Sleeper FREE e Oil Lifetim s e Chang

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©E. Christopher 2013

editorial: (816) 271-8594 toll-free: (800) 779-6397 advertising: (816) 271-8527 fax: (816) 271-8686 josephine@ newspressnow.com

Our staff Editor Jess DeHaven jess.dehaven@newspressnow.com Presentation editor Paul Branson paul.branson@newspressnow.com Photo editor Todd Weddle todd.weddle@newspressnow.com Designer George Stanton george.stanton@newspressnow.com

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the regulars editor’s note

4

events calendar

5

the 5

6

average joe

28

getting real

29

meal time

30

inside

Cover photography by Matt Reid | Josephine magazine

cover girl Jelissa Fischer is finding herself pretty busy these days. The St. Joseph native and Vatterott College graduate spends her days as a cardiovascular tech at Heartland Cardiovascular Consultants checking in patients, drawing labs and working with EKGs. She’s also expecting her first child, a boy, with boyfriend David Allison in about two months.

“We’ve been looking for a house and getting ready for the baby,” she says. “I don’t have time for much else right now. But it’s exciting.”

Something Jelissa is looking forward to in March is a St. Patrick’s Day meal with her family. She says it’s tradition for them to share dinner on almost every holiday, and most recently the family celebrated Chinese New Year together.

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| Josephine magazine |

March 2013

Working it out Focusing on the job, not the confl ict, is best when dealing with the boss

8

Help for adult acne Skin condition is not just for teens

12

Starchy staples Potato dishes celebrate Irish tradition

14

Natural beauty Five simple steps to get your beauty routine greener

16

Succeeding side by side St. Joseph women have worked together to advance

20

The real deal Sometimes saving money doesn’t really save at all

22

Feeling the burn Refocusing, taking time for yourself can keep you from falling into a rut

24

Clearing up your credit Busting the misconceptions of credit report and credit score checks

26

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editor’s note

By JESS DEHAVEN The post-holiday letdown, the gloom that can come with the winter months, work, taking care of the house and family — it’s no surprise that you might be feeling a little worn down these days. We all experience burnout every once and awhile, and it can be hard to drag yourself out of the rut. But you can shake off those feelings and get yourself back to enjoying things again. Crystal Wiebe’s story on page 24 has advice that will help you recharge and get past the burnout, no matter what the cause.

If a workplace conflict is what’s bringing you down, you might want to check out Christina Heckman’s story on page 8. She looked into the issue of how to handle a boss that you’re not really meshing with. The job market still is tight, so finding new employment might not be the solution. However, you can cope with our expert tips.

On a lighter note, March is the time for that most Irish of holidays, St. Patrick’s Day. In honor of the occasion, Brooke VanCleave has a look at some tasty potato dishes on page 14. And if your green thoughts are more of the environmental type, turn to Kristen Hare’s story on page 16. She has eco-friendly ideas that will have both you and the Earth looking beautiful.

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march

area events

SUN

MON

TUE

Every Monday 9:45 a.m. (weigh-in at 8:30), TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) a non-profit, weightloss support and education group, East Hills Church of Christ, 3912 Penn St., 232-6858.

Every Tuesday 7:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.

Cardio Fit Boxing, Monroe’s ATA, 106 S. Belt Highway, 671-1133, $3 a class.

5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m., Cardio Fit Boxing, Monroe’s ATA, 106 S. Belt Highway, 671-1133, $3 a class.

March 4 7 to 9 p.m., St. Joseph Camera Club, Rolling Hills Consolidated Library.

March 18 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., Young Living Essential Oils presents free natural health seminar, 1570 Calhoun St., Chillicothe, Mo. Call (660) 707-0097 or e-mail millergloria@ att.net.

March 5 6:30 p.m., Pony Express Chapter of Cowboys for Christ, Pony Express Saddle and Bridle Club, north of K Highway on County Road 371. Call 238-7503.

March 19 6:30 p.m., Pony Express Chapter of ABWA meeting. To find out more and to make reservations, please call Vickie at (816) 244-5648 the Friday before the meeting.

WED

Every Wednesday 7 a.m., Farmer’s market, 3821 Eastridge Village.

7:30 a.m., St. Joseph BNI weekly meeting, Pony Express Museum.

Call 262-9684.

5:15 to 6 p.m., Cardio Fit Boxing, Monroe’s ATA, 106 S. Belt Highway, 671-1133, $3 a class.

March 26 10 a.m., Welcome Wagon Social Club of St. Joseph, general meeting, Rolling Hills Library, 1904 N. Belt Highway. For additional information, go to www. stjomowelcomewagon. com.

3 p.m. and 7 p.m., Young Living Essential Oils presents free natural health seminar, 1570 Calhoun St., Chillicothe, Mo. Call (660) 707-0097 or e-mail millergloria@ att.net.

2013

THUR

FRI

Every Thursday 10:30 a.m., 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., knitting classes, Keeping Good Company, $20 for four weeks, call 364-4799.

Every Friday 5 to 8 p.m., Friday Night Wine Tastings, Smooth Endings Fine Wines, Spirits and Cigars, corner of Belt and Beck, (816) 749-4WINE, $5 per person.

6:45 to 7:30 p.m., Cardio Fit Boxing, Monroe’s ATA, 106 S. Belt Highway, 671-1133, $3 a class.

SAT Every Saturday 7 a.m., Farmer’s market, 3821 Eastridge Village.

9 to 9:45 p.m., Cardio Fit Boxing, Monroe’s ATA, 106 S. Belt Highway, 671-1133, $3 a class.

March 14 9:30 a.m., St. Joseph Garden Club, Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Citizens Center, program on creating and maintaining water ponds

by Chris Motsinger of Mann’s Lawn and Landscaping.

Guests welcome.

Call 232-9151 for information.

March 21 5:30 p.m., Third Thursday Wine Tasting, Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art. Cost is $10 per person. Call 2329750.

7 p.m., Introductory session to Creighton Model Fertility Awareness and Appreciation, Heartland Medical Plaza. Course is designed to help couples cooperate with their fertility in family planning. Call 232-2258.

March 2013

| Josephine magazine |

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5

The

5

tips for life

Banish bad breath Health. Brushing, gargling and using gum or mints are standard ways to get rid of already-existing bad breath. A better method could be to prevent bad breath from happening in the first place. Floss regularly to rid the teeth and gums of bad-breath bacteria that tend to stick around even after brushing your teeth. Drink a lot of water throughout the day to promote healthy saliva levels in your mouth. Avoid bad-breath triggers like coffee, tobacco and pungent foods as much as possible. Finally, take stock of your medicine cabinet — some prescriptions can cause dry-mouth symptoms that could lead to halitosis. Find these tips and more in Leanne Beattie’s article “How to Banish Bad Breath” at www.spark people.com.

Route your refund

Money. If you’re like me, people aren’t rolling up to your doorstep giving away dumptrucks full of money for no work. That’s why I feel like it’s important to budget your income tax refund before you get that check in the mail or through direct deposit.

Have that money already planned to go places, whether it’s to pay down a debt or add to or start a savings account, Roth IRA or 401K. It beats having it burn a hole in your wallet or immediately throwing it away on some frivolous item. It’s a new year – plan smart.

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March 2013

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Do away with dry skin Beauty. With winter almost behind us, dry skin is about to become a lot less of a problem. But if you want to get a jump start on overcoming it, consider this easy exfoliation remedy: Add a little sugar to a cup of whole milk to make a scrub. When you rub it on your face or body, the sugar will remove dead skin, and the milk will moisturize.

Drive safe Not so difficult Relate. Facebook may have had an “It’s Complicated” relationship status option, but that doesn’t mean that the phrase should actually describe your relationship, warns Essence magazine. Describing your relationship should be as easy as you’re seeing someone or you’re not. If you can’t be clear about your dating status with your partner, you might be headed for heartbreak.

What is he thinking? Shea Conner has this safety tip on his mind: Albert Einstein once famously said that “any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.” Ladies, no matter how romantic you think it is, do NOT test this well-known quote, especially on Interstate 29. With that said, I’d like to apologize to the owner of a dark green Chevy Cavalier who I nearly ran into a guardrail near Dearborn. I’d also like to apologize to/blame my strikingly lovely/ dangerously inconsiderate girlfriend for scaring the bejesus out of her/nearly killing those terrified high school kids.

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March 2013

| Josephine magazine |

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I don’t care if they lay me off either, because I told, I “toldAndBillI said, that if they move my desk one more time, then, then I’m, I’m

quitting, I’m going to quit. And, and I told Don too, because they’ve moved my desk four times already this year, and I used to be over by the window, and I could see the squirrels, and they were married, but then they switched from the Swingline to the Boston stapler, but I kept my Swingline stapler, because it didn’t bind up as much, and I kept the staples for the Swingline stapler, and it’s not OK, because if they take my stapler then I’ll set the building on fire.

”

— Milton Waddams, a collator at the fictional company Initech in the movie “Office Space”

Working it out

Focusing on the job, not the conflict, is best when dealing with the boss

By CHRISTINA HAZELWOOD HECKMAN Josephine magazine

Milton, the lovable loser from “Office Space,” perfectly depicts how we feel when continually mistreated by a supervisor — but it’s not as funny when it’s happening to us. Small things can add up to big things, and before you know it, you want to flip a table over and walk away. Dealing with a boss or leader you don’t mesh with is never easy. If your conflict is with the leader of a volunteer organization, you can simply choose to remove yourself from the situation. But when it comes to your job, it’s much more important that you try to work things out.

Please see PAGE 10

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| Josephine magazine |

March 2013

9

CONTINUED FROM Page 9 Erika Albin has been a human resources coordinator for a small business in St. Joseph for the last seven years. She says personality conf licts are fairly common, especially if the manager did not directly hire the employee. These conf licts can either be allowed to cause misunderstandings that build into a rough relationship, or they can be used to learn about and embrace the different strengths each personality brings to the table. “I’d encourage all people with working relationships to do the Myers-Briggs personality test to evaluate how/why they function the way they do in the workplace,� Albin says. “In any case, a great way to resolve these conf licts is to look for common ground and spend some time focusing on the strengths each person has, regardless of what you think of their weaknesses.

It can be a long process, but hopefully mutual respect is built, and the relationship can be productive.�

Not all workplace issues are due to personality conf licts. Sometimes we don’t mesh with our leaders because we question their competence. “Sometimes a ‘boss’ becomes a ‘boss’ because of the people he knows vs. the experience he has and knowledge in

the HR field,� says Carole Vollintine, a former human resources manager. “Such was my case with the boss I didn’t mesh with. The way I dealt with our working relationship was simply focusing on carrying out my responsibilities to the best of my ability and trying to watch and listen from a distance to make sure the decisions/ actions he was dealing with were in compliance with company policy, the handbook, wage and hour laws and other applicable laws. When his action or decision was one that would/could cause a legal problem or a negative precedent for the company, I would approach him as diplomatically as possible to point out what possible ramifications could occur. I also always documented our conversations by following up with a memo to him covering the details of our conversation.�

Keeping an account of conversations with your boss is a good idea, especially when it comes to dealing with one you don’t quite see eye to eye with. “My advice to employees who had conf licts with their boss was to simply do the job they were hired for to the best of their ability and try to keep the personality out of it,� Vollintine says. “They all had a position description that explained their job function and responsibility, and they were to make

sure they were in compliance. “If their boss requested them to do something that they felt would not be in the best interest of the company, or it was in any way illegal or immoral, they should respectfully discuss it with their boss,� she says. “If the boss insisted that they follow their directions, then they should comply since refusing was grounds for immediate termination. But they should notify their group leader or a member of the HR staff of the incident for their own protection should there be an issue later.�

In a perfect world you wouldn’t have to worry about protecting yourself from bad supervisors, but we live in a world filled with many different personalities. Albin says usually with a personality conf lict, the comments you hear are “I just don’t understand why that person does what he/she does.�

Personality conf licts may create some uncomfortable discussions or situations, but they shouldn’t cross the line to harassment or hostility. “In an actual hostile work environment, a person should follow a procedure for dealing with it,� Albin says. “Most company handbooks have a process outlined regarding what route to take. No one should have to deal with a truly hostile work environment, nor should they feel forced to leave their

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If their boss requested them to do something that they felt would not be in the best interest of the company, or it was in any way illegal or immoral, they should respectfully discuss it with their boss.

— Carole Vollintine, a former human resources manager

job because of another person disturbing or harassing them.

“A hostile work environment usually involves very inappropriate behavior that makes a person feel a sense of dread when it comes to going to work,” she says.

No workplace is perfect, and we all have those people in our lives who grate on our nerves for one reason or another. When it comes to dealing with your boss or leader, you have to decide if speaking up is worth the potential consequences. Ehow.com offers advice for dealing with a supervisor you clash with.

For starters, talk to your boss, the site says. Ask for feedback, and explain that you need his/her support to be the

best you can be at your job. Be polite and gather your thoughts. Don’t speak in anger or let emotions take control of the conversation.

Ask your boss how you can help him or her. Find out what you can do to support achieving his or her goals and what challenges you can work on together. You may feel as though the last thing you want to do is make him or her look good, so this is a difficult step, but you need to establish a common ground.

Confide in a mentor in your workplace. Ask for advice and tips for how to deal with your situation.

Document threats or bad behavior, and contact your boss’ supervisor or your human resources department

about how to report it. It will get back to your boss, so be prepared in case your boss plans to retaliate.

Consider transferring to another department in the company or looking for a new job outside the company.

Sometimes having another job lined up gives you more courage to say what needs to be said. Just be sure you stick to the facts and use your supportive documentation.

If you are doing everything you’re supposed to be, and you’re positive the clash is not instigated on your end, you might have to “be the bigger person” in order to improve your relationship with your supervisor. You have the choice to make it work or move on to greener pastures.

In an actual hostile work environment, a person should follow a procedure for dealing with it. Most company handbooks have a process outlined regarding what route to take.

— Erika Albin, a small business human resources coordinator

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| Josephine magazine |

March 2013

11

Help for adult acne Skin condition is not just for teens

Sait Serkan Gurbuz | Josephine magazine

Nicole Shute, 28, a licensed esthetician at The Spa at NorthPointe, poses for a portrait next to a ‘facial machine.’ The steam coming out of the machine is used for opening pores.

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March 2013

| Josephine magazine |

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By Jennifer Gordon Josephine magazine

N

ot everyone outgrows breakouts.

The American Academy of Dermatology estimates acne affects more than 40 million Americans and estimates 85 percent of the population experiences pimples at some point. As hormones can cause acne flare-ups, teenagers, pregnant women and menopausal women are more likely to be affected by clogged pores than other age groups. Hormones can cause the body to produce more oil, which can lead to hair follicles getting clogged and irritated.

Stress, too, can lead to unclear skin, says Nicole Shute, a licensed esthetician with The Spa at North Pointe.

To help prevent breakouts, Charity Wampler and Dr. Melody Stone, both of Advanced Dermatology, recommend women wash their faces twice a day and look for non-comedogenic and oil-free skin care products.

There’s also some evidence that food affects breakouts as well. Small-scale studies have shown a diet low in complex carbohydrates can improve acne symptoms.

Wampler, a practice manager, and Stone, a dermatologist, also have seen evidence to support diet modifications.

“There have been documented cases of acne that have improved with Metformin (a drug used to treat hyperglycemia),” Wampler and Stone wrote in an e-mail to Josephine. “This is a good indication that a low glycemic diet could help improve or even prevent acne.

More studies need to be done in this area.”

Related conditions to acne are impacted by food. Many adults get rosacea, a

skin condition characterized by a blushing-type of redness and swelling.

Dr. Scott Darling, a dermatologist out of Liberty, Mo., advises patients who have rosacea to keep a food journal and record what types of food cause their rosacea to worsen.

“This a lifestyle-mediated disease,” he says. “Anything that may flare it, you want to try to prevent or moderate.”

Women who aren’t sure if they have rosacea or acne should see a specialist, because rosacea can be irritated by certain soaps and skin products.

Acne can come in many forms.

Blackheads and whiteheads are among the mildest form. They sound like what they look like, clogged pores with either a black or white tip to them.

Pimples also can be of the inflammatory kind. Dermatologists break up pimples into types. Papules are small, clogged pores that may develop into pustules if the pore becomes irritated, giving the pimple its characteristic red color. If papules or pustules break open, they may develop into cysts and nodules. These deep pimples are often large

and sensitive to the touch. They’re also the most likely to cause scarring.

If women experience inflammatory acne, Wampler and Stone recommend they see a dermatologist. Specialists also can help with any acne that overthe-counter treatments like Clearasil or Proactiv haven’t been able to clear up.

Blue light therapy helps with acne, too, Wampler and Stone say, but it’s not covered by most medical insurance plans.

Women also have the option to treat mild breakouts in a spa setting.

The Spa at North Pointe offers acne facials with salicylic acid to help clear up skin. Clients typically come in for six treatments held every three weeks or so, Shute says.

The Heartland Health spa also offers a technoceutical peel, which is designed for clients who have discoloration or uneven skin tone.

Even women without acne take advantage of the peel, Shute says, because it also targets deep wrinkles.

“It’s pretty much good for anybody,” Shute says.

Starchy staples

Potato dishes celebrate Irish tradition

By BROOKE VANCLEAVE Josephine magazine

A

mericans love their potatoes. Fried, baked, mashed or scalloped, the possibilities are endless in transforming this vegetable into something delicious.

Another group of hearty eaters who love potatoes as much as we do are the Irish.

According to census.gov, 34.5 million Americans claim some sort of Irish ancestry, so it’s no wonder why we go bonkers over potato recipes, especially around St. Patrick’s Day. The America Bowman Restaurant, part of the O’Malley’s Pub and Weston Brewing Co. family in Weston, Mo., is known for serving up its own take on traditional Irish fare.

The menu includes both Irish and American pub favorites, including a potato dish called colcannon.

Colcannon is a mixture of mashed potatoes and leafy green vegetables, usually kale or cabbage, and is typically served with a big dollop of butter in the center. There are many variations, with some cooks adding onions, spices, other greens and even bacon to the mix.

Chef Elizabeth Berg says the restaurant menu currently is undergoing a transition, and the chefs are deciding how to approach new Irish dishes. She says America Bowman’s colcannon recipe is less traditional and resembles standard mashed potatoes right now.

“Traditional colcannon potatoes some-

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March 2013

| Josephine magazine |

times aren’t received well because of the cabbage mixed in,” Ms. Berg says.

However, trying to get back to its Irish roots is a goal for the restaurant. Bangers and mash is a sausage and potato dish on the menu that might be experiencing an overhaul soon.

“We’re trying to switch that to a more traditional style. We were going to switch back to a more authentic recipe with a Dijon onion and mustard gravy to go over the top,” she says.

She says many of America Bowman’s Irish dishes were developed by Barbara O’Malley, one of the original founders of O’Malley’s who came from an Irish family that had passed down family recipes.

Ms. Berg says potatoes are such a popular staple in Irish cooking because of the country’s agriculture and poverty-stricken history.

“It was one of the only food sources they had that was economically feasible to develop into a lot of different things,” she says.

Weston’s annual Irish Festival, which happens in October each year, is a time for Ms. Berg and other chefs and food vendors to serve up Irish potato dishes that aren’t on the menu year-round.

Ms. Berg’s culinary education introduced her to other Irish potato recipes. These include boxty, a type of potato pancake; bubble and squeak, a dish made with dinner leftovers that makes popping noises in the pan because it contains so much butter and lard; and a potato-based stew called coddle.

“We usually only have that during Irish Fest, but it’s pretty popular with everyone,” she says of the coddle, which is a well-known comfort food in Ireland.

newspressnow.com/josephine

Todd Weddle | Josephine magazine

Coddle

In a large casserole dish, add: 5 sliced potatoes, 2 sliced yellow onions, 1/2 pound cooked breakfast sausage, 1/2 pound sliced ham (roughly 1-inch cut), 2 teaspoons rubbed sage, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon white pepper, 2 teaspoons dry ground mustard. Combine 2 cups of water and 1 cup of apple cider and mix in 3 tablespoons of chicken base. Pour over the top of ingredients in pan. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour and 25 minutes. Check potatoes for doneness. If tender, pull from oven, add 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream and enjoy.

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Natural beauty Five simple steps to get your beauty routine greener

Matt Reid | Josephine magazine

Little changes can help you — and the Earth — look more beautiful.

Story starts on Page 18

By KRISTEN HARE Josephine magazine

I

t’s pretty easy being green these days. Most products are well-labeled. Consumers are starting to understand the difference between all-natural and organic. And there are recycle bins next to trash cans in public places, making recycling easier than ever.

But what about being green with what you put on, in and around your body? Well, that’s easier than ever, too. It just takes doing a bit of homework to learn about the products you’re using and the companies that make them, and getting back to the basics with your beauty routine. Sheri Caldwell, a dietitian at Hy-Vee, and Brittany Geyer, a cosmetologist at Belleza Salon and Day Spa, offer these easy tips for making your beauty routine better for yourself and the world.

DRINK WATER

Generally, it’s recommended that people drink between six and eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, says Caldwell. Some people need more, some less, but considering that more than half our body is made of water, everyone needs it.

Drinking the right amount of water helps you stay hydrated, which can result in glowing skin and shiny hair.

Caldwell recommends filtered or purified spring water and listening to your body to know how much you need. Water is especially important when you’ve been out in the sun or exercising. If you get tired of glass after glass, Caldwell recommends adding a slice of lemon, lime or cucumber for taste.

WATCH WHAT YOU EAT

What you eat goes into your body, but the evidence can show up on your skin and in your hair.

A plant-based diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains, can help your skin glow, Caldwell says. An article in Health magazine points out other food-to-skin benefits, such as eating beans to decrease inflammation. A Mediterranean diet, the article says, with fish, olive oil and leafy greens, can provide your skin with omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants that keep your skin supple and smooth.

LOOK AT, THEN PAST, LABELS

Lots of companies have changed both what they offer and how they do it, and beauty companies are no different. Geyer recently spent time at the Aveda Institute in Des Moines, Iowa, where she learned about the potent plant actives and antioxidants in Aveda’s products. In fact, according to their website, more than 90 percent of their essential oils and 89 percent of their raw herbal ingredients are certified organic.

Special Programs about Special People March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, and we have events for parents, caregivers and professionals and fun programs for children and families.

Join us for these free events at the Belt Branch, 1904 N. Belt. 232-5479.

Tuesday, March 5 – Guardianship and financial planning. 11 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Thursdays, March 7 & 21 – Signing Storytimes, 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Monday, March 11– Down Syndrome 101. 6-8 p.m.

Tuesday, March 19 – Special Olympics informational meetand-greet. 6 p.m.

Thursday, March 28 – Kids on the Block puppets. Learn from these fun and funny characters. 6 p.m.

Sign-up required for some events.

www.rhcl.org

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It’s also easy to look for other companies that use green practices and offer incentives for recycling their products. Marie Claire featured some of these companies and their products, including The Body Shop, with items that have organic-fair trade ingredients and recyclable containers. With the Back to MAC program, you can take six containers back to a MAC store and get a free lipstick, to encourage recycling. And Origins creates its products with a blend of wind-energy and renewable practices, according to its website.

Using green products, or those by companies with a commitment to be greener, might make people look better, but it does something else, too, Geyer thinks.

“It definitely makes them feel better,” she says.

DIY

Look around your house and in your fridge for this one. You don’t have to drop $50 on a face mask. You can make it yourself. Real Simple recommends keeping the following ingredients in your pantry and fridge: oatmeal, yogurt, honey, mayonnaise, eggs, lemons, avocados, vinegar and olive oil. For an oatmeal mask, mix together 1/2 cup of cooked oatmeal, one egg and a tablespoon of olive oil, put on your face as a mask and wash off after 15 minutes. The magazine also recommends using the inner skin of an avocado as a moisturizer and rinsing your hair with vinegar to add shine. Easy DIY beauty recipes can be found online at Real Simple and on Pinterest and iVillage, to name just a few. The benefit here, other than saving money, is that you’ll know exactly what’s going in your products and on your skin.

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For centuries, women in the Mediterranean have used pure, unrefined coconut oil on their hair and skin with great results, Caldwell says. She’s tried it some and recommends going slow, depending on your skin type. Some people get breakouts from coconut oil, but others swear by it. Prevention magazine lists 10 uses for coconut oil, including as makeup remover, a hand oil, to add shine to your hair and as an eye-makeup remover. The bonus with this one? Using coconut oil may put you in a good mood if the smell reminds you of suntan lotion at the beach.

Jessica Stewar t | St. Joseph News- Press

Amy Spaeth and Kristina Hannon have both worked their way up to leadership positions at Family Guidance Center.

20

March 2013

| Josephine magazine |

newspressnow.com/josephine

Succeeding side by side

By ERIN WISDOM St. Joseph News-Press

I

t was perhaps not the most likely of partnerships.

When Amy Spaeth began an accounting internship at St. Joseph’s Family Guidance Center 13 years ago, it was out of a desire to gain accounting experience anywhere. When Kristina Hannon accepted a position there as a case worker a few months later, it was because she was about to graduate from college and get married, so she took the first job offer that came along. Neither envisioned long-term careers in the place where their professional lives began — nor did they expect to ever work closely with each other.

Fast forward to the present: Spaeth is the vice-president of finance at Family Guidance, and Hannon is the vice-president of behavioral health. They attribute their ladder-climbing in part to how they’ve been able to benefit their organization by working together.

“We truly are a team,” Spaeth says.

“We bounce ideas off of each other all the time.”

This has especially been true in the past couple of years, she adds, as electronic medical records have come into play and they’ve done a lot of work to help Family Guidance transition to the new

documentation system.

“It really required a lot of information sharing and not being territorial,” Hannon notes. And the same principles apply to other areas of their working relationship, she adds: “It’s not like, ‘These are the people I supervise, and I don’t want you to talk to these people without talking to me.’”

On the surface, it might not seem like staff members responsible for the social work side of the organization would need to work too closely with staff members responsible for the business side. But what Spaeth and Hannon have found is that through working together, they’ve gained a greater understanding of each other’s area of responsibility and have thereby become more well-rounded in their respective positions.

“Even though my background is in accounting and not social services, I still really like being a part of what we do and hearing the stories about how we truly have helped somebody and made their lives better,” Spaeth says.

“I tease Amy and say she’s an honorary social worker,” Hannon chimes in, with Spaeth adding in return that, “Kristina is an honorary financial person, too, because she thinks not just about how a program is going to help people, but also about the business aspect.”

Gary Hammond, president and CEO of Family Guidance, also makes note of the women’s complementary skill sets.

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“When you put the two of them together, you really get three,” he says.

“They’re extremely competent and non-competitive. They started at the very bottom of the organization, and they have both worked their way up through their competence and skill.”

Something else Hannon and Spaeth have in common is both being married mothers of young children. Sharing the same life stage is helpful, they say — not only in understanding the challenges of balancing career and family but also in the willingness that comes with this to provide extra support for the other when needed.

“Like when I’ve been up all night with a screaming baby,” Hannon says. “We both know it can be significantly more difficult to accomplish everything you want to at work when you have kids at home.”

Beyond this, even their backgrounds are similar, having both grown up on farms in small towns — Spaeth in Cosby, Mo., and Hannon in Mexico, Mo. In addition, their birthdays are just days apart, with Hannon having been born on Sept. 7, 1978, and Spaeth on Sept. 4, 1979.

And from where they are now, much further up the corporate ladder than they were at the start of their careers, they also have one more thing in common: “We’re both glad to work for an organization that promotes from within,” Spaeth says.

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The real deal

By JENNIFER HALL St. Joseph News-Press

C

arrie Faris and Nichole Preacher can spot a good deal a mile away. That’s about how far they live from many of the local supermarkets.

Each week, the sisters meticulously scour the Sunday newspaper ads, taking each coupon insert apart so it’s easier to cut later. The duo then compare the coupons with items on their list and items on sale from the week’s grocery ads.

“We do this because we don’t want to buy something that’s not going to save us money,” Ms. Faris says. “Just because we have a coupon doesn’t mean we should buy it. And just because it’s on sale doesn’t mean we should buy it.”

That’s the first motto of deal hunting: think before you buy.

Ms. Preacher says that unless it will be free, she doesn’t clip a coupon for an item her family doesn’t use.

“I’ve tried a lot of new products this way,” she says. “But I don’t pay full price on them.”

22

March 2013

| Josephine magazine |

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The sisters don’t compare themselves to the super coupon mavens on television but are serious about saving money.

“Our grandmother used to clip coupons,” Ms. Preacher says. “That’s probably where we learned it from.”

Others use coupons for unnecessary items just to feel like they got a deal.

“That’s probably the biggest obstacle to overcome if you’re trying to save money,” Ms. Faris says.

She explained the false excitement of seeing that “$3 off” coupon. But if the item costs $10, then paying $7 is still spending $7 on an item you don’t need, she says.

But if you need to buy something, Jodi McGuire says why not shop the sales? The St. Joseph grandmother is a self-proclaimed “tightwad.”

“I remember needing a pair of new tennis shoes,” she says. “I waited four months until I found some I liked that were on sale.”

And that’s where she thinks many people go wrong. Unless it’s milk, eggs or bread, be patient. Sometimes a need and a want can get a little foggy. She likens it to grocery shopping on an empty stomach.

“We have become such impulsive creatures that immediate gratification takes over,” Ms. McGuire says. “It’s hard to spot a good deal when your judgment is off.”

Taking a few minutes to research something can save your wallet. Ms. McGuire says that in the case of the tennis shoes, she knew which ones she wanted. She looked them up online, found them everywhere and looked for the store with the lowest price. She factored in shipping costs versus driving to the store for a few dollars more, and she also found a discount through an outlet and a coupon for 10 percent off.

“It’s amazing what you can find by bargain shopping,” she says. “It goes a long way to just put some thought into what you are buying.”

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Feeling the burn

By CRYSTAL K. WIEBE Josephine magazine

D

o something long enough, and — even if you love it — at some point you’re bound to start hating it.

Keep up the same frustrating pattern without some kind of break or change, and that aggravation could bleed into your personal life, strain relationships with loved ones and lead to social isolation and bitterness.

This condition is called burnout.

For many, the state of mind can be remedied with a little refocusing. However, prolonged burnout can influence physical health as a factor in heart disease, cholesterol levels, obesity and overall vulnerability.

24

March 2013

| Josephine magazine |

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Refocusing, taking time for yourself can keep you from falling into a rut Burnout is a recognized psychological disorder, and MayoClinic.com defines “job burnout” as “a special type of stress — a state of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion combined with doubts about your competence and the value of your work.”

Almost everyone experiences a degree of burnout sometimes.

Schuyler Whiteley, a 29-year-old graphic designer in Kansas City, explains burnout as a creative rut she gets into when she doesn’t look outside herself enough.

For her the feeling is a sense that she’s “losing that spark of doing something different.”

Whiteley finds that she’s apt to experience this when she doesn’t have time or make a point to expose herself to inspiring visual media, experiment with new techniques or even just ask for feedback from colleagues.

“If I’m not actively involved or collaborating with other people, I seem to feel myself kind of get burnt out,” she says.

Traci Froscheiser does not work in the creative sector — the 30-year-old is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Overland Park, Kan. But she, too, occasionally experiences a loss of inspiration that impacts her time at the office.

“I can usually tell I am getting there when my job starts to feel like a job,” Froscheiser says. “The days drag on, and I get more irritated by small things that I will let set me off.”

Ashley Cunningham can relate.

“I get to the point where everything grates on my nerves, and my temper gets short all the time,” the 31-year-old says.

“There’s a palpable sense of ‘I don’t want to do this anymore.’”

In the past, that feeling became so intense that Cunningham, a Northwest Missouri State University graduate who now lives in Kansas City, had to make a job change.

“I gave up a desk job for something more suited to me in a small business retail shop because I needed a different working environment,” she says. “I couldn’t afford to be cranky all the time and take a vacation every other week just to get through.”

Recognizing her need for change and making it is exactly what Cunningham should have done to overcome her job burnout.

In other situations, the action required may not be as extreme as a job transition.

Among other actions, MayoClinic.com recommends seeking counsel from a supervisor, family member or therapist, adjusting your attitude about work or just making a point to exercise.

Froscheiser admits when she brings the burnout home, her husband’s support does help.

“He will just remind me why I love my job and tell me how much people appreciate me and need my help,” she says.

For all three women, an occasional break from the norm — be it a hike in the woods, a pedicure or sunny getaway — is often all that’s needed to feel reinvigorated.

Also helpful: Just not expecting so much of yourself all the time.

“I think women want to try to do it all — career, family, friends and self,” Froscheiser says. “I need to be reminded to be a little selfish sometimes and go to the gym or get a massage or my nails done and not feel bad about it. I read somewhere that we need to celebrate our successes no matter how big or small, and that helps the feeling of burnout.”

Tips to avoid burnout

Create and respect your own boundaries: ❯ Let e-mail wait a few hours. ❯ Don’t friend every co-worker on Facebook. ❯ Be as productive as you can on the clock, but enjoy your personal time. ❯ Have work friends, but have non-work friends, too.

Do these symptoms of job burnout describe you? ❯ I have become cynical or critical at work. ❯ I have to drag myself to work and have trouble getting started when I finally get there. ❯ I can become irritable or impatient with colleagues and customers. ❯ I don’t feel like I have the energy to be consistently productive. ❯ I don’t feel satisfaction from my achievements. ❯ I feel disillusioned about my job. ❯ I use food, drugs or alcohol to feel better or to not feel. ❯ My sleep habits or appetite have changed. ❯ I experience unexplained headaches, backaches or other physical complaints.

SOURCE: MayoClinic.com

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26

Clearing up your credit March 2013

| Josephine magazine |

newspressnow.com/josephine

Busting the misconceptions of credit report and credit score checks

By SHEA CONNER Josephine magazine

C

redit scores were created in the 1980s to provide an algorithm-based assessment of a consumer’s creditworthiness. It wasn’t long before these numbers were being sold to every bank and lender on the market.

You see, credit scores were never meant to be seen by consumers. Maybe that’s why there’s still so much confusion about them today.

It seems like few people really know how often they should check their credit scores, what they should be looking for and what the ramifications are. Let’s clear some of that up right now.

Credit scores and credit reports are, in fact, different things

Credit reports are provided to all consumers per the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (or the FACT act, as it’s commonly called). This report can be obtained through any of the three crediting bureaus in U.S.: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

These bureaus calculate the credit reports based on information about one’s payment history, loans borrowed, credit limits used, the time taken to repay the loans and various other related factors.

These reports are then presented to consumers on an annual basis. All three bureaus prepare different reports, and all three can be viewed once a year for free by visiting annualcreditreport.com.

Most financial experts and credit counselors say you only need to view your credit report that one time per year.

If it applies, credit and debt management expert LaToya Irby — who has been featured in USA Today and The Associated Press — says you should wait for a time when you’re preparing for a major credit-based purchase like a home or car.

“It’s a good idea to get a credit report six months prior to making a loan application to clear up any discrepancies,” Irby says.

Credit scores, on the other hand, are

created on the basis of these credit reports. These scores then are analyzed on the range of 300 to 850. Credit scores below 500 are considered to be poor scores while scores above 700 are considered good. Any score between 501 and 699 is usually up for debate.

Because lenders use credit scores to evaluate the potential of a person repaying their debt, they are the determining factors for getting loans and mortgages.

Everyone has several different credit scores

While the FICO credit score is widely known, there’s actually no one “true” credit score. There are dozens of credit score models generated by each credit bureau, and they’re unique to different industries. For example, mortgage lenders and auto insurance providers will use different models. Risk assessment isn’t consistent from industry to industry or even lender to lender. According to Forbes magazine, a credit score pulled by one credit card issuer is likely to differ anywhere from 5 to 50 points from another credit card issuer.

You can’t predict what credit score a lender will use to assess you until after the fact. Since you can’t keep track of dozens of scores, track one credit score — such as the free credit score provided by the free credit management website CreditKarma.com — for a general sense of your credit health.

“While the actual numbers may vary, you’re often in the same ‘risk range’ from credit score model to credit score model,” says Justine Rivero, the credit advisor for

CreditKarma.com.

As you build and improve the factors affecting your credit score, your scores should pick up across the whole spectrum of scoring models, and the results will be reflected on the score given by CreditKarma

.com.

Check your credit score often

Some say that checking your score is bad for your credit, but that’s only partially true. According to Experian, there are two types of credit checks.

“Hard inquiries” knock a few points off your credit score and are initiated when a financial institution pulls your credit report to assess you for a lending decision (like approval for a mortgage or credit card).

“Soft inquiries” do not affect your credit and are initiated as part of a back-

ground check (like pre-approved offers or as part of a job hiring process). When you check your own credit score, it is considered a soft inquiry, and it won’t affect your credit score no matter how many times you look it over.

“You have nothing to lose, and tracking your progress over time will give you more insight into what’s affecting your credit,” Rivero says.

According to a report by VantageScore, roughly 70 percent of credit scores change by up to 20 points in a threemonth window. Your credit score is a reflection of your credit behavior at a particular point in time, and it can increase or decrease any time there is a significant change. Hard inquiries are often reported immediately, while credit card issuers typically update information to credit bureaus in 30-day cycles.

With all of this information in mind, it’s recommended that people check their credit score every one to three months.

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I

Don’t trust the zodiac Does your sign really say something about you?

ALONZO WESTON has been a columnist and reporter for the St. Joseph News-Press staff for more than 20 years. He and his wife, Deanna, have two children and a dog. The St. Joseph native is also a sports junkie who doesn’t pick up after himself. If you’d like to suggest an idea for this column, contact Alonzo at alonzo. weston@newspressnow.com.

28

’ve never understood what someone hopes to gain by asking “What’s your sign?” I mean you can find out more about me by asking what I do for a living, where I live, my hobbies or how much money I make. All a zodiac sign tells you about me is that I’m supposedly the same as a million other people who have the same sign.

I’m a Leo, so that means I’m like President Barack Obama, Julia Child, Louis Armstrong, Tom Brady and Captain Lou Albano. I’m a president, a cook, a jazz musician an NFL quarterback and a professional wrestler. A man with multiple personalities. Which one do you want to deal with?

As most of us know, the zodiac is a belt in the sky that contains 12 constellations or signs. Each constellation or sign coincides with the paths of the sun, moon and planets. Each constellation is represented by an animal, a person or a symbol. A person born under a certain constellation is supposed to have its characteristics.

That means there are only 12 personality types on Earth. And your happiness or compatibility with others depends on your sign’s relationship to the other signs. If I’m to believe astrolog. com, a zodiac information site, I shouldn’t have a relationship with a Pisces, Cancer or Taurus.

Now my wife is a Taurus, and according to the astrolog experts, she will never acknowl-

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| Josephine magazine |

edge my true value. She also needs more commitment than I can give.

But this papa ain’t no rolling stone. We’ve been together for 30 years, and I have no plans to run off any time soon.

But my wife said she knew I was a Leo when she first laid eyes on me. She said I had a cocky strut and a conceited air about me. I don’t recall ever being that way, but I guess a person gives off their zodiac without knowing it.

If I’m to believe people are true to their zodiac signs, this is how I see them. Again, these are my own zodiac observations from personal experience and those of my friends. But I’m no professional, so these are just for fun. ❯ ARIES: Remember this is a ram. They are bull-headed and don’t like to take orders. They are spoiled and like to have their way all the time. ❯ TAURUS: Like I said, my wife is a Taurus, so I’ve got to be careful here. Taurus can be stubborn at times. I’m still trying to get my wife to not buy boneless pork chops. ❯ GEMINI: Superficial and two-faced.

These are the women who will have a friend text them with some phony emergency to break a date with you. ❯ CANCER: Clingy, self-absorbed and co-dependent. A lifelong friend whether you want one or not. ❯ LEO: Melodramatic and vain. Do you like dating divas? ❯ VIRGO: Skeptical and nagging. They’ll want to know your every move when you’re out of their sight. ❯ LIBRA: Unreliable and indecisive. These are the girls that will stand you up. ❯ SCORPIO: Extremely jealous and moody.

Will slash your tires when mad. ❯ SAGITTARIUS: Cold and affectionate.

Hate to clean house. ❯ CAPRICORN: Want a bossy, domineering dominatrix? Here you go. ❯ AQUARIUS: Rebellious and stubborn.

Will leave you without warning. ❯ PISCES: Overly sensitive. Emotional.

Cries all the time.

March 2013

T

he older I get, the more funerals I see. It stinks, but death is something we all have to face. I just prefer to face it with my tongue sticking out and my thumbs in my ears.

Funerals are not the typical conversation you laugh about, but I am here to say, it is not a coincidence that the first three letters of funeral are F-U-N! As a matter of fact, I have laughed ’til I cried at more than one “last call.”

Like the time I held the hand of my grieving mother as we stood next to the gravesite of her second husband. It was a solemn moment as the preacher gave the eulogy, and tears were flowing right up to the time he started to swoon and throw in a few very Pentecostal groans. We just assumed he was overcome by the Holy Spirit — until his eyes rolled back and he fell to the ground like a dead man (pun intended).

As he sat up and loosened his tie, my husband fanned him with the nicely printed program. I wanted to offer him a sip of water to help clear the cobwebs from his brain that obviously needed more blood pumping to it, but I was too busy chasing my mother across the cemetery, as she was convinced the man of God had just died in the middle of the ceremony. It took us several minutes and a check-up by the now-attending ambulance driver to convince her that this preacher would live to swoon again.

Then there was the time a good friend of mine, who out of the kindness of her heart, went to attend the funeral of the father of her co-worker. She signed the guest book, then stood in the receiving line for 30 minutes, having polite conversation with strangers until she got to the

casket, where she quickly realized she had just paid condolences to a stranger, and her friend’s father was in the room next door.

A few years back, I was sitting in the office of the funeral director, preparing the sendoff for my momma. He asked me many questions that got me thinking.

Like, do I want to be buried or cremated? (I really prefer a third choice of “neither,” but it is never offered.) This choice may seem simple on this side of eternity, but what if when I got to heaven, all the folks who had been buried in their finest attire looked like a million bucks and the cremated people would be ashy and leave a trail of dust like Pig Pen in “Peanuts?”

Once I decided I would need a casket to make my getaway, I opted out of embalming, considering it an unnecessary expense.

I have always told my hubby if I go before him to have me buried in an old Hefty bag and use the life insurance money on his new wife. I am sure she will be a heartless gold-digger, so he will need the extra cash.

The only problem with this cost-saving idea is what if I wasn’t really dead but had some weird disease that just made the doctors think I was dead?

What if, after they put me in the ground, my heart kicked back in and I woke up but couldn’t get out? A moment of brainstorming gave me the answer. I would be buried with my cell phone!

I told my husband to make sure and pay an extra month on my cell, so if I do wake up, I can call him and have him unearth me. I told him not to shortcut me, but to keep my media package going because I would still like to be able to update my Facebook status while I wait for the rescue.

Hopefully, it will be many years before my husband and the date he brings to my funeral stare down at me in my bargain casket and tell one another how natural I look. But when that day comes, I sure hope something happens that gives them a good chuckle.

newspressnow.com/josephine

| Josephine magazine |

getting real

Laughing in the face of death Seeing the lighter side can help us through funerals STACEY MOLLUS is a family-loving, fun-seeking, glitter-covered, chocolate-consuming humor columnist and author. She would love to hear from you, so e-mail her at queenofchocolates@live.com or find her on Facebook at “Stacey Jensen Mollus.”

March 2013

29

Soup’s on!

meal time

(Well OK, it’s open)

By LONNIE TAYLOR Josephine magazine

S

ure, I cook with canned soup once in a while.

Sometimes it’s quite nice to fix something that doesn’t take any more time to make it than to eat it!

However, there are a couple of tips that tend to make the recipes a little bit more distinctive.

Using a bit of dry French vermouth is a great flavor booster. Instead of using 1/4 cup white wine (which no one ever has on hand and who wants to open a bottle for such a small amount!), splash in the vermouth. This is a great tip from both Julia Child and Jacque Pepin, since the vermouth keeps almost forever. You do need to spring for the good stuff. Cheap vermouth tastes like just that, cheap vermouth.

Quick Chicken 4 to 6 skinless boneless chicken breasts 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1/4 to 1/3 cup dry vermouth 1 bag stuffing, use as much as you like Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine soups and vermouth. In a shallow casserole dish, spread a layer of soup mixture, lay chicken on top, cover with rest of soup and sprinkle on a layer of the stuffing. Cover and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, depending on size of chicken. Take off cover last 10 minutes to let stuffing brown.

Matt Reid | Josephine magazine

Tomato Soup Chili is surprisingly good if you use quality ingredients. bitters. I use Peychaud’s brand.

heat and serve.

1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 soup can water 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 6 pork chops Flour, salt and pepper 3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine soup, water and Worcestershire sauce. Salt and pepper chops, dredge in flour, brown in hot oil and set aside. Add several teaspoons of flour to the drippings and lightly brown. Add soup mixture, and simmer for a few minutes. Return chops to skillet, place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes.

2 cloves of garlic Olive oil 2 cans of drained corn 2 cans of cream of potato soup In a medium pot, sauté two cloves of garlic in a bit of olive oil for about one minute. Add two cans of drained corn and two cans of cream of potato soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.

A really fast 1-1-1 chili is surprisingly good if you use quality ingredients. Chili powders vary wildly and make a huge difference. I use Gephardt’s, a California favorite and easy to purchase online.

Pork Chops The Worcestershire sauce gives a bit of depth to this easy “supper” dish. Another tip to give a certain richness and flavor to a sauce: use just a drop of aromatic cocktail

Brown beef and onion (lightly salt) until beef is no longer pink. Stir in salt, chili powder, cumin and tomato soup. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes. Add beans;

March 2013

And when I really don’t feel like doing anything I make this:

Tomato Soup Chili

1 pound ground beef 1 large onion, chopped Salt 1 tablespoon chili powder (or more to taste) 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 can tomato soup 1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

30

Corn Chowder

| Josephine magazine |

LONNIE GANDARA TAYLOR is a St. Joseph native who has returned home after a prestigious career in the culinary field. She taught cooking classes in the San Francisco Bay area for years and was a professional assistant to Julia Child, James Beard, Martha Stewart, Simone Beck and Martin Yan, among others. She is a graduate of the Paris Cordon Bleu, the Academie du Vin in Paris and the first culinary class held in the Oriental hotel in Bangkok, as well as being the author of five cookbooks.

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Covenant Medical Spa $179 4

BioFreeze®cold therapy pain relief.

Soothing menthol, vanishing scent, paraben free.

St. Joseph Chiropractic $11 5

Migra Spray™ is a patented, clinically tested, over-the-counter homeopathic drug that is indicated as a comprehensive approach for the treatment and prevention of migraine headaches. Use it for the rapid treatment of a migraine attack or use it daily to dramatically reduce or eliminate the onset of migraine symptoms.

St. Joseph Chiropractic $40 6

Wedding and formal gowns. Many designer dresses to choose from.

Romancing The Gowns Starting at $99

This item placement advertising opportunity is available to all Josephine advertisers based on a first-come-first-serve basis. Non-advertisers can appear on this page at a charge. Ask your advertising representative.

Working together.

We think that’s the key to better health care for you and your family.

And now the doctors and specialists at Heartland Health and Mayo Clinic are joining forces.

Our specialists will work together to resolve the hard-to-solve medical problems and to find better answers.

For you that means peace of mind, and access to the finest medical knowledge available.

Right here at home.

Heartland Health and Mayo Clinic.

Working together. Working for you.

To find out more, visit www.heartland-health.com/mayo