December 2007
In this issue‌ Communication is key to a happy holiday season 1
Set SMART Goals
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Take control of your dollars
Monitor And Modify The Plan
4
The Five-Step Financial Planning Process
Implement The Plan
2
Analyze Information
3
Create A Plan
‌and MORE!
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Publishers Tony & Holly Tedeschi for Piedmont Press & Graphics tony@piedmontpress.com Advertising Cindy McBride CindyMcBride@piedmontpress.com Subscriptions Shannon Mullan shannon@piedmontpress.com
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The Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine c/o Piedmont Press & Graphics 404 Belle Air Lane Warrenton,Virginia 20186 540.347.4466 Ph 540.347.9335 Fx www.warrentonlifestyle.com For general inquiries, advertising, editorial, listings or technical support: E: WarrentonLifestyle@piedmontpress.com Tel: 540.347.4466 • Fax: 540.347.9335 Editorial & Advertising office: Open 8:00 am to 5:30 pm, Monday to Friday 404 Belle Air Lane, Warrenton, VA 20186 The Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine is published monthly and distributed to all its advertisers and selected addresses. While reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to The Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to any such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. While ensuring that all published information is accurate, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any mistakes or omissions. Reproduction in whole or part of any of the text, illustration or photograph is strictly forbidden. Š2007 Piedmont Press & Graphics Printed in Warrenton, Virginia. USA
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Warrenton Lifestyle
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from all of us here at The Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine & Piedmont Press & Graphics! Your gift list is ready to go but I want you to add another name to that list. It is YOU. Why? Because you deserve it. And the first thing you can give yourself this holiday season is a little peace of mind. So I asked communication expert, Philip Mulford, to contribute a story for couples on the key to having a successful holiday season. Next, Jennifer Heyns writes of dozens of tips from area businesses and professionals for reducing stress during the holidays. The second thing you can do for yourself is create a life-changing experience by volunteering and/or contributing to one of the dozens of wonderful non-profit organizations we have in and around Warrenton. The volunteer based groups are dedicated to helping those who cannot completely help themselves. They need money for programs and projects but can always use your time, effort, talents and commitment. In the spirit of giving, please remember our local organizations: Fauquier Family Shelter, Habitat for Humanity, Fauquier Free Clinic, SPCA, Literacy Volunteers, Warrenton Fields Association and their accessible playground fund, FISH, WEXchange, and the list goes on‌ Third, for a truly enjoyable holiday shopping experience, stay here and patronize the fine merchants we have in Warrenton. Enjoy a Friday night in Old Town, a Saturday afternoon exploring the area stores and Sunday afternoon at one of our active shopping centers. You’ll be greeted by friendly, familiar faces and receive first-rate, personal service. In between shopping you can dine at one of our terrific restaurants and enjoy chatting with your neighbors. All the while you will feel good knowing your hard-earned dollars are going back into the community you live in. Avoid the traffic, save time, enjoy your gift-giving experience and shop Warrenton this holiday season.
December 2007
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LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH: Don’t Stress this Holiday Season By Jennifer Heyns
D
ecember is a busy time of year with all of the hustle and bustle that comes with the holiday season. Somewhere between shopping and shipping gifts, decorating the house, making, baking and crafting, we all begin to feel the holiday spirit give way to stress and anxiety. Throw in a trip or visiting relatives and there’s not enough eggnog in the world to keep some of us from wanting to deck the halls and possibly the in-laws.
Causes While many of us see the everyday tasks of preparing for the holidays, like driving in increased holiday traffic, shopping in overcrowded stores, untangling the lights, finding the perfect gifts, cooking the feast and gathering loved ones, as the reasons for our tension and stress at year’s end, Dr. Robert Iadeluca sees it as something much simpler. The 87-year old psychologist believes most holiday stress is a product of nostalgic and unrealistic expectations. “Everyone wants to create the perfect holiday ‘just like it was in the good times’,” says Iadeluca. The fact of the matter is that we create internal pressures of what the holidays should be like based on our not-so-realistic memories of the perfect Christmases, Chanukahs and Kwanzas that our parents provided for us. We 6
believe that we should recreate the holidays of yore and feel that our families and friends have these expectations of us. The good news is that this is often a false perspective. Those who truly love us won’t mind if we don’t attend every party, if there’s only one pie at dinner, if we spend less money on gifts or ask for help with the decorating. The truth is that the people we love will be glad to lend a hand. “I blame a lot of the unrealistic expectations that people have on the television,” says Iadeluca. He explains that the media shows us a jaded view of what the world is like and impacts us mentally, making us believe that we are supposed to be like the people on TV, providing the perfect life and ideal family situations. Spending the holidays with friends and relatives that you haven’t seen all year can be another source of stress. You may feel pressured to get along because Christmas is supposed to be a special time. Unfortunately, human nature usually kicks in and we often find that although we love our family and friends, we may not enjoy being with all of them. In addition, people who would normally be happy alone feel pressured to join others in celebrating the holidays while other people feel isolated and unloved because no one has come to join them. Last, but not least, is money. They say that it is at the root of all evil, it can’t buy happiness and it certainly doesn’t grow on trees. Yet during the holiday season, most of us feel compelled to go out and spend as much of it as possible while feeling guilty about it and wondering how we are going to make up for it in the year to come.
Solutions Ever hear the expression ‘less is more’? Adopt this policy for the holidays. Spend less, shop less, cook less, worry less. For a lot of people the holidays begin with a shopping spree on Black Friday – an aptly named day that is a stressful, busy time to be in stores, perhaps even hazardous to our health. This year try to spend less time shopping and less money on gift purchases. Make a list of the people you intend to buy gifts for, then take a good look at this list. Are these all people you HAVE to buy a gift for? You may find that there are a few people you could take off your list without ruffling any feathers. Are there people on this list that you could make a gift for? Homemade gifts cost a lot less and can be a great way to show you care. You can make multiples of this homemade gift to give to several people on your list – a tin of cookies, a crafty tree ornament or computerprinted stationary make easy, thoughtful gifts. The remainder of your list should be comprised of the privileged few you intend to spend a bit more money on. Before you head to the mall jot down your gift ideas – there’s nothing more frustrating than perusing the aisles See Peace continued on page 8
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December 2007
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waiting for the perfect gift for Aunt Bertha to jump out at you. Take advantage of sales, coupons and online shopping to help save a few bucks and a few gray hairs. As for the cards, don’t feel pressured to send a card to everyone you’ve ever met. “People generally just try to take on too much during the holidays. Cut back on holiday cards,” says Dr. Gerhard Kraske of Piedmont Internal Medicine. He recommends handwriting messages on holiday cards and sending them only to the people you truly care about instead of printing out tens or hundreds of photos and family newsletters. It will make you feel better and the recipient will feel warmer receiving a personal message instead of a “Dear Friends and Family” bulletin. Both Iadeluca and Kraske agree that your time will mean more to people than your money and material objects. “Try not to spend money at all. Give of yourself instead. For example you could say ‘I’ll watch your kids six times next year so you can go out’,” suggests Iadeluca. Another great way to spend less during the holidays is to spend time on a family service project. This will be an uplifting experience and it will help teach your children about priorities and the importance of giving to others. If you plan on giving to others in the form of a beautifully decorated home, a fabulous feast or a joyous jubilee, don’t be afraid to ask for help or to limit the amount of time you spend on these tremendous feats. Make decorating a group effort and decide ahead of time that the efforts your children put into the process will be acceptable to you. If it isn’t perfect, it’s okay – the important thing is making them feel like they did a good job and that you appreciate what they’ve done. When Cousin Myrtle, whom you’ve invited to Christmas dinner, hints that her mom used to make the mashed potatoes with peas and onions in it, don’t add another dish to your menu. Instead respond with, “That sounds fabulous! I appreciate your offer. It’s such a relief to be able to cross one item off my list. Thank you.”
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When it comes to preparing your home for the holidays, immediately cross home improvement projects off your to-do list, suggests Todd Heyns, President of Woodcraft Visions, Inc. “Nobody needs that kind of stress around the holidays. Work with what you have for now and save the improvements for another time of year when there’s less pressure to get it done by a specific date,” he explains. If you are traveling to these joyous get-togethers, prepare ahead of time by making a checklist of everything that needs to be with you on the trip. For example, one list will have your clothing, toiletries and medications and the other will include your ID, money, airline tickets or map and toll money, and a book or other entertainment for the trip. If you are flying, Phoebe Lyons, co-owner of Timely Express, recommends allowing enough time to get to the airport so there is no last minute dash to the gate. Other suggestions include giving See Peace continued on page 10
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yourself extra time if weather conditions are poor or if you are traveling on a peak day and, if at all possible, getting someone else to drive you so that you won’t have to deal with airport parking. When relatives are flying in to visit you, don’t feel compelled to spend your day at the airport to get them. You can always ask a good friend or other family member to pick them up or hire a service like Timely Express. Although you may be saving time by accepting help from others, don’t
waste those extra minutes staring into your closet stressing over what to wear to your holiday party. “The less fuss the better,” says Christine Fox, owner of Christine Fox. “Instead of trying to keep up with the many things going on in the world of fashion, take something black that you already have and accent it with new colors.” Fox recommends keeping a classic black dress or slacks as a staple of your wardrobe and accessorize them in various ways for different events. You can do this by wearing vivid blouses, colorful scarves, or accenting with sparkly jewelry, shoes and purses. “Accessories are always the easiest solution,” offers Fox. “You can add color with an evening wrap, a pretty sweater or a colorful evening bag – this will change the whole focus of the outfit.” Of course, the best way to look great at any event is to feel great. The number one way to beat stress this holiday season is to take care of yourself. Kraske notes that many people feel tense during winter months because of the decreased amount of sunlight. “Don’t compromise
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on sleep. Maximize your exposure to sunlight and get plenty of vitamin D.” Dr. Grace Keenan of Nova Medical Group believes in the natural herbs, mind-body medicine, Chinese medicine and acupuncture that patients experience at her practice, but also knows that there are things people can do on their own to keep stress at bay. “Focus on your own happiness,” she See Peace continued on page 12
Warrenton Lifestyle
December 2007
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proposes. “Eat properly, exercise regularly, use meditation and take good care of yourself.” Amanda Maloney, massage therapist and group fitness instructor for Chestnut Forks Athletic Club, couldn’t agree more. “It really does make a difference to exercise. Move your body and forget about other stuff for a while.” Maloney doesn’t recommend any particular type of exercise, just whatever makes you feel comfortable. Some people like to workout alone and forget about the world for a while, while others prefer the energy of a group dynamic and having an instructor take over and tell you what to do. She suggests that yoga is a particularly relaxing and meditative exercise that people might find beneficial. Not only can exercising melt away the stress and tension brought on by the Christmas spirit, it can also keep the fruit cake and eggnog from settling on your hips. “Don’t stress eat, stress exercise!” urges Maloney. She also highly recommends giving yourself the gift of a massage during the holidays. The holidays of yesteryear will be forever ingrained in our memories as perfect, peaceful, pleasant times shared with family and friends. Although our everchanging world is getting faster and busier, we can still find time to slow down and enjoy the holidays with loved ones – it just might take a bit of practice. Happy Holidays, everyone – Peace out! Jennifer Heyns is a resident of Delaplane, where she enjoys country life with her husband, two young sons, two dogs and her mother-in-law. She has been published in many local, regional and national publications and is currently working on her first book. 12
The Piedmont Symphony Orchestra will perform a holiday concert in The Rice Theater at The Highland Center for the Arts located in Warrenton on Sunday, December 2nd at 3 PM. The concert is generously sponsored by Randy and Robin Minter, owners of Moser Funeral Home, located on Broadview Avenue in Warrenton.
The Holiday Concert will feature cello soloist David Cho performing C.P.E. Bach's "Cello Concerto in A Major". Mr. Cho holds his Bachelors of Music in Performance from USC and a Masters of Music Degree from New England Conservatory of Music. He has studied primarily with Ronald Leonard and Bernard Greenhouse and currently performs with the Iris Chamber Orchestra in residence at Germantown Performing Arts Center. The Orchestra will also perform the first movement from W. Mozart's Symphony No. 40, the "Hornpipe" from Handel's Water Music Suite, "The Toy Symphony" by L. Mozart and "Fantasia on Greensleeves" by Vaughan Williams. The concert will conclude with the Cerulli "Holiday Sing Along" featuring popular local vocalist Elizabeth Lawrence Trautman. Advance tickets can be purchased from supportive local merchants g. whillikers toys and books and Berkley Gallery of Art located in Warrenton and Crest Hill Antiques located in The Plains. Tickets are also available day of the concert at the Rice Theater. For further information please visit the PSO website at www.piedmontsymphony.org or call the orchestra voice mail box 540 270 3168.
Warrenton Lifestyle
December 2007
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Changing Lives Becomes a Community Affair students later admitted that she was scared of the course initially, but was pleasantly ealth, Wealth, and Happiness: we surprised at how much she looked forward all hope and strive for these things to Monday evenings when she could listen in our lives. Although much has to highly engaging guest lecturers, be been written about how to attain happiness, intellectually challenged, and enjoy great few have said it as succinctly as Abraham camaraderie with fellow students ranging in age from 20 to 75. Lincoln: “Most people are about as happy The following is a list of the guest as they make up their minds to be.” If lecturers who donated their time and happiness can come from a decision, then a summary of the important financial health and wealth should be able to come management lessons learned: from decisions as well. I learned from my Mary Leigh McDaniel, CPA of the father, a Swiss country doctor, how to take accounting firm Updegrove, Combs, control of my health by making a simple McDaniel, & Wilson, P.L.C., introduced decision. He advised many of his patients: Set SMART the financial planning process of setting “Eat less and walk more!” In the Goals goals, developing a plan to same manner, taking control of achieve them, and putting the wealth is as simple as deciding plan into action. It’s all about to pay yourself first! creating a roadmap for handling Building wealth is a everything that one does with Monitor And Analyze discipline that can be learned, Modify Information money -- spending, saving, using but unfortunately, most The Plan credit, and investing. people are never taught the Through budgeting, the proper steps. Our children and students learned how to make students often are not taught the most of the money they to save or manage money. earn by making intelligent As adults, they pay dearly for spending decisions. One of this deficiency, living from the students was astonished paycheck to paycheck and Implement Create to learn that she never knew worrying about how to manage The Plan A Plan how much money was actually when they are old. In my practice available every month. However, her real as a mortgage broker I hear it all too surprise was discovering how much money often. It is discouraging to see so many her husband spends on wine every month. people trapped in financial distress because Well … chalk it up to health costs: A glass they lack both the requisite understanding of The Fauquier Times Democrat, of wine, after all, is heart healthy! of financial issues and the knowledge to Without the discipline of a budget, published a hard hitting article about evaluate the consequences of different the money management course, which many people do not accumulate substantial financial options. The silver lining is that prompted a great deal of interest in the wealth. While most survive, few actually these problems can be solved relatively succeed! The budget process clarifies goals course; and easily and quickly. • Tony Tedeschi, President of and requires the setting of priorities of A wonderful community in a small Piedmont Press and Graphics, provided which the commandment “Pay Yourself town like Warrenton offers one of the support ad in the Warrenton Lifestyle First!” is paramount. Budgeting is the best opportunities to remedy the problems Magazine promising fun for young and old foundation of building wealth. caused by a lack of financial knowledge. Throughout the ten-week course the while learning how to manage money. The most recent opportunity came in the Seventy-five people signed up for the students were required to continuously form of a free seminar covering the basics of course. There was so much interest that update and refine their financial plan and financial management. This seminar was a I had to create a waiting list for the next budget with the objective of projecting product of the goodwill of the Warrenton course. I warned everyone that there would a ten-year plan and budget. One of the community and the National Foundation be a lot of homework and that they should younger and more energetic students for Financial Education. By combining view the course as a financial boot camp these two things, I was able to promote the See Changing continued on page 16 requiring total immersion. One of the idea that offering such a seminar would help change people’s lives by changing their financial habits. Help and encouragement to make this seminar happen came from members of the Fauquier Chamber of Commerce: • Chuck and Helen Cornwell, Owners of ReMax Regency, made their beautiful meeting room available to 30 students; • George Rowand, Business Editor
by Andreas A. Keller
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Fauquier Community Theatre
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produced a ten-year personal budget of 35 pages. Two other students were challenged by this assignment due to the loss of income they sustained after they decided not to work for several years in order to stay at home with their babies. Students also were encouraged to develop a life plan by writing down how they envision their lives unfolding. Visualizing themselves at different stages in their lives and projecting their future into financial plans made for some bold presentations. Mark Childs, Senior Partner and Vice President of Sound Investment Management, Inc., helped the students understand basic investment principles and showed them how to make money work for them. He guided them through principles ranging from saving to investing. He also taught everyone the time value of money by introducing them to what Albert Einstein called the Eighth Wonder of the world: the power of compounding, which is easily approximated through the Rule of 72. In another lecture about credit, I helped the students distinguish between good credit and bad credit, how the credit scoring system works, how to keep debt in check, and how to implement a debt reduction plan, if necessary. We discussed the challenges of communicating about finances with spouses or significant others and how to deal with different expectations and emotional attachments. The unmarried couples in the class received compliments from their fellow married students for participating in this course and doing all the homework before getting married.
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Fauquier Health System: Sleep Diagnostic Center
D
o you feel tired even when you have had enough sleep? Do you often feel like you just don’t have the energy to do the things you need to do? If you often have difficulty falling asleep, wake up feeling less than well rested, or have trouble focusing during the day, you could be one of the estimated 50-70 million Americans who are affected by sleep disorders (Institute of Medicine, April 2006). According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, a majority of Americans say they experience frequent sleep problems. Nearly one-quarter report daytime sleepiness that often interferes with work and other activities. Health and safety concerns “Left untreated, sleep problems can contribute to strokes, heart attacks, high blood pressure, rhythmic disturbances of the heart, clinical depression, diabetes and other serious health concerns,” says Richard Swift, MD, Director of the Sleep Diagnostic Center in Warrenton.
Road, the Sleep Diagnostic Center is fully accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and offers a comfortable, home-like atmosphere for conducting sleep studies. In addition to Dr. Swift, the lab is staffed by Maura Foley, MD, and Kevin Glass, MD. All three are board certified in sleep medicine. The center offers services to diagnose and treat common sleep disorders including sleep apnea, repeated periodic limb movements of sleep, and narcolepsy. The staff utilizes state-ofthe-art equipment to monitor 16 to 20 biological and neurological factors and perform full diagnostic and treatment testing. After a diagnosis is determined, the sleep center physicians can recommend a treatment plan to your physician and are also available for sleep consultations in their local offices. Talk to your physician “With the availability of the latest
technologies to diagnose sleep disorders, there is no need to suffer in silence,” says Dr. Swift. “We are here to help you achieve a good sleep night’s sleep.” Visits to the sleep center are considered outpatient procedures and are generally covered by insurance. If you think you have a sleep disorder and could benefit from the services of Fauquier Health System’s Sleep Diagnostic Center, talk to your physician or call Dr. Swift’s office at 540/349-8195. For more information on sleep disorders, causes and symptoms, visit www.sleepeducation.com to see if it’s more than just an old mattress causing your lack of sleep. Also check out www.fauquierhopsital.org for more information about the Sleep Lab and for additional information under the Health Resources tab.
In addition, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration estimates that at least 15 million drivers nationwide have nodded off or fallen asleep while driving in the past six months. They estimate that more than half of those drowsy drivers wandered into another lane, drifted onto the shoulder, or drove across the centerline during the incident. And, according to an April 2006 report from the Sleep Research Society, an estimated 1,350,000 drivers nationwide were involved in a drowsy-driving-related crash over a five-year period. There is help “Individuals with sleep disorders can vastly improve overall health and quality of life by better understanding sleep, recognizing the signs of sleep disorders, and seeking proper treatment,” says Dr. Swift. Located in the Warrenton Professional Center on Blackwell 18
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Historic Old Town Warrenton is the perfect place to shop for anyone in your life. With everything from jewelry to gift baskets and dinner to dessert you can get it all done with one stop and a stroll. Fine dining to family atmosphere filled restaurants and shopping with the dogs in tow are all acceptable behaviors. Buy a gift, have it wrapped, drop it at the post office, pick up lunch and be back at the office for that meeting.
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Visit us on the web at warrentonlifestyle.com and see our newly redesigned site with more information, archived articles and special features!
Coming Soon‌ The Warrenton Business Directory. Town of Warrenton merchants should keep an eye on their mailbox for further information.
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Soups Salads
December 2007
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Holiday Communication:
How Do You And Your Spouse Want To Spend The Holidays? by Philip Mulford
T
he holidays: beautifully wrapped gifts, jingle bells, family gatherings. Glad tidings for all, right? Wrong. The holidays for many couples are one of the most stressful times of the year. Budgets and patience stretch thin. Expectations and assumptions peak. Goodwill towards man, woman, and child is sometimes missing, especially relating to: 1. your spouse who refuses to help with the holiday preparations; 2. your spouse whose parents want to visit for two weeks and expect to be waited on and entertained while remaining oblivious to the demands of work and running a household; and 3. your spouse whose sister always appears out of nowhere to bestow her “presence” on the festivities only to leave criticism and antagonism in her wake. As a married couple and family, we all have routines including how we communicate with each other. As creatures of habit we often repeat the same behaviors expecting to get different results, often leading to anger, frustration, and hurt feelings. Glad tidings? Bah humbug! Every year presents an opportunity to evaluate how we celebrate the holidays-to remember past times and events that were consistent with our desires as 24
well as those that resulted in conflict and disharmony. Why not take this opportunity to have an honest, loving, and peaceful conversation about how you want to spend the holidays? This may require a new approach to communication and will definitely require patience and understanding. It also may result in changes from routine and perhaps some internal and interpersonal discomfort. Is it worth it? Absolutely! As a couple, plan some private time without interruptions. No kids, no computers, no phones (including cell phones-gasp!). Be willing to listen to and understand your spouse. Do not try to fix your spouse’s concerns – just listen. Do not tell your spouse what to do - just listen. Do not defend yourself or the past – just listen. Remember, you do not have to agree with your spouse’s point of view to understand your spouse’s point of view. Ask questions for clarity, but allow yourself to step out of your habitual routine and understand what your spouse is saying, feeling, and trying to share with you. Also, come to
the conversation with a willingness to share your own thoughts, desires, and concerns for the holidays without simply stating conclusions. For example, instead of suggesting something you’ve never done before such as, “Let’s get out of town and go skiing for the Christmas break,” first explain your feelings about your usual holiday routine, what it does to you, and why you think a change might be good for all. It may be especially difficult to listen when your spouse’s reasons for suggesting a change involve your family. Believe it or not, despite their “best intentions,” your family members may not treat your spouse in loving and appropriate ways, especially at this time of year. Remember, you’re listening not fixing. If your spouse mentions recurring negative interactions with your _______, your response may be to chuckle and say, “Oh, that’s just the way my _______ is.” As in, “That’s your problem, get over it.” That simple “solution” tears at the foundation of your marriage. Instead of dismissing your spouse’s concerns because they aren’t consistent with yours, invite your spouse to tell you more. You don’t have to agree, but you also don’t need to disagree. Just listen so you can understand. When it’s your turn to talk, don’t accuse your spouse of overreacting. Don’t make a global declaration such as, “It’s the holidays. Let’s just make the best of it.” Be honest with yourself and your spouse about what you think and feel. Discuss your desires and See Communicate continued on page 26 Warrenton Lifestyle
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See Peace continued from page 24
concerns about the holidays. As you share your respective points of view and explore each other’s ideas, don’t seek agreement, solutions or the “bottom line.” Just listen so you can understand. Don’t worry--you and your spouse will be able to make mutually acceptable decisions but allow those decisions to come out of a shared understanding rather than from a drive to decide or from persuasive argument. Together, you will discover solutions neither of you would have considered before nor come up with independently. Married life is not easy. Communication with your spouse can be challenging. We each create our own set of standards and expectations for our spouse. We tell our spouse what to do, even though we don’t like being told what to do. We offer to fix our spouse, even though we resent the same in reverse.
We interpret and make assumptions about what our spouse’s words, body language, and behavior mean. This year, take a step back. Let the need to fix, defend, or dictate go. Leave the “bottom line” discussion at the door. Replace the “yeah, but” or “if you would just” with an effort to listen for the sake of understanding. That effort will foster an intimate, loving and supportive relationship. With that, you and your spouse may decide to do exactly what you’ve always done for the holidays but when _________ says _________, you may find your spouse joining you at your side in support of all that is understood between the two of you. I wish you a peaceful and loving holiday. Once a practicing attorney, Philip founded Mulford Mediation in 1990 and has been practicing mediation professionally and exclusively ever since. He specializes in divorce, marriage, and family business mediation and communication. Mulford Mediation has offices in Fairfax and Warrenton, VA. Philip may be reached at 540-341-4615 or mediate@mulfordmediation.com. During December Philip will be discussing ways to improve family and marital communication on his weekly Internet Radio Talk Show Divorce Mediation: Myths & Facts. The show airs live every Thursday at 2:00 p.m. ET on www.voice.voiceamerica.com and is rebroadcast each Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. ET on www.business.voiceamerica.com. All prior shows are archived and available on demand or for download to MP3 or Ipods. For more information about Mulford Mediation or Divorce Mediation: Myths & Facts visit www.mulfordmediation.com.
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All dressed up for the holidays.
Fauquier County and Old Town Warrenton
Molly Maid is a member of the Service Brands International family.
Settle into a cozy Bed & Breakfast or luxurious spa, sip wine by firelight at any of our 15 wineries, explore our historic towns & villages, unique shops & restaurants, and so much more.
Celebrate the holidays.
Carolers strolling, sleigh bells ringing, historic Old Town in holiday decorations, hot cider & treats, quaint shops & unique restaurants, Santa Claus and his elves at Gum Drop Square and more. • Christmas in Old Town - every Friday night thru December • Gum Drop Square - every Friday thru Sunday in December • A Christmas Story - Fauquier Community Theatre • Holiday Concert by Piedmont Symphony Orchestra • Breakfast with Santa at Crescendo Bistro • Country Christmas at Sky Meadows
The Fauquier County Department of Economic Development
Celebrate the Winter season.
www.VisitFauquier.com Find things to do and upcoming events in Fauquier County.
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Warrenton Lifestyle
Let’s Dish! is a totally fresh approach to meal making. You can make a month’s worth of meals in 3 easy steps.
Get clicking... Sign up for a session at letsdish.com and choose
4, 8 or 12 delicious meals from our monthly menu.
Start dishing... Head on in to the store for your session and follow the easy-to-use recipes–everything’s prepped and ready to go.
Ta-daaa! Dinner... At home, follow the easy cooking steps on the label. Serve. Accept applause.(Hey, it could happen!)
FREE Firecracker Chicken with Sweet Potato Fries
©2007 Let’s Dish!, Inc. All Rights Reserved. An authorized, independent franchise.
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Who has time for that?
when you sign up for a session in December. Enter promo code: FIRECHX. Offer expires 12/23/07. Offers cannot be applied to previously booked sessions or combined with other offers. No cash value. Valid only at location listed.
Let’s Dish! - Warrenton Warrenton Center (Behind Borders) 251 West Lee Highway, Suite 163 Warrenton, VA 20186 540-DISH429
December 2007
letsdish.com
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F or m
Krista Tucker, Vice President of The Fauquier Bank, provided valuable insight into how to keep money safe and secure, introduced many participants to the advantages of online banking, and explained how to avoid identity theft and what to do in case of credit card fraud.
Financial Planning Pyramid
Commodities
Collectibles
Blue-Chip Common Stock Balanced Mutual Funds
Insured Savings / Checking Accounts
Growth Mutual Funds
High-Grade Preferred Stock
Money Market Accounts or Mutual Funds
Certificates of Deposit
High-Grade Corporate Bonds or Mutual Funds
Lower Risk Lower Earnings
Treasury Issues
Jeff Lutz, Agency Manager of Allstate, who was both a student and a guest lecturer, taught his classmates how to use insurance to protect their assets against financial loss, and how insurance varies from person to person because of lifestyle and life situation. The risks of Identity Theft IDENTITY THEFT VICTIMS COULD: • Have any and all of their financial accounts invaded and emptied. • Be asked to repay debts they did not incur. • Lose job opportunities. • Lose their good credit rating. • Be refused loans. • Be sued for things they have no part of. • Even be arrested for crimes they didn’t commit. 30
INTEREST INTEREST CHARGED CHARGED
TOTAL TOTAL COST COST
$2000 $2000
TIME TIMETO TO PAY PAY OFF OFF 11 11YEARS YEARS 55 MONTHS MONTHS
$1,850 $1,850
$3,850 $3,850
$4,000 $4,000
14 14YEARS YEARS 44 MONTHS MONTHS
$3,850 $3,850
$7,850 $7,850
$6,000 $6,000
16 16YEARS YEARS
$5,850 $5,850
$11,850 $11,850
BALANCE BALANCE
High-Grade Convertible Bonds
High-Grade Municipal Bonds or Mutual Funds U.S. Savings Bonds
Interest Rate = 24% Minimum Payment = 4%
Speculative Stock/Bonds/ Mutual Funds
Real Estate
Renee Younes, President of Interviewing Smarts, highlighted the necessity of preparing for changes in one’s career. In todayís fast-paced and uncertain world, focusing on one’s career development and lifelong learning is the best insurance for protecting one’s income stream. Having an up-to-date resume at hand and engaging in a continuous process of networking are part and parcel of an evolving standard of living.
The Cost of Using Credit
Highest Risk Highest Earnings
Penny Stock
Tea c h er
Changing continued from page 16
ss B er u sin e
David Couk Jr., Vice President of TFB Wealth Management Services, impressed on the students that when the time comes to retire, it is necessary to have a big pot of gold set aside to fund retirement. He left no student behind in understanding what their challenge would be in preparing for the last third of their lives, which for many people could mean living to 100 years of age and older. Kate Teachout, Esq. of Robert Miller and Associates, P.L.C., addressed what happens after death by providing an overview of estate planning, taking the discussion from the basics of a simple will to the impact of dying intestate. She concluded with the observation that it is always best to give with warm hands. Juan and Jack Pozo-Olano, owners of Gold’s Gym, brought some perspective to the enterprise of making money and accumulating wealth when they talked about how to maintain and Warrenton Lifestyle
improve health through calorie restrictions and building lean muscle mass. It is hard to enjoy wealth without good health. The Roman poet Juvenal said it best: “Mens sana in corpore sano,” which translates as “A healthy mind in a healthy body.” With so many professionals generously donating their time and experience to
teach students, young and old, how to deal with the often complex issues of personal finance by giving them the tools to succeed and not just survive, one has to feel proud to live and work in a community such as Warrenton. The students responded enthusiastically to the course,
describing their experiences as eye opening and life changing. Many have told their children and friends to sign up for the next course. To reserve a space in the next Basic Financial Planning course, which will start towards the end of January 2008, call me at 540 347 9522. For all those 25 students who completed this first financial boot camp, there is a new horizon to explore: Investing Money! This next level course will show those students how to make capital work for them. It will be fast-paced, fun, and exciting (and, of course, will have lots of homework). Just as in the first course, the students will be under the tutelage of Warrenton’s best investment professionals.
Andreas A. Keller is a Senior Loan Officer with Warrentonbased Mid-Atlantic Mortgage Corporation. He can be reached at his cell phone 703-346-7262 or his office phone 540-347-9522 and via email: aakeller@mac.com. Get to know him at his personal website www.MortgageMomentsOnline.com.
December 2007
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Warrenton Lifestyle
Annual Cookie Sale December 13 & 14
The 13th Annual Grandma’s Homemade Favorites Cookie and Gift Sale will be held Thursday, December 13 from 4:00 p.m. – 8 p.m. and Friday, December 14 from 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the Warrenton Community Center, 430 East Shirley Avenue, Warrenton, Virginia. All proceeds from this sale will benefit the Warrenton Adult Day Care Program. There will be an incredible assortment of cookies, fruitcakes, and snacks to enjoy while browsing. There will be many gifts to choose from also. In addition, we have remembered our four-legged friends – these treats are a very popular item – they sell out quickly! Warrenton Community Center will be festively decorated for the holiday season with a wonderful selection of Christmas music in the background.
For more information, please call 540-347-2797. We hope to see you there!
December 2007
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FO,
Inc. FIRSTCARE ORTHOPAEDICS, INC.
THE galloping grape
493 Blackwell Road, Suite 315 Warrenton, VA 20186 Phone: 540.341.7758 • Fax: 540.341.7792 With a combined 40 years of experience, our staff has been providing patients with a variety of upper and lower extremity orthopedic braces that facilitate and promote the healing process. We also serve the diabetic community including custom diabetic shoes and custom shoe inserts. We provide: ➣ Dynamic ROM Splints ➣ Shoulder Braces ➣ Fracture Braces (all types) ➣ Hand/Wrist Braces-Splints ➣ Knee Braces (all types) ➣ Ankle Braces (all types) ➣ Diabetic Footwear/Foot Orthotic
The Goal is Quality Service Hours: Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday: Please call for appointment
CUSTOM ESTATE PLANNING Wills, Trusts, Living Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Medical Directives, Elder Law, Financial Planning, Asset Protection. Law Office of
MICHAEL A. MAYS Warrenton, VA. 540-351-0211 Va. Bar 1975
Prompt, Reliable Service. Reasonable Rates.
Advertising with the Warrenton Lifestyle…
Over 10,000 mailed to Warrenton households every month. 34
For rates & advertising information contact Cindy McBride at 540.347.4466 or email: CindyMcBride@piedmontpress.com Ad4.pub page 1
Friday, November 09, 2007 09:14 Magenta Yellow Black Cyan
Warrenton Lifestyle
TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY
Spiritual Care Support Ministries SM (SCSM) is pleased to announce its second annual Open House and Tree Lighting Ceremony to honor personal heroes and the memory of loved ones. Sunday, December 2, 2007 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministries Center 76 West Shirley Avenue in Warrenton The event is free and open to all, including children. Guests will enjoy light refreshments. Music by the Broad Run Strings Chamber Group Lights are $10 each. Different lights will be in memory of loved ones, persons in the military, special people (for example, a teacher), and children or teens. Tree and star donations are also available. To sponsor a light, call Spiritual Care Support Ministries SM (SCSM) at 540/349-5814 or email Rev. Liz Danielsen directly at ChaplainLiz@scsm.tv.
December 2007
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December 2007
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Warrenton Lifestyle
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Warrenton Lifestyle